Debate.

I've been roaming around, always looking down at all I see.




I forgot how much I loved debating. Today we were discussing the new resolution, which sucks by the way, and it was basically Katie and I, and sometimes Elizabeth Koh, arguing. The resolution is: Resolved: Public High School students ought not be required to pass standardized high school exit exams. First thought: A RESOLUTION ABOUT THE SAT?!?! No. It's mainly about the CAHSEE. But even then, second thought: OH YES. STANDARDIZED TESTS SUCK! But why? Because students hate having to take them? Because they're long and tedious? Because they don't test how smart we are but how well we can manipulate the system? Yes. But are those, minus the last one maybe, legit reasons to completely eliminate standardized tests? No. We need them. They set a bar that all students must reach to pass high school. The CAHSEE seemed easy to us Oxford kids but there are so many students who fail this test each year. If we didn't have standardized tests, teachers could teach whatever the hell they wanted and then we wouldn't be prepared for "what's out there." Not all kids go to college so these exit exams do not deal with college acceptances. They are just to test how well the student knows his stuff. They keep teachers to the curriculum since they show how well the teachers taught the students. No. This would not lead to teachers just giving students the answers so that they pass their class and make it seem like they are great teachers, for the teachers couldn't possibly get the standardized test answers.

Damn. I have nothing on the affirmative.