The Standardized Testing Anthem
Song by Paul W. Hankins, edited by me to fit melody (with apologies to Albert Hammond and John Bettis)
Melody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPl0fZ5lK20
Child 1:
Each day I sit,
Faithfully stay.
Child 2:
Hoping we get
Somehow to May.
Child 3:
I’m in Row One;
Hour’s just begun.
Child 4:
Another year
I’ll be unknown.
Child 5:
They took my art;
No Band again!
Child 6 :
Can’t feel my feet;
My butt's in pain.
Child 7:
I try and fail —
Scores in the mail.
There were no gains:
All Children:
Give me one test; make it timed
If this is all that you think I should be.
Put all of the answers right there on the sheet,
Conveniently marked A through D.
Give me one test; make it timed
When I’m racing with who's next to me.
There isn’t one moment to spare -
Let me see…
Is it B?
Or is it D?
Child 9:
Wanted to be
The very best.
Child 10:
No place for me
Though on this test.
Child 11:
No time for dreams.
Child 12:
‘Cause now it seems…
Child 13:
It’s in my hands:
All Children:
Give me one test; make it timed.
Please rank Johnny and Sally and me.
Make big, over-sized banners with all of our scores.
And post them for our parents to see.
Give me one test; make it timed.
Is this how we want it to be?
Our moments spent bubbled away
Can’t they see…
Misery?
This travesty?
AWWWWW!
We’re children — for just short time.
Please, someone! Help us use that time!
Let us shine!
Give us better use of time -
We’re more than the data lets us be.
Because all of our future’s a school year away;
We're part of our communities.
It’s our moment — yours and mine —
We aren't testing entities!
With this test-free moment in time
We will be
We will be
All we could be!
YEAH!
We will be
All we could be!