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s
The Battalion
TATE
Wednesday • October 15,1
Officials defend TAAS
Lawsuit challenges exam on behalf of minorities
1. Karen, I called. They said that
you left the country. Where are you?
I miss you! John
2. John, I’m in Scotland, working
for Dowell. I love it! Sorry I didn’t
say goodbye! Karen
3. Karen, What about us? What
about me? What about the ring
that I bought you? John
4. John, I’m sorry, but it really is
a great job! I’m a Field Engineer
Trainee, working offshore! Karen
P.S. The ring turned green!
5. Karen, Will Dowell hire me?
Will they send me to Scotland too?
Do the Scottish men really wear
skirts? John
6. John, I don’t see you working
in the field! You’re more of the
office type. Sorry, Karen.
P.S. They’re kilts you idiot!
7. Karen, You don’t even know me!
I could be a good Field Engineer!
What is Dowell looking for? John
8. John, Dowell hires mobile,
adaptable engineers, who like
hands-on-work. You won’t even
change the oil in your car! Karen
9. Karen, I’ll let Dowell decide!
Where do I sign up for an interview?
Can you put in a good word for me?
John
10. John, Submit your resume to the
Placement Center ASAP or attend
Dowell’s information meeting on
10/22/97, interviews on 10/23-24/97
Please don’t tell them you know me!
Karen
Gov. Bush
AUSTIN (AP) —The state test re
quired to get a high school diploma
was defended Tuesday by state edu
cation officials after a federal lawsuit
challenged the exam on behalf of mi
nority students who failed it.
The lawsuit, filed in San Antonio
by the Mexican American Legal De
fense and Educational Fund, calls
the exit-level Texas Assessment of
Academic Skills invalid and dis
criminatory. Students have their
first chance to take the test as sophomores.
According to Texas Education Agency figures, 84.7 per
cent of the 1996 graduating class passed the TAAS statewide
by graduation. That included 76 percent of blacks, 76.2 per
cent of Hispanics and 91.7 percent of whites.
MALDEF contends the overall passing rate is much
lower — under 69 percent overall for the class of 1996. It
says the passing rate was 77.9 percent for whites, 59.6 per
cent for Hispanics and 54 percent for blacks.
Among its claims, the lawsuit says the state uncon
stitutionally denies black and Mexican-American stu
dents educational and career opportunities equal to
those available to white students.
It also says the test denies diplomas to students with
out sufficient proof that use of the exam will enhance stu
dents’ education or life opportunities. Despite that lack of
proof, MALDEF says, about 7,500 students don’t pass the
TAAS each year and are denied diplomas.
The lawsuit asks that the state be barred from re
quiring the TAAS for students to graduate.
State Education Commissioner Mike Moses said the
test, which is required by state law, was demanded by
Texans who want to ensure students who graduate have
reading, writing and math skills.
“It is my sense that the public has said it that it wants
a high school diploma to mean something,” Moses said.
He and others said the state accountability system
for public schools — based largely on student per
formance on the TAAS beginning in elementary
school — turns the spotlight on problem areas and
thus helps spur improvement.
“The accountability system ... has unquestionably
helped improve minority student performance in this
state,” Moses said.
While more work is needed to improve TAAS perfor
mance, he said, the percentage of Hispanic students pass
ing all sections of the exam rose 17 percent between 1994
and 1997. Black student performance went up 19percent,
while the passing rates for whites rose 14 percent.
“I am satisfied that they are not being discriminat
ed against on the exit-level TAAS,” Moses said.
Gov. George W. Bush said in a statement that he
strongly opposes any effort “to undermine the Texas ac
countability system.”
“I want a Texas high school diploma to mean that
every child who earns one has learned basic academic
skills essential to a successful life,” he said.
State Board of Education member Mary Helen Berlan-
ga of Corpus Christi and John Stevens of the Texas Business
and Education Coalition said the TAAS provides a
statewide standard to show how students are doing. Class
room grades, by contrast, are more subjective, they said.
Doing away with the test “would be regressing. It
would be lowering standards,” Ms. Berlanga said.
Moses said “meticulous care” is taken to ensure
TAAS test questions are free of bias. The state has made
test questions public since 1995.
He said he could not agree with a proposal to keep
the accountability system but not require students to
pass the test to graduate.
“All students must share in the accountability for
their learning,” he said.
Several independent school district superintendents
were quoted in a TEA statement defending the TAAS and
the accountability system.
“We have got proof that since we have been using
the test, we have gotten tremendous growth” in stu
dent performance, said Houston ISD Superintendent
Rod Paige. “We don’t think the test discriminates be
tween ethnic groups.”
The TAAS earlier was assailed by the Texas branch of
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, which alleged the exam was discriminatory in a
challenge filed with the U.S. Department of Education.
Journal
Continued from Page 1
“Science students can explore
die vital peer review process and the
validification of others,” she said.
“Non-science students can learn
about this important process, be
cause without it, there would be no
real basis for scientific research.”
Elms said the journal educates un
dergraduate students as well as the
faculty about undergraduate research.
“Lots of people think a good edu
cation takes place in a classroom and
that undergrads can’t do real re
search, but that is not necessarily so,”
Elms said. “This is a great opportuni
ty for undergrads to gain experience
that is not limited to a classroom and
to publish real research.”
The Undergraduate Journal of
Science will publish its next issue
Dec. 10, and it will be available on
campus and on the Journal’s web
site at ujs@tamu.edu.
Broadway's home run
sweeps into Rudder Auditorium
on Sunday, October 26 for a
musical doubleheader! Catch the
spirit of America’s favorite pastime
by wearing your baseball t-shirt
and snacking on ballpark favorites
like hot dogs, peanuts and half-priced
popcorn.
w
(Ballpark snacks available Immediately
following the matinee performance and
prior to the evening performance)
out, ca\\ SAVATSAX
AvidXtonum
October 26
Opera & Performing Arts Society
sttwe
Man settles lawsui
in de-pantsing casi
HOUSTON (AP) — A man has
agreed to settle the lawsuit he filed
against a medical supply compa
ny over a practical joke in which
three female co-workers pulled his
pants down to his ankles.
Terms of the settlement were
not disclosed but Sterile Repro
cessing Services, Inc., the medical
supply company where the man
worked, denied any wrongdoing.
The man said after he men
tioned one day at work that he
sometimes wore no underwear,
the women targeted his trousers
for a full take-down.
“At one point, all three women
pulled the plaintiff’s pants to his
knees and caused him to fall,” ac
cording to documents filed by his
attorney, Peter Brannan. “While
struggling to get away, they dragged
him across the floor by his pants.”
Later, the women occasional
ly referred to him by a derogatory
name, he complained in the suit.
The man said he was subject
ed to humiliation, ridicule and
mental anguish to the point of re
quiring medical treatment. He
also said the company later gave
potential employers unfavorable
recommendations about him.
Some of the women told case in
vestigators that before the incident,
practical jokes were common at
work and that the plaintiff had chat
ted about his relationships and
physical attributes and 1
sometimes wore no undenvea;/
One female supervisor^
she thought his co-workersc: -
sidered his statements as anicl
tation for an “inspection.’ 1
The man had worked for;
company for three years be::^ om{
he left in 1994. He filed thelsiffl ca rc
suit last year. Elites
The three co-workers were: They
cited in the lawsuit. Instead,b, Buzz
lid to
rrlirxnr fr\ not ^ ^
“While struggling to get Smi,
away, they dragged him ian e D
across the floor by his inter h
» Bata
pants.
PETER BRANNAN
PLAINTIFFS AHORNEY
sued the company, accusingitj
irner n
Becoi
Ire;
ation
on’s toj
Never
lore
failing to keep his concerns cc: ian ^ {]
dential, invading his privacy, V](
faming his character to futuree,-^,.^
ployers, committing assault :M. S
battery, and committing gita g 0t c
negligence for failingto adequ ndal
ly hire or supervise employees ich can
After the lawsuit was filed,tiBanti
company respondedbylectan.be tirsl
employees that horseplay vvoue Buff;
not be tolerated and could lea; leir ow
dismissal. B n
^^I^ry. a
Leaders
Continued from Page 1
Through public speaking expe
riences, networking contacts and
scholarships, former members of
these agriculture youth organiza
tions have developed a back
ground in leadership.
Katie Hanselka, secretary of the
Class of ’00 and an agricultural de
velopment major, was a former del-
)-ynrde
egate to State 4-H Council.Shell reti
the purpose of these group* 'outma
prepare students for the woicthtfiry
and develop their leadership} p feel
tential. 1
“Local, state and national 5
grams and activities helpmei :ani
develop public speakingskilL )lUlt 1
duct and participate in meei:,-£ 1 .
manage financial matters,strea |P eci
en problem-solving abili ties
sume civic responsibility,' 1 Ha:|u er 5
kasaid. ^ l0 , a
Inbi;
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