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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Cincinnati Media Activist Demands Investigation of Ohio’s Warrensville High School
Posted by Media Release
Photo couretsy of here.
Multi-Platinum Recording Artist, Justin Jeffre, Files Formal Complaint Against Warrensville High School, Cites Ohio Law
(Cincinnati) – After filing complaints with the Ohio Department of Education, alleging that Graduation Tests are “unfair” according to Ohio Administrative Code, and after filing a complaint with the Ohio Board of Regents, alleging that the teacher-training programs they fund bring educators into violation of the law, Cincinnati activist Justin Jeffre has now turned his sites on Warrensville High School – where administrators have taken to dismissing students early who have passed the OGTs, so everyone else can take test-prep courses that may themselves be a violation of ethical standards.
"This whole things is a huge mess,” explained Jeffre. “Our legislators can’t do anything about a school funding formula the Ohio Supreme Court has found unconstitutional on four different occasions, but somehow they have time to write convoluted laws about standardized testing. Ohio’s students are being abused by legislative red tape that has transformed the landscape of education and dumbed down Ohio schools.”
Ohio law prohibits schools from preparing kids for graduation tests when the focus of that preparation is the format of the test, as opposed to the underlying educational standards. But Warrensville High School reportedly dismisses older students early so everyone else can take classes entitled things like “Test Taking.”
“This looks like a violation of law,” explained Jeffre, “and it comes at the expense of students who lose educational opportunities while school systems teach to the test. The whole culture of test-taking in Ohio doesn’t make sense. Politicians love saying that schools need to be accountable. Now it’s time for legislators to be held accountable to the laws they put on the books.”
Jeffre does not support these laws governing standardized tests in Ohio, but he believes the only way to bring about reform is to raise awareness concerning the legislation that implements the tests in the first place. “People say the tests are fair. If so, why are schools teaching about test format?” asked Jeffre. “And why is Ohio outlawing such preparation? Something doesn’t add up. Do these exams test something other than content knowledge? Should we withhold diplomas from kids who don’t take tests well?”
“We need real school reform in Ohio,” concluded Jeffre, “and it starts with holding legislators accountable not only to implementing laws that make sense, but to upholding the Constitution they swore to protect.”
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28 Mar 2008 at 08:18 pm | #
Once again - the CB is promtoing throwing out the baby with the bath water.
Yeh, let’s cut out all the test-taking skills and strategies benefitting all the rich kids that help them succeed on SAT’s, ACT’s and OGT’s, not to mention that those same skills will be useable in taking job placement tests, law school admissions, grad school, etc.
But - CB - always focused on the process and never on the results wants to cheat these kids out of the same opportunities others receive for the sake of a technical violation that could reap havoc come graduation day.
Insightfulness would require that CB promote a fix to the controversy rather than blindly attacking an issue and throwing the babes out with the bath water.
boring, boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring
where are the ideas colliding - these are just stump speeches
28 Mar 2008 at 08:36 pm | #
Anon, please learn to read more carefully. No one here at The Beacon wrote Ohio Administrative Code. It is that code which outlaws instruction based on test format.
I agree that such a law is absurd; furthermore, it indicates that the tests themselves test something other than knowledge—which is itself a Pandora’s Box.
Justin’s actions seek to pry open that box, exposing the absurdities here at play.
29 Mar 2008 at 08:44 pm | #
I have to agree with the Dean here Anon. The state has put itself in an indefensible position. Remember, accountability is the name of the game. The only advocacy that I see is that which is in opposition to state statutes.
I will say, in defense of Anon, that the CB would add credibility to its argument by advocating a solution to the testing problem. Maybe it is time for a Cincinnati Think Tank. The correct answers to these types of questions can be difficult and may require a grassroots effort.
Mr. Dean, as far as the “think tank” proposal goes. Maybe this should also be a bottom up entity. Maybe you should put this out to your readers instead of a backroom collaboration. I am fairly confident that I can provide resources to add credibility to such an organization. The question is, can CB do the same on the opposite end of the political spectrum?
30 Mar 2008 at 09:31 am | #
Get rid of the test. Implement senior projects and exit exhibitions. See the Coalition of Essential Schools for more info.
30 Mar 2008 at 10:35 am | #
Very interesting. It would seem that the student is somewhat held accountable for mastering a subject before receiving a diploma. What kind of stigma would be attached to a student that took 4 years to achieve a diploma in a subject that it took most everyone else less than a year? (A question for you, I don’t necessarily believe stigmas are bad. Great motivation.)
One still must address the fact that the system is tax-payer funded. I do agree that ideally these are excellent goals for a school system. It also allows for flexibility of competing ideas. But the tax-payer is going to want to know what he/she is getting for their money. Both sides will grade the system how they see fit. The bottom line is that people will seek out a way of measuring a school systems success. If one is not provided, then one will be produced.
These are all more concerns for you than me. The less the government does the better. The market place of ideas will fill in the gaps.
Are you starting to understand?
It is not about who’s ideas are the best. Just let the ideas be placed in the market and the good ones will thrive. Right now, there is either the state’s way or no way. Dot, dot, dot, follow the arguement to its logical conclusion.
Now, one must ask, who is preventing such a system from evolving?
The answer, the ones that have a vested insterest in the status quo. The parties, many they are.