Mamacita says:  Does anyone else wonder why parents and teachers are spending so much time on topics such as red ink, dodgeball, and T-shirts, when it seems to me a much better topic for discussion might be, “Why are we allowing illiterate people to actually graduate from high school?”

Because I can’t think of a single reason why.  Nope, not one.

A person who can’t read, write, or do simple math has not earned a diploma and should not be given one.  A diploma does not represent self-esteem, attendance, money, exceptions, or desire to stand on a stage with peers.  A diploma represents earned credits awarded for proof of knowledge and skills.

At least, it should.  It used to.

Now, since pretty much everybody gets one whether they’ve earned it or not, a diploma has been turned into a piece of paper with somebody’s name on it, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing.

No wonder businesses are crying foul.  I don’t blame them.

A diploma used to mean that a person was fully literate and possessed skills that would enable him/her to be a qualified candidate for many jobs.

Now, we’re graduating people who couldn’t even pass the square-peg-round-hole test, which has by now probably been labeled “politically incorrect” and done away with.

A lot of kids are figuring out the system way down in grade school: If I don’t do anything, I’ll still get to graduate with the kids who are working hard, so why should I work hard?  Or at all?

Many schools force teachers to give students who won’t work a 50% anyway.  Half-credit for zero work.  But zeroes are hurtful, you know, and even if that’s what the kid EARNED, we musn’t give him one.  Give him half.

I wonder what we as a culture would think if a parent came bounding down from the bleachers during a basketball game, demanding that her child be given a point for a ball that did not go through the basket.  You know, because he tried, and it’s not his fault he couldn’t get the ball in the basket, and it’s not his fault the other players were able to get the ball in the basket, and other kids got points, and his SELF ESTEEM will suffer if he doesn’t get some points, too.  You know, for trying.  And failing.

Everyone would laugh at such a request.  Deservedly so, too.  Why, then, do we give kids whose work ethic doesn’t go through the basket, some free points anyway?  As a society, we should be laughing at such a request, but people tend to get militant about zeroes. No work, no pay.

I say, if a person earns points, give them points, and give them credits, and give them awards and rewards and pats on the back and a good job,  and if a person doesn’t earn any points, don’t give them any points.  Pity points are worthless.  The kid knows he didn’t earn any points.  I have a feeling it’s not for the kids that such ridiculous policies exist, ifyouknowmommywhatImean.

I call foul ball.