Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Reality Check


Julie didn't do any homework in high school, even though homework counted 20% of her grade.  Her counselor told her she wouldn't graduate unless she did a project consisting of answering 50 questions on line.  She got her best friend to complete the assignment and graduated on time with her class.

Bob didn't like getting all sweaty in gym class.  His counselor told him he could not graduate missing three physical education credits but he could make the credits up by going to a gym.  His brother was an avid gym goer and signed Bob's name whenever he went.  He made up two credits this way and the third credit by signing in for Saturday gym and then sitting in the auditorium.  He also graduated on time with his class.

Beth failed because of her excessive absences.  She made them all up by going to boot camp during spring break.  She too graduated on time.

Mitch has a 30 average in math. Department policy passed all students who passed the regents.  Mitch scored a 65, which meant he got 27 out of 85 points correct.  Mitch passed math and got his diploma.

Mitch, Bob, Julie and Beth are all college students now.  All are failing at least one course.   They are upset because there is nothing they can do to help themselves. The final they must pass is a real test and even that doesn't guarantee a passing grade in the class.  They never thought the college would stick to the policy explained in the beginning of the semester.  High school, aside from not providing an education, did not even provide any basis for survival in real life.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a great example as to why I will not support Race to the Top, as well as the US Dept of Education's reform plans. If this means, not supporting Obama, then so be it. I am staying out of this election by NOT endorsing him.

*no, not endorsing Romney either. My vote will go to Jill Stein, Green Party candidate, that is if she makes it to the ballot. In my opinion, Obama and Romney deserve to have many losses in votes.

Anonymous said...

What?? No seat credit just for showing up????

Anonymous said...

So let's see if I have this understood correctly. Braden, who was a on, for example, the roster for a health class, shows up, perhaps three days out of an entire semester. Receiving a grade of something less than a 50. The teacher of that health class, gets forced, against their will, to teach part of the January Accelerated Academy, as part of their regents' week assignment, and shockingly, and I do mean shockingly, about ten minutes into the final session, which was the one session that the teacher was forced to teach, Braden shows up. Braden, then somehow, without a change of grade form, has a 65 show up on his transcript.

Am I reading your post correct?

Pissedoffteacher said...

Sounds like you got it.

Tom Forbes said...

We will see all kinds of credit recovery before July 1, when the rules will supposedly stiffen. It is amazing what I have seen on my ATR circuit this year. Administrators and teachers act like they are doing the kids a favor when really it is all about making the adults look better. All encouraged by Tweed.