You pov(point-of-view) on school reform?

Question

Do you accept the concept that NOT EVERYONE WANTS THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM OF A HIGHSCHOOL DIPLOMA, and, we therefore should have the options of vocational/trade schools for those who have no interest in literature, drama, the arts, higher math and science skills, etc? Not everyone plans on going to college, some need skills to immediately enter the world of work with marketable skills and training. What do you think?
(Europe and China do this I believe.)

Answer 1

I could not agree more strongly. One of the biggest economic impediments facing this country today is a lack of skilled labor!! I think you should be able to go from sophmore in high school directly into trade school and finish at 18. This is a real issue thanks for posting a question that affects our lives. We have a significant recession in manufacturing partly due to this lack of skilled labor. There is no shame in building cars and widgets for a living. We need to get back to the roots of what made this country great our ability to build stuff!!!

Answer 2

I believe teens should decide their own future. If they want to go to a vocational school to better their skills in a specific area, go for it. It will only make them happier and better citizens in the long run. Think about it, if a teen is forced to go to school and take classes they have no interest in, will they succeed? Chances are they are not, and under the no child left behind act, they will need to repeat the grade they failed, keeping them in school longer and wasting tax money on students who dont want to be there. I would not go as far as saying that those students should not be educated in other aspects, such as English class, math class, and a basic science class. What they should do is have half days. Half the school day is spent learning core classes, but at a tech or vocational level, and the other half should be spent at a vocational school learning their skill. This is a compromise between the two conflicts. So if later on in life the teen wants to go to college, they still have the basic education to go. And if they never go to college, they can step right into the work force and make good money in highly skilled/wanted jobs.

Answer 3

The solution is to make college free (and required) for everyone. Like in Finland. But until they do that highschool should be an option. Actually in some states you can stop doing school at 16 if you're parents aprove.

Answer 4

i totally think that vocational programs are just as good as regular high school classes, and especially college. I just got my certificate in Childhood Psychology from a distance-learning program, and it was way easier than high school. Plus, there are so many more options. I just found a distance-learning program that offered classes on Parapsychology (ie, ghost-hunting).

Answer 5

First and foremost it should be taken out of the hands of government. Secondly only those that are there to learn and willing to behave like decent human beings should be allowed to attend.