WSJ - To Increase Equity, School Districts Eliminate Honors Classes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

Because you aren't specific, I have to conclude you are writing about some other county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

You must be at one of the bad schools or just posting from an alternate reality. We also have real honors classes.

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. I didn't realize Whitman was a bad school.

It's gone downhill for a while now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Article from WSJ today. Too bad for the schools doing this, it's much better to have all honors so all can have inflated grades.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-increase-equity-school-districts-eliminate-honors-classes-d5985dee

American education is getting systematically dismantled. If you care, fight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article from WSJ today. Too bad for the schools doing this, it's much better to have all honors so all can have inflated grades.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-increase-equity-school-districts-eliminate-honors-classes-d5985dee

American education is getting systematically dismantled. If you care, fight.

At least that's what Fox News and its associated properties would have us believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

Because you aren't specific, I have to conclude you are writing about some other county.

People are literally posting links to 9th grade registration pages where Honors English 9 is the only choice.

Here's Walter Johnson, you can see that Honors English is the only option: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/walter-johnson-hs-course-bulle/9th-grade-info?authuser=0

Here is B-CC: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1omOjmST8HEQQ-BXftkgdPqZZyPH5waQ7qBa7mJvO5Fk/edit#gid=821950602

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What gets me about this is that it hurts bright, motivated disadvantaged kids (and girls, in the context of STEM) the most. Advantaged kids will get tutoring and pushed into APs as soon as they are available. Bright kids without that won’t be prepared. I literally cannot - as in, cognitively do not understand - why schools are abandoning able, disadvantaged kids. I get that the radial composition of magnet/gifted programs etc was a problem. The answer to that is to create *more* gifted programs that scoop up every kid in Title 1 schools that shows academic ability and focus. It makes me tear my hair out to think about those kids.

I don’t know that you should be tearing your hair out about kids at title I schools. My kids go to a title I elementary school, and they have smaller class sizes, great teachers, and a strong peer group of smart and motivated kids.

Spare me. What happens to that “strong peer group” as time goes on? Your kids do fine (b/c you will get tutoring as needed and get them into good MS and HS programs.) The kids without that will not.

I was responding to the overwrought hand-wringing about kids based on your classist assumptions and the implication that if kids from lower socioeconomic households are not pulled out of their schools to attend magnet programs at other (I guess maybe you think better?) schools, they are somehow being failed. I’m not sure what you mean by “good MS and HS programs,” but I’m assuming you mean magnet programs. Hopefully you’ll be pleased to know that the regular middle and high schools in MCPS still have strong peer groups, and all schools offer free tutoring.

I personally think all MCPS schools should offer the classes they have in magnets as well as real honors English classes.

Yes, all kids with potenial need to be challenged. It’s truly ironic that you think it is “classist” to say so. I know parents like you. They expressly reason “my kid is smart and doesn’t need to be challenged!” Until they realize they do, and they send them to a better MS/HS.

And no, it is not a “strong peer group” to be one of 10 kids in your grade who aren’t failing the state exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article from WSJ today. Too bad for the schools doing this, it's much better to have all honors so all can have inflated grades.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-increase-equity-school-districts-eliminate-honors-classes-d5985dee

American education is getting systematically dismantled. If you care, fight.

At least that's what Fox News and its associated properties would have us believe.

I'm also skeptical because the quality of education available to my children at MCPS is vastly better than the education available at MCPS 30 years ago when I graduated from a W. Sure, the county's demographics are different today. Still, there are amazing opportunities for anyone interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What gets me about this is that it hurts bright, motivated disadvantaged kids (and girls, in the context of STEM) the most. Advantaged kids will get tutoring and pushed into APs as soon as they are available. Bright kids without that won’t be prepared. I literally cannot - as in, cognitively do not understand - why schools are abandoning able, disadvantaged kids. I get that the radial composition of magnet/gifted programs etc was a problem. The answer to that is to create *more* gifted programs that scoop up every kid in Title 1 schools that shows academic ability and focus. It makes me tear my hair out to think about those kids.

I don’t know that you should be tearing your hair out about kids at title I schools. My kids go to a title I elementary school, and they have smaller class sizes, great teachers, and a strong peer group of smart and motivated kids.

Spare me. What happens to that “strong peer group” as time goes on? Your kids do fine (b/c you will get tutoring as needed and get them into good MS and HS programs.) The kids without that will not.

I was responding to the overwrought hand-wringing about kids based on your classist assumptions and the implication that if kids from lower socioeconomic households are not pulled out of their schools to attend magnet programs at other (I guess maybe you think better?) schools, they are somehow being failed. I’m not sure what you mean by “good MS and HS programs,” but I’m assuming you mean magnet programs. Hopefully you’ll be pleased to know that the regular middle and high schools in MCPS still have strong peer groups, and all schools offer free tutoring.

I personally think all MCPS schools should offer the classes they have in magnets as well as real honors English classes.

Yes, all kids with potenial need to be challenged. It’s truly ironic that you think it is “classist” to say so. I know parents like you. They expressly reason “my kid is smart and doesn’t need to be challenged!” Until they realize they do, and they send them to a better MS/HS.

And no, it is not a “strong peer group” to be one of 10 kids in your grade who aren’t failing the state exams.

LOL the fake state exams fails everyone even my kid who qualified for AIME. I wouldn't use that as an indicator of much of anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems like such a corruption of no child left behind.

+1

It's Harrison Bergeron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems like such a corruption of no child left behind.

+1

It's Harrison Bergeron.

The Central Office has been advertising for a Handicapper General?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

Because you aren't specific, I have to conclude you are writing about some other county.

People are literally posting links to 9th grade registration pages where Honors English 9 is the only choice.

Here's Walter Johnson, you can see that Honors English is the only option: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/walter-johnson-hs-course-bulle/9th-grade-info?authuser=0

Here is B-CC: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1omOjmST8HEQQ-BXftkgdPqZZyPH5waQ7qBa7mJvO5Fk/edit#gid=821950602

Same offerings at my kid's DCC school. Honors English for all. I don't understand why different math courses exist but all 9th and 10th graders are apparently on the same level for English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article from WSJ today. Too bad for the schools doing this, it's much better to have all honors so all can have inflated grades.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-increase-equity-school-districts-eliminate-honors-classes-d5985dee

American education is getting systematically dismantled. If you care, fight.

At least that's what Fox News and its associated properties would have us believe.

I'm also skeptical because the quality of education available to my children at MCPS is vastly better than the education available at MCPS 30 years ago when I graduated from a W. Sure, the county's demographics are different today. Still, there are amazing opportunities for anyone interested.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

Because you aren't specific, I have to conclude you are writing about some other county.

People are literally posting links to 9th grade registration pages where Honors English 9 is the only choice.

Here's Walter Johnson, you can see that Honors English is the only option: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/walter-johnson-hs-course-bulle/9th-grade-info?authuser=0

Here is B-CC: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1omOjmST8HEQQ-BXftkgdPqZZyPH5waQ7qBa7mJvO5Fk/edit#gid=821950602

Same offerings at my kid's DCC school. Honors English for all. I don't understand why different math courses exist but all 9th and 10th graders are apparently on the same level for English.

It appears to be ONE of SEVERAL choices but nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dont kids still have to request/sign up for the honors course? Doesn’t this essentislly select the hard working kids anyway? Or are you saying every class is just given a fake advanced packet?

Yes, in 99% of these class with a few exceptions where they may be trying something new.

No. All 9th graders with the exception of ELL students take honors English at my kid's school. Same in 10th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has pretty much done this, though rather than "eliminating" honors, they made it honors-for-all, which accomplishes the same thing. I'm with the critics on this approach. It's wrongheaded and doesn't work.

We still have real honors classes. Which school has done this?

Tons of schools do this, for example, having all students take Honors English 9 and 10, which are a complete joke.

Because you aren't specific, I have to conclude you are writing about some other county.

People are literally posting links to 9th grade registration pages where Honors English 9 is the only choice.

Here's Walter Johnson, you can see that Honors English is the only option: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/walter-johnson-hs-course-bulle/9th-grade-info?authuser=0

Here is B-CC: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1omOjmST8HEQQ-BXftkgdPqZZyPH5waQ7qBa7mJvO5Fk/edit#gid=821950602

Same offerings at my kid's DCC school. Honors English for all. I don't understand why different math courses exist but all 9th and 10th graders are apparently on the same level for English.

It appears to be ONE of SEVERAL choices but nice try.

False. My kid's 9th grade teacher recommended she take pre-ib English in 10th but that is no longer offered. Only Honors for all English 10 (plus an. English class for ELL students).