Beth Tillack's son made the honor roll at Pasco Middle School in Dade City, Fla. It was an accomplishment most parents would happily announce on their car bumper. But Tillack is having none of it. In fact, she demanded the school take it back.
Tillack told ABC affiliate WFTS she couldn't understand how her son, a seventh-grader at the school, could score both a "C" and a "D" on his most recent report card, yet be applauded for his performance with a spot on the honor roll.
"It doesn't make any sense," she told the station, pointing out her son's report card, which -- except for two glaring exceptions -- contains mostly "A" grades. "The bottom line is there is nothing honorable about making a D. ... I was not happy, because how can I get my child to study for a test when he thinks he's done enough."
In a statement to ABC News, Principal Kim Anderson said 45 to 50 percent of students at the school currently make the honor roll, though she sees Tillack has a point.
"I do agree with her," Anderson told ABC. "I feel it's important for students to progress by meeting standards. We measure them by standards, they know if they've met them or not. Sometimes grades don't always indicate that."
Reached for comment by the Tampa Bay Times, Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning explained that, currently, honor roll spots are awarded based on a student's GPA. He conceded that it may be time for a change, stating the district is considering restricting honor roll spots to students with only "A" and "B" grades next school year.