Extending High School
I don’t think high school should be extended to five years. Many students can barely make it past the first couple years. If high school is extended, then there will be an increase in the number of student dropouts. There will be a decrease in the number of high school graduates. Many students don’t like school, so an additional year may just be too much. Eventually, they will decide to drop out. More conflict will arise for those students who do not get along well with others. Most students think of school as a chore and not a privilege.
They are desperate to get out of school. Adding another year will only discourage them in continuing their education. They will begin to feel like school will get them nowhere because they have been there for so long. Educationally speaking, there is little academic reason to extend high school. Increasing the time will only decrease the difficulty of the courses and not prepare students for college classes. Most middle schools do a great job in keeping students that want to excel in their studies get a head start for high school.
In most districts, students who excel academically, and need less time in high school, have opportunities to take college level classes before graduating. If a student did not do well in high school, and decides to go back and receive his/her diploma, he/she can take remedial classes at a community college. They can then get a better job or begin their college education. Socially speaking, the school would then be a mix of students between the ages of fourteen and nineteen years of age. Social issues will arise between the younger and the older students because of the age difference between the groups.
High school performs an important social role in guiding students through their teenage years. At eighteen years of age, a person is already an adult and should be socialized with adults, such as other college students or fellow employees. In conclusion, high school should continue to be four years. This extension will only make high school dull and unbearable for many students. It does not matter how many years a student stays in high school. It is the quality of learning and the students’ own will to succeed.
