Recognizing those who ever thought they might not graduate.
"There are a number of you who call yourselves seniors, but are not. Many of those sitting around you, even, will not graduate," echoed the words of Mr. Howard into the auditorium. The small chattering among students stopped. Silence. Then Mr. Howard dropped the actual number of people not graduating, which was followed by a few gasps from shocked members of the crowd. The annual senior class meeting suddenly took a turn from the expected rules and regulations to a slap in the face with reality.
It's a rare occasion that Mr. Howard is given the better part of an hour to address a whole class at a time. Maybe with this in mind, he took the opportunity to be entirely open with the seniors, starting with his past. It was at least entertaining to hear his experience with the, "granoli's over at Western." Once he had the attention of the seniors, however, the humorous tone faded away.
Mr. Howard began to address a touchy issue that most choose to avoid entirely: the number of students who by their senior year aren't anywhere close to being at their grade level. He explained that these students will receive a diploma that gives them credit for whatever level education they complete. So, if a student is taking classes at an eighth-grade level, his or her diploma will express that.
I am not one of these students who will receive such a diploma, even if senioritis gets a hold of me, but as Mr. Howard said, there are quite a few who will. There are a number of reasons as to why students might not be meeting grade level, whether they have learning disabilities or problems outside of school. These kids have, in most cases, struggled through school in the past, barely passing most of their classes in middle school. By the time they get to high school, the help they may receive quickly becomes a battle to mend a history of problems. It seems easy for many to simply give up out of frustration, and to focus on things outside of school.
As I looked around at my fellow classmates, I imagined what it would feel like to be called out in such a way. It couldn't have been too great. Yet many of those Mr. Howard was addressing about graduating were not even in the crowd, because they no longer choose to go to school. But for those sitting in the crowd who did realize that Howard was discussing them, it must have been humiliating. Even if it isn't direct, nobody wants to be called out in front of his or her entire class.
On the list of graduates there is a gaping hole where names should have been but are not. This can't be ignored at the end of the year. The seniors being addressed at that meeting weren't one big group of kids, but two separate factions. There were those who are barely passing or failing classes, and those who are taking AP classes and are college-bound. Students familiar with the clockwork of Garfield know that there are a number of resources available for both groups, yet many of these resources are little-known.
Mr. Howard made it clear that there is a route after high school for those not going to a four-year college. He mentioned enrolling in community college or working in one of the respected professions which does not require a college degree. For many, however, this isn't much comfort. Alternatives to the four-year college path are hardly presented as acceptable options. Though ultimately it is the individual who decides his or her future, there need to be more reminders and opportunities for those who are not necessarily college-bound. For those going to college, everything seems to come to them: college visits, fairs, and letters. Anyone else is left stranded.
Meetings such as the one that took place a couple of weeks ago can be used to simply run through how we are to behave and act as students, or they can be used to reveal truths, as this one did. For some it may have been an eye-opener, but it is pointless to face reality without any plans for change.
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