Schooling system passes laws to discourage over-achievement

In the 1960s and 70s and even during the recent decade of 1990s, USA was considered a land of great opportunity and where people were provided opportunities to excel in the field of their choice. The concept of American Dream has been hyped up and continues to stir passions among people here.

But sometimes when I read newspapers I feel that the American Dream is perhaps only for Americans i.e. White people. Couple of months ago I had blogged about Anjali Datta a student of Grapevine High School, Texas who had completed the four-year high school diploma in just three years and had managed to achieve the highest GPA. Anjali's GPA surpassed the topper in the four-year category by a large margin. Yet despite this demonstrated superior achievement, Anjali was denied the title of Valedictorian by the School district, which cited an age-old rule to prevent a brown-skinned Indian from attaining the top-honor and ensured that a "White American" got it.

But naturally people of all color and race stood in support of Anjali who had truly worked hard for three years to achieve the grades that others would not be able to in four years. There was a huge outcry and loads of media coverage on the issue which led to public shaming of the Grapevine ISD. Despite all the uproar Grapevine ISD went ahead and conducted its graduation as planned, Anjali was not named the Valedictorian. Indeed the ISD was stubborn enough to carry out its discriminatory policies.

Now the latest news is that Grapevine ISD learnt its lesson thanks to the Anjali Datta controversy but did not reform itself, rather it went ahead and passed a new law which denies any honor to a student who over-achieves. According to the new law any student who takes lesser than 4 years to complete high school will not be considered for the title of Valedictorian.

I was under the impression that school boards in India had absurd rules and stupid administrators. But US school boards have outsmarted Indians in this aspect, denying honor and recognition to someone who truly deserves it and giving it to their own preferred candidates.

Anyway, in the US, enforcement of rules is very high. So once the law is passed, can anyone question it? No. Students have to just sit back and relax and forget about working hard or attempting to stretch themselves to achieve more than normal.

Penalised for academic excellence!

I read this news report on Dallas Morning News and was really shocked. Though US universities have established themselves as the ultimate destination for higher studies, the primary and secondary education is suffering from archaic legislations and stupid interpretations.

This is one classic example of a student who is being penalised and refused the honor she truly deserves. The reason, she completed the four-year high school diploma in just three years and the school board laws state that only students with four-year high school records are eligible for the highest honor. And more than that two attorneys both of the school district and the state board of schools have upheld this archaic law and said that the excelling student should not be awarded the honour. Can it get any more absurd?

I had heard great accolades about the wonderful government and legal systems of America but after reading these types of news reports I wonder where things have gone wrong.

"Grapevine High School senior Anjali Datta holds the highest grade-point average of the 471 students graduating from Grapevine High School this year. In fact, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials believe her GPA of 5.898 may be the highest in the high school's history. It's still not enough to make her the valedictorian, which brings a one-year college scholarship from the state," writes Dallas Morning News correspondent Laurie Fox.

Isn't it ironical and down right humiliating for Anjali Datta who has worked hard and completed high school credits in just three years. Normal students take four years to complete this course work and now she is being slapped right across the face for excelling academics. After seeing the treatment meted out to Anjali, will any other student attempt a similar feat? Aren't the school authorities stifling talent and creativity by insisting on archaic rules?

Well, I am no expert on American law or education system to talk about these issues. It is just that I felt that this is a great injustice done to a bright student so I decided to blog about the story. Read more on Dallas Morning News and leave your comments to the editor as well as the school district. Maybe public pressure will make the ISD change their minds.

There is a poll on Dallas Morning News Website with option for voters to leave their comments. It is interesting to read the comments both in support and against Anjali Datta. I would like to quote some reactions here:
Reactions in favour of Anjali
"This is not only unfair, it is outrageous! Regardless of my personal disdain toward such potentially inflammatory outcries, I find myself questioning if racial, religious, political or gender bias has not been in some way employed to justify such an illogical conclusion. Miss Datta was encouraged and assured, by the only school district officials with whom she has access, that her valedictorian honor status would not be affected by early graduation. (there is more online)"
If anything, students who graduate early (with top grades) should be even more recognized for their accomplishments!!! Shame on Grapevine ISD for not giving the true Valedictorian the credit she deserves!
What a joke. This is why our puplic school systems are is the mess that they are ! So not future students will be planning their futures to now work the system vs doing their very best.
She worked much harder in three years than the boy did in four!! The board members of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD should consider revamping their policy, which is very unfair!!
If she were "white" this not not be an issue.
To have a policy that does not reward excellence at an accelerated pace is ludicrous and inflexible. Boneheaded decision.

Reactions against Anjali
She's not an american any way
Of course it is fair. I completely support the decision of the school district. Ya, you might be a smart cookie and can get all your stuff done quicker than everyone else, but you know what, High School is usually Four Years. Congrats on your 3 year plan. No, just step aside and quit your bitching.
These students who graduate early usually have a superior IQ anyway, and why is that fair to your average student who busts their tail every night trying to just keep up with someone so gifted. Therefore, I think the student who has tried the hardest (taken a full 4 years to accomplish this) should be the one honored!

Read more comments: Survey