Here is a story suggesting that the drop-out rate in many U.S. cities is sky-high, and No Child Left Behind plays a big part. (Frankly, I have little confidence in ANY program developed by George W. Bush. Can you blame me? The evidence seems to show that the entire NCLB program was based on falsified figures by Rod Paige and the HISD - Houston Ind. School District. Independent? Not from politics. )
But here, from the U.S. Department of Education, you have another story suggesting that drop-out rates are decreasing, and have been for decades. And this guy says the same thing, with wildly different figures.
I suppose that all three cannot be true, but we know how easy it is to lie with statistics. The truth is probably somewhere between. I've long suspected that the government, whether Republican or Democrat, "cooks the books" to promote their own view, but I think that the Bush administration has elevated the practice to an artform.
One thing I know for sure is that, this year, our oldest niece is graduating from college. We remember holding her preemie, 4lb 5oz body. It doesn't seem like yesterday, but it also doesn't seem like 23 years ago either. Never having had children of our own, we can only wonder about the joy and heartache that children can bring to their parents. (But that's good enough!) We're not really "close" to this niece, but close enough to know that she didn't cause her parents much trouble at all. Good grades. No problems with the police. No babies. Still single. She will likely be a very productive citizen (provided we can hold onto this country).
Our youngest niece is also graduating this month, from high school. While she has caused a bit more anxiety to her parents than her big sister, she's a great kid. She's going to go to a community college for her first year of college, most likely, and then transfer into Texas A&M. She's probably going to be fine too.
We will be there for both of them when they get to walk across the stage. I remember being the one graduating. Even though graduating didn't seem like much of an accomplishment at the time, it felt good to officially "graduate." Back then, in the '70's, it seemed like only a very few people dropped out of high school, as I recall. About the only reason people dropped out were females who had become pregnant. Ah, the old days.
I can't locate "official" numbers from back then, but today, in Houston, the drop-out rate is hovering around 50%, some say. That figure is astounding, and depressing.
Sometimes it feels like this nation does not really WANT to fully educate their citizens. We make it a lot harder than it should be. And remembering that lesser education leads to increased religious "belief," well.....Keep 'em stupid and goin' to church. As long as they think that "God" will have a pleasant afterlife waiting for them, maybe they won't agitate too much in THIS life.
What a country!
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