School Diploma

The Senate this week begins debate on the proposed immigration reform bill. If this bill becomes law, there is one likely outcome for low-skilled Maryland workers: disaster. The assurances of the bill's proponents that the bill will somehow help the economy obscure copious evidence that it will wreak enormous damage to the employment prospects of American workers who have already seen their wages and employment rates plummet. Indeed, it is no secret that the employment picture for low-skilled workers is abysmal.

The Senate this week begins debate on the proposed immigration reform bill. If this bill becomes law, there is one likely outcome for low-skilled Maryland workers: disaster. The assurances of the bill's proponents that the bill will somehow help the economy obscure copious evidence that it will wreak enormous damage to the employment prospects of American workers who have already seen their wages and employment rates plummet. Indeed, it is no secret that the employment picture for low-skilled workers is abysmal.

I think we need to require that all children of illegal immigrants take classes in school that will lead them to becoming citizens of the U.S. The Supreme Court requires all states to allow illegal immigrant children to attend public schools. So, why not require them take the classes needed to become citizens of the U.S. as an added certificate to their high school diploma? Then they would be citizens to attend colleges as any other U.S. citizen student. Any student who does not take these classes and not graduate high school would be deported to their home country.

Thomas E. "Jud" Judkins, a retired Baltimore businessman and veteran, died Thursday of complications from an infection at Stella Maris Hospice. The Timonium resident was 86. The son of a steamship executive and a homemaker, Thomas Edward Judkins was born in Houston and moved in 1941 with his family to Baltimore. He attended McDonogh School and Calvert Hall College High School, and left before graduation ceremonies to enlist in the Army Air Forces. "He later was presented his high school diploma while he was in the Air Force," said his wife of 32 years, the former Carol Hughes.

Yvonne Butler has seen high school dropouts weathered by Baltimore's drug corners progress from being illiterate to joining book clubs, graduating from college and working decent jobs. Yet for every successful student who completes her GED preparation classes at the Learning Bank in West Baltimore, there are hundreds waiting to get in the door. The Learning Bank's waiting list is 700 names long - about as many students as the nonprofit organization teaches in a year. Students wait up to three months to start courses, double the waiting time from two years ago. "It's always a downer when we don't have enough funds for more teachers and tutors," said Butler, who has taught adult-education classes for six years.

Baltimore continues to lead area school systems in improving its dropout rate, and most districts in the region are making progress in graduating more students in four years, according to new high school data released Monday by the Maryland State Department of Education. Statewide, the Class of 2012 saw steady growth in the percentage of students who earned a high school diploma in four years at 83.6 percent, up from 82.8 percent of students who graduated in 2011. Meanwhile, the number of students who dropped out in 2012 fell to 10.3 percent, down from 11.2 percent, according to the department.

With the season of celebration over and many of our school-age children of various grade levels officially "promoted," it seems like a good time to sit back and ask: Why? Specifically, why are promotion ceremonies at the arbitrary grades of pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, fifth grade and eighth grade even necessary? And after a simple review of the recently released MSA scores, it appears even more apt that a major shift in our educational culture occurs for there is little to celebrate.

Hundreds of Baltimore students and residents have had their high school completions hanging in limbo since the state transferred the General Education Development responsibilities to a new department, according to city and adult education officials. As a consequence, a program that was designed to fast-track a high school diploma for teens and adults is in some cases preventing them from having access to jobs and college enrollment, officials and students say. On Thursday, the City Council will hold a hearing to discuss the issues that city GED seekers have faced, such as an increase in wait times, since the service was moved from the state education department to the labor department in 2009.

The word was tristeza. It's a disease of citrus trees, but more importantly, for Tobey Roland, it once scored 228 points for him in a game of Scrabble, he said. Roland, 52, of Mount Washington, loves Scrabble and estimates he has played in 120 tournaments, winning eight to 10, since he started playing competitively in 2005. "It's fun and challenging," said Roland, an independent financial investor. "It's really more about probabilities, using premium spots and letters and getting bonuses by using seven-letter words.

THE MARYLAND State Board of Education's recent bold decision to require students to pass a series of tough tests before receiving a high school diploma should be applauded and supported by every Marylander.We must expect of high school students what will be expected of them after they graduate. And we must enable our high schools to see that students meet these vital expections.A high-tech worldToday's high school students will soon find themselves in a world awash in technological innovation, a world caught up in intense global competition for workers and markets.

The word was tristeza. It's a disease of citrus trees, but more importantly, for Tobey Roland, it once scored 228 points for him in a game of Scrabble, he said. Roland, 52, of Mount Washington, loves Scrabble and estimates he has played in 120 tournaments, winning eight to 10, since he started playing competitively in 2005. "It's fun and challenging," said Roland, an independent financial investor. "It's really more about probabilities, using premium spots and letters and getting bonuses by using seven-letter words.

Baltimore continues to lead area school systems in improving its dropout rate, and most districts in the region are making progress in graduating more students in four years, according to new high school data released Monday by the Maryland State Department of Education. Statewide, the Class of 2012 saw steady growth in the percentage of students who earned a high school diploma in four years at 83.6 percent, up from 82.8 percent of students who graduated in 2011. Meanwhile, the number of students who dropped out in 2012 fell to 10.3 percent, down from 11.2 percent, according to the department.

Hattie Harrison, the matriarch of East Baltimore politics who often greeted colleagues as "Baby" and was known for her signature curled hair and Southern cooking, will be remembered at a funeral at noon Feb. 9. Mrs. Harrison died of heart disease complications Monday at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was 84. Appointed to the House of Delegates representing the 45th District in 1973 and re-elected thereafter, she was the oldest member of the General Assembly. She was also the longest-serving member of the House of Delegates and the first African-American woman to chair a major committee, Rules and Executive Nominations.

For Kyle Kauffman, cerebral palsy is a hurdle, not a wall. He has a high school diploma, a Facebook account and a dorm room at Stevenson, where he majors in public history and manages the men's soccer team. "Soccer is probably the most beautiful sport there is," said Kauffman, of Lancaster, Pa. But for his physical disability, he would have played the game. Tuesday night, when Stevenson hosts Hood at 7 p.m., Kauffman will get that chance. To honor their manager, the Mustangs will suit him up, introduce him with the starters and play the 21-year-old senior at forward for the first few minutes of the game.

Hundreds of Baltimore students and residents have had their high school completions hanging in limbo since the state transferred the General Education Development responsibilities to a new department, according to city and adult education officials. As a consequence, a program that was designed to fast-track a high school diploma for teens and adults is in some cases preventing them from having access to jobs and college enrollment, officials and students say. On Thursday, the City Council will hold a hearing to discuss the issues that city GED seekers have faced, such as an increase in wait times, since the service was moved from the state education department to the labor department in 2009.

I think we need to require that all children of illegal immigrants take classes in school that will lead them to becoming citizens of the U.S. The Supreme Court requires all states to allow illegal immigrant children to attend public schools. So, why not require them take the classes needed to become citizens of the U.S. as an added certificate to their high school diploma? Then they would be citizens to attend colleges as any other U.S. citizen student. Any student who does not take these classes and not graduate high school would be deported to their home country.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data released yesterday, Howard County has the highest percentage of people holding at least a high school diploma out of the 231 counties studied in the 2002 American Community Survey. The data show that out of 166,118 residents older than 24 in Howard, 158,021 of them -- more than 95 percent -- graduated from high school. The national average is 82.6 percent. More than 55,000 Howard residents also hold bachelor's degrees and nearly 41,000 have graduate or professional certifications.

A nationwide grant program awarded Chesapeake High School a new $4,000 piano for its choral students last week. The Pasadena school was one of 20 winners nationwide to receive grants from My Hometown Helper, an arm of General Mills. The piano was unveiled Wednesday in a ceremony that also included a mini-concert by Rachel Franklin, a classical and jazz chamber pianist and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra lecturer. A new grant cycle began Friday. Communities can apply for one-time grants for projects such as building playgrounds, buying band uniforms and expanding town sidewalks.

With the season of celebration over and many of our school-age children of various grade levels officially "promoted," it seems like a good time to sit back and ask: Why? Specifically, why are promotion ceremonies at the arbitrary grades of pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, fifth grade and eighth grade even necessary? And after a simple review of the recently released MSA scores, it appears even more apt that a major shift in our educational culture occurs for there is little to celebrate.

Too much of the public is missing from public education. As a people, we recognize the economic value of education, but we under-invest in our schools, both financially and in terms of civic capital. With America's students and schools facing unprecedented needs, and education budgets under enormous pressure, it is time to drastically ramp up civic investment in public education. Our public school system - one of the great achievements of American democracy - is not just a service for the public to consume.