The following opinion-column in today's HAMILTON (Ontario, Canada)
SPECTATOR newspaper, comes from a mother who opposes an exam given to
Canadian high-schoolers which requires, among other things, writing
one's answers legibly.
For those wishing to reply, after the story I've put
contact-information for sending a letter to the editor. To aid those
wishing to send handwritten letters, I've included fax and snail-mail
information. (Regrettably, I could not find an address for reaching
the mother.)


http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs...l=1112876262536


Penalized for poor penmanship in literacy test
By Katherine Flynn, Hamilton
The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 31, 2006)

I hate discrimination -- especially when it's directed against my son;
especially when it hurts his education and his future.

He's currently rewriting the Grade 10 literacy test and chances are
he'll fail it again. Why? He has poor handwriting, and though he
achieved 90 per cent on all other parts of the test, he was failed by
five marks.

That stands between him and a secondary school diploma. He's one of
many students needlessly held back by an expensive and pointless
educational assessment, a cash cow for retired educators. That's
discrimination against children.

All his assignments are handwritten in class and he achieves 75 per
cent in academic subjects including English.

We should retest and eliminate all the pharmacists, physicians and
lawyers -- all known for lousy penmanship.

My MPP Andrea Horwath told me to call Education Minister Gerard
Kennedy's office but guess what? He's too busy to talk to me.

I'm only a parent. Any other parents out there who care about their children?

Kennedy should be told what he might do with his test.

[end of story]
[contact-info]

SNAIL-MAIL: Lee Prohaska, Editorial/Letters
The Hamilton Spectator
44 Frid Street
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3G3 Canada
FAX: 905-526-3558
E-MAIL: lprohaska@thespec.com