Graduating Illiterates As "Progress"
Public school now in Oregon -- per a bill signed by the governor:
"SECTION 3. [A] student may not be required to show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills as a condition of receiving a high school diploma..."
My mother would not stand for this for a second, whatever my skin color was, and I'm guessing other parents are screaming mad -- and screaming about it -- too.
The term "the soft bigotry of low expectations" comes to mind.
Peter Belfiore writes in the Daily Mail:
The state of Oregon will no longer require its students to demonstrate proficiency in math, reading and writing in order to earn a high school diploma in a bid to bolster minority students.Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill late last month suspending the state's 'essential skills' requirement for graduation for the next three years while its Department of Education seeks alternative graduation requirements.
The bill extended a suspension of the requirements that was put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
...Proponents of the measure have said the state's proficiency specifications hurt disadvantaged students, while opponents say suspending them lowers the state's learning standards.
Charles Boyle, a spokesman for Brown, said the suspension will benefit 'Oregon's black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color'.
OMG. By papering over their not having basic reading, writing, math skills? This is sick.
Schools are failing students (and there are social issues like children born into single-parent poverty), but why address these when you can just -- poof! -- graduate students who can't, for example, make sense of a simple online form.
Angel gets it:
Imagine saying "Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color can't meet high school reading, writing, and math standards--and so we're getting rid of the standards."
— Angel Eduardo (@StrangelEdweird) August 10, 2021
And imagine thinking this *benefits* those students. https://t.co/WWArq7BTXj
Oregon is just going with the progressive plan. Math is racist, history is racist, old books are racist.
So they are teaching the new 3 'R's/
Racism,
Rioting
Reparations.
and Revolution.
What? that's 4 not 3, no comrade you math is racist.
Joe J at August 11, 2021 11:35 PM
Pretty soon they'll just hand out high school diplomas to everyone entering the 1st grade and quit wasting everyone's time.
Apparently, learning is racist.
ruralcounsel at August 12, 2021 5:15 AM
If Oregon will no longer condition getting a high school diploma on "proficiency in Essential Learning Skills," what will a high school diploma indicate about the graduate. It will no longer indicate that the graduate is at least somewhat proficient in math, reading, and writing, perhaps only that the graduate met attendance and behavioral requirements.
When we hand a high school diploma to graduates, we're essentially telling them they're ready for the adult world. However, our current system no longer prepares them for adulthood. They no longer enter the adult world with the knowledge and skills earlier generations did.
With a shift toward college prep as the standard curriculum for secondary education, public school systems are abrogating their responsibilities and passing those responsibilities to colleges, which are being forced to provide remedial education in subjects once taught stringently by high schools. However, not all students go on to college and have available that remediation. In addition, it is difficult, if not impossible, to use a one-semester class to correct the failings of a 12-year program.
We're throwing our children to the lions wrapped in meat togas. No wonder socialism and collectivism look so appealing to today's young adults.
Conan the Grammarian at August 12, 2021 5:56 AM
Dangling modifier alert - it should be clearer that the children are wrapped in meat togas, not the lions. Still, the analogy stands.
Conan the Grammarian at August 12, 2021 6:00 AM
"... what will a high school diploma indicate about the graduate." ~Conan
Age.
You are signaling the state mandated period of daycare is no longer available and the recipient is no longer eligible for that program. They are also legally able to work.
Actually finding work is your problem.
Ben at August 12, 2021 6:45 AM
Let me get this straight. The racists are the ones that want to educate minorities and the anti-racists are the ones that are fine with minorities being uneducated but its the racists who uphold minimum standards that are holding minorities back.
Shtetl G at August 12, 2021 6:55 AM
Dangling modifier alert
Perhaps they intend to send high school graduates out to wrap the lions in meat togas.
I R A Darth Aggie at August 12, 2021 7:23 AM
"... what will a high school diploma indicate about the graduate." ~Conan
um where you are from, in reality, level of indoctrination
hs in inner city = high indoctrination
hs in suburbia = medium indoctrination
hs in rural = low/medium indoctrination
GED/ home school= low indoctrination
private school= has money/privilege google school and see.
Joe J at August 12, 2021 7:59 AM
So in these parts, to graduate you pass a test. If you fail, you get a paper saying you attended school the obligatory amount of time.
Seems to me a good solution... the kids with severe learning problems (self imposed or not) still get a diploma of sorts, the kids who learned the skills get to show they learned the skills.
NicoleK at August 12, 2021 10:53 AM
Given the actual value of a modern high school diploma, that might be the only job they're capable of doing, assuming you explain to them beforehand what a lion and a toga are.
Conan the Grammarian at August 12, 2021 11:05 AM
"assuming you explain to them beforehand what a lion and a toga are"
Just shift the educational responsibility to their employers.
"So I just put on the meat toga and walk into the coliseum? Then what?"
"It's easy. You'll figure it out."
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at August 12, 2021 3:05 PM
> you get a paper saying you
> attended school the obligatory
> amount of time.
That's interesting.
Whenever an idea like that is offered Stateside, we're reminded that not only is American education shitty, it's shitty in diverse and unmanageable ways, resisting such techniques.
Crid at August 12, 2021 8:50 PM
It's too bad, because some kids are not going to be able to learn materials no matter how hard they try. It's nice for them to still have a token for the work and effort they put in... the answer isn't don't ask ANYONE to learn the work!
NicoleK at August 12, 2021 11:54 PM
Agree 10,000%
Crid at August 13, 2021 10:06 AM
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