Making the grade and passing the test
Re “Without an exit exam, we fail,” Opinion, July 25
The notion that a high school students’ educational experience can be measured in two tests is perfect bureaucratic thinking. The exit exam serves as a convenient device for politicians to use to point the blame somewhere they aren’t. Seldom does anyone want to address the problem when it’s a problem. If a child can’t do 8th-grade math, why do we continue to promote them to the 9th grade? These issues need to be addressed before the child is moved to high school, not after. Kids can’t do algebra (for some reason, it was decided all kids need algebra) because they can’t do basic math. Duh!
The fix requires people with a passion to be a teacher, but most school districts are more interested in having the right “program.” If you want to fix things, get some committed teachers involved, not some bureaucrat who sits in an office all day.
RUSS REABOLD
La Puente
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Richard Riordan is absolutely right: “An exit exam compels principals and teachers to continue working with students until they are truly prepared for their next stage of life.” He left out half the equation, though -- parents. Each teacher has 20 to 40 students; parents have one or two, and those students who are allowed to watch television or given “sick” notes to stay out of school are probably the ones not passing the exit exam. I’ve seen enough job applications to know that these kids are failing simple reading, writing and arithmetic.
JOSEPH P. LOPEZ
Sierra Madre
