They’re not handing out any participation trophies here.
A Mississippi woman was fighting tears after her son’s school allegedly “shamed” him by giving the teen a “zero” award in class. Her saga detailing the cruel and unusual punishment is currently sending shockwaves online.
“I think it was so horrible for him to get this award,” Patricia Buckley told local ABC outlet WAPT of the scholastic scarlet letter, which she said her son Bradley, 14, received from a teacher at the Leake Central Junior High School in Leake County.
The distraught mom said she first realized something was awry after she picked Bradley up from school and noticed that the award certificate was “balled up like he was ashamed.”
“I was feeling sad, and I didn’t really want to give it to her,” the student told the local news station.
Patricia asked what was wrong, whereupon he gave her the bad news. The pupil’s teacher — who is reportedly in their first year of instructing — had given Bradley “The Zero Award,” a demoralizing certificate emblazoned with his name and the words, “It’s impossible to be me. Don’t try. You’ll never find a solution.”
The Post has reached out to Leake Central Junior High School for comment.
Needless to say, the academic Razzie award didn’t sit well with the mother, who felt as if she wanted to cry and that her son didn’t deserve such a humiliating accolade.
When asked what “The Zero Award” was for, the parent responded: “I don’t know. That’s why I called the superintendent’s office to find out.”
In light of the embarrassing saga, the determined parent said she’s “going to do what I can do for this to never happen again. Not just to Bradley, but any child.”
Despite speaking to Leake County Schools’ superintendent multiple times, Patricia claimed they have yet to respond with any solutions.
Bradley said he wants to stay at the same school, however, due to the recent ordeal, his mom said she might send him elsewhere.
“The Zero Award” saga appears to mark a complete turnaround from the prevailing trend at schools nationwide, which have been accused of coddling students in the name of wokeness.
California school districts found themselves in hot water in December after eliminating D and F grades in an attempt to reengage pupils amid floundering test scores during the pandemic.
