Striving for Mediocrity, by Mark W. Fowler

By Mark W. Fowler, Patriot Post, April 28, 2023

Mark W. Fowler is a former attorney and board-certified physician.

Coddling children doesn’t help them grow; it keeps them children.

George Patton observed that all “Real Americans” love competition. They admire the fastest runner, the best marble shooter, the big-league ball players, and the toughest boxers. Patton understood what success required: perseverance, study, and eternal desire. With those tools any person could achieve success.

Sadly, there exists among the leadership of educators derived from progressive theory a despicable notion that children should not have to endure standardized tests; ought not be graded on the 100-point scale; ought not be penalized for turning in homework late (to the extent they do any); and should be able to retake tests. The purpose of this is to accommodate those who might have difficult home lives, or who might be stigmatized by poor grades, or something. Sadly, this is the path to mediocrity. Presently, American children rank 11th worldwide in reading and 31st in math skills. …

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