A New York State Board of Regents member likened holding Black students to literacy and math standards to “asking a fish to climb a tree,” igniting a backlash over lowered expectations.
Story Highlights
- A sitting New York State Regent used a “fish can’t climb a tree” metaphor tied to Black students and core skills.
- The remark lands amid persistent racial gaps on New York tests and national assessments.
- Past moves to loosen exams and standards in New York fuel concerns about “equity” replacing excellence.
- Evidence shows students of color excel when schools demand mastery and reject excuse-making.
What Was Said And Why It Sparked Outrage
Townhall reported that Regent Felicia Thomas-Williams said that asking Black high school students to have basic literacy and math skills is like “asking a fish to climb a tree,” and added, “You don’t assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can’t climb trees”. Critics say this frames Black students as unable to meet core standards. Supporters of high standards call it another sign that some leaders would rather lower the bar than fix broken schools.
The “fish and tree” line is a common metaphor in pop culture to argue that people learn in different ways. But linking it to Black students and basic skills changes the meaning. The core subjects are not niche talents. Reading and math are the keys to every other class and to adult life. When a top official shrugs at those basics, families hear a message of permanent limits, not help or hope.
The Record On Achievement Gaps In New York And Beyond
New York has struggled with wide racial gaps for years. In a prior review of test results, the share of Black students proficient in reading lagged far behind White peers, and the math gap was even larger. National data show broad declines after 2020 for thirteen-year-olds across groups, including Black, Hispanic, and White students, underscoring the urgency of catching kids up, not redefining success downward. The gaps are real, but they are not destiny.
There is strong evidence that excellence is possible when schools teach hard content and expect mastery. Success Academy, a New York City charter network serving mostly Black and Hispanic students, posted near-universal passes on the state algebra exam and many top scores, proving high standards can lift all students when instruction is strong and focused. Results like this undercut any claim that basic skills are unfair asks for minority kids.
Lowering The Bar Has A History—And Costs
New York’s Board of Regents has moved before to ease or discard measures that track basic skills. In 2017 it dropped a teacher literacy test after lower pass rates for Black and Hispanic candidates raised claims of bias. In 2023, state leaders weighed moving away from Regents exams as a high school graduation requirement, drawing fire for “dumbing down” diplomas and weakening accountability. Opinion writers warned that scrapping exams would harm students most in need of structure and clarity.
Research has also documented score manipulation around Regents cut lines, with higher manipulation rates for students with lower baseline scores and for Black and Hispanic students, which masks true learning needs and delays real fixes. When leaders replace standards with slogans, families get flattering numbers but fewer skills. That trade leaves young adults unready for college, the trades, or service. It also widens the trust gap between parents and systems that promise “equity” yet deliver less learning.
Why Words From Officials Matter Right Now
Public officials shape culture inside schools. When a Regent ties basic literacy and math to an impossible task, teachers and principals hear permission to excuse failure. That message clashes with civil rights victories that aimed to open doors through equal treatment, not lowered measures. The Supreme Court’s recent rulings emphasize equal protection under the law and warn against government race sorting, steering policy back toward fair, high standards for each child.
Parents deserve a system that teaches every child to read well and do real math. That means clear goals, firm discipline, phonics-based reading, knowledge-rich lessons, and honest tests. It also means leaders who believe in students enough to demand results. New York can close gaps by building strong schools, backing great teachers, and measuring what matters. What it must not do is call the ladder a wall and tell kids to stop climbing.
Sources:
townhall.com, chalkbeat.org, nytimes.com, nypost.com, tom-dee.github.io, nbcnewyork.com, publiccounsel.org
