Don't worry if you fail, we'll pass you!

[A930Rocket]

Don't worry if you fail, we'll pass you!


New York School's Rules Give Failing Kids Credits Toward Graduation

Published October 09, 2011
New York Post

A low-performing Manhattan high school that was granted up to $6 million in extra funds to undergo a “transformation” has found the secret formula for success: Dumb down the requirements for students to pass.

At Washington Irving HS, near Union Square, administrators have approved new grading policies that give failing kids credits toward graduation.

The policies -- which one expert blasted as “approved cheating” -- are spelled out in documents obtained by The Post, including the 2011-12 staff handbook and minutes of a meeting last October between Principal Bernardo Ascona and assistant principals who make up the school’s Panel for Academic Success.

Under the rules:

* Students who get failing scores of 50 to 55 in class will “automatically” get 15 points for a passing 65 to 70 grade if they pass a Regents exam. Kids who score a minimum 65 on the Regents “should receive a passing grade” in the class. The same practice forced a Bronx principal to resign.

* A final grade of 60 to 64 “will be changed automatically” to a passing 65.

* Students who fail a class “will be assigned ... a work product not to exceed five pages” or “alternative project.” Livid teachers say pupils who cut class or blew off studying get a “packet” of work or take an online multiple-choice “credit recovery” program.

“The message is loud and clear: Don’t worry if you don’t attend school -- we’ll just give you an easy way to make up the credit,” a staffer said. “What does that say to the kids who actually do the class work, tests, projects and homework?”

David Bloomfield, an education professor at Brooklyn College, said such policies make a mockery of “real learning and subject mastery.”

“This is simply a phony process for getting kids undeserved credits,” he said.

Ascona would not answer questions about the policies.

The city Department of Education said officials will review the school’s grading practices. The DOE is auditing 60 unnamed schools to look for lax scoring and credit-granting.

[sammyg2]

Well duh, where else are they gonna get all those incredibly ignorant and unintelligent protesters to occupy the major cities?
It's allot harder to indoctrinate and brainwash those mush-heads if they actually have any real knowledge of how things work.

[Joeaksa]

Just remember, these kids will be "adults" in 2-3 years, voting, drinking and having loads of babies.

Policies like this are one of the major reasons our country is sliding backwards these days...

[oldE]

I have never been able to understand the rational behind these 'leave no one behind' style initiatives. Rewarding someone for non-achievement is doing a dis-service to both the person who needs to learn and all those who actually worked and learned.

No wonder my wife, a veteran teacher of 33 years is counting the days to retirement.

As the old fellow said: "If you hold a match near the thermometer, it reads warmer, but the room is still cold,

I used to wonder why the Roman Empire fell apart. I am able to understand that now.

Les

[Dantilla]

Do they still get a trophy for "Participation"?

Everybody needs a trophy now and then!

[Rick Lee]

Idiocracy awaits us.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Idiocracy awaits us.

It has already happened.

[redstrosekNic]

It is frustrating to me, as I worked very hard when I was in high school, and I continue to work hard being in college. I suppose the people that benefit from these programs know deep down inside they don't deserve their grades, but they probably do not care.

[A930Rocket]

The sad part is they probably do think they deserve a passing grade.

Originally Posted by redstrosekNic

It is frustrating to me, as I worked very hard when I was in high school, and I continue to work hard being in college. I suppose the people that benefit from these programs know deep down inside they don't deserve their grades, but they probably do not care.

[Rick Lee]

Every time I think to myself I'm so lucky to have demanding parents who made sacrifices to send me to a super private school, I then think I'd be just as well off to have been a total bum. This country and culture only reward people who do the wrong thing, while the ones who do the right thing are constantly swimming upstream. And for what?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

To get f*cked by Goldman Sachs of course. Don't feel bad, the sacrifices you make in years of hard work are making some banker very happy with his bonus. And of course you can take solace in knowing that your taxes are paying for at least three or four illegals to get "free healthcare". You're being a good contributor and performing your duty.

[cstreit]

The new world order needs plenty of burger flippers and ditch diggers. Think of this as their prep for real life. The kids that do the work are not treated unfairly as they'll actually know something and will continue on with more success.

[redstrosekNic]

Originally Posted by cstreit

The new world order needs plenty of burger flippers and ditch diggers. Think of this as their prep for real life. The kids that do the work are not treated unfairly as they'll actually know something and will continue on with more success.

That is a good point. The part that is unfair, though, is how these "slacker" people are often given a large amount of attention in class, which can take some away from the people that care, and would benefit from it.

[stealthn]

Sounds like they're finally going to get a work force that compete with Mumbai....

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Every time I think to myself I'm so lucky to have demanding parents who made sacrifices to send me to a super private school, I then think I'd be just as well off to have been a total bum. This country and culture only reward people who do the wrong thing, while the ones who do the right thing are constantly swimming upstream. And for what?

What do you mean by "swimming upstream?" Is it that you aren't getting what you want out of life?
I like work, I like challenges, I like accomplishment. I've never had long-term goals, but the pleasure I get out of doing challenging things has turned out to serve me well financially.

[pwd72s]

It's a brave new world...

SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown on Saturday signed a bill giving illegal immigrant college students access to state-funded financial aid, the second half of two-part legislation known as the "Dream Act."

[Mark Henry]

Good luck with that!
You're already 17th in literacy, 30th in math and 23rd in science, according to PISA (2009).
This dumbing down is a knee-jerk reaction to even menial jobs requiring a grade 12 diploma. Also this is primarily aimed at insuring that every child must have college education and subsequent debt load.

In Ontario we have a no-fail policy, where as long as you're in class X amount of days you get your diploma. Although graduation rates are up from 68% to 82% we still have a 18% dropout rate. The grade 12 diploma is a worthless piece of paper with employers administering their own standards tests and/or requiring a college degree. 1st year college/university is now remedial studies for a large percentage of students.

Canada is 6th in literacy, 10th in math and 8th in science, according to PISA (2009). Our PS standards are, in our opinion, laughable and are the main reason we homeschool.

On the up side, at least the public school kids have their self-esteem.

[Evans, Marv]

School adminstrators would sell their souls to the devil to look good. Nothing is out of bounds.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

School adminstrators would sell their souls to the devil to look good. Nothing is out of bounds.

Unfortunately it's not that simple. The system as a whole is failing the grade.

[McLovin]

Passing students through school even if they are getting F's. I used to think that was crazy, but in the real world, I'm not sure what the alternative is.

Here's a real life example, duplicated thousands (maybe millions) of times each year:

Student is in 8th Grade. The kid shows up for school, but will not pay attention in class, will not do homework, and will not study. Parents don't give a ***** and student doesn't either.

So, he gets pretty much gets all D's and F's.

What should the school system do about it?

Hold him back in 8th Grade because the didn't pass his classes? What good would that do? He won't pass them again the next year, either. Or the year after that. I don't think it would do any good to have a 17 year old 8th grader.

It seems like there are only 2 realistic alternatives for kids like that:

(1) Pass them through the system (in which case they at least get some socialization skills, if not any academic skill).
(2) Kick them out.

If you adopt a policy of kicking out those who don't get passing grades, there are going to be a lot of 13-14 year olds on the street.

And, there is simply nothing the school system can do about it. If the parents don't care, and the student doesn't care, nobody can force the student to learn. No matter how much money you throw at the school, it makes no difference.