August 21, 2007
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Minorities, Teachers and Testing
Over half of the black and Hispanic applicants that wanted teaching jobs in Massachusetts have failed the writing portion of the state licensing test. 52 percent of Hispanics and 54 percent of blacks have failed the test in the last decade since the test began. 23 percent of white applicants fail.
The high failure rate is making it more difficult to bring diversity to the teaching profession. Minorities also fall behind in subjects like English, history and math. Since diversity is the goal, the chairman of the state Board of Education is “willing to consider other ways of assessing teachers, as long as standards remain high.”
The state is looking into the issue of why the minorities are scoring lower. There are those that are suggesting that the tests are culturally biased. One lawyer is going to be filing a lawsuit against the Department of Education for three minority teachers who failed the test. Here is the link: Link
Do you ever get the feeling that the people who write these test are just racist?
Comments (100)
No Dan. Just because someone can’t pass a test is NO reason to put a racist label on it.
heck, probably
or at least that’s what they want us to think
No. minorities are just studying the wrong things…
I don’t think standards should be lowered when education is concerned; EVER…
No, I don’t understand how it is that the a test is supposed to be racist.
No. How stupid!
I don’t see how a test on necessary information can be culturally biased.
no
someone is paying the minorities to fail the tests so that the tests can be labeled as “racist”, then the american public feels sorry for the minorities and then they get all their “affirmative action” laws.. i’m telling you, it’s a conspiracy!
I dunno about the writers of the test… But the grading system might be culturally biased towards a more traditional ”white” writing style.
I think we need to stop looking at minorities and groups and start looking at people!! Let’s stop using testing scores as a way to evaluate intellegence in a certain area. Tests are not always the best source for how a person really fares, intellegence wise. Let’s look at some other things to rate where education needs help, like overall GPA’s… And let’s forget about what color the person is who failed, and instead focus on how they can be helped. Just my two cents.
No.
Why is it Asians don’t consistently score lower????
shouldn’t you look at the person? Not by the color…
gosh.
Socialization is biased, more obviously by class [which tends to bleed into race]. This is simply a by-product.
Damn. If you fail in history, english and math, what else is there left for you to teach?
I can see how english tests can be culturally biased by writing questions with subject matter that is more relevant to certain cultures. But how do you make a racist math question? That is a little harder to prove. Math is the same wherever you are, whoever you are.
RYC: Thanks for your sentiments. When I go to Illinois next year to visit my friend at Trinity College, I’ll stop by to visit with a gift.
No. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR MINORITIES!!!
If they want the teaching licenses, they’re going to have to score as highly as anyone else.
Aren’t we all really really minorities? EX: If I fail a test, get arrested, or kicked out of a social group, can I call those people Mattist?
Turtler_12 said it all.
No. I think holding different standards to different cultural groups is racist. Giving everyone the same standardized test is not racist just because one cultural group scores higher. They should re-evaluate whether they are collecting an accurate assessment on individual ability. As learning styles differ from person to person, so do their testing stregnths. Some people do better on verbal exams, or essays, or multiple choice, etc. But calling it ”cultural differences” and letting minorities in with lower scores seems like a lazy solution.
Those tests are just plain ridiculous to begin with. Just like the SAT’s … my sons, who are very intelligent and at the top of their classes don’t score well on those standardized tests. Some people just aren’t good test takers .. but it doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent.
That is a silly question Dan. That’s not the point.
The issue is that there is an achievement and educational gap between the groups. I would love to start looking at everyone as people and disregarding race, but the sad fact is that these kinds of disparities do exist. Sticking one’s head in the sand doesn’t solve anything.
These acheivement gaps need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. In this country (as in many others), race is linked to class. The problem here is that people of lower class (generally but not always minorities) are not receiving sufficient training and education. There is also a cultural issue here as well. Some cultures (e.g., the “ghetto” culture) breed fatalism and failure. An assimilation into the mainstream American culture is important to, and can be done through better education as well.
The real question is, why do these groups face educational disparities and what can be done to provide an actual solution?
^^ Truth.com
Yes. It is. Cause its prolly just some pent-up supremicist who only wants their children and other white children to be taught by white teachers, so as “not to hinder their education”. Because apparently “all minorities are stupid and not as smart as crackers”.
NOT TRUE.
I never thought of it that way…but now that you mention it…it could be it.
Those tests are biased. You’ll have to go to Maine, it is quite lovely! I hear Nova Scotia is breathtaking too. I really want to move to Boston though, I fell in love with the city! There is so much there to see.
Those are some interesting statistics. I sincerely doubt they are culturally biased, however. SqueakySoul mentioned my thoughts to some extent. Races are sometimes tied to certain subcultures which sometimes literally discourage education.
A while ago, you posted a study on why the black population at a certain school was doing significantly worse than the white population. It had some interesting findings. But so long as everyone says, “All the problems are because of racism!” and so long as we do not target the mindsets of students, nothing will be done, except compromising standards lower and lower to accommodate everyone.
-David
No. I don’t think so. If you study the right material, anyone can take a test. I think this is a silly topic. Aren’t asians minorities? Can they pass the test? I mean, it’s about the studying and prepartion for any test. Maybe they could have the case though depending what evidence they have against it…
It’s so immature and trivial. The failures complaining about the test. Very high school, I should know. I go to school where kids complain saying, “it’s tooooo harddddd” and “we need more time to studyyy.” geez, seems like people don’t grow up.
STUDY, KIDS!
I very much doubt it. It would be a serious error to jeopardize educational standards in the name of well intended diversity. This is one field in which only the most qualified candidates should be accepted regardless of ethnicity.
Oh, you can’t pass the test? That’s okay. We’ll stop requiring it for our teachers. In fact, we’ll let the bums come off the street and teach in our schools when they need some extra cash. I mean, they couldn’t pass the test, but I’m sure it’s just that the system is biased and not that they’re underqualified.
This is so stupid.
How can they be racist if everyone takes the same test, or if minorities are given easier tests? lol Maybe if certain races would learn not to write like they speak they could pass.
The test isn’t racist, it’s just prejudiced against people who can’t write well and have gaps in thier education.
When I was in high school, I got better scores and grades than most of the minority students in my school…and I’m black.
no i don’t think its racist. But writing can be a really difficult thing to do, especially if English isn’t your first language. English, as we all should know, is a really difficult language, especially if you don’t know it from birth!
absurdity in the highest! why strive for diversity in the teaching field when you should be reaching out for excellence? i don’t give a damn what color my teacher is, but if he fails at his job of giving me a better understanding of the subject, then he loses my respect
Racist?! No! My school must’ve been a minority in the minority ‘cos our teachers were pretty beaner for the most part and our white math teacher was the best in the district.
Why is diversity the goal? Why not quality?
no. i DO think that anyone who wants to write should be able to DECENTLY write a 500 word essay. (i’m not sure if Mass’s state test is 500 words or not, but i know that most teaching certification tests are).
no i get the feeling that blacks and mexicans are minority races that like to complain that whites are racist rather than blame their own laziness about not trying harder. i noticed you didn’t mention any statistics about asians who are also a minority. that’s because most asians would probably do well on those tests but most prefer not to go into teaching because of the lousy pay. if the people who write those tests really are racist then why is it that asians are able to do just as well as whites if not better on most standardized tests? that’s because instead of complaining about how the tests are racially unfair, they actually spend time studying and trying to do better on those tests. i’m so sick of hearing minorities complain and even sue when the real problem lies with them.
You can’t have racist math exams. The questions may involve racist elements, but the principles of math are the same for everyone. It’s not like base 10 changes on the page depending on one’s skin pigmentation.
Seriously, how does one make a “discriminatory” test? I thought the whole point of tests was measuring. If a group comes up short consistently, doesn’t that suggest that there’s something deficient there? If I take a calculus test with nine other people, and I consitently fail while the others consistently pass, does that mean the test is Jonist? Or does it just mean that I didn’t pick up calculus as well as I should have, and therefore I need to apply myself more?
And is not giving minorities easier tests in itself discriminatoryt? Is it not assuming that they don’t have what it takes, so they need something easier?
No. Judging from my personal experiences in school and life, I’d say they’re right. But no, not ALL Hispanics or ALL blacks fall behind.
I will take the time to point out that the smartest person know (statistically) is Hispanic.
No, it’s ’cause Niggers and Beaners have down syndrome.
squeakysoul and turtle_12 combined are on point in their comments on this one…
No.
I would actually like to know what is ON the test!! State licensing test…what do they test on? Maybe I just didn’t get it when I read the article, but I’d really appreciate anyone out there who can tell me what’s on this test. Why is that such a big deal? Well…sometimes I think the problem is with the test itself. For example, I’m in accounting and accountants are supposed to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant). There are 4 parts to it. One of the parts is called Auditing. Maybe I’m just being ridiculous, but I know a LOT of auditors who failed that part even though they have been working in that industry for 4 or 5 years or more. To me that means there’s something wrong with the test. Auditing is the JOB of auditors. Something that they do everyday, yet they can fail it? There must be a lot of bad auditors out there or there is something wrong with the test…
I know, totally unrelated to teachers’ test and racism, but my point is maybe those two aren’t the case. The test questions may not be racist, but there may be something wrong with the test itself may it be how the test is written, given or what is on the test.
lol No.
Having not looked at the test, it’s hard to say. My first thought is to say no. Or if there was a bias, it wasn’t intentional.
no.
LinkTheValiant is right – Math can’ be racist. Can History be racist? If you are a minority and you find out that almost everything that happened near the founding of our country was done by wealthy white males, you might not like to learn about it. You might even make fun of your minority friends that try to learn it. You might call them oreo. You might call the history racist. But it does not change the fact that wealthy white males started this country. If your refuse to learn this and repeat it on a test, then maybe the minority is the racist one.
Ok so Hispanics, are failing ENGLISH, History, and Math, and someone is actually wondering why? Maybe if they studied harder they would pass? No that can’t be it. Oh it must be a racially biased test, yea that’s the reason!
I only had one minority teacher and maybe 5 or 6 substitue teachers from 3rd-12th grade.
RYC: It’s a very good book so far, but I can only read it in short bursts or else I don’t comprehend everything.
Dear God, do not let them change the way tests are done! Education in this country is horrid as is!
How do you write a racist test? lol I can’t think of a black question or hispanic answer?
NO. never. how can you make a test racist anyway? don’t all humans have the capability to study the same subjects??
Lowering the standards now of those people who are teaching our children. Just because they can’t pass a test? APPALLING. Let’s just keep dumbing it down. Eventually my two year old will be able to get a BS. In this case a Batchelor of Bullshit.
Mind the gap, eh?
White people are doing better on tests than minorities. This is the same basic test, apparently. And yet, the only explanation we can come up with is that the test is racist?
Apparently, it’s easier for whites to know about the stock market and ancient literature, so tests asking questions about those topics are racist.
No, I believe the simple truth is that a lot of people who are taking these tests are just plain stupid. They’re not that hard!
ryc: of course you’ve heard that story… you might be the only person on xanga who reads more news articles than I do, hahaha
Asians have failure rate of 1%.
Oh God this is stupid. The stock market is culurally biased? Oh so because I’m white I’ve been born knowing all these “culturally biased” things, I don’t have to learn them? Wish someone would have told me.
Where are all these “underprivlidged minorities” getting money for these lawyers? I can’t afford one to bend the rules for me.
My thought is that in order to reach the point that they are taking the teacher certification tests, they must have successfully completed a course of study at the college level. So shouldn’t we be looking at the quality of education that their individual colleges are providing? If they are graduating from that college yet cannot pass the test then that could be a worrysome issue. How many other degrees that do not require testing have graduating students in this same situation? etc… There could be an argument that it has to do with the individual not being good at taking tests which can be a real issue for many people…but that high of a percentage along race lines just does not add up. I also like the point made by Bokgwai….how do you culturally bias math? I guess if they were all word problems perhaps, but you can’t really culturally bias equations. I do think that writing assignments could be culturally biased just because those are graded by humans and thus they could hold answers to thier individual cultural standards. But I still stand by the question of how can that high of a percentage of students….even 23% among caucasions be failing this test if they received a solid college education and are on the cusp of graduating!
um, no?
Just an added note…I took the Illinois Teacher Certification tests not that long ago….if this is anything like ours there is a general knowledge test that everyone has to pass with basic general math, history, english, writing, etc knowlege and then you have to take additional tests for you individual level of certificate you should be qualified to teach. I was elementary education, so then I had to take a second test that focused on teaching methods for k-5 students. Secondary education included teaching methods and more advance knowledge needed to teach at that level. The tests were not the hardest I’ve ever taken, but you definitely needed to have paid attention in your courses to pass the specialized teaching level tests.
No. The fact of the matter is that most of those people are already at an educational disadvantage in our society. “Fixing the test” isn’t going to solve the problem, because the test itself is not the problem.
How can a test be racist? It’s either they know it or not. They should study harder instead blaming on the test.
Oops I should have explained more. The problem is in the system failing these people. They are probably as smart as anyone, but they’re just not receiving adequate schooling.
Any educational system partakes in cultural discrimination (for ex: what language is spoken, whose history or literature is taught and how, whose way of thinking is being promoted, etc). No education–and I might add, no standardized test–is culturally unbiased. The point is that no “standard” is neutral; the question is whether the standard is appropriate, or at least not unacceptable.
The question is at what point this discrimination becomes unacceptable is up for debate, but let’s not be naive here about what it means to have a standardized test.
I don’t think it’s racist. It’s just these tests are out of touch with reality. I feel bad for these minorities that after all they studied at college are fucked because they fail and they have to take jobs that has nothing to do with education. And guess who’s gonna give the fuckin’ blame? Then complain why the hell there’s no enough teachers… yep, the Department of “Education”.
No.. its sociology. The truth is that, as a whole, hispanic and african-american minorities tend not to place as much of an emphasis on the importance of education (this includes parents). These are stats i learned in my sociology and adolescent development class. BUT, my teacher stressed the importance that these are stats and that it does not relate to all (and I agree).
Daniel (doubledb)
p.s. – I have heard the arguement of cultural bias.. and I think it may be possible but I am not 100% sure. Usually it may be a few questions – but like on the writing – it would not be the test itself but perhaps the ones judgin that are biased. I am guessing that somewhere in the teacher info or even on the test it says the teachers race. I would be interested if it were taken out (at least so the judges could not see) – if more minorities would pass?
Daniel (doublebd)
I highly doubt it.
omg, that is bogus!!! Those minorities should not be teaching then. Being a minority myself…..I am Not being biased.
I swear, lawyers will represent anything. These wannabe teachers are clearly not qualified and the minimum standards should not be altered bc of these incompetent people. America’s education is going to be jeopardized and our future wont look so bright. People create tests, testing minds….how can it be a RACE thing? Race is not even an issue when it comes to testing and acedemics! Its all in the mind MAAAAAAAN
Ugh, this just pisses me off! Stupid teachers wanting to teach…and they even have the audacity to flip it around and blame it on racism???
academics*
You said diversity was the goal. Shouldn’t education be the goal?
Well, maybe if these so called “minorities” stop speaking “ebonics” and “spanglish” as their main language and concentrate on proper grammar, spelling, ect. of the English language spoken here in America maybe they wouldn’t have failed the writing portions of the test. I talked with Tom, my significant other about this issue, because his former wife got her degree to be a teacher a long time ago. Tom said that even if you take the “ebonics” and “spanglish” factor out of this picture you still have cultural conditioning. It seems that these “minorities” have grown up being taught that because they are a “minority” they are “entitled” to certain opportunities and things in this world. Of course this is an over generalization of these “minorities” however, whether you want to admit it out loud or not because of “political correctness” or fear of being called a “racist” it holds true for a hell of a lot of them. And if you ask me, caucasions are the minority in this nation, and no one, not even a caucasion will stand up for our rights as the so called “minorities” continue on with their with their lives with their sense of entitlement firmly emplanted in their hearts and minds.
Do you ever get the feeling that the people who FAIL these tests are just STUPID?
Oh, and btw, every time we say “minority” in this context, we must say, “minorities excluding Asians”
no. tests are rather neutral if it is the standard material that all teachers should have been exposed to in their training and education. also the same with schools. the rub doesn’t come with the material but the schools themselves, i don’t understand why this is the case, but schools with a white majority tend to have better teachers while schools dominated by minorities tend to have slacked standards. it shouldn’t be this way but it is and perhaps that is where we need to begin addressing problems
Racism is considering race at all. A test cannot be racist unless d kkk writes it, n even they cant make math mind skin color. Perhaps the minorities (how i hate that word) involved should study harder. Or BET n Univision should start teaching grammar and literature.
no, i don’t think so
If minorities studied something other than drugs, sex, and rap music, I’m sure they would do just fine.
well, i expect teachers to be perfect, if not almost perfect – because they are passing skills on to children, who will in turn reflect that knowledge when they grow, and the cycle continues. i don’t think these tests are racist – but i do think there are different ways of learning and passing on knowledge, and these tests do not reflect those different ways
& it’s amazing what some people on this site will say to get some hits on their page.
there must be minorities who can find majority reps whom they respect. There must be such reps who ARE respectable. There must be a bequeathment. I mean, yes, whites have had more priveledge. So let’s work on passing it on. Didn’t anyone ever read “rich dad, poor dad”? It was a best seller. BTW, the author is oriental. THis is a minority……he worked on LEARNING> we CAN do this…..and then when we see success, lets work on emulating it.
Maybe test have some bias, but above method works more universally
As I write my response I’m sitting on my couch and…..wait…..I think that I started that sentence off racially slanted….wait….I shouldn’t have said “slanted”..should I?…..Oh, forget it.
No
You can either write or you can’t. End of story.
I don’t want illiterate teachers teaching my kids…. regardless of what “race” they are!
i think that someone needs to look at the institutions that are giving degrees to these people.
i attended a predominatly minority college one semester (to gain in-state tuition) and sadly, the teachers were ridiculous. I had one “history” professor that insisted that Virginia was not a confederate state during the Civil War and I had another that was teaching German (my native language) very badly, and tried to fail me.. when I am a native speaker and he was not. (He had never even BEEN to a German speaking country! His degree was from that same university.) (I appealed to the board of regents and received an “A”). This was just ONE semester that I had to deal with.
I bet if you look at the majority of the people failing these tests, you will find that the are graduates from such schools, that often lose their accredidation.
And if these people are failing because they received a bad education, why should we allow them to teach children? So they can set these children up for failure as well?
no i dont think so. I read an article somewhere before that different cultures just look at education differently. for example in asian culutures education is very important and they dedicate most of their time studying. children are taught at a very young age that studying is what will get them ahead. other cultures might not focus on education as much. therefore some people might say asians are really smart and it is not because they are smarter than anyone else it is that they were taught young that education is important. i also feel that it depends on where the person grew up. if an individual grew up in a poor neighborhood they will not go to the high class schools therefore will not receive the same education as someone that is from a rich neighborhood.
No, their just stupid. I hate the fact that now my school HAS to have a certain amount of a race or gender in it instead of how smart a person is.
no it’s coincidental. there are smart people of all races that will pass the test, and there are those of all races that will fail.
Gaps in achievement can simply be addressed by not lowering standards or dumbing down the test material. I read the piece you refer to Dan, and it ever so subtly implies that the test ought to be changed in order to garner more teachers from minorities. Hmmmm….that’s a GREAT idea! (Heavy sarcasm). Let’s have teachers who can’t pass the damn test – teach our kids – it’s just brilliant!
Lower standards for teachers = dumbing down what kids get taught.
I think that sounds weird. It’s being racist wouldn’t determine whether they failed it or not. They should still be able to comprehend and give the correct answer, and then if they felt it was racist do something about it. I think they’re just pissed cause they can’t pass the test. What I don’t understand is why do minorities score lower overall? It’s odd.
If the test covers the kind of things they’ll be teaching, they should be able to pass it.
If the goal of their education system is to successfully train students, culture should be a non-issue. Diversity doesn’t matter on the teaching stuff; competent teachers does.
If they can’t pass the test so you try to work around it, that’s not keeping the standards high.
I doubt the tests are racist (or the people who write them), but honestly, if it covers the material it should, I don’t see the problem.
For all the people who are convinced that the test is rigged to make minorities fail, I’m crying for you on the inside.
i dont understand……
I say let minorities write the tests. Then there will be no one to blame.
No.
I just think people who want to take those tests should study for them or apply themselves.
And speak ENGLISH.
The Massachusetts licensing test is the hardest of all the states. In order for me to graduate from my College, I need to pass all sections of the MTEL. Of course, it’s difficult because we want better teachers in our state… so that something isn’t as corrupted as the rest of the state. Unfortunately, how people are brought up due to race is one thing… Spanglish is used more freely, as is the ghetto-English found all over Boston. And I’m sure the MTEL was once thought simple. We have to think back to when our schools began “teaching to the test.” Teachers state-wide are teaching to the MCAS–the standardized tests public school students get tested on once every couple of years. Many students learn to pass the test, then forget. Never are they really taught to learn, know, and remember.
But a lot of the teachers-to-be may also have standaradized testing fears. I hated the SATs, and, to myself, did poorly. I was still accepted to one of the best Education colleges in the nation, but that is because of my essay skills. I’m one of the 23% of white applicants that failed my writing MTEL section–if only by 5 points. For me, it was that I was jittery when it came to sitting in a room full of other teachers, testing my ability to hold a position in the education system.
Eh sorry for the rant. I just know that the MTEL isn’t racist… it’s how we’ve been taught in the last few decades that’s led to our failure to learn.
Maybe they failed those tests because they couldn’t read. Just a thought.