Should School be Compulsary for All?

July 26, 2007 8:59am CST
The reason I raise this subject is because I have a cousin that has just turned 15 and has no interestt in school at all, she has been expelled from one school and is consantly suspended, causing arguments at home and making the family life hell. Recently whilst moving and waiting for a placement at the local secondary school she started helping in her dads new shop ( newsagents ) from organising paper rounds, serviing in the shop, stock takes, and book keeping etc. From shadowing her dad she very quickly became able to run the business without assistance and her general behaviour and attitude improved enormously and she learned so many new skills and showed a new maturity. However as the law requires as soon as a placement was available back to school she went and back came the bad behaviour, lack of interest in anything and bad attitude. Not to mention the abuse that the teachers take. No matter what punishment has been dished out by my aunt and uncle she has defied it all. I believe that she has learned all that she will at school and would be much better suited to being removed form school and learning in the workplace - she has proved she is capable and more then willing - some people are just not academic, whilst I do not condone her behaviour at all it seems that she is just not suited to the environment of learning in school ad is not helpfull to the other students. She has demonstrated that away from the classroom she is perfectly capable of learning - how many 15 year olds are able to do book keeping? It seems to me that this archaic view of one style of learning for all needs to change and we need to understand that everyone has different learning styles. By the age of 14 most have learned the basics in English and maths etc and may excel much better in a working/hands on environment. My partner is 31 now and he grew up in Portugal and also struggled with schooling and learned very little, he was better with his hands and on the job learning. When he came to England he only knew the word hello and within a year was fluent in the language. He also worked for a fascia company and learned how to become a fitter and now manages one of their depots. Last year he took the decision to start evening school and has just passed four English exams. I have another cousin who is now 28 and allot of money was spent on his private education and he done very well in school but is now a postman... I agree that education is importand but it is more important that those who are not academic are offered other options, apprenticeships are evenn hard to come by these days. You can always return to the education system later as my partner did, when he was more focused, committed and ready to deal with the classroom style. Education from school doesnot neccessarily make you a "smart person" and does not always mean the pathway to a good career. Just wondered what others thought on this topic, or if they had any similar experience.
4 responses
@taurean83 (505)
• United States
28 Jul 07
You are true at your point,but I believe that being educated is very important for every individual,because it gives you discipline,it teaches youhow to be a well human being,it grooms your personality and it helps you everytime when you need it in your life.Now the thing which is called OCCUPATION,is apart from education,and in a sense that occupation is the thing that we choose,it doesn't have to do anything with education.Some peoples does PHD's in several major subjects but are actors or singers,why?because that was their hobby,which they choose as an occupation.Now it is up to you that how you want to be financially establish,then it will be easy for you to choose your occupation.Education really opens up your mind,and broden your way of thinking,it teaches you the difference between good and bad.
• India
27 Jul 07
I never liked to go to school.I hate my teachers.But because of my parents compulsion I am going to school.
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Do they have home schooling where your from? In America, kids can drop out school and be taught by their parents in a scheduled, agreed upon program with the Board of Education. Perhaps this will work for your cousin.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Jul 07
I was wondering whether home school would be better. She could be taught at home and she could also go and work for her dad or better still she could learn in an office environment. Maybe she is the type who cannot sit at a desk but prefers to learn on the job. Maybe she cannot relate to lessons unless there is some practicality behind them. For instance, algebra would do not good for her unless she sees that if there are so many reams of paper that it would require so many bottles of ink for one Sunday edition, etc. Just an idea.