When you are forced to commit which this law would require, please tell me how this is going to encourage people to graduate?
I dunno, why would anyone want to graduate high school if they didn't want to get some education or feel like they had to? I think something to remember is that isn't a matter of encouragement. I mean, considering what the article says about them having the second worst high-school graduation rates, then honestly it'd make sense to do some extra measures.
The matter isn't just about finishing high-school but also if you have a plan afterwards. Something that I'm sure, you won't have to just pull out of the blue or think about it alone. It's a way to start on options and get students to think about how to do a future and what to do so they won't spend 5 years doing fast food work, because they're unsure about what they can do or where to go do to lack of information or knowledge of schools.
Now you can say, "But it shouldn't be a requirement." And I'd agree with you, if it wasn't the second worst high-school graduation rate in the country. This is obviously some kind of measure they are taking and frankly from what you've supplied Paige, I can't really blame them. Look, I get the word "requirement" raises a flag and I understand that, but this ultimately depends on your side of the question, "Should someone have to do something that they need to even if they don't want to."
And to that question you could say, "Well different problems exist so in some cases you can and some you can't". Okay, so
1) The drop out rate is harmful to the students as well as the state and unless some action is taken, it will remain that way.
2) If the students haven't shown signs of doing that then there needs to be something put in order. This isn't just about students not thinking ahead, but poor families might not have the ability to. This is where the school can start giving information and allow schools to come and give talks at their place for upcoming graduates.
3) You'd say that it wouldn't be allowed unless the person was about to hurt themselves. Okay, so how is not preparing for your future or having a plan detrimental to that. If you're going to finish something with no clue on what to do next, then why are you graduating anyways (at least right now)? The point is, even if you do go to college, even if you go to the military, even if you get a good paying job without a college diploma there's a level of planning involved and frankly a state wanting to make this a requirement is better than just allowing students to either waste their potential or be left in the dark.
Now I will add that in order for this to be a good thing, the state will have to push out information and knowledge of several schools, opportunities, etc. It'd be frankly unfair to just put this law into action and not do anything else. The schools need to help show these outlets and opportunities, so the students will have an idea of a future for themselves. If the government, or at least the schools don't do any form of that, then this law would be unfair and completely backtracking to what their intended purpose is. If you're going to make someone build something, at least give them the tools they need and resources to make their plan work.
Also, can you give a link to the article. That'd be a big help for me finding it and others as well.
