Ah, June. A time when students' thoughts turn to getting out of school for three months, and teachers contemplate how they'll recuperate. A time when certain high school staffers finally discover that some seniors have been blowing off required classes for the past twelve weeks and might not graduate. These staffers then ask the students' teachers the mind-blowing question, "Is there anything we can do to get _________ to pass?"
Sure! How about check in on the kid BEFORE the final week of class? Or check the student's grades and attendance, updated weekly for all to see on the school's Internet-based grade program?
Here's a novel idea: If __________ hasn't met the required tasks, force ____________ to take the class during SUMMER SCHOOL!
But, no, we don't want that, do we? Why not? Because we're too concerned with the numbers game. Too concerned about maintaining a certain percentage of graduates every year in order to look good on reports for No Child Left Behind. Never mind that, by allowing kids to graduate without basic skills, we send the tacit message: "High School isn't important! High School is the new Middle School! Just survive four years and we'll give you a useless piece of paper!"
Then again, if we just did that, the students' education would no longer be our problem. It would belong to the community colleges. Pass the buck. Problem solved.
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