Just Moving Them Out

Hia is a bright, beautiful young woman who is more concerned with boys and looks than school and studying.  She was in my algebra class last year and was doing great until Santana was transferred in.  Santana was a lady's man who set set his sights on this young woman.  School became the last thing on either student's mind.  (Both kids have parents who take education very seriously and even enlisting their help couldn't keep these two on target.)

Both kids ended up passing the regents.  Santana, through a series of credit recovery assignments graduated.  Hia had another year in high school.

I met Hia Saturday night in a park in Corona.  I asked how she was doing in school this term and her answer was "I'm doing."  I asked about geometry and she said, "I am in business math.  I don't know why they put me in that stupid class.  I'm not learning anything I didn't know to begin with."  I told her she should have done a little more work.  She just laughed.

Hia is a young woman who is being left behind, way behind.  Looking at her grades, she is in the classes she belongs in.  Looking at her intellect, she is wasting her time, taking classes way beneath her.  But, the school needs to get her out.  Low level and low expectations will do the job.