Student refuses to take 'demeaning' test

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by valo403

She's not applying for a job, she's going to high school. I don't see how your comparison is applicable at all.

The purpose of the test is legitimate, but it's the lack of common sense and flexibility that makes it a problem. If someone has a 3.9 GPA is there really a need to put them through this process? Of course not. The fact that something happens in other places doesn't make it legitimate, it just makes it more widespread.

a 3.9 gpa alone doesnt prove you can speak and understand english clearly.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by 4X4

At first I think: Yeah! They're doing it to Canada too!

Then I think: Wait a minute, that's what Canada is all about...

Then I think: Well, wait! At least Britain should be able to keep their identity.

Then I think: Wait a minute, they did this is a whole bunch of countries.

That brings up a good point that I want to talk about. How is this what Canada is about? Where does it say in the Constitution or Charter that this has to be a multicultural mosaic instead of a melting pot? Those are all just stupid PC terms thrown around and beaten into us in elementary school to try to give Canadians some kind of identity which we simply don't have. We are a country of immigrants but we are also a country founded on the laws of Great Britain (And the French are given some concessions along the way like the Civil Law).

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Swarly

a 3.9 gpa alone doesnt prove you can speak and understand english clearly.

Obviously, because I'm sure that the requirements for the proficiency test were likely listed close by.

Something along the lines of:

Language?

Note: "If you check ESL you will have to complete and English Proficiency Test."

Naaaaawwwwww........not me......

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Swarly

a 3.9 gpa alone doesnt prove you can speak and understand english clearly.

My dad complains everyday about the onslaught of engineers from Mainland China who simply cannot speak any decent english to convey ideas or get anything across, even on important matters. They also only socialize within themselves and don't really integrate into companies or develop any culture with co-workers or clients. They are brilliant at engineering but are just here to work and nobody can understand them.

(again, flashes visible minority card - my dad himself is a Chinese immigrant).

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

My dad complains everyday about the onslaught of engineers from Mainland China who simply cannot speak any decent english to convey ideas or get anything across, even on important matters. They also only socialize within themselves and don't really integrate into companies or develop any culture with co-workers or clients. They are brilliant at engineering but are just here to work and nobody can understand them.

(again, flashes visible minority card - my dad himself is a Chinese immigrant).

Is this a Cantonese/Mandarin thing?

I'm guessing you are Cantonese and the workers are speaking Mandarin and pissing your dad off

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Is this a Cantonese/Mandarin thing?

I'm guessing you are Cantonese and the workers are speaking Mandarin and pissing your dad off

No, their terrible English is pissing my dad off. He can't understand what they are trying to say in meetings or to other workers. He speaks manderin too. He is forced to translate for them to his English speaking co-workers. I think it's because he immigrated here and worked hard to perfect his english so that it didn't even have an accent within 1 or 2 years and fit in.

But yes, if I was talking about myself, I'd get pissed off at manderin (well Taiwanese manderin is okay, it sounds nicer, but only from girls ahah).

[old-fart]

I think she is well within her rights to refuse to take the test.

On the other hand, too bad for her that the government/school system is well within their rights to not pass her if she doesn't pass all of the requirements.

Hey, I've been doing math all my life so I think someone should hand me a damn PhD in mathematics. I've also been speakin' and writin' too, so gimmie another couple PhDs in English Lit. Hey, I've been walking for a pretty long time, maybe gimmie a PhD in Kinesiology. I've been sitting around pondering the meaning of life (granted, usually with alcohol involved somehow) for a very long time, so a PhD in Philosophy.

And no, I don't think I should have to take any damn test on any of the above subject matters. It'd be demeaning.

Bow down biotches... it's DOCTOR Old-Fart now!

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by blankall

I believe the word you are looking for there is "better". Was this intentional?

Yes, I was trying to be funny.

(I'll stop now.)

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by 4X4

This garbage about not wanting to deny her heritage and insult her mother is code for "I'm a potato. Brown on the outside and white on the inside. I'm just checking the ESL box because I have a complex about it".

I believe the politically correct term is coconut.

but it doesnt matter anyway as she would be a banana.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Swarly

I believe the politically correct term is coconut.

I thought it was "Banana"? I even saw it on King of the Hill once.

[4X4]

They're all hilarious! The flips back in high school that were actually born in the Philippines would call flips born in canada potatos.

[fatso]

she's in high school. they are asking her to take an exam. she's trying to get out of taking the exam.

i'd be more concerned if she willingly complied and wrote the exam without first trying to get out of it. i know i sure as heck would be trying by hook and by crook to get out of writing any auxiliary or supplementary exam that the rest of the school wasn't immediately subject to.

edit: i mean, that's what being a kid is about no? doesn't mean she's going to succeed or even expects to. just some cage rattling, which is what youth are supposed to do. that said, i do think she may have a legitimate beef. if the form of distributing the test cannot accommodate someone unique like her, the process ought to be revisited and re-worked. it can't ever be perfect obviously, but it doesn't mean it can't be improved and revised.

[Matata]

I wanted to play devils advocate here and I can't. This has nothing to do with racism, she lied on an application and its detrimental to our society to relax our standards of language.

[enthused]

Originally Posted by driveway

It's not a problem. It's only a problem because this particular teenage minor has decided to be a ######bag about it.

When I applied to the University of Victoria I had to take an english proficiency test because I was coming in from out-of-province. Even though I'd got something like 89% on my English 30 diploma.

So I took thirty minutes out of my Saturday, went in and wrote the stupid test.

This girl will probably grow up to be the kind of person who wants us to get rid of dogs or something stupid like that.

Yeah, when I applied to UVic I had to take an English proficiency test too, even though I'd gotten 90 something in English IB in high school. So what, no big deal. Like you said, it was like half an hour out of my life, and it was over with.

This girl is a whiny brat who is trying to make a much bigger issue out of NOTHING. Just write the friggin' test. People who's first language is English have to write language proficiency tests all the time (myself included). Not everything is a race issue.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Lol, if we really want to get technical, it should be "speak English as well, or better than me".

Edit: Yes, I knew it was sarcasm, I just couldn't resist

HAHA figured it had to be sarcasm. The tone of the rest of the post was so serious that it made it believable though.

[Traditional_Ale]

She has a bloody 3.9gpa and is obviously english speaking. I say she should be forced to take the test seeing as she commited fraud when she ticked ESL, and then should be brought up on fraud charges when she aces the thing, thus making the whole process a big stinking waste of time and money.

[JustAnotherGuy]

I wish they would make the instructors take this test as well.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Stupid asians.

[GirlySports]

Looks like she got out of the exam. School board caves in again.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/arti...910055d9b3.txt