It’s never okay to fail a child.

Sometimes it’s reasonable to admit a child failed to learn enough to go to the next grade, though. Often what they learn in the next grade requires having learned the required material in the previous grade. If you just pass them along without them mastering basics, they just get more and more lost.

A child who can’t read can’t do the assignment or follow instructions in life. A child who can’t work add and subtract can’t do algebra or a checkbook.

That’s frustrating to them and disruptive for the class, reducing learning for those who DID learn what the teacher tried to teach. (Out in the “real world,” it often leads to disasters.) In retrospect, whenever a lost child loudly announces, “THIS IS BORING!” perhaps that child would be motivated to hear, “It’ll be even more boring next year if you don’t learn it this year.”

A school’s considered to have failed if they failed to teach enough of the students well enough. There ARE things beyond the teachers’ control. If that’s the case, it’s foolish to punish the schools or teachers for the determined failure of the parents and students to do their part in the learning process. It’s silly to blame the school for social and mental disorders on the part of the students.

If schools are doing something wrong, jump all over them, but don’t hold them responsible where they have no power.

David for perfect students
raised by perfect parents
taught by perfect teachers

Amazing how the rules dont apply to the adults but do to the kids. I am thinking maybe they should start over with the grading system since they are admitting the schools may not be earning the grades they are getting.

That was the original intent in the 60s, why not bring the numbers into alignment with the goal.

Everyone’s a winner! in electronic files and on paper anyway.