Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A group of California high school
students sued the state's superintendent of education, claiming
a new exam may unfairly deny them a diploma even when they meet
all other graduation requirements.
The students claim the California High School Exit
Examination, which is required for graduation starting this
year, denies them an equal opportunity to learn because some
teachers aren't certified in the subjects being tested.
Thousands of students may join the suit, filed today in San
Francisco, said Arturo Gonzalez, a lawyer for the students.
``When I look at these poor kids, most of whom are Latino
and African American, who haven't passed this test, I see
myself,'' said Gonzalez, an attorney at Morrison & Foerster in
San Francisco, who took the case without charging attorney's
fees. ``If I had been required to pass this exam I may not have
passed the math test. Almost every state that has an exit exam
offers an alternative.''
The California legislature in 1999 passed a law requiring
the exit examination. The test is designed to ensure high school
graduates meet standardized levels of reading, writing and
mathematics, according to the board of education's Web site. In
2001, when the exam was first administered -- though not
required for graduation -- 64 percent of students passed the
math section and 44 percent passed the English test, according
to the suit.
Hilary McLean, a spokeswoman for State Superintendent of
Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, said she couldn't comment on
the lawsuit because she hadn't seen it.
The California High School Exit Examination ``is a way to
ensure that students who leave our high schools have a minimal
level of knowledge and skills,'' McLean said.
Students who don't pass the test can continue their
education through independent schooling, summer or adult
education, to earn a diploma, according to the California
Department of Education.
The case is Valenzuela v. O'Connell, No. 06506050,
California Superior Court in San Francisco.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Joel Rosenblatt in San Francisco at
jrosenblatt@bloomberg.net
