Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Legal Commentary Blogs -> Discriminations

Legal Commentary

: Discriminations

?Demography? Does In Computer Science Advanced Placement

As part of temporary access to Education Week that I?ve been enjoying recently, I receive a weekly email notice of articles, etc., of interest. The most recent notice invited me to

Check out the brand new issue of Technology Counts 2008: STEM: The Push to Improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Read how states are pushing to prepare their students for the high-tech global economy.

Interesting, I thought. Maybe as soon as there?s no more discrimination to read and blog, I thought, maybe I?ll get around to taking a look. But then, later in the same email notice, I was referred to this article, which I did read right away. Something here, it quickly became evident, doesn?t compute.

The article reports that the College Board, which oversees the Advanced Placement program, plans to drop AP classes and exams in four subjects, including Computer Science. Computer Science AB, it seems, like some men?s athletic teams that have fallen victim to Title IX, has been done in by affirmative action.

According to Trevor Packer, the College Board vice president who oversees the AP program,

the decision was made principally because of demographic considerations.

Only a tiny fraction of the members of underrepresented minority groups who take AP exams take the tests in one of those four affected subject areas, he said.

The College Board has made it a priority to reach such students, including those who are African- American and Hispanic.

?For us, [the question is], are we able to achieve our mission of reaching a broader range of students?? Mr. Packer said.

I?m sure that as a result of the College Board?s courageous and humanitarian decision to pursue its outreach to ?underrepresented minority groups ... , including those who are African-American and Hispanic,? by dropping its Advanced Placement in Computer Science AB, the proportion of Advanced Placement students who are minorities will increase next year. Congratulations, College Board!

If I had posted this about a week ago, you would have suspected it was an April Fool?s joke. Alas, it?s not.

Full post as published by Discriminations on April 09, 2008 (boomark / email).