1. I maintain there is a big distinction in language between "the kid failed" and "the kid is a failure." 2. You don't blame the system if it's one failure – you blame "the system" for this being _the median outcome_ for this school. That is way more trouble than one kid, or parent, or school, or heck probably even _school district,_ can take the blame for. That is an "all of Baltimore," or "all of Maryland" size problem, maybe even bigger.