RUTHFULLY YOURS

Come to think of it, there might be too many white teachers, too.

When I was in school, I was always frustrated by tests where the questions were geared to Asians or blacks or Eskimos; not being in any of these groups, I simply couldn’t answer such questions.  For example, while I could easily answer questions about adding or subtracting apples, or pears, whenever a question asked about adding or subtracting igloos, the question would be so alien to me that my mind would draw a blank!

Therefore, it is with great sympathy that I read that blacks and Hispanics are failing teacher tests in disproportionate numbers because there are simply too many white questions on the tests.

On a common licensing exam called Praxis Core, a new test… 55 percent of white candidates taking the test since October 2013 passed the math portion … the passing rate for first-time African-American test takers was 21.5 percent, and for Hispanic test takers, 35 percent. A similar gap was seen on the reading and writing portions.

In New York, which now has four separate licensing tests that candidates must pass, an analysis last year of the most difficult exam found that during a six-month period, only 41 percent of black and 46 percent of Hispanic candidates passed the test their first time, compared with 64 percent of their white counterparts.

Is it any surprise that New York, which is run exclusively by white liberals, would employ such a racist test?  Why can’t they just ask regular math and reading questions, instead of math and reading questions geared specifically to white people?  Doesn’t using such a test show the worst kind of racism on the part of white liberals?

A federal judge is now weighing whether the test is discriminatory. Because of complaints from education schools that students have not had enough time to adjust, as well as concern about the impact on minorities, at least two states — New York and Illinois — have already postponed or loosened some of their new requirements.

I would hope so!  Why should teachers, whose job is to give tests, have to take tests?  It’s totally unrelated to the qualifications for the job!

Israel Ramos, who graduated from the education school at Lehman College in the Bronx, failed New York’s toughest exam three times, once, he said, by just a few points. While working as a substitute, Mr. Ramos said, he was asked if he would be interested in staying on for at least six permanent teaching positions.

Isn’t this outrageous?  This teacher is so good at what he does that he’s in demand at six different schools!  I’ll bet white teachers who pass the test don’t get so many offers!  That’s because greatness is not measured on a test.  Mr. Ramos must be one of the greatest teachers of all time, like Jaime Escalante from Stand by Me.  And yet, he’s sidelined, all because of a dumb test that focuses on ridiculous things like math and reading that have nothing at all to do with teaching.

Though evidence is still sparse, some studies suggest that having a teacher of the same race may be beneficial for students. Thomas S. Dee, a professor of education at Stanford who has studied the issue, said such advantages might come because students perceived teachers who looked like themselves, or who came from their own communities, as role models. There may also be unintentional racial bias at play in how teachers perceive students who are different from themselves, Dr. Dee said

This is a good point.  Do you think this is why test scores are so depressed in minority neighborhoods – because of too many white teachers?  Do you think firing large numbers of white teachers will help deal with the problem of racism in the teaching profession?

This article was produced by NewsMachete.com, the conservative news site.