About this episode
According to English teacher Tim Donahue, academic inflation is as real as economic inflation. In the 1960s, around 15% of grades given at colleges were "A." As of 2017, it was nearly 50%. Meanwhile SAT scores fell by 20 points and, by 2023, ACT scores reached the worst scores in three decades . This, Donahue says, could explain why "65 percent of Americans feel they are smarter than average. " The purpose of grades is to provide feedback, a way humans learn and grow. But in a world where it is assumed that truth is found within, the purpose of grades becomes affirmation for doing the work, not to measure what was learned. According to Donahue, " If everyone gets an A, no one gets an A, " so teachers should "consider the B-plus." But that won't do any good unless students are taught that truth exists outside of themselves, can be found, and should be pursued over and above affirmation and self-expression. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, visit Colsoncenter.org