Back in the early 90's sociologists found a correlation between high self-esteem and high grades.

We all (should) know correlation is not causation, but how they managed to come away with the notion that we need to boost children's self-esteem unconditionally is beyond me. The notion that high self-esteem is the a cause of good grades, and not the other way around, stretches credulity to the point that those people should have been stripped of their degrees.