Stop the games and gimmicks, and just educate people’s children!

“Emanuel wants to add a CPS graduation requirement”

“The mayor’s office said the new requirement would start with the class of 2020.” … “Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants Chicago public high school students to show they have a plan for what’s next before they can get a diploma.” … “Emanuel’s proposal would add one more big item to the graduation checklist for high school seniors: proof they’ve been accepted into college or the military, or a trade or a “gap-year” program. The requirement would also be satisfied if the student has a job or a job offer.”…

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-high-school-requirement-met-20170405-story.html

Well, at some point we really need to move beyond “gimmickry” and truly educate people’s children. After all, we know enough at this point as to how to make all students academically successful; what is missing is the resource commitment, and the will to implement those policies and procedures that seriously take on and defeat those things that prevent (get in the way of) student learning. How about doing something real, like designing a high school system where all students are prepared to either go to college, enroll in a (Career Technical Education) CTE apprenticeship program, and/or enter the workforce upon high school graduation. Now that’s something worth announcing!

Meanwhile, Chicago education law attorneys should saddle up. Now I know it has been awhile since my supervision and administration school law class; but I’m not sure if you can deny a student a diploma for “post-high school conditions”; that are actually out of the student’s control; particularly if they have met all of the academic and statutory conditions for high school graduation. This is in essence having the government make a decision about your post-graduation life. The surely soon to come lawsuits will further drain a cash strapped school system. And for what, a fun press release that gives the impression that some significant educational change has actually occurred.