Critics: Mass. ethics test too easy

BOSTON, May 20 (UPI) -- Critics of Massachusetts' mandatory ethics test for public employees say the quiz is too easy, bearing only questions with obvious answers.

Every state employee has passed the State Ethics Commission's Online Training Program, a 25-question quiz, but critics say questions like, "Can politicians run campaigns on taxpayer time or flash their business cards to avoid drunken-driving busts?" have obvious answers having no bearing on the true feelings of the test takers, the Boston Herald reported Thursday.

"It's trivial," said Richard Spinello, director of the ethics program at Boston College's Carroll School of Management. "If the state really wants to do this right, it has to make more of an investment and not pretend some online quiz constitutes serious ethical training."

Questions on the quiz also include "Can a Board of Registration worker supervising a test accept $100 from a license applicant to ensure the person passes?" and "Can a highway employee overseeing the bids for a $3 million project accept free tickets to a New England Patriots game from someone applying for the contract?"

"As an elected official, I found it insulting," said state Rep. Martin Walsh, D-Dorchester. "I voted for the ethics law, but I found it insulting you're taking a test like this."