Posted on 02/09/2004 5:27:05 PM PST by mylife
Star student gets F for attitude
Garfield disciplines senior for shirking standardized exam By Stephanie Warsmith Beacon Journal staff writer
The nearly straight-A student would rather have been in class.
Instead, Jake Bogdanovich was taking a test with no bearing on his grades or ability to get into college.
``I didn't want to be there,'' he said. ``I didn't want to take the test.''
So, the Garfield High School senior did something rare for him: rebel.
On the familiar bubble answer sheet, he made a tic-tac-toe pattern. He drew characters from the television show South Park in the short-answer section. And he took part in a coughing fit that became contagious for other students.
Now, Bogdanovich, 18, is facing consequences for his cavalier attitude toward a test that school leaders say was important. He will serve a three-day, in-school suspension beginning Monday.
His status in the National Honor Society is in jeopardy, and he lost his position working in the school office.
Bogdanovich wasn't the first student to slough off a test and he won't be the last. Students are being tested more and more -- often with standardized exams that carry no consequences or benefits for them personally. But these tests are important for schools and districts -- and shirking them is not considered a laughing matter, administrators said.
``Jake decided not to take the test seriously and thought it would be OK,'' said Garfield Principal Rebecca Decapua. ``It wasn't.''
Bogdanovich was one of 100 Garfield seniors randomly selected to take a test this week to measure whether a program at the school is working. Garfield, along with Akron's other high schools, is part of a national effort called ``High Schools That Work.'' Each year, seniors at each school are quizzed to gauge whether they are performing better than the class before them.
That's what landed Bogdanovich in a classroom Monday for a test he didn't want to take -- and wasn't sure why he was taking it. He and a friend decided to goof off on the exam rather than apply themselves.
``This had no scholarship opportunities,'' Bogdanovich said. ``I would rather be in class.''
They both gave bogus answers throughout the test. In response to a question about the difference between an animal and a plant cell, Bogdanovich drew cartoon characters from South Park. In answer to another item, he wrote, ``Bob Dole uses Viagra,'' which had nothing to do with the question.
A teacher became suspicious when the two teens finished the last section of the test -- expected to take 25 minutes -- in three minutes. She asked if they had tried, and they replied: ``Not really,'' Bogdanovich said. She took their answer booklets and reported them to Decapua's office.
Bogdanovich's friend, who is 17, also received an in-school suspension.
Pamela Bogdanovich, Jake's mother, was disappointed and surprised in her son, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, works 30 hours a week in a Walgreens pharmacy and will begin a pre-pharmacy program at the University of Toledo in August.
``I am not happy with him,'' she said. ``His wings are going to be clipped a little.''
But she also thinks his punishment is too severe, especially kicking him out of the National Honor Society -- a step she plans to fight.
``I don't understand why this test has more weight than any other test,'' she said, adding that school leaders could have done a better job explaining the significance of the exam. ``I think this was blown way out of proportion to begin with.''
Decapua said the test is significant for demonstrating whether the school is making any gains with reform efforts begun in recent years with the High Schools That Work program. Failing to show gains could put future funding under the program in jeopardy, she said.
``I would not say this would make or break our funding,'' she said, ``but they expect to see progress in various areas.''
Decapua said school leaders sent a letter home with students informing them about the High Schools That Work test. The letter said parents could contact school leaders if they had a problem with their children taking the test.
Pamela Bogdanovich said she never received this letter.
School leaders say testing is only going to become more intense and frequent for future generations. This year's freshmen will be the first who must pass the new Ohio Graduation Test, which is expected to be tougher than the current ninth-grade proficiency test. Eventually, students will be given standardized exams every year in kindergarten through 10th grade.
While not all of the tests count for students, many have major consequences for schools and districts. Those that fail to show adequate progress can face such stiff penalties as staff changes and state takeover.
School leaders hope students will attempt their best on these tests, even if it doesn't benefit them.
``Students need to recognize it isn't always about yourself,'' said Decapua. ``Spend a period of time in service to your school.''
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He committed on of the unforgivable sins, as viewed by a educrat: He jeopardized their funding!!
Good for you, Mom.
But she also thinks his punishment is too severe, especially kicking him out of the National Honor Society -- a step she plans to fight.
Is it "honorable" behavior to act like a d*** and cop an attitude during a test? Membership in the NHS is a privilege, not a right. Actions have consequences - a lesson the little darling is either going to learn here or later out in the real world.
I think the student was wrong to behave the way he did, and he is wrong in his justifications.
Being an "nearly straight-A student" doesn't mean much if every school has different standards. I went to an inner-city high school where it was very, very easy to get straight As. Then I went to a charter school where it was much more difficult. How are they going to bring up the standards of all schools if there is no testing?
Personally, I don't have a problem with funding being tied to student performance. Let's see if the schools are doing their jobs.
From the article: While not all of the tests count for students, many have major consequences for schools and districts. Those that fail to show adequate progress can face such stiff penalties as staff changes and state takeover. I say that's good.
If this student didn't know why he was taking the test, why didn't he just ask?
Reminds me of an old Peanuts cartoon. Linus is home sick one day. The next day, on the way to school, Lucy asks if he has his excuse note for being sick. He says he forgot it, Lucy says the school needs it so they can get their state aid money. Linus is taken aback and says, "I thought they were concerned that I was feeling better."
Everything "for the Children" is all about money!
"There's no scholarship opportunity in it..."
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