A high school in Mason, Ohio, is eliminating the honor of valedictorian in an effort to improve mental health. CNN's Fredricka Whitfield asks a psychotherapist how much class rankings affect mental health.
More evidence that many in society are not trying to raise responsible adults
Mason High School so glad my kids don’t go there! Horrible horrible leader!! Run staff run away
Plain Jane , nobody can excel this what Stalin did in Russia, and we see how awesome that was for the people, over 25 million people killed. I hope that individual at this school still try hard to be good students there will be a reward later in life for hard work, a good job!
Competition is healthy. It is vital in the goal to improve one's self...it sets a milestone to what you want yourself to be. 'Life without competition is life without progress; a static society where the cream does not rise to the top because there would be no goals and no
Reduce “the competitive culture”...ok I’ve heard enough.
What a awesome idea to punish the kids who have worked extra hard for that honor but I guess in our society of losers everyone deserves a metal!!
How about we teach kids that failure’s a good thing and can be learned from. How about we quit making it easier for kids. Raise the bar. Increase rigor. Make it more difficult. That way kids have something to strive for. Make it easier then everyone can do it. What’s the point?
Improve the mental health of whom? Those that didn’t crack a book for four years? Are you kidding me
Unreal creating individuals who don't know what effort is and reward. Please paint school pink and baby blue what bunch of panzis
Yeah that’s a good idea...let’s stop rewarding students for hard work and excellence to help improve mental health...what world did I wake up in
I'm surprised they just don't make everyone the valedictorian, it would fit with how they all got soccer trophies growing up.
Just like liberalism and destroying trophies for children playing organized Sports. A participation trophy does not do anything. Children need to grow up striving for something and also accepting they may not be the best but to keep trying
Ugh. Let’s eliminate all types of competition so people can “feel better” & then we’ll have no incentive to do anything well. Good idea. We won’t recognize greatness for fear of hurting others - we live in incredibly stupid times. If your psyche is that fragile then that’s on you
How stupid...mental Health is the from the Hateful Liberal teachings in Schools all except Charter schools.
Crazy...
Snowflakes
Remove the schools then, mental health will go through the roof
Eliminate competition and turn us all into a bunch of sissies who avoid confrontation being laced with oestrogen from soy based products, who thus, in turn, become more compliant and obey the government.
😳? Once again “everybody wins” attitude does not prepare young adults for real life.
How does that help prepare children for the brutal reality of corporate careers
I hope they’re starting it w the new freshman. Otherwise imagine being the kid who busted ass for four years and never went to a party to hear, “Oh sorry were not doing valedictorian this year.” Now that’ll give ya mental problems.
So wrong
i'm all about promoting mental health, and the resources needed to achieve it, but I think this is the wrong approach… We need to develop the necessary skills to manage struggle… Not remove struggle altogether! agondo
Jeez, more liberal nonsense.
Nonsense.
Too far
In many Urban high schools they no longer call students “students” , they call them all scholars ! yet, they are NOT ! They run the halls, fight and fail multiple classes. teachers are reprimanded for not calling them scholars !!! This is a SLAP to the REAL Scholars !!!
Participation awards
More participation medals and bum pats for the kids.
This is something that gives a student an individual goal to shoot for. It’s been around for years and I’ve never seen the class valedictorian go postal anywhere. It’s an honor and an accomplishment to put on college or work applications. What’s next? The National Honor Society?
The only person mentally stressed over not being Valedictorian is The Salutatorian. Everyone else enjoyed high school!
Participation trophy's all around!!
Dumb idea
It is so refreshing that the world isn’t competitive....you guys are clowns
Our poor kids are being taught it’s okay to never achieve anything and be losers. Sad world these days.
Pahahahahaha see what y’all did This is embarrassing
As someone who struggles with Mental Health I can assure you that the valedictorian in my high school wasn’t the cause and isn’t the cure! GTHOH 🤔🤨
They are taking the idea of promoting excellence so the person that works hard should be treated like the ones that don’t? Your making this country a disaster
All this is going to do is make kids work less hard to improve themselves. Why should they work hard when they can not do any work at all and receive a participant trophy instead.
Ridiculous!
This is insane! The kids who do the best deserve credit! Shame on Mason Ohio ! The people who live there need to be out there screaming about how stupid and unfair it is.!
I mean, they still have the highest GPA regardless of the title...
Ashamed of you, Mason, Ohio. Ohioans are supposed to know better.
Why I didn't know what a valedictorian was till the person was announced AT graduation I thought it was a good thing that someone who worked so hard and out scored and performed a whole graduating body was fantastic and deserved acknowledgement kids are growing up weak.
Pathetic
Snowflakes! You wonder why so many young people are mentally weak. Should be arrested if we hurt feelings now? Don't laugh, it's coming.
Better hold graduation in the cold, lest all the snow flakes melt
JeannieBasini DonnyTomlinson we need a good meme.
How does that improve mental health? Those who work harder and are very smart should be recognized. Why do we accommodate a minority group?
To improve mental health, you gotta teach kids how to cope with stress and create better balance in their lives, which is what they’ll need to do as adults in the real world. Creating an artificial environment with no competition doesn’t prepare them for life
People who finish first and second in their class DESERVE special recognition.
The correlation does not compute.
Ridiculous!
So should they quit giving academic scholarships? Wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by leaving them out...
Lowering standards so we get more dropouts? Just like everyone needs to go to college lowers that degree to a high school diploma. When will they learn?
Because excellence is overrated?
Bullshit. Time to terminate those school administrators and toss the school board out on its asses.
competition motivates innovation....Let people compete!
Thus the move continues to raise a nation of sissy’s
I don't have a strong opinion on the school's decision one way or the other but education isn't a competition. I don't grade exams by putting the kids in the octagon and having them fight for a single 'A.'
Ridiculous
LiberalismIsAMentalDisorder
Very forward thinking of this institution to have an office for a handicapper general. Rewarding those that achieve something can be very discouraging to those that are either not capable, or just not willing to try. Does everyone get a participation certificate?
Wait till they get in the real world they will be suicidel maniacs..
From this point forward they will reward mediocrity and failure instead.
Make sure to give everyone gray shirts to wear as well. Can’t have anyone succeeding more than someone else!
Pathetic!
Slowly take away the incentives so there’s no will to learn.
God this country is pathetic
We are raising a bunch of wimpy kids.
This is bullshit.
The level of anger about this is really surprising. Kids are committing suicide because of pressure for perfect grades, why not try something different? High school kids today have tremendous amounts of anxiety, I think any way to challenge the current system is worth exploring.
No, it's so the wussy students AND parents don't feel 'offended.'
That's right keep politicizing and destroying education. You Liberals are good at politicizing and destroying every damn thing you people touch. DemocratsAreDestroyingA DemocratsAreCorrupt DemocratsHateAmerica MAGA QAnon WWG1WGA Trump
Crybabies
A nation in decline
What?
Lame. Reward greatness.
But, April Fool’s was...awhile ago...seriously...
Good. This will prepare our children for reality were there is no competition and everything is based on identity and feelings.
Yeah most likely there’s a minority that would have gotten the honor so to prevent this they are getting rid of it. In the late 1950’s public schools were closed instead of allowing integration as ordered by the SCOTUS in 1954. This movie has played before.
Good grief!
Jesus, what next! Hey snowflakes, have you ever heard of COMPETITION?!?! What next😧 Trump2020 TrumpTrain2020 trumptrain REDWAVE2020
That makes as much sense as curing cancer by wearing red gloves.
Wow, what a great idea or they could just give every student the title of Valedictorian so no one is left out! Omg, stop already! 🤬🤯😡
varsity letters for sports are probably next.
Everyone gets a trophy generation
My nephew was Salutatorian behind his girlfriend valedictorian ..it hurt his male ego not his mental health ..very large school Savannah
You want to improve mental health? Then go back to teaching and stop the PC Indoctrination.
Snowflakes
So Universities don’t look at things like this anymore? I’m so tired of people giving in to snowflakes. Cry me a river.
These kids will have better lives 20, 30 years from now. Because, of this......right ? Lol
WTF The valedictorian EARNED that honor thru hard work!!!!
A lot of damage will have to be repaired if we ever want to get civilization back.
I guess they eliminate grades next. Just give a pass/fail grade to everyone
Does everyone then get a participation trophy?
Snowflake society -
All should be equally celebrated as they all have done equal work....
Eliminate grades all together that should fix it.
This is discriminatory against high IQ students. They deserve an opportunity to compete just like all the students that were born with exceptional physical capabilities. Why stifel the display of intelligence for positive productivity?
Lmao. Everyone gets a trophy.
They might as well. Education in America has become so dumbed-down that Valedictorians often times can't even balance their checkbooks.
Stupid!!!
🙄
I dont get what mental health has to do with this your child shouldn’t be so delicate that not getting picked becomes a mental health issue , teach them better!
I wonder how this’ll affect excellen students when their hard work is being disregarded and brushed off as everyone else’s... What’s next? College Board decides to abolish the scoring system so kids don’t feel uncomfortable? This is beyond me, y’all should grow some backbone.
so DUMBING DOWN is good for mental health Sounds like same person would probably think pooping on the streets would make us all feel better about others if we could just poop together!! HA, PURE BS!!!
Let me guess some liberal clinical psychologist came up with this grand idea..
Oh please. Stop reinforcing the notion that young adults are too sensitive to handle the idea that someone, anyone, anywhere has a higher GPA than they do. If it’s parents who are making such a big deal out it, then THEY are the ones that need a mental health intervention
Just...no. 🤦♀️
What about salutatorian?
She’s absolutely correct, deal with reality. It’s a fact of life that has to be learned. Suck it up and keep going.
The key to mental health in children is to not give them unlimited access to the internet before they are 16+
Because being the best is a terrible thing with leftists.
This ‘participation trophy mentality’ is ridiculous and will be the downfall of this nation.
Ridiculous garbage hhh
Everybody gets a trophy. We won’t acknowledge your hard work.
The keys to mental health in CHILDREN is to stop messing with their heads by telling them there are 27+ genders.
Eliminate the curve and you have ignorance
Mental health or average
'If no one is great then everyone is', what weird school.
Wow!!! So let’s not reward EXCELLENCE
No one gives a shit about being valedictorian in High School unless they want to go to an Ivy league school which is maybe 5 kids.....
That’s the way to get them motivated! Get rid of testing too. Or better yet, grades all together. Kids don’t need that kind of negativity. How about we don’t make our kids do chores? It’s not fair to make them do it if their friends parents don’t. 🙄
No winners means everyone loses
Oh..that should help!
Are you kidding me lmao
It's basically a socialist agenda. You don't have to work hard to stand out any longer, you're all the same.
I think it’s stupid. My daughter’s high school did this also. I think it makes the kids settle for mediocre instead of striving for excellence.
Those kids are now unfairly competing with other High School valedictorians for College scholarships and military academy admission.
Lemme guess- a leftist is pushing this?
What is going on with our schools? This is worse than participation trophies.
Whoever thought of this ridiculous idea have some mental health issues of their own.
Education as a whole is declining. This is just a natural result of it. Rather than teaching children that they can’t be the best at everything, they change the rules
This is the exact opposite of what is good for society.
Loser high school
The wimpification of America.
wait till they graduate
Lib Mom: Billy might have sat on the sidelines but running hurts his knees, hips & back,& effects his cardio horribly. He participated by cheering. Either you give him a ribbon or I’ll just take him to Dairy Queen to give him his award. Heaven forbid we strive to be better...
Dumbing down of America!!! Thank a democrat!
Gee… everyone gets a trophy mentality. More shock to the little darlings when they enter the REAL WORLD. WHY? WHY would anyone think this is a good idea? Our children NEED SOMETHING TO ACHEIVE! Our children NEED TO WORK HARD FOR A REWARD! DONT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM! STUPID…
A chance to let them grow lazier
Another everybody is a winner idea? That doesn’t motivate people to succeed.
Great create more entitled little shits who think that mediocrity is excellence and you get an award for showing up.
This is ridiculous. If you work hard... extra hard and earn the highest gpa you should get rewarded for your achievements.
Yes lets LOWER TO EQUALIZE every aspect of people lives to try to control outcomes. Makes perfect liberal sense
In an effort to appeal to all, the NFL has announced NO MORE PLAYOFFS, and it is killing the tradition of the SuperBowl. The NFL claims, players are over paid, and not all are good enough to win. So now they all play for no reason. Making them equal.
All democrats, except leadership, are being reduced to identifying as “nothing”. Not man, woman, boy, girl, Mother, father, smart, dumb, white, black, winner, loser, parent, child, ..... there is no possible way the future belongs to them🤫
If you feel bad that your grades are bad, work harder.
They give out gold star stickers now
The 2020 democratic platform is Encouraging victimization, aiding mental illness by telling people they are the other gender, and applauding whites who have abortions.
We’re getting softer and softer as the years go. Competition drives and stimulates growth and new ideas. Participation ribbons de incentivizes hard work.
reducing the need for competition due to mental health issues, where does it end.
A
Want to improve mental health? Stop kids from bullying their classmates in school and on social media with a zero-tolerance policy.
Yay, let’s get rid of competition and then hear these same kids whine that they need to be promoted in their job without having to work for it!!! GiveMeGeneration
I’m sure this school also gives out participation trophies for all sporting events. Never in my life...
smh .. Snowflakes in search of participation trophies.
So what the solution is dumb everyone down?
How pissed off are all the Juniors that currently have a 4.x GPA?
That never would have applied to me.
Also dropping 4H down to 3H
The salutatorian feels so much better.
So because everyone can’t be the best, no one can be the best? Lame.
LiberalAcademia demands EQUALITY! Why stop at Valedictorian & Salutatorian... why not eliminate ABC & GPA all together? Let's turn schools into indoctrination centers to brainwash children into believing we're all the same and everybody only feels good all the time! bullying
I worked with a young adult who went to a school without a traditional grading system, no grades at all. He was the most well adjusted, intelligent and capable person I have ever had the privilege of managing. Him or the school system? 98% him, 2% system. Achievers achieve.
Great. Let’s reward effort only whatvever you do, don’t award achievement. We want level effort. Mediocrity is s state of mind, and if we get all the sheep there, the wool will be better. Yep. Nothing to drive for but better wool. And there is always meat, when the wool fails
Isn't that special
'I spent 4 years not getting laid for this?' - Kid who has 4.0
keep in mind - rich Cincy suburbs ...they can't have stupid children.. what would they say at the club, daah-ling?
Everyone passes, everyone gets the same awards and trophies, everyone becomes complacent, innovation ceases, people degrade to the lowest common denominator, we all meet in the bread line.
Yes, let's stop rewarding students for working hard and getting a GOOD education. That will solve all our problems. What BS!!!
This literally represents everything wrong with our school system and culture.
yeah.. finally stop singling out those damn smart kids
The school will however keep its 'Top 10 Hawtest Gradz' honor this year. As they've determined mental health to not be tied to people's looks!
Good luck with that.
This is completely ridiculous. Kids work hard their entire high school careers for this. To take that away from the winner so you don’t hurt someone else’s feelings? There are winners and losers in lots of aspects of life. People need to learn to deal with it.
Competition is good, without it kids will lack the drive to push themselves.
Terrible millennial mindset
Great! Now the next time this school will offer marijuana to it's students to further enhance their mental health. 😂
Weee - race to the bottom where we are all equal - because snowflakes can't handle competition. It is going to be a cruel wake up call for them. High School was the least stressful time of my life - I graduated with a 3.92 a semester late - because I was deployed to war.
I would like to see the results of Mental Health Study and how it pertains to Honors. OR should we just take everything away to make everyone conform to one ideal. Remove all statues and identity of the past to make everyone conform to one ideal. You People Are Sick.
Zomg. What the hell have lefties done to our education system?
That is NOT how you address mental health. I'm perplexed at these so-called 'solutions' being deployed for mental health. This is so absurd.
Give them all a participatory diploma...
Seriously?
Santa Monica High did this the year my daughter would have been validictorian. She wondered why she was being punished for “working her ass off”.
How does that work? Is it the same as giving participation trophies? Everybody does not have to feel good about themselves. Some people are not as good as others. That’s why there are different pay levels and responsibilities.
I thought social media had more of an impact on the mental health of high school kids.
However the fight over the Salutatorian has escalated to near GoT levels.
No matter what millennials think or helicopter moms, if you fail to recognize excellence you are failing your children. Decisions for children are now being made by the “trophy for participating” generation. If you don’t get my drift, this is stupid Ohio
The Left’s solution: Let’s all meet at mediocrity!
Ridiculous
❄️❄️❄️❄️
a bunch of people who never came close to Valedictorian are gonna be pissssssed.
😭👶🏻
That’s pathetic. So instead let’s teach our kids not to work for anything...and then we wonder why people think they are entitled to whatever they want