At the end of last week, Edmonton Public school teacher Lynden Dorval was fired for insisting on giving students a mark of 0 when they fail to complete required work. Lynden's case has been extremely controversial, as many parents, members of the public, and even students demand that zeros be given to those who do not do their work. This ensures that students clearly understand that their actions have consequences.

Many parents we hear from are concerned about how education leaders sometime seem more focussed on making students feel good than on teaching them real lessons. School report cards in some areas lack real information about student progress, and instead use generic feel-good terms like 'excellent' or 'effort'. Parents have a right to demand meaningful assessment - real grades that reflect real performance and efforts. This assessment is important for making sure that parents understand the progress of their children and can intervene as required to help.