Tests of knowledge and skills are just that . A student knows the subject matter or he knows a skill. It would be absurd to give him or her credit here for " stress " and hardship in family life and neighborhood.
Of course, it has been known for years that IQ tests and tests of academic " talent " are class and culture biased.
A bright poor kid never even hears the educated vocabulary heard daily in an educated middle or upper class home. The kid rarely sees his father or mother reading. The Public Library is an exotic place in the neighborhood.
I wonder how many poor kids fail simply because the teacher himself or herself does not believe in their " prospects " , in their " future ". And in this rotten competitive capitalist society the teacher's pessimism is often justified : " Some flowers never blossom ,folks ! "
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