[1browngirl]

I'm not a parent, but my neice is in sort of the same situation. She's just entered the 9th grade and has been falling behind steadily since the 3rd grade. My mom and I have pleaded with her mother since the beginning to let her repeat/hold her back because she's just getting further behind and the work is only going to get harder. Her mother's response is "it would be so embarrassing to hold her back, what would people think?" Doesn't give a **** that the child isn't learning anything.

If it were me, I'd hold the child back. No doubt. By letting him advance further, that does no good. He needs to either be put in remedial courses or get some sort of outside tutoring. If he can play videoo games and get on the computer, he can go to school and do the work too!