{"id":29527,"date":"2022-08-08T13:04:02","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T17:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/?p=29527"},"modified":"2022-08-08T13:04:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T17:04:53","slug":"torontos-largest-school-board-to-drop-auditions-aptitude-requirements-for-specialized-programs-in-the-name-of-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2022\/08\/08\/torontos-largest-school-board-to-drop-auditions-aptitude-requirements-for-specialized-programs-in-the-name-of-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto\u2019s Largest School Board to Drop Auditions, Aptitude Requirements for Specialized Programs in the Name of Equity"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cThe year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thus begins Kurt Vonnegut Jr.\u2019s famous short story Harrison Bergeron<\/a><\/em>. The satire story paints the picture of a dystopian future where absolute equality has been achieved thanks to various handicapping devices that force all the smart, good-looking, and talented people down to the same intellect, looks, and skills as everyone else. The rationale, of course, is that it wouldn\u2019t be fair to let them get ahead because of their privilege while others are left behind.<\/p>\n

The story has enduring appeal because it asks a question that strikes at the heart of our culture, namely, how much are we willing to sacrifice excellence in the name of equality? Should those who are endowed with more privilege or talent be allowed to reach their potential, even if it means others have fewer opportunities, or should those who are less gifted be given an equal chance at success, even if it means holding the gifted back?<\/p>\n

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) seems to have chosen the latter approach. In May, the board\u2019s Trustees voted to approve the Student Interest Programs Policy<\/a>, which will change the way students are admitted into specialized arts, athletics, and STEM programs. Currently, admission into most of these programs is based on various \u201cassessments of ability\u201d such as auditions, portfolios, and report card marks. But starting in September 2023, these assessments will be scrapped and replaced with a random selection from students who express interest in the programs. In short, equality will take precedence over excellence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is our responsibility to take action to improve access for all students where we identify systemic barriers,\u201d said<\/a> Alexander Brown, Chair of the TDSB. \u201cThis new policy will ensure a greater number of students have access to these high quality programs and schools while reducing barriers that have long-prevented many students from even applying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, the move was first proposed<\/a> by the board\u2019s Enhancing Equity Task Force.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea that your child entered one of these programs because of his talent, which he had the privilege of cultivating, I don\u2019t think is appropriate in a public school system,\u201d said<\/a> Trustee Robin Pilkey. \u201cWe need to make sure people have access to all programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

To paraphrase, \u201cit wouldn\u2019t be fair to let them get ahead because of their privilege.\u201d Sound familiar?<\/p>\n

Many students, teachers, and parents who are involved with the specialized programs are concerned that this change will lower the quality of the programs. A small protest<\/a> was held in mid-May, and hundreds of students walked out of class to attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to water down the program and it\u2019s just going to blend into nothingness,\u201d said<\/a> Essien Udokang, a parent whose son is in an arts program.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also concerned that the new policy will leave behind talented kids from underprivileged backgrounds who would otherwise have a chance to prove themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cFolks like me, who can afford it, we\u2019ll just put our kids in private school or pay thousands of dollars a month for private lessons instead of wasting their time in a program like this. If there are students who have capability and through lottery don\u2019t get picked\u2026I think those will be the most hard done by. Because they will have talent that could have been cultivated through a high quality of teaching, instruction and opportunity, but now they would have just been randomly selected out of the process. But they can\u2019t pay for private lessons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The whole debate over these programs hits close to home for me. I attended one of these specialized arts schools from grade 4 to 8, and another one from grade 9 to 12. For nine years, these programs were my life, and they helped me get through the otherwise tedious system that is government schooling.<\/p>\n

Speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that removing audition requirements will be absolutely devastating for these programs. We had nearly professional-level productions at my high school and some fairly high-profile gigs. But without auditions, that all changes.<\/p>\n

Kids who have less aptitude will get into these programs while kids with more aptitude will be left out. The efforts of the teachers, many of whom are specialists in their respective fields, will be wasted on those who simply don\u2019t have the capabilities to really succeed. Meanwhile, many of those who do<\/em> have the capabilities to succeed will be stuck in \u201cnormal school,\u201d where it will be much harder to cultivate their skills.<\/p>\n

The result is that teachers in these programs will be forced to teach to the lowest common denominator. The gifted kids that manage to make it in will get bored and won\u2019t come close to reaching their potential.<\/p>\n