(…inspired by Kelly’s post aimed at parents calling her about their 9th grader’s registration and schedule)

Hello, middle school counselor. I just wanted to leave a quick voice mail to you about your message Friday afternoon informing me about the reasons for the the drop of my daughter from her 8th grade Honors English and History classes. Frankly, your reasons have the ring of bullshit about them. So I hope you don’t mind if we go over a few things. I’ll try to make it as short and sweet as I can so that I don’t end up ripping your face off instead of using my words.

It’s the funniest thing. The same day you left that stupid message letting me know that she was initially a ‘math-qualified’ GATE student who was automatically placed in 6th/7th grade English and History honors classes but would be dropped from the Honors program in 8th grade since she wasn’t initially reading/verbal qualified, we received her STAR results. Yes, her math score was 39 points higher than her reading score, but then again, her math score was 10 points short of the maximum score, so figure out where that puts her in the reading/verbal categories. Yes, she scored 100% correct in 6 out of the 10 categories, and the 4 that were less were the verbal/reading scores, but still…94-96% on those other categories wasn’t so bad, do you think?

Now I know YOU know that I don’t put much stock in standardized tests as a measure of learning, but you also know that I know that YOU do. Since you do, do you think there’s any smidge of a possibility that her performance on those ever-revered standardized tests might be the result of the classes she was in? Do you take any credit for that? If you do, why do you want to step on your own neck?

Now, Ms. Counselor, I have a real problem. My daughter has always placed a great deal of her positive self-image inside of her identity as a good student — an honors student. So when she picked up her schedule last week and there were no Honors classes on it any more, she interpreted that as somehow not being good enough to be included in the Honors program. This, despite receiving the top grades in the Honors English class and close to the top in the Honors History class. Did you stop to THINK what it means to a kid to be told that HEY….one day you were worth spending a little extra effort on, and today you’re not.

Did you stop to THINK about what that does to her perception of herself as a student? How did you possibly view that as a formula for success? Oh yeah, I know it’s not personal but it’s not me you have to convince. Tell HER that. Right now she feels left behind, and that doesn’t square with the idea of leaving NO child behind.

And while you’re at it, you should also explain to her and the seven other students you did this to why you think the eighth grade is the time to do it…you know, THE GRADE THAT DETERMINES THEIR HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT? You might want to really explain it to that overachieving child of a brilliant doctor/researcher who lives here in town, who already has to dodge the long shadow of her older brother, who is finishing Geometry at the local high school while finishing 8th grade. You might want to explain it to the extremely bright kids who spent the summer seeing who could read more before the beginning of school — I think my daughter’s friend might be just a little ahead, but not much.

Oh, and let’s not forget the ASSIGNED SUMMER HONORS READING given at the end of the last school year. Yes, that would be the books that your English teacher assigned as required summer reading — the ones that DG finished first — To Kill a Mockingbird inspired her enough to put together a three-page unassigned analysis, which she can now tuck away for her 10th grade American Lit class, since there’s no way the mainstream 8th grade class will get to it. Of course, assigning that reading implied that her honors placement was safe…god knows she worked hard enough for it. She wanted it, she asked to be tested in 5th grade, your district tested her, and evidently only thought she should be challenged in Math, but kindly ‘allowed’ her to spend time in the other Honors classes. What the hell is that?

Thanks so much for the offer to place her on that waiting list until you know who is actually showing up for school on the first day. You know what that sounds like? It sounds like this: The Pleasant Valley School District has so mismanaged their resources that when they CLOSED THE OTHER MAJOR MIDDLE SCHOOL IN OUR AREA, they transferred their honor students to us and as we all know, that left a whole lot of disgruntled parents. What better way to placate THOSE vocal parents than to bump a few of your “math-qualified” kids to make room for the newbies?

Or if that’s too paranoid for ya, I can only assume that you all are a bunch of weenies who take pride in discouraging a motivated student. So thanks for the message but shove your waiting list, because I have no intention of letting you all do this at my daughter’s expense.

Next stop: The superintendent.

Oh, did I mention the school? That would be MONTE VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL in CAMARILLO. Just in case any prospective home buyers are interested in what the schools here are like.

Regards and smooches,

Karoli

(yes, I may sound a bit like a helicopter parent, but I really, really cannot abide the sight of a student who loves to learn being crushed by a bureaucratic and cold decision. Now that I’ve vented, I’m sure my real letter to the counselor will be much more measured and rational)

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