Mass. high school decides the honor roll is too stressful
USA TodayPosted by Mike Carney at 11:08 AM/ET, December 12, 2006
A Massachusetts high school will no longer publish its honor roll because of concerns that the traditional academic rankings cause too much stress for students, especially those who don't make the list.
Needham High School Principal Paul Richards told the Needham Times "the idea of keeping the honor roll private was pitched by a concerned parent and spread quickly in a school community already looking to ease tension around the town."
Good students will receive a letter of congratulations instead of having their name published in the local newspaper, the paper said. But WCVB-TV reports the community is split on the decision.
"Richards said one parent with three children attending Needham High told him publishing the honor roll is a constant cause of stress in her family. According to that parent, one of the three students routinely made the honor roll while the other two did not," the station reported on its website.
"Another parent who didn't want his name used said his two youngsters, a senior and a junior at Needham High, both consistently received honors and high honors. He said he, 'took special pride in opening the newspaper and seeing his kids names.' He said he could also see how the publishing of names could put stress on other kids who did not make it."
A Massachusetts high school will no longer publish its honor roll because of concerns that the traditional academic rankings cause too much stress for students, especially those who don't make the list.
Needham High School Principal Paul Richards told the Needham Times "the idea of keeping the honor roll private was pitched by a concerned parent and spread quickly in a school community already looking to ease tension around the town."
Good students will receive a letter of congratulations instead of having their name published in the local newspaper, the paper said. But WCVB-TV reports the community is split on the decision.
"Richards said one parent with three children attending Needham High told him publishing the honor roll is a constant cause of stress in her family. According to that parent, one of the three students routinely made the honor roll while the other two did not," the station reported on its website.
"Another parent who didn't want his name used said his two youngsters, a senior and a junior at Needham High, both consistently received honors and high honors. He said he, 'took special pride in opening the newspaper and seeing his kids names.' He said he could also see how the publishing of names could put stress on other kids who did not make it."
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WHAT!
So they are taking away any acheivement from students who deserve to have recognition. I was never on the honor roll and if I recall correctly I did not even come close. Let us think of a hypothetical situation here, very hypothetical. What if I being a student for a few years and never made the list but then one semester I buckled down and made the list. Where would be my recognition for it? OHHHH a letter in the mail.
I understand that we want our children to be happy and to love themselves for who Christ created them to be. He did not make everyone equal in the smarts catagory, I can attest to that. My oldest brother was is the smart one, yea I wish I had his smarts but I do not. Has that stopped me from being myself and being a child of Christ? No way!
OOPS forgot we already have taken Christ out of everything, sorry about that.
I have another ability that he does not have and that is drawing. I have a great artistic (which I need to use more often than I do now) ability that sets me a part. I was not born for being a brain and being on the honor roll. Could I have done much better? Why yes I could have if I took an interest in it and applied myself more. I won awards with my ability, won a scholarship, had my name on a calendar due to my abilites. Am I supposed to give up that recognition because my brother did not?
We are raising children that will not be able to function without a lawyer on hand to make tings better for me. If I do not get the recognition in my office but my colleague does am I supposed to complain and ask for my own recognition when I did not do it? Where has the ability to be happy for someone else and to encourage them while trying to better yourself gone?
It is sad to me that we are making everything and everyone equal when we are far from that. Encourage the strengths of others not take away. I am repeating myself here but we are not all made the same.
I have had many people say that they wish they could draw like me, well I wish that I could be smarter and retain things more in my brain. But I do not, I have accepted it, moved on and have a great life not ever being an "A" student or on the honor roll.
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