THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503100026
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Hats off to Superintendent Nichols and other Norfolk public-school officials for toughening the enforcement of discipline. The recent reporting by the state of drop-out rates would imply that Norfolk's rates have increased.
In 1991-92, I did an in-depth study of drop-out rates and enrollment statistics. I discovered many very confusing figures and came to the conclusion that many statistics concerning dropouts at that time were not accurate.
At that same time, your paper reported questionable methods used by the school system in obtaining drop-out statistics and questioned the validity of these statistics.
Possibly Norfolk's increased drop-out rate is not an increase but merely a reflection of an accurate and honest method of reporting the data.
The increased enforcement of discipline is certainly welcomed by many students and parents who are serious about education and totally distraught by the lack of enforced rules and discipline in all our public-school systems. Even with the crackdown, far too many disruptions to the educational process are tolerated.
The students who drop out because of behavior problems or academic performance should be afforded the opportunity to continue academic pursuits in evening sessions, not at the expense of the serious students.
Blaming the Literacy Passport Test for students dropping out is another attempt to shift the blame from where it belongs. Blame belongs with the individual student.
While it is true that external factors affect all of us, until we make students aware that it is their responsibility to do the work, to behave, to learn and to accept responsibility for their actions, we will never have an effective school system.
Another way of lowering the drop-out rate is to academically group students based on performance levels. We are quick to group students athletically and musically, but we fail to do it academically. When students who are slower to learn are in the same class with rapid learners, one of two things happens. Either the slow learner ends up after several years of being behind with low self-esteem, or the rapid learner becomes totally bored and disenchanted, often becoming a behavior problem.
It is time for parents to band together and support Superintendent Nichols and all those in our education system by demanding zero tolerance for disruptive behavior. It is also time that parents demand academic excellence in our public-education system.
LARRY R. GREGORY
Norfolk, Feb. 27, 1995 by CNB