Virginia Democrats Lowered Educational Standards and Current Test Scores Now Reflect That (Fairfax: schools, colleges)

[spencer114]

R&R you’re a silly man.

Schools have been indoctrinating kids with heteronormative and Judaea Christian claptrap since the beginning of public education. From prom kings and queens to assigned reading to the plays that theater clubs present, straight Christian culture and the expectation to conform to it has been forced on all students since the beginning of time. A cisgendered kid is no more precious or important than a gay or trans kid. Do you lose sleep because LGBtQ and non-Christian kids’ development is delayed and devalued?

You think you’re propping up Yungkin but trotting out decades old culture wars won’t help him. Virginia is beyond that level of bigotry and fear. Move on. Everyone else has.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by rural & red

Hey Yankee, you know as well as I do that this wasn't a mistake. It might've been an accidental upload, which I don't believe, but the content was real and intended for the teacher's students. Now the Fairfax County School system has to deflect blame to cover for all the flack it got online.

Most Parents Have No Idea Their Kids’ Schools Are Pushing Insane Transgender Ideology



https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/28...nder-ideology/


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I don't care for the politics forum -- it is a right-wing echo chamber. I prefer actual substantive critique and not automatic high fives.

R&R the content was not produced by this or any other school division it came from a group with their own agenda just like all the right wing garbage that people like to reference. Just looking at your link its no surprise you believe all this conspiracy theory garbage.

I had the chance to listen to a school board meeting near me that happened on Tuesday, at the beginning of the public comment the Head of the School Board explained that that there is not a CRT curriculum in place neither is there any plan to implement one. Plain and simple this doesn't apply but did these people hear it, no. One after the other stood up expressing the same thing over and over about CRT, its like they all belong to the same new group or news source. And just like your link there is a hidden agenda, a secret motive, you know as well as I do that this wasn't a mistake" mentality.

How did everything that someone doesn't agree with become a conspiracy theory operating against them..

[ersatz]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

I do agree with SOLs for graduation but even those need to be re-examined. For example why do students who are going to a trade school need to know the same things as students going to college in order to graduate?

I remember when Virginia public high schools had three tracks - General, Business, and Academic. Each track had different course content and test evaluations. The three track system was discarded several decades ago as it was considered to be unacceptably elitist.

As far as lowering educational standards, I have heard about that all my life, as did my parents, and probably my grandparents. Many people pointed to the abandonment of the McGuffy Readers as the reason for the decline (those are still popular in the homeschool community though.) I am not advocating for the return of the MR, as they are very White Protestant centric and not considered acceptable for public school use today. I have heard both parents and teachers bemoan Teach to the Test. But, if we are to drop testing how will we make sure that students are adequately learning material that they might or shall need later?

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by ersatz

I remember when Virginia public high schools had three tracks - General, Business, and Academic. Each track had different course content and test evaluations. The three track system was discarded several decades ago as it was considered to be unacceptably elitist.

As far as lowering educational standards, I have heard about that all my life, as did my parents, and probably my grandparents. Many people pointed to the abandonment of the McGuffy Readers as the reason for the decline (those are still popular in the homeschool community though.) I am not advocating for the return of the MR, as they are very White Protestant centric and not considered acceptable for public school use today. I have heard both parents and teachers bemoan Teach to the Test. But, if we are to drop testing how will we make sure that students are adequately learning material that they might or shall need later?

There are ways to do this without high stakes testing. Several of the dropped SOLs have ben replaced with what's called LDA (locally developed assessments) those are project based tasks students complete to show if they have mastered content. They are much more effective because they require actual application of knowledge vs a test. These are also spread out during they year reducing stress.. The student learns the material and then the LDA, simple.. All students in a district take the LDA at the same point and it is not graded by the student's teacher. The grade also goes in the grade book so they're easy to compare across the district.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

Teacher here. I’m thinking a lot of the decline in test scores has to do with the current pandemic. Also not all students take the NAEP. It’s a randomly selected subset and depending on who gets picked you’ll have a reflection in scores. I had a student who participated in the state alternate assessment due to his intellectual disability yet he had to take the NAEP. I put no weight in those scores at all.

As for the SOLs sure they have a place but I 100% agree with getting rid of a number of the tests especially for elementary students. Until you’ve seen students throwing up and pulling their hair out due to the stress you can’t really talk about how it impacts them. There is no reason for a 5th grader to write a 5 paragraph essay about a random topic to prove their writing ability. Not to mention the test are very biased against students from lower socioeconomic status.

I do agree with SOLs for graduation but even those need to be re-examined. For example why do students who are going to a trade school need to know the same things as students going to college in order to graduate?

Bingo. This says it all. So many kids are not going to college once they graduate high school and they know it well before they graduate. We have a wonderful young lady here at our church who knew she was never going to college. She now attends a local trade school and can work on diesel engines much better than I ever could and she is well focused on her career goals. Let's support these kids as well as those wanting to go to college.

[rural & red]

You don't lower standards to accommodate people that aren't going to a 4-year university. That's not how this works.

This is why many young people today who get accepted to college aren't fully prepared. On top of that, many school districts across the country are now getting rid of accelerated programs, honors programs and gifted ones as well.

When you lower standards, students lower their expectations of themselves.

Someone who is going to a trade school is more than capable of passing standardized test exams in high school. There should be resources there for students who are struggling though.

[mpier015]

R&R, why did you delete the part about Asian, Indian and ME parents being upset that Virginia is eroding their children's education? Gave away too much of your playbook, aye? lol

[rural & red]

Originally Posted by mpier015

R&R, why did you delete the part about Asian, Indian and ME parents being upset that Virginia is eroding their children's education? Gave away too much of your playbook, aye? lol

I wanted to be more inclusive of everyone.

But no shame in admitting that as someone who married into an immigrant family and experiences their culture weekly, I realize education is very, very important to them. I do feel this message will resonant strongly with the immigrant community in Northern Virginia, who may decide this election.

Also, not many of these immigrants are Pro-LGBQT either or want it being taught in the classrooms.

[kww]

Originally Posted by mpier015

r&r, why did you delete the part about asian, indian and me parents being upset that virginia is eroding their children's education? Gave away too much of your playbook, aye? Lol

haha

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by rural & red

You don't lower standards to accommodate people that aren't going to a 4-year university. That's not how this works.

And forcing kids that have no intention of continuing into a 4 year degree to take advanced classes in subjects they'll never use does nothing but shut them down and doesn't prepare them for the path their choosing. That's why many systems have different career paths for those that are pursing a Vocational or a College career after graduation.