Getting Rid of Achievement

Did I spell that right?  Duh ... I did go to public skool .... 

Another example of dumbing down.  Reduce everybody to a mediocre level instead of inspiring people to greatness!   What do you make of this crap?   Hey, I sucked in school, but I knew there were real brainiacs that might give me a job.  Did somebody's feelings get hurt?   "Gaming the system?"   Okay.  Just like some people cheat in business - so you go with Socialism to spread misery to everybody?!?  

Here it is ....


Highest school honors may change
Volusia board to examine valedictorian system
By LINDA TRIMBLE, Education Writer
March 7, 2011 12:05 AM


DELAND -- The long-standing tradition of naming top-ranked students as valedictorian and salutatorian of their senior classes could become history if a Volusia County schools' task force gets its way.

The panel is recommending the top two titles be dropped -- a move already made in Flagler County schools -- starting with the freshman class that will enter ninth grade in August.

"I think it's something whose time has come and gone," said School Board member Judy Conte. She worries about students who "game the system" to earn the top class rank by manipulating their class schedules instead of choosing courses for their educational value.

Some others, like Mainland senior Evan Iler, who's in the running to be that school's valedictorian this year, believe eliminating the top academic titles would be "a complete joke."

"Just because everyone can't be the best doesn't mean you don't let some people shine," Iler said in a telephone interview.

The task force will make its recommendations -- which include keeping the Latin honors system for recognizing students with high grade point averages -- to the School Board on Tuesday. The board will decide whether to make the change when it updates its pupil progression plan this summer.

A 25-member task force that includes school district, community and parent representatives has been studying the issue since last fall at the request of Superintendent Margaret Smith.

Members had diverse views on the valedictorian/salutatorian debate at first, said co-chairwoman Allene Dupont, but came to a consensus after studying trends around Florida and the nation and the pros and cons of various systems for recognizing academic honors.

Besides the elimination of valedictorian/salutatorian titles, the group is recommending:

· Students with grade point averages of 3.9 or better graduate summa cum laude (with highest honors), while those with averages between 3.7 and 3.8999 be designated as magna cum laude (with high honors) graduates. Seniors who finish with averages between 3.5 and 3.6999 would graduate cum laude (with honors).

· Grades for courses students fail the first time around but retake later and pass would no longer count toward the overall grade point average.

· Students who commit a serious discipline offense -- such as selling drugs or weapon threats or use -- would be ineligible for graduation honors.

Information presented to the task force showed growing national and state trends of moving away from designating valedictorians and salutatorians. The Flagler School Board dropped those titles in 2007, effective with this year's senior class.

One reason for the change, Dupont said, is concern about fairly comparing grades for the variety of ways students earn high school credit today, including traditional classes, online courses and dual-enrollment programs offered in cooperation with colleges. Also, she said college admissions officials don't pay as much attention to the titles as in the past.

Rose Roland, a Spruce Creek High assistant principal who served on the task force, said she got little response to a survey designed to measure teachers' and students' opinions on the graduation honors system. "It wasn't a big issue here at all," she said.

While valedictorians and salutatorians traditionally speak at the graduation ceremony, Dupont and Roland said other student leaders such as the senior class or student government presidents would likely do the honors if those titles are dropped.

At Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, seniors interested in speaking at graduation this year are submitting sample speeches and a teacher committee will chose the winner.

The Volusia School Board meeting where the task force presents its recommendations will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the School Administrative Complex, 200 N. Clara Ave.