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posted by martyb on Saturday November 17 2018, @10:34PM   Printer-friendly
from the Eye-Kant-Speek-Gud dept.

New Zealand has sunk to a new low in modern education. A number of high school students have started a petition to not be failed on a national history exam as they did not understand the meaning of the word 'trivial'. For those not in the know, trivial means "of little value or importance" which aptly describes this petition given that it is being made by grade 13 high school students who by all rights should know the meaning of this word. More than 2400 people have signed the petition 'expressing their frustration with the exam question'. Student Logan Stadnyk claimed that he was "lucky" to have known what the word meant, as half his class didn't. "New Zealand History Teachers' Association chairman Graeme Ball has sided with the students calling the exam a 'little bit of a snafu'" but not providing an adequate answer as to why students in grade 13 would not understand a common English word.

Have the three Rs lost all meaning in schools? Are we failing our students? Or is this just another case of today's teens being snowflakes?


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  • (Score: 5, Touché) by archfeld on Saturday November 17 2018, @11:15PM (16 children)

    by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Saturday November 17 2018, @11:15PM (#763252) Journal

    I would think citizens of New Zealand would intrinsically understand the word Trivial. The next step would be a year spent going over every word in the dictionary, as soon as someone explained what that was and how to use one that wasn't a smart phone app ?

    --
    For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +3  
       Funny=1, Touché=2, Total=3
    Extra 'Touché' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   5  
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday November 17 2018, @11:57PM (11 children)

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Saturday November 17 2018, @11:57PM (#763261) Homepage

    Even in shitville aka El Centro, California, teachers made great effort to expand the horizons of their third-grade kids. A common teacher exercise in this state was to have each teacher come up with their own random "grab-bags" of their favorite words and phrases, such as "Maori" or "Faux pax", instilling not only the definitions of "weird words from foreign lands," but the importance of their meaning. It is funny how I discovered who the "Maori" were when I was 9 years old, and all by one teacher's fetish.

    There was no political nonsense in that training, the goal was to show to the student that there are weird words and phrases out there that not only show the importance of vocabulary, but worldliness.

    Unfortunately, (((they))) decided that the method was making the generations of youth too intelligent for their own good, and proper public education had to be made dumber to foment future generations of mindless, obedient consumers. Hence, we have common-core. Where the teacher can decide even in basic mathematics who to pass and who to fail regardless of the skill of the student.

    • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:37AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:37AM (#763288)

      According to their own website, Common Core was a joint effort between 48 states,
          http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/development-process/ [corestandards.org]
      Your post made some sense until you started your anti-Semitic rant in the last paragraph...
      but I guess this is normal for an E-F post?

      • (Score: 1, Troll) by archfeld on Sunday November 18 2018, @02:02AM (2 children)

        by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Sunday November 18 2018, @02:02AM (#763308) Journal

        Where in that post is even a mention of anti-Semitism, or a mention of any religion, or people except a vague reference to (((((They))))) ?

        --
        For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
        • (Score: 1, Offtopic) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:09AM (1 child)

          by Pslytely Psycho (1218) on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:09AM (#763397)

          While you're correct there was no direct reference, our alcohol soaked friend is quite fond of dog whistles and uses 'they, or them' frequently to refer to the Jews that really run the country and are hiding under his bed and in his closet.

          If a bagel shop opened up across the street, it would be confirmation to him that 'they' were invading his neighborhood.

          He's also not fond of anyone darker than typing paper.

          --
          Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 19 2018, @08:13PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 19 2018, @08:13PM (#763999)

            There was a direct reference. If I say 'jew' or 'kike' or '(((they)))' the meaning is direct and clear. Two of these carry vitriol and imply hatred and bigotyr, though.

            If you don't know 'trivial' or you don't know '(((they)))' that's fine. But when someone else uses them, you should assume they do know the words they're using.

    • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:39AM (4 children)

      by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:39AM (#763291) Journal

      LOL and you used the word fetish. I knew I liked your smart ass for some reason. So is there a recreational pot shop in El Centro that allows for walk-ins ? I'm in Yuma and been looking for something nearby over the border but have had no luck ?

      --
      For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:48AM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:48AM (#763298)

        Haven't needed to do this for some time now...
            http://lmgtfy.com/?q=recreational+pot+shop+in+El+Centro [lmgtfy.com]

        • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:57AM (2 children)

          by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:57AM (#763304) Journal

          Tried that...
          About half the shops listed are out of business or don't answer the phone. The others that did answer were delivery ONLY, to a private residence. I was hoping that someone local would know of good source. Thanks anyways.

          --
          For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
          • (Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:36AM

            by Pslytely Psycho (1218) on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:36AM (#763405)

            Wow, a pot shop that went out of business??? Were they run by the government? Who are the only people who couldn't make money selling hookers and whiskey in Nevada when they took over the Mustang Ranch!

            Up here in the PNW (land of forests, lakes, mountains, rivers and four actual seasons..) I pass seven recreational pot stores on my way to work (10.2 miles). They are nearly as ubiquitous as espresso stands, of which I pass eleven.

            Hehehe, every day is an excuse for a sale as well. Weed, oil, wax and such are not only tested for purity (no chemicals allowed) and potency and packaged in nice, well lit stores with upwards of fifty strains of indica, sativa, and hybrids, but it's cheaper than the street prices were.
            The black market here is dead.
            Fucking win-win!

            Sample text from the Green Nugget today (Saturday)

            Vendor Day! Uncle Roaner in the house for vendor day! 30% off on Uncle Roaners buds all night long! 100mg candies for $17.50! 25% off all concentrates and cartridges! Open till 11:45 pm!

            Of course Lovely Buds, Satori, Cannabis and Glass along with Green Leaf and others all have daily sales, it's a weed tokin' paradise...

            --
            Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
          • (Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:38AM

            by Pslytely Psycho (1218) on Sunday November 18 2018, @07:38AM (#763407)

            Oh yeah, ALL of our stores are walk in.
            Some deliver too, but they are the minority and it's not free.

            Ya live on the wrong border for buds bud!

            --
            Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @03:44AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @03:44AM (#763337)

      No, (((they))) weren't involved in that. It was [[[they]]] who dumbed down the school system!

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @06:58AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @06:58AM (#763394)

      You're just too f'ing stupid and absolutely nobody cares about your childhood shit.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday November 18 2018, @09:57PM (3 children)

    by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Sunday November 18 2018, @09:57PM (#763623)

    I am a citizen of New Zealand, and can't figure out how a native english speaker gets to the age of 18 and not know what trivial means.

    • (Score: 2) by archfeld on Sunday November 18 2018, @10:36PM (1 child)

      by archfeld (4650) <treboreel@live.com> on Sunday November 18 2018, @10:36PM (#763649) Journal

      That's good to hear. Obviously a big part of this article is click bait and trolling then. I've been to Aussie Land but it was for work and despite my intentions I was never able to get the time to Visit NZ. I am a big Rugby and Footie fan though, and the All Blacks rock. I played for the Hayward Griffins while in College though I never made first team the game is kick ass.

      https://www.facebook.com/HaywardRugby [facebook.com]

      --
      For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
      • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday November 18 2018, @11:04PM

        by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Sunday November 18 2018, @11:04PM (#763655)

        Good on ya mate.

        I too played rugby (mostly because I had no choice) but due to going to a tiny country school during the 1970's I have never actually played a game of rugby wearing boots.

        Bare feet only in those days.

    • (Score: 2) by driverless on Monday November 19 2018, @03:35AM

      by driverless (4770) on Monday November 19 2018, @03:35AM (#763773)

      As additional info, this whole story is so ridiculous sounding (a student called Daniel Snakez, and most news media seems to be re-reporting a story from Australian media, who aren't going to present the most positive view of NZ) that I took the highly unusual step for a web board of trying to track down a definitive source. There is one, the NZQA [nzqa.govt.nz]. Their comment on this is:

      The language used in the question, such as the word ‘trivial’, was expected to be within the range of vocabulary for a NCEA Level 3 History student. When there are any unfamiliar words in any material for an exam, a glossary is provided.

      If candidates have addressed the quote and integrated their ideas with it, then they will be given credit for the strength of their argument and analysis and will not be penalised for misinterpreting the word ‘trivial’.

      There have been no changes as a consequence of the petition.