美国纽约市特殊高中入学考试存废之争评析

Analysis on the Debate of the SHSAT Cancellation in New York City Specialized High School in America

特殊高中是对美国纽约市9所公立选拔性高中的统称。卓越的教育成就使特殊高中声誉斐然,同时又因学生族裔比例失调受到有违教育公平的质疑,其争议的根源在于这些高中将入学考试作为唯一的招生标准。近年来,关于特殊高中入学考试的争议逐渐上升为纽约市政府计划废除这一考试的政策行动,却又因遭到以亚裔为代表群体的反对被暂时叫停。特殊高中入学考试的存废之争,本质上反映了精英主义取向和政治正确取向在教育机会与资源分配中的利益博弈。对于具有"特殊性"的特殊高中而言,质量优先兼顾公平应该成为其坚持的原则和发展方向。

Specialized High School is the collective name of 9 public selective high schools in New York City.The exceptional educational achievement has made the specialized high schools very prestigious schools.But they have been questioned as unfairly because of the disproportionate ethnic representation of their students,and the controversy stems from their use of the SHSAT as the sole admission criterion.In recent years,the controversy has escalated into a political move by New York City to abolish the SHSAT,only to be temporarily halted after protests by the Asian American community.The debate over the existence and abolishment of the SHSAT essentially reflects the game between elite orientation and political correctness orientation in the allocation of educational opportunities and resources.As for the specialized high schools with"particularity",quality priority and fairness should be its principle and development direction.