Cold, hard truths on academic fraud

Readers react to my recent column about passing unqualified students.

Originally published in the Moultrie News.

My recent article on academic fraud in public schools sparked quite a bit of interest and discussion. This week, I’ll respond to some of your lingering questions:

You said kids who struggle intellectually usually don't fail (it’s usually those who don’t work or study), but many with cognitive disabilities find it nearly impossible to pass.

Students with cognitive disabilities receive IEPs to accommodate their unique needs. Their progress is typically evaluated based on criteria other than or in addition to their numerical average, so I would categorize them separately.

Fine, fail them. Give them the average they’ve earned. Then what? Do we just retain them? That could mean dozens in some schools. What if they keep failing? Do we want 17-year-olds in middle school?

I didn’t address what happens to students who fail. That’s a separate problem. But you can't fix it by cooking the books. If someone has cancer, fudging their WBC count will only make recovery more difficult.

Many solutions exist based on the cause of failure. I mentioned that students who struggle intellectually usually don't fail, but sometimes they do. If a student is working hard yet still can't pass, they may need extra help, like intervention classes.

Retention should absolutely be an option for lazy students failing most of their courses; however, alternatives are needed when they age out of their grade. I like the “school-within-a-school” model for intensive instruction away from distractions. Other options include mandatory extended school days or Saturday classes. We should also explore ways to help parents, since they’re often responsible for the child's failure.

So if a student fails a single class, you'd make them repeat the whole grade?

When students fail one or two subjects, summer school is (or was) an excellent alternative. It gives lazy students a reasonable consequence and helps struggling students receive necessary support.

Calling it “academic fraud” is harsh when every principal does it.

What is popular is not always right — and what is right is not always popular.

Thank you for telling the truth! I've said this for years, yet I'm often accused of not caring about kids.

“You don’t care about kids,” is a slur hurled by those with no argument. Caring about kids is the only reason I can think of to become a teacher at all, but let’s be realistic — love can hurt kids if we don’t think about what we’re doing. Parents who impulsively spoil their children clearly love them, but their indulgence harms children's character. Parents who thoughtfully set limits on privileges also love their kids, desiring to create conditions that foster their development into high-character adults.

This issue is no different.

One terrible quarter can drop a child's grade so low they can’t pass. Is it fair to condemn them for one bad quarter?

Math disagrees with your premise. Even if a child got a flat zero for the first quarter, he would only need an 80 for the remaining quarters to pass with a 60.

That said, I’ve never seen a child get a zero. Even the most inert students eke out a 30, meaning they would only need a 70 for the remaining quarters, so let’s not catastrophize this.

Not only is passing kids who have failed bad for those kids, isn’t it also unfair to kids who work hard to pass?

Absolutely. To see why, consider this scenario: you and your brother want your own cars. The cost is $5,000. You toil, sweat, and scrimp mowing lawns and end up with that amount.

Your lazy brother sleeps away his days, rarely works, and burns his money on video games. He only saves $200.

At the end of the summer, your dad says to him, “I feel sorry for you, son, so if you’ll help me paint the closets tomorrow, I’ll give you the other $4,800.”

I don't need to explain why this would be unfair. He has not earned the money. He does not deserve the car. Only one of these children is responsible enough to drive.

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Jody Stallings has been an award-winning teacher in Charleston since 1992 and is director of the Charleston Teacher Alliance. To submit a question, order his books, or follow him on social media, please visit JodyStallings.com.