I am in the middle of a four-day Winter Break. Parents in town are split between those who want a full-week off so they can go on vacation with their family, and those who work and never want their kids home from school at all. So the superintendent decided that our school calendar should alternate between a full-week off and a four-day weekend. Alas, this year is the four-day weekend, which means I am spending most of it catching up on work and have little, if any, time for writing/editing.

My seniors have decided to take a fifth day off Wednesday as the latest in a series of Senior Cut Days. I had a discussion with some of them last week in which they claimed that since 3rd and 4th marking period grades do not affect their college acceptances, why should they do any work from now on? Considering that these are advanced placement students, I cannot help but attribute this attitude to the selfish, anti-education attitude which permeates much of this country. Who cares about work ethic or being the best person one can possibly be? Instant gratification is the only thing that matters apparently. As a teacher, and a person who believes in life-long learning, such an attitude in my best students is very frustrating.

There is a gradual trend among colleges to rescind acceptances for students whose 3rd and 4th marking period grades show a steep decline, but few students believe that, or let it affect their self-indulgence. I certainly will not ease up on my grading policies the rest of this year, so let the chips fall where they may.