In light of our nation's ever-growing implementation of standardized testing by the No Child Left Behind Act, the escalating number of SAT errors exposed is even more disturbing. If the SAT can't get it right, what hope is there for the others like the GRE?
For the third time in two weeks, the College Board issued an apology to students for scoring errors on October's SAT exam that negatively affected approximately 4,411 test takers. According to the scanning vendor, the errors occurred due to moisture accumulating on the answer sheets, which caused its scoring computer to misread them.
What really scares us about the errors is the way in which they came to light. Only after two students complaints exposed the problem was any effort made at investigating the scores. So if they hadn't come forward, we would have never known the problem existed. This begs the question: has this happened in the past, and if so, how often?
The problem lies with the non-profit College Board's grading polices. Grading is farmed out to private corporations, in this case the Pearson Educational Measurement firm, which lack the quality control safeguards one would expect from a test whose stakes are so high. More oversight is needed, and the remedies put forth by Pearson-scanning every answer sheet twice with new software-aren't enough. Guarantees of accuracy are needed. Nothing else will suffice.
Critics of standardized exams have sighted the inherent bias found in such testing, and argue as to the test's accuracy of what they are purportedly measuring. Many argue standardized testing doesn't improve education, but no one has made the leap in saying it actually hurts. That might change if faith is lost in scoring.
Scientology's self-parody
Isaac Hayes's abrupt departure actually hurts Scientology's cause
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park," lampooned Isaac Hayes's departure from the show in Wednesday's season premiere. Hayes, the voice of the beloved character Chef, was rumored to have quit after the show took on Scientology and Tom Cruise, but like all of Scientology's knee-jerk reactions to criticism, they are making jokes of themselves.
A new religion in its infancy phase, such as Scientology, needs the legitimacy our popular culture can bestow upon it. Hayes should have looked at "South Park's" use of Scientology themes as its moment of arrival. Having a whole episode devoted to it meant they are not on the fringe anymore; they too are fodder for comedy in the same vein as ancient religions.
The basis of "South Park's" genius as satire is the timeliness in which its episodes are put out. They are always relevant, and usually work hard at attacking a person, or group, that has an ironic relationship with our daily headlines. That's why "South Park" has gotten away with mocking Christianity, Judaism, and other religions regularly. Pointing out the absurdity and hypocritical conflicts of said religions works when the media exposes their deeds, in the context "South Park" provides.
And the Scientology episode was no different. Tom Cruise was advocating for Scientology non-stop while promoting his film, "War of the Worlds." The subject matter was perfect for Parker and Stone's humor, and the episode was hilarious. Evangelizing Scientologists are joke targets just as much as any group that takes itself so seriously, from Pat Robertson's followers to door-to-door Jehovah's witnesses. They are simply a quirky part of pop-culture.
Scientologists working behind the scenes to have the episode in question pulled from re-runs, and those bringing forth lawsuits at every turn, aren't helping their cause. In fact they wind up harming it because it looks like they have something to hide, like that they worship aliens or something.
