Our Schools: How Bad Can They Get?

New Statistics are in and they don’t look good. In Herkimer County, the high school graduation rate is about 75%. In Rome, the RFA graduation rate is only 65%, and at Utica’s Proctor it’s about the same at 66%. But don’t worry . . . it could be worse . . .

In the Big Apple it’s 50%, in Syracuse (Dan Lowengard’s new home) it’s only 47%, in Rochester (at one time known for high teacher pay) it’s 39%.

Perhaps it is fitting that one of the worst performing school districts is in State Education Commissioner Mills’ backyard in Albany at 38%.

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The Rome paper fittingly tells us about a little distraction from the 3Rs. If students have to go to SUNYIT for a special “STOP-DWI Program” program, then they must be missing at least a half day of school. It seems like every special interest wants to make their pitches to schools — and gets the “air-time” to do it. Nothing against “STOP-DWI,” but the students have basic academic subjects that are not getting learned. Maybe with fewer distractions, some of those graduation rates will come up.