Cleveland schools trying new ideas to trim dropout rate

[The Straight Story]

Sanders, who quit as Toledo superintendent last year to take the Cleveland job, has made several changes, from instituting a dress code to developing classes for parents. Among them:

- Elementary students must wear uniforms and high schoolers have strict clothing rules: no hoods, sweat suits or jeans.

- A new program for troubled boys at a school named for Glenville High School football coach Ted Ginn Sr., father of Ohio State All-America player Ted Ginn Jr.

- Several schools were designated for boys-only and girls-only to promote classroom order.

- Special classes were developed for parents of youngsters with discipline programs.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OH_TARGETING_DROPOUTS_OHOL-?SITE=WBNSTV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Mythsaje]

1. More conformity and authoritarianism...

ALWAYS a good idea in today's America.

[bryant69]

3. As opposed to the free spirits we used to be?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Mythsaje]

4. Some of us, at least. n/t

[bryant69]

7. Not me. I had a tie around my neck within fifteen minutes of being born. n/t

[Mythsaje]

8. That reminds me of a scene in "Shut Up and Sing"

when Natalie's husband hangs a tie loosely around their son's neck and marches him around the kitchen using it like a leash (all in fun) saying "This is what goes on in corporate America every day."

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. We have tried a couple of those ideas in my district

The jury is still out.

[The Straight Story]

5. They have uniform requirement at my daughter's school - BUT

Firstly I did not know they did, so first day my daughter shows up we talked to the principal (friendly chat as she knows my MIL and we had met before). I asked if my daughter was dressed ok because I saw a lot of kids in uniforms.

She said "Well, we do have a uniform requirement, but parents can sign an opt out form. And to be honest, how kids dress is the least of my battles."

We did not know any of this ahead of time because they screwed up her enrollment and never sent us anything :) We got it fixed the day before school started which is when you are supposed to find out what class your child is in. They didn't give us jack for info (school menu, etc) though we finally got that info yesterday.

The main issue at the school here is language. But being a poorer district I guess they don't think we need any spanish speaking teachers...

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Those kids learn English very quickly

and your daughter will learn some Spanish too. That is wonderful!

My school is 90% Hispanic and none of our teachers speak Spanish. Only the school secretary.

[SoCalDem]

6. Here's an idea..

At sophomore year, start offering some "real life" classes for kids who are not college bound..

stuff like the old vo-tech classes like high schools used to teach. I am not talking about making a birdhouse in shop class..:)

School need to be more than a social gathering/child-storage facility.

And about the uniforms..

Parents willingly pay big bucks and stand in ine for days to get their kids into chi-chi private schools..WITH uniforms :)

Uniforms often remove the distinction between rich & poor too.. No need for a daily fashion show to distract each other. Poor parents can save lots of money with uniforms too..:)