The thread with the “what do you boycott” subject made me think: I’m in public school, 10th grade in Massachusetts. This year, I’m required to take the MCAS (massachusetts comprehensive assesment system) test, and I have to pass while I’m in high school in order to graduate. Personally, I think that the test is really badly designed, and takes away way too much time from the more interesting normal school cirriculum, devoting time towards a test that in no way demonstrates the true “intellingence” of a student. Needles to say, I’ve seroiusly considered boycotting the test. If any of you out there know anything about this test, I’d like to hear from both sides (pro and anti MCAS) about what you feel, or reccomend what I should do.
I took that test. I did very very badly on that test. Had it been mandatory for my graduation, I’d still be trapped in that hell.
I agree with your assessment of the test. Standardized tests in general are problematic, but this has turned into a huge mess. Forcing teachers to “teach to the test” is not the answer to the problems in our public schools.
I understand your interest in a boycott; if I were your parent I would support you. But, since I’m not, I think you need to discuss it with them. There may be serious consequences to your refusal to take the test, namely the absence of a graduation certificate. Are you prepared for that? While there are probably some enlightened employers/universities who will admire your decision to stick to your principles, they will not be in the majority. Will you have your parents’ support? Are there other students who might join you? The effectiveness of this type of protest is directly related to the number of people involved. Unfortunately, children’s opinions don’t usually carry much weight, so the more adults you can get directly involved, the better. You need to understand that any changes you help to make will not occur for some time. Are you willing to make these sacrifices for future graduating students?
It’s just so nice to see a MA-related thread that I had to reply.
I think the MCAS is a load of crap, to put it quite bluntly. I pretty much agree with everything that’s been said already. I would support your decision to boycott it, but all the more so if there were an organized student boycott, with many students taking part. The fact that those students who would boycott the test would probably be those who would boost the average would be bound to make school officials and politicians take notice. I like to think I would have boycotted it if we’d had it when I was in High School.
First of all, let me say I don’t know anything about the MCAS, so I don’t know if it’s well designed or poorly designed, or what, but I’ll take your word for it that it’s one of those stupid tests that really doesn’t test anything useful. However, if you don’t take the test, you can’t graduate, right? So, if you boycott it, how will that affect your graduation?
Just to clarify: This year, the MCAS has become an official graduation requirement, so if I don’t pass it, I wouldn’t graduate. But, I can re-take the test junior or senior year as many times as I need to in order to pass it. But my thinking is that if boycotting becomes organized enough (and it was organized even last year when the test wasn’t a graduation requirement) and enough opposition is brought up that the test will be removed as a graduation requirement. That’s where the big contorversy is.
The problem with the small patches of protesters around Massachusetts is that they just come off (mostly) as whiny adolescents who don’t want to take a test which proves they’re qualified to receive a diploma. This may or may not be the case, but trust me, that’s how many people perceive them.
The failure rates for the test are so high that I’m sure it’s in need of some adjustment, but I see no problem with having a requirement to graduate. The MCAS, as it is, is probably not the answer, but there does need to be some sort of way for students to prove that they should graduate.