# Iraq religions/sects = unsolvable problems?



## Richard King (Jul 11, 2007)

Saw this on Gene Edward Veith's blog. It seems odd but such a small looking thing shows how enormous the problems are...


July 11, 2007 
The grading war


Young people in Iraq, as in other nations besides the USA, have to pass a national examination before they can go to a university. But it turns out that many teachers who grade the exam are flunking students who belong to the other Muslim sect. Both Shi'ites and Sunnis are doing this. The graders can tell what sect a student belongs to by his or her name. They are going so far as to change right answers to wrong answers. The graders are even admitting what they are doing and justifying it:

One Shiite teacher, who was dismissed, told investigators: "I gave bad marks to those with Sunni names because I lost one of my sons in al-Adamiya city [a hardline Sunni area of Baghdad]. He was killed there because he is a Shia."
As a teacher, I consider grading and the fairness and integrity of my grading to be a nearly sacred trust. That teachers would do this tells me that a civil society in Iraq is impossible.

Posted by Veith at Jul 11, 07 08:41 AM :: :: Comments (8) ::


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## govols (Jul 12, 2007)

I could have sworn my teachers that too !!


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