What we think: Publishing honor rolls recognizes students

Talk about it

The Jamestown Public School District doesn’t release the names of students on its honor roll. We think the district should reconsider publishing the list.

District administrators say the lists are never totally accurate, and because some grades are turned in late, the honor rolls aren’t released until three weeks after students receive their grades. They argue some of the positive enforcement expected in releasing the grades is lost in that time period.

We disagree.

Regardless of its publication date, honor roll listings recognize students for their hard work. Plus, it may motivate students to study, learn and earn good grades.

Publishing the list costs the district practically nothing, but it’s a public high-five to students succeeding in school. The district already publishes other accomplishments like speech awards, foreign language honors and every “musician of the month,” which is great. Other districts publish their honor roll lists too. So why not Jamestown?

Young people are constantly criticized for poor work ethic, poor driving skills, texting, getting in trouble and the like. The honor roll is an opportunity to praise students, encourage them to do well and show off our talented young people. As a small city, Jamestown should take the opportunity to honor its young people. Students in some areas aren’t afforded that opportunity.

Administrators argue that middle school and perhaps even high school is too early to label a student academically successful or unsuccessful. We don’t think it labels anyone. The honor roll recognizes students for one quarter, and for the work they accomplish in those few months. Despite their names on or off an honor roll list, students can turn out any way in life.

In an unscientific online poll on our Web site, 278 of 440 or 63.2 percent of voters said the district should publish the honor rolls or should publish them with parental consent. Of the voters, 18.6 percent said “no” and 18.2 percent said “I don’t care.”

Publishing the honor roll only recognizes student achievement. Isn’t it great to celebrate academic excellence? We think so. It is something the schools should reconsider.

(Editorials are the opinion of Jamestown Sun management and the newspaper’s editorial board)

Tags: what we think, honor roll, opinion, editorials, students, education, schools, jhs, jamestown, public