Condoning Mediocrity

Today I went to my high school's graduation to see some close friends of mine walk/give speeches. I sat in the audience as the school principle addressed an audience of students, friends, and family with the message that, among other things, failing a year of school (though still ultimately graduating) or being put as an athlete into early-morning academic study hall to compensate for a sagging GPA were examples of "perseverance."

First of all, to me, "perseverance" is a strong word, implying passionate, devoted, unshakeable determination to achieve a goal. Apparently the principle didn't take into account the fact that kids were held back or put in academic study hall due to a lack of effort and motivation in the first place. At the risk of being labeled an arrogant elitist (or a nerd), I must say that I have yet to see a failing student who put hours of work into school or who places school at the top of their priority list.

The principle also failed to take into account in the case of academic study hall that the kids were forced to be there to stay on their respective sports teams. It is a form of discipline. To me, it sounds like the school is taking an begrudgingly-complied-to institution and turning it into some laughably glorious example of bloody, sweaty, nose-to-the-grindstone labor. If academic study hall is "perseverance," then detention must be too, right? And how about coming back to school after being suspended for a week and graduating nonetheless? Is that a heroic example of perseverance as well? Furthermore, has merely graduating high school in this country of relative ease and opportunity become such a high level of achievement in today's society, to the point where those who do are seen to be "perseverant" as though they had overcome some great obstacle such as famine or governmental repression or war that so often plagues children in other countries?

High school graduation is certainly a large step forward, but it should be an expectation rather than a distinction. If school officials are now condoning or even inculcating minimal achievement by making a Mount Olympus out of the molehill of mediocrity, then I would think twice about educating my future children in this country, or perhaps even this planet. But maybe I'm just being excessively fastidious. I tend to be. Woe is the poor, poor soul who must actually make an effort to succeed in the real world!

Incidentally, all the other speeches were great.