Please forgive me. I feel the need to get a little socio-political today.
The big news headline in southwest Florida yesterday was "Washington Group Finds the FCAT Flawed." FCAT opponents across the state cheered and shook their finger at the Department of Education at this news. Unfortunately, the actual story resembled the headline like I resemble my brother-in-law's Cuban family. (I'm a bottle brunette.)
The Washington group actually found a problem not with the 10th grade FCAT test itself, but in the fact that a high school student needs to pass this test for graduation, thereby proving that he or she is able to work at a 10th grade level. The group recommended students take a test at an 11th or 12th grade level like many other states.
At this point, all those cheering people should be hiding right now. But they're not, and the misinformation about standardized tests continues to be passed around like a bad case of the flu. I cry in moments like this because it reminds of how many people in our country don't think for themselves and research information to find a truth they can live with. This is why we continue to believe that a slice of Wonder Bread has the same nutrients as a multi-vitamin. And vote for elite career politicians. And fret over catching the Bird Flu. And think that AIDS is a threat to the mainstream population.
Thinking for ourselves is just too much to ask, I suppose, because it requires a certain level of risk. The truth isn't always pretty or convenient. No parent wants to hear that their child has a difficulty. Or that moving around between states and countries and schools might affect their learning on so many different levels other than the quality of the school system. Who wants to hear that in almost every case, a child will have a better life living with two committed, married parents? Or that not everyone will know fractions by the end of kindergarten? Goodness, I just recently figured out the concept of potential and kinetic energy fifteen years after my honors physical science class!
At some point we have to put our biases and wishes and dreams aside and take a look at the cold, hard facts. Even if they are ugly. It's impossible to change your reality when you're only using fantasy tools.
In other news...
I'm really hoping that I will have some exciting news to post here soon. It just might be a very fun surprise.
The big news headline in southwest Florida yesterday was "Washington Group Finds the FCAT Flawed." FCAT opponents across the state cheered and shook their finger at the Department of Education at this news. Unfortunately, the actual story resembled the headline like I resemble my brother-in-law's Cuban family. (I'm a bottle brunette.)
The Washington group actually found a problem not with the 10th grade FCAT test itself, but in the fact that a high school student needs to pass this test for graduation, thereby proving that he or she is able to work at a 10th grade level. The group recommended students take a test at an 11th or 12th grade level like many other states.
At this point, all those cheering people should be hiding right now. But they're not, and the misinformation about standardized tests continues to be passed around like a bad case of the flu. I cry in moments like this because it reminds of how many people in our country don't think for themselves and research information to find a truth they can live with. This is why we continue to believe that a slice of Wonder Bread has the same nutrients as a multi-vitamin. And vote for elite career politicians. And fret over catching the Bird Flu. And think that AIDS is a threat to the mainstream population.
Thinking for ourselves is just too much to ask, I suppose, because it requires a certain level of risk. The truth isn't always pretty or convenient. No parent wants to hear that their child has a difficulty. Or that moving around between states and countries and schools might affect their learning on so many different levels other than the quality of the school system. Who wants to hear that in almost every case, a child will have a better life living with two committed, married parents? Or that not everyone will know fractions by the end of kindergarten? Goodness, I just recently figured out the concept of potential and kinetic energy fifteen years after my honors physical science class!
At some point we have to put our biases and wishes and dreams aside and take a look at the cold, hard facts. Even if they are ugly. It's impossible to change your reality when you're only using fantasy tools.
In other news...
I'm really hoping that I will have some exciting news to post here soon. It just might be a very fun surprise.
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