Handicapper General

Charles Oliver|Mar. 25, 2013 6:00 am

 

In Massachusetts, Ipswich Middle School Principal David Fabrizio says he will end the school's annual Honors Night. "The Honors Night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients' families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade-point average," Fabrizio wrote in a letter to parents.

 Daily Brickbats : Reason.com

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All hail mediocrity: Principal cancels Honors Night in favor of ‘all-inclusive assembly’

From news service reports

IPSWICH, Mass. – David Fabrizio, the principal of Ipswich Middle School, could be the new poster boy for cultural Marxism.



He’s concerned about students having hurt feelings. So much so that he’s decided to cancel the school’s Honors Night program because all students don’t share in the honors.

Good grief.

If people like Fabrizio have their way, they will create a mediocre society in which there is no reward for success and achievement – no incentive to do better.

Note to Fabrizio: the real world doesn’t work that way. And you are not preparing your students for real life by pretending that it does.

Via myFoxBoston.com:

An Ipswich principal is in hot water with some parents after he reportedly canceled the middle school’s Honors Night.

 

David Fabrizio, principal of Ipswich Middle School, notified parents of his plan to eliminate the school’s Honors Night last week.

 

“The Honors Night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” Fabrizio penned in his first letter to parents.

 

Fabrizio also said he decided to make the change because academic success can be influenced by the amount of support a student receives at home and not all students receive the same level of emotional and academic support at home.

 

Parents say they feel he is bringing down the education system; however, Fabrizio says he plans to include the honors ceremony with a previously planned end of the year assembly where students will be recognized in front of the entire student body.

 

In a follow-up letter, Fabrizio attempted to explain that he has “no intention of bringing down American education.”

 

In fact, Fabrizio, coming from a coaching background, believes competitive environments are healthy and necessary, but he feels everyone should be included.

 

The assembly is tentatively scheduled for the week of June 17th.

 

Why is America losing its competitive advantage?

Why don’t youngsters want to earn anything anymore? Because people like Fabrizio are more concerned about protecting their feelings than aspiring them to greatness.http://eagnews.org/all-hail-mediocrity-principal-cancels-honors-night-creates-all-inclusive-assembly/

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Principal Ditches ‘Honors Night’ for More Inclusive Student Assembly to Avoid ‘Devastating’ Average Kids

Mar. 21, 2013 8:13amBilly Hallowell

 

In recent years, there’s been an odd cultural trend emerging. As parents seek to shield their children from negativity, there’s been a major push in some circles to rid schools and youth groups of competitive spirit — all in the name of inclusiveness and protecting kids’ emotions.

 

Considering this ongoing dynamic — one that tends to anger parents who believe in the rewards associated with hard work and dedication — David Fabrizio, the principal at Ipswich Middle School in Ipswich, Mass., came under fire this week after local and national news outlets reported that he canceled an honors awards night to hold a more inclusive event.

 

Rather than inviting only those students who have outperformed their peers, the Daily Mail reports that Fabrizio has reorganized the event, called “Honors Night,” and is ensuring that every individual in the school can take part.

 

Photo Credit: WFXT-TV

 

In an e-mail announcement to parents, Fabrizio purportedly said that the decision was made in an effort to avoid “devastating” those individuals who did not perform well and were, thus, not invited to the traditional awards event. Parents purportedly shared this note with Fox affiliate WFXT-TV.

 

“The Honors Night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” Fabrizio wrote to parents.

 

According to WFXT-TV, the principal’s decision was also predicated upon the fact that academic success is also tied to the support that students get at home. And since not every student gets the same level of academic and emotional support from parents, there’s potential inequality.

 

Naturally, many parents both in the school district and beyond disagree with this re-organization of an annual event that was meant to herald children’s stellar performance.

 

Dave Morin, a parent in the district, voiced his frustration in an interview with WFXT-TV.

 

“It’s been a tradition in Ipswich,” he said. “And you’re very proud as a parent to go into that night and see your child, as well as some of the other children who made, really, some great efforts.”

 

Parental outrage was apparently so intense that Fabrizio took to the school’s web site to write a statement about the incident. In addition to rebuffing the WFXT-TV report, the principal clarified how the Honors Night program changes were being handled.

 

“Ipswich Middle School is dedicated to high achievement in every facet of our students’ lives.

 

We did not cancel honors recognition as erroneously reported by FOX News Boston,” he wrote. “We changed our Honors Night from an exclusive ceremony at night to an all-inclusive ceremony during the day in the presence of the entire student body.”

 

Photo Credit: WFXT-TV

 

So, students who excel will still be recognized for their accomplishments — and in front of the entire student body on June 17.

 

“During this ceremony we will honor those who have excelled in academics, in athletics, in the arts and in the related arts. Any reports to the contrary are incorrect,” the principal’s statement on the school’s web site continues.

 

On one hand, this can be seen as a valiant effort to recognize students who have excelled, while also motivating those who have not. Rather than having children accept their awards in front of families in a closed, evening event, these students will be shining examples to their peers.

 

Plus, Fabrizio notes that it’s important to expose kids who aren’t excelling to inspirational speakers — something this new-found assembly will allow.

 

“We had a situation where our best students were being honored exclusively away from the rest of the school. The problem was, those who needed that motivation weren’t there,” Fabrizio told the IPSwich.

 

But there’s also some interesting counter arguments to consider.

 

On the flip side, there’s also the fact that holding an evening event was special and offered children who deserve praise the necessary accolades. By simply merging this event with the larger, end-of-year assembly, the unique nature of the awards disappears.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/21/principal-sparks-outrage-after-canceling-honors-night-for-more-inclusive-student-assembly/


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COMMENT: In Socialist or Communist Utopias everyone and everything is 'fair' and 'equal' - equality of conditions (rather than equality of opportunity).