Greene County Daily World

5 Years of High School Under Long Thompson?

Posted Thursday, September 4, 2008, at 12:00 PM
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Jill Long Thompson and Dennie Oxley, the Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, are proposing high school for some Hoosier students go into a fifth year for those who need more time to graduate, saying the plan would improve Indiana's graduation rate.

Yes, it would change the percentages, but I whole-heartedly DISAGREE with this because translated it says we would just be 'lowering the bar' to get more students to pass.

If students are so unmotivated in the first place, how is an extra year going to help? Perhaps they've not found their calling in life yet -- and most high school students haven't -- but what I'm saying is that there be alternative paths to help identify what exactly piques their interests and finds their passion. (Identify & treat the disease, not the symptoms.) After all, schools seem to train students to be good employees, who are all college-bound. That's not always the case.

Some will want to work for themselves. Others will take a vocational route in life, or they will pursue a particular unionized trade. I'm wondering if a poll was taken in the high schools today, could students identify what an electrical, pipefitter, laborer, or iron worker really does? Would they know those unions even exist?

In a related topic, would a poll reveal that they truly understand that geography, work weeks, and willingness to move, live in a big city vs. small town, and work odd hours will directly dictate your happiness in a particular field?

For example, a student wanting to be home every night with their family but has expectations of a long-haul trucking salary may be disappointed later in life. Or, what about an EMT who wants to work 9-5 Monday through Friday? It's probably not going to happen -- at least around small town America. What about a young person, who wants to open and own his or her own restaurant, but has expectations of working only 40 hours a week? Want to be a marine biologist and work in Greene County? Maybe Crane has something available, but I'm guessing that would be limited. It would probably be your only choice of employer too.

Somehow students need more exposure to a variety of jobs and fields, while instructors satisfy the exhaustive curriculum that is required. I'm not sure of the answers here, but a fifth year doesn't appear to be one of them.

Comments
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I agree. They need to identify early on which students are cut-out for school. Many are not. There needs to be serious evaluations done when kids are entering high school to determine if high school and college is right for them. I am not saying that they should drop out in the ninth grade, but I am saying that there needs to be a curriculum to identify what these kids would be interested in. Good point. A fifth year would be the absolute last thing those kids need. Graduation rate shouldn't matter. It should be what those kids do after not graduating that matters. I could care less what the graduation rate was as long as the unemployment rate was not a direct refelction of it.

-- Posted by great_googly_moogly on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 1:46 PM

This could possibly work against Long-Thompson's favor. Technically the ratio's and formula's used to obtain a four year graduation percentage would not apply to five year seniors. You take the fact that it took a few students an extra year to complete what most did in four, your graduation rates will drop for that very reason.

Schools fail to prepare students. Teachers fail to prepare students. Parents fail to prepare students. Students fail themselves. A fifth year is not the answer. I bet the problem originated earlier in the students education. You just have to find that issue.

-- Posted by headless horseman on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:40 PM

Graduation rates do matter. Potential employers look at them as a place to locate. If we raise that rate by whatever means, we raise our profile amongst other states. Would you go into a state with a 70% graduation rate or 80% graduation rate? That is where something like this will come into play. So yes, your unemployment rate and graduation rate are related, maybe not directly, but in the same family.

-- Posted by Greeneman on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 7:08 PM

This seems like the same thing they did to the SAT scoring scale. A few years back I think they raised everyone's 200 points to make things look better.

-- Posted by JimmyJoeJingle on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 7:31 PM

Those who need more time, probably also need more motivation...like no driver's license until graduation, mandatory summer school, or no job or welfare without a diploma...Those that choose to be good students usually go beyond their high school education. A high school diploma should be the very minimum requirement of any job, including Mc D's or Wendy's etc. Quitting shouldn't be an option at 16 years old, unless they can prove they can support themselves without the help of society. As long as we give them the tools they need to make it, there is no excuse. We could offer daycares for young parents, extra tutoring or special classes for the learning challenged kids, or incentives for graduating, like a monetary bonus...I'd go for that. Give each graduate a set amount for sticking with it, it would be cheaper than having them uneducated and on welfare.

We could make High School more like college, offering the opportunity for really motivated kids to graduate early and the not so motivated kids to stay longer if needed. Just tossin' around ideas...

-- Posted by Renee71 on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:42 PM

I have a novel idea. Let's ask the people who are actually doing the teaching what needs fixed. Politicians, as a rule, know very little about the nuts and bolts of teaching. I would go as far as to say that the further you get from the classroom, the less you know about education. Yet, who levels the mandates? Who pounds the pulpits and lecterns slamming public education? Who scrutinizes educators and school leaders? Often times it is those who know darn little about education; politicians.

-- Posted by Mr. F on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 9:07 AM

Amen Mr. F. Maybe then we could get some educational laws that really do make sense, as well as help our children learn.

-- Posted by jo74 on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 11:27 PM

Did I miss something? mybe I am wrong but if you dont meet graduation requirements today dont we say come back next year and finnish--- making that a 5th year?

so dont we already have that 5th year available?

I know of a young lady when I was in highschool that graduated in 3yrs.

This was all back before we had so much regulations--- the school boards made some decisions--its hard sometimes Iknow.

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Mon, Sep 8, 2008, at 10:08 PM