I̢۪ve had it and you̢۪ve had it. Grade inflation sucks for everyone involved.

Grade inflation is when substandard work gets too high a grade. Strictly speaking, below-average papers should get a D, above-average should get a B, and only the truly stellar work should deserve an A.

In theory.

If you’ve ever been a student anywhere, you know this theory never sees practice. Professors have pity on the art major — she might get more of a bye in life science.

I fabricated the specifics, but I dare you to deny the statement̢۪s truth.

I wish teachers at all levels, especially those at Fresno State — we have enough image problems —realized that low standards have horrible long-term effects that will last the rest of a student’s academic life.

Dr. Rosy woke me up pretty well last night, and grade inflation is to blame. For a lesson plan assignment in Dr. Rosy̢۪s curriculum and instruction class, I was first up, and I figured I̢۪d get a little slack for my gumption.

Not at all. I earned an 86 out of 100.

I was incensed.

Incensed is the sort of mad that you only hear about when people talk about politicians. Incensed, though, isn’t politicians’ fake posturing or show of bravado — incensed is the real, soul-disintegrating deal.

Then I reflected.

My lesson plan was good, but it wasn̢۪t that good. It was unique, but a little unorganized. I didn̢۪t even follow all the directions, and I didn̢۪t think about the rubric in the month before my presentation.

My last decade̢۪s worth of teachers would say they used the A to F scale, but this is the first time anyone̢۪s actually used it correctly.

Isn̢۪t that worth a try?

Giving someone an A for effort, or a B for a good attempt doesn̢۪t help anyone. It only ruins student confidence in the grading system.

It’s not unusual for me — or anyone else in all but one of my classes — to get an easy A on the worst Power Point presentation in the history of the universe.

Because our credential program requires a 3.0 grade point average, projects that are somehow even worse get the B.

Of course, because of these falsely high standards, our B is the kiss of death. On an actual grading scale it should instead be the above-average grade.

Because of grade inflation, students obsessed with grades find it easier than ever to get straight As, given a little elbow-grease or whine. Because of grade inflation, these students — often just plain stupid — get false impressions of their incredible academic prowess.

The A-letter grade should be saved for the brilliantest work of the brilliantest students, not to the students who tended to follow most of the directions.

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In other news: setting the women’s movement back 80 years, one wife at a time; I wonder if books titled “Ending the Spending” top the sales; and something most Americans probably don’t care much about.