Student Editorial (1) At the last school board meeting, the board approved a new grading system. (2) Starting next school year, the lowest grade a student can get on his or her report card is 50. (3) The teachers strongly protested the new policy, but the board approved the new policy, and it was unanimous. (4) I agree with the teachers on this issue. (5) This grading policy is a mistake for our school.
(6) I am a junior who makes A’s and B’s. (7) I know that the grade I get is the grade I earned. (8) If I let the quality of my work slip, then I get a lower grade. (9) The students in this school who refuse to do any work should get a grade that reflects their lack of effort. (10) Last six weeks, I saw the report card of a boy in my class. (11) Reading down his report card, I saw 17, 15, 22, and other low grades. (12) In the future, his grades will be 50, 50, 50, etc. (13) His grades will be about 30 points higher through no effort on his part.
(14) This artificial raising of grades will give an unfair advantage to these students. (15) Most of the schools in the area give students the grades they earn. (16) Students in our school will get higher grades than students in other schools, even if they do the same amount of work.
(17) The school board defended its position by quoting dropout statistics and connecting them to grades. (18) They theorize that students who make very low grades can’t bring their grades up enough to pass. (19) The students will get disheartened and dropout. (20) The board thinks that keeping averages at 50 will give the kids a better chance to bring the grades up to passing. (21) I know the board feels that it is protecting the students, but in the long term it is hurting them. (22) They are giving students the wrong message about success. (23) In the real world, success must be earned, it will not be handed out.
(24) The board ignored teacher opinions when they approved the policy, but they cannot ignore everyone. (25) Parents and students need to attend the next school board meeting. (26) Tell the school board that you want the grading system to remain the same next year and beyond.
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Select the correct answer.
Which of these sentences could be added to the end of the third paragraph (sentences 14-16) to support the ideas in that paragraph?
A.
This grading difference creates an unfair comparison between students.
B.
One boy in my class made zeroes in four of his classes because he never worked.
C.
I can make higher grades if I study hard for tests and do my homework on time.
D.
Each school has its own school board that makes decisions about policies.