our WASL: no longer here to stay?

More interesting than the cursory Olympian article-teaser on a legislative committee's flirtation with dumping the WASL are the comments from area readers.

Anonymous starts the thread:

My son spent time in his freshman and sophomore year at school in a mandatory WASL prep class because his grades were low. Unlike most of his class, he passed all parts of the WASL so he can graduate next year. Unfortunately due to his having to take a WASL prep class all year he is behind in other mandatory credits like P.E. which may cause him not to be able to graduate on time.

Old Faithful fires back:

Anon - You think your son WASTED his time learning enough math to pass the WASL?

I think math, science and language arts should be mandatory - with PE and fine arts for those who can afford school time to do so.

To which Anonymous responds:

You think studying to pass one test is preparing someone for life? As far as I can tell the only thing you get when a kid passes the WASL is a kid who can pass the WASL.

How can someone like me, a product of the 60's and 70's school system have a college degree and a successful career without ever having taken the WASL? Oh the horror! Math and reading were taught just fine thirty or forty years ago ( and we had more than enough time for p.e. and some good old fashion dodge ball games which I am sure are politically incorrect to play now). If the WASL is so damned important why such a controversy about whether to require it or not?

For closing thoughts, though, we turn back to the original comment by Anonymous.

I think what we need to do is throw out the entire education system in Washington, starting with SPI and start from scratch. How people with masters and doctorate degrees can be such a bunch of boneheads is beyond me.

Trust me, my friend: a stamped piece of paper is no guarantee of anything except a fatter paycheck. Usually.