There’s a tragic epidemic in America and you may not even realize it. Capable students are leaving high school without a diploma at alarming rates.
The researchers of The Silent Epidemic Report, March 2006, went directly to the source—students—and found a disastrous situation. Millions of youth ages 16 to 25 do not have a high school diploma and are not enrolled in school. This dropout situation has not improved much during the past few decades since education reform has been high on the public agenda. Lets wake-up! I think educators, policymakers, and other leaders, need to put this issue on the table for discussion among candidates in the current presidential election debates.
We need to talk about the issues of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and that it may not be helping solve the dropout problem. I know many people think NCLB needs a serious overhaul, and others think it’s not a complete failure. But, in all my searching, I have yet to find anyone who thinks NCLB is a complete success.
It disturbs me education doesn’t take a higher priority in the campaign debate. I’m taking an advanced public relations writing course at the University of Oregon. We are researching and writing about NCLB with the goal that it will be on the agenda for debate by the presidential candidates. I want to get people talking about the state of education in America and let our future leaders know that NCLB needs to be on the table for discussion. What do you think? Will you join me in an email campaign to get education on the table for debate?
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2 comments:
Kristina,
This is a very well-written blog and it definitely makes the reader perk up and pay attention. The statistics of high school dropouts are startling, and you are completely correct in saying that this is a very important issue that policymakers and politicians need to deal with ASAP.
I like that you ask the reader to engage in a dialogue about No Child Left Behind, because, again you are right in saying that almost no one is completely supportive of this legislation. Education is an issue that is vital to the success of our economy, and I'm glad that you are taking a stand against its diminished importance in our country. Great post!
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