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Category: Readers' Opinions

SOL smokescreen

Aug 08

7:53 AM

I was shocked by 'Sound SOS on SOLs' (letter, Aug. 16) criticizing the Beach school plan to broaden the curriculum to include more critical analysis.

I can speak only of the SOL test for the subject that I teach, world history. The test is a disservice to students and acts as a smokescreen for parents who are led to believe that their child is on track. The world history SOL test has been so dumbed down that the majority of students could pass it on the first day of class. Yet this is the only test that matters, which is nothing more than a regurgitative exercise in mediocrity.

As Superintendent James Merrill has said, far too many students pass the SOL test without being prepared for life. What I find courageous in Merrill's proposal is that he is willing to address this.

In order to ensure that students are prepared to be productive citizens in the 21st century, they must be challenged to think more critically, more precisely and more analytically than the current test-driven curriculum demands.

Susan Eichner

Virginia Beach

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Watch.Dog

Submitted by marym63204 on Wed, 08/27/2008 at 6:10 am.

You're joking about the slower traffic in a school zone, right?

If not, I heartily disagree with you. I can't even teach crossing four lanes of traffic accurately where we live because of the "right turn on red" crowd who turn right without looking at 50mph, right into the intersection where a child is walking with a "walk light." Cheers, MGM

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Craig...

Submitted by ed baskins on Tue, 08/26/2008 at 3:45 pm.

The NEA is the teachers labor union, not the feds. But you are correct that they are the problem.

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Blame the federal government

Submitted by Craig Paskewic on Tue, 08/26/2008 at 11:46 am.

It started decades ago with the NEA...when the fed's took the schools from the states.

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I agree

Submitted by jonb92063 on Tue, 08/26/2008 at 11:12 am.

In addition, the use of the SOL and it's continued "dumbing down" only serves to aide the children who refuse to put forth their best effort and keep the truly exceptional kids from standing out. When it is all said and done, we will have a nation full of mediocre kids. I prefer the old way of learning. Sink or swim. At least we will have someone to run our corporations and our country later on.

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I wasn't going to bring this up, but ....

Submitted by Watch.Dog on Tue, 08/26/2008 at 9:41 am.

Good point Susan, further....is it only me but it seems indicative of the dumbing down of our students and adults when we have areas where eight lanes of traffic are slowed down for a school zone in front of a high school. Does this mean that high school students are still not capable of looking both ways before they cross the street? Can they not read well enough to push the button to change the light?

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