First hour: Should Regents exams be overhauled?
Second hour: Discussing the current state of cancer research and treatment
Should Regents exams be overhauled? It’s a question that the state Board of Regents plans to study this fall as it considers revisiting New York’s graduation policies. Critics of the exams – and of standardized testing – say there are different and equally rigorous methods to measure student proficiency. They also say the tests place undue burden on some students, particularly minority students. Supporters of the Regents exams say the tests have evolved in recent years and provide a needed final assessment of students preparing to graduate. Our guests debate the value of these exit exams:
- Sheila Byrne, Advanced Placement English teacher at Webster Thomas High School
- Evvy Fanning, English teacher at a local suburban public school
- Katie Baird, recent graduate of Webster Thomas High School
- Calvin Eaton, founder and executive director of 540WMain Communiversity, and substitute teacher
Then in our second hour, former vice president and current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised that if elected, cancer would be cured during his presidency. President Trump made the same promise, as did President Richard Nixon when he signed the National Cancer Act nearly 50 years ago. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the U.S., leaving many people asking why no cure has been found. Researchers say it’s complicated, and some cancers are more likely to become treatable than others. This hour, we’re joined by local oncologists who discuss the current state of cancer research and treatment. In studio:
- Dr. Jonathan W. Friedberg, M.D., director of UR Medicine’s Wilmot Cancer Institute
- Dr. Farhan Imran, M.D., hematologist/oncologist at the Lipson Cancer Institute at Rochester Regional Health
