In Search of Excellence? Don't go to Nashville...

[OldGreyEagle 5]

An apology to Tennessee residents, but does this make sense?

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45116-2004Jan24.html

 

I try to stand the middle ground on PC, and sometimes it makes sense, but I have to say this appears whacked, can somebody explain this to me?

[EagleInKY 14]

What's next, Scouts should not be required to wear rank badges because it points out that they haven't advanced as far as the next guy. And, those Eagle Court of Honors, they make the boys who don't make Eagle feel inadequate. Heaven forbid! (Oops, did I say "Heaven", I think I just made an atheist feel violated).

[evmori 11]

Unbelievable! Wait till one of those kids does something their parents want theme recognized for & they don't get recognition because mom & dad sent the form in saying they didn't want it! They will be screaming bloody murder!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[acco40 95]

Believe it or not!

 

When I was a den leader, I had parents who did not want me to use those BSA Cub Scout wall posters that tracked the boys advancement. Instead of seeing the chart as a reward and a carrot, they saw it as a tool to inflict shame and self doubt.

 

As SM, I wanted to make (have the boys make ideally) a wooden peg board type tracker to show the boys ranks and position in the troop. It got nixed by the parents because it may hurt the feelings of some.

 

We live is a different society than the one I grew up in. The youth is going to get a very rude awakening when they enter the "real" world as adults.

[scoutingagain 20]

Sad to say I've seen this issue crop up in some surrounding towns here in Mass as well.

 

For some reason though, no one seems to want to get rid of the Football or Basketball team because some kids don't make the starting lineup.

 

SA

[Fat Old Guy 11]

"For some reason though, no one seems to want to get rid of the Football or Basketball team because some kids don't make the starting lineup."

 

Yeah but many schools have gone with "no cut" policies which results in basketball teams of 30 and overweight girls with no dancing ability on the Pom Squad.

 

 

[eisely 13]

When the State of Tennessee outlaws lettering in high school sports, this policy of not allowing public recognition of academic performance will begin to make sense. This is one of the most incredibly stupid things I have heard of in some time.

[Eamonn 61]

In our area the schools do post honor rolls in the local newspapers. I really see no reason to do so. OK, so when my son is mentioned we are all very proud and Grandma cuts it out for the scrapbook. Still I have friends that have kids that suffer from ADS and due to this their names are never listed. It doesn't seem fair.

All these "Honors" are based on academic excellence and the grades that the students receive, not the effort that the student puts in. I don't think that I would make a fuss about it. It is however worth looking at.

Eamonn.

[SR540Beaver 116]

Please don't take this as bragging. My son is a straight A student, so it is hard for me to put my self in a parent's place who has a kid who makes C's or D's and isn't recognized. My son loves to sing. But like me, he can't carry a tune in a bucket.....even with a lid on it. I've never hurt his feelings by telling him not to sing or not to quit his day job. He'll figure it out on his own someday. I didn't make that good of grades in school and know the sting of certain people always getting the praise. But I'll freely admit that I didn't apply myself very much either. The long and short of it is that if we continually protect our children up thru their 18th birthday (or 30th in some cases), we are only hurting them. It is a tough lesson to learn, but it is the way the real world works. Those who excel will reap more benefits than those who don't. The flip side is this; how does the straight A student feel when his work goes unrecognized and is given the same credit that a D student gets? Will he continue to do his best when he knows that doing less will result in the same praise?

 

Here is a question for everyone. Do you pay you children for good grades. My son has been complaining because one of his friends got $120 for straight A's. A number of his other friends get paid too. To my wife and I, paying for grades is wrong and sends a bad message. We reward him in other ways. But they are surprises and don't happen each grade period. It might be something like taking him to his favorite restaurant or buying something for one of his hobbies.

[evmori 11]

It doesn't seem fair.

 

Life isn't fair! And the sooner kids realize the world doesn't revolve around them the netter off they will be. Everyone will not make the honor roll. Everyone can't sing like a songbird. These are facts!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[dan 10]

My son has ADS and he is on the honor roll. For the last 4 years, so I guess the ADS was not a good example!

And NO we do not pay money for our children to be on the honor roll.

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Pay for good grades? Why not? My kids don't get an allowance. We give them credit for chores, good deeds, good grades, etc. and then take away points for things like not doing homework, lying, fighting, etc.. Every couple of weeks, we tally the points and pass out the money.

 

I do think that giving a kid $20 for an A is a bit extreme.

[Fuzzy Bear 12]

Hopefully, poor little backwards conservative Tennessee will do away with class ranking, grades, and honor societies. That will allow students in the rest of the nation one more step up in obtaining scholarships and gaining entrance into good colleges.

 

At the very minimum and a few years, the kids in Tennessee will be scratching their heads about how everyone else gets into college because of their 'no child will be honored for hard work' law. With that type of thinking, Tennessee will finally be able to feel good about being dumb. It should be considered for their state motto.

 

[evmori 11]

My son is severe to profoundly deaf. He graduated from public high school (Mt. Lebanon)with honors. He is a junior in college (RIT) and has only missed the Dean's List once. My daughter is severe to profoundly deaf. She will graduate this summer form high school (Mt. Lebanon) with honors and has been accepted to college (RIT). And yes I am bragging! What Tennessee is doing is absurd! Not honoring achievements! How about we honor failure instead!

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10(This message has been edited by evmori)

[Eamonn 61]

I think the entire world of my son. If it were possible to love a kid too much he would be dead.This love is very far reaching even when some of his actions do not meet with my approval I still love the heck out of him. He is just a run of the mill everyday kid. Most of the time he does his best and at times is on the honor roll. I don't love him any more when he is or any less when he isn't. I don't pay him to get good grades and have been known to wag the finger when I think that he isn't trying. While I don't work in the education field I know that some kids just have a knack for school work and book work. It isn't something that they have to work at, it is just some gift that they have. Some of these kids are very "Book Smart" But may be lacking in other areas. When we honor these kids who are naturally smart / clever we are not honoring hard work, we are a lot of the time just recognizing that they have a gift. Some kids have big feet, they don't work at having big feet they just have them.

Maybe the example of ADD was not a good one, still there are kids in our schools with all sorts of learning disabilities. These kids are really trying to keep up. I thank the Good Lord that my son does not have to work as hard as these poor kids do. Academic excellence is great but please don't confuse it with hard work.

Many years back I remember reading that in order to be remembered after you die you have to have been: A great warrior,a great poet or a great cook. By the sound of that no one will ever remember me.

Eamonn