This spring, fourteen students at Plainedge High School failed the Participation in Government class, a course required for graduation by New York state. However, a special "Summer Institute" being offered by the administration for the first time could push these students to graduate with their peers, a decision that has Plainedge teachers up in arms.

The Summer Institute is a one-week, 30-hour session, the completion of which would give passing grades to students who attend, enabling them to graduate in June. It was created without any staff input, behind closed doors, and will be taught by someone hired by the administration as a consultant.

"This 'Summer Institute' undermines the credibility of the classroom teacher," stated Pauline Weissman, history teacher and president of the Plainedge Federation of Teachers, in a letter sent to school Principal Carole Reece and Superintendent Dr. John Richmond on behalf of the Plainedge High School teaching staff. "We repeatedly make the statement to our classes that nothing less than a good-faith effort will get them a passing grade. Now it turns out that this is not true, that in fact we had no leverage to enforce our demands, that what we have to say is, in essence, meaningless because it can all be overturned by administration when convenient to them."

Dr. Richmond stands by the implementation of the Institute, claiming that it is a legitimate response to the new higher standards mandated by New York State. "It is our responsibility to do everything possible to get reluctant learners to be successful," he said. However, he did admit that if he had it to do over again, he would have consulted the teachers first. "We had a very small window of time and wanted to get everything in place before graduation," he said.

According to the teachers who wrote the curriculum for the course, the grading was structured so that students who did not have a high level of innate academic ability could pass, and even receive good grades for the course, so long as they showed effort to complete all work assigned. As is standard procedure, the administration oversaw and approved the curriculum before the course began.

"No students failed because the tasks demanded were too rigorous or demanding for them to complete," Weissman said. "They failed because they didn't try to pass. The students were informed of the possible consequences numerous times throughout the course, yet they chose to take the paths they chose. Their failures are the natural consequences of their actions."

Dr. Richmond stressed that it was the obligation of educators to pass on knowledge to students, not to punish them. "There are certain students in this district who don't understand the consequences of their own behavior. They are still 17-year-old kids, and we, as adults, have to do everything possible to push them to do the work that they haven't figured out they need to do."

Weissman and staff, however, predict dire consequences for teachers, for students, and for the entire educational process, if the administration fails to hold students responsible for their own actions.

"It has been deemed by our building administration that these students can achieve in one week the goals of a curriculum, approved by these same administrators, that takes twenty weeks to complete. This alone is pedagogically absurd," Weissman stated. "The most clearly obvious message being sent here is that the main goal for our running this high school is to give out diplomas. Learning is secondary at best. This demeans the entire educational process to begin with, but its long-term effects are even more insidious."

Among the teachers' concerns is the effect of the Summer Institute on diligent students, and the message it could send. Students who made good choices and devoted adequate time over the duration of the course need not have done so, according to the teachers, seeing as they could have done it all in one week at the end of the course. Additionally, what is to stop students who failed other courses from demanding a Summer Institute, as well, they counter.

The teachers claim the Summer Institute sends a disturbing message to future seniors at Plainedge: "Don't listen to teachers, they do not really have the power to allow you to fail. Do what you want, something will come along to rescue you in the end."

"By holding the 'Summer Institute,' we are not only not preparing students for success and achievement out in the adult world, we are actually doing damage to their development. By holding this session we are demeaning students," Weissman said. "This is a step backwards, away from the goal of having Plainedge students achieve at the same levels as students from districts with more respected academic reputations."