Grade Inflation
This article in the Seattle Times talks about high schools with a dozen or more valedictorians. This totally dilutes the honor and prestige that being a valedictorian is supposed to bring.This year's 406-member graduating class at Garfield High School features 44 valedictorians.
That means that if you are not a "valedictorian" you didn't graduate in the top 10% of your class. More than 1 in 10 students went through high school with a 4.0. Has this whole "self esteem is more important that accomplishment" gone so far that a school doesn't see a problem with this?
Part of Garfield's mission under first-year principal Howard is to raise the academic achievement of a broader spectrum of students. Howard said he isn't satisfied with 44 valedictorians.
"I want more," he said. "I want high achievement to be infectious. I want every student here to realize the opportunities that could be waiting for them when they walk out these doors."
Apparently, at least at Garfield High it has. What he doesn't understand is that for those students who haven't been pushed and graded in high school some college tracks are going to be a real wakeup call. With all due respect, most teachers who got an education degree in college have no idea what it looks like in the math/physics/engineering/chemistry departments where a large percentage of the students are legitimate valedictorians or salutorians.
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