Educational Philosophy Wrongly Colors ‘Facts’ of Student
Performance
Educational Philosophy Wrongly Colors ‘Facts’ of Student Performance
Dear Editor,
There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and statistics. ~ Disisraeli
The Dispatch published the final vote of the reader of the readers poll (9/27), with 79.29 percent in favor of allowing the Gilroy High School cheerleaders to miss three days of school in order to perform in the pro bowl during half-time in Hawaii. Columnist Cynthia Walker was so displeased that in her column (10/13) she responded with the outrages allegation that “78 percent of the community … would not know education if they tripped over it.”
Besides the obvious percentage misquote, Walker also accused 37,000 Gilroyans of being ignorant. She attempts to prove her point by alleging that there is a clear cause and effect link between the high poll results and the low scores received by the juniors who choose to take the voluntary test for Early Assessment Program based on the news story “Most GHS juniors not ready for college.” And from her column “… only 25 percent of GHS “graduates” were ready for college English and zero percent were ready for college math.”
Here are a few facts not covered by the 9/27 news story – 56 percent of the juniors enrolled at GHS who took the EAP English test passed.
The test was scored on two levels of achievement. Ready for college 25 percent. Not ready for college yet 75 percent.
The EAP uses three levels to report students achievement in mathematics (Algebra II) 11.1 percent of the junior class took the test. Ready for college 0 percent. Ready for college conditional 33 percent. Conditional in relation to the CSU’s content standards test. Not ready for CSU’s college standards yet – 67 percent.
Then as if it was manna from heaven, along comes a news story (11/30) “Most grads unprepared for Gavilan.” “… a paltry 0.62 percent – less than one in 100 students … were ready for college-level math.” Walker jumps hungrily onto this tidbit savoring its very essence as she draws it out, “”point six two, less than 1 percent. That is about 3 out of 5000.”
In the paragraph above this glory fest, Walker went on about “… my home schooled math students … blah blah … stayed the course … blah blah … calculus … blah blah…moved on to … college-level math.”
Walker misrepresented the 2006 testing at Gavilan, by ignoring the fact that 181 GHS grads were tested, that is 1.12 percent passing. Walker’s numbers are flawed. First she ups the Gavilan enrollment to 500, for the 2006 enrolled, that is over three times the actual enrollment. Then alleges that as fact, “… 0.62 percent, approximately three (3.1) in 500, of Gilroy High School graduates who go to Gavilan College manage to score into college level math.”
The present junior class at GHS is 530, I think it is sage to say that this entire class is not going to run up the hill and enroll at Gavilan after graduation.
It is a fallacy to suggest that anecdotal or even statistical data can be assumed to be factual, evidence is not proof. Anecdotal evidence is almost always colored by one’s interpretation and the irony is, that statistics lie, but numbers don’t. Walker’s (12/16) column also opened a window into her educational philosophy, which includes a high regard for rote learning. I find this odd because from time to time, she has suggested there is a need for more critical thinking.
Harold Williams, San Jose
Koran Logic Should Be Tossed With Bogus ‘Separation Doctrine’
Dear Editor,
After reading Lisa Pampuch’s column entitled “Swearing in With the Koran Ignites Ignorant Response'” I was reminded of the late Justice William Rehnquist’s statement that “The wall of separation between church and state is a metaphor based on bad history, a metaphor which has proved useless as a guide to judging. It should be frankly and explicitly abandoned.”
Bill Van Workum, Mission Viejo
