I don't understand this one either. But just about everyone in town who's publicly expressed an opinion seems to agree that the test is at best unnecessary and at worst harmful. The emphasis on Brookline's image seemed out of place in the midst of a debate over moral principles. Walsh and Weintraub tried to divert boycotters into tamer avenues like petitioning and lobbying. They seemed ignorant of the fact that some boycotters, as well as many other anti-MCAS folks here in Brookline and across the state, have been petitioning and lobbying for some time without success.
Direct action is both morally justified and historically effective.
Some School Committee members, visibly concerned about Weintraub's penalty, urged him to reconsider. Our elected officials should have gone much further, much sooner. After days of persuasion, pressure, and publicity, Weintraub finally reached an imperfect but potentially useful compromise with the students. That's a good assignment, but it still leaves an inappropriate academic penalty for students who don't do it. Making matters worse, if Weintraub's request to teachers to lower grades is truly a request rather than an order, the penalty could be applied inconsistently if teachers tell Weintraub to keep his hands off their gradebooks.