I recently learned that the College Board plans to scrap its idea of an adversity score.
When I first heard of the plan, I was alarmed that an educational organization would implement a process of grading levels of “hardship” and “privilege” that has no way of addressing undiagnosed mental health issues, unreported bullying, and unreported sexual harassment that millions of students face in their lifetime.
This is just a small fraction of the life struggles ignored in the previously-planned assessment of which kids have had an “easy” life.
At best, such adversity tests are discrimination against young students who just want a fair chance, and at worst, they are bullying vulnerable children with condescending labels of who they are as a person.
These decisions have direct impacts on graduating kids, and I am thankful the College Board reconsidered their proposal.
