Thinking such as that in the Wednesday Dispatch editorial “Make room for merit in school” might just be the reason the Columbus City Schools levy failed. And The Dispatch looks pathetic in its lame support for alternative schools that actually cater to students who have aspirations that meet the mission of the school.
Successful districts all across the country have alternative schools that excel because they have some selection process to ensure they are getting students eager to take advantage of the focus of the alternative school.
Does that mean you have to be a genius to attend Columbus Alternative High School or a Van Gogh to attend Fort Hayes? No, but it should mean you have some demonstrated skill and reason to be at a specifically focused school other than the fact that your number got drawn.
Having admissions criteria isn’t just common sense; research and data can be drawn from successful magnet schools all over the country. Someone doesn’t just decide at age 14 to become a scholar, an athlete an artist because he won the lottery spot.
And, yes, I am sure there are anecdotal examples of kids who took advantage of the opportunity. But that doesn’t make the policy solid when there are countless talented students throughout the district with proven academic records who never get to develop their talent because their number wasn’t drawn.
I am frustrated as a school-district taxpayer that opportunity and excellence have been ignored and that students who could have thrived have not been rewarded for their commitment and motivation that was demonstrated through their prior eight academic years.
And let’s face it, not having that reward might also mean the loss of financial scholarships when applying to college. Every day, schools make decisions about who can play in athletic games, favoring those students who have shown commitment and motivation. Is the district so archaic that it can’t apply those same principles to academics?
It would not be hard to come up with some fair, moderate standards that would reward students for their endeavors. They certainly will be held to those same standards as they apply for jobs and colleges. This is not a new concept. Parents have been asking for this for years. Maybe if the district wakes up, it can pass a levy and retain students.