An attempt at humor by a math teacher at Sonoma County's academically elite Technology High School backfired Friday when students at a nearby campus found they were the subject of an unflattering final exam question.

Teacher Ken Torre suggested in a hypothetical question to his Algebra I class that students at the larger Rancho Cotate High are involved in crime, sport tattoos, possess weapons and are slackers when it comes to homework.

The negative portrayal angered Rancho Cotate students, who said it is evidence of a snooty attitude at Technology High, a magnet school boasting the county's top test scores. Some said the teacher should face discipline.

"I'm quite offended by this," Rancho senior Nayeli Ruiz said after reading the multiple-choice question. "It's ridiculous that a teacher who is supposed to be a role model would put other people down."

School board member Leff Brown agreed, calling it "totally inappropriate." Brown said he would leave it to school administrators to decide what to do to Torre, a former Rancho teacher.

"It's unacceptable," Brown said. "I have three sons who graduated from The Ranch. They are all doing well."

Torre didn't return a phone call seeking comment Friday. In an email response, he said the question was an attempt to "lighten the mood of the all-important final exam." He called it "light-hearted humor."

But he conceded the question was a poor choice and promised to remove it from other tests.

"Perhaps in retrospect, it wasn't the best decision, and I will refrain from any inappropriate questioning, particularly inter-school ribbing, in the future," Torre said. "That question has been removed from the exam draft, so it won't inadvertently appear again in the future."

On the test, Technology High students were given the following question:

"Suppose we collect data on 50 Rancho students. Which of the following variables is categorical?

a) years in Juvenile Hall

b) circumference of largest tattoo

c) hours of homework completed last week (really?)

d) weapon choice

e) number of stolen computers at home"

The correct answer is D, said SSU math professor Rick Luttmann. All of the other choices result in numerical answers, rather than categorical, he said.

Torre did not respond to an email seeking the proper answer for the question.

Rancho junior Chaz Highfill said he felt slighted by the question.

"It's driven by ignorance," Highfill said. "My dad has a bunch of tattoos and he's the smartest person I know."

Another Rancho junior, Tamara Fahel, said Torres should get in trouble.

"He's basically talking crap about our school and students," she said. "He doesn't even know who we are."

But others said it didn't offend them at all. Sophomore Liam Reynolds said he appreciated the sense of humor.

"I like that teacher," Reynolds said. "That's funny."

Superintendent Robert Haley did not return a call seeking comment Friday.

Housed on the campus of Sonoma State University, Technology High School routinely posts the county's highest score on the Academic Performance Index — California's standard measurement for academic skill. Last year, Tech scored 920 out of a possible 1,000, outpacing Rancho Cotate's score of 733. The state goal is 800.

It's been a hectic year for Tech High. Former Principal Bruce Mims resigned in October amid accusations that he lied on his resume. Rancho Principal Bob Steffens will take over the 300-student Tech campus in the fall.

Steffens said Friday most Tech High students are college-bound but Rancho Cotate sends its share to the state's top colleges. He said he would make it a goal to bridge the two schools, just a few miles apart in Rohnert Park.

"I'm disappointed he put that out there," Steffens said of the exam question. "I'm sure it was in jest. Either way it's unfortunate that feelings persist."

(Staff Writer Kerry Benefield contributed to this report.)