John Oliver VS. Standardized Testing

In this video, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver picks apart and critiques the system of starndardized tests that plagues students every year. He shows the methods that these companies to use to get kids hyped about testing, and how even with their persuasion the children still refused to take the tests. John Oliver makes his arguement against the standardized tests clear when he gives examples of how inaccurate the test graders are and what effects these tests have on the teachers and children invpved. By using many examples and throwing satirical comments left and right, John Oliver fully uses his power of persuasion to fight against this unfair system.

One major way John Oliver persuades his audience is by using evidence to support his claims and his viewpoint. He uses many clips, pictures, and statisctics to show how the standardized tests negatively effect all those involved. This use of logos helps provide credibility to his claims and makes us believe both him and his evidence gathered. He also gives the origin behind standardized testing by showing a clip of George Bush talking about schools needing to be accountable for the poor test scores United States children showed compared to other childrens' scores from around the world. This set the basis for the reason why standardized testing was increased and the "No Child Left Behind" was created. John Oliver then goes on to explain in the video that while this was a good idea with pure intentions, it created more havoc than improvement. Oliver went on to point out that test scores have gone down since the implementation of these tests and asks why they are still so inaffective.

John Oliver also applies to people's emotions with pathos. He shows just how much these tests harm the children that take them. He shows a photo of one of the rules of the test, stating what to do if a child vomits on his/her test book. This immediately makes the audience reach out with empathy towards the children so anxious and worried about a grade that they get physically ill. He also uses a video where an 8th grade girl is petitioning to stay in an advanvced language class that she is excelling in, but was taken out of due to poor test grades. The audience can clearly see how broken up this girl is about her program being taken away from her and I even felt bad when she started crying and choking up.

Standardized testing is the bane of every child's existance as students. These tests rule their lives and can make them physically, mentally, and emotionally ill, especially if they handle stress poorly or are put under pressure by their teachers or peers. John Oliver looks for ways to fight back against these injustices by using logos and pathos to add to his power of persuasion. He uses examples that makes the audience laugh, pity, and gasp at the systems used for testing. He clearly asks the audience to look at this flawed system and see what we can do to put an end to this source of immense stress. And in the words of John Oliver, I end this analysis with these four words: "Here comes the monkey!"