EDITORIALS

Too Intelligent For The Job?

Robert J. Jordan's attempt to become a New London police officer would be a laughable tale if it were not so insulting to all concerned.

Mr. Jordan, a 48-year-old life insurance salesman, had a yearning to serve in law enforcement and was smart enough to be attracted by the pension possibilities.

But it turns out he's too smart to be an officer -- at least as far as the police department's by-the-book human robots and their bean-counting consultant are concerned. Mr. Jordan scored 33 out of a possible 50 on an exam created by Wonderlic Inc. of Libertyville, Ill., a test used by thousands of employers across the country to see if applicants are suited for specific jobs.

According to the Wonderlic scale, Mr. Jordan was six points too high to qualify for an interview with the New London department. Applicants who score only 20 to 27 out of 50 "fit the profile" of a police officer.

Wonderlic research shows that high scorers are creative and often become dissatisfied with repetitive work, and Charles F. Wonderlic Jr. warns his clients that it could cost a lot to replace them when they quit.

"Bob Jordan is exactly the kind of guy we would want to screen out," said New London Deputy Police Chief and candidate interviewer William C. Gavitt, who went on to say that "police work is kind of mundane."

People may be overqualified for a job -- but they should at least be given a chance to succeed or fail, right? Not so, said U.S. District Judge Peter C. Dorsey, who ruled in a lawsuit brought by Mr. Jordan that New London's hiring policy was constitutional because the city treats all smart applicants the same and hence doesn't discriminate.

But judge, don't smart people have the same equal protection rights as the not-so-smart? The ruling makes you wonder whether Judge Dorsey meets the Wonderlic profile for the judiciary.

Mr. Jordan's fate is fodder for those who believe that society is becoming less and less competent. By Mr. Gavitt's own admission, his city's police department is not so much different from an anthill or a beehive -- lots of worker insects going through the motions. New London police officers ought to feel insulted. New London residents ought to worry. Then Judge Dorsey says it's all right to discriminate against smart people as long as you don't pick on just one. And poor Mr. Jordan is out in the cold. This episode stands the merit system on its head, and everyone's a loser.