Tavishi Chattopadhyay, “Question 2 proposes removal of MCAS, sparks debate over equity for students,” The Daily Free Press, October 20, 2024.
Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Massachusetts, a grassroots organization, said he supports Question 2 because he believes the MCAS narrows the curriculum in schools.
“We want our students to have a well-rounded and comprehensive kind of high school experience,” Cohn said. “Reducing that experience to a single test score does students [a] disservice.”
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However, Cohn said the MCAS already disenfranchises some demographics, including students learning English as a second language, students with disabilities, low-income students and students of color.
Jack R. Trapanick, “With Ballot Question 1, A Test of Trust in the Massachusetts State Legislature,” Harvard Crimson, October 22, 2024.
Jonathan Cohn, policy director at Progressive Mass, pointed out that it was difficult to get any internal information about the legislature’s workings. Neither its committee votes nor hearing testimony are available to the public.
“We hold the status of being the only state where the governor’s office, the legislature, and the judiciary, all claim full exemption from the public records law,” he said.
The legislature, Cohn added, “doesn’t view information, in general, as the public good” — though he conceded that the measure was likely to face a lawsuit if it passes.
