Week 28 - Pass or Fail?

"Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm" - Abraham Lincoln

Stan taught social studies at Melham Middle School for fifteen years and had the reputation of making history come alive for his students. They always seemed to thrive and do very well.

But each year he discovered more and more students were lacking basic reading skills, hindering essential comprehension.

How did they get this far? he wondered.

Two days before final grades were due, Stan had a conference with the principal. It seemed that two boys were failing not only his class, but every other class they were taking. The principal asked if Stan could see his way clear to pass them.

This seemed stronger than a request; it seemed to be an expectation.

"I can't do that," Stan said. "They didn't pass. They didn't come to class. In fact, they did nothing!"

His principal still pressed. "They are too old. We need to pass them."

"Then someone else will have to do it," rebutted Stan. "It's not fair to them or to the other students who worked so hard."

Although another teacher decided to give the boys a passing grade, Stan knew that he had done the right thing.

You may someday have to be the teacher who cares enough about the future of your students to keep them at the same level until they really learn.

There will be times when you stand on principle, even when it's against your principal.

Prompt: Recently I've felt called to stand on the principle that . . .