I
EDITOR
Josh Funk
OPINION
EDITOR
Mark Baldridge
EDITORIAL
BOARD
Lindsay Young
Jessica Fargen
Samuel McKewon
Cliff Hicks
Our
VIEW
Mandatory
nonsense
Standardized exit tests
would be bad policy
Every U.S. student should have to
pass a test to graduate from high school.
Make sense?
U.S. Education Secretary Richard
Riley seems to think so.
But we don’t.
Last week Riley endorsed the idea of
mandatory exit tests for every high
school student in every state in this
nation.
Nebraska still remains one of 31
states that doesn’t make its high school
students take a test to graduate from high
school.
Let’s keep it that way.
Mandatory tests would represent a
subtle form of education reform with
far-reaching effects, reshaping the cur
riculum taught in every high school
nationwide.
Unlike the SAT and ACT tests, the
exit exam would be required of all grad
uating high school students, regardless
of whether or not they are college bound.
There’s more.
What is the point really? Students
who fail the test aren’t really going to
say, “Hmmmm, I’m 18 years old. I think
I’ll stick around in high school for anoth
er year and give that test another try.”
They would probably just drop out.
There’s also the dilemma of setting a
sianuaru.
Standard means something different
for minorities, the disabled or students
pursuing vocational careers. As high
school classes further diversify and
become more specialized, it is becoming
harder and harder to determine what is
the norm.
Riley was actually once opposed to
the tests because of their potential to be
culturally biased. But he has had a
change of heart, saying that integration
has solved any potential problems of
cultural bias.
Riley may have legitimate concerns.
We know that every high school is not
the intellectual temple that others are.
And some high school teachers really
don’t have a clue.
He has the best of intentions. He
wants to establish high educational stan
dards and promote success for all. Who
doesn’t?
But mandatory tests aren't the
answer.
And if it is all going to come down to
one test, one early Saturday morning,
one bubble sheet and one number two
pencil, then what’s the point of even
going to high school?
Just cram the night before, and skip
the whole four years of tedium that is
high school.
Editorial Pslicy
Unsigned editorials are the opinions of
the Fall 1999 Daily Nebraskan. They do
not necessarily reflect the views of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its
employees, its student body or the
University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
A column is solely the opinion of its author.
The Board of Regents serves as publisher
of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by
the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. The
UNL Publications Board, established by
the regents, supervises the production
of the paper. According to policy set by
the regents, responsibility for the editorial
content of the newspaper lies solely in
the hands of its student employees.
Letter Palicy
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief
letters to the editor and guest columns,
but does not guarantee their publication.
The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to
edit or reject any material submitted.
Submitted material becomes property of
the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be
returned. Anonymous submissions will
not be published. Those who submit
letters must identify themselves by name,
year in school, major and/or group
affiliation, if any.
Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 20
Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. Lincoln,
NE. 68588-0448. E-mail:
letters@unlinfo.unl.edu.
Guest
VIEW
WITH TH£ success of TH& "SiSTBRS 200c' CHARITY Cftle/mR,
CWMCflLof Motiffk AMP v\t£ CHMCfLLCR 6tf|£S0J UMli- 77MR
Lfcresr Funpraising- project...
DN
LETTERS
I
o
O
S
w
§
Big Red Scare
Thank God for Sam McKewon’s
editorial (DN, Monday). The atmos
phere at Memorial Stadium these days
flat out SUCKS.
It used to be a place where the fans
would scream bloody murder all
game, and the opposing team left
frightened and beaten.
Now the fans sit on their Calvins
watching the boob tube with drool
running down their chins. The instant
replay aspect of the HuskerVision
boards seemed like a good idea before
they were installed.
Now I wish they would go away.
There are 20 seconds of commercials
before each replay, meaning the replay
often continues through the start of
live action. While the fans should be at
their loudest, the HuskerVision
screens are doing their best to distract.
They have gone too far. The UNL
band has been totally taken out of the
game by piped-in Top 40 hit tunes that
sound like they’re coming from a
$7.99 ShopKo clock radio.
The cheers led by actual humans
been replaced
by lame flashes on the TV
screens. The crowd noise, especially
when the Huskers are on defense, has
been silenced by “... turn your atten
tion to the HuskerVision screens for
another important...” What’s more
important than the game being
played?
The college football atmosphere at
Nebraska - once one of the best in the
country - has been completely ruined.
Memorial Stadium is one big yellow
page now.
The student section, once a rau
cous area of the most intense support,
is now as eneigetic as a pair of chimps
picking bugs from each other’s fur.
Shorten or eliminate the replay
ads, lose the two-minute-long skits,
get the band back in the game and
please, please kill the stupid hot dog
gun!
James Conradt
UNL alumnus
Yakkety-Yak,
Mica talks back
I know as Americans we have the
right to free speech. I also realize that
many people have their ideas of God.
Is it fair, though, to use your freedom
to mold other people’s images of God?
People tell me that being at a uni
versity means being open-minded and
considerate of other religious beliefs.
As a Christian, seeing this article was
like a direct attack on what I believe in.
You called God “a baby-raping,
murdering bastard” (DN, Friday) and
drew a picture with a beer in his hand.
The same God I live for and love every
day.
As a freshman, I know being at
college influences people in many dif
ferent ways. I then have to wonder
what a person who has no knowledge
of what God is must think w hen he or
she sees this full-page depiction of
God.
I know God, and I know the
Bible.
Do you know God, and have you
read the Bible?
The God and the Bible I know are
nothing like what is depicted in this
story.
As I am asked to respect other
religions represented on this campus,
I ask for the same respect.
When I say I believe in God, I do
not want others to think I believe in
this God in this story.
Mica Fanning
freshman
psychology
Bashin’ Right Back
This is in response to Harold
Williams’ stance on lesbianism
(Letters, Monday):
How dare you?
I am appalled by your ignorance
and intolerance of a complete group of
people. I suppose you abhor homosex
ual men as well as lesbians.
Pull your head out of your back
end; homosexuals have just as much
right to live their lives as you do—
maybe more.
I do not know any gays or lesbians
who have as much hatred for any
group of people as you do.
I sure hope that none of your
friends or family members are homo
sexual, because they must be afraid of
you and your beliefs.
So, Mr. Williams, maybe you need
to take a class on tolerance. Maybe it
will open your narrow little mind.
Jana Bartels
senior
business education