Rant on Low Expectations

I have to say that last night I did something that I did not do last year or I would have already been ranting about this for the last 12 months. I read the staff handbook. I just forgot last year I guess or I did and I missed this part or something. So, last night I was reading it online and I was absolutely furious when I read the part about promotions and retentions. It is one of the lowest expectations I have seen in the last couple of years of our teaching. My kids barely have to pass half of their classes to finish middle school and move on to high school. What makes this worse is that it is public information! They should never know! They should think, just like I did, that you have to pass all of your classes to attend high school. We had no idea there was such things as credits until we got into high school (junior year) and we were so confused that we still thought we had to pass everything! It is an absolute tragedy that I would ask a child to come to school for an entire year for a free education, a FREE education, and only ask him or her to only do half of the work. That is crap if I've ever heard any. I'm not going to go on strike or anything else, but really? Get yourself together. Why would kids go to college and try to pass their classes if they never had to do it before! This is ridiculous! Parents, get behind your kids and kick them into gear so that they have no choice but to do well and kids, get in shape! The real world doesn't let you do things half way and keep the job... Work hard! Wait for another day... There are plenty more rants to come... Melissa