Jacob Chaires on the Fifteen Fixes
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The Chestertown Spy Op-Ed: County Schools Going in Wrong Direction by Jacob Chaires print At the beginning of my term as student member of the Kent County Board of Education I promised to be vocal and voice my opinion. Over the past few months I have chosen to remain relatively quiet throughout the proceedings and see how meetings would be run and discussed without my input. I watched, as a student, a 50% grading policy being enforced in Kent County Public Schools. This rule stated that as long as a student tried, they were to receive a minimum of a 50%. I watched as a system of “quality points” was installed. Instead of receiving the actual points the student deserved for the grade he or she had received, the student now fell into categories such as a ‘D+’ or a ‘B-’. This did nothing but inflate grade point averages. I watched as a rule was put into effect that gave students ‘I’s’ for incomplete assignments rather than zeros. This allowed students two weeks after the due date to complete assignments with no attached penalty. I watched as more pressure was placed on the teachers to get students to pass, as student responsibility was pushed aside. It is now the teachers’ responsibility to make sure that students receive all of their make-up work. It is the teachers’ responsibility to work with students on bridge projects who fail the HSA’s. It is the teachers’ responsibility to connect with each individual student to try and figure out a way for each student to obtain a good grade. AII of these policies have culminated together when the board was informed at the last meeting that we must have 100% graduation rate by 2014. Well, I can no longer keep watching. I feel it is my responsibility to speak up since others are afraid to do so, and feel that their opinion means nothing. The direction that education at Kent County Public Schools is headed in is the wrong one. Gradually, step-by-step, rules have been put into place which have allowed students to become apathetic about their education, and have diminished educational opportunities for others. Over and over again I have been told that these policies are designed to help children to succeed and not simply boost the graduation rate, yet it seems that that’s all they are in place to do. These rules that are now being enforced have allowed students to abuse the system because they realize that they do not need to work hard at Kent County Public Schools for an education. Students choose not to complete assignments because they know that the system will pass them anyway. Students choose not to go to class because they know the system will pass them anyway. Students have found out that policy makers have instructed indirectly to the teachers that it is the teachers’ responsibility to makes we the students pass, and not the students’ inner ambition for an education. Students are no longer being prepared for real-life experiences such as the work force and meeting college expectations. Policy makers have allowed government expectations to run their entire policy making. While I agree, the board needs to comply with government regulations; I will not sit here and let the standards of our students fall because of the need to increase the graduation rate. As graduation rates must improve, certain people feel it is their responsibility to make it as easy as possible for students to graduate. As graduation rates increase to 100%, the diploma becomes worthless in many peoples’ eyes, including the students’. It is important that every student is responsible for his or her own education; but, as they are “spoon-fed” the easiest way to graduate, this seriously damages their chances of being able to make real life decisions on their own. It seems that policy makers would rather students face failure when they are out in the real world with no support around them, than to face failure while support surrounds them.
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December 2010 Jacob Chaires speaks before the Kent County (MD) School Board
Transcript of Jacob Chaires on the Fifteen Fixes
The Chestertown SpyOp-Ed: County Schools Going in Wrong Direction by Jacob Chairesprint
At the beginning of my term as student member of the Kent County Board of Education Ipromised to be vocal and voice my opinion. Over the past few months I have chosen toremain relatively quiet throughout the proceedings and see how meetings would be run anddiscussed without my input. I watched, as a student, a 50% grading policy being enforced inKent County Public Schools. This rule stated that as long as a student tried, they were toreceive a minimum of a 50%. I watched as a system of “quality points” was installed. Insteadof receiving the actual points the student deserved for the grade he or she had received, thestudent now fell into categories such as a ‘D+’ or a ‘B-’. This did nothing but inflate gradepoint averages. I watched as a rule was put into effect that gave students ‘I’s’ for incompleteassignments rather than zeros. This allowed students two weeks after the due date tocomplete assignments with no attached penalty. I watched as more pressure was placed onthe teachers to get students to pass, as student responsibility was pushed aside. It is now theteachers’ responsibility to make sure that students receive all of their make-up work.It is the teachers’ responsibility to work with students on bridge projects who fail the HSA’s.It is the teachers’ responsibility to connect with each individual student to try and figure out away for each student to obtain a good grade. AII of these policies have culminated togetherwhen the board was informed at the last meeting that we must have 100% graduation rate by2014. Well, I can no longer keep watching. I feel it is my responsibility to speak up sinceothers are afraid to do so, and feel that their opinion means nothing.The direction that education at Kent County Public Schools is headed in is the wrong one.Gradually, step-by-step, rules have been put into place which have allowed students tobecome apathetic about their education, and have diminished educational opportunities forothers. Over and over again I have been told that these policies are designed to help childrento succeed and not simply boost the graduation rate, yet it seems that that’s all they are inplace to do.These rules that are now being enforced have allowed students to abuse the system becausethey realize that they do not need to work hard at Kent County Public Schools for aneducation. Students choose not to complete assignments because they know that the systemwill pass them anyway. Students choose not to go to class because they know the system willpass them anyway. Students have found out that policy makers have instructed indirectly tothe teachers that it is the teachers’ responsibility to makes we the students pass, and not thestudents’ inner ambition for an education. Students are no longer being prepared for real-lifeexperiences such as the work force and meeting college expectations. Policy makers haveallowed government expectations to run their entire policy making. While I agree, the boardneeds to comply with government regulations; I will not sit here and let the standards of ourstudents fall because of the need to increase the graduation rate.As graduation rates must improve, certain people feel it is their responsibility to make it aseasy as possible for students to graduate. As graduation rates increase to 100%, the diplomabecomes worthless in many peoples’ eyes, including the students’. It is important that everystudent is responsible for his or her own education; but, as they are “spoon-fed” the easiestway to graduate, this seriously damages their chances of being able to make real lifedecisions on their own. It seems that policy makers would rather students face failure whenthey are out in the real world with no support around them, than to face failure while supportsurrounds them.
Students need to face failure to observe what failure looks like. If you do not let them facereality now, they will have no clue how to react to failure in the future. While Kent CountyPublic Schools have brought in great programs of AP classes and the STEM program, theyare all still placed under the same failing system of grading. The Kent County PublicSchools’ system gives students a false sense of hope that this is a way that colleges gradeassignments.I had a conversation with a peer who visited a college last week. The admissions officelaughed in her face. They said that students coming from Kent County High School wouldnot be able to be successful in their school. They kindly handed her a list of colleges sheshould attend instead. It was said by a board member that Chesapeake College was run-downby students who needed to take remedial courses because they were not ready to handle theregular ones. I have seen personally, graduates of Kent County High School, who cannoteven read or write.This should scare the policy makers and anyone else who cares about their child’s education.I ask the board, do you think that complying with government standards using short-cuts togain results has sponsored, “Successful Learning for All Students”? I would think not. I askthe board to first think of a student’s success in the future rather than seeking the easiest wayto comply with government standards. Please realize that through policies put into place bythe Board of Education, you have diminished children’s capabilities of success, by notmaking them take charge of their own future. In time, I ask the board to consider this: that itis the policy maker’s and teacher’s job to offer an education; but, it is the students’responsibility to pursue it.Jacob Chaires attends Kent County High School and is the student representative to the KentCounty Board of Education. These remarks were presented at the December 2010 Board ofEducation meeting.
Copyright © 2012 The Chestertown Spy
