Standardized Testing Argument Essay

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As a society based on hypocritical equality since its birth, it comes as no surprise that still, two hundred and forty years later, America is still plagued with white male supremacy, and the world with western dominance. In the same category as terrorism, racism, and police brutality, falls a problem much more personal- standardized testing. While these tests may not hinder a person’s safety, they carry with them the same cultural biases that are associated with inequality issues faced on a daily basis. The question is not whether or not a culture free test is possible, but instead how a test that is unbiased could prove anything above basic intelligence. That any test worth taking to get into a school, to apply for a job, is biased in a way that caters to the specific needs of what the test is aiming towards. Put simply, a test is culturally biased because those who score highest will best fit into the culture the test is aiming toward.
Just as a fish may not understand the art of climbing a tree, society must begin to understand that if a test requires the fish to know how to climb a tree, it is best that the fish doesn’t pass that test. And that if that fish feels that the test should have been uncultured, so he could pass and get into a situation which requires him to climb a tree, that is just …show more content…
Bracey, PhD, says that standardized tests cannot measure "creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, sense of beauty, sense of wonder, honesty, integrity", however there is no test that could ever measure those things. So it becomes not a question of how well a test can represent an individual, but how well society can see the potential a person hold beyond a test. How a person can see that testing is not the best representation of a person, but instead of the material
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