It's much like this at my high school.
If you take graduate level math courses at the local university you get "elective credits" but no math credits. If you don't take Algebra II, you don't graduate, even though you may be close to get a masters in math at college.
Likewise, only the honors math and science carry weighted grades. So the validictorians take honors english and honors math analysis (calc prep) and a bunch of remedial classes. Those of us taking 10 AP classes and working our buts off get sacked for validictorianship.
Public schools love to punish hard workers.
"Public schools love to punish hard workers."
So true!
Here's a link to info about the Bow High School BEST program, a mishmash of PE, drug/sex ed, first aid, and "life skills".
http://www.bownet.org/bforbes/BEST%20HOME%20PAGE/bowcurriculum.htm
That's absurd. At my school, both regular advanced/honors courses and AP courses got 5 points for ranking purposes. I think there was also some adjustment factor in case person A took all the same classes as person B, plus one more standard 4-point class, such that their rank wouldn't be diluted by it, i.e., punishing them for their extra work.
P.S. I beat the salutatorian by 0.009 GPA units. :)