Loaded words

Mursilis

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
7,756
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I love this part:

He said such topics "could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students."

Unpleasant emotions! We can't have those!
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
10,505
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I love this part:

He said such topics "could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students."

Unpleasant emotions! We can't have those!

Tests themselves evoke unpleasant emotions in students, no matter what words are/aren't in them... perhaps tests should be banned too!
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,726
52,559
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I love this part:

He said such topics "could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students."

Unpleasant emotions! We can't have those!

Are you saying that the city shouldn't endeavor to make questions that do not evoke unpleasant emotions? This is silliness.
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
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Are you saying that the city shouldn't endeavor to make questions that do not evoke unpleasant emotions? This is silliness.

Are you saying the NY DoE should seek to keep these "loaded words" out of their tests? That is silliness.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,726
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While I agree that people are putting way too much thought into what words might be useful for test questions and that it's a waste of time, people's objections here are even worse.

This is not censorship in any way, and the idea that test questions should not be upsetting to students is a no-brainer.
 

cybrsage

Lifer
Nov 17, 2011
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California avoids the use of the word "weed" on tests and Florida avoids the phrases that use "Hurricane" or "Wildfires," according to a statement by the New York City Department of Education.

No one batted an eye until now. Why is this suddenly getting national news?
 

PokerGuy

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
13,650
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Ugh... the facepalm just can't be big enough for these idiots. There is nothing wrong with not including words that are patently offensive or discriminatory, but this is another example of PC zealotry.
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
10,505
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and the idea that test questions should not be upsetting to students is a no-brainer.

As someone who has spent most of his career so far working in schools, I can tell you the only thing about tests that upsets students is having to take them.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,500
6,044
126
This is just a guideline for Test questions. Getting upset over it is stupid. It attempts to find out what a Student Knows, not stimulate them emotionally.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,726
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As someone who has spent most of his career so far working in schools, I can tell you the only thing about tests that upsets students is having to take them.

Meh, I sincerely doubt that.

While I'm sure that the words used in them play a quite small part overall, I have zero doubt that a kid who just had his house destroyed by a hurricane might be slightly distracted while reading a question about hurricanes.
 

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
36,754
31,737
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As someone who has spent most of his career so far working in schools, I can tell you the only thing about tests that upsets students is having to take them.
If a master has 15 slaves and beats each of them an average of 5 times per week and each beating averages 10 hits with his switch and the switches he uses for the beatings break after 16 hits on average, how many switches does he break per day?
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
10,505
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If a master has 15 slaves and beats each of them an average of 5 times per week and each beating averages 10 hits with his switch and the switches he uses for the beatings break after 16 hits on average, how many switches does he break per day?

Yes, because words like that are what they're talking about this time around. :rolleyes:
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
10,505
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Meh, I sincerely doubt that.

While I'm sure that the words used in them play a quite small part overall, I have zero doubt that a kid who just had his house destroyed by a hurricane might be slightly distracted while reading a question about hurricanes.

That's too bad, really. If he/she is *that* distracted that they can't answer questions to the best of their ability, their schooling has failed them before they even saw the test.
 

zsdersw

Lifer
Oct 29, 2003
10,505
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So you agree with the principle that we should avoid controversial words, just not this implementation?

I agree with not using questions and words that describe unlawful acts or are unlawful acts.

What's unlawful about "dinosaur", "Christmas", "Halloween", and "hurricane"?
 
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dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
36,754
31,737
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I agree with not using questions and words that describe unlawful acts or are unlawful acts.
If a man is driving his car at a constant speed of 100mph how long will it take him to drive 100 miles?
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,726
52,559
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I agree with not using questions and words that describe unlawful acts or are unlawful acts.

What's unlawful about "dinosaur", "Christmas", "Halloween", and "hurricane"?

Okay, so I'm glad to hear that we agree that the government should absolutely limit the types of words used in the formulation of their questions due to the impact that it might have on the students taking the test.

Now it's simply a disagreement on what exact words. (a topic I don't really care much about)
 

thraashman

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
11,112
1,585
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Learn something new every day. I didn't know Jehova's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays.

Also, if we're banning offensive words, I vote for New Jersey.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,726
52,559
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That's too bad, really. If he/she is *that* distracted that they can't answer questions to the best of their ability, their schooling has failed them before they even saw the test.

That's absurd, schooling is not designed to address such an issue. Furthermore, the tests are designed to measure the academic ability of each student equally. If the school district knows that certain areas will exert disproportionate effects on students, they should avoid them. This is just common sense.