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Originally Posted by Joker
Of course, as a teacher, I understand all that. However, as far as inner city districts are concerned, specialization may be the key to keeping students in school an out of gangs.
Studies have shown that those most likely to join gangs are students who consistently fail in school. Gangs offer these students a chance to be successful again by teaching them how to be criminals. The tasks given to them are fairly simple, so it's easy for them to succeed. let's face it, anyone can sell drugs on a street corner.
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The influence of gangs is severe, particuarly for the indiviuals who live with them in their neighborhoods.
But, that's a problem that there's no way schools could ever address. The key to gangs is sheer economics.
You work your butt off at a vocational school learning engines, and, if you're lucky, you could get a job where you make 500 dollars or more a week.
The problem is, when drug dealers make that much, or more, in a day, the temptation is very high, especially for young people with no strong foundation at home.
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Such specialization is perhaps not necessary in districts where gangs are not an issue, but in areas where I teach, we struggle everyday with students in gangs. If we could provide them with an alternate education, we may be able to keep them from making a very bad decision.
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We're talking about things from different perspectives, I think. In this town, there are many specialized schools, and most of them are pretty successful.
But, that's the situation in a nutshell, are good schools are actually really good, and the bad one's are really bad.
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Frankly speaking, it's just not necessary that everyone learn to be a critical thinker.
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I have to fully disagree. This is the one tool every student should come away with, even amish who withdraw after 8th grade.
To be a productive member of society, one must be able to use reason to decipher fact from fiction.
One doesn't have to be an academic to have the faculties to make wise decisions; to know how to read fine print, and to figure out when somebody is lying.
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Our education system only rewards those who are successful at acedemic acheivements. It ignores those students we may excel at other disciplines besides writing, mathematics, and science. Our nation needs mechanics, plumbers, and laborers just as much as it needs professors and scientists. With specialization, we not only give students the means to pursue such a career, but also promote the idea that it no less of a career.
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See, I have to think that a kid that is in danger of getting involved in drug crime is more likely to be swayed by the prospect of high skill, high reward job, when you compare a drug dealer's wage to a plumbers.
You're right, that the workforce will always need laborers. However, we've moved out of an industrial age, to a post-industrial age. In the past, we've needed those who were ready for the factory.
But those jobs, and that culture, is dying. And in some cities, dead.
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Again, it may be something to consider only within inner city districts, where feelings of positive self-worth may trump critical thinking skills for many students.[/quote]
I simply argue that they should get both in their education. Largely, it's troubles of the city, or neighborhood that plague the school...
There's only so much a school can do about that...
Also, I realize now that we're probably talking from different perspectives. In this city, their are specialized schools that students apply to get into. Everything from art to tool and dye.
Yet, the troubled schools are still troubled. The kids in bad schools had the opportunity to go to better ones, but for whatever reason, they didn't.
In some ways, not getting into a good school, either by denial, or a lack of effort, can be even more damaging to a young person's esteem.
So, with that said, I have no idea what city you work in, or what their system is like. Perhaps the schools there do need more specialization.