Getting Rid Of The 12th Grade

As our son is about to turn 5, my wife and I are faced with making the difficult decision about the horrible six letter word - 'school'. We've got a little while to decide, but we're leaning towards home school....

A couple of weeks ago, my father and I were having a conversation about my first days in preschool. I don't remember much about it, other than sobbing and screaming for my father to come back and get me while he stood behind the white picket fence that separated the two of us.... He says that dropping me off was one of the hardest things he's ever done. I'm not that way.... I would have knocked down the picket fence and taken my son home.


Luckily, I have the benefit of my wife being able to stay at home to raise and teach our children. Granted, we're not sure whether our son would thrive in a home school, public school or private school environment. But we might as well try the home school thing first. If it doesn't work, we have other options. Although I do have to admit, it does scare the crap out of me to send my son to school for eight hours a day.

Wow, that was not what I wanted to talk about..... Let me get back to my topic.... In an attempt to shrink the state's massive budget deficit, Utah Senator Chris Buttars has proposed that the state cancel the entire 12th Grade. Well, that was his initial proposal, after backlash from the entire State of Utah, he proposed that the 12th Grade become optional to students who have already completed their high school requirements. Senator Buttars says that the proposal could save the state up to $60,000,000 (10% of their total budget deficit).


Why not? My wife always makes the point, we are in school for approximately fourteen years, and that's before we choose whether or not college is our life's path.... That's a long time! Is 12th Grade really necessary? I could have lived without it.... And I probably would have worked a lot harder to complete my required courses, knowing that I wouldn't have had to complete a fourth year of high school. Now, my brother, the high school teacher, will think otherwise (But that's another story entirely, he also thinks that he's Michelle Pfeiffer from 'Dangerous Minds'.... Seriously dude, you teach in Orange County, California - You don't live in a 'Gangster's Paradise'!)....

I do feel bad for the teachers who would be out of work, but seriously, if my son can finish his required high school courses and get his GED in two years while completing school at home, what's the incentive to send him to high school for a required four years? Let him get out and on with his life!