According to US News, in 2008, more than one million students did not finish high school. Each year, the amount of dropouts is greater and greater. The high school dropout age should be increased. It should be increased because of the increase in graduation rates and higher earnings, but yet some believe there are benefits to dropping out of school. Graduation rates increasing is one of the many benefits if the age is raised.
Students who dropout of high school before the age of 18 put their well-being at risk later on in life. According to BMC Public Health’s study focusing on over 3146 dropout students ranging in age from 20-29, “Poor mental health was present in 24% of the participants.” This emphasizes the fact that if teenagers drop out of high school they hurt their health because they go into a depressive state easier than their classmates who graduate. As a result of the depression, they go unemployed. This continues into a lack of anything to do and stress of unpayable bills. Finally, the data suggests that students should not be allowed to dropout without a diploma because when these students go into an unhealthy mental state, they can lose connection with their family or lead to worse situations making it even worse. Also in the radio interview, Missy Remiss, an education
Students cannot have high achievements until they meet the school standards and expectations. Tom Precious, in his article “Drop Out Age,” states “too many young people fail to recognize that it is nearly impossible to meet the demands of modern society and to live successfully without at least a high school education” (Precious 1). It is inferred that due to a lack of family encouragement, students fail to realize that education is one of the key factors needed for the workforce. According to the article, “the lawmakers said that in the 1996-97 school year, 27,629 students in New York high schools dropped out” (Precious 1). This means that the students’ attitudes are negative regarding school, and they have absolutely no value in education due to the way they were raised. Students have no interest in achieving high results needed for a successful future. There are numerous disadvantages of a dropout. On average, a dropout earns less money, more likely to be in jail, less healthy, less likely to be married, and is unhappier than a high school graduate. Therefore, students must be motivated and must have a positive attitude about school in order to avoid such discrepancy. This problem disproportionately affects low-income students as well as minority students. As stated in the article, “the legislation comes as the Board of Regents is moving to raise the educational bar for high school students--a move that many educators support but fear could lead to an increase in the dropout rate. In the coming years, students will have to pass five Regents exams in order to graduate” (Precious 1). This change may force the students to work harder and be motivated in order to pass high school and graduate. In addition, a key element is for all states to increase their minimum school-leaving age to 18. This intervention significantly improves many
Among one of the numerous debates of today, dropout age seems to be among the most debated. While the general public may wonder why dropout age is even an issue, many will agree that this is a topic worth mentioning in the world today. So what's the whole
Children are told from a young age that it is mandatory for them to graduate from high school, but it’s not until they are on the verge of dropping out that they hear the importance for staying in school. It is also when they hear how high school students who
“Dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country, and this country needs and values the talents of every American.” -Barack Obama. This quote from Barack Obama was from his address to Congress. Some might say that high school is not for everyone, but dropping out of high school can affect your future. As of right now, the dropout age is 16 . Teenagers at the age of 16 are not very knowledgeable of what happens after high school. At the age of 16 teenagers are not an adult nor should have to worry about dropping out of school. Therefore, students should not be able to make this life- changing decision until their senior year. Getting a high school diploma is a big deal yet these students are dropping out and losing the chance to have a good job that pays well and have a better future.
Each year, 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. According to Dropoutprevention.org teenagers leave school because they feel they cannot complete course requirements, cannot keep up with school assignments or feel they do not connect with their teachers. When the young adults stop their education, they no longer have positive examples to follow and lose a plan for their life in the future. Teens are not yet experienced enough to make these types of life changing decisions. It is important for the government to set regulations for them to follow so they have a better opportunity of success later in life. Students should be required to stay in school until they are eighteen years old because high school teaches them life skills and their diploma qualify
As of personal experiences, members of my family have had to postpone getting their diploma to help assist in family needs. For instance, my grandpa got in an accident and work and was in the hospital for an extended amount of time so my oldest uncle had to postpone his diploma in order to help my grandma pay bills and get food on the table. I also believe that a majority of students don’t just drop out just because they don’t like it. I believe they have a greater reason for dropping out. For example, they could drop out in order to help on the family farm or to assist in the family business. Just because people drop out of high school does not mean they lack the skills to drive a
It would be a lot harder to obtain a well paying and stable job if you didn’t graduate high school, and not having a job can lead to immense amounts of spare time. In this time people are seven times more likely to make bad decisions. Thirtyfive percent of high school dropouts join gangs and become involved with drugs. The other forty four percent become involved in petty crimes and end up in prison. This leaves only twenty one percent of high school dropouts not involved in drugs, gangs, and crime. These people have either obtained a job, or are living homeless. “High school dropouts are likely die four times younger than someone with proper medical care, a home, and a stable job,” says EDweek.org. So these kids should not be making this decision for themselves because it is not fair for them to throw away their own
It is a big concern for many in the United States dealing with high school dropouts. Ever year the rate of high school dropouts is increasing at a rapid pace than expected. The dropout rate of persons under the age of 18 has risen from 8.1% in 2009 to 9.2 % in 2012 according to the National Center for Education Services. These kids are leaving school at a young age and have a lot of spare time on their hands and when this occurs, persons around their years of 18 can end up in trouble. The education system of the United States are trying their best to keep these children in school and earn their education. There are some states that already have programs and laws that requires children to attend high school till they graduate with their
Department of Education, 1999). If people drop out of school, how will they expect to get a job and strive for the rest of their life to make the money needed? Surely, they could get a decent job, but they will most likely not be able to afford much for a family, necessities, a home, etc. Dropping out of school will come back to torment the person in the future. After getting held back, some students fill with hatred towards the school and bring down their attendance. It only shows weaknesses in the student and after getting held back, they need to try harder, but end up trying less. With that issue being a small percentage of the population of people who do get held back, the other percentage keeps working hard to bring their grades up and set goals (Holmes 1998). Ways to fix that small percentage of people who do get held back and have hatred, would be setting up summer school or after school programs as another source of education and take a test again after the programs are over to test if the person should still be held back. It gives a second chance for that person to stay in their own grade and allows him or her to make a decision whether or not the person wants to be held
All through high school one always wonders why certain courses have to be taken. Thinking certain courses are a waste of one’s time and how it takes 12 years just to receive a diploma. Sounds crazy to think half of one’s life is spent in school preparing to receive a better understanding of education. During graduation, walking through the stage makes one along other proud and accomplished of all the efforts that took place. This not only helps one become more educated and aware of the things going around them, but helps become financially stable with a job or other necessities in life. Therefore, high school should be mandatory for students at least till there are 18, and not to drop-out.
“You were born an original. Don’t die a copy” stated John Mason, an author. People, like students, should be able to do what they please and not be bound by rules that make them like everyone else. Students should not be required to stay in school until they are eighteen. They should not be required to stay in school because they have the choice of continuing their studies later, it is also difficult to regulate a rule like this one in states and even if the rule is enforced, it does not guarantee that it will change statistics drastically. For instance, adolescents do not have to stay in school until graduation because dropping out and then resuming studies might be better for the individual.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once stated, “high school dropouts are forfeiting their opportunity to pursue the American Dream.” He states that by adolescents not receiving a full high school education, it would ruin the chances of living the American Dream. Young adults should be required to stay in school until they are eighteen. Staying in school until eighteen helps with financial benefits, having a higher chance at success, and refute the belief that dropping out may help with struggling families or not putting faculty or other teens at risk. Specifically, staying in school benefits financial income.
Dropping out of High School Will negatively affect a student's future. Bob Keeshan once said,”Children don't drop out of High School when they are 16 they do so in the first grade and wait 10 years to make it official.” Throughout the years studies have shown that in a year