[Compos mentis]

I think it all depends on how you achieve self-esteem.

Through personal responsibility or success.
Rather than merely wishing it were so.
Actualization is earned not requested.
Ill-gotten amour propre is as useless as a walking stick when hunting Lions.

[Americanwolf]

What you said...:)

I agree the false self esteem used by school boards etc...

Boosting grades so no one "fails" etc does no service to the child later in life when he/she faces the reality that there are times in life that you do fail... it is that failure and the subsequent recovery that truely build the self esteem... On of the great teachers of that...IMHO... Was for me the Navy... The are experts at breaking you will and self esteem in boot camp and then making you work to prove that you can over come an obstacle...