On Tue, 16 Nov 1999, Don Allen wrote:
> Louis,
>
> I agree in great part with wht you said, but I don't think that this is
> an issue of what grades mean (that is a _very_ important separate issue).
> The
> question that I was trying to raise, and I think that Jeff was trying to
> raise in his original post was where do we draw the line and say that
> someone is clearly out of step with the rest of the academic community.
Clear to whom. Not much change would occur in great land of ours if we
worried about cadence. Moreover, I think "rest of the academic community"
is far to vague and inclusive. The Academic community is not as cohesive
and uniform as that phrase indicates.
> Reductio ad absurdum: would you not question a prof who, semester after
> semester, failed every student in his class? Or, conversely, should we
> make no comment regarding a prof who, semester after semester, gave out
> nothing but A+ to every student.
Ah, never present the ultimate extremes to argue a case.
The question is twofold: At what point
> do you decide that an individual or group is giving out grades that are
> clearly inconsitent with everyone else and then what do you do about it?
Two other questions: who is to make that decision and draw the line?
Why confuse grades with rigor and learning?
> BTW I think that it would be a mistake to confuse this with an issue of
> academic rigour.
So, what are we talking about? Rigor or grades, and which is the truly
important issue? So, maybe grades are not as distinct and separate an
issue as you think. After all, this issue was raised in the context of
grades reflecting rigor.
Hey, Don, going to be in your neck of the woods next July giving a plenary
speech and workshop at a conference. Nice area. Fell in love with it
when I gave a workshop at a STLHE conference four years ago.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of History http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698 /~\ /\ /\
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