A Letter to the Editor - High Achieving Student Grades Matter

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Dear Aragon Outlook,
I am absolutely outraged by the decision to move to credit non credit. This is a threat against my intelligence and my hard work and I will not stand for it. We are in the middle of a pandemic and our leaders and representatives should be advocating for legislation that will benefit us, the people. I demand for the SMUHSD to switch to a choice grading policy because only then will true equity be instilled.  
But first, you may be thinking, who is this person writing to me? Well let me tell you all about my credibility because you definitely asked. I, Tri Huard, am a HIGH ACHIEVING student. Hear that? High achieving. I currently take 7 AP classes: AP Linear Algebra, AP Eng Lit Lang, AP Push, AP Chemical Physical Motion, AP PE Honors BC, and AP Swahili. In my free time, I enjoy updating my achievements on my LinkedIn page and engaging in insightful philosophical conversations about economics.
I plan on pursuing a degree in Aerospace engineering, which I might add is an extremely competitive major at UC Hicago. I’ve led missionary projects in the country of Atlantis. I’m the captain of my school’s Quidditch AND Curling AND Ping Pong team and I plan pursuing such sports at the college level. I’m the president of several non profit organizations that really boost my ego and show my superiority, and most importantly, I’m a scholarship recipient of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) and I am an Independent Democratic Ideological Organization Trustee (IDIOT).  
Making this semester credit and non credit is undermining my effort and my desire to learn.  There is a massive difference in the ability to earn an A versus a C. Without having grades as an incentive to show my academic superiority over my peers, I have no desire to do well in school. I could easily complete the bare minimum and still get by. Having grades as a motivating factor ensures students will continue to put effort in school. I was projected to get straight A’s this semester because of my hard work. I currently have a 4.8 GPA and eliminating semester grades robs me of an additional 0.1 GPA increase. How am I ever going to get into Stanford now? Do you want my future to be doomed? Do you care about your students’ future? MY future? Just because 30% people in the school district are suffering doesn’t mean that the other 75% of students should have their motivation and accomplishment taken away. It’s just an unfair system. People always suffer, but we don’t deserve to suffer with them.   
I recently sent out a survey to students of the SMUH School District and a whopping 100 students and parents signed it. We say that we have to advocate for the minorities, but what about us in the top 1%, the greatest minority of them all?! We deserved to be cared for as well.   As I sit here with my 5G wifi (and tinfoil hat), my MacBook Pro, iPhone 11 XR, and Airpod pros, I can’t help but think, wow. Wow, our school district has truly failed us. Without grades, we have no way of standing out from the crowd of applicants this fall. Without grades, we have no way of showing our dedication to our academics. Without grades, I have no motivation to do well in school! 

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