Public
Schools
have
dropout
problems
Mr.
Wilson
Crabtree
Holly
Lake
Gazette
P O Box
986
Hawkins
TX 75765
Dear Mr.
Crabtree:
I have
long
been
concerned
about
school
dropouts.
The fact
is that
fact
that
many
school
dropouts
sit in
school
classes.
I
believe
that
most
teachers
will
tell you
this.
The “No
Child
Left
Behind”
program
sounds
good. We
are,
however,
leaving
many
children
behind
and the
school
system
we
operate
under is
incapable
of
dealing
with
this
problem.
I
recently
wrote
the
following
article
and
submit
it
herewith
for your
consideration.
SCHOOL
DROPOUTS
Current
news
concern
the
appalling
high
percentage
of young
people
whodrop
out of
school.
Many
seem
surprised
and
concerned
at the
number.
Interestingly,
the
question
of why
does not
seem to
be asked
nor
addressed.
The
reality
is that
most of
the
dropouts
dropped
out long
before
they
stopped
attending
school.
Why
should
students
whose
learning
has
essentially
ceased
be
required
to warm
a seat
in
school
costing
the
taxpayers
$7,000.00-10,000.00
per
student
per year
to warm
a seat?
And, it
can
probably
be shown
that the
school
systems
with the
highest
percentage
of
dropouts
have the
highest
cost per
student.
The
expenditure
of money
and
striving
to
retain
dropouts
in
school
at any
cost
does not
solve
the
problem.
Those
who are
dropouts,
whether
physically
out of
school
or
occupying
space in
school
are
usually
serious
disciplinary
problems.
Our
citizens
would
likely
be
appalled
at how
much
time
teachers
and
administrators
spend
dealing
with
disciplinary
problems
rather
than
teaching.
Problem
students
who are
not
interested
in
learning
make it
difficult
to have
a proper
learning
environment
for
students
who are
in
school
to
learn.
And,
too, it
contributes
to a
“dumbing
down.”
Having
done
considerable
substitute
teaching
for
eight
school
years in
five
public
and one
private
school
systems,
I have a
good
understanding
of the
problems
school
face.
There
are few
middle
and high
school
classrooms
that do
not have
dropouts
sitting
in the
classrooms.
A number
of times
I have
asked a
class
why they
were
there if
they
were not
there to
learn.
Sometimes
the
response
would be
a chorus
of six
or more
students
in
unison
saying
“because
we have
to be.”
Many
times I
have
heard a
student
say “I
hate
school.”
One
sixth
grade
student
who
refused
to even
attempt
to do an
assignment
was
asked
how he
expected
to earn
a
living.
The
response
was that
he would
steal if
he had
to.
I have
seen
students
as early
as first
grade
who were
already
on the
road to
prison.
Should
students
in
middle
and high
school
who are
barely
on a
third
grade
reading
level be
forced
to sit
in a
class
when
they are
unable
to do or
comprehend
the
academics?
Should
students
be
allowed
to
graduate
who have
not in
reality
earned
the
right to
graduate?
And, I
am not
talking
about
special
education
students,
which is
another
serious
problem.
The
dropout
problem
can be
properly
addressed,
but not
by
policy
establishing
theorists
who are
devoid
of
reality
and/or
common
sense.
And, is
it even
possible
given
todays
social
mentality
and
unwillingness
to alter
the
status
quo?
More
than a
few good
teachers
who feel
their
hands
are tied
are
burned
out or
on the
verge of
burnout.
Sincerely,
Benton
Nesmith
Hawkins
TX
Ed.
note: We
decided
to run
this as
a “news”
item
instead
of
putting
it on
the
Opinion
Page due
to its
importance.
W.C.
