OC HIGH / STUDENT NEWS AND VIEWS : OC High asks: What’s your opinion of the CLAS (California Learning Assessment System) tests? Should they continue?

“The CLAS test has no class. It is a tremendous abuse of time and money.”

David Thorpe, 15, sophomore, Edison

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“It was dumb. They ask the same questions over and over and over again. What are you supposed to do? Think of something different from the same question?”

Natalie Rodriguez, 16, sophomore, Trabuco Hills

“I felt that some of the questions intruded into my life. They seemed like personal questions, and it made me feel uncomfortable answering them. Even though the reader-grader of the test would not know me, I still felt violated and found myself making up answers for the essays. It seemed pointless.”

Suzanne Kendall, 16, sophomore, Fountain Valley

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“I think that any test that stimulates free thought should be encouraged at any level of education. Heaven forbid we actually allow students to think for themselves every once in a while.”

Oren Ahoobim, 17, senior, Ocean View

“They’re a joke, a waste of time and nobody really takes them seriously. I really don’t care if they continue, even though you get out of school.”

Jeff Pack, 17, junior, Irvine

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“My friend had taken it before, so I paid attention to the questions. They were totally personal. They asked questions about your personal experiences.”

Jamie Veranes, 16, sophomore, Capistrano Valley

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“I took them last year, and I know a lot of people didn’t take them seriously. So I think it’s pointless to have the tests if you’re going to get inaccurate results.”

Julie Dirpes, 17, junior, Aliso Niguel

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“If the test has such a large cloud of controversy surrounding it, then why are we taking it? I would take the test only if it is going to be graded carefully and fairly, and if there is a legitimate point to the test. I would not want a person to read about my personal life. I think the people controlling the CLAS test should shape up.”

Jennifer Shen, 15, sophomore, Villa Park

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“I think the CLAS test is pointless and should not continue. We already have enough stupid tests.”

Ashley Morgan, 15, sophomore, Corona del Mar

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“I didn’t take the test, but I had to help (an administrator) organize it and call in those who hadn’t taken it. I think it was too complicated--all of the bar codes and such were confusing. The students don’t have an incentive for taking the CLAS test, and it wastes precious class time.”

Helena Chen, senior, Loara

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“It is a good idea because the people who are in charge of the education system in California need to know how to improve.”

Jamie Askar, freshman, Trabuco Hills

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“I didn’t really find the test offensive. I guess people might be offended by the personal questions.”

Kyla Kennedy, 15, sophomore, Capistrano valley

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“Yes, I believe they should continue the CLAS test. But it should be up to the student . . . whether he or she has to take it or not.”

Robbie Rasmussen, 16, sophomore, Edison

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“Personally, I thought that the test was a waste of time. It’s nice to know how our school would compare to others, and I think that it is necessary to have a test like that, but the questions asked were nothing like I have ever done in class. If they wanted to test us, they should have done it on something we were familiar with. I don’t think it should have taken five days, since they don’t look at everyone’s results anyway. A simple essay would have been fine.”

Lisa Hornbuckle, 16, sophomore, Fountain Valley

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“They were too easy, and they shouldn’t continue because there’s really no point in doing them.”

Joe O’Toole, 16, sophomore, Irvine

“I don’t think the CLAS test is a real indicator of a student’s writing ability. The prompts are not as such that a ‘full’ essay can be written. When I took the test, my essay prompt was based on an excerpt from the novel ‘Woman Warrior’ by Maxine Hong Kingston. The essay was a judgment call on whether or not something taking place before the excerpt had really happened. Since it was a matter of opinion and there were hardly any facts supporting either side, you had nothing to work with. With all the other ‘necessary’ tests we’re forced to take, this one was pointless.”

Tracy Allen, 17, junior, Villa Park

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“The CLAS tests are a waste of money. The money could be spent in better ways.”

Jon Bowne, 18, senior, Corona del Mar

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“I don’t think that the CLAS tests are a good idea. I think that we should be graded on what we know, not what we think.”

Brandon Abraham, 16, sophomore, Los Amigos

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“I don’t like the CLAS test because some people I know feel pressured by it. But I think we do need it, so we know where we need help.”

Michelle Andalon, 16, sophomore, Loara

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“I didn’t like it. I thought it was useless and I wouldn’t do it again. Some of the subjects didn’t apply to everyone.”

Katie Guertin, sophomore, El Toro

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“I don’t think they should be making the big deal that they are. They can be compared to CTBS tests. It’s not like anyone takes them seriously.”

Lima Nabi, 17, junior, Aliso Niguel

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“The test seems pretty good for the most part, but some of the questions I have heard sound unrealistic.”

Desi Nothdorft, 17, senior, Ocean View

What Is CLAS?

The California Learning Assessment System--known as the CLAS test--attempts to evaluate students’ critical thinking skills as well as knowledge and to measure performance against statewide standards.

The State Board of Education requires schools to administer the test to fourth-, fifth-, eighth- and 10th-graders by May 31. Not everyone is taking the test, however. The Newport-Mesa school district decided to test only students who had a permission slip signed by parents; the Fullerton district said it would not administer the test by the deadline because it was received too late to prepare students.

Since it was introduced last year, the test has been plagued by controversy over inaccuracies in scoring and charges that it intrudes on the privacy of students by asking them to relate questions to their personal lives.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled this month that the test does not violate the privacy provisions of the state Education Code.