The following post came from a blog reader who posted it under the corvette blog since there was no other place to post it. I moved it to its own post so that anyone else could comment on it if they'd like. I will leave a comment about it too. --Dan
HFH said...
I am interested in your lack of comment concerning the front page stories in the May 22nd paper about the local graduations.
In that paper we see listed 2, 3.....5 (should there be more?) valedictorians at the county schools. Perhaps it should have been dozens or, what the heck, why not just list all graduates as valedictorians.
What kind of "PC crap" is this? Would you have us believe that there was no difference in these students grades and abilities. Are they now using "pass/fail" to determine the valedictorian and salutatorian?
If the schools insist on this policy then they must logically apply the same criteria to the sports programs.
Every student in school must be allowed the same playing time as any other regardless of skill level! Every person on the football team must be allowed to play quarterback exactly the same amount of time as any other.
No competition in academics equals very low expectations in academic performance just as no competition in athletics would equal the same low expectations in athletic performance.
Wouldn't you agree DT?
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4 comments:
I do agree and I did bring up this topic in the office last week. Maybe we'll get a story on how each school chooses their valedictorians and salutatorians, because I believe they are all different.
I do believe most of this situation has to do with schools and their tendencies to coddle everyone to make them feel good... doesn't really help them in the real world in my opinion.
I think each school should have one valedictorian and one salutatorian or two co-valedictorians by figuring out a way to separate the students. Otherwise, like you said, just honor the whole dang class. When we recognize five or six people out of a class of 20, isn't it already watered down?
Honestly, though, I can't see the process changing.
This has been a topic of discussion where I work as well. How can roughly 25% of the class be ranked #1? Our children already have to wake up when they go from being a big fish in our very little pond to the real world of bigger fish in a much bigger pond. Do we need to make it worse by having 5 valedictorians just so everyone is happy. If they all truely have the same GPA then look at the weight of the classes taken, or go back as far as needed to weed it down to one. Otherwise the "honor" is empty.
A graduation "honors group" is not a good idea. It is totally unfair to the truely top student. Can being a "group val" really be a matter of pride? It also then becomes a "dishonor" not to be one of the group! Please, let's get back to one val and sal! It can get figured out..it has been in the past!
It is not surprising to see that things have not changed in the school system there. When I went to WHS 20 years ago, you had the "special kids", those who always received the best treatment, always got the awards, always got the grade, even if they didn't try. Back then, it also seemed to be connected to who's parents had the money in the county, or were the "well knowns" of town.
Then you had the kids, that struggled, worked their butts off, got the grade, and received no recognition.
Our class Valedcitorian was not the top student, she was the most popular! Go figure.
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