("The nation should understand that it cannot fully appreciate the premeditated academic corruption of TAKS that will unfold without first understanding the retroactive corruption of TAAS.  How did Texas pull off the miracle?  And, is this where the nation really wants to go?" EducationNews.org: "Texas Equity & Other Pleasant Fairy Tales" /March 7, 2003 )


PART 1: Texas' Higher Level Testing in Math and Science?  Newton & Darwin Are Spinning in Their Graves (Monday, May 12)

PART 2: Is The Federal Government Trying To Sell Texas Snake Oil But Calling It Algebra?  (Tuesday, May 13)

PART 3:   Congratulations America:  Your Child Can Become A Texas Biologist! ( Wednesday, May 14)

PART 4: Texas Biology: Wrapping Up Biology
By GEORGE SCOTT
Senior Editorial Writer
EducationNews.org

PART 4

Tennessee Williams had never met the white-collar, philosophical outlaws of the Texas Education Agency and its associated 'vendorpimp' corporate and academic sycophants who schemed to produce the "Texas Educational Miracle" when he wrote of the his stage magician, "He gives you illusion which has the appearance of truth.".

It is a perfect line to describe the academic integrity of the State's public education accountability system. Without diminishing from the accuracy of the phrase in describing the entire system, it does seem to be particularly correct in regard to upper- level science testing in Texas otherwise known as the end of course (EOC) Biology test.

You will recall from the previous column ( PART 3: Congratulations America:  Your Child Can Become A Texas Biologist! (Wednesday, May 14) the conclusion of the Texas biology and science teacher who said that 25% of the problems on the 2000 and 2001 EOC Biology exams did not test biology. Moreover, the teacher concluded that an additional 49% of the problems were "low difficulty" biology and that 26% were of moderate difficulty.

Of all the problems on the two tests examined, the teacher concluded that 35% of the questions were more appropriate for junior high students - not high school students. In our previous columns, we documented how the TEA used the terms of biology to help mask the fact that the problems posed were often just simple math or logic problems having nothing to do with biology.

In this column, I believe it is important to present additional examples to demonstrate that the previous problems were not episodic samples pulled out of context to make a point.

Now look at the exhibit below as it appeared in the EOC 2001 Biology exam. If the question deals with the dashed-line, what is the answer? Before 6? Before 7? Before 8? Before 9?

Is there anyone who believes that one single fact or concept of biology is tested by this problem other than the TEA and its sycophant minions?

Here is how these intellectual outlaws made the above problem "appropriate" for a biology test. At the top of the graph appeared the words "Predator/Prey Relationships Within A Protist Culture" The left side of the graph was captioned "Individuals (number per 100 mL"

Along the bottom of the graph was the caption "Time (h)" In the area where you see the white-out was a dash line indicating "Prey" and a solid line indicating "Predator."

The question was: The graph shows the population relationship between a protist predator and its prey. If this relationship continues, the prey population will probably be eliminated by - 
F: 6h
G : 7h
H : 8h
J : 9h

Bingo! Texas biology.

Here's another example of a problem that uses the terms of biology. First, let's look at my sample question:

The problem: 10,000 . 1,000 . 100 . 10 The question: Each succeeding number is what % of the previous number? 
A: 1%
B : 10%
C : 25%
D : 50%

Here's how the TEA turned this into a biology question. It wrapped this simple math problem in terms such as "food pyramid," "energy," and "trophic level."

The two tables I present below contain the exact numbers represented in two different problems that appeared on two different Texas tests. I have changed the descriptions of the numbers to "keep the mystery alive" until I get to the punch line.

TABLE 1

ITEM Percent

A 47%
B 35%
C 8%
D 7%
E 3%

TABLE 2

A 50
B 25
C 12
D 8
E 5

Except for the elimination of the titles of the tables and the items of the table, that is the exact information that was provided as the foundation of the questions that followed.

In each case, students were asked (4 potential answers provided in multiple choice format) to pick out the pie chart that represented the correct representation of these numbers.

Please notice that each of the sets of numbers add up to 100%. Further notice that the top table has a % sign after the numbers in the table under the column entitled percent while the bottom table has only the number under the percent column.

Based upon the information you have now, which of these problems was a 6 th grade math question and which was an EOC Biology question? I don't think my readers need to see all four of the multiple choice answers for each problem. A pie chart is a pie chart is a pie chart. I think it is interesting to note that one of the charts has 50% and 25% numbers which make for a pretty clean pie chart. However, here are the problems as presented. Now, I bet you can guess which one is the biology problem and which one was the 6 th grade math problem. First, let's look at a 6 th grade math problem in Texas followed by an end of course high school biology question.

Texas has concluded there is no end to what it can call a biology question by the use of the terms of biology. In my previous column, I poked fun at the "bear" and the "mushroom" problem. To say the least, those problems were one-dimensional. Here, at least, a Texas biologist has the choice of using addition or multiplication. Texas occasionally stresses 'higher order thinking' skills among its biologists as indicated by the following problem which was on the 2002 EOC Biology test.

Here's the question. Male lizards are larger than females. According to the pictures above, the difference in length between the male and the female collared lizard when measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail is approximately - F: 3cm G: 8cm H: 12cm J : 15cm.

Sometimes, the TEA has gone to extraordinary lengths to pretend that it is testing biology. First, let's look at my sample problem sans any reference to biology.

SAMPLE PROBLEM

There are four symbols below marked at G, C, A or T. Would "A" fit over T, C or G evenly? Would "C" fit into T, A, or G evenly? Would "A" fit over T, C or G evenly? You get the idea. It's so challenging! If you can figure this one out, does it imply that you have an understanding of the concepts of DNA?

Let's look at the real problem on an EOC Biology exam which asks students "which series of bases will complete this strand of DNA?"

A: CCTGAT
B: ACTGGC
C: GTAGGC
D:   TCAGGG

Please notice that the first two parts of the graphic provide the solution strategy for those students who can't deal with this sort of question one might see on an IQ test.

For the record, 88% of Texas students got this question right.

Let's leave Texas EOC Biology on a high note. Here's the last of my sample problems:

Please study these columns and rows very carefully before answering the question. To be very helpful, the columns are noted by A, B, C or D. The rows are noted by 1,2, 3 or 4.

SUBSTANCE A B C D

1 x x
2 x x x x
3. x x x x
4 x x x

The question is this: Which of the following rows does NOT have an X in the column as noted.

F: Row 1 and Column A
G: Row 2 and Column C
H: Row 3 and Column B
J: Row 4 and Column D

Let's look at the actual problem posed to young Texas biologists on the 2002 EOC Biology exam. First, here's what I submit that Texas biologists do NOT need to understand to answer this question:

1. The meaning of the word compatibility.

2. The chemical compositions or nature of the following:

- vinyl acetate
- nitric acid
- sulfuric acid
- organic acid
- amines
- caustics
- ammonia
- ketones

The only thing that the academically dishonest and corrupt TEA and its associated co-conspirators wanted to know from Texas students is in what row and in what column is there not an X?

I wrote in an earlier column that in a perfect world, the jury selection would have already begun in the trials of the white-collar philosophical outlaws who have perpetrated this kind of nonsense and tragedy on the students, teachers and taxpayers of Texas. Many of us anxiously anticipate the approach of this more perfect world of accountability for these people who are threatening to inflict such damage on our nation.