Posted on 07/02/2017 10:34:01 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
Grade-fixing is alive and well in NYC schools as administrators come up with tricky new ways to inflate their graduation rates — and few of the hundreds of cheating complaints ever get investigated.
The latest scandal erupted at the Secondary School for Journalism in Brooklyn when a student who had cut a required English class dozens of times and got the lowest failing grade, a 45, walked on stage in a white cap and gown to get his diploma — even after a whistle-blowing teacher cried foul.
Principal Marc Williams did not simply change the student’s grade in the class he had failed — a method used by other city administrators. Instead, he added an English course to the teen’s transcript, and let him sit at a computer for a few days to do an online program, teachers said. A whistle-blower claimed a classmate sat next to the teen and helped him take the tests to get a passing 65 grade. Told about the apparent cheating, the principal did nothing, sources told The Post.
“This was wrong,” said English teacher Kim Haynes, who protested the improper practices. “He knew it was wrong and he proceeded with it.”
Williams also let the teen “make up” work for an online Participation in Government class he had cut many times and failed with a 55, insiders said. He got help from the same friend, and received a passing 65, sources said.
Haynes sent an e-mail expressing shock and alarm about the teen’s online makeup course to Chancellor Carmen Fariña and other city and state education officials.
“We have a poster in our school that reads: ‘Integrity is what you do when no one is watching.’ I am appealing to someone to address this matter immediately,” Haynes wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
This has been present (in various degrees) for many, many years. 40 years ago I had a College Dean urge me to give a passing grade to two Veterans receiving VA Education Benefits because "They need the money". I refused, pointing out that other students knew that the two in question spent the class sessions drinking in a bar close to the college rather than attending class and taking required exams! They probably received a passing grade anyway since I saw them on campus the next semester...
The unofficial line in the school district where I teach (in NC) is “you don’t educate, you graduate”.
Seems like in the old days it used to be if you did the former then the latter would follow...But, hey, what do I know. I’m not a district official.
Under 55 assume affirmative action unless demonstrably proven otherise. Safe, sane modus operandi.
Happened once to a Late colleague of mine, though the circumstances were different. When pushed to award an undeserved grade he replied: “You are my supervisor. I will certainly comply as soon as I receive the order in writing and signed.” Silence ensued.
I’m wondering what the point of this kind of charade is in a place like New York. To me, a high school diploma in NYC doesn’t mean anything unless it is a state Regents diploma — which means the person with the diploma has passed a series of state exams to demonstrate competency in a bunch of subjects regardless of what grades are shown on a report card.
This is national - and plays a huge role in our unassimilated permanent underclass perpetuating itself from generation to generation. When these “graduates” enter the real world, they quickly realize there is little opportunity for illiterate people with no math skills. They fall back on the race issue, but the fact is they have nothing to offer prospective employers.
Absolutely; also, if screening applicants, have them write out a couple of lines (about anything - just to get a feel for their literacy level).
In my younger days I was surprised to learn that people that speak ghetto write ghetto as well; it isn’t an “accent” - just poor English.
Yes.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Public_Schools_cheating_scandal
Here in NC we have NCFE’s (North Carolina Final Exams) for most courses. These are state-produced exams that supposedly test students on certain competencies. This year my Juniors took the exam and some individuals (who were horribly failing my class, by the way) achieved proficiency scores in the 40% range (answering 20 or so out of 50 items correctly). These students received scores in the 80’s for their final exam grades. I’m sure that a similar scoring practice is used in grading the Regents Exams by now.
Competency, proficiency has nothing to do with education these days. The system does not care whether students learn or not (and, thus, proves that it does not care about children). The system only cares that you BELIEVE it cares, that you BELIEVE it educates. My feeling is that more and more people do not believe and that this system is getting ready to implode.
Which is why I could never be a teacher. My moral code would not allow me to do that.
My bride is a math teacher, and she can say “Look, they don’t meet the basic skills required to graduate in this state” and point to the test. She acts “stupid” when the dean pressures her to fake the tests.
She is a much better politician than I am.
Did that in my last job (non teaching).
Was asked to violate an USDA and FDA law. One that would have landed me and the company in very hot water and possible jail time if I did it. My review was “Your integrity cost us market share!”
It was a career ending move in that industry. MY personal rule #2 is “I’m not going to jail for these bastards!”
Public school teachers are laughing all the way to the bank; despite news stories about teachers “leaving the field”, I have never met an ex-teacher here in NJ (unless they retired). They are our new upper middle class, while the rest of the middle class has been destroyed. We have a huge inventory of unwanted homes in NJ because people have caught on to the fact that they are just renting these homes from the teachers’ unions - and will be evicted when they can’t pay the “rent” (mortgage).
I know many that have left the field.
My wife views it as a vocation, a calling. She is fighting for what she believes in.
It will wear her down. One day, she will say “I’m done” and walk away. Most of her fellow teachers do it for the three months off.
The Principal, the teachers and the students all, undoubtedly, vote 100% Rat. Sounds like the school is accomplishing its primary goal in an outstanding manner.
Standard English, oral and written was the benchmark for all students. Sure, dialect came out in after school pick up sports but in class resulted in detention at best or a trip to the principal’s office.
It was a deliberate effort at distruction clothed in false concern and compassion. And we see the results today. Would be enlightening to compare prison demographics of pre-1965 and subsequent years. The results I suspect would be startling.
I do also. Give me an old jewish guy everytime: at least I know they’ve earned their degree.
Huh? It all gravy...
The teachers I know do it for the 180 days of work per year, as well as the lack of performance metrics/accountability, the 8:30 to 3:00 workday (which includes a lunch break as well), the high pay for just passing time (automatic increases despite horrible results), the employment for life guaranteed by tenure, and the retirement benefits that are only a dream for the working stiffs that pay them.
“Are you sure they were diplomas and not employment contracts?”
Are you sure they were diplomas and not parole/probation releases ?
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