‘When Everyone is Super - No One Will Be’

Ann Chamberlin’s letter is amusing - and terrifying. Someone employed in retail and handling cash believes 0.5 dollars (half a dollar) is a nickel. I have purchased two sandwiches at $5 each, a $3 drink, and used a BOGO coupon. The CVHS student charged me $3 plus tax. I told her I needed to pay for one sandwich (BUY one GET one) so I should pay $8. She re-ran the transaction, politely informed me my math was wrong and charged me $3.

How did we get here? I seem to remember the Forum mentioned nearly one-third of last year’s graduating class managed a perfect 4.0 (or better!). But - does that mean anything? What’s the range? I went to school in the 90's and was far from perfect academically. However, I am happy with my 3.92 because it was impossible to exceed 4.0.

The Economist has run multiple articles on the phenomenon of “inflations”. In the 1950’s the average grade at Harvard was a C+. The median in the 2010’s was an A-. Did we get smarter? They say “no”. In the 1970's what was a size 14 dress is now labeled a size 10. We’re not getting smaller but self-esteem seemingly takes precedence over dealing with objective reality. At least we’re consistent....

It is not my intention to demean the deserving, but lowering standards is dangerous. The Economist concludes - “Brilliant students complain that, thanks to grade inflation, little distinguishes them from their so-so classmates. Employers agree. When so many students get A’s, it is hard to figure out who is clever and who is not”. I prefer Syndrome’s synopsis at the end of “The Incredibles” - “When everyone is super - no one will be”. Prophetic.

–Stacy Spink, Castro Valley