Most excellent points.
I would only add that when some kids do not wish to learn, when their purpose is to disrupt the education of others, these problematic jerks aged 16 or more should be forced out. They will likely end up on the streets, so send ‘em there a couple years early and let the decent kids learn.
The only reason they are allowed to remain is that every warm body represents state/local funding and therefore jobs for the teachers union.
You got it. When I taught in the "inner-city" I had 40+ on my roster but only about 25 ever showed up, and never all 25 at once. At the start of the year I would call roll. "Nervidious Sping?" "Naw, Mr. Assault, Nervus done move to Calfonia three year go." "Stervalonia Smith?" "Naw, Smiff she daid. She got shot cold by her daddy fo eatin he potato chips. Dinchoo hear?" "El-Compulus Lash?" "Naw, he in prison fo shootin dat poleeceman. Member?" And so on.
So then I report the fifteen kids who aren't going to ever show up to the office and they say, essentially, "We don't want to hear it. Keep marking them absent. We really don't know for sure where these kids are officially yet and we probably won't know until the end of the year. If then. Might at three four years to find out for sure."
I told other teachers and they gave me the answer. "$$$$$s"