Should minors be allowed to decided if they need to stay in school?

Question

I heard this arugment on NPI the other day and wanted to know your thoughts.

Specifically high school. A lot of kids 14-17 complain about having to go to school; they are bored, refuse to study, see no purpose of learning. Their malaise creates a burden on teachers and classmates. Sure, the conventional wisdom is that you have no future without a high school degree at a minimum, but in society there are lot of financially successful people who lack formal education. If those who hate school and behave poorly were removed, more resouces could be placed on those kids who are academically motivated.

Answer 1

Absolutely Note but I think that an alternative would be wise....for exampl Home Schooling, night school, etc. In the UK at the age of 16 the person is given an option to continue their education, learn a trade or get a job.

Perhaps the states should consider some program where the person learns a trade while working at the same time and counts as education towards a degree

Answer 2

Minors should not be allowed to decide if they need to stay in school unless they are legal emancipated and supporting and responsible for themselves as legal adults.

As minors, children, they are not responsible for supporting themselves or providing for their own needs and so their right to make life decisions is limited. Their parents, as the people actually held responsible for the child's provision and (to some extent) actions, also are given the right and responsibility to make decisions for their child.

However, there are a lot of minors who are bored and unmotivated in school. Their attitude is a malaise that creates a burden for teachers trying to teach both the enthusiastic and apathetic, if not down right antagonistic.

The problem I see in the situation you outline is the parents. Some how it has not been communicated to those kids the tools they are going to need to be successful adults. There is a future without a High School degree but it is a hard road and the success stories you hear about without formal education usually involve a long hard struggle.

If a 14-17 year old doesn't want to go to school, a parent could go to an attorney, obtain the paperwork to emancipate the child. They could then sit down with that child and explain that at ___ age they can all sign this paperwork to allow the child to be emancipated. That would mean that the child could and would live on their own and support themselves (the parents would no longer support them financially or materially). The parent(s) could then insist that child investigate what it will take to support and provide for them self. In the meantime, The child would provide the funds for all expenses for cell phones, cars, insurance on cars, outings with friends, fashionable clothing, everything beyond the basics of food, basic clothing, shelter, and transportation to and from school. The minor, if they choose to enjoy those luxuries could earn the money in an after school/weekend job or by working for their parent at a reasonable wage (not the amount a high school graduate makes).

Investigating the real life costs of living and budgeting for those off an entry level job might be enough to wake up the bored minor. Especially if the parent is very calm and firm about this being the future for this minor if they do not want to participate in school. Life is a lot less boring when you are trying to figure out how to provide the basic necessities of life on the minimum wage job most non-high school graduates can find. School also seems a lot less useless in view of what you can get from completing it successfully.

I am willing to guess that a lack of appreciation for what it takes to provide the basic necessities of life makes them less appreciative of what they obtain from school. When you talk to people in places of the world where an education is not a readily provided thing, or if you talk to older generations that were not able to complete school because of financial hardship, you hear nothing but a desire to learn more and be able to attend school.

Besides, there are a lot of things that can be learned at school besides just academics. One tool you can learn is hard work and applying yourself to a job, even if it isn't your favorite thing.

Answer 3

Sure, quit school. Right after you sign a document that says that you will never be allowed to collect well fare or partake in any other government funded program for the poor. And also sign the one strike and you're out contract, where if you're caught stealing or selling drugs or any other illegal act to make money, we hang you. Prisons are government funded and are run by the tax dollars of people that went to school, and got jobs. I don't see any reason why we should pay to keep you alive. You're a leach.

Answer 4

Unfortunately they would likely become more of a burden on society by drinking and doing drugs which would then lead them into other crimes like theft because that's the only way they could get the money to feed their drug habit. This being lack of motivation to get a job (laziness) which was the reason they were allowed to quit school in the first place !?! No, it wouldn't be a good idea.

Answer 5

If they aren't legally adults yet(18), its still up to their parents. Of course they complain, its school! Its like saying 'I hate my job' then quitting and then dying poor on the streets. You need to work to acheive your goals, and most of the time, they start with a good education. I'm 16, and hate school sometimes, but I know that if I want to get SOMEWHERE I should AT LEAST finish highschool, from there the kid can choose whether or not to go to college and further their education. Sometimes people need to be pushed to do things, including going to school everyday and making your brain actually work.

Answer 6

I understand what you are saying, but...at 14-17 years your brain is not fully developed and I feel at that age you do not have enough information to make a good decision. We all know they should stay in school!! I do feel something different needs to be done. The half schood day/half work day helps. I don't have the answers, but I do know turning them out young and uneducated is not the answer! Regardless of how many people end up successful, it's not enough to make it worth it!

Answer 7

No, they should be forced to stay in school for their own good. After graduation, they can decide whether to pursue college or university on their own. Around here, if you don't have a higher eduation (or even if you do!!), you are stuck working at a crappy call centre, or other low paying job like fast-food or at the mall. Hard to raise a family when you don't make much money.

Answer 8

No. Most minors do not make wise decisions. Many youth that graduate high school do not make a wise decisions after they graduate either. Parents are in their lives to steer them in the right direction and teach them and should remain there until they are old enough to leave. After that they answer for their choices.

Answer 9

At 18 they are free do do what they want. If they choose the ruin their life at that point then there is really nothing anyone can do (unless they live at home.) They need to sit in a classroom until that point like it or not. As for the parents that say "he is 16, I can't make him go" I say call the police, report them as truant.

Answer 10

Yes. By my the middle of my Junior year, I will have enough credits to graduate. I think continuing school would be a total waste of my time. School is already boring because I basically know everything.
-Miss J.