I don't think we should be taking away valedictorians and the thought of doing is incredibly stupid but this kind of hyperbole always makes me laugh.

 

It's the truth. Political correctness has gone too far. We've become a wimpy, no one gets their feelings hurt society. What kind of country can't even celebrate individual achievement?

It's the truth. Political correctness has gone too far. We've become a wimpy, no one gets their feelings hurt society. What kind of country can't even celebrate individual achievement?

 

We will never stop taking score.

 

It isn't the liberal's agenda.

 

America will always be great.

We will never stop taking score.

 

It isn't the liberal's agenda.

 

America will always be great.

 

You don't see this as a PC issue? That's the liberal agenda.

 

America should always be great. That's why I don't get why many want us to change what has built this country.

Let's just give all graduates a participation trophy. :ohbrother:

 

For those that read and posted in the thread about political correctness, this is a perfect example of how it is destroying society.

Let's just give all graduates a participation trophy. :ohbrother:

 

Like a diploma?

You don't see this as a PC issue? That's the liberal agenda.

 

America should always be great. That's why I don't get why many want us to change what has built this country.

 

I don't see this as a PC issue. Read my post as to some of the reasons that are causing schools to eliminate the Valedictorian award. It's not neccessarily about wanting to give everyone a trophy. With the evolution of the school systems and curriculums, the valedictorian award is becoming more about playing the game rather than it going to the smartest kid. And playing the game isn't necessarily the best for the student's education, especially as they are giving up things like band, chorus, sports, phys ed, and other extracurricular activities that help develop well rounded students, not just one's with really high GPA's. And as kids gravitate away from classes like Phys Ed, the Arts, these classes will be less and less offered. And one of the things we regularly crow and complain about is the disapearance of these types of offerings.

 

Again, I don't completely like it. But the valedictorian system (or any system) that doesn't encourage students to take a variety of courses, especially in the arts which help develop critical thinking, is worth looking at changing.

Like a diploma?

 

You certainly missed the point on that joke.

I was close but never had a desire to get it. As far as I know the one who did get it was truly the only one who wanted it. I never truly saw the point of it.

 

Son was valedictorian in 1998. National Merit scholar finalist, all that stuff. At the graduation ceremony, all students' academic achievements were announced. I heard through the grapevine that several parents were upset with those announcements and how long they took. I don't know if the "announcing policy" was changed in later years or not.

I don't see this as a PC issue. Read my post as to some of the reasons that are causing schools to eliminate the Valedictorian award. It's not neccessarily about wanting to give everyone a trophy. With the evolution of the school systems and curriculums, the valedictorian award is becoming more about playing the game rather than it going to the smartest kid. And playing the game isn't necessarily the best for the student's education, especially as they are giving up things like band, chorus, sports, phys ed, and other extracurricular activities that help develop well rounded students, not just one's with really high GPA's. And as kids gravitate away from classes like Phys Ed, the Arts, these classes will be less and less offered. And one of the things we regularly crow and complain about is the disapearance of these types of offerings.

 

Again, I don't completely like it. But the valedictorian system (or any system) that doesn't encourage students to take a variety of courses, especially in the arts which help develop critical thinking, is worth looking at changing.

 

Then, would you agree we need to get away from standardized testing?

 

I have had dozens of teachers tell me that they must teach so the kids can do better on the standardized testing instead of teaching the content that the kids actually need.

Once we got away from 4 point grade scale I think it was only a matter of time.

Who isn't on a 4-point grading scale?

Son was valedictorian in 1998. National Merit scholar finalist, all that stuff. At the graduation ceremony, all students' academic achievements were announced. I heard through the grapevine that several parents were upset with those announcements and how long they took. I don't know if the "announcing policy" was changed in later years or not.

 

My children's school has an "awards" night prior to graduation for this.

Who isn't on a 4-point grading scale?

 

Most schools are on a 5 point scale. AP courses, dual credit college courses and other advanced classes are weighted.

Then, would you agree we need to get away from standardized testing?

 

I have had dozens of teachers tell me that they must teach so the kids can do better on the standardized testing instead of teaching the content that the kids actually need.

 

There has to be a way to measure the performance of kids across the state/country/etc, so we can determine if our school districts are doing their jobs. So I don't think you can completely get away from standardized testing. That being said, I hate that teachers end up on focusing on getting high test scores, than the practical application of the material they are teaching. I do think standarized testing has hurt individuality and diversity in the curriculums, which is a bad thing.

In the PC world we will soon take down scores at ball games, that's the next straw. Just another way the liberal agenda is destroying what has made America great.

 

Everybody is a winner! :dancingpa Who needs a scoreboard?

You certainly missed the point on that joke.

 

I don't think I did. I know your "participation trophy" comments; someone makes them in every thread. There are numerous types of diplomas kids can get and it is based on the classes/work they do in school. The problem, as others have mentioned, is that too many kids load up on classes at the expense of arts just to get a high GPA. Part of that is the exorbitant cost of college - a high GPA can help alleviate that. But it also costs kids a rounded educational experience.

 

Now, I don't think valedictorians should be eliminated. But I understand why some would. However, in no way is this a "participation trophy" situation.