The schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan are planning on changing how grades should be done. Most importantly, to the administration, is changing the “F” grade to an “H”.
Now, I’ve pondered what “H” could mean:
1. Husker Du!
2. Happenin’
3. Hypocritical
4. Hysterical
5. Hooray!
6. Honest
7. Half-assed
8. Hopeless
9. Harrassment
10. Heebie jeebies
Hey, I try…but, there is something more sinister here:
“An ‘H’ is a failing grade,” district spokesman John Helmholdt told 24 Hour News 8. But that new failing grade comes with second chance — students who get an “H” will be able to re-take the class or the part of it they failed the next semester.
Principals discussed the plans with teachers before Thanksgiving, administrators said. The district will offer Saturday school, after school or online opportunities to retake the failed course.
Superintendent Bernard Taylor said he district didn’t want to give students a “life failure,” because of a failed class at age 14, 15 or 16 — an age at which he says most people don’t have their lives together.
1. Most kids who fail a class DO have to re-take it, because 9 times out of 10, the class is a requirement to move onto the next level.
2. “Principals discussed the plan with teachers…” I’ve been in on some of “those” types of discussions. That’s when the administration says, “This is what you are going to do.” (Whether or not it really is a good idea…they are so flavor-of-the-moment happy.)
3. I’ve known plenty of people who failed a class (more times than not because of laziness, not poor skills) and had to re-take the course. Guess what?!?!?!? They learned a huge life-lesson, passed the course the second time around and moved on with their lives. An “F” is an “F,” because it is a FAILURE! Duh!
I’m going to go practice raking my nails down a blackboard, now. Well, it will take the pain of this article away.
(H/T: WOOD)
3 Comments
December 5, 2008 at 7:03 am
At least you have the threat of having to repeat the year, over here there is no such requirement as this post eloquently explains.
Husker Du – great band even with that annoying inverted colon over the u(s).
December 5, 2008 at 9:23 am
I’m with you RT, an F means Failure for a reason and it’s sometimes the wake-up call kids need.
BUT…we can’t endanger the itty bitty wittle psyches of these darlings you know?
Pardon me now, but I feel as though I must barf from saying that.
December 7, 2008 at 7:47 pm
DBA
Really? What do they do with kids who fail?
Yeah, always wondered what the double dots were all about. Heh.
Snigs
I had a mother complain that I was hurting her son’s feelings by giving him “C” grades on his essays. He’d written multiple drafts and worked really hard. (Uh…they were still not written well.) I hate giving bad grades; however, if a student earns a bad grade, then it’s a bad grade he/she gets. I’m sure my math teachers liked me well enough, but I didn’t deserve A’s.