Marilyn Wood: Forcing kids to take college prep classes a recipe for failure
Re “Modesto educators share discipline shift” (Page A3, Oct. 26): So Modesto teachers kick too many kids out of class. Maybe Modesto teachers are attempting to teach the students who want to learn, and the trouble makers are getting in the way. There are various reasons for misbehavior, but many kids are bored with the curriculum that is forced upon them.
High schools require graduates to be college ready. Students take courses that are often not what they would choose and must repeat these courses until they pass, leaving no time for elective courses. So they become failures and troublemakers.
Many with a diploma are still not college ready. Many have to take expensive remedial classes. Many fail at college and drop out. It’s hard on these kids and it’s hard on the system.
Not everyone is meant for college. What’s wrong with vocational training so high school graduates are ready for a career in carpentry, plumbing or the myriad of other well-paid professions? We need more of these folks, yet we waste the human potential by making all high school students prepare for a college education. And some become troublemakers and failures. What a system!
Marilyn Wood, Modesto
This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Marilyn Wood: Forcing kids to take college prep classes a recipe for failure."