By: Claire Daly

   In a classroom where grades are meant to be earned, not rewarded, hard work doesn’t always sit in the front row. While some students spend hours straining themselves to perfect an assignment, an art piece, or a performance, others glide by with a smile, a joke, and a hint of charisma. Raise your hand if this sounds like a situation you’ve witnessed. When students feel that their efforts aren’t worth as much as brownie points, their motivation in a class is destroyed. We have a serious issue with classroom fairness that demands to be addressed.

   The consequences of favoritism extend past mere annoyance; they actively dismantle the motivation of the rest of the class. When students observe that certain peers receive preferential treatment, such as passes on actions or absences, more leadership roles, or praise, it sends a message that success is tied to personality and connections rather than hard work. This invisible class system leads to a decline in effort as those not in the inner circle begin to feel that their hard work will never earn as much recognition as the teacher’s favorite.

 Furthermore, research suggests that this environment can harbor resentment toward the teacher. That deep-seated resentment tears down the trust between students and staff that the school system promotes, as well as the teacher’s credibility. Once students begin to suspect that fairness has been replaced with preference, every decision the teacher makes is viewed through a lens of doubt. Rather than being seen as an impartial authority figure that students can rely on, they start to be viewed as more of a friend for some students. 

   After conversations with a few teachers, however, some believe that what students interpret as favoritism can sometimes stem from the student mindset. They explained that when they hold students accountable—whether for missing work or disruptive behavior—it can occasionally be read as personal dislike. Accountability is not meant to single anyone out but to help students grow. Yet this disconnect in perception highlights how fragile the student-teacher relationship can be.

   Ultimately, the only way to eliminate the toxicity of favoritism is for educators to prioritize objective standards and transparency. Teachers are human and will naturally connect with some students more than others, but this connection must be separated from the standards and values of the class. A classroom should be a creative space for learning and growth, not a popularity contest. When fairness becomes the baseline, trust is restored and every student is given a genuine chance to succeed based on their own merit.