Honors Night Canceled at Middle School Because of Exclusive Nature

And we wonder why public education is failing.  Cole Middle School in East Greenwich, RI canceled their honors night because it was seen as too exclusive.

Yes, by definition, honors programs are because there is this little requirement – you actually have to get good grades.  Apparently celebrating academic success is a bad thing since we don’t want kids to have their feelings hurt.

From the East Greenwich Patch:

The notice was sent to parents over the weekend in an e-mail signed by School Principal Alexis Meyer and Assistant Principal Dan Seger.

Citing concerns about the “exclusive nature” of the annual honors night at Archie R. Cole Middle School, school officials have decided to scrap the tradition.

Instead, students who would normally be recognized at the annual spring tradition will be honored during team-based recognition ceremonies and graduation.

The notice was sent to parents over the weekend in an e-mail signed by School Principal Alexis Meyer and Assistant Principal Dan Seger.

“Members of the school community have long expressed concerns related to the exclusive nature of Honors Night,” the email stated.

By having the recognition ceremonies during team-based ceremonies, it will “afford us the opportunity to celebrate the individual and collective success of all students and their effort, progress and excellence.”

Collective success?  If you look at the school’s website you’ll see they are divided by teams.  How ever if you are a student who is failing or lazy you did nothing to help that “collective success.”  The last sentence kills me…. the event will “celebrate the individual and collective success of all students and their effort, progress and excellence.”

Oh Cole Middle School administration, you keep using that word “excellence.”  I  do not think it means what you think it means.  All students can not achieve “excellence.”  If everyone demonstrates “excellence” nobody does.  You can certainly recognize effort and progress (if both exist with each individual student), but not every student will demonstrate “excellence.”  Unless you have an incredibly low bar for what you deem to be excellent.

HT: Weasel Zippers