[Blarg]

I saw a very interesting article in The Atlantic once by a teacher who confessed he used to be really into teaching kids and had standards for them, but found himself attacked on both sides when he gave out less than great grades whether kids deserved them or not. First, by the parents, who nearly universally want their kids to get good grades whether or not they deserve them, and are more interested in maintaining their image of their kids as smart than they are in their kids actually being responsible and trying hard. Second, by the administrators the parents complain to. He said that the teachers who cave in to the parents get better ratings by teachers, students, and the administration, and help secure their careers, while there is no reward whatsoever for doing the right thing.

One of the sadder articles I've read. He made the job of actually educating students and grading fairly sound basically hopeless. And a career-killer, too.