Editor, Commonwealth:
There are not that many categories for which the great state of Mississippi finds itself as being an outright leader. I am embarrassed to say that when it comes to hyper-incarceration, Mississippi is second only to the great state of Louisiana.
According to statistics, there are more than 2.2 million people within the penal system nationwide. This boom in mass incarceration has some clearly definable demographics, among which are a lack of education and poor social and economic living conditions.
This very ugly situation of an extreme rate of imprisonment is trending upward. In a lot of states, decision makers are starting to use third-grade test scores as a prerequisite to build more prisons. If this was not bad enough, Mississippi has decided to use a little bit of Murphy’s Law to enhance this predicament.
Now to those of you who are not familiar with Murphy’s Law, let me provide you with some assistance. Murphy’s Law basically states at the point in which things could not get any worse, they get worse.
Mississippi has decided to completely enforce a mandate that requires all third-graders in the public schools to take a reading and comprehension exam to show something the state is calling proficiency or repeat the third grade. How fair is it for the state to play Russian roulette with an 8-year-old, using an automatic pistol and the child has to go first?
There are an array of factors that must be a part of understanding this mandate. Why do school districts have a promotion policy if the state is going to use one exam to determine who moves on? Who is the real expert in determining if a child can function at the next level, the state or the classroom teacher? If the ability to read is enhanced because members of the family can help teach the skill, what are the ill effects of being in a family in which the mother and father cannot read or write?
To add insult to injury, I believe that there are some lawmakers who could not pass this so-called third-grade reading test. Isn’t it ironic that one can be elected to office who cannot read and can pass a law that hinders others who have the same shortcoming?
In conclusion, this test can become a factor in destroying the self-esteem and mental psyche of a great many vulnerable children.
This situation reminds me of what U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren said back in 1954 as the nation addressed the ill effects of separate but equal. Warren said that “conditions generating from segregation will forge a feeling of inferiority that could last a lifetime.” He also stated that these types of conditions were “simply unfair.” I personally feel that these so-called skills tests produce the same outcome and are equally unfair. In addition, if a child comes from a family with the resources, he or she can attend a private school and none of this applies.
Charles Brady
Greenville
