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yatzr · 07-18-2004, 09:06 AM

I wasn't sure where to put this. If anyone thinks it should be moved, please do.

I've noticed a crazy phenomenon (sp?) at my hometown in the past 3 or 4 years (after talking to people about it, it's been going on far longer than that though). At graduation, when they announce the top 10 percent of the class, each kid stands up. The class size is always around 100 kids, so they usually sit them in 4 rows of 25. They are seated alphabetically starting in the front row. The kids that stand up for the top 10 percent are ALWAYS in the first two rows. In my class, the last person to stand had a last name that started with L. In the class after me, they had one exception (two actually, they were twins) who's last name started with S. They were the only ones in the last two rows to stand. The class that just graduated had nobody in the last two rows stand. Also, within the first two rows, there are always more people in the first row than the second to stand.

I have a theory for this. I first noticed this phenomenon in 7th grade science class. We played one of those review for a test games where the class was split into two teams. The teacher was too lazy to pick randomly so she just took the class roster and split it in the middle. The teams were so obviously unfair that the team with last names of N-Z didn't want to play. We played anyway, and it just seemed like one of those cruel things a teacher would do to show a dumb kid how dumb they are. So this tells me that it started early on. My theory is it evolved from alphabetical seating and doing activities or whatever in alphabetical order in elementary school. One interesting thing to point out, the twins that were the exception went to a rural school until high school with only about 10 kids in the class so they wouldn't be affected as much by this. But anyway, when a kid is often placed in the back of the room, or has to stand in the back of the line, or goes last in show and tell or whatever, I think that could lead to psychological discouragement.

Does this happen in anyone else's schools? What do you all think about this?

07-18-2004, 09:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
yatzr Insane	last name determines grades?? I wasn't sure where to put this. If anyone thinks it should be moved, please do. I've noticed a crazy phenomenon (sp?) at my hometown in the past 3 or 4 years (after talking to people about it, it's been going on far longer than that though). At graduation, when they announce the top 10 percent of the class, each kid stands up. The class size is always around 100 kids, so they usually sit them in 4 rows of 25. They are seated alphabetically starting in the front row. The kids that stand up for the top 10 percent are ALWAYS in the first two rows. In my class, the last person to stand had a last name that started with L. In the class after me, they had one exception (two actually, they were twins) who's last name started with S. They were the only ones in the last two rows to stand. The class that just graduated had nobody in the last two rows stand. Also, within the first two rows, there are always more people in the first row than the second to stand. I have a theory for this. I first noticed this phenomenon in 7th grade science class. We played one of those review for a test games where the class was split into two teams. The teacher was too lazy to pick randomly so she just took the class roster and split it in the middle. The teams were so obviously unfair that the team with last names of N-Z didn't want to play. We played anyway, and it just seemed like one of those cruel things a teacher would do to show a dumb kid how dumb they are. So this tells me that it started early on. My theory is it evolved from alphabetical seating and doing activities or whatever in alphabetical order in elementary school. One interesting thing to point out, the twins that were the exception went to a rural school until high school with only about 10 kids in the class so they wouldn't be affected as much by this. But anyway, when a kid is often placed in the back of the room, or has to stand in the back of the line, or goes last in show and tell or whatever, I think that could lead to psychological discouragement. Does this happen in anyone else's schools? What do you all think about this? __________________ Mechanical Engineers build weapons. Civil Engineers build targets.