School Problems Today

We pour all this money into education today and our schools are a mess.  There is no discipline.  Our kids can't read.  Teacher pay is too high.  You've all heard these criticisms and maybe you've shared in them.  You may say schools just aren't like they were when I was in school.  And you are right, they are not the same.  Actually some things are better - when I was in high school my class had a 30% drop out rate between our junior year and graduation.  I had no college level or advanced placement classes available as students do today.  I wish that I had had some of the great technology, facilities and opportunities that students have today.  On the other hand, for a variety of reasons, many things are much worse and I feel that there is one major issue helping to create this that nobody wants to address.  You see, it isn't politically correct.  I recall the year when the incoming kindergarten class of one of our elementary schools for the first time had half of its children coming from one parent homes. That was a major change.  Now I am sure that this situation is probably now true in most of the incoming classes in our public schools. The homes have changed and that has had a devastating impact on schools.  As a teacher who taught on both sides of this change I could testify how this impacted my classes in a negative way.  Somebody told me that they had been keeping records of the Teen of the Week feature in the local newspaper and that close to 100% of those chosen appeared to come from two parent families.  Now please don't get me wrong, a child from a one parent family can survive and do well, but they are usually faced with a host of challenges that others don't have. And things like the death of a parent can't be helped.  But divorced folks often say that their kids aren't really affected by the change in their homes.  I think that most who say this either are hoping that this will be the case or are not facing reality. Statistics seem to prove otherwise.  Here are a few statistics that I have found.  (1) 50% of America's children will live in homes of divorce. Almost 50% of those children will see their parents divorce a second time. (Life Course);   (2) 40% of children are not living with their dads. (Executive Briefing);   (3) 75% of children/youth who are being treated for chemical dependency come from single-parent homes. (Dr. Weiss);   (4) 20% of kids from broken homes have learning, emotional or behavior problems. (Dr. Weiss);   (5) More than 50% of teens who have been arrested come from homes where there's been a divorce;   (6) Those children who see their parents in repeat divorces earn lower grades and are often seen as not very likable by others;   (7)  Children of divorce are 50% more apt to have health issues than their peers;   (8) Children whose parents are divorced suffer depression seven times more than children of healthy, two-parent homes;   (9) America has 1 divorce every 13 seconds (McKinley);   (10) Children who live in single parent homes as a result of a parent's death have fewer emotional reactions than children in homes of divorce;  (11)  85% of children from traditional homes graduate from high school while only 67% of children from homes of divorced children graduate from high school;  (12)  Children from traditional homes score higher on standardized tests then those from homes with divorced parents.   So while you can't do anything about your situation should a spouse pass on, if you should be considering divorce, you better take time and realize that there will be a serious  impact upon your children.  They are the real victims of divorce.  And if you are now a single parent, your children can still beat the odds.  But it will take a major effort on your part and deep abiding trust in the Lord.  But, with His help you can make it.