03-28-2008, 12:29 PM
In regards to the ACLU's FL lawsuit and taken directly from the article you posted:
Palm Beach County School District Superintendent Art Johnson would not comment on the lawsuit but said he is "absolutely not" content with the graduation rate as long as there are students failing.
"You have many students who have very challenging beginnings and the impact of society on them outside of school is enormous," Johnson said. "But, clearly, that can't be an excuse. We don't make any excuses. We know that's part of our job and we accept it."
School district officials had known of an impending suit since the ACLU began holding community meetings more than a year ago to find plaintiffs.
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In no aspect of the complaint has the ACLU elucidated how the school system failed to provide the necessary education for students to achieve their diploma. Statistically speaking, in every state there has to be a high school with a worse graduation rate than all others
Assuming that funding and resources are equally available (again there is no mention of this anywhere in public record as this not being the case), we are left with the more than likely prospect that the low diploma rate is attributable to poor attendance, poor parenting, and social issues outside of the school. The quote above suggests this to be the case. The fact that the ACLU had to farm the community for plantiffs rather than the parents stepping up en masse on their children's behalf only validates this theory. In conjunction with some of the statements I provided, one could argue this case represents the ACLU's pursuit of social activism rather than constitutional interest. Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but I believe that even the ACLU is not above reproach.
Palm Beach County School District Superintendent Art Johnson would not comment on the lawsuit but said he is "absolutely not" content with the graduation rate as long as there are students failing.
"You have many students who have very challenging beginnings and the impact of society on them outside of school is enormous," Johnson said. "But, clearly, that can't be an excuse. We don't make any excuses. We know that's part of our job and we accept it."
School district officials had known of an impending suit since the ACLU began holding community meetings more than a year ago to find plaintiffs.
----
In no aspect of the complaint has the ACLU elucidated how the school system failed to provide the necessary education for students to achieve their diploma. Statistically speaking, in every state there has to be a high school with a worse graduation rate than all others
Assuming that funding and resources are equally available (again there is no mention of this anywhere in public record as this not being the case), we are left with the more than likely prospect that the low diploma rate is attributable to poor attendance, poor parenting, and social issues outside of the school. The quote above suggests this to be the case. The fact that the ACLU had to farm the community for plantiffs rather than the parents stepping up en masse on their children's behalf only validates this theory. In conjunction with some of the statements I provided, one could argue this case represents the ACLU's pursuit of social activism rather than constitutional interest. Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but I believe that even the ACLU is not above reproach.
Eric Mayer
2013 MB G63
2012 Audi R8 GT #232
2011 GT3 RS
1988 928 S4
1988 MB 560SL
2014 MB GL 550
2013 MB G63
2012 Audi R8 GT #232
2011 GT3 RS
1988 928 S4
1988 MB 560SL
2014 MB GL 550