A HUGE Black Stain on America's Public School Teachers

DGS49

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2012
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A's on the rise in U.S. report cards, but SAT scores founder

This story has shown up in a number of venues, and the comments are generally that it is something of a sad state of affairs. It confirms what we all know: our kids have GOBS of self esteem, but aren't learning much.

But no one is mentioning how this is a striking indictment of American high school teachers as a whole. They have abandoned one of the most important incentives that inspire students to truly strive for excellence. Why work hard when half the graduating class has an 'A' average? When there are ten "Valedictorians," or when there is no Valedictorian because a score of students and their parents will demand to get it?

Teachers demand to be paid as "professionals," and in many cases they are, but this is profoundly unprofessional conduct, writ large. Because we all know the motivations that brought about this ridiculous situation:
Teachers don't went to hear complaints from parents,
Teachers don't want their students to whine,
Teachers want to think THEY are doing a great job, so they pass out inflated grades,
Teachers are unable to motivate students to do their best.

Almost half of graduating seniors.

Pathetic.
 
To be fair ... inspirational teachers are always far between. Bad or indifferent teachers have always been the norm.
 
A's on the rise in U.S. report cards, but SAT scores founder

This story has shown up in a number of venues, and the comments are generally that it is something of a sad state of affairs. It confirms what we all know: our kids have GOBS of self esteem, but aren't learning much.

But no one is mentioning how this is a striking indictment of American high school teachers as a whole. They have abandoned one of the most important incentives that inspire students to truly strive for excellence. Why work hard when half the graduating class has an 'A' average? When there are ten "Valedictorians," or when there is no Valedictorian because a score of students and their parents will demand to get it?

Teachers demand to be paid as "professionals," and in many cases they are, but this is profoundly unprofessional conduct, writ large. Because we all know the motivations that brought about this ridiculous situation:
Teachers don't went to hear complaints from parents,
Teachers don't want their students to whine,
Teachers want to think THEY are doing a great job, so they pass out inflated grades,
Teachers are unable to motivate students to do their best.

Almost half of graduating seniors.

Pathetic.
/----/ I'm married to a teacher and others in my family and friends are as well. I even teach adult classes at a community college. Some of what you say is true but not all. It's not smart to generalize. How could you possibly know what ALL teachers think and do?
 
Generalizations are often generally true. Doesn't mean all or nothing. Too many high school graduates write like 5th graders did. Academics does seem to have taken a back seat.
 
20139816_720601988135803_8421451827374687584_n.jpg
 
The SAT's changed too many times for this to mean anything. Avg. dropped from 1026 to 1002 in 20 years? That doesn't mean much. The SAT has always been a shitty measuring tool anyways.
 
I read an article not too long ago talking about, if I remember correctly, Philadelphia schools. They graduated roughly 2/3 of their students. Of those that graduated 1/3 could not pass an eighth grade reading proficiency test. Scary.
 

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