Wasting a Student's Life

The safeguarding of Earth and other worlds from biological cross-contamination (i.e. billionaires with too much time on their hands).

Also known as “planetary protection.” Planetary protection / quarantine “reflects both the unknown nature of the space environment and the desire of the scientific community to preserve the pristine nature of celestial bodies until they can be studied in detail.”

There are two types of interplanetary contamination. Forward contamination is the transfer of viable organisms from Earth to another celestial body. Back contamination is the transfer of extraterrestrial organisms, if such exist, back to the Earth's biosphere.

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning. A test taken in Washington State for public school kids in 7th and 10th grade. If they fail it, they won't be able to pass high school.

A stupid-ass test that kids that live in Washington have to take. The graduating class of 2008 has to pass the WASL or else they dont get their diploma. WASL = Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

A standardized test that a LOT of kids who live in Washington have to take. It's boring, and kinda easy.

v. Derived from the WASL standardized test, the Washington State Assesment of Student Learning, mandated by No Child Left Behind. The WASL tests have popularized the use of the word "wasl" as a verb, adjective, and explitive as well as the traditional noun form, though the verb form is the most common at this point. Common forms of the verb include wasling and wasled.

The WASL tests take place every spring and are currently given to students in 4th, 7th, 8th, and 10th, though they are adding more grades every year. The students in the class of '08, who took the 10th grade wasls last year, are the first class required to pass the reading, writing, and math wasls for high school graduation and complete a cumulative project. The class of '10, or current high school freshmen, must additionally pass the science wasls. Many schools have very low passing rates due to lack of government funding. The government (again mandated by No Child Left Behind) in turn decreases their funding even more, so they score even worse the next time they get wasled.

The wasls take at least a week's worth of two hours of testing a day to complete. This year's 10th grade wasls total nine days worth of tests. The writing wasls feature ridiculously lame prompts and the science wasls are infamous for testing students on things they either learned in fifth grade or won't be learning for another year or two. The security on these tests is insane as well. Only wasling students and proctors are allowed in the building while the testing is done. All backpacks must be around the perimeter of the room. Students may only use the restroom during the 5 minute break, which takes place after 60 minutes of testing, and they may only go one at a time per wasl class.

Due to all this paranoia, general disruption of school schedules and curriculum, and wasted time solving random math problems and writing about stuff no one cares about, the verb "to wasl" has been born, often used to mock, diss, curse, make fun of or express anger about the wasls.