Standardized testing is a reality with which all educators must contend. Although the laws enforcing such assessments do so under the premise that students will thereby be assured an equal opportunity for academic success, they overlook a critical point--students are human beings with needs that reach beyond what is measured on a test. In this article, the author examines the impact of standardized testing on the educator's ability to adequately address these needs and questions whether the focus of education has turned to treating children as commodities rather than helping them to develop not only their intellect but also their emotional and social selves.