by Jimmy Flatbush

Created on: February 08, 2011   Last Updated: February 09, 2011

It has become an annual tradition in America, one that deserves the same regal pomp and circumstance given to Groundhog Day. Somber men and women slowly stroll to a podium. They try to explain the results of another study that shows American students falling behind their counterparts throughout the world. Sages from higher education submit ideas such as lengthening the school year, increasing workloads on students, and eliminating extracurricular activities in lieu of additional academic courses. Like the groundhog that sees its shadow, the men and women scurry from the podium before clearly explaining the real reasons for America’s education decline. Political correctness has gone too far in making the playing field level for all students.

The move to eliminate competition from the classroom began about 30 years ago. However, PC-influenced education has picked up momentum over the past 10 years. A teacher in St. Louis hands out an A to each member of her class because she does not want to “hurt anyone’s feelings.” Administrators in the Denver school district tell gym teachers that they should not declare winners and losers after competitive events. California, the bastion for political correctness, promotes student equality by ensuring that each student has an opportunity to participate in high school sports. The day is fast approaching in the Golden State when the only acceptable outcome of a sporting event is a scoreless tie.

The fact that we are even having this discussion demonstrates how far America has fallen in educating its children. It is bad enough that we shower our kids with devices that absolutely have no bearing on classroom performance. We pamper them when things go wrong, telling them that responsibility is a dirty word. We take their sides during disputes with teachers and administrators, even though fault squarely lies on their shoulders. Moreover, we have tacitly accepted the new mantra that competition is harmful to students, when we should explain to our children that competition prepares them for life in the real world, regardless of what vocation they choose to pursue. When your children enter the real world, the “I’m okay, you’re okay” drivel of the PC movement will hinder their personal and professional development.

Competition in school is helpful for students. They build resiliency whenever they fall short in a competitive event, whether it is a long distance foot race, or

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