1 ' .".:' 'v-ni-i,' ! ; A-, , . i .0. :'J f U GORRILA at Central School wishes excited children a Merry Christmas. III . I i I j - v V ' ' - . .... .; Sa NAPLES SiX GRADERS write Christmas card to refugees in Iran. Competency flest . .causes out-cry from UIH3S parents Parents of Uintah High School Seniors debated with school officials in a special meeting last Wednesday, Dec. 19 about the fairness of a competency test that may prevent students from graduating if they don't score above 70 percent. "When our students are given tests affecting their graduation, required classed should be taught that will give information needed for the tests," voiced the parents in a written protest of the testing. The tests were first given to the students during their junior year in March 1979, at which time only 22 percent passed the tests. Most students who took the tests said the reading and math parts of the test were easy, but the democratic governance was harder and the consumer con-sumer part was ridiculous. "It asked question like, if you were to buy a dress would the reason for buying it be: price, color, style or brand," said one student about the consumer part of the test. Questions on the Democratic Governance part of the test are similar to: "Some laws are delcared unconstitutional. un-constitutional. Which branch of government has this responsibility?" Some concern has been voiced about the notice of the results of the tests before the students were to retake it lust week. "As parents of senior students we do not appreciate this late (Dec. 7) letter informing us that our students, now in their senior year, will not be able to graduate without these basic academic skills," said one mother. Bill Caldwell, Uintah High School Prinicpal, said that a lot of things will happen between now and graduation so students can pass the lest. "Students will have an opportunity to retake the test," Caldwell said, "and the school will offer classes during school hours and outside of school hours so students can prepare for the tests." Students who are identified as "learning disabled" will not be required to pass the test Caldwell said. "The test isn't designed to prevent anyone from graduating from high school," Caldwell added. "Students would have to work at it, to have the test prevent them from graduating." When the test was first given only 22 percent of the students passed it, but "we anticipate that score will be higher when the students retake the test," Caldwell said. Action has been taken to correct the language of the consumer and democratic governance parts of the test, which were made up by the district. The Uintah County Board of Education will hear the concerns about the graduation exams in their regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 27 at 6:20 p.m. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m.