A Good Year for the Outlaw

I wish I had the link so I could add it to this post, but I recently saw where many area schools, specifically those Middle Schools in the Peoria School District, scaled back the “celebration” of “graduating” from the 8th grade.

Good move. Seriously. Absolutely the right call.

When I saw this story back in April, I was happy to see it, but doubted if any real changes would be made. Turns out they did, and I think it’s a huge forward step.

I had never even heard of such a thing as “8th Grade Graduation” until I came to Illinois. Graduating from the 8th grade is a celebratory moment? That’s like a football team celebrating a couple of first downs, or throwing a party for the contractor when he gets your house 2/3 finished. I always thought it was quite silly. And as the April story pointed out one educator saying, some kids treat it as if it’s the culmination of their education, and the next four years mean squat. I’m sure some parents felt that way, too. When I saw that limos were rented for these elaborate 8th Grade Graduation ceremonies, I did a spit take with my Dr. Pepper.

So, in a time when District 150 takes nothing but heat from parents who want to make a lot of noise (but not do anything about it, in many cases), I think the District should receive complimentary words about a decision that was a good one.

They now say, “good for you, you finished 8th grade” and don’t treat it much differently than any other completed grade level, and that’s a hugely positive move towards keeping more kids in school longer.

Good job to all schools who have or soon will eliminate one of the dumbest things outsiders see when they move to Illinois: 8th Grade “Graduation”. And if your school is not planning on getting rid of it, call them and tell them to.