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Without the recommendation of a teacher, the administration
at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute has increased the physics
marks of OAC students.
As university admissions averages continue to rise, students
are demanding increasingly higher marks - and school administrators
are complying. With minimal justification, the marks submitted
by the teacher are being raised by up to several percentage
points.
During an interview, one ECI Vice-Principal declined to
comment on why the marks were adjusted and what criteria
were used. The Vice-Principal informed the MFP editors that
the ECI administration was simply "trying to help students,
so that no one was handicapped," and that the ECI administration
was "working in the best interest of their students."
The Vice-Principal refused to directly confirm that the
marks had indeed been adjusted.
Mark manipulation is not unprecedented at Etobicoke C.I.
According to Mr. Heathcote, the OAC physics teacher, the
administration had adjusted his marks in previous years.
Contrasting the view of the Ms. Hutzul, the administrator
responsible, Mr. Heathcote stated that his marks are based
on how well students understand physics according to the
Ministry of Education curriculum. He continued, saying,
"I stand by my marks. They are based on good evaluations."
When asked whether the students at other schools were being
put at a disadvantage by the increased ECI marks, the Vice-Principal
replied: "I'm sure they're not looking at whether they're
handicapping us."
This mentality outraged certain Martingrove students, who
expressed concern that this will only lead to a "vicious
race to the bottom," in which marks continue to be
inflated until they lose most of their value. "I find
it difficult to believe that an individual as prominent
as [the Vice-Principal] can think like that," said
one OAC student.
Mr Rushby, Martingrove's Math Department Head, echoed these
sentiments. "It's a huge mistake for [an administrator]
to [raise the marks] without compelling evidence,"
he said.
The vice principal stated that all marks are reviewed by
the administration and if there is a concern with the submitted
marks, the teacher is consulted. The Vice-Principal claimed
that the teachers are involved in the mark revision process,
but Mr. Heathcote disagreed: "They asked me to raise
them. I said, I think these reflect the work of the students."
The physics teacher also made it clear that only the administration
has the authority to grant credits and that teachers can
only recommend what mark a student deserves. He stressed
that the administration doesn't need his permission to adjust
the marks.
The Vice-Principal emphasized that the administration was
not lying to the students nor helping them cheat. In raising
the marks, they were simply looking out for the best interests
of their students.
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