Bergen Student Wasn't Suspended For Not Taking PARCC, Despite Group's Claim

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A student at Bergen County Technical High School was not suspended for not taking the controversial PARCC exam, despite an education watchdog group claiming the student was.

Save Our Schools New Jersey posted on Facebook Tuesday that a student attending Bergen County Technical High School was suspended for one day for refusing to take the PARCC. Save Our Schools is grassroots nonprofit of parents and education advocates that works to inform the public about education issues.

According to the group, the student's parents reportedly received a call from a principal who allegedly said the school would lose funding if the student refused to take the exam.

Susan Caldwell, a volunteer with Save Our Schools, responded to an inquiry by Patch about the allegation, but did not answer specific questions about it. She did not respond to a follow-up email.

Andrea Sheridan, assistant superintendent of the Bergen County Technical Schools District, said the district does not and did not suspend any student for refusing to take the PARCC exam.

The district has campuses in Paramus and Teterboro. The Teterboro school was ranked No. 3 in the state and named one of the Most Challenging High Schools in New Jersey and the country recently.

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