School superintendent fails must-pass English test

[Nambe]

LAWRENCE, Massachusetts (AP)

This city's superintendent of schools, who recently put two dozen teachers on unpaid leave for failing a basic English proficiency test, has himself flunked a required literacy test three times.

Wilfredo T. Laboy called his failing scores "frustrating" and "emotional." He blamed his performance on a lack of preparation and concentration, as well as the fact that Spanish is his first language. ---

Since 1998, all Massachusetts educators -- from teachers to superintendents -- have had to pass the Communications and Literacy Skills Test, which measures basic reading and writing skills, including vocabulary, punctuation, grammar, spelling and capitalization.

Laboy, who receives a 3 percent pay hike this month that will raise his salary to $156,560 ---

[mbperrin]

1. YES!

See, for years, I have wanted legislators to have to pass the cockamamie tests they order for students - I suspect these results would be typical, since the Texas test is crap, but what would you expect from a Carlyle company? These things are about the money.

I don't suppose this stupid bastard will reconsider the teacher suspensions, though.

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. Maybe he's just really bad at English

Like the teachers he fired. I'm sure I would have no trouble passing a basic English test and I'm not a professional educator. Is it cockamamie to expect people who teach to have a basic level of English grammar skills? Are you saying the test is cockamamie and should be easier? And how is the test about the money?

I don't get the logic. Help me out here. I need more background or something. I think it's a good thing to require teachers to be qualified in what they are teaching. Don't you?


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[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. Cockamamie's a good word for them...

It's not because the tests are too difficult. It's because those who write the tests are incapable of composing a comprehensible set of instructions that are not subject to interpretation.

It's because in the face of a barrage of tests that students take, all they're really learning is how to take tests; and their information retention is spotty, at best. Meanwhile, the average kid's interest in learning has plummeted to all-time lows from what I've seen.

Of course there are a number of fundamental skills that kids need to develop from grades K-12; but if teachers had time to inspire kids to want to learn, most of their charges would master the basics of arithmetic, grammar, and composition that are necessary to pursue a lifetime of learning.

[Nikia]

2. It seems that there is a bit of a double standard

I wonder if looked into any of the teacher's circumstances for not passing. I know that some intelligent people who learned English later than early childhood who do have trouble with English grammar and spelling. This man is a highly paid professional though. I am wondering how he got an advanced degree as well if he had trouble with writing. I suggest that he hire a tutor if he wants to keep his job.

[Rose Siding]

4. Huh?

"If you're not an English teacher, you don't look at the rules on a regular basis."

Rules for basic English are taught, learned, then used throughout your life. This attitude is more distressing than his failure to pass!

[Occulus]

11. I think you may have misunderstood his/her point

I think the poster was speaking of a slightly different issue; perhaps you misinterpreted. It's easy to do with this particular argument.

What the poster was trying to say is that it's not the rules the kids get tested on, but rather the term, what the term mean, and how they apply to sentence structure.

I never received less than an "A" grade in English; I'm very well-read and I can (as you see) put together a coherent thought with little to no effort. I still, however, cannot explain what a participle is, or how to use one in a sentence. I know I do use such tools in my writing and speech, but I couldn't identify them if I tried.

It's a bit like learning just the names of the three branches of government, but being unable to details their seperate functions.

[Frances]

5. I think that Bush should be required to pass the

tests that he is insisting that students take.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. Frances i agree...bush should be required to take an 8th grade ...

standardized test...i doubt he could pass the NY Terra Nova 8th grade test...never mind the 5 high school regents exams required to graduate

[Generic Other]

6. A real educator would use this as a learning opportunity

The superintendent, the teachers and any students needing remediation should have swallowed their pride and signed up for a class together. Lifelong learning in action. Community building. Deficiencies honestly acknowledged and addressed. That's how a test helps people grow and develop. Otherwise, it is nothing but a punitive tool.

I would love to have this man in my developmental English class. What an inspiration he could be for others.

[Desperadoe]

8. I would love to have this man

step out behind the barn for a few moments so I could learn him a few things. What an asshole. The hypocrites just rule this nation.

[theHandpuppet]

13. I think you mean....

... " so I could TEACH him a few things."

[PartyPooper]

10. I think we should all be held to the same standard

including the president of the United States.

:dunce:

[DemBones DemBones]

12. This clown makes 156K as a school superintendent & he says

"It bothers me because I'm trying to understand the congruence of what I do here every day and this stupid test," Laboy told The Eagle-Tribune of Lawrence in a story published Sunday. He also said he failed due to lack of preparation and failure to concentrate. Also, the dog ate his homework.

This is the type of lame excuse kids give when they haven't studied and learned what they needed to know for a test! He knew he had to take the test. He knew he'd already failed it twice. So is the test stupid or is he?

Asking about the "congruence" of what he does every day and "this stupid test" is like the classic student lament "When will I ever need to know this?"

He says "English being a second language for me, I didn't do well in writing." I'm wondering who writes his letters and reports for him. In my experience, administrators have to do a fair amount of writing.

I think anyone in the field of education should be able to pass a basic English proficiency test and I'd allow administrators (who make more money) fewer chances at passing than I'd give teachers.

[JohnKleeb]

14. a friend of mine has something to say

Haw Haw, Laboy even you cant pass the test,