High school dropouts relate lives of crime, dispair

By Christi Rinehard
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

They sit at home and watch TV, hang out with their friends, or go to their jobs. Some even develop drug and alcohol problems, which can sometimes lead to a bleaker future behind bars.

While this is not the fate of every teenager, it is for many, who make the life-altering decision to drop out of high school. The drop out rate in Vermont is alarming, and the need to understand this trend has become an important issue. There are a wide variety of reasons why students drop out of school, according to many students throughout Vermont. The names of these students have been withheld to protect their privacy.

A commonly held belief is that only a certain type of kid drops out. According to Debra, an educator in Plainfield, there are as many different types of children who drop out as there are reasons for doing so. There could be family problems that lead to leaving school, or "it could be that an incredibly intelligent kid and for whatever reasons, school is not challenging enough."

"Some people just don't learn in a traditional setting. They don't learn by taking notes and by taking tests," said Joe, 17 of Essex, who requested that his true identity not be used and who has a learning disability, "it just doesn't work for a lot of people."

After his parents divorced, Joe's tumultuous family life contributed to his dropping out. He found that he could not sit in class all day and adhere to a rigid schedule, so he left school. He is now enrolled in an alternative learning program and is hoping to obtain his diploma. "people with learning disabilities can give you a different viewpoint on anything," said Joe.

Janet, who requested anonymity, is 18, and cited racism as one reason for her decision to leave school.

"A girl just called me a spick, and I punched her in the face," Janet said, adding that her principal told her that she was being picked on because of the clothes she was wearing, and suggested that she "dress her race." She was expelled for fighting. No longer living at home, and with a lot of free time on her hands, she became involved with heroin.

Only when her best friend was murdered did she consider returning to school. After seeking treatment for her addiction, she moved back in with her parents, who pushed her to get her education.

Neither of her parents graduated from high school. "My mother has minimum wage jobs; she doesn't have a diploma or GED," Janet said, "and she can't get a good job that pays well." Janet's truant behavior began when she was quite young. "It all started ... [when I was really] young," she explained. "My mother was young and wasn't really responsible, so there were parties and drinking all around us."

Janet said she tried alcohol when she was five years old, which lead to more destructive behavior as she got older. Janet has moved to a different school and has found a more understanding environment with fellow students and teachers. According to Janet, strong parental support and support from teachers are an important factor in keeping her in school.

Some children have problems fitting in socially.

Amy, who requested that her real name not be used, is 17 and found it too difficult to attend school because she looked different, and people constantly teased her.

"A lot of people that are outcasts actually want to go to school and get their high school diploma," Amy said. Her parents refused to let her live at home if she wasn't enrolled in school, so Amy moved out.

Amy said that she was living on Church Street with some friends, and they were often involved in drug use. After a while, the realities of this lifestyle sank in. When she couldn't find a job that paid enough to sustain her, she decided to pursue her education.

She found that an alternative educational program, with smaller classes and a more flexible schedule, suited her much better than traditional school. The school social worker made her aware of this program, which has a ratio of four students to two teachers. She said this helps her a lot because "I am a slow learner."

The students enrolled in this program are more understanding, which makes her feel more at ease. "Since I've gone through all of this," Amy said. "I hope it turns out to be a good thing."

Cindy, who requested anonymity, is 16 and left school because she had problems with anxiety and other mental problems.

Cindy was diagnosed with panic attacks and subsequently missed a great deal of school. Her physician had prescribed powerful anti-anxiety medications for her, and she soon developed a dependency. "I was prescribed Klonopin for anxiety attacks, and it was a really addictive drug. I didn't understand that. Nobody really monitored my use. It got [to] the point where I was really abusing them," said Cindy. These issues, coupled with the fact that she wasn't allowed to make up her missed work, lead to her decision to leave school. Cindy stayed out of school for two semesters, but found a way to work with educators to get back in school.

"Because I regretted not coming to school for two semesters," Cindy explained, "I think that if I could prevent someone from making the same mistake, that would be a good thing."

As is often the case, truant behavior often begins in elementary school.

John, not his real name, was a slow learner in grade school. "I didn't comprehend fast enough. I got frustrated a lot," John said, "and I was always in detention."

After being out of school for two years, he tried to get his GED, but he found that he had trouble taking the tests, and he "gave up." He regrets dropping out of school, saying, "I just took the wrong path and made the wrong choices."

Vermont correctional facilities are home to many people who made the decision to drop out of school. According to many of them, there is a direct correlation between their dropping out and their ending up in jail.

Tony, age 17, has a learning disability, which made it difficult for him to understand the material being taught. When he dropped out of school, he could not find a job that "paid good enough to support myself and the things I wanted, so I started selling drugs." According to Tony, if a consenting adult wanted drugs, "someone else would supply them with it, so why not me?"

At first, being out of school was fun, Tony said, "you're doing what you want to do." Tony said that it took hitting rock bottom in prison to make him realize how important his education is. He is now working to get his high school diploma.

"If you want to make something out of your life," Tony said. "Then you're going to have to take steps to do that."

Jack, age 17, left school his sophomore year. "I had a lot of fights over people trying to bully me around," Jack said. "I did a lot of drugs, so I kept on missing school."

When he found that he had missed too much school, he dropped out. "I didn't have much money; I was lazy and taking drugs, and I didn't have a job," Jack said.

So, he began selling drugs. After being convicted of armed robbery, he is now in prison for 3-30 years.

"Some of my so-called friends came up to me and said we'd make money if we do an armed robbery, and I'd get the bigger cut if I go in with the gun," Jack said. His friends told him that he wouldn't get in a lot of trouble because he was a minor.

"I believe that if I stayed in school, I wouldn't be here right now. I'm stuck here," Jack said, "because I dropped out of high school, followed the crowd, and did drugs."

Seventeen-year-old Jim was in a car accident and found that he couldn't "deal with it." I couldn't sit still and concentrate," he said.

During his first incarceration, Jim earned his GED. He relates his being in jail to his dropping out of school.

"When you come in here, you don't want to be here," Jim said. "You start to realize there are better options you could have taken. I wish I had taken those options."

Students considering dropping out of school should "try other routes," Jim said. According to Jim, someone having trouble in school should find somebody to talk to.

"If that person won't listen, move on to someone else," he said. "It's just not worth it to drop out; if you keep going in that direction, you're going to be sitting right here with me."

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