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How long can the bureaucrats in education extend the idea that competition and conflict should be banished in the educational system? Somehow, the school board in Wake County North Carolina thinks reducing competition will lead to a better education for students. While the board has to vote twice on the policy change, it unanimously approved a proposal this week that would do away with the distinction of a high school graduate with the highest GPA being named valedictorian. Competition was getting unhealthy, the chair of the school board explained, and students were setting a goal of getting the highest GPA instead of taking classes that might help them in the future. Thus, the board reasoned, it was better to bolster the Latin honor system and do away with the first and second place honors.
“Competition is a reality of life, whether these hippies like it or not,” writes Katherine Timpf at National Review. “The kid with the top GPA is still going to have the top GPA, no matter what you call (or don’t call) him or her for having it. Class ranking is a competition, and the kid at the top is the winner. Can we cut the crap? Sure, maybe that kid was motivated to win by the force of competition and not by holding hands with fellow classmates and singing ‘Kumbaya.’ But you know what? That’s the way the real world works, and it’s time for more people to start living there.” After all, the safe spaces go away after college and an education that hasn’t prepared students for competition and conflict has not educated them at all.
Competition was getting unhealthy, the chair of the school board explained, and students were setting a goal of getting the highest GPA instead of taking classes that might help them in the future. Thus, the board reasoned, it was better to bolster the Latin honor system and do away with the first and second place honors.
originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: introvert
Which courses/classes would be in that category?
Why wouldn't a HS student take courses that they are better at?
Sounds too authoritarian and dangerous because students would do poorly in classes that don't fit their skill set.
originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: introvert
I wasn't aware retards in a school board can see the future, who would have thought that? The fact is, is that there are not even enough jobs in America to support all of those people needing work, more people then job availability, it means # is super competitive now and only going to get worse. Soon their high school burger flipping days filled by work release inmates is going the way of the dodo too sooooo...
originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: introvert
You said education is not like a nascar race, I am saying it is exactly like a nascar race. Everyone is going about the same speed trying to get ahead of each other, and it is not going to be getting any easier.
School board members said the change will allow students to take more of the courses they’d like rather than just the ones that will boost their GPA and class rank.
“We have heard from many, many schools that the competition has become very unhealthy,” school board Chairman Tom Benton said in an interview. “Students were not collaborating with each other the way that we would like them to. Their choice of courses was being guided by their GPA and not their future education plans.”
By finish line do you mean enter the workforce or graduate?
I think that the competition in education should reflect the competition in the work force scenario.
“Students were not collaborating with each other the way that we would like them to. Their choice of courses was being guided by their GPA and not their future education plans.”
originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: introvert
Like what courses?
Don't schools have mandatory minimums?
So you say never let somebody excel in a specific direction.
originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: Brotherman
By finish line do you mean enter the workforce or graduate?
That's up to the individual.
I think that the competition in education should reflect the competition in the work force scenario.
Then a GPA is irrelevant. The GPA only matters when going on to pursue higher education. Otherwise, on-the-job training is more important and someone's GPA will not correlate to a better ability to train on the job.
Sounds to me like you are making the case to do away with the competition and focus on actual education/training.