<p>Proctors have discretion, period. This proctor determined the violation did not rise to the level of dismissal. Some other proctor may very well have come to a different conclusion in an identical circumstance, get used to life in the real world.</p>
<p>And, incidentally…</p>
<p>“Who gets hurt if we discuss answers after the exam? No one.”</p>
<p>After the October 2012 ACT, kids came on this website to discuss the test in detail. Essentially every difficult question was laid out in a Google doc for anyone to archive if they so chose. The actual reading passages were all identified and linked. </p>
<p>Then the ACT administered the identical test a couple of week ago. You want to call in the National Guard about some kid checking a text but laying out unreleased test questions online is fine with you?</p>
<p>Who wants to call the National Guard? What are you talking about?</p>
<p>This is the first time the ACT has used entire sections from a test administered less than two years. It’s very unusual for them to do that. </p>
<p>Plus, that’s their problem. They know very well that they are issuing an ACT test that was administered less than two years ago. They also know that students are going to discuss the questions anyway even if they don’t post it in a google docs. </p>
<p>Although the ACT may not have full control over what happens during the exam, they are responsible for it and they can take action for it. </p>
<p>It is a proctor’s responsibility to ensure that the ACT rules are followed during the exam. If a rule is broken, the student is at fault. If that situation is not dealt with properly, the proctor is at fault as well. If the person who broke the rule is now concerned/worried like this person is - Too bad for not following the rules in the first place like everyone else. </p>
<p>Breaking the rules during the exam is worse than discussing the questions post-examination simply because the ACT knows it’s going to happen anyway and won’t be able to do anything about it. But that’s a different issue. </p>
<p>The fact that one student has the privilege of using her phone is unfair in itself regardless of what she was doing with it. </p>
<p>1) I made it up? No I did not. Try proving it wrong if you want to.</p>
<p>2) What is irrelevant? I’m not too sure what you mean, but you do realize that the ACT themselves annually publish books containing real ACT tests, right? That means they are well aware that they have to be careful in deciding what questions they want to use in ACT tests. Again, they knew that they were using sections from a test administered less than two years ago. And they also know that students discuss ACT questions anyway unless you think the ACT believes that the test takers would never discuss ACT questions.</p>
<p>3) Certain amount of discretion? Oh, so are you’re telling me that it’s okay if someone uses their phone even if it’s to check their text messages? Is that what you mean by discretion? The argument, “Well, as long as the student wasn’t discussing ACT questions, it’s okay for him/her to use a phone during the test” is invalid. </p>
<p>The ACT shouldn’t care what happens afterwards because there are no proctors to ensure that even if rules - in this case, I’m referring to discussing questions - are broken afterwards. I’m not saying that’s it’s okay to break the rules by discussing ACT questions after the test just because there are no proctors or consequences.</p>
<p>My point is that the proctors are there to ensure rules are not broken during the exam. If a rule is broken during the exam, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. If a watch beeps, if a phone rings, or if a student uses their phone, etc. then by the ACT rules that are read before the test, the student must be dismissed and their test must not be scored. </p>
<p>If these rules are broken and the proper actions are not taken, then we have every right to be mad. It is unfair to the rest of the students who take the test and it is unfair for those who have been dismissed for breaking those very rules. </p>
<p>Actions with consequences must be taken seriously. There are no consequences to discussing ACT questions post-examination. Again, I’m not saying that consequences are what determine whether an action is right/wrong. Moreover, it’s foolish to be worried about the consequences after breaking the rules when that person was fully aware of the rules. </p>
<p>This whole issue brings up another point in the larger context. Phones are trivial when wearable computing is becoming a reality with voice recognition. We are now at a point where there are smart watches, Google Glass and clothing that has some information on it. What will the ACT organization and the College Board do? Right now stuff like Google Glass is obvious, but there will be dozens of companies making the same thing in few years that won’t be obvious and it will look like standard eye glasses.</p>
<p>I predict the future will be these standardized tests will be administered after passing some sort of security, like at the airport, or the student will be forced to wear something like a prison jump suit during the testing. Both of which are not feasible. </p>
<p>@AG2014 - That’s a good point, and I read that ACT will be computerizing their testing procedure (I don’t know when). Who knows what kind of flaws they’ll encounter then. </p>
<p>@VaishS - Well, I’m not surprised, although that is funny lol. But here’s the deal - If someone breaks the rules and gets caught, they should be prepared for consequences.</p>
<p>If they are not punished the way they are supposed to be punished, it is unfair for everyone else. </p>
<p>@esai23 I totally understand that! but the fact that a bunch of people have been freaking out over something so trivial and making it such a big deal is pretty funny! I feel bad for the girl who posted this lol</p>