Students’ Views on Social Promotion

These letters were written by Verdugo Hills High School students participating in a video-production class that includes ninth- through 12-graders and is taught by Boi Hien and Mike Augustiny. The students help produce a weekly public access cable news show.

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Re “End of Social Promotion Instills Fear in 8th-Graders,” Feb. 15.

Many middle-school students do fear being held back, but if they can’t pass eighth grade, what chance do they have in high school? Students fear teasing from their peers, but why would the teasing be any more bearable in high school? In school, your peers are always looking for a reason to tease you. Get over it.

I am for ending social promotion because if it doesn’t matter whether you pass or fail, school is just a joke. I do not, however, believe the district will follow through. Teachers are already short at hand and, let’s face it, the school system is not exactly improving by leaps and bounds.

NATHAN WASILEWSKI, 15

Tujunga

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Eighth-graders should have to be able to pass English before moving on to high school. The standards are being dumbed-down so that people who don’t understand basic English are being helped. But those who do understand are forced to be re-taught it instead of learning new concepts. This frustrates me because I am stuck doing the same thing over and over again.

ALEX DAVIDSON, 16

Sunland

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The whole plan to end social promotion is shortsighted. Although some students may be motivated to work harder, the majority don’t have the work habits they need to succeed in an eighth-grade class. They can try to improve, but sometimes even tutoring can’t help someone who has been getting by all his life.

If California really wanted students to be successful, there would have never been social promotion. But since the problem faces us now, I think easing into the plan is the best way, rather than being unsympathetic to all eighth-graders and in turn creating a higher dropout rate.

JENNIFER INGRAM, 16

Lake View Terrace

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There should be an end to social promotion, but it should be in fifth grade as well as eighth grade because you would need to make sure that fifth-graders have the basic skills and that eighth-graders should [be ready for high school] and for life. Life is going to be a lot tougher than eighth grade.

ARTI PATEL, 16

Tujunga

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I agree on the end of social promotion because it makes those students who don’t try actually try. My sister is a seventh-grader and she was not doing well. Now she has raised her grades to A’s and B’s, including English. If you try to actually pass your classes you would not need to worry. It’s just a matter of willpower. These classes are not that hard. You just have to try.

NATALIE CAMPOS, 15

Lake View Terrace

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Social promotion has been going on for years, and I don’t think it’s fair to those who are actually doing well and passing their classes. Social promotion should be stopped not only for second- and eighth-graders but all others as well.

I also don’t think that a student’s English grade should have such a major effect on whether the student is held back or passes. It should affect [it] but not have your whole future depend on it.

LEESA MAC

Los Angeles

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I hope this article will let parents know the importance of helping their children with schoolwork, and checking in on schoolwork from time to time as well.

ANITA SHAHNAZARIAN, 15

Tujunga

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[The Los Angeles Unified School District] is doing the right thing. LAUSD should be firm on this decision to make better students.

OSCAR PORTILLO

Sunland