Equal Standards

I've just come across this interesting article on the discriminatory role of standardised tests against ethnic minorities, such as black and Latino students in the United States. There are some things I didn’t like though, starting with the title “Why It’s Time To Get Rid of Standardized Tests “. Provocative and determined, it clearly underlines the article’s intent to address the issue in a simplistic manner, mocking standardised tests as if they were some stupid and pre-historical idea with no place in the modern world. I’ll try to answer it explaining why, in my view, we still do use standardise tests.

As a side note, I’d just like to point out that the data mentioned seems to have much simpler explanations than the one provided by the author. For instance, deducing ethnical favouritism from statistics stating that students with richer parents perform better seems a bit over-stretching the evidence: after all students with more resources can have access to private tutors, better study environments, etc. Of course there are specific techniques to detect correlation and causality and maybe they were employed, but since the article makes no reference to it at all we can’t know for sure. Perhaps they are detailed in some of the numerous links, which I didn’t have time to check.

At any rate, let’s say all the studies were conducted in a perfect manner and that their conclusions are valid and bear statistical meaning. Where does that lead us? It’s not surprising, in my opinion, that the problem statements included in standardised tests favour the majorities. It is a hardly contested truth that people with different backgrounds (both social and biological) perceive things in a different manner, so it’s only natural that when communicating we’re better perceived by those with similar backgrounds. On top of that there’s also a shared way of thinking that can be helpful when it comes to finding solutions to specific problems. Does that mean minorities face a disadvantage? Probably, although it’s probably quite slight. Shouldn’t we fix it then? Sure. So let’s put a halt to these stupid standardised tests and make different ones for Caucasians, black and Asian people. Rich and poor students. Maybe gay and straight while we’re at it. In less than 10 seconds we’ve already come up with twelve different exam format needs. Does anyone actually believe it is possible to make so many (different!) exams with the same level of difficulty? Teachers already struggle to make two such! That wouldn’t be fair and would lead to all kinds of injustice.

Another important remark to be made is that the competences being testes are the ones considered relevant to that culture, in a way fitting that environment. Some are naturally more prone to achieve better results in that framework? Perhaps. It’s a known fact that some ethnics have (biological) advantages over others in, let’s say, long distance running but we don’t see any athlete running the marathon with a time handicap, or on a different track to make it even.

Finally, it’s a funny fact that at the same time the article clamours for differencing it also fiercely criticises attempts to do so. The different pass quotes (indeed a stupid measure in my opinion, specially at a social level) are such an attempt to recognise the standardise tests’ biased evaluation, and were received with hatred.


Filipe Baptista de Morais