A Critique: Failure

The Fatality of Failure: A Critique Mary Sherry’s article, In Praise of the F Word, delves into the negative effects of increasingly popular no-fail policies being used in the United States public school system. She describes how such practices deprive students of their rightful education. Sherry forms a compelling argument that undeveloped academic and occupational skills are caused by an absence of the fear of failure in the curriculum. While her argument is partially true, she fails to address the dynamics of failure and its influence upon society.
Despite an utter disregard of the social implications of failure, the article forms a solid ground for debate. Sherry favors the hindering of students who have not satisfied passing requirements, reasoning that lenient grading does not inhibit actual learning. She emphasizes that graduates are not prepared for life after high school, saying that, “they have been cheated by our educational system,” (Sherry 2). Also, the idea that the fear of failure can motivate people to better themselves is suggested. Sherry ends the article by concluding that flunking, “is a positive teaching tool,” (Sherry 11). Most of the points examined are reasonable but the article doesn’t recognize the intricacy of this multi-faceted phenomenon.
Mystifyingly, Sherry presents a series of appeals to balance her argument. The anecdotes used consist mostly of subjective experiences, which permeate only a faded ambience of this detrimental situation. She begins with an ethical appeal by disclosing her experience teaching semiliterate adults, which lends her more authority on the subject than most. The reader’s empathy is enticed by a quotation Sherry finds among the different generations of students, “I should have been held back,” (Sherry 7). Such a statement gives insight to the disadvantage of not receiving a thorough and true education. Then, a reference to her own son’s encounter with failure is made to demonstrate the logic of a healthy fear of failure (Sherry 6). At last, Sherry says that the flunking method has worked in the past but does not give any specific dates or figures as evidence (Sherry 11).
There is no questioning that leaving no child behind ultimately sets all of society back. It doesn’t take much of a scholar to see that a world without established education is rather grim, considering the condition of many third world countries or the horrors of the medieval period, once known as the dark ages. Instead of celebrating her own repute, as did the Catholic church of medieval era, Sherry should exaggerate the importance of receiving an education and actual learning. The low standard of success currently upheld translates into the workforce and explains why, according to the ACT, one in seven adults is functionally illiterate. The children of this nation must be shown the ethics of intelligence rather than simply taught how to advance to the next grade and hold a front of maturity. Without intellectual sovereignty, the people of this nation are more susceptible to the abuse of their government. Therefore, it is the civic duty of everyone to maintain a collective state of awareness and sensibility.
Besides effecting current-day society, no-fail policies offsets the structure of tomorrow by modifying the individual social and emotional tendencies that comprise primary schooling. In her attempt to persuade the reader’s sense of pity, Sherry neglects certain aspects of the present state of the public school system. She mentions factors such as drugs and divorce that impede students but does not elaborate upon them (Sherry 5). The roots of this negative attitude toward education can be traced to chemical and emotional depressants as well as to the teachers themselves. The article states this more blatantly by proclaiming that a teacher, “has to get their (student’s) attention,” (Sherry 4). If a teacher is not enthusiastic about the material, a student certainly won’t be. Students must be given adequate guidance, only then will they succeed in the competitive world after high school.
There is a sickness overtaking this land’s education system, a plague of conformity and exhaustion. Schools fearing low budget supplements as a result of low grade averages simply push students into a more paralyzing state of doubt and panic. Sherry addresses the loss of motivation and enthusiasm sweeping over today’s youth but doesn’t offer much of a solution. She also seems to ignore the types of interactions that take place inside of schools. It is made clear that students should be failed if they deserve it but the results of doing so are yet to be examined. In this quickening age of constant change and technological advancement, is failure an option?