Letter: Math proficiency exam sets up students to fail

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

This is in reference to your Jan. 11 editorial regarding two Clark County high school teachers sharing the statewide math proficiency exam with students prior to the exam being taken in April.

No teacher should engage in cheating. But the state of Nevada shouldn't be involved in cheating our high school students out of passing their math proficiency test either. It cheats hundreds of students out of receiving their high school diploma every year because it requires that algebra and geometry problems be given on the math proficiency test. Algebra and geometry are not required classes in Nevada to graduate. If they are not required by the state school curriculum to graduate, why then are they on the math proficiency test? The test should consist of the minimum requirements to graduate. Why is the state allowed to set our children up for failure? It's no wonder Nevada has the highest percentage of nongraduating students in the nation!

All those legislators who passed this asinine law once were children. I bet none of them even had to take a math proficiency exam. I wonder how many of them could pass it.

I am raising a granddaughter who finds math very difficult. She is able to comprehend the required math classes, but doesn't understand algebra or geometry. She shouldn't have to settle for a lesser diploma or a "Certificate of Attendance" because she can't do math that isn't even required to graduate! Not everyone needs algebra and geometry to succeed in life.

SHIRLYE STEWART