text: Jonathan Light's resignation from the Springfield Board is a loss, but his new job with the Springfield district is a gain.  Jonathan's leadership on the Board was instrumental in the unanimous vote to encourage parents and students to opt-out of the excessive Smarter Balanced tests.  Very few school boards in the U.S. have had the guts and the vision to say, "Enough of this madness".  From all I have heard, the Board has received no negative comments from Springfield parents.
  
  These tests and the accompanying irrational beliefs  --   that the only thing that matters in school are the tested subjects (reading, writing and arithmetic) and that all students should go to a four-year college --  have crowded out so many subjects of value to students and to society.  The real world is made up of people - students - who are great at working with their minds and hands (skilled labor, the arts, etc. etc.) and people who are good at traditional academics.  
  
  Thanks for your service, Jonathan.