Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) is calling on school districts in the 124th Assembly District to end the ‘sit and stare’ policy. The ‘sit and stare’ policy is when students who have opted out of the high-stakes Common Core testing are forced to sit idly in the classroom as other students take the test.

“To force a student to sit there for hours without an activity or lesson while other students take the test is cruel,” Friend said. “Some school districts are going as far as to have students make up sit and stare time. Our school districts should end this punitive policy immediately and live up to their word that they’re looking out for our children and doing their best to educate them.”

Friend is a sponsor of the Common Core Parental Refusal Act (A.6025), which ensures parents are made aware of their right to refuse the tests for their children, and protects the child, teacher and school from any state-levied penalty. He is also the sponsor of Assembly Bill 3656, better known as the APPLE Plan, which would put a two-year moratorium on Common Core testing as the program is vetted by industry professionals.