Torres illogical on U-46 grade scale

Torres illogical on U-46 grade scale

In light of Elgin Area School District U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres’ recent announcement to drop the 50 percent-100 percent scale, it is of crucial importance for everyone to understand that the two grading scales are mathematically equivalent and grades will be equally as inflated under the 0-5 scale. Dropping one scale, but still enforcing the other and calling it “a compromise” is insulting to the intelligence of all stakeholders.

Jose Torres explained his reasoning to drop the 50 percent-100 percent scale with the claim, “No one, including myself, wants to pass students who don’t do their work.” (www.u-46.org) This is illogical because the exact same number of students will pass without doing their work under the 0-5 scale. Therefore, if he truly does not want to pass students who don’t do their work, then he must drop the 0-5 scale as well.

Imagine a judge wrongfully sentencing an innocent man to the death penalty and giving his family the option of choosing the electric chair or lethal injection. After family and community outrage and pleas for mercy, the judge says, “No one, including myself, wants the death penalty for a man who didn’t commit the crime.” So he announces his “compromise,” which is to take the choice of lethal injection off the table. Concerned parties would hardly be relieved hearing the judge’s illogical decision.

Likewise, U-46 stakeholders should not be relieved about Torres’ similar ‘compromise.’ What is the explanation for Dr. Torres’ decision to drop only one scale? If he does not understand that both new scales inflate grades equally, I would like to volunteer to explain.

U-46 stakeholders deserve a fair, accurate grading scale which challenges students and holds them to high academic standards. Dr. Torres should re-evaluate the 0-5 scale and make the logical, appropriate decision to drop both new scales.

Tracy Ricci

Carpentersville