I was reading this from Townhall: https://townhall.com/news/amy-curtis/2026/09/15/california-grads-40-cant-do-basic-math-n2682969 and it makes me wonder about a couple of things. 1) The increase in grade average isn’t a new story -- seems like we’ve been hearing about it for years -- how standardized testing is a tool of the patriarchy and needs to be eliminated. Is it possible that reading, writing, and arithmetic just aren’t necessary skills anymore? 2) If graduating high school students today can’t do what once were educational basics, what has replaced them? Students, I think, still attend school for the same amount of hours and years that we did growing up, so if they aren’t doing well in what were our basics, what are they doing well in? Anything? What can a HS graduate today do -- what do they know?
Thread pic: is the cat on the right pointing its pistol at the cat on the left?
Sven -- as you said, the problem has been going on for years. At the brick-and-mortar school I worked at, I was told by both the department chair and the administration not to give out too many D’s and F’s as it would reflect poorly on my teaching. I don’t “give” grades, students earn them. Every year, someone in administration would float the idea of giving students 50% for missing assignments (“It’s still an ‘F’!”). Students in Honors classes complained when I asked them to work and think and felt that they deserved high grades.
Hi, Paddy -- is there anything that HS students do well? I keep thinking that if they do poorly over here, then they must be doing good on something over there.
There are three of them at the water and food dishes in the front yard right now. They are chatting to each other, not nearly as loud as when they are calling. A squirrel came across the street earlier. They all seem happy enough.
Good morning, GN.
Thread pic: Every cat’s dream.
I was reading this from Townhall: https://townhall.com/news/amy-curtis/2026/09/15/california-grads-40-cant-do-basic-math-n2682969 and it makes me wonder about a couple of things. 1) The increase in grade average isn’t a new story -- seems like we’ve been hearing about it for years -- how standardized testing is a tool of the patriarchy and needs to be eliminated. Is it possible that reading, writing, and arithmetic just aren’t necessary skills anymore? 2) If graduating high school students today can’t do what once were educational basics, what has replaced them? Students, I think, still attend school for the same amount of hours and years that we did growing up, so if they aren’t doing well in what were our basics, what are they doing well in? Anything? What can a HS graduate today do -- what do they know?
Happy Tuesday, Gerbil Nation!
Good morning, Sven!
Thread pic: is the cat on the right pointing its pistol at the cat on the left?
Sven -- as you said, the problem has been going on for years. At the brick-and-mortar school I worked at, I was told by both the department chair and the administration not to give out too many D’s and F’s as it would reflect poorly on my teaching. I don’t “give” grades, students earn them. Every year, someone in administration would float the idea of giving students 50% for missing assignments (“It’s still an ‘F’!”). Students in Honors classes complained when I asked them to work and think and felt that they deserved high grades.
Hi, Paddy -- is there anything that HS students do well? I keep thinking that if they do poorly over here, then they must be doing good on something over there.
They have a very high level of self-esteem and entitlement. They can argue the prominent Leftist talking points, at least at a superficial level.
--“Thread pic: is the cat on the right pointing its pistol at the cat on the left?”--
Well…they ARE cats.
I didn’t know that Mac had such a large backyard. https://x.com/FlintBlackBird/status/2079619250323411170/video/1
There are three of them at the water and food dishes in the front yard right now. They are chatting to each other, not nearly as loud as when they are calling. A squirrel came across the street earlier. They all seem happy enough.
Mac’s Peaceable Kingdom.
Until the cats show up and start screaming at each other.