Springbank High School administration, teachers, students and parents should all be proud. Ranked 12th overall in Alberta by the Fraser Institute’s 2010 Report Card on Alberta’s High Schools, Springbank deserves the recognition it has earned.
Yet, there are a great many people in the education industry who tend to look down their noses at the Fraser Institute’s report, including many within Springbank’s own Rocky View Schools division.
Ranking schools based on various test scores is wrong, they say, because each school is different. Some schools serve greater numbers of special needs students, including those who are learning in a second language. Some schools serve large numbers of financially disadvantaged students. Others, like the traditionally high-ranking private schools, serve only the children of well-off parents and reject students who have special needs. These are good points and should be weighed by parents who read the report. But to simply dismiss the report is wrong.
Springbank High School is a public high school. It does not reject students who have special needs, yet it ranks among the top private schools in the province. The students, parents, teachers and administrators who made that happen deserve a pat on the back. And they shouldn’t shy away from accepting praise, just because some other educators are afraid of looking bad.
Yes, Springbank students come from money. They also worked hard and earned a top ranking. We certainly shouldn’t considering taking that away from them.
