Grade Inflation Is Disingenuous and Disturbingly Disastrous

Grade Inflation Is Disingenuous and Disturbingly Disastrous - Over the years while sitting in the Starbucks coffee shop I have noted many teenagers and young adults in college complain about various teachers or professors who did not yet give them a good grade. Still, it’s my understanding that grades in school must be earned, and they are not to be given away. After all, if a student gets a poor grade, how is that the teacher’s fault, providing that the teacher did present the material in a way that was comprehensible?

The Hoover Institute recently put forth a very good research paper studying the California college system. The research involved looking closely at things such as grade inflation, and socialist brainwashing, or pushing forth of the liberal agenda. Most of this should be well known, but the part that really irked me, was the incessant grade inflation going on. Of course, it’s not just the California college system, these things are happening nationwide, and even at the Ivy league schools which are supposed to be highly competitive.

On May 8, 2012 the Wall Street Journal Editorial section had a piece by Bret Stephens titled; “To the Class of 2012,” where he stated; “Dear Class of 2012, Let me be the first to not congratulate you,” and “Attention Graduates: Tone down your egos, and shape up your minds.”

Grade Inflation Is Disingenuous and Disturbingly Disastrous - Then on May 9, 2012 there was a troubling article from Ocala, FL titled; “25 Vying for Valedictorian at Florida High School,” put out by the Associated Press – that means there were 25 Straight-A students which noted “Ocala’s Vanguard High School. This year, there could be 25. School officials say the students are on pace to earn all A’s in college-level courses, earning 5.0 weighted GPAs. It’s not the first time Vanguard has had multiple valedictorians. There were 11 last year.”

Perhaps you’ve heard that story that goes something like this;

Grade Inflation Is Disingenuous and Disturbingly Disastrous - Little Johnny had always been told by his mother that he was special. Then one day a neighbor’s kid came over to play, and Little Johnny’s mother told the neighbor boy that he was special. Little Johnny didn’t understand, and he asked his mother; “I thought you told me I was special,” and she said; “You are special, and he is special too, and everyone is special.” Little Johnny then had a revelation and told his mother; “If everyone is special, that no one is,” as if to ask his mother why she had lied to him all those years.

In fact, I would submit to you that grade inflation is disingenuous and disturbingly disastrous for the future of our students as they enter the workforce, and realize the real world is competitive. Further, we wouldn’t want a noncompetitive society, as there would be no excellence whatsoever. In that case, the United States would be just like every other nation, and why would we want to be like that? There’s nothing wrong with exceptionalism, success, or being the best. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. READ MORE...