✍🏽 Should we ditch the SATs?

It’s Wednesday, January 10 — people are talking about ditching the SATs and other standardized testing, the impact of screentime on toddlers, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly. Here at Shades we believe that seeing multiple points of view is the best way to stay informed.

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- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)

✍🏽 Should we ditch the SATs?

Some say the SATs are outdated and biased, while others argue they’re a fair measure of potential.

✍🏽 Some schools are dropping the SATs and other standardized tests in a push for diversity. The NYT says it's a mistake: SATs help spot potential in lower-income and minority students.

✍🏽 Reason agrees: SATs should make a comeback. They're a better metric than GPAs and essays.

✍🏽 But @3vansutton disagrees: SAT scores correlate with wealth, not merit.

✍🏽 And the Daily Free Press thinks the SATs are an outdated measure of performance. They perpetuate inequality — test prep is biased by socioeconomic status, skewing results in favor of the wealthy.

✍🏽 MSNBC agrees that SAT scores correlate more with wealth than aptitude, but says they're not the root issue. Colleges should keep looking at SAT scores, but should view them as tools for support and resources, not high-stakes barriers.

👶 How does screentime affect toddlers?

Some studies show that screentime has benefits for young kids, while others warn of delays in development.

👶 Drexel says excessive screentime can negatively impact how kids under 2 develop. Parents should balance screentime with interactive play.

👶 The NY Post agrees: Screentime is bad news for kids under 3. It's been linked to sensory issues — each extra daily hour of screentime increases the risk of problems by up to 23%.

👶 But a Redditor on r/BeyondTheBump thinks no screentime seems a little unreasonable. Screens are here to stay — it's good to build healthy screentime habits early.

👶 And The Friday Times.com writes that not all screen time is detrimental for kids — for example, a recent study suggested that quality video games may enhance brain connectivity and decision-making in kids.

Quick hits

🚢 The US and UK navies successfully averted the biggest attack yet from Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. (BBC)

📺 A group of gunmen armed with explosives stormed a TV station in Ecuador — the latest incident in a wave of gang violence across the country. (Reuters)

⚫ A coroner's report listed singer Sinéad O'Connor's cause of death as "natural causes". She was found dead at home in July last year. (AP News)

🏀 The Miami Heat extended head coach Erik Spoelstra for 8 years. He has led the team to 6 Finals appearances (2 victories) since taking the helm in 2008. (SI)

Thanks for reading. If you have any feedback or want to share your thoughts or ideas, please email me at [email protected].