Is America becoming the Land of medicroty? And how does this effect business?

[makescents]

While reading my local newspaper I have learned today that a local school district voted in a recent school board meeting to allow students who did not pass state acheivment tests required for graduation to "participate" in graduation.
They will NOT receive a diploma - but they WILL get to walk across the stage - just as those that did work hard and achieve a passing grade.

As a parent I expect straight A's and commended performance on every report card and every achievement test. I have had many teachers tell me that at some point my child will make a B (and maybe they will - but still makes me angry that this is the attitude..) but becuase of my "only excellence is accepted attitude" - We don't have B's in our home - why do we as a society not expect excellence? Is it no longer cool to be smart? or politically correct to be brilliant?

I believe that we as Americans have unfortunately become naively comfortable in the relaxed judgment regarding education and excellence.

We live in a land where mediocrity is acceptable, excellence is ignored and failure is bailed-out.

It is becoming more and more evident that apathetic leaders give free rides to those that do not do their best. Giving way for the lenient attitude that hard work and determination are not required for success.

Our country has given in to “getting rich quick” and given up on hard work, education and experience.

What message do we send our children when we in indulge them with low expectations and acceptance of failure. Why succeed when failure is acceptable and often rewarded?

Okay - I'm finished and off my "irritation for the day...."

So my question to all of the great Flower Chatters out there - as business owners and community leaders....
Do you see a direct impact on your business - either through lazy and ungrateful employees or demanding customers as a direct result of the above? Or....
Your excellence in design or customer service being down played by "an Okay arrangment" sent out by the competion... or "at least the flowers got there" attitude..

 

[Rhonda]

I'm afraid mediocrity has been the norm here. Our school passes children who can't speak, spell, write, and sometimes even read. They send them off to college (pre-college courses they graduated with) and get sent home because they can't properly study or keep up with the courses. They come home and take courses at the "off campus" center by TV or internet. Seems like the only ones who don't graduate are the ones who were suspended the week of graduation

 

[makescents]

So.. again I ask my question to all of the great Flower Chatters out there - as business owners and community leaders....
Do you see a direct impact on your business - either through lazy and ungrateful employees or demanding customers as a direct result of the above? Or....
Your excellence in design or customer service being down played by "an Okay arrangment" sent out by the competion... or "at least the flowers got there" attitude..

 

[RoseGirl40]

Do you see a direct impact on your business - either through lazy and ungrateful employees or demanding customers as a direct result of the above? Or....
Your excellence in design or customer service being down played by "an Okay arrangment" sent out by the competion... or "at least the flowers got there" attitude..

I see the "entitlement" attitude. I think customers have unreasonably high expectations. ie: Mom comes in to order "sonnys" corsage (god forbid he get up and do something himself) She is sooo picky and wants it to be just so.....she doesn't want to have her sonny disappointed or have his girly disappointed. This Mom is more copncerned with the kids happiness than with his abilty to "DO" and acheive. Did she also do his homework?

The majority of complaints at mother's day were because the Item was not "exactly" like the picture in the book or what they ordered online.

The "demanding" customers are the ones whose lives are so imperfect that they expect perfection from everywhere else.

Most customers are wonderful....But the percentage of the (above) irratating ones is getting higher and higher. Less and Less seem to Trust that we are professional and know what we are doing.

 

[fullersfloral]

I have to agree - there is no importance given to "a job well done" and most just do only the minimum and get by with it because we are afraid to "step on someone's toes" - so instead of raising the bar; we just lower it so the worst of us can still make it. It (mediocrity) has become commonplace in this society.

 

[Knife's Wife]

This post should be nominated for post of the week.

My son went to a private school. We sacrificed a lot for a Christian education. The education given far outweighed the public school system here. For years everyone around me told me I lived in the best school district around, and asked why I would pay for private education.

My son had a straight "A" report at this private school, homework every night, they believed in capital punishment, if your kid was out of line they reserved the right to spank them with you present and 2 other witnesses if it came to that. Never new one kid who needed to be spanked. The teachers taught, and cared and loved.

When my son reached 8th grade we sent him to a public school in my district that everyone brag about being so great.

My son was bored out of his mind... they would not advance him, it was their policy not to. Spanish is not taught until 8th grade in the private school, they start at 5th grade in the public school. The Spanish teacher told him the first day of school he would never pass the regents at the end of the year. He passed the class with a 92 and passed the regents. He failed 2 other subjects he should have breezed through. When I received his report card I called to see where to sign him up for summer school. There is no summer school, and they don't fail kids.
I was shocked, I did not want them to pass him. I had no choice.

The morning of "graduation" my son woke up and told me that he was not going. He said "Mom, I am not going to graduation, I do not deserve a diploma or to walk across the stage." "I can't believe they are passing me"

He moved on to the high school.

They do not have a valedictorian or salutatorian because it would not be fair. You can fail the class but if you pass the NY Regents than you pass the class.

Our own kids expect more of themselves then thier teachers.

I can see the effects of this additude in most every store I enter and most businesses I deal with.

Joan

 

[RWK]

I myself worked with a lady - That was her mindset - just do your job, get your check, and go. Yes, I see more and more mediocrity and below average performance.

The other day for instance, I watched a kid struggle to count change. Earlier in the school year, I was checking my neice's homework and noticed mis-spelled words.....when I told her about the, Her reply was "Oh, the teacher does not mind....she knows what we mean". I came unglued. I went to the school the next day - paper in hand - I saw the principal, ...... and by the time I was through, that teacher was in tears.....The principal was shocked, and they both were scared out of their minds at how furious I was. My parting shot was that if I see this continue, I will attempt to go before the boards and see that the principal and the teacher lose their jobs for failing to provide an acceptable education.

Well, I checked periodically and each time I saw mispelled words......I noticed where the teacher had marked it for her to study.


This past weekend at the gay resort - they had a two fellows working at the little cafe.....and both of them were efficiency and attention to detail personified. I have not had service that good in five star restaurants and hotels.

 

[Kristine]

I believe that if your parents expect great things from you - you will have that mindset and attitude, no matter what your economic status or where you attend school.


So many parents don't. And that is the problem. Don't always blame the education system. There are good/lazy people there just as there are in any work environment.

Case in point. My SIL is a SECOND grade teacher. She had a student many years ago who was a brat and her parents would never allow for or discipline this girl. Well guess what - a year or so ago, this girl now an 11th grader was arrested for assaulting another student in the school hallway (she had move to another school district) because of a diversity issue. (Of course several students filmed it with their cell phone)
This girl was an issue in the SECOND GRADE, my SIL could see this coming yet her parents didn't deal.

They should be in jail with their daughter.

 

[SpringCity]

It's not something I spend a lot of time focusing on, except as it applies to me, and if I'm doing what I need to do. If my competition is mediocre, well that just makes my job easier.

 

[makescents]

This post should be nominated for post of the week.

My son went to a private school. We sacrificed a lot for a Christian education. The education given far outweighed the public school system here. For years everyone around me told me I lived in the best school district around, and asked why I would pay for private education.

My son had a straight "A" report at this private school, homework every night, they believed in capital punishment, if your kid was out of line they reserved the right to spank them with you present and 2 other witnesses if it came to that. Never new one kid who needed to be spanked. The teachers taught, and cared and loved.

When my son reached 8th grade we sent him to a public school in my district that everyone brag about being so great.

My son was bored out of his mind... they would not advance him, it was their policy not to. Spanish is not taught until 8th grade in the private school, they start at 5th grade in the public school. The Spanish teacher told him the first day of school he would never pass the regents at the end of the year. He passed the class with a 92 and passed the regents. He failed 2 other subjects he should have breezed through. When I received his report card I called to see where to sign him up for summer school. There is no summer school, and they don't fail kids.
I was shocked, I did not want them to pass him. I had no choice.

The morning of "graduation" my son woke up and told me that he was not going. He said "Mom, I am not going to graduation, I do not deserve a diploma or to walk across the stage." "I can't believe they are passing me"

He moved on to the high school.

They do not have a valedictorian or salutatorian because it would not be fair. You can fail the class but if you pass the NY Regents than you pass the class.

Our own kids expect more of themselves then thier teachers.

I can see the effects of this additude in most every store I enter and most businesses I deal with.

Joan

Your son is to be commended - not for his failure (we all fail) - but for his outstanding integrity!

No Valedictorian - again - excellence is ignored?? In the lower grades - Our school no longer puts the A honor students in the newpaper - because it makes the other children feel bad about themselves...

Funny - I thought it might make the other children work harder!

 

[Knife's Wife]

Kristine,
I understand that there are many parents that don't give a crap, pamper their child,can't see the writing on the wall, etc. But we did expect 99% effort. I never put the pressure on them for excellence only because all children are not capable of excellence but I did demand the effort. When there are teachers by their own accord or by the school policies lower the standards it will not matter what the parents tell them when they become teens.

There are those exceptional teens that will set their own goals, motivate themselves to reach the top. But, most will need the added help of teachers, administrators etc. to to set clear guidelines and policies that encourages growth, motivation, and drive and rewards their success and
discourages laziness, and the lowering of their own standards.

How many children do you know that will do more on a consistent basis then what is asked of them?

When children reach their teens, what mom and dad have to say seems to take on much less importance, but other adults can still have a huge influence on how they act, what they think of themselves, and others.

It is important for parents to expect great things from thier kids, but the other adults in thier lives need to expect great things from them also, especially teachers and the school system.

Joan

I believe that if your parents expect great things from you - you will have that mindset and attitude, no matter what your economic status or where you attend school.


So many parents don't. And that is the problem. Don't always blame the education system. There are good/lazy people there just as there are in any work environment.

Case in point. My SIL is a SECOND grade teacher. She had a student many years ago who was a brat and her parents would never allow for or discipline this girl. Well guess what - a year or so ago, this girl now an 11th grader was arrested for assaulting another student in the school hallway (she had move to another school district) because of a diversity issue. (Of course several students filmed it with their cell phone)
This girl was an issue in the SECOND GRADE, my SIL could see this coming yet her parents didn't deal.

They should be in jail with their daughter.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

when followers follow leaders, that cannot lead, and mediocrity erupts and becomes mainstream, we have two choices, follow the "leaders" (an oxymoron), or revolt.....
There ARE ONLY those two choices.
"Losers" have NO BUSINESS sharing the stage OR the "spotlight" with hard working achievers, DON'T CARE which way you paint the picture.
ANYONE that says "otherwise" is a HYPOCRITE (in capitals)

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Kristine,
I understand that there are many parents that don't give a crap, pamper their child,can't see the writing on the wall, etc. But we did expect 99% effort. I never put the pressure on them for excellence only because all children are not capable of excellence but I did demand the effort. When there are teachers by their own accord or by the school policies lower the standards it will not matter what the parents tell them when they become teens.

There are those exceptional teens that will set their own goals, motivate themselves to reach the top. But, most will need the added help of teachers, administrators etc. to to set clear guidelines and policies that encourages growth, motivation, and drive and rewards their success and
discourages laziness, and the lowering of their own standards.

How many children do you know that will do more on a consistent basis then what is asked of them?

When children reach their teens, what mom and dad have to say seems to take on much less importance, but other adults can still have a huge influence on how they act, what they think of themselves, and others.

It is important for parents to expect great things from thier kids, but the other adults in thier lives need to expect great things from them also, especially teachers and the school system.

Joan

Joan..wish YOU were the "benchmark"!!