The Chronicle blog links to a report (sub.) that says the average SAT score dropped by seven points last year. The College Board attributes the change to more minority and low-income students taking the test than the previous year. I guess it makes sense. The less selective the group is that takes the SAT, the lower the scores will be.
On the other hand, the testmakers definitely outline a very specific viewpoint -- one that may not be so appealing to low-income students who are starting to realize that to succeed in life, they need a college degree. So it makes me think: Is the way we test and teach too white?
2 comments:
Possible race bias of the SAT has been a subject of debate for 30 years. Since The Chronicle of Higer Learning mad you "think" about it, perhaps it was an independent realization on your part. However, you presnted no data to suppoert your "thought" and didn't seem to put any effort into investigating it. Perhaps that will appear in a forthcoming post. In the meantime, as an African American journalist with a law degree, I would like to know what you mean by "too white." My combined SAT scores were 1580. What were yours? If they were less than 1580, does that make me "whiter" than you are? Having a voice and an audience (small as it seems to be) requires responsibility. While I applaud the fact that you take a position on racial inequality, it would be much more valuable if your "insights" were backed up with facts and if your tone weren't so patronizing.
I think it's not that we teach "too white" it's that education is seen, largely, and especially the higher you go, as a "white" thing to do.
Which is stupid. And so is the SAT. I say so.
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