High School Graduates... Almost

Despite a school board policy barring the practice, high school seniors who have not passed the state-mandated exit exam were allowed to walk in Thursday’s Newport-Mesa Unified commencement ceremonies.

Thoughts?

From a girl in the article: “I think they should pass [the exit exam], because it’s kind of unfair that I passed.”

No it isn’t. You passed, you graduate, you get to go on and work or go to college and have a crack at the American dream. That’s what graduation is about. Why would you care that someone else who is struggling (who might pass anyway) gets to put on the stupid dress and walk with their friends? Objection to this seems mean-spirited.

[quote]smh23 wrote:
From a girl in the article: “I think they should pass [the exit exam], because it’s kind of unfair that I passed.”

No it isn’t. You passed, you graduate, you get to go on and work or go to college and have a crack at the American dream. That’s what graduation is about. Why would you care that someone else who is struggling (who might pass anyway) gets to put on the stupid dress and walk with their friends? Objection to this seems mean-spirited.[/quote]

Actually, no, if people not graduating get to walk, then walking is not about going on to college and life and all.

Heaven forbid some moron that can’t pass a minimum skills test gets their feelings hurt.

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:
From a girl in the article: “I think they should pass [the exit exam], because it’s kind of unfair that I passed.”

No it isn’t. You passed, you graduate, you get to go on and work or go to college and have a crack at the American dream. That’s what graduation is about. Why would you care that someone else who is struggling (who might pass anyway) gets to put on the stupid dress and walk with their friends? Objection to this seems mean-spirited.[/quote]

Actually, no, if people not graduating get to walk, then walking is not about going on to college and life and all.[/quote]

That’s my point. Walking isn’t about those things. The diploma is about those things. These kids don’t get a diploma. They just get to walk…which is a social thing: saying goodbye to friends, etc. They have all the requirements except the exam. Chances are, they’re going to finish. Or not. The fact that anyone cares either way is ridiculous.

If they were getting degrees without doing the work, it’d be an issue. They aren’t.

[quote]doogie wrote:
Heaven forbid some moron that can’t pass a minimum skills test gets their feelings hurt.[/quote]

Heaven forbid that someone who CAN, and has a comparatively bright future, gets their fucking feelings hurt by the mere presence at graduation of someone who struggled academically while obviously still sticking it out through school.

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:
From a girl in the article: “I think they should pass [the exit exam], because it’s kind of unfair that I passed.”

No it isn’t. You passed, you graduate, you get to go on and work or go to college and have a crack at the American dream. That’s what graduation is about. Why would you care that someone else who is struggling (who might pass anyway) gets to put on the stupid dress and walk with their friends? Objection to this seems mean-spirited.[/quote]

Actually, no, if people not graduating get to walk, then walking is not about going on to college and life and all.[/quote]

That’s my point. Walking isn’t about those things. The diploma is about those things. These kids don’t get a diploma. They just get to walk…which is a social thing: saying goodbye to friends, etc. They have all the requirements except the exam. Chances are, they’re going to finish. Or not. The fact that anyone cares either way is ridiculous.

If they were getting degrees without doing the work, it’d be an issue. They aren’t.[/quote]

they could still attend without walking.

I don’t personally care, but I think the people who earned the right should decide.

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]doogie wrote:
Heaven forbid some moron that can’t pass a minimum skills test gets their feelings hurt.[/quote]

Heaven forbid that someone who CAN, and has a comparatively bright future, gets their fucking feelings hurt by the mere presence at graduation of someone who struggled academically while obviously still sticking it out through school.[/quote]

No offense, but you, out of everyone, seems the most emotionally vested in who gets to participate. If we shouldn’t care if people get to who haven’t earned it, why should you care if they don’t?

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

I don’t personally care, but I think the people who earned the right should decide. [/quote]

No, they shouldn’t. The superintendents and the educators should decide. And they have. Done deal.

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]doogie wrote:
Heaven forbid some moron that can’t pass a minimum skills test gets their feelings hurt.[/quote]

Heaven forbid that someone who CAN, and has a comparatively bright future, gets their fucking feelings hurt by the mere presence at graduation of someone who struggled academically while obviously still sticking it out through school.[/quote]

No offense, but you, out of everyone, seems the most emotionally vested in who gets to participate. If we shouldn’t care if people get to who haven’t earned it, why should you care if they don’t?[/quote]

Because if they walk it affects no one and if they don’t it affects them. Only one scenario leaves anybody personally negatively affected.

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

I don’t personally care, but I think the people who earned the right should decide. [/quote]

No, they shouldn’t. The superintendents and the educators should decide. And they have. Done deal.[/quote]

The ceremony is specifically for the people graduating. It’s theirs. They should decide. It isn’t for the educators or superintendents.

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]doogie wrote:
Heaven forbid some moron that can’t pass a minimum skills test gets their feelings hurt.[/quote]

Heaven forbid that someone who CAN, and has a comparatively bright future, gets their fucking feelings hurt by the mere presence at graduation of someone who struggled academically while obviously still sticking it out through school.[/quote]

No offense, but you, out of everyone, seems the most emotionally vested in who gets to participate. If we shouldn’t care if people get to who haven’t earned it, why should you care if they don’t?[/quote]

Because if they walk it affects no one and if they don’t it affects them. Only one scenario leaves anybody personally negatively affected.[/quote]

Than you are too obtuse to look at another perspective.

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

I don’t personally care, but I think the people who earned the right should decide. [/quote]

No, they shouldn’t. The superintendents and the educators should decide. And they have. Done deal.[/quote]

The ceremony is specifically for the people graduating. It’s theirs. They should decide. It isn’t for the educators or superintendents.[/quote]

Yeah because high school seniors are the best judges of fairness, especially when it is their peers in question, right?

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

[quote]smh23 wrote:

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:

I don’t personally care, but I think the people who earned the right should decide. [/quote]

No, they shouldn’t. The superintendents and the educators should decide. And they have. Done deal.[/quote]

The ceremony is specifically for the people graduating. It’s theirs. They should decide. It isn’t for the educators or superintendents.[/quote]

Yeah because high school seniors are the best judges of fairness, especially when it is their peers in question, right?[/quote]

So now you are changing your argument?

Then why not let everyone who wants to feel good walk?

If they let freshman walk, it wouldn’t affect people actually graduating right?

You are eroding the point of the thing and making it a little less special for everyone else.

By the way, this happens at every college graduation in the country. Most of my friends walked without receiving their diplomas that particular semester. And yet college students don’t give a shit, and no one complains about it. Could it be that they are older, smarter, and more mature than high school students? Nah, no way.

[quote]smh23 wrote:
By the way, this happens at every college graduation in the country. Most of my friends walked without receiving their diplomas that particular semester. And yet college students don’t give a shit, and no one complains about it. Could it be that they are older, smarter, and more mature than high school students? Nah, no way.[/quote]

Really it just sounds like this whole thing touched a nerve and you have a personal bias.

One word: non-issue.

[quote]florelius wrote:
One word: non-issue.[/quote]

I agree. I simply think that the people complaining about it are assholes.

Which is worse: a kid passes the test too late and misses out on high school graduation FOREVER, or a kid walks at graduation and then doesn’t pass? The former, in my view.

that’s serious business

This is to appease butt-hurt flunkies who couldn’t hack it.

Someone answer me this please…

HOW THE FUCK DO YOU FLUNK HIGH SCHOOL IN TODAY’S AGE WITH THE INTERNET ???

These punk ass kids have no need to go to a library with things like Google. My God, they can email their homework in, they can copy/paste essays and papers from other students.

What a crock.