When Schools Don't Deliver

by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger

06 Aug 2009 06:19 PM

Joanne Jacobs recently reported on a story where a recent college graduate sued her alma mater as she had not found a job and felt the school had not delivered it's promises.

"They have not tried hard enough to help me," the frustrated Bronx resident wrote about the school in her lawsuit.

"She's angry," said Thompson's mother, Carol. "She's very angry at her situation. She put all her faith in them, and so did I. They're not making an effort.

The school, of course, disagrees

"The lawsuit is completely without merit," school spokesman Gary Axelbank said. "The college prides itself on the excellent career-development support that we provide to each of our students, and this case does not deserve further consideration."

While it is not surprising that a recent college graduate has not found a job in this depressed economy, we all know her chances on collecting are slim. If one student were allowed to demand money back for a not landing a choice job after college, the schools would very well go out of business.

Still the story got me thinking about the elementary through high school levels of education. How many students can't get a job after finishing public education? How many students stall and can't even complete high school? How many students become disillusioned and give up? How many students graduate with good grades only to find out their diploma isn't worth the paper it was written on? What do parents and children do when schools do not deliver?

Unfortunately most people grin and bear it and try to make the best of it. Others sue the school district for private school tuition and many of them win. Fortunately for the schools, the rest of us homeschool. I say fortunately because if every disgruntled parent sued the schools they would surely go bankrupt and be out of business by now.

Of course, all homeschoolers aren't doing it because the schools failed them, but at least 50 percent of current homeschoolers began their education in schools and left because the schools did not deliver. I hate to see what would happen if each of these children and their parents decided to sue.

Also read:

If I Didn't Homeschool My Kids Dealing With Homeschool Inconsistencies

Invalid Reasons to Homeschool: A Rebuttal to a Public Educators Opinion

Learn more about Andrea Hermitt

Andrea Hermitt is a native New Yorker currently residing in GA. She has been married for over 16 years and has two teenage children.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger