http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1534684.html
The graduation rate for NC high school students is 60%. That number would be less depressing if they mentioned that it means that 60% graduate with their original cohort, rather than at all. Unfortunately, the state means graduated, period, when it cites that statistic. The good news? NC doesn't bother to count all the students who graduate from a non-traditional high school setting. The thousands of students who earn a GED each year count against a school's dropout rate. What impact does that have? Well, in the case of my particular school and district, it means that we fight to keep students who are 2 and 3 years behind their original graduating class in school, and that we have 19 and 20 year old students taking the freshman classes they still need to graduate. Yes, that's right, 19 and 20, sitting in class in the fall next to 13 and 14 year old freshmen... hm... does that sound like a wise idea to you?
So what is NC going to do about it? Well, the state legislature is considering not counting students who leave a traditional high school for a GED programme as dropouts. This needs to happen, and soon, for the sake of the students who are leaving (or should), if nothing else. If you happen to live in NC and read this, email/call/write/harass your local rep.
About Me
- InfuriatedSciTeacher
- I am a former middle and high school science teacher pursuing a doctorate in Science Ed. at George Mason University, with a concentration in cognitive science and the evolution of cognition and learning. Postings on this blog represent my own views, not those of my employer or school. All writing displayed on this page is original work unless otherwise noted, and thus copyrighted.
Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Local. Show all posts
28 May 2009
24 March 2009
Hmmm?
It seems our illustrious tech department has decided to block Pat Condell's website on school computers, citing "hate speech" and "profanity". The second I can understand, if they're that squeamish, but calling his videos "hate speech" is a load of horseshit, or bowing to the pressures of some theist who's skin is too thin to handle a bit of criticism. I'm betting on the second... well done Wake County.
http://patcondell.net/
http://patcondell.net/
16 March 2009
"Everyone said I was daft to build a castle in the swamp"
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090316/ARTICLES/903161998/1155?Title=Efforts-revive-to-allow-structures-for-stopping-erosion
Mayors from Brunswick and Pender Counties are upset... because their beachfront communities are in danger from erosion. Hmm... people put millions into houses that are mere yards from the ocean, and then whine when there's a chance that the ocean will swallow their house during a storm? This seems like a logical conclusion to me. I'm sorry, but I really lack sympathy for anyone who builds on a barrier island and expects anything less than the eventual destruction of that property, because they clearly didn't investigate what barrier islands are.
For you edification, a barrier island is (oversimplifying here) a large sand bar. As sea level rises, they roll landward, over themselves, moving back into the marsh and abandoning what was once beach to the offshore system. Likewise, inlets on those islands migrate in the direction of the longshore current (North to south on east facing beaches along the US coast, generally), moving through whatever happens to be in their way. These natural processes can be slowed by hardened manmade structures, but eventually those too fall into the ocean unless replaced with larger ones. Seabright, NJ is the classic example of that happens to towns that try things like groins and seawalls: you get a beach only at low tide, with a big concrete wall on the landward side of it. Beautiful.
Conveniently, the people on the Coastal Resources Commission are pretty reasonable people, who are going to squash this nonsense without the legislature being able to override.
Mayors from Brunswick and Pender Counties are upset... because their beachfront communities are in danger from erosion. Hmm... people put millions into houses that are mere yards from the ocean, and then whine when there's a chance that the ocean will swallow their house during a storm? This seems like a logical conclusion to me. I'm sorry, but I really lack sympathy for anyone who builds on a barrier island and expects anything less than the eventual destruction of that property, because they clearly didn't investigate what barrier islands are.
For you edification, a barrier island is (oversimplifying here) a large sand bar. As sea level rises, they roll landward, over themselves, moving back into the marsh and abandoning what was once beach to the offshore system. Likewise, inlets on those islands migrate in the direction of the longshore current (North to south on east facing beaches along the US coast, generally), moving through whatever happens to be in their way. These natural processes can be slowed by hardened manmade structures, but eventually those too fall into the ocean unless replaced with larger ones. Seabright, NJ is the classic example of that happens to towns that try things like groins and seawalls: you get a beach only at low tide, with a big concrete wall on the landward side of it. Beautiful.
Conveniently, the people on the Coastal Resources Commission are pretty reasonable people, who are going to squash this nonsense without the legislature being able to override.
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