
If you’ve been paying attention literally at all, then you’re already well aware that our education system is worse than a runaway freight train on a track maintained by Pete Buttigieg.
So… basically a chemical fire that nobody wants to clean up.
I didn’t need any more evidence for this, but I keep reading education articles and publishing my response to them. As many as my brain can handle, anyway.
Why? Well… someone needs to talk about it. I’ve never believed in the “ignorance is bliss” trope. In addition, seeing as I’m the only chicklet on staff that’s still engulfed in the raging hell storm that is academia, I figured as much of the education coverage as I can stand should come from me.
Now, that means I’ve seen and read a lot of bullsh*t in the last two years, or so. I never try to expect good things, so as not to encounter disappointment. I actually try to anticipate the worst, which is, perhaps, a bad stance to take, but it works… usually.
This one got past my firewall.
From The Blaze:
A small Texas high school has decided to delay its graduation ceremony after just five seniors qualified to graduate, and an epidemic of severe senioritis may be to blame.
At a mandatory meeting on Wednesday night, parents of seniors attending Marlin High School in Marlin, Texas, about a half-hour south of Waco, voted to delay the school’s graduation ceremony until June to give more students a chance to qualify. At the time of the meeting, 28 of 33 seniors did not meet graduation requirements, mostly because of poor attendance, missing credits, and low grades.
Delaying graduation “is part of a broader effort by Marlin ISD to maintain high academic expectations and ensure student success,” a statement from the district read in part. “The district has affirmed its commitment to providing necessary resources and support for students, and the new graduation date is seen as a testament to this commitment.”
Superintendent Dr. Darryl Henson reiterated that “students in Marlin ISD will be held to the same high standards as any other student in Texas.”
To receive a high school diploma, Texas students must earn 22 to 26 course credits, and to earn credit for a class, they must attend class at least 90% of the time. In addition to earning credits, they must demonstrate that they have retained the course material by passing proficiency tests covering algebra I, English I, English II, biology, and U.S. history.
Alondra Alvarado, one of the five who has already qualified for graduation, seemed frustrated by the situation. “They told us that because of the students that didn’t meet the requirements it wouldn’t be fair for only five students to walk the stage,” she said.
Though the graduation prospects of most of Marlin High School’s class of 2023 remain in limbo, the Marlin community wanted to honor all students, regardless of graduation status, so they quickly organized a graduation-like ceremony at a local Baptist church. All seniors and their families were invited to attend. “A grandmother flew in from Mexico here to see her grandson graduate, and, you know, these are moments that you gotta cherish,” said Brandolyn Jones, one of the event organizers.
It is unclear when the 28 students had been apprised that they were in danger of not graduating. Some parents claimed that they received reports as recently as April 17 stating that their children were “on track.” “This is a catastrophic failure of leadership and accountability,” one mother said at the parent meeting on Wednesday.
Marlin ISD voted last month to move to a four-day school week, beginning this fall. District officials hope that the shorter week will improve student engagement and reduce the number of absences.
Well there ya go… everyone’s so worried about pronouns, inclusivity, equity, and sex changes, that we’ve forgotten about, you know… making kids actually show up for class.
Our “great war” is a cultural war, just in case you guys were wondering…
I weep for this generation. I really do. We’ll be the cause of this country’s demise from within unless people wake up and smell the commie in the air. I mean… the wheels are already turnin’ on the “demise from within” thing, but still…
I’m honestly surprised that the school didn’t just give all these kids a pass. Even in the face of a flood of complaints from parents and students, as well as embarrassing media coverage nationwide, they held their ground. With the way the world likes to roll these days, I honestly would have expected them to cave, so if there’s a good part to this story, I guess that’s it. I know I’m praising the bare a$$ minimum here… don’t remind me.
Other than that, this situation sucks. Please homeschool your kids. They’ll thank you later.
2 Comments
Regarding your statement: “I’ve never believed in the “ignorance is bliss” trope.”
That’s half a line from Thomas Gray’s poem, Ode on a Distant Prospect at Eton College, “Where ignorance is bliss, Tis folly to be wise.” The line means what it says and speaks for itself.
I spent 45 years in news broadcasting, meeting and interviewing hundreds of people. Over those years I met any number of people who had absolutely no clue about what was going on in the world around them. You know what? They were also the happiest and most cheerful people. People who knew a lot about a lot of things were miserably unhappy. That’s where I learned that for many people, ignorance really is bliss.
“District officials hope that the shorter week will improve student engagement and reduce the number of absences.”
Just get rid of the attendance requirement and problem solved. I thought the only requirement in public schools was to be able to articulate your pronouns.
Given what is being shoved into these kids heads in school now a days, the kids being voluntarily absent without permission, maybe a blessing.