What say you?

[ex-ladylike.livejournal.com]

Comments

[ice-hesitant.livejournal.com]

Fitness and perhaps first aid tests are probably the most appropriate tool in firefighter selection.

Classical orchestras found themselves hiring a lot more women musicians the moment they switched to blind auditions, where the aspiring musician would play unseen behind a screen. There's varying amounts of unconscious bias in each of us that we need to be careful of.

The argument in favour of a stronger form of affirmative action is rather more complicated.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

it's not about being a better firefighter. It's about getting promotions based on a test deemed discriminatory.

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

The test wasn't even deemed discriminatory.

Test was deemed as often having incorrect answer options in the multiple choice and referencing rules and regulations that did not exist anymore.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

Was it? I didn't exactly follow this one closely. :D

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

[A]ccording to testimony offered by several experienced firefighters, there were several problems with the content of the exam. First, some material on the test was completely inapplicable to the New Haven community, and other questions actually had correct answers that were contrary to local firefighting policy. For instance, one question asked whether it was best to approach an emergency from uptown or downtown--terminology with no valid meaning in New Haven given the way in which the community is constructed--and another offered several multiple choice options among its answers, none of which happened to be the correct answer, in line with New Haven policy.

Secondly, as even the test makers admit, the source material to which they turned in order to construct the test often involved contradictory information, increasing the likelihood that items selected would potentially have "correct answers" that were open to interpretation and dispute.

(source (http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/plaintiff-wail-ricci-v-destefano-and-myth-white-victimhood))

[dwer.livejournal.com]

nice. A point utterly lost in the static.

[vivianc1968.livejournal.com]

Sorry. The white guy made it up first but you are going to have to wait because we are worried the ladders may be racially biased.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

fair moar.

[i.livejournal.com]

SORRY, THE WHITE GUY GOT THE JOB BECAUSE HE WAS WHITE, BUT HE'S SO FUCKING FAT HE BROKE THE LADDER. BURN, BITCH.

[jessica-leah.livejournal.com]

If the testing is biased, fix the testing methods. Don't hire/promote the less competent to make up for it.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

That.

[muffledlaugh.livejournal.com]

bingo.

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

werd

[jessica-leah.livejournal.com]

Okay.

[paradisacorbasi.livejournal.com]

Like anyone needing rescue from a fire has a racial preference.

If the test was messed up, the test needs fixing.

[darkblood777.livejournal.com]

I didn't know ladders came in different races.

Can I have an Indian ladder? I'd love to have a mango lassi please.

[i.livejournal.com]

a scottish lassie would be nice, too...

[darkblood777.livejournal.com]

*facepalms*

[drivebyluna.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I could totally go for a mango lassi right now.

[caerfrli.livejournal.com]

NY's female firefighters have to meet the same physical standards as do the males.

[jessica-leah.livejournal.com]

If that's true, that makes me happy.