Montgomery County should amend its compulsory schooling law to students up to age 16

[Anonymous]

Budget cuts are coming. If not right away, then in one year. MCPS wastes so much money trying to keep kids in school who don’t have the interest and/or ability to learn. Some high schools are full of kids hanging out in the hallways and refusing to go to class but it is compulsory for them to be there. They eventually graduate with a HS certificate because the staff gets sick of them and move them along. Teachers pass these students because of pressure from administrators and because no one wants another year of the same charade. Why force older teenagers to stay in school. It would save money and resources to reduce the compulsory age to be in school to age 16 rather than 18. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I think that's a good idea. If the kids really don't want to be there, it's best they go to work after age 16 rather than harass the kids and teachers who do want to be there.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn’t the State of Maryland be the authority who sets these requirements?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn’t the State of Maryland be the authority who sets these requirements?

Yes, it's state law.

https://www.peoples-law.org/compulsory-school-attendance

[Anonymous]

I sort of agree. I understand the progressive impulse behind wanting it to be 18 but, having raised a couple of teenagers — you can’t compel them to do what they don’t want to do.

On the other hand, I don’t know if it helps some older teens who want to be in school whose parents pressure them to drop out to work to support the family. I think that used to often be the case 50-100 years ago. I don’t know if that still happens.

[Anonymous]

I agree. Plus it would be better for all of the students who actually want to learn if it can reduce the distractions.

[Anonymous]

Any way to "promote" the 16yr olds who don't want to be in a traditional school model to one that is career oriented - like the ones at Edison a school at or near Wheaton High? Is that practical can it be done?

[Anonymous]

It’s state law, not county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any way to "promote" the 16yr olds who don't want to be in a traditional school model to one that is career oriented - like the ones at Edison a school at or near Wheaton High? Is that practical can it be done?

It can be done for some, but there aren't enough spots for all.

[Anonymous]

MD should revisit this law for sure. Isn’t it mandatory schooling until age 16 in most of the country?

[Anonymous]

No, teen brains are not mature and cannot make these life-changing decisions for themselves. Not being a college graduate is one thing, but not having a high school diploma essentially cuts you out of the majority of the workforce. Yes, you can get a GED later, but still.

I've had two kids go through MCPS. One is in high school now. Yes, some students don't want to be there. I don't care. I'm more worried about the ones bringing guns to school and fighting other people in school. We need to pay for more schools to house violent kids and keep them away from the general student population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD should revisit this law for sure. Isn’t it mandatory schooling until age 16 in most of the country?

Nope. It varies by state (Texas goes to 19) but about half of the states are 18 with the rest split between 16 and 17.

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab5_1.asp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, teen brains are not mature and cannot make these life-changing decisions for themselves. Not being a college graduate is one thing, but not having a high school diploma essentially cuts you out of the majority of the workforce. Yes, you can get a GED later, but still.

I've had two kids go through MCPS. One is in high school now. Yes, some students don't want to be there. I don't care. I'm more worried about the ones bringing guns to school and fighting other people in school. We need to pay for more schools to house violent kids and keep them away from the general student population.

Me again. I recognize that there is an overlap between kids who don't want to be there and kids who are violent. But it's worth it to our society to force some students into a high school diploma, to ensure they can get more jobs and won't be a burden on our safety net in the future. And we need to think of alternate solutions to stop exposing our kids and school staff to violent offenders. I would support a more punitive form of justice for these youngsters, instead of the slap on the hand they're getting right now.

[Anonymous]

I’d be all for it if there was another path for those kids.
Apprenticeship, trade school, something like that.
In England they end official school at 16. Some kids go on to do A levels for 2 years that leads to university/college, some go the trade route, some start working.
My niece just turned 18 and has been in college for mechanics/engineering for 2 years and just got a job working on motorcycles.

[Anonymous]

Kids can drop out at any age. The issue is many of these kids cannot do the work as they didn't get what they needed in elementary school in terms of reading, writing and math. If we focused more on those kids slipping through the cracks early on (as in K-3rd), they'd have a far easier time later on and maybe not have as many of the behavioral issues. Some kids act up simply to get out of the work. They are terrors at school but when you know them outside of school they are great kids.