By ELEANOR HEDGES DUROY, age 12, and AUDREN HEDGES DUROY, age 8
Standardized tests are taking over the school
(that test, that test, that test, that test)
Well what do you say when the state makes that rule?
(that test, that test, that test, that test)
You create all these standardized tests for us to take
(‘bout that test, that test, that test, that test)
Well don’t you know that education don’t get measured just that way?
(that test, that test, that test, that test)
It’s all about that test, that test, that test, that test.
Geography and math and language arts all disappear
(Wait! What? Where’d they go? Aren’t they here??)
All we know is “test prep” when the testing dates are near.
(It’s all about that test, that test, that test, that test)
Well we march to computer labs like little guinea pigs
(it’s all about that test, that test, that test, that test)
And we sit in those chairs taking tests on screens this big
(it’s all about those tests, ‘bout those test, those tests, those tests)
It’s not fair to students or to teachers, not at all!
(not at all, that test, that test, that test)
To spend all day at school and learn nothing in the halls.
(Other than that test, that test, that test, that test.)
Our teachers tell us to work hard and do our best
(do our best, our best, our best, on that test)
But how can we do that when we’re taking all this stress??
(all this stress, this stress, this stress, this stress)
You know that they can’t educate us when their jobs are on the line
(their jobs are on the line, with that test, that test, that test, that test)
That stress shouldn’t be theirs, and it shouldn’t become mine
(all that stress, that stress, that stress, that stress).
Well I don’t wanna be the state’s data point no more…
(data point, data point, data point, data point)
So don’t you dare to track me only by that little score
(by that score, by that score, by that score, not that score)
Cause it’s all about that test, that test, that test, that test
Cause it’s all about that test, that test, that test, that test
(when my mom was young, she only had to take one….)
Man, I just want to learn something in school…….please?
