Dropouts Increasingly Going to Prison
Kids are dropping out of school like flies. It seems that everything else has their attention, except the important stuff. Girls, money, drugs, video games, the media, TV, and many other things are capturing their attention. Well, it was no surprise to me, but a great deal of insight and information when the NY Times posted this article about the number of dropouts going to prison. The article says that 1 in 10 male high school dropouts are in prison or juvenile compared to 1 in 35 who are high school grads. This 10% rate is staggering, but also believable when you look at the type of students who are dropping out. This means that of the 6.2 million dropouts, there are at least 200,000 or 300,000 kids in jail. Low-income kids, at-risk kids, kids with no home support have no intention of being in school but looking to survive because that is what they see every day on the streets anyway. As an educator, this is alarming, our next generation has already taken themselves off the map and into a life of crime and punishment. Hopefully there are a lot of teens that go to jail and learn that is not the life to live, but not everyone thinks that. There can be many attributes to the dropout rate and the imprisonment rate of dropouts, but it all points to one thing. Desperation. Adults that dropped out and are now over 25 have an unemployment rate of 7.2%. That number drops dramatically to 4.2 for high school grads and to 2.3 for college grads. This disparity could lead to desperation. For individuals younger than 25 that rate stands at 54%, 32% and 13% respectively.
What is also frightening about this data, is that the NY Times reports the nation will spend about $290,000 on the dropout during their lifetime. Wow, let me just say that is astonishing. We are throwing money out the window to feed, clothe, and jail these individuals. Altogether that would be $87 billion dollars wasted if 300,000 dropouts spend their lives in and out of jail and other government programs. Some of these issues translates into multiple other issues. Single women having children with no father and no support, jobless men who cannot get off unemployment, individuals living off welfare, and an overall tone of not caring that you are worth nothing. This has to stop. We already see a problem has occurred, yet these people are birthing a new generation. How can we expect a "failure" to product a "success" if they have nothing to look up to? America needs to be re-educated on the need for an education. Every time you turn around the media has some dirt on education. Can we just stop the blame and look inside. Maybe we are doing something wrong at an individual level. That is what people need to start looking for. Quit putting the issues on someone else when its not their responsibility.
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I hesistantly admit to watching the Colbert report occasionally. I was lucky enough to tune in on the night he interviewed Arne Duncan. He made the argument for paying now for education or paying later for prison. I can't help but see the divide between the have and have nots growing.
ReplyDeleteI'll take some grief for this but, I would like to see education recognize not every child will go to college, as you've shown alot won't finish high school. There is a need for an truly alternative education that will provide opportunities for would be drop outs to learn the basic knowledge to survive as an adult and earn some self esteem. If they were caught early before they felt desperate thay might even return to traditional school to get their diploma.
Failure is rewarded in America. People can go through life flipping burgers and having kids while the government picks up the slack. With each kid they have, they get more money. If the powers that be change the rules of the road for social programs so they don't get abused than people might take more of a productive role in life.
ReplyDeleteI think it really comes down to the family and individual. If you're from a family who has successfully defeated gangs, dropping out of school, being arrested, or anything that would scream inner turmoil, you'll be a fortunate person with a stable support system for being successful. Imagine how difficult it can be for a child to grow up with a father in prison, or a mother who dropped out of high school, or a family that doesn't appreciate family time together even. Those people's priorities are out of wack. We reap what we sow as a farmer does. If you sow the seeds of mediocracy, you'll birth criminal intentions at each increasing level.
ReplyDeleteI come from a healthy family in my opinion. I don't want to let them down. If I was born into a family who didn't care about having a clean room, working hard for a living, or getting an education even, I wouldn't think twice about not doing those things.
It all comes down to the values and morals of our country and families within. Times are changing and so are morals and values.
Have a good week.
Randy B.