Ipswich school officials have decided to fold the district’s Middle School Honors Night into a wider school assembly this year, saying it made students who weren’t honored feel left out, the Salem News reported this week.
The Ipswich Middle School principal reportedly sent parents a letter explaining the decision, saying having an exclusive honors night can be emotionally damaging and can impact a student’s academic growth.
“The honors night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” the principal’s letter read, according to the Salem News.
Instead, honors will be handed out at an all-inclusive assembly during the school day.
This has ignited a controversy that has reached the state, national and even international media.Rush Limbaugh chimed in this way, misrepresenting the actual change:
“They might still have the honor students, but they’re not going to recognize them publicly. There will be no notice of their achievement. There will be no bells rung, no trumpets, no ceremony whatsoever. Because this guy says we just can’t allow these students to be disappointed. We just can’t allow it.”
In fact, there still will be a ceremony, it will just be part of a student-body-wide event.
On one side, people say they want an inclusive ceremony that celebrates all students. On the other side, people say eliminating separate honors ceremonies discourages celebrating success.
What do you think? Should schools eliminate honors nights in favor of an all-inclusive assembly? Or should they continue with them and give honors students their special … well … night of honor? Discuss in the comments below.