High-stakes standardized testing has become ubiquitous in US education. In this article, the authors argue that not only is such testing bad for education, but it also contradicts curriculum and instruction aligned with professional standards promoted by NCTE and innovative educators. Additionally, contradictory to the concept of "no child left behind," high-stakes standardized tests have negative impacts on students of color. However, the authors also know that English teachers can make a positive difference in the education of youth through creative curricular resistance and by keeping the big picture of the discipline as the heart and soul of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.