Momof3littles Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9531036 I have followed some of the standardized test cheating scandals in Philly and other parts of the country, but some of the details in this made me drop my jaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly1730 Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Oh my goodness! Sometimes there are just no words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 I'm not that suprised, though broadcasting it over the school's speakers seems especially dumb. I know people in our area who will not help proctor tests anymore because of the cheating, which, according to them, has been going on for years. And now, with the pressure the schools and teachers are under I would assume the cheating will get worse. In TN they almost passed a law (it managed to be defeated) that teachers could lose their teaching license if their students did poorly on the tests. Can you imagine the pressure? To me, that's begging for people to try and cheat the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted May 8, 2014 Author Share Posted May 8, 2014 Broadcasting answers over the PA system is what made me drop my jaw. The cheating does not surprise me, but the combination of all of these methods being used so boldly and blatantly was a bit shocking to me. I live in a state that requires homeschoolers to test, and is very restrictive overall, so when I see stories like this, I shake my head at all of the hoops we have to jump through while this goes on, kwim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 I agree with Kim--- this is a logical outcome of the system. So is teaching to the test. I'm not saying that teachers shouldn't be held accountable for teaching-- but they cannot shoulder the entire load. Students and parents should shoulder some (or most) of the load. Teaching/learning is a two person process-- you cannot expect one side to be responsible for both sides. We know this about marriages-- they cannot be saved if only one person is trying, but they can be sabataged by one side. This is so much more complicated than even that-- add different students learning rates and styles and this get worse...... Testing isn't working and cheating is a result. When you put the stakes too high -- people will cheat-- look at students--when you put the final grade for a class based on one paper or project or test-- the stakes are too high for them NOT to cheat. I honestly think the biggest issue is that we turned our children over to the Govt and a lot of parents washed their hands of their responsibility (for their child's education) and the govt was happy to take this on---someday they will realize it just doesn't work-- they need parents. This is only going to get worse since schools also think they need to be the only one to teach morals as well--- that can only end poorly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted May 8, 2014 Author Share Posted May 8, 2014 Oh I completely agree that high stakes testing is always going to result in cheating, or people will veer into very questionable territory that is essentially cheating (I've heard of "helpful" bulletin boards being left up intentionally, for example). I am very much anti-high stakes testing, and it was one of many drivers in our desire to HS. I just thought this one was a bit shocking in how blatant. Not "just" teaching to the test, etc. but broadcasting over the PA system, and reprimanding teachers and students who were not part of the cheating. So disturbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly1730 Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 I am not surprised at the cheating, I think we all know it goes on in one form or another. It's how blatant it was that surprised me. I guess it really shouldn't of though. Sad, isn't it.:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I guess we shouldn't be surprised there is cheating with the stakes that have been attached to test scores. It is terribly sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB in NJ Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Rita Wyszynski was my 4th grade math teacher. I cannot believe she did this! She was such a great teacher. So sad... I also can't believe she's 65 now, but....4th grade for me was 1973-1974 o.O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 It's definitely appalling - and sad - but I just want to mention that there are schools that go out of their way to try to ensure there is no cheating going on. I work for one of them. Hopefully my school is more the norm than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 If you know the situation with the Philly school system, it's easy to see how such insanity would happen. Impossibly low funding, students in poverty, and the ax looming. We have justifiable homicide in this country. I'd almost consider this justifiable cheating. We are intellectually murdering an entire city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 If you know the situation with the Philly school system, it's easy to see how such insanity would happen. Impossibly low funding, students in poverty, and the ax looming. We have justifiable homicide in this country. I'd almost consider this justifiable cheating. We are intellectually murdering an entire city. I understand. I'm a liberal public school supporter, and think the funding issues in Philly schools are criminal. I still think the magnitude of this is pretty disgusting, although I understand why they are under such pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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