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NEWS > SCIENCE > IQ TESTS SEEN AS PREJUDICIAL TO STUPID PEOPLE

IQ TESTS SEEN AS PREJUDICIAL TO STUPID PEOPLE

Feb 4 2008

Washington, D.C. – I.Q. tests have rarely been without controversy. Since the first standardized testing began over a hundred years ago, tests intended to measure intelligence have gone through revision after revision, none of which have remained free of the taint of controversy.

These constantly changing standards have done nothing to further the intent and ambition of measuring intelligence. That is, to identify at a young age those with significant intellectual possibilities, and those with significant deficits, so as to create teaching standards to allow them to succeed in the future.

This, perhaps, has been the source of greatest debate and controversy. More often than not, I.Q. tests have been used in the exact opposite way they were intended. Children who scored highly would have extra tutoring and attention from teachers, those who scored poorly would be put into special classes and treated as second class citizens. For this very reason, many schools have done away with intelligence testing altogether. The use of intelligence tests persists in some areas though, and one group is determined to get rid of them entirely.

The Society for the Getting Rid of I.Q. Tests is a recently formed lobby group based out of Pensacola, Florida. Their stated goal is very clear; to rid all schools in the United States of intelligence testing.

“It’s pretty obvious to us that IQ tests are racist,” says the group’s spokesperson Ed Haines. “Telling us one person is better than another because he did better on a test is just dumb. Dumber than the IQ tests are.”

Haines is also one of the founders of the group. He was inspired after a discussion with future partner in the group Tom Wright. They shared the same childhood experiences of being in “special classes”. “Ed and me were really the same when we were kids. It kinda sucked,” says Wright, through a mouthful of white glue. “Ed said we were going to change things. That’s good, ‘cause it sucked when I was a kid and I want to change that.”

There are some though that believes the efforts of the men will fall on deaf ears. “It’s a shame because they really are quite earnest," says Dr. Philip Watson, a Georgetown University professor. “The inherent idea that I.Q. testing can be prejudicial is a valid one. The reality is very few school boards use them in that way anymore. But realistically, even if this were a major issue, these wouldn’t really be the ones you would want speaking on your behalf. I mean one of them thinks that mirrors are a gateway to another dimension, the other one carries orange peels in his pockets to ward off Werewolves. There is a significant scientific and sociological component to this debate, but these really aren’t the guys you want making the argument.”

The two men though are intent on bring their issue to the highest levels of the government. “I’m gonna talk to the President. He’s gonna listen to us ‘cause he’s the President,” said Haines.

“I’m gonna make sure he listens to us, gonna make sure that we change things for us and everybody else,” adds Wright.

They are due to speak with the principal of a local elementary school early next week.

Anna Phillips, Science Correspondent

NEWS > SCIENCE > IQ TESTS SEEN AS PREJUDICIAL TO STUPID PEOPLE

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