…the answer is Yes!

Carl Chew, the valiant Eckstein Middle School teacher who’s risking his job to take a stand against the meaningless bureaucratic nonsense that is standardized testing, is the same person as C.T. Chew, the pop-folk artist locally beloved for his surrealistic prints, his original “commemorative stamp” series (not good for postage), and his (outsourced to Asia) designer rugs.

(He’s also got a Latin-style accordion band available “for parties, weddings, cruises, & fiestas.”)

Here’s Chew’s statement to the media about why he’s refusing to administer the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) to his sixth graders. It’s a beautiful, compelling, structured argument. Students should read it to learn about the fine art of persuasive writing. Heck, bloggers and Web pundits should read it for the same reason.