The dumbing down of our education system

I went to a training today on how to add rigor to an AP course. It was a total yawner, but it got me out of the classroom for a day. I know that sounds terrible, but once in a great while, I like to be able to leave my loving heathens in the care of a capable grown-up and converse with all adults for a day. Anyway, this woman putting on the training is from DC and has a PhD in who-knows-what. She had some okay ideas, I guess. What really got me, though, was when she started talking about "intervention plans" for kids who weren't quite up to par. I have no problem with giving kids extra help when they need it. However, here are her ideas, in a nutshell:

1. If a child has a low average, failed a test, didn't turn in an assignment, etc., have a "red flag" and conference with that student (you know, during that mythical extra time that every teachers has).
2. Come up with some plan to help prop kiddo up, whether it be retest, corrections, etc.
3. If a kid doesn't turn in a homework assignment, conference with him or her and allow that student to turn in the assignment at a later date. Here's the kicker: GIVE THE KID FULL CREDIT!
4. If the kid still doesn't turn in the assignment(s) by the summative assessment (aka test), no longer accept the assignment. However, don't give the kid a zero; give the kid a 50. WHAT?!?!?!??!?!

It was at #4 when she lost me and every other teacher at my table. Are you f-ing kidding??? So if I choose to not show up to work, or not bother to teach, do I get 50% of my paycheck? I was appalled. And you know what? This is the direction in which my district is trying to go! We have some lovelies in upper administration who eat this BS up, and are planning to try to force us to implement it. Kids are already entitled and lazy. We want to teach them responsibility by rewarding them for not taking responsibility for their laziness? I think not!