Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) believes a new law that banned state colleges and universities from requiring standardized test scores on admission applications is "institutionalizing low expectations."

McLaughlin stated he thinks the decision on whether or not to require standardized testing should be left up to the school, not enacted through law.

"The term standardized means everyone is going to have an equal playing field. There's lots of value in such testing," McLaughlin told the DuPage Policy Journal. "Removing these tests is a bad idea."

A few years back, a University of Illinois math professor wrote an anthology for teachers in which she argued that math is racist, stating "mathematics itself operates as Whiteness," according to the National Review. 

"I don't believe math really cares about race, color or creed," McLaughlin said. "Parts of standardized tests are just looking for answers, and we need them to know how we are doing here in Illinois and compared to the rest of the country."

Data from the Illinois State Board of Education revealed that the number of Illinois students who met grade-level standards in 3rd to 11th grade dropped by 18% in math and 17% in English over the last two years, WBEZ reported.

"I think the days of teaching the three r's of reading, writing, and arithmetic have turned to racism, racialism, and revisionist history," he stated.

McLaughlin believes the move to eliminate standardized testing altogether would sweep "shortcomings" in the public education system under the rug.

As of the first of the year, state colleges and universities can no longer require applicants to include their standardized test scores in order to be accepted under The Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, or House Bill 0226.

Schools that have eliminated the standardized test score requirement for admission have said their biggest reason was that those tests "favor students from privileged backgrounds," according to Test Prep Advisor.