NPR: Black Troopers Say Written Exam is Unfair

Black Troopers Say Written Exam is Unfair

A group of black Connecticut state troopers has filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming discrimination against potential black officers. At issue: what constitutes a passing grade on the required written exam.

"The troopers say a passing grade on the exam traditionally has been a 65 percent or higher, but that [Commissioner John] Danaher has decided to accept candidates who score 85 percent or higher."

Here's what the group's lawyer has to say:

"John R. Williams, the lawyer for the black troopers coalition ... called the situation 'defacto racism' because he believes that by picking applicants with higher scores, the system is 'racially exclusionary.' '(Danaher) knows that his people have decided that a passing score is 65 and knows that if you limit it only to those who score 86 or above, you cut out the vast majority of the qualified African American applicants,' Williams said."

Read the full article here. What do you make of Williams' argument: the higher the score, the more racially exclusionary? Isn't that point in itself racist, if not self-defeating?

Geoffrey Bennett

Tags: police | race

12:02 PM ET | 02-29-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Is John R. Williams actually arguing for less educated officers? Embarrassing! Blacks can't score 85 like everyone else? The Grand-dragon couldn't have said it better.

The Blacks that score 85 & aren't consider is a reason for law suit.

Blacks like Whites, etc. who score below 85 should either study harder or go do something else.

When I get pulled over I want the officer to be as educated as possible!

Sent by Jon J | 6:35 PM ET | 02-29-2008

I read the rest of the article and I'm still puzzled. If the test is a good predictor of success upon promotion, they shouldn't change a thing. However, they did change something significant in the test: the passing score. As one trained in behavioral science, I'd be very worried about a test that was called "successful" when passing applicants only got 65% correct.

Now, to the changed parameters. If they changed the lower threshold for passing because they had too many applicants, I can see that. But if this action which was facially neutral resulted in an even greater skewing away from any one particular group, I'd be worried.

Another thing that worries me about the test: does it measure the same kinds of things that earlier entrance exams measures? It may be that either this test is qualitatively different in type or scope than earlier entrants exams. It could be that they had a much lower threshold there, as well, which let in people who would have difficulty passing the promotional exam.

Rather than letting the lawyers figure it out, I'd like to see test preparation specialists take a crack it it. Their entire system may be flawed.

Sent by Lalita | 11:06 AM ET | 03-03-2008

Let's see. A passing grade is 65%, but the commissoner decides that he will only accept candidates who score 85% or better. What's the problem? When I was in school, 65% was a 'D'/'F'. If I had the choice, I would rather have candidates that score 85% too.

Sent by russd | 12:32 PM ET | 03-04-2008

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