high school students protected from the shame of good grades

Finally, after more than a year of fussing, the Minnesota Department of Administration has handed down a ruling that will protect the psychological well-being of all children.

The problem began in September 2008 when a Northfield High School teacher came up with the novel idea of encouraging his students. To do this, he wrote the names of the students who got the best test scores on the classroom blackboard.

Good idea? No. At least, not anymore.

A parent of one of the children whose name got posted complained that it was a violation of the state law protecting student's privacy. More than a year after the complaint, the MDA ruled that the parent was right and that the teacher had violated the law. To post the names of the high-scorers on the blackboard, the teacher needed to obtain written permission.

Parents of Minnesota students should be glad to know that their children are protected from criminal encouragement and unlawful congratulations. It is also good to know that students who work hard to excel can't be arbitrarily rewarded.

http://snipr.com/taelz [www_startribune_com]

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