Why Curving is Unethical

The Treasury of Merit

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Roman Catholics believe that there exists a Treasury of Merit in which are stored the superabundant merits of Christ and the saints, from which the Church confers spiritual blessings as Indulgences. As these saints earned more merit than they needed to get into Heaven, God stored their excess so those who had need could draw from this superabundance. (This medieval belief was reconfirmed with the encyclical Indulgentarium Doctrina, Vatican II.) When students have asked for a curve, I explain to them the Treasury of Merit. Many students snicker at the notion of stored-up forgiveness points available to those in need. I then ask them: What is a curve, if not an academic treasury of merit? From where do the points come? From previous stellar students? And you have a right to them because why? -- because youre begging forgiveness for not studying? Im no priest, and last years students were no saints. There is no academic warehouse. There are no points. You get what you earn. No class has asked twice for a curve.

Why Curving is Unethical

Start with this thought: What does curving offer us that reality does not? The answer: Shortcuts. Curving is the easy way out of the difficulties of an objective grading system. We then we tell them, wait till you get to the real world. Why do we create an alternate reality, one where they can succeed with values that will fail in the real world? Shortcuts. Further, the unintended consequences outweigh the benefits. When we curve, we deny reality, sever cause from effect, distort incentives. We construct a false reality. In short, curving insulates students, parents, teachers and administrators from an awareness of how and why their actions bring on unhappy consequences. The great catastrophes of history have usually had a method by which feedback from reality has been prevented.

Why Curving is Unethical

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Justifications for Creating an Academic Treasury of Merit

1. The testing instrument/process is imperfect.

a.

Argument: no test is without flaw, testing conditions cannot be guaranteed consistent, etc. Any found deficiencies found from ideal are justifications for curving. Weakness: suffers from the Nirvana fallacy, i.e. the notion that theres a perfect system to which we compare our policies. The Platonic notion that there exists the perfect test, test conditions, etc. is an unobtainable ideal. Since assessment is designed by humans, it will forever be imperfect. When we make assessment idiot proof, they invent a better idiot. Solution: Emphasis should be on Excelsior (ever upward), i.e. continually improving the tests, the test making process, test integrity, test security, etc. We must accept an imperfect world, e.g. some take the test on A day, some on B. These effects are atypical and minimal, and should not be presented as typical and maximizing damage to the testing process. We can only minimize, not eliminate, any unfairness arriving from such effects of living in the real world, not the imagined ideal. These imperfections of reality will balance out over the year, and we will avoid the Law of Unintended Consequences. The only attainable goal is to continuously improve the conditions which enable individuals to achieve their personal best.

b.

c.

2. The test was poorly made.

a.

Argument: Some teachers make better/easier/harder tests than others. This is not fair because a students grade depends on the teachers test-

Why Curving is Unethical b. c.

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making ability, which is a different thing than teaching ability. Weakness: While this clearly has an effect, it can be minimized. It will take work, however, which is why curving is used to accommodate this it is the easy way out. Solution: We could rely on teacher initiative to discover the best ways to make tests. It may be easier to assemble a best practices from all teachers, e.g. dont list all of the above only when it the correct answer, dont make the longest answer the correct one too often, dont give away a name by asking in the succeeding question what that persons policy did, etc. i. Item analyses (Difficulty Index measures proportion of students who answered item correctly) can be done for each multiple-choice test given, not just semester exams. Generally accepted difficulty levels are between .20 and .80, with an average level of .50. ii. Discrimination Indexes can be done for each test question. These measure the extent to which a test item differentiates between students who do well on the overall test and those who do not do well on the overall test. For instance, if most of the students who did well on the test missed question #4, and most who did poorly on the test got question #4 right, question #4 needs examination. iii. Assistant Principals and Deans of Instruction can ensure that there is follow through in better test construction.

3. The instructional unit was poorly taught.

a.

Argument: We ran short of time, the lesson was poorly prepared and curving is necessary to make things fair. Weakness: Can a teacher really use this excuse more than once per year? Cant the students accept responsibility and study more from the book?

b.

Why Curving is Unethical c.

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Solution: students can compensate by studying the book more so than regular. A teacher could also add a bonus to the test that all who were awake and paying attention should be able to get. The administration can work with teachers who have this problem continually.

4. This teacher is weaker than others.

a.

Argument: Some teachers are stronger than others. It is not fair that some students suffer because of this; curving allows their gpa. to remain commensurate with those who got stronger teachers. Weakness: Some schools are better than others, some get better nutrition than others, some get more sleep than others, etc. ad nauseum. This is life. Solution: It is the job of instructional deans and assistant principals to work with struggling teachers. We can minimize, not eliminate, all conditions of perfect equality.

b. c.

5. To establish uniformity among teachers.

a.

Argument: It is important that we have consistency among teachers. Parents will complain when there are drastically different policies and results between teachers. Weakness: There is nothing more procrustean than uniformity for the sake of uniformity. Procrusteus was the Greek mythological character who stretched visitors or chopped them short in order that they fit his guest bed. Solution: We must first teach students and parents to be concerned with the situation at hand, and not what some other class is doing. More importantly we must distinguish between consistency and uniformity. Consistency is important in approach, e.g. we all agree on similar grading standards, have a similar final exam, etc. 4

b. c.

Why Curving is Unethical

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Uniformity is dangerous when it forces results. We must focus on process, and allow the results to come out as they may. Dr. Edward Deming, et al has repeatedly shown the damage that comes from tinkering with the process in order to make the outcome uniform. The results? Gross deformity.

6. Pre-emption of:
a. Student complaints

i. ii.

Argument: Whether this argument is made subconsciously or not, it is often much easier to placate students than to endure their endless arguments about the half-point they will lose on their gpa. Weakness: According to Plato [Republic VIII, 562]: In such a state the master [teacher] fears and flatters his scholars [students], and the scholars despise their master and tutors; young and old are all alike; and the young man is on a level with the old, and is ready to compete with him in word or deed; and old men condescend to the young and are full of pleasantry and gaiety; they are loath to be thought morose and authoritative, and therefore they adopt the manners of the young. [See Robert Blys The Sibling Society for more on how the young are coming to rule the old.] Plato again: and as a result see how sensitive the citizens become; they chafe impatiently at the least touch of authority and at length, as you know, they cease to care even for the laws, written or unwritten; they will have no one over them. Solution: We must have objective grading systems where possible. On essays there should be rubrics for style and structure, and hopefully even for content. Self-evaluation is crucial in getting them to understand quality. This alone goes a long way to eliminating the discrepancies of why I got the grade that I did.

iii.

Why Curving is Unethical

b. Parental complaints

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i. ii. iii.

Argument: and e-mails.

A curve eliminates parent phone calls

Weakness: This approach leads to a compromise policy where grades are de jure or de facto negotiated. This is necessary only when we do not have a defendable grading policy. Solution: Assembling best practices will quickly eliminate most deficiencies. Basing grades on a you start with zero and earn up is a must. Explaining to students that they trade value for value points for work.

c. Administrative complaints

i. ii. iii.

Argument: The administration will put heat on us if we have too many parental complaints. Weakness: If the complaints are worthy, we should change. Most of us, however, fear the heat from complaints even though they are irrational, for fear of administrative appeasement. Solution: According to Ayn Rand, It is only in regard to concretes or particulars, implementing a mutually accepted basic principle that one may compromise. This means we might work with a student who followed the rules, and made a thoughtful mistake. It also means that there will be absolutely no compromise with someone who flaunts the rules and claims a right to exemption from the rule.

1.

Rand explains this well: A compromise is an adjustment of conflicting claims by mutual concessions. This means that both parties to a compromise have some valid claim and some value to offer each other. And this means that

Why Curving is Unethical 2.

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both parties agree upon some fundamental principle which serves as the base for their deal (emphasis added). To the swimmer who told me, when I gave her a 97, you need to let me know next time before you change my grade, thats my grade, there could be no compromise. Compare this to a swimmer who inquires as to why their grade is what it is and what they can do better next time.

7. No child left behind

i. ii.

Argument: All children are special. All children must succeed/do well/pass/be above average, etc. No child must be left behind. Weakness: The very wording exposes its inherent weakness. Since no child can be left behind, failure is clearly the fault of those moving ahead. This is egalitarianism at its worst. This is the school board that voted down a Head Start program because the children who benefitted from it might come out ahead of those not in it. Better to leave them behind than to let anyone get ahead.

1.

Black American college students planning to go on to post-graduate education were found by one study to feel no sense of urgency about needing to prepare themselves academically because they believe that certain rules would simply be set aside for them. Daniel C. Thompson, Private Black Colleges at the Crossroads (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1973), p. 88. 2. Crusades in the name of the equality promote envy, the principle victims of which are those doing the envying. Ask who is harmed most by the false signals sent by curving?

Why Curving is Unethical iii.

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3. As point distribution will never satisfy all, where do we stop? Solution: A society that puts equality in the sense of equality of outcome ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom, and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests [emphasis added, from Milton Friedmans Free to Choose, p. 148].

1.

Curving and other attempts at forcing grades to fit a preconceived notion violate justice. Justice is an impartial processes, not results. We cannot simply proclaim Let there be justice! 2. This conception of fairness (curving and other methods of forcing grades) requires that third parties wield the power to control outcomes over-riding rules, standards, etc. 3. Adam Smith reminds us that it is essential for the very existence and survival of any society that there be some predictable order, with some degree of moral principle. With curving, there is no predictability; it is up the teacher to decide justice.

4.

Whatever our policy, it should be based on an objective, procedural system of just grading, not worrying of about covering our ass. If the system is fair, you ass is covered! 5. Create best practice study guides for tests, for writing essays, etc.

iv.

Elitism is the solution. Earned elitism. Students must learn that they get what they earn, that the universe and its rules are discernable, they must trade value for value and that any 8

Why Curving is Unethical

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teacher who is arbitrary and capricious should be reported to the administration.

Problems Created by Curving

1. Teaches that the teacher controls the grade. An objective grading system teaches that the student controls the grade, through preparation, engagement, and the full and relentless use of their mind. Objective rubrics, self-evaluation (teacher confirmed), and class discussions about what constitutes excellence are the just processes which enables excellence.

a.
b. c. d. e. f. g.

h.

Since power is the ability to modify the conduct of others and to prevent your own conduct from being modified, for a teacher to arbitrarily assign grades arbitrarily and capriciously (no rubrics or standards to justify grade), is an abuse of power. Curving encourages students to NOT study. Points are given most to students who do the worst. Class distributions almost never fit a bell curve. Justifications have not been attempts to test against empirical evidence, but rather illustrating such theories (bell curve) with selected facts. Forcing grades to fit a bell curve is a Procrustean exercise in teacher power. Do not create artificial scarcity (bell curve); Excellence is scarce enough. Strong students become disliked for spoiling the curve. The grade earning process is being prostituted until it is little more than an ensemble of rulings, changeable without notice Nurtures the rights theory of grading, i.e. teacher can adjust grade for arbitrary reasons, as long as it is in favor of the student. To move a grade down, even if due to a deserving error, somehow violates a students rights. Law has lost its soul and become jungle. Bertrand de Jouvenal

Why Curving is Unethical

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Are our values worth fighting for? If so, lets not fight for them half-heartedly. If we cant appeal to intellect at school, were doomed.

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