Test topics should avoid aliens, Halloween

[Hum]

NEW YORK (AP) - March 27, 2012 (WPVI) -- Companies that want to come up with the tests used to measure New York City students' progress are being advised to stay away from topics including aliens and vermin.

A Department of Education list of subjects to avoid also includes: junk food, birthdays, abuse, terrorism, holidays and Halloween.

The department included the list in a recently issued request for proposals to create the tests used to measure student progress in math, science, literacy and social studies. It says the listed topics could "evoke unpleasant emotions" or "appear biased."

New York University education professor Diane Ravitch says concern about test topics isn't confined to the nation's largest city. She says it's something "testing companies have been doing for a long time."

Companies have until April 23 to submit their proposals.

source

[Dick Montage]

I can see 2 sides here:

1) Oh no - another list of things we're not meant to say. Pathetic.

2) Measuring academic progress should not be hindered by emotive responses. Fair play.

[Phouchg]

Idiotic. Exactly excluding certain topics from tests is "biased" not the other way round. And I can name hundreds of repulsing things that should and do make people emotional but are common and required at everyday jobs of many. And none of the mentioned are in that list. However, this kind of stupid people that think up such crap do indeed evoke me unpleaseant emotions of wanting to immediately strangle them.

[Hum]

alien ... topics could "evoke unpleasant emotions"

There you have it -- authorities recognize that abductions are happening. ;)

[ahhell]

"It says the listed topics could "evoke unpleasant emotions" or "appear biased."'

It's sad how puss-ified we've become.

[DocM]

This crap is bloddy f*ing stupid. We're raising a bunch of weak, out of shape, hyper-offendable brats already and this will just make it worse.

[remixedcat]

My god and all of you prolly wouldn't be able to ever fathom how ****ed up my school was....

[DocM]

I would - my wife is an old-school teacher with 35+ years in and she's ready to go postal at what they've been doing the last 10-20 years.

[remixedcat]

well in my school it was uncool to be nice to people... the meaner you were the more popular you got...

plus we had racist teachers and so many other things that would take me forever to explain....

[DocM]

Ouch.

If that happened in my (farm belt) schools the principal had this "board of education" on his wall - and he'd use it. Back then if you acted like a d*ck in school you got it at school, from your parents when you got home, and maybe from an uncle or two. Then you heard about it for a month from everyone in town.

It was easier to just behave :p

[Southern Patriot]

I'm pretty sure this was posted a day or two ago around here, but I can't find the thread at the moment.

edit: found it: https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1066384-pc-student-tests-forbid-dance-dinos-lots-more/

[remixedcat]

"good behaviour" was being a racist pig and sucking up to the teachers that slept with the principals and not being nice to anyone. I got written up and a 3 day suspension for standing up for a kid that only had half of his left arm. The teacher started to yell at him and make fun of him so I told her off and told her to not talk like that to him. I got suspended longer when I came back and found out she was trying to get him permantly expelled just becuase she didn't like him and was trying everything she can to scare the poor kid's family away from the area. I unleashed all hell on her for that. I got suspended for 2 weeks. I didn't care. That kid shouldn't have been treated like that at all he was a great kid and was super awesome. Lucky my family sides with me through the whole thing and it ended up being a great vacation away from that hell. I got to go on a couple cool trips too.

[Dot Matrix]

"Dinosaurs" is on that list. *sigh*

[Original Poster]

"Dinosaurs" is on that list. *sigh*

but...but .... Dinosaurs are awesome :'(

[Dot Matrix]

but...but .... Dinosaurs are awesome :'(

Dinosaurs never existsted. The supposed "bones" scientists have been digging up were placed there deliberately by non-believers in feeble attempts to further their agenda.

/s

[ahhell]

The number 7 sends me into a blind rage. Better throw that on the list.

:rolleyes:

That board of "education" needs to be fired then fired upon.

[Original Poster]

Dinosaurs never existsted. The supposed "bones" scientists have been digging up were placed there deliberately by non-believers in feeble attempts to further their agenda.

its a film from the 90s do you really need to blur the image ? xD

/s

[Growled Member]

There you have it -- authorities recognize that abductions are happening. ;)

Wow. :laugh: