Upping the Stakes

Recently an article was printed stating that the Eminence School district in my great state of Kentucky previously eliminated D's as passing grades in school--meaning that all students had to get a C or higher in order to pass. AMEN! It's about time that we start telling our kids that "below average" isn't acceptable.

I want you to honestly think about this--would you go to a cardiologist who only gets his surgeries right 70% of the time? Would your boss pat you on the back and congratulate you if you only did your job right 73% of the time (unless you area meteorologist or professional athlete)? What if you paid only 72% of your bills? Hell, I wouldn't be happy if the kids at Subway only got my order 71% right...

If that is the case, then why are we telling our students that 70% is passing when we know it won't be when they get out of school? Aren't we setting them up in some way to think that the "real" world is going to accept sub-par performance? Just as I applaud this school district for pushing their kids beyond D's, you know that this isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

Why?

Simple: with any major change in schools, there comes some people who think it is utter bunk (translation: the parents of the kids who slack of and eek by with a 69.5 each year think it's bunk). Parents of athletes are complaining that this is a way to force kids out of playing sports because they are being held to a standard that is too high. Too high? I bet your all star quarterback wouldn't be starting if he only completed 70% of his passes. Hell, I bet he wouldn't be starting if he only completed 76% of his passes--so why is expecting at least average performance in the classroom such a stretch?

This goes back to what I said in an earlier post about parents needing to side with the school from time to time. It's not like this school is telling all kids they have to get A's--they just want them to perform at an average level. (Rumor has it that the district also wants to eliminate C's...which I think is a little harsh, but that's their business...).

I don't think that making at least a C is too much to ask, really...so why do some parents? Shouldn't parents be happy that schools aren't allowing kids to eek by? Shouldn't parents be happy that schools are telling kids that they are better than what they are showing everyone? Shouldn't they be happy that someone else is pushing their kids to do better...and telling them that they aren't sub-par? You would think the answer to these questions would be yes, but it seems that it is a resounding "NO!"

When did our society get so complacent? When did below average performance become something to celebrate?

And where will that lead us?