The Case for Abolishing Class Rank - Alfie Kohn

I can see a lot of benefits to removing grades from academics but it is tough to make that type of decision because the second and third order effects are not readily apparent. The one negative is that if you do need to rank people such as at the military academies where your ranking decides what you do in the service, then grades do matter.

One option might be to use an internal grade point average and letter grades that only the teacher sees while the students, parents, and colleges only see pass/fail. Therefore you take the pressure off the students and families but there are grades and ranking if needed.

It's an interesting idea that should be discussed more.

It's been a long time since I've read such unmitigated nonsense. This is nothing more than a collection of worn out hippie socialist crap. Why grade anything? A hamburger or a t-bone, came from the same steer, therefore they are equal in value? How about you take your child to a surgeon who was never graded for fear of hurting her feelings? If we can't find a way to put this progressive, touchy/feely horseshit in it's proper perspective, (ie; comedy), we may as well turn our futures, and the future of our children over to vladimir putin or the Taliban. That some point headed intellectual dreams this stuff up isn't surprising, it's evidence that people can be educated beyond their ability. What is shocking is that so much of this type of drivel is taken seriously.