OPINION: MCAS for High School Graduation is Still Needed

In response to a recent Boston Globe editorial in support of retaining the MCAS high school graduation requirement, which is the subject of a current Ballot Initiative, former Franklin Town Councilor Joel D'Errico wrote the following letter, which the Globe then published. It is reprinted here with the permission of D'Errico.

* * * * * * 

I was glad to see your editorial on retaining the MCAS graduation requirement. The instrument is a solid tool to measure the academic prowess of our children in public schools.

In the face of a ballot question aimed at eliminating the requirement, I urge parents to lobby in favor of keeping MCAS as a requirement for graduation. The exam not only shows how well students are retaining what they learn in the classroom, but equally important, it shows how hard teachers are working for students.

We as taxpayers want our teachers to strive to get the most from children in the classroom. It strikes me that the teachers union's opposition to MCAS is more about workload.

Public school students were out of the school setting for more than a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning remotely, and they suffered setbacks.

We need high-achieving students and teachers are the professionals who are there to see that that happens.

Joel D’Errico, 

Franklin, MA