Loaded words

[zsdersw]

This makes literally zero sense. Your own article that you linked talked about the city's choice to limit the words used in the standardized tests that the city makes. It has nothing to do with what the individual districts under the city DOE do.

I know that people don't often read the articles that other people post, but you should at least read the articles you post yourself.

The city doesn't make the tests... it contracts with a test publisher, as the article says.

 

[davmat787]

Is it possible his home was affected and the school was not? How long after the obliteration should the kid return to school? How long after the obliteration should it no longer bother the kid? What if the kid lost his baby sister in the hurricane?

lol, let us continue to split the split hairs.

Sure, it is possible his home was affected, but not the school. However, it is not likely that there was not enough community damage to impact local schools, so I think the point stands.

As to your last two questions, I think it is very hard to avoid all possible situations that could possibly upset lil Timmy. Now, it looks like these guidelines are leaving room for local school districts, so FL could be more sensitive to local issues like hurricanes, whereas here in WA it would not be an issue.

Should we not use questions like the common speeding trains going X MPH, or your car question of 100MPH? I would think kids are more likely to know someone injured/maimed/killed by transportation than a hurricane. Why are they ok, but using the term hurricane is not?

It can just go on and on if you leave enough people with the task of making this list. Maybe children should learn that reality will not bend to make them safe all the time, but rather that there are indeed unpleasant things in this world.

Skittles and ice tea should be banned now too.

 

[fskimospy]

The city doesn't make the tests... it contracts with a test publisher, as the article says.

Right, the city creates the tests by contracting them out to someone else. Please feel free to explain how this has even the slightest thing to do with what the districts put in their own tests.

You clearly didn't read your own article and thought that NYC was banning those words from all tests within NYC's jurisdiction. It's not.

 

[dank69]

lol, let us continue to split the split hairs.

Sure, it is possible his home was affected, but not the school. However, it is not likely that there was not enough community damage to impact local schools, so I think the point stands.

As to your last two questions, I think it is very hard to avoid all possible situations that could possibly upset lil Timmy. Now, it looks like these guidelines are leaving room for local school districts, so FL could be more sensitive to local issues like hurricanes, whereas here in WA it would not be an issue.

Should we not use questions like the common speeding trains going X MPH, or your car question of 100MPH? I would think kids are more likely to know someone injured/maimed/killed by transportation than a hurricane. Why are they ok, but using the term hurricane is not?

It can just go on and on if you leave enough people with the task of making this list.

Perhaps these people put together a task force to determine the probablility of evoking negative reactions that a word has and after extensive study they decided that all words that have higher than x% probabilty should be banned.

 

[zsdersw]

Right, the city creates the tests by contracting them out to someone else. Please feel free to explain how this has even the slightest thing to do with what the districts put in their own tests.

You clearly didn't read your own article and thought that NYC was banning those words from all tests within NYC's jurisdiction. It's not.

The overall theme of my opinion in this thread is that the city shouldn't be banning these words (or any like it) from any tests, whether they're issued by the city or not. This opinion extends to states and the fed.

 

[zsdersw]

Perhaps these people put together a task force to determine the probablility of evoking negative reactions that a word has and after extensive study they decided that all words that have higher than x% probabilty should be banned.

Given the idiocy of most governments, that would not surprise me in the least.

 

[fskimospy]

The overall theme of my opinion in this thread is that the city shouldn't be banning these words (or any like it) from any tests, whether they're issued by the city or not.

But you did agree that some words that involved crime should be banned from tests, so clearly we agree that the city must have input into the words used in its tests.

As I said before, now we simply disagree on the exact words that should be banned, not whether or not words should be banned.

EDIT: It's also odd that you think the city shouldn't be able to exert editorial control over the tests that it has made. Who should exert editorial control then?

 

[dank69]

The overall theme of my opinion in this thread is that the city shouldn't be banning these words (or any like it) from any tests, whether they're issued by the city or not. This opinion extends to states and the fed.

Are you planning to pay the city's legal fees if someone decides to sue over the use of a word? If not, well your opinion doesn't carry any weight.

 

[zsdersw]

But you did agree that some words that involved crime should be banned from tests, so clearly we agree that the city must have input into the words used in its tests.

You said: "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."

Government is a general term.

As I said before, now we simply disagree on the exact words that should be banned, not whether or not words should be banned.

We do? So you think "dinosaur" should be banned? How about "Christmas" and "Halloween"?

 

[zsdersw]

Are you planning to pay the city's legal fees if someone decides to sue over the use of a word? If not, well your opinion doesn't carry any weight.

I don't care if you or anyone else assigns or doesn't assign any weight to my opinion.

The city is stupid for banning these words and anyone who would sue the city because they're in a test is stupid as well.

 

[dank69]

I don't care if you or anyone else assigns or doesn't assign any weight to my opinion.

...

If you don't want to be a part of society, zsdersw, why don't you just get in your car and move to the East Side!

 

[davmat787]

Perhaps these people put together a task force to determine the probablility of evoking negative reactions that a word has and after extensive study they decided that all words that have higher than x% probabilty should be banned.

Well, this will have to be a continuing, live task force that has access to real time news feeds to ensure the latest in offensive nouns are included. Skittles and iced tea man, skittles and iced tea.

 

[zsdersw]

If you don't want to be a part of society, zsdersw, why don't you just get in your car and move to the East Side!

Already have.

 

[fskimospy]

You said: "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."

Government is a general term.

Can you describe to me a situation in which a government should not have control over the words used in the questions that they have created?

We do? So you think "dinosaur" should be banned? How about "Christmas" and "Halloween"?

Yes, from your own posts in this thread we agree that some words should be banned.

 

[dank69]

Well, this will have to be a continuing, live task force that has access to real time news feeds to ensure the latest in offensive nouns are included. Skittles and iced tea man, skittles and iced tea.

I think an annual reassessment would be sufficient.

 

[zsdersw]

Can you describe to me a situation in which a government should not have control over the words used in the questions that they have created?

When the test is one that every school in that government's jurisdiction must issue (because it's a standardized test).

Yes, from your own posts in this thread we agree that some words should be banned.

Do you think the words mentioned in the article should be banned?

 

[fskimospy]

When the test is one that every school in that government's jurisdiction must issue (because it's a standardized test).

If the tests aren't identical from district to district that will defeat their purpose. So with that in mind, who should control their content?

Do you think the words mentioned in the article should be banned?

Sure. If NYC doesn't want certain words in their tests or thinks that they will negatively impact the function of testing in their jurisdiction it is not only their right but their duty to remove them. The actual content of questions in standardized testing is meaningless anyway.

 

[dank69]

When the test is one that every school in that government's jurisdiction must issue (because it's a standardized test).



Do you think the words mentioned in the article should be banned?

You are arguing an indefensible position. You have posted that you think they should have control over what words should be allowed in their tests:

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

Now you are posting that you think they shouldn't.

 

[zsdersw]

If the tests aren't identical from district to district that will defeat their purpose. So with that in mind, who should control their content?

Schools/districts should get together and agree on a standardized test (or tests).

Sure. If NYC doesn't want certain words in their tests or thinks that they will negatively impact the function of testing in their jurisdiction it is not only their right but their duty to remove them. The actual content of questions in standardized testing is meaningless anyway.

So you agree with the NYC DoE that the words they want to ban will have a negative impact?

 

[zsdersw]

You are arguing an indefensible position. You have posted that you think they should have control over what words should be allowed in their tests:
Now you are posting that you think they shouldn't.

Schools/districts in a given area should get together and agree on standardized tests, not the government of that given area.

 

[fskimospy]

Schools/districts should get together and agree on a standardized test (or tests).

This makes zero sense considering the structure of the NYC school system.

So you agree with the NYC DoE that the words they want to ban will have a negative impact?

I have no idea if they will or not, but they are certainly in a better position to make that call than I am. Furthermore, it's their test. Their test, their rules.

 

[zsdersw]

This makes zero sense considering the structure of the NYC school system.

Well, you didn't ask what would be best for NYC's school system specifically.

I have no idea if they will or not, but they are certainly in a better position to make that call than I am. Furthermore, it's their test. Their test, their rules.

What's your gut feeling on whether or not the words will have a negative impact?

 

[fskimospy]

Well, you didn't ask what would be best for NYC's school system specifically.

Come on.

What's your gut feeling on whether or not the words will have a negative impact?

My gut feeling is that I don't care about the specific words. Seriously, any individual word on there I could care less about. I'm sure there are some that I disagree with and some that I agree with. The entire controversy is dumb in my opinion, because the city unquestionably has the power to control what goes in its tests, and the removal of these words will not impede the creation or function of them in any way, shape, or form.

 

[monovillage]

The most offensive and disturbing thing on that list was "Department of Education" just imagine we pay those useless assholes money to do stupid fucking things.

 

[fskimospy]

The most offensive and disturbing thing on that list was "Department of Education" just imagine we pay those useless assholes money to do stupid fucking things.

You don't pay them, I do. It's New York City's DOE.