Thanks! Two Saturdays is a big deal, though, so it's not stressful but it is work.
They have an exemption for language which I do not support on ethical grounds. Effectively, if your home language is not English (about 30 - 40% of the school district reports a home language in addition to, or other than, English), you don't have to pass the verbal portion.
This creates an unfair advantage among the mathematically gifted, because only some of those children need to be verbally gifted as well, if that makes sense. If mommy speaks French and daddy speaks English, you can put French as the native language. Then the child needs only test in the math portion. But if mommy and daddy both speak English, even if daddy doesn't live at home, or mom is severely disabled, no matter: you have to pass verbal AND math portion. Parents each speak four languages and have homes in three countries? Exempt. Mom only at home, her great great grandmother was a slave, grandfather walked to Chicago in the 30s? No exemption for you!
I disagree with that in so many ways I can't begin to count. I know it's tough to be totally fair but I just cannot bring myself to say, "My child had this beautiful luck and advantage, so can you please hold her to a lower standard than the child who didn't have the good fortune to live abroad?"
I see your point but the way things work here is so perverse that I just can't bring myself to ask for a personal exception.
However if her teacher recommends it--because I know he would not do so if it weren't fair, like if he says, "This is just not accurate", then I'd consider submitting an exemption.
Last edited by binip; 10/12/14 03:43 PM.
