[Amelia]

And, for certain other kids, I think there needs to be more options in vocation education. Plumbers and electricians earn more than many teachers.

Not to mention, some kids do really well if you give them a "hands-on" job with fairly fast, tangible results, but terribly with pen-and-paper sorts of things -- basically because the pen and paper stuff doesn't interest them at all.

The behavior thing will have to be addressed sooner or later, however; people who behave at work the way some of these students behave in class will not keep jobs long.

[summer]

The behavior thing will have to be addressed sooner or later, however; people who behave at work the way some of these students behave in class will not keep jobs long.

Good points thoughout your post. And, as to the above, some of these kids may go through a few jobs before they figure out that such behavior is unacceptable. But, I think the novelty of making money and not being in school, at age 14-16, might keep such a kid interested in trying to succeed at a job. After age 16 now seems to be too late for some of these kids.