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Who gets to walk?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Imagine a senior who passed all her required courses, but has trouble passing all parts of the state-mandated graduation tests. Depending on where that girl goes to school she may or may not be allowed to participate in her high school graduation.
Fulton County Schools and Atlanta Public Schools won’t let students walk across the stage unless they pass the Georgia High School Graduation Tests. Others - including Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett - let students participate regardless of how well they did on the tests.
It’s easy to see both sides of this argument. Some say it’s unfair to recognize students as graduates if they have yet to achieve that goal. They say letting certificate students participate diminishes the achievements of students who indeed graduated.
Others point to the students who worked hard for four years, but narrowly failed the state exams. They say those children should get to march to the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance.” Some of these kids are the first ones in their families to finish high school and want that achievement recognized.
What is the fair thing to do? Who should get to walk?
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How close should teachers get?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whenever students talk about a favorite teacher, they usually say he or she is always there for them. If they have a problem with school or friends or at home, they know they can talk to the teacher and get some help.
Some teachers give out their phone numbers and personal email addresses to students. A few go so far as to have groups of students over to their homes for dinner or study sessions.
I don’t think anything inappropriate is taking place, but I wonder where the line should be drawn.
Teachers, where is that line for you? How do you distinguish between helping a student and getting too close to that student?
Parents, are you comfortable with teachers talking to your kids outside of regular school hours? At what point do you want to know about these conversations?
UPDATE: The state has released district-by-district results for the Georgia High School Graduation Tests. Check them out. School-level results are expected by May 23.
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Can schools fight cyberbullies?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One Georgia school system plans to put rules in place to curb “cyberbullying” — when students send threatening messages through the Internet and cell phones.
According to this story, Oconee County school board members will update the system’s code of conduct to include rules about these types of threats. The changes will warn students not to forward or print out and pass around these messages.
There’s been a lot of discussion lately about kids who threaten and taunt others electronically. Those who say this is problem point to the tragic story of a 13-year-old girl from Missouri who committed suicide in 2006 after some cruel messages about her were posted on MySpace, the social networking site.
It makes sense to say more must be done to protect children, but what can schools really do? Schools have difficulty protecting students from physical bullying, should we expect them to fix this problem?
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What’s the proper etiquette for graduation?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s graduation season. Colleges are conducting theirs and area high schools will hold commencement within the next two or three weeks.
Most will be lovely, but a few will have a scene like this: The band plays “Pomp and Circumstance.” Graduates march across the stage as their names are read aloud. Then someone blows an air horn or hoots to get a graduate’s attention.
Part of the dignity of graduation is that every name is heard. If Johnny’s family and friends scream and holler when his name is called, that could make it difficult to hear the name of the next kid.
Commencement marks a formal milestone in one’s life. No one expects a somber, quiet atmosphere. But principals and some parents say the ceremony must be dignified.
Can we expect decorum with caps and gowns? How should we balance letting people celebrate with making sure they behave?
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How much do students cheat?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A friend of mine has been teaching high school English in the area for about 15 years. Every year she catches more and more kids who cheat. They cheat on tests. They copy homework. They plagiarize papers they found on the Internet.
That’s not the worst part. When she confronts them, many just shrug. Some say everyone’s doing it. Others say it’s the only way to stay ahead in school and get good grades for college.
Nearly four in 10 teenagers say they have plagiarized or cheated on a test, according to a national poll released in December. That poll, co-sponsored by the group that runs the Junior Achievement entrepreneurship program, showed that about half of the students justified their actions by saying they felt an overwhelming pressure to succeed.
It’s easy to cheat. Web sites like schoolsucks.com provide students with papers they can download on nearly any topic.
Teachers can catch these kids by using other Web sites. Turnitin.com searches the Web for writing that matches what students turned in.
Do you think more students are cheating? Why do you think so many students believe it’s acceptable?
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23 million is a mere drop in the bucket. GCPS 08-09 budget = $1,900,000,000.00 Yeah, yeah, I know——It’s just a bunch of zero’s... read the full comment by jim d | Comment on Who gets to walk? Read Who gets to walk?
Absolutely, let them walk. If the kids have satisfactorily completed all coursework, I see no reason why the test alone should bar them from participation. Graduation is not just about earning a diploma. It’s about finishing school. If a students... read the full comment by HB | Comment on Who gets to walk? Read Who gets to walk?
The state board of education recently approved continuation contracts for testing for the upcoming year. The total? $23,000,000. I, for one, believe this money would be better spent in classrooms. The amount spent on testing programs is... read the full comment by Tony | Comment on Who gets to walk? Read Who gets to walk?
Dear not Tony, Wasn’t me!... read the full comment by jim d | Comment on Who gets to walk? Read Who gets to walk?