29.012 - Film Expo: Tested

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

TESTED (Spring 2015, 72 minutes)
Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech: some of NYC's top ranked public high schools. Each year, thousands of 8th graders compete to secure a coveted spot at these elite schools by taking the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, the SHSAT. While black and Latino youth constitute 70 percent of the city's total public school population, at some of these high schools, they represent less than five percent. On the other hand, Asian Americans and whites form supermajorities at all three. In response to these concerns about racial imbalance, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund filed a complaint in September 2012 with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights to challenge the admission policy's sole reliance on the SHSAT. This film follows a diverse group of students trying to pass the test, as well as the issues surrounding access to a high-quality public education, affirmative action, and the model-minority myth.

Film Website: http://www.testedfilm.com

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chairs

• Jonathan I Gayles, Georgia State University

• Curtis Chin, Tested Film

• Adam Wolman, Tested Film