Students want “bailouts” from professors

Ellen Greenberger, a professor of psychology and social behaviour at the University of California-Irvine, conducted a survey of 400 university students between the ages of 18 and 25. Her findings were published in the November issue of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Among the findings, Professor Greenberger found that approximately one third of those students who were polled thought that they deserved a B on a course for merely showing up most of the time. And about two thirds of the students felt that their final grade should reflect the fact that the student was “trying”.

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Neither of these results should be shocking or even mildly surprising. For years the prime directive in the educational system has been that nothing should be done to make little Johnny lose self esteem. More importance was put on students feeling good about themselves than was put on learning not only how to think but learning what was necessary to cope in the real world. This emphasis on self esteem instead of learning and achieving is consistent with the view that students feel entitled to good grades as long as they simply try or even just show up for class. It’s all about them and objective standards, if they exist at all, are merely holdovers from a past and uncaring time. The natural assumption that is easy to draw from Greenberger’s findings is that these kids will have an extremely difficult time when they finish their studies and go out in the real world. The common wisdom is that people cannot exceed in if they merely try to succeed or worse, simply show up. But the world has changed a lot since the middle of September when the markets tumbled, financial institutions collapsed and the titans of capitalism all turned to their respective governments for assistance. This really is “the new normal” and these students who think that they deserve a B because they exist and they want one are really no different than are their future employers. And for those students who are able to achieve a grade of B or better on their own merit, well, they’re just suckers; no one really pays any attention to them. Students of course need good grades to better their chances after they leave school. Those who are unable to get, for example, a B because of a lack of ability or failing to do the work that is necessary to achieve a good grade, but think that they are entitled to one anyway are in effect asking their teachers to bail them out of a failing situation. In this respect, they are hardly any different than the financial institutions, automobile companies and those yet to come who are now pleading with the government to solve problems of their own making. In other words, the three big US automakers want billions of dollars from hardworking taxpayers simply for existing; for showing up at work. They are no different than the students in Ms. Greenberger’s study who feel entitled to a B for simply showing up to class. If anyone thinks that these students have a lot of nerve for feeling deserving of a B without doing the work or without having the ability to earn that grade should look to the auto executives who took private jets to Washington to beg for money. Grades, like the ability to make cars or run a successful financial institution, have become entitlements. Merit is ceasing to exist in the business world; it is hardly fitting that academia insist on it. Perhaps these students should all be given Bs after begging their teachers to grade them for showing up. Then they’ll be really be ready for Wall Street.

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