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California is easing its bar exam score which critics argue fails to measure ability
LA Times via Yahoo ^ | 7/26/20 | Maura Dolan

Posted on 07/28/2020 2:11:17 PM PDT by Libloather

For more than three decades, California has clung to one of the nation's toughest testing standards for law school students hoping to practice law in the most populous state in the country.

But this month, the California Supreme Court, which oversees the state bar, agreed to lower the passing score for the exam, a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law.

After holding virtual meetings with law school graduates and deans, the state's highest court this month permanently lowered the passing score, allowed for law school graduates to work temporarily under supervision with provisional licenses during the pandemic and permitted graduates to take the bar exam remotely in early October.

"There is absolutely no evidence that shows having a higher score makes for better lawyers," said UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin, a longtime supporter of lowering the passing score. "There is significant evidence that it reduces the diversity of the bar."

Forty percent of California's population is white, 60% are people of color. But 68% of California lawyers are white, and only 32% are people of color, according to a new report by the State Bar of California.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Education; History
KEYWORDS: bar; california; californiasupremes; exam; jenniferlmnookin; lawyers; ucla
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More Bidens running around. Just great.
1 posted on 07/28/2020 2:11:17 PM PDT by Libloather
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To: Libloather

Like we don’t have enough ambulance chasers already.


2 posted on 07/28/2020 2:12:48 PM PDT by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: Libloather

“”” a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law. “”””””””

Are they saying they are not as smart as the honkies who take the test?


3 posted on 07/28/2020 2:13:25 PM PDT by shelterguy
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To: Libloather; Impy; BillyBoy; LS; NFHale; GOPsterinMA; campaignPete R-CT; AuH2ORepublican; ...

Because the lawyers in California aren’t stupid enough already. They need more racist retards and Stalinazis.


4 posted on 07/28/2020 2:13:47 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Dear Mr. Kotter, #Epsteindidntkillhimself - Signed, Epstein's Mother)
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To: Libloather

Will Hillary! (Smartest Woman In The World!) FINALLY pass the bar?

*SNORT*


5 posted on 07/28/2020 2:14:16 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Libloather

Now only if we can get the California Medical Board to be more compassionate and less racist and lower their exam standards!


6 posted on 07/28/2020 2:15:03 PM PDT by Obadiah (Justice for Bernell Trammel!)
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To: Libloather

dumber lawyers isn’t the solution to anything.


7 posted on 07/28/2020 2:15:43 PM PDT by JohnBrowdie
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To: Libloather

The “critics” are full of Obama.


8 posted on 07/28/2020 2:15:57 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Seruzawa

California Universities must really be hurting.


9 posted on 07/28/2020 2:17:33 PM PDT by cnsmom
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To: shelterguy

What would those deans be saying if you could practice law just by passing the bar rather than handing them a boatload of tuition money? Used to be possible before the law became a cartel. I believe can still do in some states.


10 posted on 07/28/2020 2:17:38 PM PDT by organicchemist (Without the second amendment, the first amendment is just talk)
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To: Libloather

Is there anywhere standards being made more rigorous and difficult?


11 posted on 07/28/2020 2:18:01 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA ("War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength." - George Orwell, 1984)
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To: shelterguy
Are they saying they are not as smart as the honkies who take the test?

Yes, but they are saying in a really underhanded and chickensh*t way.

12 posted on 07/28/2020 2:18:20 PM PDT by KC_Lion
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To: Libloather

The bar exam is not a measure of ABILITY. It is a measure of KNOWLEDGE. If you lower the standard, you will, over time, have lawyers with less knowledge of the law.


13 posted on 07/28/2020 2:18:43 PM PDT by taxcontrol (Stupid should hurt - Dad's wisdom)
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To: Libloather

Does this mean law schools have been packing their classes with “diversity” then they graduate people who can’t pass the bar exam?

Obviously then the problem lies with the exam, right?


14 posted on 07/28/2020 2:18:53 PM PDT by GnuThere
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To: Libloather

California has the lowest scores because it has some of the worst law schools in the country. Georgia used to be in the same boat, but they finally raised the standards for theirlaw schools a few decades ago (closing two or 3, and eventually opening one new one.)

Mississippi had a different problem. For years, they had one accredited law school in the state and didn’t require graduates to take the state bar exam. When a second one opened, they started requiring all admittees to take the exam, and found that the pride and joy of the state’s legal community had a horrific pass rate. The whole system had to be re-vamped.


15 posted on 07/28/2020 2:18:58 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Libloather

The once-Golden State continues to lower all its standards as it sinks deeper and deeper into decay.


16 posted on 07/28/2020 2:21:06 PM PDT by Savage Beast (President Trump, loving God, America, and the American People, is on the Side of love the Angels!)
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To: Libloather

More Bidens running around. Just great.


I thought he said he graduated in the top half of his class...


17 posted on 07/28/2020 2:21:36 PM PDT by hanamizu
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To: organicchemist

To your point, here are the education requirements for the state bar in California:

Most people go to law school before becoming an attorney, but it isn’t the only way to get a legal education. Applicants can also study in a law office or with a judge. Here are all the options:

Three or four years of study at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Four years of study at a State Bar-registered, fixed-facility law school
Four years of study with a minimum of 864 hours of preparation at a registered unaccredited distance-learning or correspondence law school
Four years of study under the supervision of a state judge or attorney
A combination of these programs


18 posted on 07/28/2020 2:21:44 PM PDT by taxcontrol (Stupid should hurt - Dad's wisdom)
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To: GnuThere
Does this mean law schools have been packing their classes with “diversity” then they graduate people who can’t pass the bar exam?

But not necessarily like you might think. I'd never hire a white guy that graduated from Southern (Louisiana) or Texas Southern. I have met competent Black attorneys from Southern.

19 posted on 07/28/2020 2:22:07 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Libloather

“Fails to measure ability”.
Why do I think they’ll measure skin tone instead of test scored?


20 posted on 07/28/2020 2:22:23 PM PDT by libertylover (Socialism will always look good to those who think they can get something for nothing.)
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