‘PCP’ is taking the valedictorian out of graduations

The mortar boards have been flung in the air … and returned to earth. The gowns are back on their hangers. The summer jobs have begun. And, for most, a new page in the story of life is starting.

The graduation season is finally complete … both college and high school. It is a happy time in America. Or is it? If you hold any hope for the continuing success of this country, for its role as a world leader, for the growth of the newest generation of adults … then you should see a huge red flag signaling extreme danger in today’s growing politically correct culture.

The cancer has begun … and it is spreading quickly. The “educators” of America are the leading carcinogens.

Visit high school and college graduations across the county, and across the country, and the discerning eye will see a disturbing trend. One that stems from an even-more-disturbing attitude. An attitude that is based on a fatally disturbing ideology.

Gone from many of the graduation ceremonies is the traditional honoring of the valedictorian (No. 1 in the graduating class) and salutatorian (No. 2 in the class). They are casualties of PCP – the Political Correctness Plague.

It started earlier in this century and the internet is full of stories … mostly from “educators” who try to explain the termination of a long-standing tradition that recognized and rewarded excellence.

For example, there is a blog story by David Geurin, principal at Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Missouri. In addition to principal, he describes himself as “lead learner” at the high school … as in leading the way to learning. The self-infatuation is immediately evident.

He referred to an article titled “Why High Schools are Getting Rid of Valedictorians.” The source was not attributed. The author of the story contended that schools are ending the valedictorian award “because it might make others feel badly about their GPAs.” He further writes that the article claims, “This decision is just more evidence that schools are lowering expectations.”

Guerin objects and goes on to defend his school’s stance. “Valedictorian recognizes the top student in the class based on Grade Point Average. However the GPAs are a terrible way to determine one student as being the best. Often the difference between the top few students can be less than one-thousandth of a decimal point. And the factors

that determine the difference usually have more to do with what classes the student did or did not take than actual academic performance.”

This is the drivel of leftism.

Pick apart tradition. Inject feelings and emotion into the argument. Apologize for excellence.

Nobody ever said the valedictorian was the best student, the best person, the best future leader. It is the person with the highest GPA … the highest class rank.

Locally, “educators” at a number of schools are embracing the “participation trophy” philosophy of life … and moving away from the rewards for excellence mindset.

Perkiomen Valley High School held its graduation ceremony on June 9 and it included a “welcome” speech by Maura Jaeger, president of the National Honor Society. But there was no mention of her being

the valedictorian. She may, or may not have been the highest-ranked student. We will never know.

Are school administrators “embarrassed” by her excellence?

An attempt to reach Perk Valley principal Cyndi Moss failed. Instead, the return call came from a “media liaison.” The official reason for avoiding the term of valedictorian was, “traditionally, we have not done this.”

No, traditionally schools have honored the valedictorian and salutatorian for years. This is a break in tradition.

When asked if Perk Valley no longer gave Most Valuable Player awards for teams in the athletic program, the response was, “Different coaches handle awards in each sport differently.”

A quick check of some other schools found that Norristown Area High, Methacton High, Hatboro-Horsham High and Archbishop Carroll High are among the schools that still honor the top-ranked students. And, of course,

the top athletes.

Plymouth Whitemarsh High is one of the schools that did away with the practice of naming a valedictorian years ago.

PW principal Dr. Jason Bacani reported that valedictorians have not been honored for more than 10 years … or before he came on the scene.

When asked to defend the policy, he quickly repeated the same talking point that can be found in a number of stories on the internet. “We do not recognize the top-ranked student because the difference in scores is so minimal. We don’t even publicize GPAs anymore.”

Bacani is a personable administrator, who is not afraid to take on an argument.

When I remarked that he must not be a baseball fan, he corrected me immediately by saying, “No, I’m a huge baseball fan.”

It was then pointed out to him that, almost every year, the batting championship goes to the player with the highest batting average … usually by a very slim margin. And

that player could have “manipulated” his average by getting a number of bunt hits, working walks and intentionally getting hit by pitches. On the other hand, a free-swinger who hits with power could finish in the runner-up spot … but possibly be a more productive hitter.

Unfair? Should baseball do away with the batting championship?

“Hmmm,” was the reply from Bacani. The logic seemed to appeal to him but he is faced with a mindset that became entrenched before he got on the scene.

And it is a mindset that is pervading the country. All the way to the top.

“American exceptionalism” has become a dirty term in recent years. Our government has apologized to other countries for the leadership role that was taken on by America.

Now exceptionalism in academics also is under fire. Rather than rank the students in their class, the schools are more interested in bragging about the high grade point averages of

their students. They ignore the fact that the majority of students at many schools now graduate with “honors.” It is not an indication of their academic proficiency, rather it is a reflection of the fact that A’s and B’s are handed out without being earned.

The same is true at the collegiate level. Forty years ago, at the best schools, it was accepted practice that as many as 25 percent of the freshman class would not make it to the sophomore year. Not now. With annual college payments ranging to $60,000 a year or higher, there is no way these “institutions of higher learning” will kick out their best cash customers.

And what is the net result of all of this neutering of the competitive academic atmosphere? By kissing the butts of an entire generation of tender “snowflakes” these “educators” are doing little to prepare them for the competitive world that awaits them in a capitalist society.

No wonder so many

young voters flocked to the side of Bernie Sanders and his socialist preachings. They are mentally and emotionally unprepared for competition … so why not chase an unrealistic philosophy based on income equality?

In athletics, all are not equal.

In academics, all are not equal.

In the real world, all are not equal.

It’s time to re-discover those facts of life … and stop trying to hide behind a flawed and overly protective ideology.

Congratulations to all of the valedictorians and salutatorians … especially the ones who were not honored at graduation this year.