Am I a number? A statistic? Is a standardized test a viable measuring stick to objectively  and fairly judge a student body — a generation — taught to think outside of the box, build, create, and make art and music? I ask my ACT tutor these questions sometimes, and he responds with the tutoring company’s favorite propaganda slogan: “the tests are standardized, not the students.” But aren’t we?

The definition of “standardize” is to make consistent, make uniform, to cause (something) to conform to a standard. By being made to strive for the same answers on a standardized test, we are made homogenized in our thoughts and responses. And by being made uniform in our answers, we are also made uniform in our questions — or lack thereof.

We are trained not to question the system of standardized tests, for if we did, we might find that we are not in fact numbers, nor are we statistics and thus, standardized tests can never truly measure our worth.

We are trained not to question the system, for if we did, we may find that the institution of standardized tests functions as a structure of social efficiency, not meritocracy or social equality.

Standardized tests are influenced greatly by corporate education reform, and administered and created by for-profit corporations such as Pearson — the publishing company of our ‘Nash books,’ as well as the creators of CORE Assessments. Even with the infamous SAT and ACT companies being not-for-profit, their lucrative businesses and highly paid executives bring the legitimacy of its not-for profit roots into question. The standardized tests that our generation must take, which mirror the culture of for- profit corporations, serve as social efficiency.

Social efficiency is a societal system in which all institutions in a given community work towards benefiting the greater economic structure, and dominant culture. In the U.S. that means that institutions, such as standardized tests, work to benefit the economic order of capitalism, and our “dominant” white culture, according to an article on truthout.com.

Standardized tests benefit capitalism by being run mostly by for-profit organizations. Furthermore, the test is often “beat” by students who possess the funds to have a tutor or exceptional teacher, which only bolsters the inequity necessary for a capitalist society.

In terms of  sustaining “dominant” white culture, standardized tests were born out of the eugenist movement of the early 20th century beginning with the Intelligence Quota (IQ) test. The eugenics movement, oriented towards developing genetic purity within the populace, became negatively associated with Nazi Germany’s programs and genetic experiments during The Holocaust.

The IQ tests developed a “justifiable” way to rank intellectual worth based on academic achievements generally predetermined by race, class, and ability.

The IQ test inspired Carl Brigham, an exceptional eugenist and U.S. Army psychologist, to develop the SAT test in 1926. Brigham went on to publish the book “A Study of American Intelligence,” which concluded that from the data of the SAT, the white anglo-saxon race was, in fact, superior.

Curricula based upon standardized tests rob students of the ability to be taught in a truly qualitative and emotionally sensitive manner. Instead, students are taught their intellectual value can be measured quantitatively.

Outside the standardized tests that we, as Parker students, must take for college entrance, most public school students are subjected to regular standardized tests between the ages of 6 and 18.This system can stunt emotional intelligence, civic engagement opportunities, and critical thinking capabilities. Those able to afford private or independent educations nonetheless have their intelligence measured by tests (SAT, ACT) which cannot ascertain civic engagement or critical thinking capabilities–least of all emotional intelligence.

What we see here at Parker, is a greater number of children with monetary or racial societal privileges being taught with less high-stakes testing and a more well rounded education than at public schools. Meanwhile, those not racially or monetarily privileged are positioned in a way which bases much of their scholarly success on tests which find their basis in racist and classist sentiment.

Therefore, the order benefits our white ‘dominant’ culture and thereby the greater system of capitalism.

The way that our society- ruled very much by the respect and fear of standardized tests-  has trained us to become standardized in our answers is by making us standardized in our lack of ability to question the tests.  

If we did, perhaps our conscience would prevail, perhaps we might see its ethical flaws, or find skeletons in the test’s closet, or better yet, develop our own voices, thoughts, and opinions. Or perhaps we would listen and learn from the silence. Perhaps we would find out the truth.

Correction

An earlier version of this story stated Lily Bravo was pictured. It is actually Priscilla Roman.