The Editorial Team of Critical Education is pleased to launch the inaugural issue of the journal. Click on the current issue link at the top of the home page to read “The Idiocy of Policy: The Anti-Democratic Curriculum of High-stakes Testing” by Wayne Au. Au is assistant professor of education at Cal State University, Fullerton and author of Unequal By Design: High-Stakes Testing and the Standardization of Inequality (Routledge, 2009).
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Look for the initial installments of the special section edited by Abraham DeLeon titled “The Lure of the Animal: Addressing Nonhuman Animals in Educational Theory and Research” in the coming weeks.
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The conversation on high-stakes testing is overdue. Au’s critique mirrors what many students face today policies that prioritize numbers over actual learning. For those looking to hire someone take my class, navigating the online class world highlights the urgent need for change. Excited to dive into Critical Education and see what’s next in DeLeon’s section. Combining nonhuman animals with education theory. That’s a refreshing topic, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
I agree completely; high-stakes testing often seems more about compliance than learning. I saw a similar trend while preparing to take my PMP exam. It felt like I had to study to beat the system, not to become a better project manager. It’s frustrating, especially when you’re genuinely trying to grow in your field. This article really connected the dots between school systems and adult certification paths. Respect to the author!
This article reminds me of why so many learners struggle with exams that define their future. High-stakes testing doesn’t always measure what someone actually knows—it just measures how well you test. I’ve been through that stress and even thought about options like Take My GED Exam For Me when I felt cornered. It’s tough when education becomes more about passing than truly learning. Articles like this highlight why change in testing policies is overdue.