| Y'All Are Idiots |
2 February 2004
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Nashville Schools Cite Privacy Laws to Prevent Posting Honor Rolls
The honor roll is one of the few bits of recognition that hardworking, smart students get in school. Yet, it seems that the leveling spirit of America wants to deny them their moment in the sun and reserve the spotlight for the jocks in the weight room. Schools in Nashville, Tennessee are ending the practice of posting their honor rolls. Nothing reinforces anti-southern prejudices quite so much as a couple of folks in the south acting like dumb rednecks.
At issue is the privacy of students, the very existence of which comes as a shock to anyone who has had a bookbag searched on school grounds without a warrant. Unlike federal laws that apply in most states, in Tennessee, privacy laws forbid the release of any academic information (positive or negative makes no difference) without the permission of the child's legal guardian. And some parents, whose children didn't make the honor roll, worried that their precious under-achievers may face ridicule, and they called in the lawyers.
Now, every child in the Metro Nashville Public Schools must have permission to have his or her name posted the honor roll. More laughably (were it not so sad), some alleged educators want to do away with such recognition altogether. No more of Tommy's perfect test papers pinned to the bulletin board so Steve doesn't feel bad about his failing grade. MSNBC quoted Principal Steven Baum of Julia Green Elementary in Nashville, as saying, ''The rationale was, if there are some children that always make it and others that always don't make it, there is a very subtle message that was sent."
One hopes that the message wasn't too subtle -- good students are recognized for their success. Some children excel at academics and deserve recognition. Those who do not recognized due to laziness may be prodded into working harder in hopes of making the honor roll. Those who don't make it because they were not born with the ability need to learn early that there are other ways for them to shine in life. Not everyone can be president -- some must write commentary on the internet.
At stake here are the ideas that being good at something matters, that excellence is worth pursuing, and that learning has value. Self-esteem is not something that gets handed out. It derives from accomplishment. A nation creates a generation of confident young men and women by acknowledging their achievements, not by ignoring the success of their classmates.
Fortunately, Dr. Pedro E. Garcia, the Director of Schools in Nashville, circulated an e-mail last week to school principals that read in part, "Students who do well should be rewarded, and honor rolls are an important way of recognizing their achievements." Amen.
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