9486 in the collection  

Massachusetts Standardistos, As Usual, Blame Students

Ohanian Comment: Note the Standardisto/totalitarian rhetoric in this article.

``High school has to get back to being about being prepared, being accountable, being educated,'' Gov. Mitt Romney said. ``I salute MCAS and education reform for having helped bring that back to our school system.''

While Romney claimed the results released yesterday proved Bay State kids were better off with the test, critics desperate to stave off the graduation requirement pointed out that nearly half of those failing were minorities.

That achievement gap was etched in stark relief in the gritty old mill city of Lawrence, where 44 percent of its 437-member class of 2003 will be denied diplomas at graduation because of failing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. ``It is absolutely frustrating and it is absolutely devastating,'' said Lawrence Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy. . . .

Citing Lawrence, anti-MCAS advocate Jane Lopez said the kids who failed are having to pay for past years of neglect by the city and state's education establishment.

``If you look long-term at the education these kids have received, all of a sudden we're going to whack them for lack of educational service provided by their school district?'' said Lopez, lawyer for the Multicultural Education Training and Advocacy group.

META is suing the state to try to block the graduation requirement, a lawsuit that would be undeterred by the latest test results, Lopez said.

Only 70 percent of Hispanic students and 75 percent of black seniors have passed the test. Even ardent MCAS supporters acknowledged the lag in minority student performance.

``That's great progress, but it's not good enough until in the long run we've eliminated the achievement gap between minorities and white students,'' said William Guenther of the business-minded Mass Insight Education. . . .

``We're not going to give up on them if they're not going to give up on themselves,'' Romney said. . . .

Classic Standardisto strategy:

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Payzant said chronic absenteeism always has resulted in students not being able to graduate, MCAS or not. . . .

``The key is to focus on those students who have worked hard, been in school, taken advantage of the support programs we've offered,'' he said. . . .

Attribution: Attribution title: Article Title: Publication: Publication Date: URL:

— Kevin Rothstein
On the mark: 9 of 10 seniors pass mcas
Boston Herald
March 4, 2003
http://www2.bostonherald.com/local-regional/mcas03042003.htm

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