Social promotion ended by mayor

By Denae Brewer
Editor in Chief

With children in New York City’s public schools in an educational system long since mired in failure, bureaucracy and under funding, Mayor Bloomberg—who assumed control over the schools last June—has implemented several steps to correct the problems.

In his most controversial move to date, the Mayor has mandated that all third-graders take and pass standardized English and math tests in order to move on to fourth grade. The Mayor feels this plan will help children in the long run. “Teachers in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade teach reading,” Mr. Bloomberg said in a press conference. “Teachers [in] fourth on, don’t. If the child finishes the third grade and can’t read, they haven’t finished the third grade.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Erika Sanchez, whose niece is one of 75,000 third-graders in public school. “These kids are failing and if you catch it when they are young then maybe they won’t flunk out of high school.”

Not everyone agrees with the tests. The Department of Education reported 15,000 third graders did not take the English exam on April 20. Parents and other opponents protested outside the Tweed Courthouse—D.O.E. headquarters. In Highbridge, several people felt the tests were just another way of keeping their children behind.

Referring to the allegations the test is racially biased against Latinos Sonia Alveras a Highbridge resident said, “Those tests don’t work. Some kids don’t do well on them. I think those in better districts have a better chance of passing.”

No matter the district, if a child fails the exams they will likely be held back.

“This test holds a lot of weight,” said one parent whose children attend C.E.S. 73. “I really have a problem with the kids having to take it this year. They should wait one year to make sure they have the right curriculum. Why should these kids have to suffer if their teacher wasn’t doing their job?”