Last week President Barack Obama during his State of The Union Address made a call for states to enact laws that will require all schools to mandate students to stay in school until eighteen or either graduate.
Macon Council Member and certified counselor Elaine Lucas shared what she believed it will take to put this proposal in place.
Lucas says, “We can’t do everything but we can put in place some rules and regulations that help to give us more time with students ,so we can help them to maybe stick and stay and finish that education.”
While some states already have requirements in place for students to stay in school until 18 others require that students only stay in school until they are 16.
“The minute they hit 16 they are dropping out , so I think it going to take people realizing that we must implement as many strategies as we possibly can to help better educate our young people, “said Elaine Lucas. Lucas also says it takes more than just educators to motivate students to stay in school.
“You still have to have parents involved in encouraging them to stay there and do their best, we still have to have school systems provide for them what they need not just your basics, “said Lucas.
And that’s exactly what one local high school dropout looking for a second chance to get her diploma says she was missing in her high school experience.
Carlita De La Cruz says, “I think it takes a lot of positivity from the staff and people in school as well as parents because a lot of kids drop out because they don’t have that support or they feel that nobody cares if they pass or not or of they make it in life .”
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