Normalcy Not Nostrums

The use of statewide standardized testing to determine funding allocation and alleged student proficiency creates disincentives for teachers wishing to develop unique and engaging learning experiences. In order to encourage individually tailored curricula without compromising the establishment of a minimum proficiency, emphasis should be shifted away from precise and unforgiving test scores, toward a method that takes the personal growth of students into account, such as a portfolio-based system. By collecting and comparing a student's work over the course of the year, teachers can determine whether the student has learned or improved enough to continue their coursework. Random samples of each teacher's pupils reviewed by state education officials would indicate comprehensive instruction or lack thereof; if students of a particular teacher consistently fail to show improvement, the teacher is placed under closer scrutiny. More funding can be allocated to schools with high rates...

Young Minded Perspective of the U.S.' post " Give Youth a Voice " argues that Americans as young as 16 should be able to vote. While it is true that some under-eighteens take on adult responsibility, I do not feel that lowering the voting age would necessarily be right. Instead, I think it would be beneficial to limit the current responsibilities of minors to match their voting status. While sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds may be as well educated as some adult voters, they have not had as much time to develop the critical thinking skills which are ideally used when making political decisions. Trouble also comes with the assumption that teens who are legally allowed to drive are automatically capable of considering the needs of society; what happens to fifteen-year-olds who have driving permits? Will they arbitrarily be left out of the democratic process as the author feels that older teens currently are? Since some age must be set, and those younger than that age will no...

The practice of awarding federal funds to schools based on standardized test scores creates a culture of teaching that is not based on individual student growth, but rather on benchmarks that tell little about actual transfer of knowledge. Since states control the content of the assessments, there is no way to stop test creators from decreasing the difficulty in an attempt to indicate perceived proficiency, resulting in comparative yearly scores that are next to meaningless. This is especially apparent when the tests are altogether restructured; what does a score on the 2010 TAKS test mean in relation to a score on the 2017 STAAR? Additionally, the pressure to perform frequently leads teachers to structure their curricula around the test, limiting the depth of conversation in the haste to cover all units. Often, the most comprehensive and engaging unit is the final, after the burden of testing has been lifted and teachers can explore topics that they feel passionate about. A student...

RedState Insider's post, " Yes, There Is A Problem With The Media... But It Might Not Be What You Think " is most likely intended for an audience with relatively conservative viewpoints. There is no specific listed author, which is a little troubling, but the article was at least credited to the site's staff rather than a personal username, as some of the other posts appear to be. The article's central claim is that the largest problem plaguing the media is not bias, but rather the increasing rapidity of the news cycle, which asks for more content for a wider audience in less time, leading to a high proportion of errors. The article goes on to give examples of journalism corrupted by single unreliable sources and incomplete fact-checking. The authors begin by discussing major sources, and then move on to refuting the claim that local news is more reliable by discussing gaffes made by smaller news teams. A secondary point the article makes is that more Americans a...

Ben Feuer's article, " Why the Supreme Court Needs 18-Year Term Limits " is likely intended for an audience of young, left-leaning professionals who are frustrated with the current political system's polarization. Feuer is the chairman of the California Appellate Law Group, and seems knowledgeable and qualified enough to speak about the justice system, given his judicial background. However, his credibility is somewhat called into question by the fact that the article appears to have been published at 4 A.M.  He argues that justices of the Supreme Court should be given term limits of 18 years so that a more comprehensive system of replacement can be instated, so that appointments are not biased toward young justices who will remain on the court longer, and so that each future president would have the same opportunity to make appointments. In support of his claim that current appointments are biased toward younger justices, Feuer cites the increasing average lifesp...

On July 11, 2017, the financial department of The Washington Post published an article titled "The Finance 202: Wall Street will soon test its clout with Senate Republicans". The article concerns the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's move to prevent the inclusion of contractual arbitrations, which prevent consumers from bringing lawsuits against financial firms. Some lawmakers are opposed to the Bureau's actions, and describe them as "anti-consumer", although others feel that they are necessary measures for financial reform and customer protection. The author focuses mainly on describing the theoretical legislative processes necessary to reverse the ruling, and questions whether enough Republican senators will be inclined to come together against it, citing a previous measure by the Bureau whose repeal was never brought to vote due to lack of cohesive opposition. Although the article is far from comprehensive, it succeeded in simplifying a concept tha...