Mimi Rothschild - Home School Support & Home Education News

by Mimi Rothschild

A recent NY Times article showcases yet another misstep of the public school system. We’ve known for a long time how short the system has fallen when preparing our nation’s students for college. The Times highlights the inability of public school graduates to function in 2-year vocational schools. Many are required to take remedial courses to bring them up to speed. Even worse, some cannot even handle the placement exams for community colleges. Hurt and dejected, many give up and enter the workforce straight out of high school. These kids aren’t stupid, they’ve been cheated. Colleges across the country have responded by barring students who need remedial courses, shutting out close to half the students who apply.

“Michael W. Kirst, a Stanford professor who was a co-author of a report on the gap between aspirations and college attainment, said that 73 percent of students entering community colleges hoped to earn four-year degrees, but that only 22 percent had done so after six years.”

Would we accept a 22% success rate from restaurants? How about vehicle manufacturers? How far does the percentage have to plummet before people realize that action must be taken?

“For many students, the outlook does not improve after college. The Pew Charitable Trusts recently found that three-quarters of community college graduates were not literate enough to handle everyday tasks like comparing viewpoints in newspaper editorials or calculating the cost of food items per ounce.”

Keep in mind, these are the “A” students. These are the cream of the crop; the ones who can make it as far as a six year stint in a two-year program.

I don’t think it’s the colleges’ fault for churning out inept young adults. If students lack thinking skills before turning 18, taking a digital photography class at community college isn’t going to do them much good.

“Across the nation, federal and state education officials are pressing for a K-16 vision of education that runs from kindergarten through college graduation. Such an approach, they say, would help high schools better prepare students for college.”

Hasn’t the government proved itself unworthy of educating our children in a K-12 environment? By prolonging the dysfunction, we’d only frustrate companies looking for capable new employees. The next logical step would be to force employers to take unqualified employees. The curriculum continues to be watered down, the students continue to get passing grades, and the system continues to spiral downward. The push towards complete government control continues.

For those of you who haven’t yet converted to homeschooling, get off the sinking ship while you still can. If trends continue, homeschoolers will soon become the most attractive job applicants in the country.