Group Says Philly's Dropouts Are Victims Of System
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Young people who have dropped out of Philadelphia schools say what's really happening is, they're being pushed out.
The report by members of the group Youth United for Change was written by students who have dropped out of school. The group surveyed 273 dropouts to see why they did.
The most common reasons given were: they were bored, they were disengaged from the classroom teachers, or disciplinary rules were too harsh and they weren't allowed to return.
Youth United member Romeo Rodriguez says the aim of the report is to change the way dropouts are viewed.
"So people could understand what students are going through," Rodriguez says, "not to point the finger at somebody as a dropout but to understand the category of pushout."
The group recommends reducing class sizes and rethinking zero-tolerance policies.
Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio 1060.
