Education Failure: One Child Left Behind

Nichole Christian writes in today's Detroit Free Press:

In truth, Chris had abandoned education long before a bullet tore through his abdomen five months ago. My family will not admit it without prompting, but he was a dropout in training, failed more by us than any of his teachers.

On the days Chris did show up for class at Chadsey High School -- one of three he drifted in and out of before his death -- it was more to be seen by friends and "females."

Shame over his struggle to read, going back to grade school, kept Chris as far as he could get from classrooms. His problem only worsened over time, growing up in a home where books were just as baffling for his guardians, my 83-year-old grandmother and my late grandfather.

Back on November 9, I wrote:

Perhaps it is time for:

• having pay for performance for administrators... rather than pay for failure
• limiting the percentage of funding for administration versus instruction and facility expenses
  
• integrating social services into the school process
• involving universities and businesses in the education process... not just "advising" school administration or providing cash donations
• developing a "peace corp" program approach for failing districts
  
• "nagging" parents into becoming involved... including visits by social services and the "benevolent association of police officers"
• creating "boot camp schools" for students who are disruptive or just won't try
  
• involving newspapers and broadcasting media in creative ways

Ms. Christian grieves the loss of her cousin. Such losses are tragedies... especially because they don't have to happen. They happen because of the choices that people make... that we allow people to make. As long as education is a choice, there will be children like Chris who fail and are failed. Children should not have a choice... they should have an education.

Our system of "rights" has become a system of "license"... not balanced by a system of "responsibility".

Our children have the license to do as they wish regarding education... and some die as a result. But we have protected their rights... sure we have.