The Colored Man was much perplexed when the President Obama haters raised hell because he made a video encouraging school students to study and work hard in school. I was even more perplexed when school districts put up restrictions and barriers in allowing their students to watch the video. I believe that this type of brouhaha was uncalled for, and completely out of line. All President Obama was doing was giving some much needed wisdom and encouragement to students. Trust me it is much needed.
The Colored Man has the privilege of going into alot of schools in the county in which I live. These schools encompass public, private, parochial, and charter schools. They run the gamut from urban to suburban. I see well-to-do schools, where the PTA raises $150,000 per year, and I see schools where the teacher never meets a child's parents. The contrasts are like night and day, and the academic performance at these various schools could be like comparing hot to cold, or sweet to sour. The Colored Man sees it all-I see schools with large minority student populations, and no minority teachers; I see academically superior schools with all white school staffs; I see one minority school superintendent, no minority food service directors or facilities managers; I see schools with a plethora of extended educational opportunities for their students, and schools with very little to offer their students. I see outstanding teachers, and teachers who really need another career. In a days time, what I witness and hear in the schools can be dizzying and depressing.
In my state, all students must pass a graduation test in order to receive a diploma, the exception being students with special needs. Students begin to take the test in the 10th grade, and can continue to retake any failed tests, until after they finish the 12th grade. Since we all know that the Colored Man is perpetually poor, I took on a part-time job grading the graduation tests. I was assigned math questions to grade, and after qualifying to grade the questions, I could have closed my eyes and just continually clicked the zero score with my mouse, as only about 20% of the students taking the test were able to correctly answer the question. Here is the first question that I graded.....
While attending a meeting, John needs to park his car from 10:00am - 4:30pm. The three parking lots nearest the meeting charge the rates shown below.
Parking Lot First Hour Additional Hour
A $3.00 $2.30
B $4.00 $2.00
C $5.00 $1.70
In your Answer Document, determine which parking lot would charge John the smallest amount. Show your work or provide an explanation for your answer.
The next question that I graded was a geometry problem that should have been covered in the 8th grade. The question dealt with isococles triangles. Once again, I could have closed my eyes, and just clicked zero over, and over, and over.
In a recently released assessment, the National Assesment of Educational Progress tested 52,000 students in reading and 49,000 in math across 1,670 school districts in 2009. In reading, students scored below the 1992 average of 292. Thirty-eight percent of 12th grade students were classified as at or above the "proficient" level, while 74 percent were considered at or above "basic." A big achievement gap still remains across racial and ethnic groups. There was no significant change in the score or gap in reading for black and or Hispanic students since 1992. White and Asian students both scored higher than they did in 2005.
Asian students scored an average of 298 points in reading in 2009, higher than any other group. Overall math scores rose from 150 to 153, an improvement, but still nothing to brag about. In the 11 states that volunteered to participate, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and South Dakota had higher scores in both subjects than the national average. Two states, Idaho and Illinois, had scores that were higher in reading but not significantly different in math. New Jersey had a higher math score but a similar national reading score. Three states scored lower in both subjects: Arkansas, Florida and West Virginia.
Barry McGraw, of the International Organization for Cooperation and Development, says, "the US remains atop the "knowledge economy," one that uses information to produce economic benefits. But, education's contribution to that economy is weaking, and you ought to be worrying." The report based its conclusions about achievement mainly on international test scores. They show that compared with their peers in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, 15-year-olds in the United States are below average.
Below Average!!!!!!!! and some of us have the audicity to reject the President's message, simply because we don't like his political positions and philosophies. But the truth cannot be denied, as one only needs to get a job grading achievement tests to see first-hand, just how far behind our students truly are. Our students are losing and lagging, and in years to come this position will have great effect on our economy. In fact, it's already happening. Ask yourself, what economy is booming, while ours is busting? Answer that question, then look at the achievement levels of their students.
The Colored Man says, speak on Mr. President, you ain't never lied!!!, and encourages everyone to get involved in their local school district. After all, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Now, let's see if you are smarter than a 5th grader, or in this case, a 10th, 11th. or 12th grader. Send your answers to the above-referenced question to thecoloredman@gmail.com. The first person with the correct answer will receive a present chosen especially for them!!!, and the rights to brag about being just as smart as 20% of high school students in the Colored Man's state!!!!
The Colored Man
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