Walter Gill, One of my most interesting and most valuable HBCU selected electives class course professors I studied from @ MSU in the Communications Dept (CD) in the late 70's and I graduated as a Economics major. I selected my elective courses by the depth of the of the men who were gifted, conscious, designed or premeditated, learned and thoughtful among other professors likewise in African Art Dr. James Lewis, in Philosophy Dr. Jessie McDade in History Dr. Waller.

Dr. Gill was then professor and the (CD) head he is a special college educator and person.

"I almost forgot he would have one favorite saying Be a good citizen"

EXACTLY! The "every student college ready" motto that has been pushed in BCPSS sets my teeth on edge. All of our students who want to go to college should be prepared and encouraged. BUT, we need to realize that our students have various interests and abilities that should have the opportunity to pursue other options. Instead we've been forcing disinterested students into college prep. classes and wondering why they drop out.

The problem arose not when we started to push children down one path another- toward vocational skills, workforce readiness, or college prep. It was when we stopped educating the "whole" child. Generations of youth have been disenfranchised by our determination to use education as a means to increase our so called competitiveness. "Good teachers aren't thinking about the global economy" (Alfie Kohn). Good teachers are thinking about the child. Good teachers will trump every flawed curriculum, administration, or policy.

When the the knowledge of worth became equal to the knowledge that is assessed, we began to destroy the foundation and lose our children. Until we get back to helping each child build a solid structure(i.e. a well rounded education in science, the arts, language, and mathematics) on which they can build their own personal preferences, our approaches will never be good enough.

Vocational training is definitely needed in this country. Something happened in the last thirty years when suddenly we started looking down on anyone who didn't have a high-powered office job.

College should be there, but not everyone is destined for college. AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

For generations we understood that you could live a happy, safe, productive life. But with the death of the industrial sector in this country those safe good union jobs are drying up left and right.

It is a tough situation, but vocational education needs to be here. It needs to be up-to-date, taught by talented professionals and we a society need to quit looking down our noses at those that decide that college is not for them.

I'm not sure it's so much "looking down our noses," as coming to terms with the reality of today's job market. It seems to me that the type of jobs the majority of our kids should be going to school/getting training for are decent paying jobs that have lots of openings. There are ups and downs in the economy, but there are overall trends that can be observed. Automation of factory jobs, use of computers to increase productivity, merging of health and technology fields are some that come to mind. The reality of these trends are that more education and training is required for more of the workforce. That's not to say that there's not a need for carpenters or automechanics, it's just a question of how much of a need. You look at STEM, teaching, healthcare (for example) where there's a definite need and these are jobs that need post-highschool training, with most requiring college.

I believe that we do need more vocatinal schools if 50% of students are dropping out. I think that students dropout because they either don't like school or they are not getting good grades, so they are failing. If a student hates coming to school then they probabaly will not go to college. If there were more vocatinal schools, I think there will be less dropouts because then students will want to come to school.In Vocatinal schools students are doing what they love. This will encourage them to come to school. I also think that college preps schools should offer trades too.

Why do they always down grade Blacks and Hispanics? It might be a higher percentage of drop outs from balcks and hispanics,but worry about caucasion people and their drop outs too. I do not think you should lower the standardsbecause it make people feel like you down grade them.If you look at it in my point of veiw,if someone doesnt want to go to schoolthats on them.Even if you bring in more alternatives it wont make a difference. They still wont go to school.

I think that its good that baltimore haves trades schools because not all people have the power to finish all the years of school. Baltimore need more trade school so kids can still have a change to do something with there life instead of working on the streets. If we have more trades schools people can get jobs and can surport they family in a good way.

I think that some of the things that he said is true but not necessarily everything that he said was true. I agree with him when he says that something needs to be done about the number of African Americans dropping out but i dont agree with what he beleives will get rid of the problem. I think a big part of the problem is that kids believe that they cant succeed and they beleive its not worth goingto school and college.What i think needs to be done is that people needs to stop spending money money on building jails because i heard that they build jails based on the amount of kids that can read in the third grade. I think the government needs to put more money towards scholarships and things like that because if you spend money on scholarships there will be no need to spend money on jails

I think students who want to go to college school go to a college-prep school.If you feel like it's not for you then go to a vocational school.I really think schools should be a college-prep then they should have a vocational class for college-prep want to do that. Would if people have kids who need help for college-prep but they can not help their children because they didn't go to a college prep school.

It depends on how you look at it. Me, I can't say he's right or wrong. Somethings he say are right such as 50% blacks graduate from high school. All students don't have the same goals in life. But I don't think we should start aiming for our careers in elementary. Elementary is a time to get used to school. These kind of workshops shouldn't take place until 8th grade or somewhat. When kids drop-out they decided to do it, so don't hold the schools' responsible. Instead of trying to guess the problems, they should ask the drop-outs why they dropped out and what could be done to solve the issue. Most kids want to hustle to get money, so we need to provide some sort of jobs in schools.

students should still be allowed to choose between finishing school or college or going to jail. if they continue to break the law they should be taught in prison.
Also,the expectations of schools should be lowered so that more people can get good jobs.When it comes to education , isn't quantity better then quality, especially when a lot of the bad jobs are already taken

I feel as though nobody should get offended unless they feel as though he were being racist. But he was only stating his opinion, and opinions are not always true that's just what someone thinks.People can take it how they want to take it.

I do agree that we need more vocational schools because every body don't really want to go to college an half of them don't really want to finish high school so i do think that they should have separate classes for people who do want to go to college

I think exposing students to career options as early as the 1st grade would be a smart idea.I say this beacause the graduation rate is so low students would be able to go to trade schools and graduate and begin thier careers.

Well let me start by saying that I agree with that Obama is right everything. Even down to the uniforms. The one size fits all attitude is what is throwing schools and students off. All students and school are not and shouldn't be treated the same. And I think that the Government would realize that then maybe we would have a higher graduation rate in Baltimore. All people don't learn the same and all students shouldn't be treat the same. Its not fair that there are special ed classes for students with special needs but when it comes to regular students that have special request for classes that they get treated like everyone else. All people don't learn at the same rate. Some people like to be different. Everyone is not like another person. Everyone is an individual and needs to be treated as one instead of all.

I'm just going to touch on a few things.One is that the school impose a one-size fit all curriculum that envisions four year colleges.I understand why they set their standards so high,so that we won't shoot for nothing less.But, we all learn at different rates.Also,the things that happens outside of school affects our future to go to a four year college,and thats something they don't look at because of the one-size fit all theory.I think that the school system should give us a little lead way instead of giving up on us.Another thing stated was "until we recognize the reality that many students will not attend four year colleges and provide alternative avenues to success for those students." I feel as though if they give us other options and lead ways we would be able to go farther in life .Dont get me wrong we can still be successful if we put our mind to it,but just to know that the system care's and is not setting us up for failure gives us motivation,hope that there's is a better tomorrow;and that things are just temporary.The next topic was urban education is doomed unless it can adapt to the needs of children in cities.This statement maybe true but we still can't put all the blame on the schools.Our parents and community needs to get involved in the schools.

I agree with Walter Gill, because everyone isn't equipped for a college environment.Society has been drawn to believe that the only way to be successful is to go to college.Some people are better off learning in trade school instead of college prep,preparing them for a dream that is not their own. They should be in classes that they are interested in.Frankly said college life isn't the only way to have an sucessful life.

I agree kids should get pushed to go to college because I know an student have the intelligence to be successful and succeed in life. They should get pushed so that they will stop the laziness and stop putting their self down. Another reason students should get push because they have the knowledge in them and it should be used.

I think the reason why kids drop out of school because they hate going for the long days. Before modern schooling, young people were considered mature as early as 12 years old (sometimes earlier). Our minds, and bodies, are still telling us that there is something not right about sitting at a desk all day when we should be getting on with our lives. The problem is that parents and so called professionals keep kids in a state of artificial immaturity. By the time we reach our teen years there is an internal struggle. Our biology is telling us that something is not right and we want to escape. We are at odds with everyone around us because we feel overly controlled. Many kids believe that dropping-out is there only way of finally getting control of their own life.
Also many kids think that it is bored and the teachers get to smart or they dont help you with your problems.