Maybe one of these is your kid…here is your chance to brag!!!
I thought public schools in the Fab 7x7 suck???
Sad, but I suspect this kind of thing happens everywhere…
That’s what people that advocate “free” college don’t get. Not everyone is capable of graduating college. Even in countries with “free” college not everyone goes to college. Their percent of people with a degree is similar to the US.
“Half of the graduates missed more than three months of school last year, unexcused.”
That’s insane. Do they really think those kids will perform at college?
And this one as well:
But the 30% figure seems too low.
20% of kids don’t graduate HS. Only about 66% of the ones that graduate HS enroll in college. That’s 53% of kids. Then you have all the ones that don’t finish. I’m not surprised.
If you look at everyone over 25, 59% have some college while only 33% have a bachelor’s degree.
Even if you look at age 25-34, the European countries with free college aren’t graduating a much higher percent than the US.
Uh, babysitting is the basic plan…if you want reading and writing you need to buyup!!!
Well, not lil kiddies but Cambridge gets a nice, fat check from Dolby…
I’m ok getting rid of PE if we get rid of homework as well. Many parents put their kids in multiple afterschool sports then the teachers get upset at them for missing their homework because of the sports. So have the kids do their homework during the PE slot and leave afterschool exercise to the parents. Win-win.
Hahahaha. Sometimes these advice columnists need a dose of reality, but THIS guy doesn’t mess around 
I am a high school senior who got into Harvard. I want to go, but I would like to take a gap year and work for an antipoverty program first, then start college in September 2018. The admissions office is fine with this. But my parents are freaking out. They say that unless I start college this fall, they will not pay for it. They are afraid that if I interrupt my education, I won’t go back, which is crazy. I am trying to be mature, but our conversations turn into screaming matches. Please help!
ANONYMOUS
Let’s start with the 800-pound gorilla: Your parents seem to have $250,000 to send you to college; you probably do not. So, while I am 100 percent in favor of trying to persuade them about your gap year, particularly one with a focused mission, do not push them past the breaking point. You know these two better than we do — and whether their ultimatum seems real or hollow. If you fear the former, cave!
Start with the admissions office. Share your problem and ask if it has a (charming) staffer who can speak with you and your parents together. It is my understanding that many colleges now encourage gap years: More mature freshmen mean better-performing freshmen. So wanting the best for you may argue for delay.
But don’t neglect the personal appeal. If you worked hard enough to get yourself into Harvard, the idea that your ambition will disappear in a 12-month puff of smoke seems like lunacy. At some level, your parents know this; remind them gently. And try to find the seed of concern that is buried in the turf beneath this tug of war.
Still, you are a lucky duck to potentially avoid the heavy yoke of college debt. If the only way to capitalize on it, after failing to persuade your parents, is cratering to their demand, do it. They have a coarse power over you now. They won’t always; but for today, look out for yourself.
Schools are busy teaching political protests and reading/writting skills are second priority.
Good article. Curious what will come of the lawsuit. I hope this isn’t going to drain millions from the school system though 
Is California going to declare insolvency? So many special interest groups demand high budget to meet their specific needs. Majority is under siege by special interest groups.
No we will not. Californians have been so happy to vote for educational bonds. I myself is guilty of the same crime. It is like somebody is taking children hostages and threatens to ruin their lives. Parents will always agree to increase their own taxes.