Change meets graduation tradition

Chino High School principal Adam Bailey's plan to modify the school's traditional graduation by not having honor students sit in the front rows has upset some parents.

[Calta]

Chino High’s principal raises an interesting debate. Currently, the entire K-12 California public education system (No Child Left Behind, California State Standards, school district policies) focuses its resources on academic achievement along the college bound path for all students even though not all students are "equally" endowed to be as successful in that path as others. Whether we agree on the correctness of such a system, it is overwhelmingly a one path fits all system. With that said, in CVUSD, there are a variety of career and technical education opportunities (Agriculture, JROTC, Nursing, Health Academy, STEM, Woodshop, ROP-Automotive, Culinary Arts, Athletics, etc.), but even those are supplementary to the system wide required academic/college bound path.

Two thoughts came to mind when I contemplated the Principal's consideration of having all students sit in alphabetical order during this year's graduation ceremonies instead of having the highest academically achieving students sit in the front rows as a special recognition for their accomplishment.

First, I thought that denying these academic honor students the recognition of sitting in the front rows during graduation ceremonies seemed to NOT support the focus of the entire California K-12 public education system, which is academic achievement along the college bound path. These honor students have clearly demonstrated their willingness and ability to work hard and be successful along the system wide established path of college bound academic excellence. Congratulations to them and their families. As a system, why wouldn’t we want to recognize these academic honor students in this way?

However, when Chino High’s Principal speaks of bringing “equity to the proceedings� by having all students sit alphabetically with no special recognition for academic honor students, I think maybe the “equity� he is looking to support is the much larger issue of wanting to bring student “equity� to the way we educate students system wide so that more students can be successful.

I can’t speak for the Principal (nor have I spoken to him about the issue), but I do recognize that every student comes to the public education system with a unique set of talents, skills, family and socio-economic backgrounds etc. and not ALL students are prepared to be “equally� successful in the one size fits all K-12 public education system. In fact, with per pupil spending continuously falling in California (now 47th in the nation), the task of meeting each students unique educational needs becomes much more difficult.

In an ideal world, I believe each student would have their own IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and there would be various educational paths that each student could pursue that would maximize their opportunities for success. OK, we’re not there yet and with the state recently cutting K-12 education by nearly 30%, we won’t be there any time soon.

So then we’re left with the Principal’s dilemma: Does he support the “equity� of all of his 2600+ students by NOT specifically recognizing the graduating academic honor students at graduation ceremonies or does he align his school’s student recognitions to the standards and goals set by the entire K-12 public education system in California?

Whatever the Principal’s final decision is, I think as a society we are left with a much larger question: Do we increase our investment and redesign public education in California to provide multiple and more individualized paths to educational success for all of our students or do we continue to divest in education with a more and more narrow one-size fits all path?

[Calta]

Chino High’s principal raises an interesting debate. Currently, the entire K-12 California public education system (No Child Left Behind, California State Standards, school district policies) focuses its resources on academic achievement along the college bound path for all students even though not all students are "equally" endowed to be as successful in that path as others.

Whether we agree on the correctness of such a system, it is overwhelmingly a one path fits all system. With that said, in CVUSD, there are a variety of career and technical education opportunities (Agriculture, JROTC, Nursing, Health Academy, STEM, Woodshop, ROP-Automotive, Culinary Arts, Athletics, etc.), but even those are supplementary to the system wide required academic/college bound path.

Two thoughts came to mind when I contemplated the Principal's consideration of having all students sit in alphabetical order during this year's graduation ceremonies instead of having the highest academically achieving students sit in the front rows as a special recognition for their accomplishment.

First, I thought that denying these academic honor students the recognition of sitting in the front rows during graduation ceremonies seemed to NOT support the focus of the entire California K-12 public education system, which is academic achievement along the college bound path. These honor students have clearly demonstrated their willingness and ability to work hard and be successful along the system wide established path of college bound academic excellence. Congratulations to them and their families. As a system, why wouldn’t we want to recognize these academic honor students in this way?

However, when Chino High’s Principal speaks of bringing “equity to the proceedings” by having all students sit alphabetically with no special recognition for academic honor students, I think maybe the “equity” he is looking to support is the much larger issue of wanting to bring student “equity” to the way we educate students system wide so that more students can be successful.

I can’t speak for the Principal (nor have I spoken to him about the issue), but I do recognize that every student comes to the public education system with a unique set of talents, skills, family and socio-economic backgrounds etc. and not ALL students are prepared to be “equally” successful in the one size fits all K-12 public education system. In fact, with per pupil spending continuously falling in California (now 47th in the nation), the task of meeting each students unique educational needs becomes much more difficult.

In an ideal world, I believe each student would have their own IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and there would be various educational paths that each student could pursue that would maximize their opportunities for success. OK, we’re not there yet and with the state recently cutting K-12 education by nearly 30%, we won’t be there any time soon.

So then we’re left with the Principal’s dilemma: Does he support the “equity” of all of his 2600+ students by NOT specifically recognizing the graduating academic honor students at graduation ceremonies or does he align his school’s student recognitions to the standards and goals set by the entire K-12 public education system in California?

Whatever the Principal’s final decision is, I think as a society we are left with a much larger question: Do we increase our investment and redesign public education in California to provide multiple and more individualized paths to educational success for all of our students or do we continue to divest in education with a more and more narrow one-size fits all path?

[Chino High alum]

Just to clarify, every student has an opportunity to earn this recognition via the National Honor Society criteria. Students were invited last year to join based on their 3.0 GPA and community service.(In the past, it was a 3.3 GPA). Special Education and English language learners students can also achieve this recogntion (some of my child's friends did).
Honors students have also been recognized/seated in the front at Chino High for: Graduation with Honors (3.6 gpa plus honors courses), California Scholarship Federation Life Member (primarily A and B grades). Tradition is a beautiful thing as long as all students have access - in this case, they sure do! I hope this tradition continues as it is meaningful for these students and their parents.

[Jimmy]

This principal is another example of what is wrong with California education. A majority of the student graduating will not be able to read at grade level, will not be able to perform basic arithmetic skills, and the ones that achieve through hard work will be among those that do not give a damn. The only thing guaranteed to every student is equal access to education, not equal treatment. The student body minus the high achievers had the chance to excel, they chose not to. THis principal is basically punishing high achievement, come to think of it he is just like our socialist politicians we have in office right not..........they must go!

[concerned]

So, in order to allow everyone equal access and in the name of fairness, are you going to assign positions on the varsity sports teams by alphabetical order or perhaps by lottery? If my child earns a Saturday school, shouldn't everyone also serve so my child doesn't file singled out?

Every student at Chino High has the opportunity to become an honor student. Why would you even think of denying this tradition to those who actually take their educational opportunities seriously and earn that distinction?

[Jimmy]

concerned wrote:

So, in order to allow everyone equal access and in the name of fairness, are you going to assign positions on the varsity sports teams by alphabetical order or perhaps by lottery? If my child earns a Saturday school, shouldn't everyone also serve so my child doesn't file singled out?
Every student at Chino High has the opportunity to become an honor student. Why would you even think of denying this tradition to those who actually take their educational opportunities seriously and earn that distinction?

I am a white guy and I want as much playing time as the rest of my diverse brothers on the team that can jump!

[SAW]

Students have received special honors for academic achievment as long as I can remember. Some things should never change.

[Equality]

College graduations let you sit anywhere and you could still know who the high honor students are because of their honor cord. I believe the students can be in alphabetical order. They still get to wear the cord and everyone will know they have worked hard and have honors. Everyone talks about having change in the educational system, yet when something as minor as ABC order is put on the table, everyone panics and refuses change. I agree with Mr. Calta. Those other students have talents too. Maybe one day they will come back and be famous for singing, acting, or anything else. School has not been a competition, but a journey. You cannot compare this to athletes. Everyone went through the same journey. The honor students get recognized in their diploma and by wearing a special honor cord. Why is where they sit so important?

[Concerned 2]

I don't see how honoring our students who have earned high grade point averages with special seating diminishes any student who did not. At any rate, this should not be a decision made by one high school affecting only the students at that high school. Decisions such as these need to be uniform throughout the district. Afterall, we are discussing equity.

[LOL]

How is seating students alphabetically equitable if your last name begins with "Z"?
Life's not fair. Get over it!