This explains a lot to me - I was wondering how the stories about single digit ASVAB scores could be possible.
I get it now.
Poor kid - now he truly is a victim, as it’s clear that NO ONE gave a damn if he ever actually LEARNED anything.
Consider this: This is an example as to why we need a draft. Without some sort of “forced” discipline (so the individual learns personal discipline!) matched with “training” in this case “training” with basic education how can he\she ever be anything but a hoodlum.
Have a new draft law where this manpower pool is essentially a “reserve”. Make it very difficult to deploy in mass overseas for FedGov adventures. If the individual after “training” wishes to switch over to regular service subject to needs they can but it’s their choice.
Might be easier to do then actually getting state educational establishments to change.
Thing is, I’d like to see his attendance record first.
Good chance he didn’t show up for class, and if he did, he did absolutely nothing while in class, didn’t bring pencil and paper, the textbook, and certainly didn’t read the assignment. He showed up b/c the truancy officer threatened his mother with some sort of consequences (which I’d never seen enforced) next day, he’d be gone. There were a number of students on my roll I never laid eyes on - but had to produce a grade for, towards the end, I was “encouraged” to pass them. Kids I saw once or twice a semester would be roused out for the state tests b/c they are such a huge deal for school districts - when the kid inevitably scored in the 2nd percentile, teachers are blamed for “not teaching.”
Calls home go ignored, repeatedly - except near the very end of the year when the report card shows mass absences and failing grades and the kid isn’t eligible for graduation - my school sent out progress and report cards every three weeks (he’ll be passed on, though, there isn’t enough room to hold back all the ones who need to be held back). I had to keep a log of how many times I called home. There were many times the mother would call the district office b/c we were calling home too often. Many parent just don’t care.
Of course, the media and some of the public blame the teachers - but so few know what goes on inside a public school classroom, the mass absences, the disrespect for teachers in the classroom, the disruptions from “mainstreamed” psychotic students, the hostile parents who blame us when their kids fail (due to absences, not doing assignments, failing open book tests).
All of this is from a recently retired public school teacher, me, with 33 years of experience in various schools from rich to poor. Husband had 40 years in administration and will tell you the same thing.