District 150. Where mediocrity is tolerated.
Another article about the infamous grade changing scandal at Richwoods High School appeared in today’s Journal Star. This one from the father making the case that punctuation errors should be glossed over in an advanced English class.
The issue surrounds two failing assignments in an enriched English course handed out nearly four months ago. It focuses on the grading of 60 note cards that reference material used within a research paper, essentially a list of works cited, in which the student received 12 percent out of 100 percent on the first set of 35 cards and 8 percent on the second set, specifically for incorrectly placing a comma on each card.
“A ridiculous amount of points was taken off for a very trivial mistake,” said the father [...] Fifty of the 79 students actually failed, according to a letter from Moe to district officials, which was provided by the father.
And what of the 29 students who study hard and did the assignment correctly? I for one would be peeved off at a parent coming into one of my kid’s classrooms demanding the bar be lowered because their child didn’t do well. That is complete and utter nonsense. How about the 78 other students in the class that didn’t get their grade raised because they don’t have a parent crying out for special treatment?
Here’s the line that really gets me- “With Moe identifying herself, the father says his teenager’s privacy is gone, evident by students who have since made comments at school, despite his teen having nothing to do with the appeal.”
This parent took away a valuable lesson in life and replaced it with a lesson on how to manipulate the system when you don’t work up to your potential and now he’s upset that child is embarrassed? What did he expect? He, along with the school board (5 of them anyway) have made a mockery of the educational system and now he has the audacity to blame the teacher for defending herself!
I don’t know JoAnna Moe, but by all accounts she is an excellent teacher who garners the respect of her students. How sad that a selfish parent and a misguided school board have chosen to undermine her.
In her own words, changing this grade “rewards students who choose not to put forth an effort.”
Exactly.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I think this father and other parents need to realize that it isn’t their call on whether ” A ridiculous amount of points was taken off for a very trivial mistake,â€
it’s the teachers call.
I hope 150 actually does the right thing for once and reverses this idiotic decision.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I just saw this comment on Wessler’s blog regarding this story:
“I have been told by reliable sources that one of the parents is a RHS teacher and hubby is a BU prof. Student has been removed from the teacher’s class.
Teacher/parent is NOT popular at RHS right now. The staff is considering additional action to support Ms. Moe.”
February 8th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Parents suck, mostly.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
My daughter was teaching at a high school in Maryland and she was asked to change some students grades. When she refused, she got some threats. She quit.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I agree This was a mistake for the school board to get involved. To which, It should explain It’s reasoning for This grade change and apologize. (I know,
You’re saying, ” Good Luck with That! “)
Still, in fairness, the (District 150) school board…. is ” damned if It doesn’t AND damned if They does! ” Can You, critics, honestly say that You wouldn’t likely do the same if This situation concerned YOUR child? Had This parent received No assistance from the school board, the same critics would blame the school district for NOT ” responding ” to a, responsible, parent!