Raising the standards for high school graduation, while admirable, does nothing to address the abysmal dropout rate in Maryland, particularly in Baltimore ("Thousands of Maryland high school seniors must do remedial work to prepare them for college," July 9). State data show that in 2015, 8.08 percent of all Maryland high school students, approximately 1 of every 13 students, dropped out before graduation.
In Baltimore, the dropout rate is 13.2 percent or one out of approximately every eight students! These remedial courses will do nothing for them and, in fact, will almost certainly increase the number of students who will drop out. Students who drop are tired of feeling like a failure every day, year after year. Sadly, a dead end, unskilled job or running drugs or profiting from other crimes makes them feel more successful than school.
At best, they and their offspring end up on public assistance, probably for most of their lives. At worst, they become the criminals who make us fear for our lives. Until we concentrate resources on keeping them in school by helping them to be successful, we are going to see more crime, more poverty and higher taxes to pay for more public assistance.
Anita Heygster, Pasadena