Growing up in Bay City we used to have pizza parties, ice cream parties, etc. for those that excelled in their grades. Besides the ass whoopin that I'd get at home, the parties made me strive to do better. I wanted to be there with all of my friends stuffing my face too. We were rewarded for doing well, much like a promotion or raise in adult life.
Some schools are straying away from this in a "not fair" attitude. In the "everyone gets a participation ribbon" world we live in now, we cannot leave anyone out. We reward for showing up.
A Connecticut middle school is now one of the schools that has decided to cancel their "Honors Night" so as to not offend those that have not achieved the grades. Archie R. Cole Middle School pulled the plug on the event because, "Members of the school community have long expressed concerns related to the exclusive nature of highlighting the hard work of the school's best and brightest." (East Greenwich Patch Newspaper)
The school will now "celebrate the individual and collective success of all students and their effort, progress and excellence." In other words, everyone will get a ribbon for being here, no matter how hard they try.
How do you feel about the everyone gets a participation ribbon attitude? Which idea do you believe is healthier for kids?
**Update**
The school has decided to still do "Honors Night" after many negative comments.
I think it's ridiculous that they would do this. Giving someone a pat on the back for just showing up is just going to promote laziness & establish a "bare minimum" type of mindset. It is like setting the future of America up for failure by destroying one of the fundamental ideas that our country is supposed to promote, competition.
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