Dropouts must sign on the dotted line?

[Larry_OHF]

News article

This article says that the person who is dropping out and his legal guardians have to sign a form that acknowledges they know such things as:


--"I will be less likely to find good jobs that pay well, bad jobs that don't pay well, or maybe any jobs."

--"I will not be able to afford many things that I will see others acquiring."

--"I will be more likely to spend time in jail or prison."

--"I will be more likely to rely on the state welfare system for my livelihood."

--"I will be considerably less able to properly care for and educate my children."


If the kid is dropping out, how do they know that he or she can even read the form?

[ 02-29-2004, 03:48 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Oblivion437]

This thing is highly abusive, elitist and arrogant. My mother never finished high school, but she's been a very good mother to us. She's never been in jail, we've had the things we've needed and wanted, she and my father (who himself was) are thrifty with business. We didn't depend on state welfare either. Maybe our life is the exception to the rule, but we've had it good, by thrift and force of our own.

It forces someone to demean themselves for breaking away from an illegal system. That strikes me as ironic...

[Larry_OHF]

I hear ya. My mom raised my sister and I practically alone, and though it was not a perfect life, both she and I are in college, and I have a wife and two kids now, and we are doing very well. My sister is in Hawaii currently.
My mom was able to keep us on track, with only a middle school education.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Oblivion437: This thing is highly abusive, elitist and arrogant. My mother never finished high school, but she's been a very good mother to us. She's never been in jail, we've had the things we've needed and wanted, she and my father (who himself was) are thrifty with business. We didn't depend on state welfare either. Maybe our life is the exception to the rule, but we've had it good, by thrift and force of our own. It forces someone to demean themselves for breaking away from an illegal system. That strikes me as ironic...

Exactly what is "illegal" about the system?

[Oblivion437]

There is no constitutional provision for the creation, enaction or funding (on a federal level) of a board of education anywhere in the United States. The Federal government does give funds to the states for education. At what point are they granted this power? Read the constitution, nowhere are they given this power, or a system that relates them this power in elasticity. You can't stretch something and fit a board of education in there. They had to give themselves the power to make an income tax. The thing is, no one has actually challenged the existance of such a board, because of the apparent good (I'm not going to challenge what good it does or doesn't do, one way or the other, that's not the point) it does. What court is going to order the dismantling of the entire school system in the US? The fixation is that there'd be chaos...

[Chewbacca]

I'm a dropout. I've never been in jail, I have a great career, make plenty of dough, and have never been on welfare.

I feel pity for those in our society, as well as the drop-outs themselves, who think they will achieve less than they really can. When you are forced to sign a self-defeating, self-fufilling prophecy like that it can only make it worse.

If school isnt cut out for them, then an alternative should be supported, like GED education or job-training. Undermining a persons self-worth while they are already in a vunerable position is quite a loathsome practice.

[johnny]

Some of the most succesful businessmen are dropouts, so that piece of paper means absolutely nothing. If you have it in you, you'll be succesful in life, education or no. A good education CAN give you better opportunities, but is absolutely no guarantee for anything. In life it's mostly about luck and/or determination.

[Epona]

I have a good education and look at me

[WillowIX]

Whereas it may be offensive to some it is still some good points for the youth dropping out. If the student should have to sign it it is very questionable on the other hand. Show the legal guardians and the student in question the information at a meeting instead. Let them have the chance to ask questions etc.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I agree that the statement about being more likely to go to jail is very harsh and the comment about their ability to raise and educate their children is subjective.

HOWEVER...all of the other statements ARE statistically correct. While the lack of education is not automatically a formula for failure (just as a college education is not an automatic door to success), statistically speaking, dropouts ARE less likely to find good jobs, they ARE less likely to afford the things thier buddies have, and they most definitely ARE more likely to end up on the state welfare system.

The statement from the Board of Education is not saying these things WILL happen, just that they are more likely to occur without a high school education.

It also is NOT a "self-fulfilling prophecy" unless the dropout decides to let it be. Their success (or lack thereof) is entirely dependent upon them.