First it was giving every kid a trophy on the ball field, now the diminishment of excellence is spreading to the classroom. Many schools are eliminating class Valedictorians and Salutatorians -- so no student feels inferior.
Texas author and education expert Jean Burk says this is stupid.
"If we remove rewards for academics and athletics what incentive is there to have the students excel and do their best?"
Burk says it's a bad idea to pretend all students are equal.
"Our kids should be able to have a reward at the end; my kids aren't Valedictorians but I do want them in the top ten percent -- they've earned it."
Burk says it smells like a Socialist attitude on the part of more educators.
"Freedom of being able to be who you are as opposed to being what everybody else wants you to be and be proud -- basically it goes back to Socialism."
Burk says if you take away the competition to be recognized as the best you remove the incentive to be the best.