obama: what a joke

[AandF6969]

I'm just curious how a test can be racist... obviously intelligent, well educated people are going to write the tests... should they just dumb it down to a 6th grade level? Or lower everyone's standards?

[zartan]

I'm just curious how a test can be racist... obviously intelligent, well educated people are going to write the tests... should they just dumb it down to a 6th grade level? Or lower everyone's standards?

Exactly.. and why are Asians and Jews always smashing everyone? Are there a lot of questions about how to boil white rice or how many days in Hanukkah or something?? That whole argument is a cop out, the test is about discipline and values. If you want to say that people that come from lower class don't do well because they don't come from proper homes giving them discipline/encouragement to do well (AKA THEY DIDNT STUDY), would be a lot more accurate. Also that research is outdated, they changed the 'socioeconomic questions' now supposedly.

[thegodfather]

I'm just curious how a test can be racist... obviously intelligent, well educated people are going to write the tests... should they just dumb it down to a 6th grade level? Or lower everyone's standards?

Its not about intelligence but rather the life experiences that one is exposed to due to their socioeconomic background.

[BgMc31]

Godfather, great posts, but you are wasting your time trying to explain this to some people. I know you explained it in a previous thread but the same arguments kept coming up. They don't realize that Jews and Asians do generally come from higher socioeconomic areas than blacks, hispanics, and rural whites.

I tried explaining the concept to co-worker and I explained it like this: Could an upper middle class person from Manhattan pass a standardized test developed and administered by someone from an indigenous population in Brazil? No, it doesn't mean that person lacks intelligence but rather that person cannot relate to the experiences necessary to answer those questions correctly. I know that example is a bit extreme but the same does apply when dealing with lower socioeconomic standings of groups.

But again, we will continue to hear the argument that we shouldn't dumb down testing. They just do get it!

[zartan]

Godfather, great posts, but you are wasting your time trying to explain this to some people. I know you explained it in a previous thread but the same arguments kept coming up. They don't realize that Jews and Asians do generally come from higher socioeconomic areas than blacks, hispanics, and rural whites.

I tried explaining the concept to co-worker and I explained it like this: Could an upper middle class person from Manhattan pass a standardized test developed and administered by someone from an indigenous population in Brazil? No, it doesn't mean that person lacks intelligence but rather that person cannot relate to the experiences necessary to answer those questions correctly. I know that example is a bit extreme but the same does apply when dealing with lower socioeconomic standings of groups.

But again, we will continue to hear the argument that we shouldn't dumb down testing. They just do get it!

Yes I do 'get it' and I'm saying its a moot point. If you want to be relevant in modern work force, you need to be able to integrate and have applicable skills.

[BgMc31]

Yes I do 'get it' and I'm saying its a moot point. If you want to be relevant in modern work force, you need to be able to integrate and have applicable skills.

True but what if you don't have the resources to obtain those 'applicable' skills? That's the issue.

[zartan]

True but what if you don't have the resources to obtain those 'applicable' skills? That's the issue.

If by resources you mean college, everyone has the opportunity to take those resources through financial aid, scholarships, student loans.

[AandF6969]

If by resources you mean college, everyone has the opportunity to take those resources through financial aid, scholarships, student loans.

Yep... and if they don't apply themselves, and don't work for things, then hey the world always needs janitors and people to work at mcdonalds... and crack dealers