'Creepiest story' Montel Williams has read in a month: Is Pearson monitoring social media for PARCC 'item breaches'?

Brett T. | 11:49 PM on March 16, 2015

https://twitter.com/Montel_Williams/status/577644672257912832

Twitchy has reported quite often on the PARCC standardized test. In particular, some teachers have argued they were “deeply disturbed” at the massive time-suck the tests demand at the expense of classroom teaching time. For their part, students have staged walkouts on test days, and many who have taken the test admit they made no effort to pass.

As if students and teachers needed another reason to boycott the PARCC test, word is spreading that publisher Pearson has been monitoring students’ social media posts for references to the test or its contents.

According to Fox News, former Star-Ledger education reporter Bob Braun posted to his blog a copy of an email sent by Watchung Hills Regional High School District Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett to her staff, after she was notified of a “Priority 1 Alert for an item breach within our school.” (Pearson alleged that a student had tweeted a picture of a test item.) The email read, in part:

The DOE informed us that Pearson is monitoring all social media during PARCC testing. I have to say that I find this a bit disturbing—and if our parents were concerned before about a conspiracy with all of the student data, I am sure I will be receiving more letters of refusal once this gets out (not to mention the fact that the DOE wanted us to also issue discipline to the student).

Look out, Pearson; this man gets results.

https://twitter.com/Montel_Williams/status/577667705852936192

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‘Pointless’: Check out what students are tweeting about their PARCC test experiences