More PC in Schools: No Honor Roll, etc.

[Brent]

From today's N&O (AP story by Matt Gouras) [emphasis mine]:

"The school honor roll, a time-honored system for rewarding A-students, has become an apparent source of embarrassment for some underachievers.

As a result, all Nashville schools have stopped posting honor rolls, and some are also considering a ban on hanging good work in the hallways -- all at the advice of school lawyers.

After a few parents complained that their children might be ridiculed for not making the list, Nashville school system lawyers warned that state privacy laws forbid releasing any academic information, good or bad, without permission.

Some schools have since put a stop to academic pep rallies. Others think they may have to cancel spelling bees. And now schools across the state may follow Nashville's lead."

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I know that this sounds like satire that would be found on CP's front page, but it's the truth.

Excuse me while I barf.

[Cathy]

Are we becoming a nation of weenies or what?????

[Karen]

I remember the chance at being on the honor roll was something to STRIVE for in school. It was something to be proud of. I think those students deserve to be recognised.

I'm with you Brent, my stomach just went in knots when I read this...just pathetic... :roll:

Karen

[Wuptdo]

If some back-water county is going to do this, Wake County won't be far behind, then the State will follow suit. I wonder how the future Superintent of Schools (Mr. Flecther) feels about this? :roll:

However, there is one thing I have learned from some of my classmates at NCSU. Minority students, especially girls, are highly discourage from excelling at school by their peers. It's okay to do well in sports, but doing well academically is considered taboo. :( Perhaps in their own preverted way, they are trying to keep this "honor roll" kids from being beaten up by their peers.

What is our country turning into? (Too much lead in the water?)

Wuptdo


Show me a man who had enjoyed his schooldays, and I'll show you a bully and a bore.
Robert Morley (1964)

[Brent]

Are we becoming a nation of weenies or what?????

As Robert D. Raiford says, we're becoming "The United States of the Offended".

[SteveG]

However, there is one thing I have learned from some of my classmates at NCSU. Minority students, especially girls, are highly discourage from excelling at school by their peers. It's okay to do well in sports, but doing well academically is considered taboo. :( Perhaps in their own preverted way, they are trying to keep this "honor roll" kids from being beaten up by their peers.


I used to dread the publication of the honor rolls when I was a kid. The first time the roll was published, many of my neighborhood friends didn't want to hang out with me anymore. It bothered them that I made high honors, and they picked on me for it. At the time, I thought that they disagreed with my apparent cooperation with "The Establishment" rather than rebellion and deliberate underachievement, which I believed was the social norm. In retrospect, perhaps they really were jealous.

I eventually made friends with people who didn't care how well I did in school, and others learned to accept me for who I was. My best friends from school with whom I still keep in touch are (1) a plumber who had to attend summer school to graduate, and (2) a meter reader who is learning-disabled. In high school they knew that I would end up with a Ph.D. before I did, but it didn't bother them, and although they did poke some fun at academia, most of it was deserved.

On this topic, I recommend the following books:

In Defense of Elitism by William Henry

and

Dumbing Down: Essays on the Strip Mining of American Culture by Katharine Washburn, John F. Thornton, and John Simon

[Don]

I looked forward to the posting of the Honor Roll list. It meant I was rewarded by my parents. Ususally with cash! Deal was if you brought home a good report card, you were rewarded in one way or another. If your report card was satisfactory, you weren't rewarded, but you weren't punished either. If the report card was bad, you were punished. This usually meant grounding. Does anyone see anything wrong so far? No? me either.

Growing up in southern Ca., I hung with a very diverse group of friends. Some jocks, some of a different ethnicity, some male, some female, etc.... My FRIENDS never made fun of me, or any of them making the honor roll. Kids that were not my friends, trouble-makers, or other losers did. Jealosy Steve? Maybe so, but it never inspired me NOT to do well in school. It also never made me want to run stick my head under a rock and cry either.

Fact is no matter what you do in life or how great it was, there will always be those to ridicule and criticize you. get used to it. My worst experience as a kid was in the 5th grade when I had to get glasses, and it wasn't all that bad. I remember being called four-eyes, coke bottle face, etc.... and it did hurt my feelings. However, I could see. That far outweighed any criticism I was recieving. And after a couple days, the name calling stopped.

Kids will be kids. If your friends are always making fun of you, throwing insults or demeaning your accomplishments, it sounds like you might need to get some new friends. A true friend supports you in life.

[Brent]

If your friends are always making fun of you, throwing insults or demeaning your accomplishments, it sounds like you might need to get some new friends. A true friend supports you in life.

Ahhh, whadda YOU know, four eyes? :)

[Don]

If your friends are always making fun of you, throwing insults or demeaning your accomplishments, it sounds like you might need to get some new friends. A true friend supports you in life.

Ahhh, whadda YOU know, four eyes? :)

O.K., that did it, you and me pal. Right now, let's go! :wink:

[Brent]

If your friends are always making fun of you, throwing insults or demeaning your accomplishments, it sounds like you might need to get some new friends. A true friend supports you in life.

Ahhh, whadda YOU know, four eyes? :)

O.K., that did it, you and me pal. Right now, let's go! :wink:

Oh, wait, I just remembered...you fixed my brakes, and it probably would be best if they continued to work. I take it all back! :lol: :wink:

[Don]

If your friends are always making fun of you, throwing insults or demeaning your accomplishments, it sounds like you might need to get some new friends. A true friend supports you in life.

Ahhh, whadda YOU know, four eyes? :)

O.K., that did it, you and me pal. Right now, let's go! :wink:

Oh, wait, I just remembered...you fixed my brakes, and it probably would be best if they continued to work. I take it all back! :lol: :wink:

See, you should have taken auto-shop instead of all those honors courses geek! :wink: :wink:

[Don]

Pulled off Nashville's public school website.


Metro schools remain committed to honor rolls

Director of Schools Dr. Pedro E. Garcia reminded Metro principals in an email Tuesday afternoon that the district has no plans to end posting of honor
rolls or other academic recognitions.

“Students who do well should be rewarded,” said the email, “and honor
rolls are an important way of recognizing their achievements.

“We will get parents’ permission before making any child’s name or activities public, in order to comply with the law. I want everyone to understand that this does not mean the end of honor rolls in our schools.”

Board of Education chairman Pam Garrett added, “We are on the right track and committed to the vision of being the top-performing school district in the nation.
We will celebrate our children’s successes at every opportunity.”

Schools are already distributing permission forms to parents.