Posted on 02/26/2013 5:49:29 AM PST by BO Stinkss
WASHINGTON (CH) In a bold effort to improve the educational fortunes of students who perform at academic levels significantly below the average of their peers, Congress has mandated a minimum grade to be assigned to each student in each course taught at any school in the country. Starting in September, it shall be unlawful for any teacher, professor, or instructor charged with assigning course grades to assign to any student a grade lower than C-.
Sponsors of the Fair Academic Standards Act decry the injustice that occurs each time a student earns a low grade, such as a D or an F. Its impossible for students with Ds and Fs on their transcripts to succeed as they deserve in life, remarked Sen. Bernie Franken, an Independent from Elitia. This law ensures that no American will ever again suffer that hardship.
Opponents of the Act worry that the requirement of a minimum grade will prompt schools to refuse to enroll students whose academic preparation or skills arent yet sufficient to enable them actually to earn good grades.
Sen. Paul Rand, an outspoken opponent of the bill, admits that Ds and Fs are poor grades that are not likely to win good jobs for students that have many such grades on their transcripts. Sen. Rand argues, however, that the Act will steer schools away from enrolling less-prepared students and, as a consequence, deny these very students the opportunity to acquire the education that will enable them in the future to perform better in the classroom. Its an unintended bad consequence of Sen. Frankens good intentions, suggests Sen. Rand.
Sen. Franken and other supporters of the Act disagree. I can show you several studies, by prominent professors of education at Ivy League universities, that make clear that this Act will in no way diminish schools willingness to enroll all the students who seek enrollment, said Sen. Franken. Opponents of this Act, frankly, are simply indifferent to the plight of academically challenged students and wish to deny to these students the benefits that are enjoyed by their more-talented classmates. My colleagues and I merely wish to ensure that these benefits are spread more equitably. Its the fair thing to do.
Sen. Rand responds by insisting that grades should accurately reflect each students actual performance in class. He says that the minimum-grade requirement, to the extent that it doesnt simply cause academically challenged students to be kept from enrolling in school, will result in report cards and school transcripts that are full of lies grades that do not reflect each students actual performance. Sen. Rand worries that graduate schools and employers will be obliged to find other ways, beside grades, to assess the qualifications of students who apply for admission or for jobs. He worries that these other ways will be less accurate and more arbitrary than are course grades as these are currently assigned.
That accusation is typical of Sen. Rand and his ilk, alleges Paula Krueger, the influential columnist. Sen. Rand is bought and paid for by rich and privileged elites who know that a more fair distribution of school grades will threaten their and their friends hold on this countrys levers of power. Ms. Krueger shakes her head in astonishment. Im sure that some small subset of people actually believe the tales told by opponents of this Act, but they are clearly blinded by ideology. Theyre enemies not only of less-fortunate Americans, but of science itself.
Not that Ms. Krueger thinks the Act is ideal. Its not perfect. In my view the minimum grade should be much higher. I think A-. And Id also like to see the minimum grade indexed to grade inflation. That way all students in America, now and in the future, would be exceptionally high-achievers and very well educated. But the Act as it stands is at least a start. Its progress.
The President is expected to sign the bill at a Rose Garden ceremony on Tuesday.
Is this affirmative action or is this a way for colleges to keep the tuition dollars coming in?
This, and a minimum wage increase, will assure that all Americans are rich and smart!
Just another form of redistribution. And students who rightfully deserve Cs for their work, will have to be given Bs. Etc.
Ridiculous!
rendering the grades themselves completely meaningless
Since you haven’t labeled this as “satire”, I’ll go ahead and assume that it is true.
Instead of requiring, by law that each student receive “minimum grades”, perhaps congress and the dumb ass president should just mandate that every student should be smart.
It used to be that, if you didn’t perform, you got held back a grade until you got it right. Over the years, holding back students because they didn’t do the work has all but disappeared. Of course, those students then struggle even more in the next grade because they’re not prepared to do the work, but the teachers keep passing them through the system. Then they “graduate” with nothing more than an attendance degree and they can’t figure out why they can’t keep a job. This proposal is simply the expected outcome of the “every-child-is-a-winner” philosophy that leaves those kids ill-prepared to function in the real world. What a stupid idea.
“Sen. Paul Rand”? That tells me it’s satire or the author is really stupid.
Wow, I could have used that in Geometry and French 5.
Please tell me this is satire!
This is satire.
Yes. Satire
‘Since you havent labeled this as satire’
This MUST be satire.
Satire of the minimum wage argument.
And so far those responding to this have earned “Cs” across the board.
Used to be the day that a post like this could be immediately identified as sarcasm. What with the thinking in Government these days, its not so easy any more.
So D and E are the new average. I guess that is bout right, more failing students become the average for today’s PS’s. Is dropping out the new Graduation?
Homeschool. It’s the ONLY way.
I don’t believe it. Where is the documentation. This is impossible.
Most definitely sarcasm - to a conservative.
But, a much wanted improvement in our ability to be just and humane to a libtard.
May all libs have pilots for their planes, and surgeons for their bodies, and designers for their electronics who possess the same abilities of the ultimate quota baby - the Obamadork.
I hate you cuz you posted this first.
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