Protesters Call High School Exit Exam 'Racist' (Critics Say Tests Are Biased Toward Whites, Asians)

NBC - 4 ^ | February 26, 2003

[Michael2001]

LOS ANGELES -- Demonstrators urged the Los Angeles school board Tuesday to reconsider the use of tests they say are racist and unfair to blacks and Latinos.

Some people believe the California High School Exit Exam and other standardized tests are culturally biased toward whites and Asians.

"We are concerned about the racist tests that are going on in the schools today," said Paige Leven of the Coalition for Educational Justice.

The demonstration was timed to coincide with proposal from school board members Genethia Hudley Hayes, who is black, and Jose Huizar, who is of Latino descent. They want state officials to explore the "legal, financial and policy implications of establishing a moratorium on the high stakes consequences of the (high school exit exam)."

At the same time, Hayes and Huizar want to continue using results from the exit exam as a "diagnostic tool."

Whites and students of Asian descent typically score better than blacks and Latinos on standardized tests. Huizar said the gap was at least a "20-25 percent disparity."

Last spring, the school board voted 4-1 to consider alternatives to the Stanford 9 and high school exit exam after Hayes and Huizar suggested the tests were biased against nonwhites from poor families.

But Superintendent Roy Romer said the two tests are required by state law.

Tuesday, Hayes and Huizar proposed that the district consider adopting or expanding "alternative or interim assessments to improve the quality of information available to individual classroom teachers."

The alternatives would include "language arts performance assignments" for grades 2-9 and quarterly assessments in math.

Hayes and Huizar also want to create a task force to devise an "Opportunity to Learn Index that would provide public information on ... students' equitable access to tools, resources and materials that inform the educational conditions under which they are assessed."

Demonstrators said many inner-city students were disadvantaged.

"We have very little funds. We have very little books," said Victor Banuelos, an 11th-grade student at Los Angeles High School.

Hayes said she was concerned that the district was considering offering two kinds of high school diplomas -- one saying the student passed the exit exam, and the other saying he or she did not.

The school board will vote on the Hayes-Huizar proposal in two weeks.

[HamiltonJay]

Yes, heaven forbid we actually test and expect understanding of proper english and not ebonics or spanglish in our testing.

[sauropod]

ping!

[TheBigB]

If Snoop Dogg could bang six ho's in one hour, how many could he bang in three-and-a-half hours? Discuss.

[Living Free in NH]

(Critics Say Tests Are Biased Toward Whites, Asians)

All tests are biased against STUPID people. That's what they're supposed to be.

[journey7873]

Ah, that brings back memories of my high school days. Whenever I didn't do well on a test, I just simply claimed that the test was clearly racist.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Demonstrators urged the Los Angeles school board Tuesday to reconsider the use of tests they say are racist and unfair to blacks and Latinos.

The tests obviously need to be written in ebonics, not English. This should hurt the whites and Asians. Also, the correct answer to a math problem should depend on the student's home life. Ahhh... the liberal solution.

Oh, and when all of our high tech jobs go overseas becasue we are al a bunch of uneducated idiots we will have to force other countries to NOT educate their people too.

[Freedom4US]

"We are concerned about the racist tests that are going on in the schools today," said Paige Leven of the Coalition for Educational Justice.

Cracks are beginning to appear in the facade, folks. This kind of rhetoric, unthinkable a few decades ago, actually garners serious consideration these days (The mere thought of multi-billion dollar riots has an "interesting", if intellectually hilarious, effect on those in charge) and it's not going away and will get worse before it gets better.

Were the US an insular and closed society, a certain amount of this garbage could be tolerated. However, the US must compete with the rest of the world, and they are not prone to dumbing down their schools in order to placate thugs. It does not bode well for our nation. Stay safe.

[LanPB01]

How does one make a test that is biased in favor of whites and Asians, while somehow managing to make same test biased against blacks and Hispanics? Ask questions about fortune cookies and yachts (I actually heard a black activist use the fact that some of these tests contain the word "yacht" as an example of their bias. Clearly, yachts are only for white people)? Ask questions about ice hockey and the geography of the Hamptons? Please!

[Hobsonphile]

*Sigh* They say this about the MCAS too...

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[Hobsonphile]

Ping!

[Luna]

We have very little books," said Victor Banuelos, an 11th-grade student at Los Angeles High School.

Well, no wonder you don't do well on the tests. Your books aren't big enough and probably don't contain all the necessary information you need to know in order to pass the test.

[Freedom2specul8]

Hey, this is series!

[SunStar]

Whites and students of Asian descent typically score better than blacks and Latinos on standardized tests. Huizar said the gap was at least a "20-25 percent disparity."

Is being smarter actually racist? Give me a break. Maybe these people should study instead of "thugging it" with their "peeps" and smoking "blunts". Idiots.

[reelfoot]

Is this whining a set up for a U. of Michigan fix: if you're black, you automatically get an extra 20-25 points, if Hispanic, an extra 15?

[Publius6961]

Protesters Call High School Exit Exam 'Racist' (Critics Say Tests Are Biased Toward Whites, Asians IQs over 35)

Lets take a shortcut here.

[Luna]

By only studying white substances instead of "chemicals of color".

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! LOL!!

[finnman69]

Can anyone explain to me how you can make math racist?

They are upset there are no ghetto real world style questions like this:

Shanaynay has twenty fo dolla. She wants some phat new Jordans dat cost lotta bling bling, FITTY DOLLA! How much rock does Shanaynay gotta sling to make bank?