Test Question Asks Third-Graders to Reveal Secret: Approve or Disapprove?

by Fef Posted 2012/06/03 06:33:46

Related Topics: School, Secrets, Teacher, Public Schools, Teachers, Public School, Schools, New Jersey, Secret

71 votes
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	Approve	4 votes	6%
	Disapprove	67 votes	94%

A standardized test question asked 3rd graders to reveal a secret and why they felt it hard to keep. I wouldn't want my kids exposing secrets on a school test -- this puts the kids and teachers in a difficult position.

“That is an outrageous question and totally inappropriate to ask school children,” said one angry parent. “What right does the education system have to put children in such a difficult position? That was not supposed (to be) the purpose of composition writing.”Can you keep a secret? Apparently, some third-graders in Marlboro K-8 public schools couldn't: They were asked on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge earlier this week to reveal a secret they have and to explain why it's hard to keep.

+14

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sglmom 2012/06/03 07:29:10

Disapprove

+12
I'm TROUBLED by this question ..
including why this would be asked to children in the first place ..
what goes on inside families .. relationships even between siblings ..
(unless there is something illegal going on .. )
is NO ONE's business at all ..
(just gives me an UNEASY FEELING .. seems to be so much like the 'cultivation' of the snitches during the Nazi Regime (as well as under other repressive regimes))
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Sgt Major B 2012/06/03 14:12:21 (edited)

Disapprove

Brings back fond memories of the "American Protective League", the enlightening hearings of the Overman, Fish, McCormack-Dickstein, Dies, and House Un-American Activities Committees, the current "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign and the rollicking good times fostered by the Gestapo and the SS!

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mountainman 2012/06/03 13:24:33

Disapprove

+2
Just a part of the Governments brain bending manipulations that they have been slowly building over the years. like I have said...We are loosing our sovereignty and Constitutional rights a piece at a time, spread out over generations. That way when the Sheeple wake up and realize what has happened, it will be too late. We will have already been disarmed, stupified, and broke!

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Rebel Yell 2012/06/03 13:02:12

Disapprove

+1
Interesting....many answers below overwhelmingly assume a child will tell a dark secret about family life. Many families have no deep dark secrets, so where does that assumption come from? Their own experiences? A 3rd grader is just as likely to say, " I can make my dog fart' or " I tripped Lois on purpose at recess" .

I disapprove because the question does not lend itself to extended detail. One year in Texas , the question was ..." Describe a beautiful day at the beach." Kids in Central Texas, the Texas Panhandle, and along the border were scratching their heads. So, it's not easy coming up with a question that all children can relate to and answer in sufficient detail. Also, lay off the teachers. They don't make up the questions. The questions come from a test bank.

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Dan ☮ R P ☮ 2012 ☮ 2012/06/03 12:36:42 (edited)

Disapprove

+4
Training the kids for the tattle tale society?

Secrets are meant to be kept. Even if its not illegal, there is always something people would prefer to not have public.
Especially since CPS will find any reason to take your children, illegal or legal, and send you to eugenics court with no jury and declare you guilty.

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gregory.ditzler 2012/06/03 11:09:48

Approve

+1
what's the problem it is most likely not cause too much harm seeing as they'll write nonsense atleast 70% of the time and if they do write about something that is a serious matter then the police get involved.

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frank to gregory... 2012/06/03 16:56:16

+1
Haven't you seen the movie 1984, this is a prime exampel of big brother is watching

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gregory... to frank 2012/06/03 17:12:41

If you have nothing to hide then you should be fine. this was just a smart security measure for the school to do some real good for the community.

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frank to gregory... 2012/06/03 18:48:47 (edited)

Dream on.

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Ozzyboy to gregory... 2012/06/03 21:14:38

I used to believe that until I see how this administration makes everyone guilty and then spend money and time proving innocence. Your turn is coming........

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gregory... to Ozzyboy 2012/06/03 21:23:44

Look this is the best way to arrest people that need to be arrested.

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Ozzyboy to gregory... 2012/06/03 21:13:47

Serious is when the police get involved, Yeah right. That is why a six year old boy is labeled a sexual predator because he kissed a little girl on the playground. you have a lot of living to do before you "approve" of anythings.

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gregory... to Ozzyboy 2012/06/03 21:22:57

here it goes again, judging me on the basis of my age instead of my wisdom.

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Ozzyboy to gregory... 2012/06/04 02:03:03

You confuse book learning with wisdom that comes from experience. I am a strictly follow the rules but I have seem bad cops, rotten judicial systems and just punishing authority. How about the guy in jail who the prison "forgot" to bring to court. Happens all the time. Guy got max because judge thought he willfully missed his court date. He got out of prison after 90 days but the statute ran out after 30 days. I hope you never learn the hard way but that you do learn how rotten these systems can be. If you have any money, they will make sure you are quickly relieved of it.

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gregory... to Ozzyboy 2012/06/04 02:07:12

we can reform our judicial system without passing up the opportunity to throw some bad people in jail.

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Cliff 2012/06/03 10:57:52

Disapprove

+2
Another fine example of why the government should not be in the education business.

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Hawkeye 2012/06/03 10:55:09

Disapprove

+1
It's one thing to take a child who is suspected of being abused aside and have them questioned by professionals and another to subject them to this invasion of their privacy en masse..

I can see no legitimate reason for this and I question both the authority and the expertize of the school system when it comes to this..

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TheNightFly 2012/06/03 10:41:55 (edited)

Disapprove

+1
The question is clearly a form of surveillance intended to collect intelligence on criminal activity of any kind.

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mrdog 2012/06/03 10:01:38

Disapprove

Dumb question....liberal stuff...bark

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jakep51 2012/06/03 08:37:50

Disapprove

+1
Damned liberals will even use kids against themselves or their parents to try to get one up one you. Shameful at best, but then Liberals have no shame.

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POWERSHAKER 2012/06/03 08:25:13

Disapprove

+3
I don't think it's right to ask them about their secrets. That's a private matter. It sounds like to me the teacher is trying to dig too much.

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CCRNRT 2012/06/03 08:21:04

Disapprove

+1
Sounds like a stalker

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weirdchickalert 2012/06/03 08:12:42

Disapprove

+1
Because its invading a persons privacy... and it they asked me, i would straight up lie because the wouldnt know if they answer is correct(true) or (false)not

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Bozette 2012/06/03 07:58:28

Disapprove

+6
This is wrong on so many levels. In the first place they are asking children to do something that is immoral, and as the teachers are the authority figures in school, they are effectively teaching immorality. They are putting children in a damned if you do, damned if you don't position, in that the child knows it is wrong to tell a secret, but they also know they are supposed to answer all the questions (obey their teachers). This is asking them to make a moral choice that is beyond the ability of most, at this age, to determine (and very quickly) what the right thing to do is. Secondly, they are asking for information of a personal nature that is simply none of their business. And finally, ultimately, they are placing a burden of guilt on the kids that should never happen.

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SA to Bozette 2012/06/03 16:02:13

+2
Great response!! I totally agree on all your comments!!

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Bozette to SA 2012/06/03 17:32:48

+2
Thank you SA.

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The Birdman 2012/06/03 07:35:36

Disapprove

+6
The government is gathering info in the most despicable ways! My kids have been instructed to tell them to "Eat sh*t!"! The Nazi's pulled the same crap on families in Europe, I'll be damned if I let them into my house!

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mountai... to The Bir... 2012/06/03 13:28:33

+2
Too bad I was only allowed to give only 1 thumbs up on this answer...

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The Bir... to mountai... 2012/06/03 23:05:04

+2
Thanks!

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sglmom 2012/06/03 07:29:10

Disapprove

+12
I'm TROUBLED by this question ..
including why this would be asked to children in the first place ..
what goes on inside families .. relationships even between siblings ..
(unless there is something illegal going on .. )
is NO ONE's business at all ..
(just gives me an UNEASY FEELING .. seems to be so much like the 'cultivation' of the snitches during the Nazi Regime (as well as under other repressive regimes))

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mountai... to sglmom 2012/06/03 13:30:12

+1
Just like I told birdman above...Too bad I was only allowed to give 1 thumb up on this asnwer.

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mountai... to mountai... 2012/06/03 13:30:59

+1
Sorry, I didn't proof read before I submitted the comment sglmom!!

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jake 2012/06/03 07:28:01

Disapprove

+1
What happened to: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic? It's pretty bastardized here - they should be writing about something they are reading or learning. Public education in 90% of the school districts out there is a damn joke. Teachers unions be damned.

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gocar 2012/06/03 06:55:52

Disapprove

+2
We had the three monkeys in our house. My parents told me that one monkey was called Hear All, another See All, and the third was, Say Nothing. This they explained was that in a family everything you hear or see is private and not for general gossip. Or, as my mother used to say, "Don't tell the neighors our business it is none of theirs."

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Gracie ~Gun Totin' Gracie~ 2012/06/03 06:52:00

Disapprove

+5
Well what a nice way for them to butt into families lives.

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Vitalani 2012/06/03 06:49:47

Approve

+1
And? Whoever is criticizing this question knows DAMN well these kids are gonna put something silly like "I took the last cookie". I mean really. Who cares?

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jake to Vitalani 2012/06/03 07:29:14

+1
No, some are going to put things that their parents don't want people like teachers knowing about their families.

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Vitalani to jake 2012/06/03 07:52:47

+1
Good parents have anything to hide in my opinion.

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pdarkow to Vitalani 2012/06/03 08:22:33

+1
That is very true

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Dan ☮ R... to Vitalani 2012/06/03 12:29:08

Everyone has something they would rather not have the public knowing, especially when CPS will threaten to take your kid for just about anything, like forgetting to pay for a sandwich you ate in the store and returning to pay for it.

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Vitalani to Dan ☮ R... 2012/06/03 19:56:29

+1
Do you actually have any experience with CPS? A lot of times they don't take the kids until its too late. People shouldn't assume that every kids secrets will involve their parents, because most won't.

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