VALDOSTA —
Local radio personality Scott James of Talk 92.1 will be appearing on “Fox & Friends” today at 7:45 a.m. to share feedback about the new grading policy implemented by the Lowndes County School System.
“They wanted me to share the feedback I have been receiving on the show all week regarding the policy change,” said James. “(It’s been) 100 percent negative.”
The new guide to grading is for Lowndes County students in grades third through eighth. The guide, which has already been implemented, has stirred controversy among parents for discarding traditional grading methods.
Among other changes, no “zero’s” are allowed to be given as grades and students are to be allowed to retest until they receive a passing grade.
“We continue to dumb down the process instead of challenging these young people,” said James. “We are preparing them for nothing.”
The new teacher guide to grading urges teachers to not be concerned with what a child “earns.” According to James, this grading policy is a detriment to the future success of our children.
“My opinion is it further erodes the structure/ discipline/accountability that teachers and students need to progress with any sort of consistency or urgency,” said James. “The child cannot/should not dictate the pace or level of effort needed to get through any given assignment.”
According to James, students at the high school level will not be safe for long.
“It was also stated by the County Administration that grading procedures for students in nine through 12 are currently under review and will be undergoing reform in the near future,” said James.
The new grading policy has stretched past the borders of Lowndes County and has sparked a columnist with the Atlanta Journal Constitution to comment on the matter.
“I would argue that middle school teachers have some students who simply don’t do the work ... The Lowndes policy calls for multiple interventions for obdurate students, but wouldn’t a zero make an important statement?” Maureen Downey wrote on her “Get Schooled” blog with the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“How else do adolescents learn that there are consequences for failure to comply with assignments? In the classroom, it is a zero. In the workplace, it is termination.”
Blogs are popping up all over the Internet speaking out against the grading policy. The Concerned Parents of Georgia (CPOE), established in 2001, has mentioned the new grading policy on their website. Lucianne.com has a link to the Times’ article concerning the matter and garnishes comments such as “the dumbing down of American continues.” A blog at http://www.thoughts.com/sebraveheart/lowndes-county-grading-policy asks parents to e-mail the Lowndes County Board of Education, the State Superintendent and even the commissioners.
“The school board says they performed research, asking principals of the schools to ask their teachers what changes needed to be made,” the blog states. “I doubt any teachers asked for this. If I am wrong, I hope they prove it by showing me the results of the research. This is not how evidence-based research is performed.”
The Times attempted to contact all seven members of the Lowndes County Board of Education, but of the seven, only Philip Poole replied. In an email to the Times, Poole stated that communication regarding the new policy has been “misunderstood” and that “any policy change will be reviewed in public and voted on by the Board prior to any changes being made.”
Poole also informed the Times that the superintendent will be holding a media session Monday morning, but no information on time and place was included in the email.
For more on this story and other local news, subscribe to The Valdosta Daily Times e-Edition, or our print edition.
