Education students from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point got an inside look at fairness of educational opportunities for students with racially and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds during the annual School of Education Okray Colloquium on Tuesday, Feb. 23. View Photos
“Tested” filmmaker Curtis Chin spent the day on campus discussing his documentary and helping future educators better understand the challenges some students and their families face, applying this lens to area schools and paths to higher education.
“Tested” follows 12 racially and socioeconomically diverse eighth graders as they fight for a seat at one of New York City’s most elite public high schools. Their only way in is to ace a single standardized test. African-Americans and Hispanics make up 70 percent of New York City’s school-aged population, but represent less than 5 percent at the city’s most elite public high schools. Meanwhile, Asian Americans make up as much as 73 percent. The documentary explores access to high quality public education, affirmative action and the model-minority myth.
As a part of his visit to Stevens Point, Chin joined visited Prof. Maysee Herr’s Pluralism for Educators class to talk about diversity and joined students, administrators and local school officials in a roundtable conversation about first-generation college students. Students were also invited to a screening of “Tested” and discussion with Chin about the impact of his film.
The Okray Colloquium is an annual free event made possible by the generous support from the Okray family and offers collegiality and professional development to UW-Stevens Point’s preservice teachers.
The colloquium was organized by Prof. Kym Buchanan and a committee of School of Ed student organization leaders.