Previous by DateNext by Date Date Index
Previous by ThreadNext by Thread Thread Index
LM_NET Archive



Hello,
        It has just become known that the New York State Dept. of Education
has been routinely "editing" literature passages that are used for regents
exams.  This was done using their "sensitivity review guidelines" so that no
student would feel "uncomfortable in a testing situation" according to
Roseanne DeFabio, an assistant commissioner for curriculum, instruction and
assessment.  Talk about euphemisms.  Talk about double think.  Talk about
inflated bureaucratic titles.
        This practice has come to light due to the suspicions aroused by
Jeanne Heifetz, a Brooklyn mother of a high school senior who noticed
something amiss in some of the passages she perused on an exam.  She looked
at 30 selections from 10 exams going back three years and noticed a number
of deletions and changed references referring to race, religion, ethnicity,
sex, nudity and profanity.  Two examples given were changing "hell" to
"heck" and eliminating Kofi Annan's references to the US owing money to the
United Nations.
        This practice is being challenged by several groups including the
American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association Against Censorship
along with a variety of  individuals.  The article had an Associated Press
byline and appeared in the Binghamton, NY and Ithaca, NY, papers on Monday,
June 3rd.
        Personally, I'm appalled that New York State would do this without
contacting the writers of these passages or informing the students and
instructors who had every reason to believe that these selections were true
to the author's intent.  I'm curious to know how the rest of you feel about
this issue and I wonder if other states have been doing something similar
and just haven't been "caught".

Ed Nizalowski, SMS
Newark Valley High School
Newark Valley, NY
enizalowski@nvcs.stier.org




=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=


LM_NET Mailing List Home