Florida May Require High School Students to Declare a Major
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=54271
TALLAHASSEE, FL (AP) -- Governor Jeb Bush has come up
with a way for high school students to get an education
more tailored to their career plans. Under his proposal,
incoming freshmen would be required to declare a major,
just like college students.
Bush says the plan would also reduce the dropout rate by
making school more interesting. Last year, nearly three
percent of Florida's roughly 800-thousand high school
students dropped out.
Some educators sup****t the plan, while others fear it will
deprive students of a broad liberal arts education and put
even more pressure on young people. Even educators who sup****t
the plan are worried that school counselors would be overwhelmed
in trying to provide the intensive guidance students would need.
The plan goes before the state House for a final vote tomorrow
and then would have to be approved in the Senate.
At least 13 other states require schools to offer different
study tracks. Most offer vocational training, career preparation
classes and the op****tunity to earn college credit for some
courses. But experts say none have gone as far as Florida
would with majors and minors.
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A "slippery slope" towards pidgeon-holing Americans
into a caste system.
Caste System:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste
Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of
social stratification. Though historically and
geographically widespread, the most well-known
caste system today is the Indian caste system.
Anthropologists use the term more generally to
refer to a social group that is endogamous and
occupationally specialized; such groups are common
in highly stratified societies with a very low degree
of social mobility.


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