Earning what you get

I had a light bulb moment the other day.  You know, a moment when I thought, “Yes!  Exactly!  Next time someone tries to argue that point with me, I now know what I’m going to say!”

I have long been arguing against giving high school diplomas to those who don’t deserve it.  What I mean is, there are some people because they are “special” or “challenged” or just not able to do the work who get to graduate and get a diploma because “they did their best”.

I think this is completely wrong!  I think that if you get a high school diploma you must EARN it!  Now, I got in a animated discussion one time over this because it came up about a student who had been very ill for her senior year.  While she made every attempt at completing her courses, she ended the year more than a full semester behind in her work.  This was NOT something that she would catch up in just a summer…it was going to be something that she would basically have to repeat her senior year.

Because of her health, they graduated her anyway…not even an honorary walk until you finish the work…nope, just here’s your diploma.

Here’s my problem with that…YOU DIDN’T EARN IT!!!

Yes, my heart goes out to the horrible circumstances.   I feel for those people who just don’t have it to earn that degree.  I do!  But don’t cheapen my degree by handing it out to just anyone!

So, my ah-ha, light bulb, moment?  I was making a copy of my CPR/1st aid card for work.  Could you imagine if they gave those out just because a person showed up?  I mean, seriously?  If you can’t show that you have learned the proper techniques, you don’t get a card.

Could you imagine if they just handed it out because “well, you tried your hardest.”?

How about the medical degree?  The good old doctor you are trusting your life to…well, he gave it his best shot so we gave him the degree anyway.

Sure, a high school degree is in no way up there with a medical degree…but handing it out like Halloween candy, where you just have to show up and stick out your hand, just cheapens all the hard work that everyone else puts into it.  It makes that degree worthless…

Some people just aren’t meant to accomplish some things.

I watched a client the other day celebrate HUGE because she passed her GED.  She worked her a** off studying, doing the work, and passing that test on her own merit.  It took her years to do it and I would never take that moment away from her…but what would happen if we handed that out left and right, it would never have been such a big deal.

No, it’s about time that we stop handing things out that should be EARNED…you should have to EARN it!