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So, per the article about half of the students in question are black and hispanic. For lack of any factual data, let's say that breaks down to 25% are black, 25% are hispanic, but a whopping 50% are white whinies who can't make a 40. How's that being racially bias against blacks and hispanics? Then it goes on to somehow relate this to the sugar and citrus industry? What, those kids can't even get a job picking oranges without a passing grade of 40 on the test??? That article just makes no sense.

In Texas it's called the TAKS now. It's given to almost every grade from 3-11 to pass to the next grade. Pass the test, pass to the next grade. Fail the test even if you're an A student, fail the year. The 12th grade TAKS is for the diploma. They only teach to the test and nothing else. Say it with me, "Funding". All year, it's practice for the TAKS, practice for the TAKS, and more practice for the TAKS. The actual tests (3rd - 11th) are taken 6 weeks before the end of school so guess what's done the last 6 wks of school ------ nothing. Absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!! Why bother showing up for class? The teachers and kids all know nothing they do will "count" toward anything (cough, education, cough, knowlege, cough, why Johnny can't read) so they goof off and watch videos like the oh so very educational "Dude, Where's My Car". And school taxes keep going up...

I was in Texas public schools from 1989 to 2000, back when it was called the TAAS and don't remember spending much time teaching to the test.

I do remember we had all day to take each section. Meaning on Monday we took reading, and you had as much time as you wanted, from morning to the end of school. The same for math and writing.

I was usually finished in an hour or less, I am just a fast test-taker, but some kids took all day to write a one or two page essay.

The material wasn't too diffcult, and in my day you tested from 3rd to 10th grade and the 10th grade test was the one you could retake multiple times to rgaduate. I do remember one media story about kids not graduating and how unfair the test was.

All through my public school years, teachers have shown movies in various classes for no reason at all (Toy Story in math class, etc.)

Why bother showing up for class?

Um, because grades still count for college admissions, and if you don't pass, you don't graduate either?

Sorry--the Regents exams have been in NY for years. Seems to me if these types of exams have been in the People's Republic forever, what's up with the recent problem allowing them elsewhere?