Here we go again.
In Iowa, we admit to sending something like 10,000 illiterate third-grade graduates to fourth grade every year. This is generally considered less than optimal. especially in light of knowledge that these kids, in about ten years, will be fully qualified to vote.
We spent eleventy-some million dollars to discover this problem and about that much more developing an innovative solution: A do-over. Have them repeat third grade. Oh, the horror:
Critics in Iowa say ending social promotion for third-graders could erode students’ self-esteem, and they question the wisdom of retaining children based solely on their performance in one subject area.
(Hey, Teach. Few cud say out lowd what is the name of my rithmutik book is my steem for me wud go up evin hier.)
Please excuse me for advancing the radical notion that by the time a child has spent four years in a school system he should have been given a fighting chance to understand that Dick is the Boy, Jane is the girl, and Spot goes bow-wow.
2 comments:
Those critics are so sodden of brain as to not being able to admit, or recognize, that the most powerful boost to self esteem is to be able to say, "By jimminy I did it." I can think of several places in DC where there are prime examples of people who don't know crap but have high self esteem. JAGSC
It comes to me as a blessing, I believe, that I actually do not know what "social promotion" is - though I gather from context it Means What I Think It Means.
I will, under no circumstances, however, go find out. I like my blood pressure just fine where it is.
tweaker
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