Con on Grading Policy (Blockbuster)

by Kelsey Armstrong

At West Potomac High School in Washington DC, they are simply taking F’s off the general grade book. Instead, the school is replacing the F with an “I” for incomplete. The purpose of this is to decrease the amount of failing grades in students and increase the majority of the students’ GPA. In simple words, it is pretty much impossible to fail a course. This school is the only one in the district taking these drastic measures.

The whole facility of West Potomac is being very easy on their students. Teachers are livid on the decision made for their students and the school is definitely cutting the students too much slack.

This whole change lets the students think they are free to turn in assignments whenever they want on their own agenda. With the new policy, the student’s grade in a course wouldn’t decrease because they didn’t turn in an assignment on time; it would stay the same and go up when the student finally decides to turn it in.

Think about it: why should students who don’t turn in their work on time and don’t pay attention to lectures soon end up with an equal grade like students who do because they happen to get all their work in last minute?

Students soon began to not care like they did before this approach was taken. Half of the sophomore class at West Potomac received an “I”. Since, technically, they are not failing, the subject will not need to be repeated.

It is becoming necessary for teachers to spend time after school and on Saturdays to help the students. If students fail to clear up their incomplete rank, they will end up taking summer sessions in order to do so.

With all the positive aspects this policy may hold, overall it is not beneficial to students or teachers.