I read an article in The Montclair Times last week, "Lawmakers want to keep 18-year-olds in school" by George Wirt. Does keeping children in school until they are 18 as opposed to 16 is helpful to them? According to the article, 18 states already require school attendance until the age of 18. New Jersey is one of 24 states that only require attendance until age 16. Eight other states require attendance until 17.
I have to say that I agree with the childcare advocates in this article. They argue that keeping kids in school until they are 18 will provide them with a "supervised environment at a time when many of them are vulnerable to getting into trouble." I agree that having a supervised environment does help to reduce the risk of getting into trouble but I also believe that staying in school longer gives them something to do everyday. It limits their free time in which they could potentially engaging in troublesome activities.
Supports of the legislation also argue that an additional year or two of education, instruction and training will provide students who might otherwise drop out of school at 16 with more skills that will help them find work in an increasingly demanding job market (Wirt). Not only will these students be better able to find work but they will be more prepared for the work they will perform. A student who only stays in school until they are 16 usually lacks necessary skills to adequately perform in the workplace and function in society. If they remain in school until they are 18, they may have an increased chance of being more successful and better able to perform their job. I also believe that being required to stay in school until they are 18 will enable more students to graduate from high school. Students may feel differently about dropping out when they are a few months away from graduation as opposed to a few years away.
I believe that the benefits of this legislation outweigh the costs. Keeping children in school gives them a better chance to succeed in the future. Providing them with knowledge for a longer period of time will increase their chances for succeeding in the workplace and society.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
The problem is that the assumption is that students will come in to sign out and drop out. Students simply stop coming to school, and there aren't enough truant officers to find all the students who are out of school. The policy may be a good idea, but in practice it is going to be even more of a nightmare.
I understand that for many students this policy will not impact their decision/reason to drop out of school. However, what about the students that it affects in a positive way...the (small number of) students that happen to remain in school because of the law? Do you think it is worth it just for the sake of those students?
Post a Comment