I love the new Dallas Morning News columns written by students. They’re called "Community Opinions" and they run in the Metro section. Today’s column, written by Woodrow Wilson senior Sam Bohmfalk, prods the DISD to offer more work programs (we used to call them vocational training) and to make them more widely available for students not headed to college. I hope the RISD is reading young Sam’s article, too. He quotes Nolan Estes, former DISD superintendent, as saying "schools need to bridge the gap between the report card and the paycheck."
The good news is that Lake Highlands High now offers vocational training in cosmetology, criminal justice, and the construction trades. Some of the school’s new construction is designed to house these programs. I’ve often wondered who’s kidding whom when the State of Texas mandated the new 4×4 education program, wherein every student must take and pass four years of high school science and math to graduate. I don’t believe that every student must master physics and calculus to graduate and become a productive citizen. "After all," as Sam writes, "if you’re planning on becoming a mechanic, a plumber, or even a construction worker, who needs to know what Shay’s Rebellion was?" Surely learning to earn an honest living, pay your bills, balance a checkbook, and care for your family are more important skills to master.
Sam refers to the DISD dropout rate as the inevitable result of failing to offer practical education. I know that when my oldest entered her freshman year, there were 900 9th graders. Her graduating class was 564, a pitiful percentage. You tell ’em, Sam!