After reading the assigned portion of The Big Test, I was wondering who influenced you or the realm of testing the most. I found the life of Clark Kerr extremly interesting? His accomplishments in building the University of California were amazing.

Tim,
What amazed me about the Test was the fact that I grew up with the SAT. I took it in the late sixties without ever being prepared for it and I did very well. I guess it goes back to that innate ability...my dad was a smart man. I did think Chauncey was a remarkable person to take his idea and manipulate the public during opposition so that the protests were covered up. I wonder if a tour of the White House is all it takes to get the politicians and lobbyists to ignore what NCLB is doing to our education system today.

Jackie, I also took the SAT without question. No one when I was in high school questioned its status. I don't recall reading any where that the test was a problem. And I was then a regular newspaper reader. As far as NCLB, the only research you may see coming out of this, is data that points out how public schools are failing. I really do question the motives behind this legislation. I know I sound paranoid, but if you look at many of the conservative policy web sites, they praise NCLB as the savior of all. Some are even starting to publish articles and "research" that use data from NCLB and accountability programs to show how public schools are failing, and why vouchers should be instituted. It is all a deceptive game. To bad it is game involving our children. It should make people very angry.

The vision, the wherewithal, the trust to leave others to do their tasks, and knowing how to expand the system to make it emcompass nations globally--the man was remarkable.

When the University of California continues on his frst-laid premises as an open university...it's great! It's uplifting.

I do want to know where the women are...

From the text:
...the system would generate social justice, that a rational, efficient structure would give opportunity to all Americans and prevent the development of castes or classes...(166).

This is proof to me that sometimes we don't see all the possibilties. It remeinds me of the Constitution: We the people declare all men to be created equal. --Don't you know that they didn't know that one day "all men" would mean everyone.

Walker scares me the most still. Passions uncontrolled with no balance to vision. Kerr worked with the university. Walker worked for the test. He needed balance. Kerr's balance was his strength.