Wal-Mart to use Scheduling-Optimization

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by jubilance1922

I'm actually an AVID tutor for a middle school in Florida, so I'm very familiar with the program and how it works. Yes, it does help kids who don't have all the advantages that other kids have and it gives them a chance that they made not have had otherwise. But AVID isn't implemented in every school and its only 20 years old. What about all the folks who never got to experience a program such as AVID, or may never get to due to their geographic location?

AVID is only one choice that is available. It's certainly not that novel a concept. It may be a tried and true way for a kid to get his or her life back on track, but kids were and are able to do this without an organized program.

Even so, just about everyplace has charter schools now which offer these kinds of programs, and if they're anything like the charter schools in OKC are, people are not exactly beating down the doors to get in.

In fact, my wife's school, as great as they do, does not even have a full enrollment. Not even close. It would seem that kids would rather stay in the failed inter city schools which have NCLB scores which total up to a full third of what my wife's school scores. It's their choice though.

For what it's worth, I'd give back my GWB tax cuts to see AVID implemented in every school in the country. It's really a terrific program. Education isn't the only solution to poverty, but it's definitely the best.

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by Kevin

It would seem that kids would rather stay in the failed inter city schools which have NCLB scores which total up to a full third of what my wife's school scores. It's their choice though.

Those damn six year olds who don't investigate the quality of their area schools and transfer to the one that will provide the best opportunity for success later in life!

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

Those damn six year olds who don't investigate the quality of their area schools and transfer to the one that will provide the best opportunity for success later in life!

Once they're 16, they can do what they want to in that regard. If their parents decide to hold them back, they can always go and become emancipated. I think denial of educational opportunity would be strong grounds for that.

And even after high school, there are community G.E.D. programs, there is financial aid to get into college or trade school.

My point is that unless someone just completely pisses their life away, there are options. Those options may not be as easy and accessible as those which were available to me and probably you, but those things are out there.

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Once they're 16, they can do what they want to in that regard. If their parents decide to hold them back, they can always go and become emancipated. I think denial of educational opportunity would be strong grounds for that.

And even after high school, there are community G.E.D. programs, there is financial aid to get into college or trade school.

My point is that unless someone just completely pisses their life away, there are options. Those options may not be as easy and accessible as those which were available to me and probably you, but those things are out there.

I know we're going to have to agree to disagree on this issue and all that crap.

I don't think there's a magical thing that happens when a kid with an incredibly screwed up life of poverty/violence/parental drug use/crappy schools/hunger/illness/gangs/trauma/whatever turns 16 (or whatever age) and suddenly sees the light and the road to education/success/independence/health/whatever. I think it's entirely possible that someone who had a really terrible childhood would turn 16 and not even have any idea that anything in the world but the shit he or she has known since birth was possible or how to go about doing it. Having never experienced this, I don't know for sure -- but I can imagine it.

This isn't such a sticking point with me because I want to offer excuses for people who work at Walmart or collect welfare or commit crimes or do whatever it is they do that isn't considered successful. I'm just bothered by what seems to me to be a rather callous statement that it's their fault or they could succeed if they tried or they're lazy. Of course you're free to have whatever opinion you want, but I just find it sad -- because I don't think it's that simple for many people and I don't like the way our society in general doesn't give a rat's ass about the poor or disadvantaged. But like I said, I'm kind of a hippie, uh, which is why I don't shop at Walmart.