Florida students in government-run schools are being challenged to improve their math and reading performance significantly over the next six years. But some students are being held to higher standards than others depending on their race.
The State Board of Education recently voted that by 2018, 74 percent of black students, 81 percent of Hispanic students, 88 percent of white students, and 90 percent of Asian students need to be reading at grade level.
Those new standards are in response to the U.S Department of Education’s requirement that the percentage of student sub-groups that are not proficient in reading and math be halved.
“As a matter of philosophy … I think we should have the same goal for all categories of our citizenry,” said board member John Padget. “Are we happy with the signal that this sends?” Board member Roberto Martinez added, “Should an Asian child and an Hispanic child be held to the same standard down the road? The answer is, yes”
This is the preferred vision of politicians and bureaucrats, and not just ones in Florida—equal opportunity and expectations for some but not others. But another vision of equal educational opportunity for all exists in Florida now—not some point down an undefined road.
More @ The Independent Institute
A deduction that comes along from this:
ReplyDeleteWhen you go to a doctor from a Florida medical school in 15-20 years, they will meet this profile. The affirmative action students will not be as qualified as the top group (Asians, apparently). Somehow, that's considered acceptable.
Guaranteed and good point.
DeleteThe affirmative action students aren't as qualified as the top groups now, that's why they need affirmative action.
DeleteThis has come about from certain groups not being able to read or do basic math at graduation from high school. It won't have any effect on who gets into med school. Even if you get through med school, you still have to pass exams to get your license.
I like McCrory's 2 track plan, but I doubt he has the balls to push for it.
It won't have any effect on who gets into med school. Even if you get through med school, you still have to pass exams to get your license.
DeleteHaven't they been dumbed down as the rest of schooling? The civil service test wasn't easy when I took it. Then they kept dumbing it down until they finally just got rid of it. Lord knows the caliber in there now.
In the civil service, you and your employer don't sued for every minor screw up!
DeleteI would imagine that State med exams have been dumbed down over the years, but they're State exams, so all the doctors in NC, for example, have the same base level of knowledge. If a doctor from NC wants to practice in another State, he has to pass that State's exam.
So, if Fla. docs end up the worst, they still have to pass the same State exams as NC docs to practice here. As long as we don't dumb our exams down to much, we can still keep the quality of out med pros fairly high. At least until the NAACP sues us for racism!
State med exams have been dumbed down over the years,
DeleteThat's the problem as I see it.