11-12-11, 11:15 AM
|
#21
|
|
Lethal Frequency
My Mood:
Name: Allan
Gender: Male
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 8,439
|
Re: Voting Age in the United States
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromDownAbove
Right, I agree that it can and probably would happen, but there's a rather high chance that it would get fixed. Take the SAT example in consideration, the problem was acknowledged and fixed.
I'm aiming for more of "driving test" type of exam that one would take when getting their driving permit. Easy questions, unbiased, and still serve a purpose to show whether one is educated enough or not to participate in the activity.
Example questions:
What are the 3 branches of government?
What does "checks and balances" mean?
A couple acronym questions such as NATO or NAFTA
A couple amendment questions
etc. etc. etc.
I never said that it would be so easy someone would be able to pass it with only studying for 3 minutes. I meant more along the line of not making it impossible, but not making it easy enough for a 3 minute study. Sort of in the middle, where basic knowledge of current economics and government is needed to pass.
I never said that it doesn't, I just think there is always room for improvement.
Most? So some can? Which means that some are being taught and learning. If a larger majority than some were to pay more attention in class, then the test shouldn't be too hard.
It's not up to the government classes and teachers to have students remember information a few years down the road. That part is up to the students. As long as the information is being taught, which from my personal experience it has been, then the rest is up to the students to remember that information.
I do understand that this may vary due to your own experience though.
|
The SAT has not been fixed. A new study out in 2010 (Santelices and Wilson; 2010)has validated the findings of the previous study in 2003 using test scores that are the most recent possible (Harvard Educational Review). Collegeboard refuses to address these criticisms. So No. It hasn't been fixed very well. And we can't even let it happen once, when it comes to voting. And it will happen once. So I don't think the rewards are greater than the risks.
Those questions are still tough to answer for those that don't have access to quality education, Yes? Like inner city schools and schools that lack enough funding to properly educate their kids? Where kids have no motivation to learn? I would say yes. Unfortunately, statistics show that the majority of these kids that fit the above conditions are, in fact, minorities. The problem with this is that a successful test as you are suggesting would end up having discriminatory results because of the fact that minorities still don't have the same equal to the best educational facilities. Therefore, as I mentioned, it would definitely run into trouble with the voting rights act. If literacy tests are illegal, then so should knowledge based tests. Both have discriminatory effects regardless of their intent.
Not some. Few. That would make voting turnout to be much less than it already is. It has the potential to elect people and pass laws that favor those people that do learn and not the laws that favor those that don't learn such things. That's a problem that you would run into. But then again, the country is heading towards a more oligarchic state already with the recent developments in campaign funding.
Well my personal experience is that the material is not enough to inform someone well enough to make a well informed decision.
|
|
|
Today's Toppers
4Likes
