My Kids Are Not Stupid

Our 8th grade class has been invited to this event called the half-cap ceremony.  Those students who are on their way to graduate from the 8th grade are all invited to this event, those that are not, well they don't get to attend.  Those that are not are put out on blast for not "meeting the requirements" to graduate 8th grade.  So during class today I only had about half of my kids (those who were not invited).  I decided to show this video:

Labeling students as "not meeting the requirements" doesn't raise their hopes to do better.  It keeps them at the bottom.  Especially kids.  Why seclude them?  Why not have a special assembly for them where they can talk to their teachers and parents one on one and figure out how they can meet these requirements?  What are we accomplishing here?  Raising the ones that are already raised and lowering the ones that are already low?  Labeling one group of kids as smart and the other group as stupid?

The big guy walks in the middle asks what they are watching (he already knows) says to shut it down that it is not acceptable.  End of story. He leaves.

I keep playing it until the end.  My kids are not stupid.  End of story.

-Ms. P