Re: "DISD – Grading changes defended – Teachers call rules too lenient on lazy students; trustees say they'll help more kids succeed," Saturday news story.

The story referred to "high school teachers who fail more than 20 percent of their students." I was a teacher for more than 15 years and still know many in the profession. This statement does a great disservice to those professionals.

I have never known one teacher who failed a student. Students can fail quite nicely on their own. They do this by not paying attention in class, by not doing homework or even class assignments, by not attending the numerous after-school and before-school tutorials teachers are required to have, and by missing valuable time in the classroom for consistent misbehavior.

Hiding behind the statement that these changes are to make students more successful is ridiculous. They are to take the heat off of the district for its high dropout rate and low test scores.

Little Johnny's failure in school is exactly that – little Johnny's failure.

Jo Morrow, Rowlett