America is falling apart at its seams. The ‘participation trophy’ generation has no idea of how hard work and discipline equates to success, and that is the fault of parents and law makers.
We’ve hit a new low America.
As of January 1st, California students will no longer be required to pass the state high school exam to receive their diploma. The bill is retroactive, awarding diplomas to students who failed the exam as far back as 2004.
The author of the bill, Sen. Carol Liu, D-La Cañada Flintridge, continues to defend the legislation.
EdSource journalist Fermin Leal reported in September:
State lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Jerry Brown that would allow school districts to retroactively award diplomas to high school students who failed the California High School Exit Exam.
The Senate voted 23-14 on Thursday to support Senate Bill 172, which would award diplomas for students who were attempting to graduate as far back as 2006, when the exit exam became a requirement for graduation. The state Assembly had already passed the bill earlier in the week.
The proposed law would only affect students who met all other graduation requirements but could not pass the exit exam. Students would have to contact their individual school districts to determine if they qualify.
The state is no longer administering the exit exam after its contract with the test’s publisher was set to expire in October. May was the last time the exam was given to students.
Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill on October 7, 2015. The it would go into effect January 1, 2016.
Read the bill here: SB 172, Liu. Pupil testing: high school exit examination: suspension.