medocrity reigns, what else is new?

John's grandfather spent the last years of his life perched on an aluminum chair with a makeshift desk/dinner tray facing the tv to facilitate writing letters to the editor after watching the evening news. It's a caricature, I know, but somehow, I feel like I've become the old gentleman. Only, in my case, it's a computer monitor that crackles with interference from my cell phone, and I'm much younger. Nevertheless, we share the same outrage. Here's a copy of the letter to the editor I sent this morning, in response to the school board's insane policy change to make it easier to get on the honor roll.

Rockdale County Public Schools' decision to lower the standards for achieving the honor roll borders on the insane. Every school in the county made AYP this year, and instead of capitalizing on that accomplishment and recognizing the merits of hard work and commitment to excellence, we learn that students will not have to work hard in order to achieve the honor roll. Instead, let's just make it easier to get it.

Am I missing something here? All the self-esteem in the world isn't going to help a kid with a mediocre grasp of academics. While I admit that earning one A and the rest B's on a report card isn't exactly mediocre, it isn't exactly stellar, either. It is what it is, a respectable report card. Instead of encouraging students to work a little harder to achieve the honor roll, RCPS would have them think it's good enough.

We are creating a culture of "good enough" and minimum performances, instead of demanding that our children excel. As parents, accepting this attitude from our schools makes us accessories in the dumbing down of our children.

Telling B students that they are honors material, while boosting their self-image, is a disservice to them in the long term. If you want to see what a self-esteem curriculum does to college freshmen, check out the graduation rates at our public colleges. Only 54 percent graduate within 6 years, according to the Winter '05 State of the System Report by the Board of Regents (http://www.usg.edu/pubs/sys_supp/2005/winter05.pdf). Our students are not prepared to handle the rigors of college curriculums. Their inflated grades don't need the additional damage caused by inflated egos.

The second part of the decision, removing conduct as a component of eligibility, further disappoints me. What message is that sending to our youth? The authors of this policy take their cues from professional athletes: if you've got talent you don't need to be held accountable for your behavior.

For a school system suffering from poor PR, you'd think these folks would be creating and implementing policies that address real needs in our community. Johnny might not be able to read, but when his poor behavior lands him in juvenile hall, he'll have his framed honor roll certificate to cheer him up.