2008 Woodie Awards
Retaking test not necessary
Department of Education overreacting to Jackson MEAP incident
By: David Harris
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Voices
- Page 1 of 1
The media is perceived to have a wide range of power.
Sometimes that perception is overstated.
It's too bad Michigan's fifth and sixth graders have to pay for that perception.
It all started Monday when Jackson Citizen Patriot reporter and former Central Michigan Life Editor in Chief Chad Livengood went to a local elementary school to report on the first day of MEAP testing.
He was allowed into the classroom to talk to students, and test questions were posted in a story online.
The Michigan Department of Education got wind of this.
To say it flipped out would be an understatement.
Now every fifth and sixth grader will have to retake the writing portion of the test.
Overreaction by the state? You bet.
In fact, the department of education is suffering from a severe case of paranoia.
It's ridiculous. It's a waste of time.
Today's youth suffer enough pressure with overemphasized tests. There's no reason to retake this test.
How many fifth and sixth graders read the Citizen Patriot? My guess is zilch.
For that matter, how many parents and teachers got wind of this story before their kids took the test? Probably not many.
So why retake the test?
Here's why: The state wanted to blame someone for its goof up. It wanted to show how big and bad it is.
Apparently the state has never heard of a telephone or a computer.
In today's age, information gets out quickly (The state also is unaware of this new development).
For some reason there is a three-week period schools can test. So who's to say a teacher who works in Traverse City who just took the test can't call his college buddy who teaches in Flint and tell him about the test question?
Then the Flint teacher "accidentally" tells his class about the essay question. Before you know it, word will spread throughout the whole school. Don't you remember the "Johnny has a big, huge crush on Sarah" rumors when you were in elementary school?
Maybe this wouldn't be an ethical act by the teacher, but with the ridiculous pressures the No Child Left Behind act puts on school districts, it is not out of the realm of possibility.
Maybe a fifth grader takes the test in Grand Rapids, then tells her cousin in Port Huron about the question. Again, word gets around in an elementary school.
So tell me again, why these poor kids are retaking the test?
The media, of course, was chastised for the article. All the Monday morning quarterbacks are saying how "stupid" the Citizen Patriot was for writing the article.
The Jackson School District also has taken it on the chin for allowing a reporter into a classroom.
But this isn't either the newspaper or the school district's fault.
It is the department of education's fault for overreacting.
And it's a shame 10- and 11-year olds have to suffer.
Sometimes that perception is overstated.
It's too bad Michigan's fifth and sixth graders have to pay for that perception.
It all started Monday when Jackson Citizen Patriot reporter and former Central Michigan Life Editor in Chief Chad Livengood went to a local elementary school to report on the first day of MEAP testing.
He was allowed into the classroom to talk to students, and test questions were posted in a story online.
The Michigan Department of Education got wind of this.
To say it flipped out would be an understatement.
Now every fifth and sixth grader will have to retake the writing portion of the test.
Overreaction by the state? You bet.
In fact, the department of education is suffering from a severe case of paranoia.
It's ridiculous. It's a waste of time.
Today's youth suffer enough pressure with overemphasized tests. There's no reason to retake this test.
How many fifth and sixth graders read the Citizen Patriot? My guess is zilch.
For that matter, how many parents and teachers got wind of this story before their kids took the test? Probably not many.
So why retake the test?
Here's why: The state wanted to blame someone for its goof up. It wanted to show how big and bad it is.
Apparently the state has never heard of a telephone or a computer.
In today's age, information gets out quickly (The state also is unaware of this new development).
For some reason there is a three-week period schools can test. So who's to say a teacher who works in Traverse City who just took the test can't call his college buddy who teaches in Flint and tell him about the test question?
Then the Flint teacher "accidentally" tells his class about the essay question. Before you know it, word will spread throughout the whole school. Don't you remember the "Johnny has a big, huge crush on Sarah" rumors when you were in elementary school?
Maybe this wouldn't be an ethical act by the teacher, but with the ridiculous pressures the No Child Left Behind act puts on school districts, it is not out of the realm of possibility.
Maybe a fifth grader takes the test in Grand Rapids, then tells her cousin in Port Huron about the question. Again, word gets around in an elementary school.
So tell me again, why these poor kids are retaking the test?
The media, of course, was chastised for the article. All the Monday morning quarterbacks are saying how "stupid" the Citizen Patriot was for writing the article.
The Jackson School District also has taken it on the chin for allowing a reporter into a classroom.
But this isn't either the newspaper or the school district's fault.
It is the department of education's fault for overreacting.
And it's a shame 10- and 11-year olds have to suffer.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Nick Smith
posted 10/15/07 @ 3:17 AM EST
Posting questions of these types of tests, if my memory serves me right, has occurred in other states in years past and have received the same type of overreaction. (Continued…)
Mike
posted 10/15/07 @ 5:29 AM EST
While I agree this unfairly punishes 5th and 6th graders who took the test without ever seeing a hint to the writing prompt, this article is simply an attempt at covering for a former partner who screwed up and is costing taxpayers a large sum of money. (Continued…)
Chris
posted 10/15/07 @ 1:40 PM EST
Downplaying the effect of the media is not an argument for the idea of posting a prompt for the MEAP. Despite the relevance of the test, it ought to be taken by all students without having prior access to the prompt. (Continued…)
michmediaperson
posted 10/15/07 @ 8:35 PM EST
Chad Livengood did nothing wrong. He was taking his cues from the Jackson officials.
He is NOT an employee of the Jackson school system. It's not his responsibility to know what the schools rule are. (Continued…)
Doug Brown
posted 10/15/07 @ 10:44 PM EST
Oh please. Way to try to cover for a former editor. Chad had no business publishing actual test information. What a bonehead move.
Corey Shelton
posted 10/16/07 @ 11:36 AM EST
I live in Jackson and am a school teacher outside of JPS. There is fault on both the school and the paper. There is no excuse for allowing a reporter/photographer into a classroom on the DAY OF THE MEAP TEST! This was just bad! There is no excuse. (Continued…)
Bug man
posted 10/17/07 @ 4:34 AM EST
I feel the newspaper and the JDS should split the costs of the retest. That reporter had no business being there in the first place. Ignorance does equal laziness in my opinion. (Continued…)
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