It’s said that those who can’t do, teach. But in New York, those who can’t learn, teach. According to The New York Times, the state Board of Regents will no longer require teachers to pass the Academic Literacy Skills Test [alst] to become certified. Makes sense. Why should teachers have to be literate? After all, “the [literacy] test proved controversial because black and Hispanic candidates passed it at significantly lower rates than white candidates.” This despite a federal judge ruling in 2015 that the alst literacy test was not biased, “because it measured skills that were necessary for teaching.” Well, that’s out the window now. The Regents also want teachers who fail the test measuring practical skills like lesson planning to be certified anyway, based on “recommendations.” No wonder The New York Post sneers that the new state education motto should be: “Dumbing Down.”
Limbaugh Letter. May 2017