Editorial
'F' for grade changing

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Paulson resigned from the Clover Park School District after administrators changed two of his students' failing grades to "no credit." Rather than accept lower standards for his students, the teacher transferred to another district. For years, Paulson ran a successful and popular Advanced Placement calculus program at Lakes High School. This year, Lakes Principal Georgia Dewhurst changed two of his students' first-semester grades in response to parent complaints. When Paulson protested, the principal changed the grades back to F's. But the parents took the matter to the superintendent, who reinstated the changes.

Both students received conditional no-credit grades, which, unlike F's, will not affect their grade-point averages.

The real losers in this tale are the students who were taught a false lesson about the consequences of their actions. In real life, an F is an F.

The story, reported in the News Tribune, illustrates one of the most pressing education issues of the day: the tug between toughness and leniency in our nation's public schools. The issue came up in the recent grade-changing scandal at Seattle's Franklin High School, and it came up again as Seattle Public Schools proposed eliminating the C average it requires for high-school graduation.

Too many adults — many with the best intentions — believe they help students by giving them a break. The opposite is true.

Students do better when educators come down on the side of rigor, with ample support. Excellent schools have in common high expectations for every student.

Some students will struggle; helping them along the way is critical. But changing their grades after they have failed is a disservice to them and to their peers who pass.

There is little point in raising the bar if we simply allow students to slip underneath it.