"Dinosaur, Birthday, Halloween, Poverty" - Some of the words NYC seeks to ban from standardized te

War On Words: NYC Dept. Of Education Wants 50 ‘Forbidden’ Words Banned From Standardized Tests

The New York City Department of Education is waging a war on words of sorts, and is seeking to have words they deem upsetting removed from standardized tests.

Fearing that certain words and topics can make students feel unpleasant, officials are requesting 50 or so words be removed from city-issued tests.

Dinosaur - because it suggests evolution. Halloween - because of its association with paganism. Dancing - I'm guessing because some cultures don't allow it.

I'm sure test taking makes them feel unpleasant - maybe they should just do away with that.

Words that suggest wealth are banned, because it might make students feel jealous. Religious holidays also off limits.

Some students think banning these words from periodic assessment tests is ridiculous.

“If you don’t celebrate one thing you might have a friend that does it. So I don’t see why people would find it offensive,” Curtis High School Sophomore Jamella Lewis told Diamond.

Divorce and disease are also on the list. Celebrities, catastrophes, computers in the home - yep all taboo.

I can understand you don't need test questions dealing with gambling, alcohol, or pornography. But I do think that banning "homes with swimming pools" is just political correctness run way amok.

If they put half the effort they waste on being politically correct into actually teaching the kids - the school system might actually see some real progress.

Full list at the link

so apparently Department of Education is also banning common sense now.

This is just silly maybe if the Department of Education worried more about what it taught the students rather than being politically correct we wouldn't be in the situation we are now.


Excuse me trying to use Siri to type

Now I've seen everything. We're watching the very worst content from the most pathetic B grade late night movies about a police state run amok come to life and spring into being before our very eyes.

I'd shake my head and sigh over people with so much free time and such a sense of entitlement to determine how other people think that they'd even MENTION things like this. The fact it's actually being suggested for official BANS?? It just makes me want to cry.

Everything that makes America great in an independent and free way of living is vanishing and so many out there in the nation around us barely seem to notice, let alone raise a voice in alarm or protest.

and in replacement of those words, I would tell the people that it actually offends "F459 YOU" as loudly and with as much disrespect as I could muster.

HAPPY DINOSAUR HALLOWEEN YOU POVERTY STRICKEN BIRTHDAYS.

If they put half the effort they waste on being politically correct into actually teaching the kids - the school system might actually see some real progress.

reply to post by Maluhia


Its not to gratifying when I have to correct my kids teachers on a regular basis...I let it slide for now

Originally posted by yourmaker

HAPPY DINOSAUR HALLOWEEN YOU POVERTY STRICKEN BIRTHDAYS.

reply to post by benrl

so apparently Department of Education is also banning common sense now.

I think common sense gave up and abandoned the DOE! What the heck is wrong with "birthday"?

reply to post by SarnholeOntarable

Its not to gratifying when I have to correct my kids teachers on a regular basis

Very frustrating - so many are so poorly educated themselves its mind boggling.

This is just ridiculous. Education should be about preparing you for the real world, not sheltering you from it. They should promote tolerance. Reality has a way of bitch slapping you, you can't run from it.

The whole school board should be forced to resign.

It is obvious that education is not their main priority....

Political correctness is the bomb that killed this country

A nation of wussies....

"I can't believe it, you just hurt my feelings"...or should it be...."you just made me uncomfortable"

We are definitely screwedI do not even live in NYC.......

Damn commies

reply to post by liejunkie01

It is obvious that education is not their main priority....

And the NYC school system is a disaster because of this. Will add more info tomorrow.

It sounds like they are taking their cues from the religious right. Did Texas of Oklahoma school board members just move to the Big Apple?

Banning "Dinosaur" because it suggest "evolution"? Does that mean no more field trips to the Natural History Museum?

I looked over the list. Are these, then, concepts they don't want people thinking about?

I think there's more there than meets the eye. These in particular stood out to me:

Crime
Homelessness
Loss of employment
Poverty
Terrorism
War and bloodshed

They don't want people thinking about these things because people might start to question why all these things are happening.

That's way overstepping. Now they just come out and say it and enforce it. Because, well the soma is less strong, but not so much that they cannot get away with these actions. At least the comments section is speaking up. It's not enough however.

It is dangerous to abuse alcohol and cigarettes for these indiscretions can often lead to divorce, crime and homelessness. .....but don't tell the dinosaur in the swimming pool. Morons

reply to post by Maluhia


I have only read your op...
If they start off by banning these words',what will be next
on the ban block?
Are kids' suppose to be placed into plastic bubbles until
they graduate from school?
They learn from experiences in their lives,not everything can
be taught by reading books.That is one of the reasons we have
so many cry babies today.

If they start off by banning these words',what will be next on the ban block?

With people who think like the NYC DOE - it could get very scarey.

wait wait wait, theyre removing these words because they make people uncomfortable? thats just bull#!. this whole thing smells a little like 1984 to me.

also id like to add that standardized tests are killing the kids of todays creativity. all the test prep and other bull# thats put into these things is crazy and could be used in so many better ways

Bog standard Cultural Marxism.

Despite reports like this, I'm still convinced intelligence exists in America.

Please, Intelligence, come out from behind your rock and take your country back. I miss the old USA.

reply to post by Maluhia


Sometimes I feel sorry for Liberals.. They say and do stupid crap like this and you just try and place yourself in their minds, to see how they hell their thoughts can formulate the absurd stupidity like this and firmly, truly, believe in it. They seem to put a blindfold on to the World, formulate their own reality filled with rainbows and unicorns.