Take Note

When all 60 students in two honors social studies classes at Page High School in Greensboro, N.C., recently failed a surprise test on the U.S. Constitution, they complained that the "trick" questions could have several correct answers.

But student-teacher Amber Prock showed no sympathy. She told the students that those who talked during the 30-minute test would fail, and that there was only one acceptable response for each of the 68 multiple-choice and short-answer questions. Students could give up to seven wrong answers and still pass.

After students protested their grades, Ms. Prock revealed that the test was merely a ruse. What they had taken--and so miserably failed--was the 1965 Alabama Literacy Test, which the state's black residents were required to pass in order to vote. Despite having studied the Constitution in recent weeks, the students, and even Ms. Prock, were ill-prepared...