The Bigotry of High Expectations

Because I often advocate for skill and trade based programs I have sometimes been accused of having low expectations for our children. People who disagree with me shout that all children given the right support can be prepared for and be successful in college. Where I don’t disagree with that statement I have to live in the real world where the right supports are often few and far between and I have seen to many students uninterested or unprepared for rigorous course work and this has caused more than a few of them either to drop out or just be pushed along and out without the skills they need.

Not every kid is going to go to college despite the push from the state of Florida that every student takes a college ready curriculum. Not every kid is going to go to college and we must prepare for their needs as well.

Sure I would love for every kid to go to a university and become engineers or doctors but that’s not realistic and what we need if we want to have a successful school system is more pathways to graduation which serve more kids abilities and desires.

I don’t have low expectations, I have realistic ones and while some keep pounding the everybody is going to go to college drum, kids will continue to fall through the cracks.