DEAR ABBY: "Disgusted Aunt in Florida" questioned whether or not her nephew, "Marshall," should be given a family party and graduation gifts, given the fact that he wasn't really graduating from high school. His mother said no; his grandmother was insisting that he should.
As an educator for 27 years, I congratulate Marshall's mother for sticking to her guns. I'm sure his teachers offered him ample opportunity to pass his classes, but Marshall made choices on an hourly basis not to fulfill his responsibilities. Therefore, he should not be rewarded for those deliberately irresponsible choices. The boy obviously thought someone would bail him out -- again.
Let's hope Marshall will learn from this experience. If Grandma coddles him now, she can expect to support him for the rest of her life.
Our nation's educational system needs more support from parents like Marshall's mom. It's time for that young man to accept the consequences of his own inaction. -- THANKFUL FOR MARSHALL'S MOM
DEAR THANKFUL: Many educators will agree with you. Failure is nothing to celebrate, but it can be a potent teacher.