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Superintendents: More needed to address drop out issues
Published Monday, May 25, 2009
A new bill to increase Alabama’s high school dropout age will help local school systems, but that alone won’t solve much, superintendents said.
“I think raising the dropout age from 16 to 17 is a step in the right direction,” said Pike County Schools Superintendent Mark Bazzell. “I don’t think it will hurt our situation in terms of creating more challenges for us.”
But at the same time, Bazzell and Troy City Schools Superintendent Linda Felton-Smith said much more will be needed to address the issues.
“Just increasing the age to 17 is not going to solve the issue,” Felton-Smith said. “The age is not the only factor that’s having a negative impact on students dropping out of school.”
Under the bill, signed by Gov. Bob Riley last week, students will have to be 17, rather than 16 years old, in order to drop out of high school. In addition, they will have to have an exit interview with a school official and a parent or guardian and sign a document stating they understand the implications of their decision.
Bazzell said at the heart of decreasing drop out rates is addressing issues that cause students to leave high school early.
“Kids drop out of school for reasons usually totally unrelated to school,” Bazzell said.
Bazzell said reasons ranging from teenage pregnancy to domestic violence to poverty are some of what he said may lead to a decision to drop out of school.
Bazzell said it is critical to address these issues in middle school because that’s when students usually begin to have these problems.
Felton-Smith agreed these issues have to be resolved with counseling and not just age limits.
“To really work with students at risk of dropping out of school, we’re going to have to counsel and work with families to help them realize the importance of their diplomas,” Felton-Smith said.
Local school systems don’t keep track of drop out rates alone, but graduation rates have improved for both in the last few years.
Bazzell said last year, 77-percent of students graduated, a number that has improved for both Goshen High and Pike County High Schools in the last years.
Felton-Smith said Charles Henderson High School had an 83-percent graduation rate, a number that has climbed from 76 percent two years ago.
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Posted by inaword (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It might help if school administrators didn't council teens that its in the best interest of everyone for them is to go ahead and drop out instead of offering them the extra help they need.
In defense of those same administrators, the more senseable change to the law would be to require BOTH parents to be notified before a child is allowed to drop out.
Posted by mustang89 (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. also, to notify BOTH parents you would have to know how to contact them. in a lot of cases the students don't even know where the parents are, you are under the assumption that all parents CARE. unfortunately that is not the case in a lot of situations.
Posted by gottobekiddin (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with the parental envolement. However what our kids learn at an early age can stick with them. Are the elementary teachers teaching our kids the right things and getting them excited. At GES there is a teacher's aide sleeping with a teacher. Everyone knows it and even the students. I ask is this the right thing that our kids should be learning, having classrooms interupted so they can see each other. I believe it takes both caring parents and a caring school system.
Posted by bamaslick (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gottobekiddin
Elementary school can spot potential hazards in a child's life early. There is still no solution for parents that do not care. It starts at home...but the most influential people early in a child's life besides parents are Elementary teachers. You will not solve every childs dilemma but some you can fix.
Posted by gottobekiddin (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bamaslick
I agree, I happen to know at least 12 children that were pulled out of GES and home schooled because the parents felt the actions of the staff were not appropiate. I checked on some of them and they are actually doing better at home than they were at GES. That is caring parents. I wonder if the dropout rate includes kids that were switched to home school.
Posted by turtle (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually as a parent, if that student being advised to drop out doesn't give a squat about their education, their parents don't care, the child is nothing but constant trouble (repeated trips to ALC, expullsion, etc) then put them somewhere else because all they do is cause distraction for those who are trying to do right and get an education.
As to the situation with school employees, if what they do in their personal life doesn't affect their teaching the kids and it isn't illegal, then why is that anyone else's business? As long as the teacher isn't sleeping with a student or a minor, they aren't committing adultry and aren't getting it on in the broom closet at school, why should anyone be concerned?
Posted by localreader (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 5:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, gottobekiddin! That is a mighty strong statement to make (about a teacher and an aide). I guess you must have had a front row seat to their "sleeping together" which makes you a much better parent than them, right? Afterall, all you did is WATCH. Did you enjoy the view? If that is not the case, I wouldn't be so quick to write such nasty things about people. If you wanted to say they have a "dating" relationship, that is one thing, but to automatically jump to that statement, I'd say we might want to investigate what YOUR child hears coming out of YOUR mouth that just might influence her more than the actions of her teacher's private life.
You have to remember that even if you don't like someone, which obviously you have an axe to grind here, the things you say can hurt them and affect their jobs and families. I don't personally know either one of them, but unless I was the voyeur and observed the act myself, I'd hesitate to make such big statements that can have such a huge impact.
Posted by mustang89 (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about the STUDENTS who just don't care. I personally know some parents who do care and have done everything in their power to keep their kids in school and the kids just will not do the work or sleep in class. the parents can't sit with them all day and prod them on. I know three 17 year olds in the ninth grade because of this situation. Should they stay in school until they graduate? What if they never graduate? Should they by law be required to stay in school for the rest of their lives if they don't graduate? What should the cutoff age be? You can keep raising the age but, there will never be a 100% graduation rate. And personally I don't care if my garbage man has a high school diploma, and if we stop and think about it we would realize just how important our garbage man is to all of us.
Posted by HJfree (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 6:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am shocked that unsubstantiated and slanderous comments are allowed by the Messenger. Would you print a comment that slandered the editor? I think not.
Posted by soldier (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 7:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gottobekidden:
You have to be kiddin'!
localreader nailed you! You must have an axe to grind and you are not willing to handle your issue in an upfront and responsible manner! If you are truly concerned, come out in the open and state your case. If the students being homeschooled are doing so well, why don't you home school your own instead of leaving them in an environment you disapprove of? I have heard nothing but good things about GES!!! You are in need of help!
Posted by gottobekiddin (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
to everyone who thinks they know me.
For everyones info everybody that works in the scholl knows it. I do not care what they do on thier own time. However it did affect my child and some other children as well when they were left alone, class room disruption, and why did another parent have to get a private tutor because the teacher did not have the time. And I am home schooling my kids next year, I tried to address thru the proper channels with the principle face to face meetings even tried school board. Nothing was down I made thru this year and I am gone. To everyone who thinks it is okay good luck.
Posted by gottobekiddin (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh I forgot to mention the teacher also writes the yearly review for the aide. That would be unethical and that is in their own manual it is online.
Posted by soldier (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gottobekiddin: A word of advice. Be very careful what you put in writing. We all are held accountable for slanderous remarks. Always be sure you can prove what you write about others in a manner that may affect their job. You may very well be libel. What if these school employees are fired and they claim your remarks may have contributed to them being fired? Can you and your remarks on this comment section be subpeoned? I do not know. But think about it. Not that I am a lawyer. Why not be positive and support your child/children by being involved in a beneficial manner in your school. When you home school your children, who is going to teach them spelling? I hope it is not you (or me).
Posted by Listentome (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I did not know that the teachers wrote yearly reviews for aides. I thought that was the job of the principal. Is this aide there solely to help that particular teacher? This story seems familar. Have we heard this accusation before in the comment section?
Posted by 1year2late (anonymous) on May 26, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Teachers DO NOT write reviews for aides
Posted by Listentome (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 5:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks 1y2l. Wonder where gottabekiddin got that idea from.....
Posted by timeforchange (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am a parent that pulled my child out of GES to homeschool. There are more problems at that school than have been stated in this forum, they have not been worked on and will not as long as the same people run it. These problem need to be addressed from a State level and get it out of this backroom politics that runs the education systems of this county.
BUT this artical was about the drop out rate, which is a crying shame when it is not only the "troubled" kids that are dropping out. I know of three very well behaved children (and yes they are still children in high school) that have dropped out of GHS, because of the lack of concern for the child and the teachers think they are "God" and nothing they do or say could be harmful to a child. (And before anyone says that I do not know what I am talking about, I have heard from the mouth of one teacher to a student "The best thing you could do is drop out and get a job that is all you are good for anyway". Yes I did have a few words with this teacher.") If you had more teacher that cared in the schools then hmmmmm maybe the drop out rate would go down.
This sending kids to ALC is really funny here in Goshen, kids are sent there for the funniest reasons, but NO one questions the actions of the leaders of the school. ALC needs to be cut out and the problems handle the old fashion way. If this "program" was cut out that would be a lot of money that could be used else where in the school system. BUT no lets send the kids that dropped a piece of paper on the ground to ALC. (Yes, it did happen.)
Every child should have a chance to an education. So teachers before you put a child down walk in their shoes for a while. You may have a few blisters on your feet, but you may also have a better insight of what a child lives with every day of their young life.
Posted by localreader (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So now, not only is the teacher and aide corrupting the children, but the principal and superintendent know full well what's taking place right up under their noses and refuse to do anything about it?! I'll tell ya what, that must be one great teacher they're protecting!! If they are willing to let the whole school fall apart and parents constantly yanking their kids out due to a teacher and an aide having a relationship, they just outta be fired, too... right? I'm sorry gottobekiddin, but something just doesn't sound right here. Maybe next time, while you are watching them sleep together, you should videotape it so that then you have all the ammunition you need to have them ALL fired and then YOU can run the school. You could do a much better job, couldn't you? With all the regulations the administrators have to worry about these days, a teacher/aide realtionship is probably not that high on their priority list. That is, unless your video of their sleeping together shows them ON school grounds while in the act. Otherwise, you only have a very good case of teachers having private lives outside of school. WOW... imagine THAT... teachers actually have their own lives outside of our kids..... whodathunkit?
By the way, you might want to be careful what you are doing in your private life in your own home, too. Afterall, there are people going around who like to sensationalize the details of other people's private sex lives these days!
Posted by NotPerfect (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am still flustered over the 'Extended Day Program' being cut out. To any of you school officials that don't know this...the economy may be hard, and your numbers may be down, BUT there are still some of us out here that work 8-5 and need your support for this program. If it is because you aren't making a profit, talk to the University about having some of the students that are majoring in education to possibly volunteer. Maybe they could receive some type of credit...who knows. Has this even been attempted? I don't know if that is how you currently operate (on a volunteer basis), but there are other solutions. I am not fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home parent...I wish that I could, but I can't. There has to be some other options. I would be willing to pay more a week if necessary, as I am sure many others would do. At some point, those of us that already have to carpool (because we aren't in walking distance) in the mornings are going to have to take a stand and demand help from you. We need busses or we need the Extended Day Program. It is ridiculous to have so many great assets within a school system, but then you fail tremendously when it comes to assisting us parents that actually work every day. It seems much easier for you to cater to those that don't have jobs.
Posted by yatta (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amazing!
Posted by yatta (anonymous) on May 27, 2009 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They should simply investigate this situation and end this issue.
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