standardized standardized test
I suppose the two political parties, its candidates, and strategists play with this sort of pounding into one dimension. And then get tripped up from time to time.
Fairfax County is Virginia’s largest school district, and one of the biggest in the country. A recent test question in an advanced placement (AP) government course asked students a multiple-choice question to choose an “accurate comparison of liberals versus conservatives.”
Some concerned parents say regardless of your politics, you should be furious with the nature of the question.
The choices represented a bunch of stereotypical identities — based on race, gender, sexuality and age.
The options written under the liberal column were: “Young, white males”; “Middle-aged, urban lesbian”; “College-educated black male professional”; and “White, upper-middle class suburban male.”
Under the conservative column, the choices were: “East Coast, Ivy League educated scientists”; “Southern male migrant laborer”; “Catholic, midwestern middle-aged male”; and “West Coast, Hispanic teacher.”
I am reminded of recent commentary by Mexico’s president which are interpreted as a “trying to move the elections” by the American right. Never mind Biden has read the polls and is maneuvering in a more hawkish direction on the border, it will still fall short of anything any Republican will come out with, leaving the otherwise comments by Mexico’s simultaneously bi and mono partisan in its rebuke on American policy. But the thing here is — like with the test question — you judge the Latino vote as going up and down in its partisan split. The test question needs to get very specific in its micro-demographics. And Mexico’s president’s comments, if they are influencing anything in an electorate North of the border, land in a wash.