Bai Yansong, a famous TV host, expressed his support for students wearing green scarves   at a primary school in Xi'an. He wore a green tie on a TV program on October 19, 2011. "I just want the students to know that I'm also wearing green. And we are all great people and are as good as those wearing red scarves." The First Experimental Primary School in Xi'an made children with poor schoolwork and behavior wear green scarves. Parents whose children wore green scarves were angry. "The children still need their self-esteem   even though they are very young, and they know the green scarf means something is not quite right," said one mother. Now, the school has stopped the practice. Educational expert Li Zhenxi said that primary and junior high school students have strong self-esteem. They are eager to be respected and understood. Punishment will hurt them. "It's better to encourage them rather than separating some 'bad' students," he said. A survey made by the Ministry of Education   shows that 75 percent of students feel nervous and scared when the teacher is about to announce their grades. Some schools have done better in protecting students' privacy and encouraging them. In American schools, teachers post test results on the wall. Instead of using student names, they use secret numbers. This way, students know their secret numbers and can check their own grades only. Some teachers might call the students up to the desk and tell them their scores one at a time. But test scores are not the only measures of a student's ability. Everyone has his own strengths and everyone can make great progress by working hard. Why did those parents whose children wore green scarves feel angry?
Because their children did do well at school. Because they thought the school didn't have the right. Because it was against the law. Because it hurts their children's self-esteem.