An example of a failure to acknowledge reality leading to bad results: the whole standardized test debate with students.
There are a number of factors that could lead to good or bad test scores. The quality of teachers, the aptitude of students, the commitment by parents. All of these factors are necessary for students to be succeeding at learning. But how do we test this? An quick (though imperfect way) is the standardized tests.
These standardized tests are meant to be a benchmark, a way to indicate how much students have learned.
Those that criticize the use of these tests do have a point that they are not all that good at determining if learning is going on, as well as the fact that "teaching to the test" is a common tactic used by some teachers/schools.
There is a problem though. What alternative benchmark do we have to work with? Usually, this is where the conversations stops, because opponents have no solutions.
Therefore, attacking the standardized test as the root problem is a red herring. The root problem are the 3 factors.
With teachers, yes, we have some that just plain suck at their jobs. This will make it much harder for students to reach their full learning potential.
Though teachers (bad or not) are not able to be fully effective if the parents are not actively involved with their own children. We see many frustrated parents blaming the schools/teachers when they do nothing themselves.
And finally, we have the students themselves. Sometimes, you just have someone too stupid to succeed, no matter the other two factors.
The thing is, bringing up ANY of these factors as a cause for students not achieving and not learning is going to cause someone's feelings to be hurt.
"How dare you criticize teachers! They are heroes who are doing a wonderful job!"
"How dare you criticize single mothers! They are heroes doing their best!"
"My son is not stupid! The system is to blame!"
Instead of acknowledging many of these harsh truths, we have this stupid debate of the standardized tests. How about we stop excusing bad teachers and bad parents when they fail to set the stage for the children to achieve and learn? And how about we abandon the idea of equality and accept that some people are just going to be stupid? That is the whole reason we have this debate, because some people get butthurt when they see achievement gaps and cannot accept the truth.
If everyone could get good enough grades
Then the old C becomes the new F
This leads to grade inflation
The average GPA for a major should be a C in that major
If they require above C to graduate such as a B average for classes in the major then they have to pretend average people in that major are above average for that major
Eventually everyone has to get an A average to graduate then you can not tell the difference between graduates with the same major since all are 4.0
"And how about we abandon the idea of equality and accept that some people are just going to be stupid?"
Sanity. Also: kids under 115 IQ points are not going to go much of anywhere in life.
@amerika that is a great answer. Too bad that it has the same pitfalls as the standardized tests, with the same critics upset about unequal outcomes.
We can look at overall aptitude without these sorts of tests. How well can students read, do math, write? These can be evaluated without an official "test." But the problem is, we are still back at square one when it comes to evaluating results. That is, we come to find out that through one or more factors of teachers, parents, or student inherent aptitude, the students still are not learning well even if you get rid of the use of standardized tests.