Schools

Poll Shows Most Disagree That All Students Should Be in Honors Classes

As the heterogeneous grouping debate continues in Anne Arundel County, Broadneck Patch readers take a stand on the issue.

At last week's Board of Education meeting, parents spoke out against that places students of different achievement levels in the same classes. A proposal is currently being considered at that would start mixing students next fall.

We asked Broadneck Patch readers: We received 59 responses and some insightful comments.

  • The majority of respondents, 86 percent, were not in favor of opening honors classes to all students.
  • Eight percent said yes and another 5 percent said maybe, depending on the subject.

The behavior of some lower-performing students is a concern for many parents (and students). Lynn left the following comment: "It is not that they cannot do the work, it is that they are not motivated to do the work and their attitude becomes toxic in the classroom."

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Beyond behavior, others feel that opening up honors classes to all discredits the achievements of higher-performing students.

Scott Barron commented how his daughter at worked hard throughout middle school to be in honors classes as a freshman. Barron said his concern is that offering the same classes to all "cheapens the hard work" of some students.

Find out what's happening in Broadneckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The school system needs to stop giving children things they didn't earn, it isn't fair to the ones who have put forth the extra effort," he wrote.

Yet, Nancy Curran made the case that "the opportunity to grow is important ... students should not be locked into a path at age 11."

"Any child who works at learning should have the same opportunity as the brightest," Curran wrote.


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