SOLs can stereotype Chesterfield students

Dear Editor,

I am writing on behalf of my son who attended Cosby High School. The standards of the school system have undergone tremendous change over the past years starting with the advent of the SOLs, increasing graduation requirements, and the No Child Left Behind [Act]. This transformation has placed emphasis on raising the standards to prepare children with the skills needed for life, education and work in the 21st century, but at what cost? The spirit of children is being compromised in the process, and there doesn't seem to be a standard in place to protect children from allowing an SOL score or a graduation requirement from bulldozing a child's spirit.

My son has experienced this firsthand at Cosby High School as he was recommended to "restart" algebra halfway through the third nine weeks and compromise his entire academic schedule, through terminating services in his individual education plan, all in the name of an SOL. There was little consideration given to how this would impact my son and great consideration in how it would impact the school's accreditation as this would defer him and many others from taking the SOL until next year. My son did in fact pass not only his algebra SOL but all of them despite the prediction made by the county's assessment tool of a benchmark goal.

My son has been an avid runner since the sixth-grade and has found success in his running ability. This has created a balance for him. It was due to a "closed minded" coach and his ill advisement that prompted my son not to finish the track season, and to top it off, he had a collaborative teacher, who was also a coach, bring this athletic issue into the academic arena and cast blame on my son, using his disability, as the catalyst for him not being on the track team any longer.

I think that it is high time that we place accountability on the administration, educators and coaches regarding the spirit of children. If we do not place a priority on this matter, we are placing our children at great risk - the spirit of our country as well as our religious spirit have already been compromised in our school systems. Please do not let the "spirit of children" be next. Most importantly, for those individuals, you know who you are, who took the time to discover what my son could offer without judgment, I am forever grateful.

Sandra K. Mitchell

River Ridge