Self sufficiency is different than test scores or UC a-g courses!

By John De Beck

Perhaps Public Eduation leaders have set the wrong goals. If kids leave school with "C" grades in classes preparing them for the UC system, does that make them SELF-SUFFICIENT? Is student achievement only measured by tests? A balanced education should result in informed citizens able to take care of themselves!

A student with average high school grades in UC preparation courses is not going to the California University System, they will get into community colleges if they try. As a district, we just don't know what happens to them. In the past, we had graduate followup studies to tell us what successes our students had.

Most intelligent investors know to diversify to protect themselves from contingencies, and as a counselor I always told my students to seek a balanced education with practical and college prep classes. And many of my students chose vocational preparation as a way to earn college degrees in jobs well above the minimum wage.

San Diego and most of California schools are forcing children to put their eggs in one basket. The results may not be high school graduates who can carry their own weight. "Are our schools doing what will make children kids SELF-SUFFICIENT?" That is one of the hard questions I ask!