June 17, 2010

Trenton, NJ - First things first: Someone please describe what an authentic diploma for Trenton Central High School’s Class fo 2010 should look like, then offer an opinion on how the one to be conferred upon those finishing 12-years of academic study without showing they have developed- and can display in the learninig environment and beyond, some type of apitude -should look.

If I were designing it, it would read across the top, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU FAILED THIS TIME. When they look at it later, they may be reminded it’s never too late to really focus and start learning.

Now, remember that, following the Trentonian’s coverage on the news a few months ago that around this same percentage of students had been informed they had not passed the required standardized test before getting that authentic document which, these days, by percieved value of public school education in Trenton, amounts to verification that you are able to write a complete sentence and, speak in a way that can at least convey opinion and active thought process, there was no more word on those students’ academic status.

I wrote about it in this space, talked about it on http://jahyummy.com, where I join WES WILL on TUSDAYS AND THURSDAYS, FROM 8pm TIL 10 (shameless plug, but check us out.), but there was very little response from neither side; teachers offering some solutions on how students could improve their performance for the next go-round, or administrators who should have been monitoring their progress and letting folks, especially parents, know where the students were regarding their chances to graduate.

Now, there may be more than half of an entire senior class headed out into the world without the some of the necessary skills to legitimately survive. By the way, did I tell you this is about the national average for urban areas now?

You knew that, though, didn’t you?

Skip Harrison is an educator, freelance journalist, and parent, residing in Trenton, New Jersey.