Harvard Students Launch Petition Calling Grading Reform ‘Racist’

Harvard Students Launch Petition Calling Grading Reform ‘Racist’

The reform is in response to the school handing out too many ‘A’ grades. The students don’t want that to change.

Campus Reform reports:

Harvard students call grading reform ‘racist’ in petition

Harvard University students have launched a petition opposing a proposed grading reform, arguing the policy could have racially disparate impacts.

The petition, organized by freshman Angie Agostini, urges Harvard to reject a plan that would limit the number of top grades awarded in courses. Organizers claim the policy would “mirror and reinforce existing racial and socioeconomic hierarchies,” according to the petition’s description.

Harvard officials introduced the proposal Feb. 6 as part of an effort to address grade inflation. The policy has been delayed until the fall of 2027.

Under the proposal, professors would limit “flat A” grades to about 20 percent of students in a class, though there would be no cap on A-minus grades. The plan follows internal data showing that more than 60 percent of grades awarded in 2025 were A’s, compared to roughly one-third in 2010.

Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh stated that current grading practices “are not only undermining the functions of grading; they are also damaging the academic culture of the College,” in a university report.

Student organizers, however, argue that limiting top grades could disproportionately affect first-generation and low-income students. In an open letter, they described the proposal as “blatantly racist” and warned it could increase competition among students.

Supporters of the reform say the changes would restore academic rigor and reduce pressure on students to maintain perfect GPAs. Critics of the petition argue that merit-based grading systems should reflect academic performance rather than demographic considerations.

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