School considers dropping academic achievement

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Edumakated
I think the goal of increasing diversity of the school is admirable but they are going about it the wrong way.

Generally, I think schools that focus too much on GPA/Test scores create an unhealthy learning environment. I am not saying these aren't important measures though.

If you don't think schools that focus on GPA/Test scores are unhealthy you shouldn't send your kids there.
Schools should not be made to bow down to people that cannot or will not achieve what others can and do.

I don't disagree. The issue is that public schools operate under different rules. If a private school wants to have extreme focus on GPA / Test scores, I have no issue with it.

Public schools get a little murkier as they have more constituents and other considerations. Like I said, they are going about it the wrong way but understand the concern.

a reply to: Edumakated

It doesn't necessarily sound like that kind of school though.

It sounds like the coursework offered needs a minimum standard of knowledge base and academic ability, so they feel the best way to ensure that is to only accept the ones with the best scores on the entrance exams.

Now imagine they drop those exam standards and start admitting people who are not able to cope with the rigorous internal academic standards already in place. Say they accept students who need remedial work in one or more areas in order to fill their new quotas.

a reply to: ketsuko

I guess it depends on their admission criteria and if there is diminishing return on the scores / gpa relative to academic performance. The reality is they won't see huge increases in other minorities but they may move the needle a little bit.

The question is how much lower test scores and GPA can they accept without affecting academic performance? I highly doubt there is a meaningful difference between student A who may score in 99% percentile vs student B who may be in 95th? So when trying to bring more diversity into the student body, they have to holistically look to see if say a black kid in the 95th would do ok at the school.

For example, I did my MBA at an elite graduate school. The school has more applicants that spots available even if they only admitted those with 4.0 GPAs and near perfect GMAT scores (standardized test used for business schools). So the GMAT and GPA may get you looked at, but your essays and previous work experience are far more important for admissions.

All of this is a delicate balance and I see both sides of the issue. This is largely what the affirmative action debate is about.

I think what many people miss from the debate is that often times schools want to create the best OVERALL environment for learning and many times that means you have to focus on things other than one dimensional scores.

Tossing out scores entirely doesn't make sense to me at high achieving school such as the one in the story, but I can see where they may feel they need to tweak the criteria a little bit as well.

That’s what they voted for. Unsure what complaining about will do now. I hope they enjoy their full blown progressiveness they’ve established in SF.

Boy there sure are a lot of Asians in that area, I suppose they are across the pond from Asia so it is no surprise. Cheaper to fly home across the Ocean in one flight to see relatives.

If they weren't someone's kids I'd say they should just let them all run wild like wild animals. No laws, no rules, no education, no boundaries, nothing.

I mean, that's where we're headed anyway isn't it? Might as well let people see the end result sooner rather than later.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

If that's what they want, we can just pay for a trip to Somalia.

Just saw an article on Zerohedge.

Apparently Biden administration DOJ just dropped the discrimination suit against Yale University without explanation that was filed under Trump. If you recall, Trump DOJ sued Yale over discrimination against Asians. It is an open secret that Asians typically need significantly higher SAT/GPA scores than white and black students to gain admission to elite schools. Reverse discrimination.

Biden DOJ Drops Yale Lawsuit

a reply to: Edumakated

Of course they did ... and it doesn't surprise me at all.

a reply to: JAGStorm

In the not-so-distant past, the New York Board of Regents decided it was too hard for minorities to pass the test to become teachers in the state so they removed the Literacy portion because too many minorities weren't able to pass it and they considered it discriminatory.

Yes, people are THAT stupid. This doesn't surprise me at all. I miss the Gold Standard of Education when teachers were required to be smart.

This is what happens when you're forced to hire people that don't have credible merits or skill to do the job, and a big reason of what's wrong with America today.

Link

a reply to: ketsuko

I agree with most of what you said. I've just seen several good local schools dragged down for the reasons that I stated.

I went to school for Engineering at a small University. It had an excellent program. Notice I said "had". They dumped their program because too many students in other majors complained about the engineering students blowing the grade curve in other classes. I found this out at our 10th reunion a few years ago. When they hit me up for a donation, I replied with a nice polite letter telling them why they are never getting another cent out of me.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I'm not trashing all schools, there are many good ones still left but growing fewer as choices become restricted due to government interference (usually in the name of equality). When I was in high school kids regularly drove to school with firearms in their car, often from deer hunting before class. No metal detectors either yet nobody was shot or stabbed. Miracle, huh? If you delegate responsibility to kids they learn early how to handle it. It seems that is no longer the case and whenever they get in trouble the first avenue to explore is how to blame someone else for it. On top of that you have the digital mind suck going on that is making the kids lives online feel more real than their actual lives. Attention spans are at an all-time low as are expectations in every form.

Not that the situation is hopeless but we do have to recognize all the stumbling blocks standing in the way of kids getting a real education not least of which is the NEA and teachers unions.

a reply to: JAGStorm

In other words the next time you get a doctor check his credentials, your hart doctor may earn his or her degree on facebook and twitter academies very soon, the entitlement fill by color generation will be posing as your choice for doctor. Who needs darn merits to become anything you want, soon exams will be eradicated, college qualifications taken away, hell lets just get that doctors degree on the internet.

Need a brain surgeon facebook and twitter academies will assign you one.

Yes I been very sarcastic.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

I built a jig and used the milling machine in the high school shop to drill and tap holes for mounting my scope. Only rule was no ammo was allowed and the bolt was kept locked in the teacher's desk until I picked up the rifle at the end of the day.