|
A Response from Michigan's Children |
|
|
|
|
Posted 7-02-09
Michigan's Children President & CEO Jack Kresnak today submitted a letter commenting on a column in the Detroit News written by Editorial Page Editor and Michigan's Children Board Member Nolan Finley regarding dropout prevention. To read the column, click here. Here is Mr. Kresnak's letter:
Dear Editor,
We applaud former Governor John Engler’s suggestion that the state “swing for the fences” and declare its commitment to lower the high school dropout rate to zero. But, any genuine effort at education reform must include flexibility, funding and friends.
Schools need flexibility to innovate multiple pathways to a high school diploma, including expansion of alternative education and vocational schools. The state’s inflexible “zero tolerance” law for misbehaving kids is feeding the dropout crisis and alternative strategies such as the use of Dispute Resolution Centers before suspensions or expulsions should be considered.
The state must provide the funding needed to support those innovative ideas.
And because schools cannot do the job alone, students need “friends” in their communities: non-profit organizations, businesses and institutions of higher learning, all of whom have much to offer students in need of positive adult relationships and courses that are relevant.
We’ll never “hit a home run” if our focus is on cutting programs that help children get through school.
Jack Kresnak
President/CEO
Michigan’s Children
|
What's New 
Join Email List
