As you may have figured out, I am home, my trip to Asia concluded. I mentioned in an earlier post when we were traveling in Vietnam, we happened upon an awards ceremony at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. The Temple is situated in the midst of beautiful gardens in central Hanoi.
Several hundred young children were sitting in the outdoor audience, getting a pep talk about the importance of the tests. Nothing is more important than doing well on the tests. Beyond the outdoor space was an interior room dedicated to Confucius, the patron of academic excellence. The stones on the side of the outdoor space had graven names of the nation’s best test takers.
The children with the highest scores were called forward, and their teachers tied a red scarf with a yellow star around their necks (a small version of the Comminist flag). Their classmates applauded.
One of my tour mates, a professional cellist, told me he saw a sign that said that three types of people were not allowed to take the tests:
Criminals
Musicians
Singers
He understood the singers and criminals, but why musicians? Spoken as a musician.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Musicians, artists, and writers are often the first targets of totalitarian regimes. Creativity is toxic to fascism. It wouldn’t do to have these persons recognized for their intelligence or talent. That would be uncomfortable for those in power.
Also, why not actors, writers, poets, artists, sculptors, et al.?
In fact, if they have to test, why not just test future scientists, engineers, accountants, lawyers, and economists?
Politicians get a separate test to measure how skilled they are at lying.
Oh dear. I’m a clarinetist. Musicians don’t carry as much weight as academics even in this country. Why else is music and art cut when there is a lack of funding. We are worthless except that cultures are enriched by our producing. I find this lack of appreciation to be a sad state of affairs.
I read that music teachers are graded on the VAM tests that their students take. That definitely is a pile of $%()$ ($_(Y)@#$Y%____________! Expletive!!!
I had one principal who wanted me to regularly meet with the reading teacher and incorporate specific music lesson plans to help the reading teacher. I was only at that school one year and one year was way too much!!
No, not worthless. Perhaps underappreciated, but as you say certainly a net gain for society.
“#TestMeToo”
The Vietnam debate
Is “Who will take the test?”
America, of late
Asks “Who will test divest?”
If Singer’s and musicians
Are not allowed to test
Then criminal positions
Are really just the best
(Psst! Someone needs to remind them that singers are musicians too!)
This is a bit baffling. Dictatorships, tyrants, authoritarian regimes utilize music and singers to stir up the populace and to deify the glorious leader or the ruling cadre. Singers and musicians who toe the party line are honored and feted.
Diane,
Welcome home. Thank you for your posts about Vietnam. I wouldn’t be able to look at those pictures, too.
And WOW, the tests. What a lot of pressure. I would be a dismal failure in that system.