Chicago Police may scrap entrance exam
The Chicago Police Department is giving serious consideration to scrapping the police entrance exams to bolster minority hiring. I read the article in the Chicago Sun-Times with great interest because their decision to scrap the exams will significantly set back African-Americans on the issue of equality. The fact they are considering the idea to improve equality is what makes this story so ironic.
As I read this story, for a quick moment, I almost forgot the current President (who happens to be African-American) established his record as a "community organizer" on the streets of Chicago. Fortunately for America, we are not considering the idea of lowering the standards that are required to become President, so that we can bolster minority candidates in elections.
What message will the Chicago Police Department send to minority communties? You are smart enough to lead the Harvard Law Review and become President of the United States, but you might want to think again about being the police. Allow me to echo the comment of Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue ... the idea "sounds too stupid to be true."
Ideally, we should hold all people to the same rigourous standards when it comes to any position in society. Equality is not defined by having the same number of Whites, Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics in key roles ... we should define equality through the equal opportunity that members of those races have in our country. Diversity and inclusion are critical ingredients to healthy communities, but lowering standards to incorporate select groups of people artificially achieve these goals while breeding resentment and distrust amongst races.
Chicago Sun-Times Article
Categories: Politics, Culture
Tags: chicago police department mark donahue entrance exam
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One thing I have learned in life and in the marketing industry is HOW you say things. I personally am uninterested in finding reasons to stir up unnecessary anger within the African American community or any community of that matter. This article has been positioned to target minorities as being less competent to pass an entrance exam…and it’s sickening.
Putting color aside for a moment, no matter what…you WILL get what you put in…garbage in, garbage out. These entrance exams are intended to weed those weaker candidates out.
Roberts clearly admits in the article that they are getting candidates with 60 hours of college credit who were reading at a third-grade level. I believe he is correct to ask the question, “what do you think you'll get if you have no screening process?" Let’s be frank, I will have lesser faith in any police department if they were to make it “easier” for ANYONE to become a police officer. The color of one’s skin will not identify one’s ability to protect and to serve. However, an entrance exam can by forecasting whether a candidate can be successful in completing eleven tracks of the police academy, including the law and the municipal code.
Furthermore, if the test has previously been under scrutiny for "race-norming" and ruled unconstitutional. How is cutting the test out altogether on the basis of race any different? Someone please help me understand. Perhaps another alternative may be better suited. Rather than completely eliminating the test, institute a formula (across the board) that will include test scores, experience, and whatever other important factors that police department deems necessary for a candidate to succeed.
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Great. Let's do the same for the legal and medical professions. "Diversity" is apparently more important than life and death issues, so why not?
And how patronizing can one be? What an INSULT to minorities!
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