Does anyone think this situation is unfair?

[SandrA9810]

I went to a high school with an IB program. It's an incredibly difficult program to pass.


But I agree with every one else. If they wanted to complain, they should've done it years ago. You can't change the rules once the game is over, just so some one else can be chosen the winner.

Let the girl have her pride and moment, because she's probably not going to go on to graduate school and all that other stuff later in life. And well later in life, that's what's going to matter, not what's done in high school. Once you're out of high school, all any one wants to know is if you got a diploma, they don't care if you passed with A's or C's.

And there's a ton of scholarship programs out there. And aid to be given out. If the kid bumped to number 11 gets out of the running for one scholarship, i'm sure there's 10 more some place else to be looked at.

 

[tomthebarncat]

I had to think for a minute about this one. Who raises these types of people that would be so self centered and selfish as to take away a special ed students achievements? I graduated at the top of my class in all 3 of my university degree programs! Has it gotten me anywhere in life? no, all it shows is that I am a good student. Were my parents proud, yes, does the rest of the world care? No!! I would say that the petitioning students actions are shameful and it appears that the life lesson of "it is not all about You" needs to be learned. Life is not always fair but it is how you chose to handle yourself in these types of situations that show true strength of character, which will get you alot farther in life than a number!

 

[Becky2005]

If someone is reading at a 6th grade level - why are they even IN high school?

Hmmm...do you think it would be good to have a 15-16 year old 6th grader when they perfectly understand the rest of the material? What about a 11-12 year old 2nd grader or even 15-16 year old 2nd grader? Just because they have a reading disability doesn't mean they don't understand the material at grade level. They just have a harder time actually reading it.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

When I read threads like this on the Dis, I notice the same thing happens time and again - and it is because so many here seem to be looking for a fight. It is great to hear other's opinions, and it can be educational to hear very different opinions, but only if we keep an open mind.

We can disagree without judging the person with whom we disagree. We can certainly disagree without taking comments personally or attacking those with whom we disagree.

Or can't we?

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

If your cousin, being a teacher, is smart, she will stay FAR away from that! She can encourage her students to write a letter to the principal if they have a concern, but since she has no say in how those things are decided, she doesn't want to end up in the middle of that mess.

P.S. I say "Hooray!" for the special ed. student. As a high school senior, I would be happy to have some special ed. students graduating in the top of the class with me. I think that any student who thinks otherwise has some things to learn.

 

[Lizzy2]

I guess I just don't understand how this one girls "ranking" hurts the other students? I do know its totally sad to think that they can't show some kindness to a fellow class member who seems to have triumphed over such odds~ If I were their parents I would be mortified to have raised such a selfish kid~

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just wanted to say thanks for this thread. It forced me to look over my 7th graders handbook.

I just sent dd to school with a page from the Language Arts section. They have a weighted class in 9th grade. Now she is not in the gifted program so I am sending her to ask about how to go about getting into the weighted class for 9th grade. It is worth asking about. It is her "gifted area" so she may have a shot at it. The class sounds right up her alley.

We will see....

 

[Kit'smommy]

I would say let it go. I speak from experience when I say it will not matter down the road, to any one ranked below her, and it may make a huge difference to the special ed student who has worked so hard.

I spent 11 years in very challenging private schools. We moved my senior year to another state and I attended public school for the first time. I graduated near the bottom of our honor court due to the inflation of the student's grades who had taken ap and honors classes. I had taken equivalent or more difficult classes, but they were from schools where all the classes were honors level classes and a 4.0 was the top. At the time, I was crushed. In retrospect, it hasn't mattered in the least.

 

[wfloyd]

One way that the ranking hurts the students below is some colleges automatically accept students who are in the top 10% of their class. Therefore if the girl is in the top 10%, she is knocking someone else out of that spot and subjecting them to different college entrance requirements.

 

[robinb]

One way that the ranking hurts the students below is some colleges automatically accept students who are in the top 10% of their class. Therefore if the girl is in the top 10%, she is knocking someone else out of that spot and subjecting them to different college entrance requirements.

She's not. She's 11th out of a class of 61.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think there reasons the NHS students upset because there some scholarships offered by state universities and colleges that are given to students in the top 15% my cousin pointed that out to me right away.Some of these scholarships get awarded in the early summer.

So, have any of these NHS members done the appropriate calculations? Fifteen percent of the senior class of 61 students = 9.15 "persons". Since you can't award a scholarship to a fraction of a person and since fractions/percents under one half are rounded down, that means the top 15% of the class = nine students.

Now, take the 'controversial' student out of the equation entirely (which, really, is what the petitioners are trying to do). Fifteen percent of the remaining sixty students = wait for it.... nine students!

Now, it's been a few years since I've been in school, but nine still equals nine, doesn't it?

Speaking of school, all the way through my graduating class, only college-bound students were considered for class rankings. The following year - when my brother graduated - the school department decided to include all students. This meant that students who'd rank in the top eight or the top twenty (both of which mattered at the time) out of 750 students got bumped for students not even going to college. Sure, they complained - but this was the final decision.

eta: calculations performed before reading robinb's response

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think right now the rank doesn't effect the top 15% but I think maybe students are worried because the final percentage won't be known until a week before graduation one finals and final grades are taken.

THen, wouldn't it make sense for the NHS (and other complaining) students to concentrate on scoring as absolutely high as possible on all tests, projects, etc., to keep or improve their class rankings - rather than expend that energy on petitioning anyone for anything?

 

[mousey]

I have read that colleges don't take the ranks that seriously anymore due to the fact that its not a fair system. How do they know that Student A from a highschool with 60 seniors is any smarter than Student B from a highschool with 760 students? They say that if you take the more difficult classes they weigh more, but this doesn't necessarily happen. The rank also doesn't take in account, sports, clubs, volunteering----a lot of these top students do this stuff along with getting good grades.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have read that colleges don't take the ranks that seriously anymore due to the fact that its not a fair system. How do they know that Student A from a highschool with 60 seniors is any smarter than Student B from a highschool with 760 students? They say that if you take the more difficult classes they weigh more, but this doesn't necessarily happen. The rank also doesn't take in account, sports, clubs, volunteering----a lot of these top students do this stuff along with getting good grades.

You may have read that but having a freshman college dd I assure you it is a factor.

 

[mousey]

I agree with what your saying Mystery Machine, but I think eventually the rank will be gone. My daughter was 2 out of 400 with only a 100th of a point difference from number 1. When it came time for awards and scholarships, she got a ton more than number 1. I think the reason was the 3 sports she played, all the clubs she was involved with and stepped up and took an officer role and her volunteering.

Now looking back--number 1 has since dropped out of college and is pursuing a new career path. When I look back at certain decisions my daughter had to make such as dropping out of band (which she played in since 5th grade) because the guidance counselor thought another course would raise her GPA more, it really didn't matter. Our family missed an entire year of listening to her perform with the instrument she played well. If we had to do it over again, I tell her to forget the rank and enjoy highschool. Life is too short!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I agree with what your saying Mystery Machine, but I think eventually the rank will be gone. My daughter was 2 out of 400 with only a 100th of a point difference from number 1. When it came time for awards and scholarships, she got a ton more than number 1. I think the reason was the 3 sports she played, all the clubs she was involved with and stepped up and took an officer role and her volunteering.

Now looking back--number 1 has since dropped out of college and is pursuing a new career path. When I look back at certain decisions my daughter had to make such as dropping out of band (which she played in since 5th grade) because the guidance counselor thought another course would raise her GPA more, it really didn't matter. Our family missed an entire year of listening to her perform with the instrument she played well. If we had to do it over again, I tell her to forget the rank and enjoy highschool. Life is too short!

Not in Texas.You do know about the "Top 10% Rule"?

When my dd applied for college admissions was based on rank + SAT/ACT score.

If you erase rank, now you are going to solely relying in the SAT/ACT test for admission.

Colleges might find they cannot get enough applicants based on that criteria. So I think ranking is probably here to stay, at least here in the Midwest.

Also you have honors college and greek scholar admissions for freshman that rely on rank as part of admission there as well.

Anyway that is just my thoughts off the top of my head on that topic.

 

[Kimkimba]

I just think this is so sad.

I'm considered gifted, was in NHS, and graduated in the top 10% of my class. While I did apply myself, it came very easy for me.

Two of my children have special needs and receive special education. Let me tell you, they have to work a thousand times harder every single day than I ever did once. They are truly amazing and I hope no one ever tries to minimize their accomplishments.

 

[boomersmom]

A good life lesson here is that being "fair" doesn't always mean being "equal."

Would it be "fair" for a farsighted student to take a test without their glasses? Would it be "fair" if a hearing impaired student could not use hearing aids? Special Ed students are given accomodations to help them succeed in the same way glasses or hearing aids help a "typical" student.

 

[mousey]

My feeling in NY is the SAT/ACT have more weight than rank. I don't know about Texas, but do you have schools that have a senior class of 60 or less and then schools that have 900 seniors? I guess what I'm trying to say is how do you know how Student 60 out of 60 seniors would rank in that class of 900? I know some students aren't good test takers and have to keep repeating the SAT's but that seems like the test that is nationally accepted.

My cousin went to Harvard and he was in the top 10 of his class, but not 1 or 2 which seem to be the most sought after. Very high SAT/ACT scores though!

Good luck to your freshman. I'm glad we are finally out of the high school years. Hello college expenses!!!

 

[mousey]

A good life lesson here is that being "fair" doesn't always mean being "equal."

Would it be "fair" for a farsighted student to take a test without their glasses? Would it be "fair" if a hearing impaired student could not use hearing aids? Special Ed students are given accomodations to help them succeed in the same way glasses or hearing aids help a "typical" student.

I agree with you but in this dog eat dog world it becomes very competitive. My friend has 2 special ed students that she has had to fight tooth and nail for just to make them eligible for graduation. Life is not fair at times no matter who you are and not everyone is treated equal, but change is hard for some people to accept!