Posted on 10/20/2008 7:54:33 PM PDT by reaganaut1
More than 90,000 of New York City’s elementary school students — roughly 20 percent — missed at least a month of classes during the last school year, with attendance problems most acute in central Brooklyn, Harlem and the South Bronx, according to a report scheduled for release on Tuesday.
“Chronic absenteeism in elementary schools is disproportionately a problem in poor and minority communities and it immediately puts students behind their middle-class peers,” concludes the report, by the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School. “The academic pressures build over time and build quickly.”
The situation was worse in higher grades — 40 percent of high school students and 24 percent of middle school students were absent for at least a month — but the report focuses on elementary schools because absenteeism among young students is less widely discussed even though it is believed to worsen over time and lead to dropouts.
Researchers call it an invisible problem, in part because accountability systems tend to emphasize standardized test scores, not attendance. For example, New York’s A through F grading system for public schools counts attendance for 5 percent, often masking serious problems; 75 elementary schools that earned A’s or B’s from the city last year had at least 30 percent of students missing at least 20 days of classes, the report says.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
If many black and Hispanic kids are truant, it is somehow the fault of society (white people). Shoveling more money at schools they don't attend will somehow improve their educations.
I wonder if enforcing laws against truancy does much good. Especially by middle school, truant kids are probably doing their classmates a favor by not coming to school and distracting the kids who do want an education.
Maybe they can come up with a program that pays parents to take their children to school.
Oh wait...
Just another example of the success of the welfare state.
More redistribution of wealth, please. Remember, it’s good for everyone.
I am sure that throwing more money at the problem will solve it.
Why should anyone go to school when they can make a fist full of money selling dope on a street corner. All you have to be able to do is make change. ;-)
After 9th grade, public education should be trasitioned from a 'right' to a privelege. Then, only students that meet (rather strict) minimum requirements for academics, attendance and behavior should be allowed to attend.(by invitation only)
I have been in favor for revoking of welfare and other benefits for families who’s children don’t go to school.
Obama's gonna spread the wealth, so only suckers would exert themselves.
YOU Racist! /sarc
I'll tell you something FRiend. I'm also for that, and revoking it for any felony charges, and also for having them take semi-annual drug tests to be eligible to receive anything to begin with.
On top of that they should have to spend half day looking for work (and have that verified) and the other half day working on community service.
They could at least be picking up the empty heroin syringes and empty 40's in their neighborhood or something.
“I have been in favor for revoking of welfare and other benefits for families who’s children don’t go to school.”
—
That would be a seismic event and probably real effective, therefore, it’ll never happen. Democrats will refuse it.
Except that these parents expect their kids to Bring Home some more bacon. I just had a rental property vandalized today for the copper wiring, ripped up the whole house, water everywhere.
No time for school. Got to get that copper and sell for about $30.00 enough for momma a fix.
All we need to do to fix this problem is give more money to the public schools of New York. Doesn’t that fix every public school problem?
Education starts at home. If parents don’t stress education and let little darlin’ do whatever the heck he wants then they shouldn’t be surprised if the kid ends up a truant high school dropout.
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