The home-school program in the Edmonds School District lost almost a quarter of its students over the past year in the wake of the district's decision to relocate its alternative high school to the same campus as the home-school program.
I can understand why parents are concerned. I would be a little concerned by this.
They cited police calls to the alternative school that included two incidents involving weapons and five involving drugs.
I see potential for problems.
The separation is so complete, in fact, that some teens at the two schools are hoping for more interaction.
"They're kids like us. If we could hang out with them, that would be cool," said Garrett Spesock, an eighth-grader in the home-school program.
I don't think I would want my kids to think it is "cool" to hang out with the stoners, gang bangers, drop outs, and unwed mothers who are the majority of students in the alternative school. That is not to say there are not good kids at the alternative school and the potential for positive relationships. I am saying that this mix brings with it a risk that I wouldn't choose for my grade school homeschool student.
My experience with my local alternative school has left me with a very bad impression of this type of program and the behavior of students who attend. My local alternative high school is a daycare for teenagers that hands out unearned diplomas. The students leave with an inflate sense of their abilities and zero competency.
If it were like the program in San Jose that Joanne Jacobs writes about, then it could be a good mix.
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4 comments:
I actually went to one of the "best" public schools around here and the daycare was down the hall from my 2nd year calculus class. Our alternative high school here is very scary too but it does share a campus for the independent study school. When my little siblings (1 and 3 grades) were put in the independent studies school (sorta homeschool) the administration said that they kids could never be left unattended anywhere on campus, especially the bathrooms. There is an environment to put your kids into.
I am in full agreement in that homeschool is the better choice... its wonderful to meet up with likeminded women in the blogosphere! I am sure your blog proves an enourmous blessing to many a wondering mother. Bless you for all of your endeavors!
His,
- Jo
http://followtheroadlesstraveled.blogspot.com
>the administration said that they kids could never be left unattended anywhere on campus, especially the bathrooms.
So much for school being a safe place. It doesn't take much imagination to figure out how easily a child could be victimized.
>I am sure your blog proves an enourmous blessing to many a wondering mother.
Thank you. We hope so.
I'm not about to automatically dismiss all alternative schools since there are some that actually are fairly successful at turning kids' lives around. But I definitely don't think that a high school should be sharing space with a center serving elementary school kids. Much less one where there have been past problems with drugs & violence!
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