Comments on: TAKS Torture Taking a Hike?

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:13:51 +0000

My daughter passed her Math classes with a 91 yet cannot graduate because she has repeatedly failed the Math portion of the TAXS by a few points…therefore will be withdrawing from High School. The Texas education system is a JOKE people….we came from Colorado where they can actually TEACH the students what they really need to suceed…not just how to pass a state administered test. My daughter spent the last half of her senior year learning to WRITE RESUMES in her English class…lol! THE WORSE THING I EVER DID WAS ALLOW MY KIDS TO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TEXAS! Now my daughter (who has always been a good student) has to drop out…get her GED and then will start community college…after she gets her 12 hrs of transferable credits…her college says they dont even look at high school transcripts. I just wished I would have listened to the many people who told me to avoid the Texas Public School Sytem like the plague……

By: Skyla

Skyla — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:27:08 +0000

I agree with you Karen. I have been done with all of my course work for 2 years now and I am stuck on only the mathematics test. I do not test well and every time I take the test I fail by just 1 to 3 points. I think that it is ridiculous for students who have already taken the test and passed it to have to sit in class only working on taks preparation packets and losing out on the opportunity to learn new things. The preparation packets that we do each and every testing time really don’t have anything to do with the test that we will take and you lose the chance to learn all of the newer things that are in the test itself. They need to do away with the test it is nothing but a waste of money, students may pass it but like you said they have to take remedial classes before college which uses more tax payers money. The new bill needs to be passed for the sake of future students I hope that I have finally passed it, it’s been a long time coming.

Skyla

By: krystal williams

krystal williams — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:39:10 +0000

I don’t know why yall came up with the taks test.Its a waste of time when certain people want to graduate and we can’t because this test is holding us back.If we can’t pass it the first time we shouldn’t have to take it. We should be able to graduate anyway.I want to graduate but i can’t because of the test.I don’t know how many times I took it but that makes most people drop out and im not trying to.But if I have to i will.To me its like yall don’t want us to succeed.I ty my best on it an still can’t pass two parts i want to graduate so everybody will be proud of me but it wont hapen.

By: Glo

Glo — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:47:12 +0000

I was really not aware that so many kids like me suffered from this ridiculous test! I mean I myself went to reconnect and summer school all three years of my high school life to “get ahead” and turns out that when I’m finished with my hard work I was not able to walk stage nor get my diploma due to one portion of the test(science) that i did not pass. It’s not fair at all. Now I cannot get a well paid job because i do not have a diploma. I wish I knew of a way to get help with this.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:32:34 +0000

Wow…I had no idea! Living and and homeschooling in Colorado has had its own educational challenges. I am glad to not have lived in Texas during that time, especially considering how two of my girls are not test takers.
The world needs more moms like you Karen, to speak up and make their voices heard, and to go to bat for others.
I just hope and pray that those children negatively affected byTAKS would regain their confidence in their God given abilities and thrive.

By: Linda

Linda — Sun, 18 May 2008 02:07:00 +0000

I totally agree with you, Karen. After seeing my daughter and her friends stress out on a test that has nothing to do with life itself - especially a year after they’d taken that science class and being writers more than scientists. Who remembers that stuff long term! Out with the old!!!!! Time for some real education!!!

By: Cheryl Craig

Cheryl Craig — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:24:07 +0000

I agree with you, Karen! This failed experiment in education has damaged far too many. I am so thankful that when I was in school, it was our good grades and regular attendance that merited our promotion to the next grade and then graduation. I can’t imagine the pain experienced by those who have earned that right, yet cannot attain it because of one test. I have known people with test anxiety, and it is very real. I would imagine that those kids who suffer from this, once they have failed the first test, would only become more anxious with each try. What a heavy burden for children to bear. In comparing today’s public school with yesterday’s (1950’s & 60’s), we were not pushed or pressured near as much as today’s children are, we had way more recess time, fewer days and hours of school, and yet, the students that come out of public school today are not as well educated as those who finished school in the ’60’s and 70’s. Maybe their next experiment with Texas schoolchildren will be more successful than their last. It is just very unfortunate for the teachers and the children that are forced to be a part of such experiments, when the experiments are a flop.

By: Brody Tyler

Brody Tyler — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:32:33 +0000

Karen,

This is a subject dear to my heart! I totally agree with a TAKS type test so lets not do away with the test - let’s just make it more germane to the subject!

I’ll be looking forward to debating this with you!

Brody