ACLU sues Florida over poor graduation rates

Florida and its government leaders have failed to provide a uniform, safe, efficient, secure and high quality education to the children of Palm Beach County, the ACLU alleges in a class action lawsuit filed today in circuit court.

The evidence? The low graduation rates at Palm Beach high schools.

"Palm Beach County is clearly not upholding its responsibility to provide a quality education to all of its students when so many of them are not graduating," ACLU senior staff attorney Chris Hansen said in a news release. "The problem in Palm Beach County is reflective of a broad national problem of poor graduation rates, and state officials must be held accountable for failing our children."

Palm Beach has had graduation rates ranging between 56 and 71 percent, depending on the methodology used. It also has seen a fairly significant achievement gap among students of different races.

A similar lawsuit filed in 2008 was tossed by a circuit judge based on a technicality.

Comments

[J Richard]

If the A.C.L/U. can prove the curriculum was altered in any way, they have a case. If there is no evidence that the curriculum has been altered, they have no case. Want to stop frivolous lawsuits, make the filing attorney, or in this case, A.C.L.U. pay for ALL court costs and responding attorney's fees. When you spend someone else's money, the sky is the limit!

[uppity woman]

After reading the entire legal brief here are a few of the noteworthy passages that caught my eye:

"Regardless of the cause of the Palm Beach County School District's low graduation rates, an essential component of a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality education is a meaningful opportunity to graduate from high school"
What if the cause of the low graduation is rate is Student and Parent generated behaviors (or lack there of)? A graduation rate alone does not indicate that the district does not provide the OPPORTUNITY for an education, particularly when there is NO data proving that the plaintiffs made every effort to actually take advantage of educational opportunity.
By including the phrase "regardless of the cause" this suit is putting the SOLE responsibility for a student's education on the state, completely absolving the student and parent from any educational responsibility.

"Children of high school drop-outs are far more likely to attend weak and low-performing schools, perform badly in school and drop put of high school..."
There is no mention of the graduation rates of the parent's of the plaintiffs. By the suits own admission, if the parent's of the plaintiffs were also high school drop-out then the plaintiffs are more likely to drop out of high school, regardless of the district in which they attend. By the inclusion of this statement the suit is providing a window to conclude that the plaintiffs may have been predisposed to perform poorly in school, regardless of Palm Beach's efforts.

Perhaps the state constitution needs to include a provision that as an educator I have the right to teach motivated student who have parents who are committed to working diligently towards timely graduation, to the exclusion of distracting, disruptive, illegal, undermining and nefarious behaviors.

[Ray]

FLA=Banana Republic.

[John]

How about the state of Florida suing the parents of these kids. I'm willing to bet that most of them have absolutely no involvement in their kids life. But the blame where it really belongs, on the parents

[Not a fan of the ACLU]

This is just stupid. I have had no respect for the ACLU for years, but this is over the top stupid.

[JohnM]

Is the ACLU going to get input from the students/parents who have quit working, but, still insist on coming to a school to create havoc for the education sysatem? Far too many times Teachers have tried and tried to get these students to get involved in their own education.

I think I understand what the ACLU is trying to do, but, what result will they get when they sue the system that is trying to get these kids to graduate. Please, please folks, the Teachers can only do what they can. The legislature is the ultimate responsible party for the dismal plight of education in Floriduh. But, watch, the majority of the legislature will be re-elected and will continue their dismantling of the education system in Floriduh. They will be able to push whatever their "crisis du jour" is and never actually do anything about it.

[redisni]

I hope that if successful the ACLU sues other districts besides Palm Beach. Recent changes on how graduation is tallied will show the dismal situation in districts that padded their graduation rates with the GED exit option.

[Gabriel]

It is a travesty that in the richest country in the world. That a mindset exists in a state, that would settle for any one of it's citizens to be poor AND uneducated. The leaders of this great state of Florida have missed the boat. Entitlements don't have to go out if its citizenry's needs are being met. Wake-up Florida, meet all of your citizen's needs. What's so hard about doing what's right? The majority of your citizens are tired of the "egg-on-your face" & FLORI-DUH jokes already.

[Mr. Concerned]

Man I would just love some real accountability.
I sure really do hope,that the ACLU does hold the state's proverbial feet to the fire!.