Parent unhappy son told to 'quit school, get job'

Susan Belanger said she couldn't believe it when her 16-year-old son, Joshua Rancourt, said that both a teacher and the vice-principal at his high school told him recently that if he didn't like school, he should quit and get a job.

The woman said she's had an increasingly difficult time getting the Grade 12 Chelmsford Valley District Composite School student to school recently, and this kind of comment doesn't help.

“I'm pulling my hair out trying to get him there (to school). I'm trying to get him there as much as I can,” said Belanger.

“In the meantime, the school is telling him to quit school and get a job. We're not on the same page. You cannot tell me that you're on the same page as me if you're telling my son to quit school and get a job.”

The woman said she wonders how many other students have also been told to quit school and get a job by staff at the school.

Belanger said that part of the problem is that Joshua is doing an after-school apprenticeship with a local construction company, and he doesn't see the point in continuing on with high school.

After a few weeks of being away from school, Belanger has recently managed to get her son back to class. They met with the principal of the high school, Leslie Mantle, and an attendance counsellor.

Belanger said she also recently spoke on the phone with Jean Hanson, director of education with the Rainbow District School Board.

“She (Hanson) wanted to know what I want. I want positive action. I want the vice-principal on my side. I get my son there. It's your job to keep him there and keep him going,” she said.

“I got him there today, and even though he's feeling that it's just a waste of time, because they're going to fail him anyway, I told him 'Don't go in with a bad attitude.' I told him to stay positive.”

Hanson said she could not specifically speak about Joshua because of privacy legislation.

When asked if it would be inappropriate for an educator to tell a student to “quit school and get a job,” Hanson said she would need to know the context in which the comment was made, although “a comment like that is not often effective.”

Hanson said comments “which may not be the best choice of words” but that are “well-intentioned” are sometimes made by both frustrated educators and parents who are trying to get students to school.

She said that the school board does everything it can to keep students in school until they're 18 years old and graduate with a high school diploma.

“Our intention is to get to every student, and work whatever magic we need to engage them,” she said.

“Sometimes, through this process, parents become very frustrated because they can't make their children go to school. We're all aware of the challenges of getting teenagers up and out of the house in the morning.”

There are a number of alternative programs out there for students who aren't thriving in a traditional classroom environment, said Hanson.

Many students enjoy participating in co-op programs, which earn them credits towards their high school diplomas, she said. Some of these co-ops may count towards a formal apprenticeship in the trades, said Hanson.

“They're also individual mentorships with a teacher usually chosen by the student, someone that the student can relate to,” she said.

“There's credit recovery, where the student has missed part of the credit, but not the whole credit, and they're able to go back and get that part that they've missed.

“There's e-learning courses for students who are not able to get the course offerings at their own school, but may look at e-learning or independent study courses.”

The school board also has alternative learning programs for students who are disengaged in school and need a different structure to their day or need to work at a different speed on course work.

“Alta Bancroft” serves students aged 14-16, and “Alta Cambrian” serves students aged 17-18. Those over the age of 19 who need high school credits can attend the Continuing Education Centre, located on the Sudbury Secondary School campus.

Hanson said she advises parents of students at risk of dropping out of high school to continue working with the student's school.

“As much as you may feel that the school is letting your child down, continue to work with the school. The school and the parent need to be bonded so tightly together to continue to brainstorm for solutions for the student,” she said.

“When the child sees that the parent and the school are working together, there is more likelihood, the student will say 'Oh man, mom and dad are working with the school. I can't get away with anything'.”

For more information about Rainbow District School Board programs, go to www.rainbowschools.ca.