For most of us, wearing red scarves as a member of the Young Pioneers is a warm memory from our childhood. But for nearly half of the grade-one students at a primary school in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, seeing others wearing red scarves has a special meaning, as they are forced to wear green scarves due to their poor academic results, which will leave them with totally different memories.

According to the explanation from school authorities, the green scarf is an attempt to spur students. Although the school authorities claim that the scarves are not intended to distinguish between good and bad students, this system has created a hierarchical context in which students wearing red scarves are better than those wearing green ones.

Such methods are unlikely to have their hoped-for effect. Actually, it may be the other way around. Many kids with green scarves take them off as soon as they step out of the school, while parents picking up students with green scarves seem to be embarrassed. 

This isn't a new approach. Such hierarchy in education is common at present. Schools are divided into key schools and ordinary ones, so are classes and students, which mirrors unfairness and utilitarianism in education.

Because of educational utilitarianism, there will be more and more so-called educational experiments and attempts, which ignore students' rights and feelings. Only with faith, hope and love can education really prosper.