Michael Atherton said:
"I often wonder how the public can face the failures of the public schools (a 47% dropout rate in the MPS is pretty shocking)...."
But...
The statistic may be technically correct but attributing that dropout rate as a problem of the schools that can be corrected by
the schools is what MAY be in error. The dropout rate may be reflective of a problem in our society that just happens to manifest itself in 47% of students dropping out. If it is a societal problem, then expecting the schools to solve the problem is
going to be impossible for them. Society has to fix the problem. Once it does, then the dropout rate will go down even if
nothing in the schools have changed.
And what is the problem that manifests itself in the horrendous dropout rate?
I think that most people could make a rational conclusion once they consider what the makeup of those dropouts are and what else is going on in our society that might cause them to think that it is pointless to get a good basic education. Once that is done, then the next step is to consider what must be done to allow the potential drop-outs to see a value in a good basic education.
We have a lot to do. But it may still be a lot to do with transforming our society and not just transforming its educational system.
Steve Cross Prospect Park
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