Response to UU Blog Article on Mandatory Testing

Cee Jay, a Unitarian Universalist blogger, wrote on Saturday about mandatory testing of high school students in Ohio. She makes an important point about how testing is used “to shift the blame for our failing schools to educators and students and away from government policies that under fund education.” However, I strongly disagreed with her assertion that students who are failing standardized tests don’t need the skills being tested (such as “figuring probability, writing five paragraph essays, or balancing chemical formulas.") All students deserve to learn the fundamentals of reading, writing, math and science. These skills are essential for understanding the world.

Many students fail these tests because they have very limited educational opportunities. As Cee Jay notes in her piece, the testing favors students who have had social privileges. The vast majority of students in this country can succeed academically, if only they receive a stronger foundation early in life. Cee Jay mentions the “social conditions that negatively impact our students’ ability to take advantage of educational opportunities.” These social conditions include inadequate early education, lack of comprehensive health insurance for children, and under-paid jobs that keep many families in poverty.

You can read Cee Jay’s post here and join the discussion in the comments section.