Posted on Tue, Nov. 10, 2009

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Student Views

Student testing —First, the good news: The nation's elementary and middle school students are scoring better on achievement tests. Now, the bad news: States are dumbing down the tests to meet No Child Left Behind benchmarks and receive funds. Education Secretary Arne Duncan released a press statement accompanying new research by the National Center for Education Statistics. NCES researchers attempted to translate scores from the tests that the states administer as part of the No Child Left Behind program to the more rigorous federal National Assessment of Educational Progress, know as the "nation's report card." The findings are not promising. A total of 15 states lowered standards for the grade of "proficiency" on at least one test, while only eight raised them. More shocking than the dumbing down of tests is the gap between states like Massachusetts and South Carolina, with the highest standards, and states like Tennessee and Mississippi, with the lowest standards. For a fourth-grader to score proficient in math in Tennessee requires 198 out of 500 on the NAEP exam. Massachusetts requires a score of 254. How does Kansas score on the thoroughness of exams? Like most other Great Plains states, Kansas set lower proficiency levels for fourth-graders in reading than those used on the 2007 national exam. Congress probably placed the bar too high by expecting absolutely everyone to magically score at a basic level by 2014. Mandates like that only encourage teaching for the tests and lower standards to meet the requirements in writing, but not in spirit. Raising standards is absolutely the right thing to aim for, but the implementation is crucial. Without a strong plan for improvement, No Child Left Behind has unfortunately become No Child Put Ahead.— David Shaub, Wichita State University's the Sunflower

Cap-and-trade — The incontestable scientific consensus about climate change has finally compelled the U.S. government to address the long-term threat posed by rising carbon dioxide levels. Enacting a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, coupled with more stringent renewable electricity requirements, is an essential first step in addressing this critical issue. No doubt, cutting carbon emissions entails sizable economic costs and scientific models cannot tell us the long-term economic impact of a changing climate, but it remains imperative to hedge against the substantial risk posed to people around the world by increasing temperatures, shifting weather patterns and rising sea levels. If no action is taken to curb carbon emissions, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected that temperatures in Kansas will rise by an average of 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100, more than in any other state.— Dan Thompson, University of Kansas' University Daily Kansan

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A national renewable energy standard was part of the cap-and-trade bill already passed by the House of Representatives designed to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gases. Contrary to claims of green-job creation, this bill does the complete opposite. Because everything Kansans use and produce requires energy, a considerable increase in energy prices will have a devastating effect on our economy. This tax will hit Kansans' pocketbooks over and over again. The result will be a considerable reduction in the rate of economic growth, the amount of gross state product, household incomes and employment. It will also, as promised, significantly raise electricity prices and gasoline prices.— Chet Compton, University Daily Kansan

Bio lab — Since Manhattan was selected as the future site of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, the city has gained world focus in the bioscience field. While NBAF has seen some opposition in Manhattan, we at the Collegian are happy that NBAF is acting as a catalyst for other science-related research facilities to relocate to the city. The official announcement of the Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Laboratory's relocation to Manhattan gave the city another reason for national attention. With a federal research lab prepared to relocate to Manhattan, businesses will follow and open a wider job market for Kansas State University graduates.— Kansas State Collegian editorial

Gays in military — Last spring, during the Landon Lecture, Gen. David Petraeus was asked a question regarding the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He slyly quipped that he survived his military career by walking around landmines rather than stepping on them. By deftly deflecting this question, Petraeus, like most ranking officers in the military, continued to ignore the military's prejudicial policy. This law is the only one in America that unequivocally authorizes the firing of a citizen for simply coming out as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Due to its blatant discriminatory nature, it needs to be and should be revoked immediately. —Mitchell J. Widener, Kansas State Collegian

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