Evaluating the exit exam ruling

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Freedman made a bad decision when he ruled that it is unlawful discrimination to deny a high school diploma to students who can’t pass the exit exam because some were not provided adequate educational opportunities (May 13).

The exam requirement may have been unfair to the students who brought the lawsuit because of their other high achievements, but the judge’s ruling is unfair to a greater number of students by robbing them of an important symbol of their success.

Furthermore, the judge’s decision does not really help those students who can’t pass the test because it makes the high school diploma nearly worthless as a testament to a student’s achievement.

MICHAEL ERNSTOFF

Los Angeles

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Thanks to Freedman, California might start analyzing the achievement gap. It’s time to consider ridiculously large classes, the thinking that all newly arrived non-English speaking students can perform at grade level in a brief period of time, the inappropriate idea that “one size fits all” and the unsound “sink or swim” attitude of policymakers.

“Accountability” should be for progress, effort, attitude and perseverance. How about personal portfolios for graduates? “Achievement” is not the same for everyone.

FRANCES GOLDSTEIN

Sherman Oaks

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Where is the common sense? It should not matter whether a student is black, Latino or white, rich or poor, born here or not and so on. If they cannot read basic English nor do basic math, they should not be allowed to graduate from high school.

RALPH AUGUST

Westchester