Education ‘Fix’ a Boon to Testing

Re “Senate Approves Education Bill Requiring Tests,” June 15: What a boon to the testing industry. Now we can look forward to spending billions of dollars on test development, lost teaching time (or will we lengthen the school year or day?) and a whole new industry.

If we could ever agree on this imaginary basic set of information that every educated citizen should know, we could compile it into textbook form, with accompanying tests. The teachers could teach that essential basic information and then test over the school year to see if the children were learning it. Teachers could even give grades to indicate progress.

But that’s much too similar to the approach education has sought throughout history. We’re better off with our present roulette wheel methods, which may or may not correlate test questions with textbooks used by teachers. Kids will figure it out, no matter what we teach, and we can hold teachers responsible, regardless.

Besides, if we did teach and test the basics more efficiently, we might have to come up with other activities for the rest of the school day, like field research, creative writing, music, art, physical education--the activities that make school enjoyable and life worthwhile. That would never do. Congratulations, President Bush and Congress; you’ve fixed education.

Sandra W. Sutherland

Encinitas

Everyone applauding the Senate’s vote [on an amendment to the education bill] to withhold federal funds from schools that deny use of their facilities to Boy Scouts had better think carefully about the erosion of rights in this country. Today we sanction discrimination against homosexuals and atheists by this action; tomorrow it may be Jews or blacks. No one is immune.

Any compromise of basic human rights is an egregious act that flies in the face of the principles on which this country was founded. It’s an embarrassment to us all.

Ellen Brown

San Diego