If I can include another idiocracy reference, I feel like joe trying to explain how plants need water to grow. For one moment, please open your minds...
Here is a picture of my argument for those visual learners.
Everyone continues to hold the position that the "no zero policy" is awarding work and marks for work that isn't done. You believe that it is not keeping the students accountable for their work. It is doing the opposite. Take a look at the picture. Both Phaneufier and Wormius have the exact same grades....the difference? Wormius is being awarded zeros where Phaneufier is receiving MEV. As you see, the final grade for Wormius with his zeros is a passing 50.2%. Does he have zeros? Yes. Is he getting credit for work not done? YES! If anything, handing out zeros is giving marks for incomplete work, not the "no zero policy".
By handing out zeros, the teacher is essentially giving a baseball player credit for an a bat when the at bat wasn't taken.
For any of you that attended Bishop Carroll High School, you were in a no zero policy environment. For those not familair with BCHS, they are a work at your own pace school. Each 5 credit course was worth 30 units. Some tests and assignments were worth 1 unit, some were worth 4. To get your 5 credits for English, you had to complete all 30 units. You would only receive the units upon passing the test or assignment. You were unable togo write a test, bomb it, and still get credit for the units. If you failed a test, you were not given credit for the test, and to rewrite it, you had to show the teacher you completed the work. If you were a grade 12 and had 27 of 30 units by the diploma deadline, you were not writing the diploma. You would have to wait til next year/semester and finish those last 3 units.
What is frustrating about the "no zero policy" is that the general public and media looks at it as being ridiculous without actually understanding the policy. The "No Zero Policy" keeps students accountable for their grades, the entitlement comes from
"I have a 80 in the course, I can get away with bombing a test or two"
The teachers must be held accountable to follow through with the "no zero policy" for it to work effectively.
***this was composed via phone, didn't really have a chance to edit it