"Dropout SOCIETY"

Hey Folks -

October 30 the Columbus Dispatch ran two stories - one front-page (continued on A-4) and one on page 5; once again demonstrating that our "free" press is brain dead, incapable of knowing what their right and left hands are simultaneously doing:

Study of nation's high schools
Columbus on list of 'dropout factories'

Columbus Dispatch Oct. 30

At 14 of Columbus' 17 high schools, nearly 40 percent or more of the students who started as freshmen have disappeared before graduation day, a trend that's affecting about 1 out of 10 public high schools statewide, a new analysis has found.
Just under 70 Ohio high schools have rates of retention that are so low that they could be nicknamed "dropout factories," according to a Johns Hopkins University analysis of education data for the Associated Press. That description fits 12 percent of all high schools in America.

Schools in South pressured by increase in poor students
By Halimah Abdullah
McClatchy Newspapers (reprinted in the Dispatch Oct. 30)

According to the report, public schools in the West may face similar problems in the next five to seven years. Already 51 percent of public-school children in California and 62 percent in New Mexico are considered low-income.

Nationally, 46 percent of public-school students are low-income.


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The on-line Dispatch "Hot Issue" blog asked: "What do you think is the biggest cause of students dropping out of high school?"

As you might guess, a number of central Ahia yahoos blamed godless schools, "liberals," the ACLU, and not failing enough kids.

Here is my email to Hot Issue (shortened on line because of the number of "characters" permitted):


Well, folks,


It's not the liberals or God. In fact, it is our society. The same day that high schools were announced to be "dropout factories" because "no more than 60 percent of students who started as freshmen at 19 central Ohio high schools were found to have made it to their senior year"; a page 5 story reported: "According to the report, public schools in the West may face similar problems in the next five to seven years. Already 51 percent of public-school children in California and 62 percent in New Mexico are considered low-income.
Nationally, 46 percent of public-school students are low-income."

There you have it, folks - almost a perfect match: more than 40% of the kids are poor, and 40% drop out.

It's time to stop blaming liberals, teachers' unions, and supposed lack of respect for a Christian god, and start evaluating a socio-economic system that allows 40% poverty while decrying a 40% dropout rate.


- Uke Man