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quite possibly the best forum reply in the history of the world
I like the idea. It'll probably benefit every other racial group as well. After all sports is about humanity and inclusion since there are no material benefits gained by society especially by having only a few elite athletes over-represented by a single race. Academics on the other hand is different because we all want the brightest doctor helping us when we're sick, the best engineers designing our country's defense systems, etc.
Its going to fit in well with the recent decision to drop the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, LAST-2, for potential teachers since the right tint of people weren't passing it in the right numbers. Lowering entrance standards for both students and teachers is bound to result in a better system. What could go wrong.
The worse it will be.
Confusing worst with worse is common amongst those with low standards of grammar. Trying to pass it off as a typo is like those who confuse advice and advise, or then and than, and then try to claim that's a typo also.
Pointing out someone's mistake is one thing but you just make yourself sound like a snob by then throwing a personal jab with "low standards of grammar."
By the way, since you are so into proper writing, I decided to look into your other post here and look what I immediately found:
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
Its going to fit in well with the recent decision to drop the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, LAST-2, for potential teachers since the right tint of people weren't passing it in the right numbers. Lowering entrance standards for both students and teachers is bound to result in a better system. What could go wrong.
You used "its" incorrectly since you meant to use "it's" as in "it is."
So maybe you don't have too high of a standard yourself?
The achievement gap is a very complex issue that cannot simply be boiled down to the assertion that black and latino families generally do not value education. It is partially about economics. The schools in low-income communities are ****ty for lack of better word and many families rely on the school system to educate their children because they do not have the time or resources to or wherewithal to educate them on their own. Many low-income parents work multiple jobs and cannot afford outside help if their children are struggling academically.
The city has programs to provide tutoring to families in these situations but it is akin to putting a single plug into a dam that has multiple leaks. Food insecurity, ****ty housing, etc. also has a negative impact on educational outcomes. However, doing nothing to assist these children does not seem like the best route considering that a college degree is still the best way to break the poverty cycle and to ensure that these children can make a decent living as adults.
At the end of the day, it is about the children. You can go to war over whether the parents were irresponsible for having them in the first place considering their apparent inability to properly care for them but are we to throw the baby out with the bathwater and roll back programs that are these children's best option to changing their lot in life?
And to those who cry "what about meritocracy"? Changing admission guidelines are not tantamount to rubber stamping every minority child admissions application. It is simply recognizing that while admissions tests are an indicator of someone's academic ability, there are other ways of assessing a student's ability that is sensitive to that student's special background.
Worth noting, I think any affirmative action based program should be based on socioeconomics not race.
From having kids in the public system, I can tell you with 100% certainty that what separates good schools from bad schools is the level of parent involvement and child preparation. Even in schools with bad teachers, when parents are involved they make sure those teachers get replaced. It's the kids who show up expecting they can do whatever they want that ruin it for all the other kids in the class by distracting and sucking up attention. Some parents never bother reading to their kids or explaining everything to them. Instead of a couple hours a week of sesame street it's 50 hours a week of Dora the brain dead retard or yo gabba "please teach me ADD" gabba . When the parents are responsible and involved, they hold everyone accountable at every level.
The achievement gap is a very complex issue that cannot simply be boiled down to the assertion that black and latino families generally do not value education. It is partially about economics. The schools in low-income communities are ****ty for lack of better word and many families rely on the school system to educate their children because they do not have the time or resources to or wherewithal to educate them on their own. Many low-income parents work multiple jobs and cannot afford outside help if their children are struggling academically.
The city has programs to provide tutoring to families in these situations but it is akin to putting a single plug into a dam that has multiple leaks. Food insecurity, ****ty housing, etc. also has a negative impact on educational outcomes. However, doing nothing to assist these children does not seem like the best route considering that a college degree is still the best way to break the poverty cycle and to ensure that these children can make a decent living as adults.
At the end of the day, it is about the children. You can go to war over whether the parents were irresponsible for having them in the first place considering their apparent inability to properly care for them but are we to throw the baby out with the bathwater and roll back programs that are these children's best option to changing their lot in life?
And to those who cry "what about meritocracy"? Changing admission guidelines are not tantamount to rubber stamping every minority child admissions application. It is simply recognizing that while admissions tests are an indicator of someone's academic ability, there are other ways of assessing a student's ability that is sensitive to that student's special background.
Worth noting, I think any affirmative action based program should be based on socioeconomics not race.
This is a very good comprehensive post on the subject. It's a complex problem, one which lowering the standards will not fix
From having kids in the public system, I can tell you with 100% certainty that what separates good schools from bad schools is the level of parent involvement and child preparation. Even in schools with bad teachers, when parents are involved they make sure those teachers get replaced. It's the kids who show up expecting they can do whatever they want that ruin it for all the other kids in the class by distracting and sucking up attention. Some parents never bother reading to their kids or explaining everything to them. Instead of a couple hours a week of sesame street it's 50 hours a week of Dora the brain dead retard or yo gabba "please teach me ADD" gabba . When the parents are responsible and involved, they hold everyone accountable at every level.
This. Absolutely this.
It's also somewhat ironic... the reason the SHSAT even exists is to ensure that the entrance requirement is completely non-discriminatory. Interviews, essays, etc. are subjective. Tests don't care what color you are. The test is scored by machines and school matches are made by a computer.
Another thing that needs to be considered - What will happen to these minority kids after they get admitted? Can they handle the academic workload in Stuyvesant or Bronx Science without any special accommodation?
Worth noting, I think any affirmative action based program should be based on socioeconomics not race.
Agree with this since I grew up poor in NYC. However in a place like NYC where those with the income can just hop over the border to the burbs with their protected school borders, I can't imagine what a policy like that would do. Personally I would definitely leave albeit without much bitter taste in my mouth since this would just be a charity for the poor policy affecting all. But at the end of the day would the demographics change? Last I heard the majority of those in specialized high schools are already poor.
It is simply recognizing that while admissions tests are an indicator of someone's academic ability, there are other ways of assessing a student's ability that is sensitive to that student's special background.
Good point - which is why colleges have an admissions staff whose entire job is to work on sifting through these indicators and deciding if a school is a good match for an individual. But specialized schools do not have an admissions staff like colleges do.
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