Messy Buu, I provide perfectly good reasons to drop out of HS. I could give the obivious responses to what you just posted, but I am sure you (and everyone else) already has a pretty good idea what those would be.

Refusing to waste your time on something that has no value to you is not laziness. If anything, it's just the opposite.

Well call me a dummy. I also dropped out of high school. I dropped out of high school when I was 16, without my parents knowing. I was/am very intelligent, and thought I was above high school. To me, high school was nothing but a finishing school, or charm school. To many cliques, and to many snobby people. So, I dropped out, 2 weeks later I took the G.E.D. test, and passed with flying colors. That fall I started my first year of college. Graduated at 20 with a B. A. in social work. I got a job as a social worker, and couldn't sleep at night because I was worrying about other people's problems. At 21 I adopted a child, and at 22 I was very very close to adopting another one. I realized that I would burn myself out if I continued to work as a social worker. I went back to school, this time to get a B. S. in nursing. 2 months in the semester my son had a fish-hook in his finger. I took him to the emergency room, and almost fainted at the sight of them removing the hook from his finger. I knew then that I would never make it as a nurse, so I changed my major to Allied Health. With my B. A. in Social work, and my B. S. in Allied Health, I know work as a Social Worker in a hospital. I like the job, it's not as stressful as social work. Now, I'm thinking my fulfilling a childhood dream of being a librarian. I think I will make a good librarian, I love books, and I love helping people. I think I did good for myself, a drop out at 16, and now that I'm 28, I have 2 B. A's's, and I'm thinking of getting my masters in Library Science. Draginol, I'll do my article on corporate welfare, then you'll see what I mean.

I can't think of a good reason. Besides, I've never considered somebody who dropped out of college to go to work to be intelligent, unless it's a once in a lifetime job.

Say what?

You can't think of a good reason someone would drop out of college to work?
1)
Family.

2)
Food

3)
Place to live

4)
Pay for college


...without food, it is really hard to study. without a place to live it is pretty hard to study.


5)
Debt

6)
Falling on hard times



Anyway, about corporate welfare: I hope you show some numbers because corporate welfare dollars is not as high as welfare/workfare dollars.

And as Draginol presented, it is more fathomable to argue that welfare/workfare does not benefit society as much as corporate welfare does.

First, to Draginol: I humbly suggest you do more research, and not just looking up statistics on the internet, on Welfare. Granted, the entire system needs a lot of work, but there are so many issues that they could never be addressed in one thread/blog. The system is there to help people get back on their feet, and it is abused in many different ways. I agree that there are so many deadbeats abusing the system that it appears there are more of them than legitimate needy. Because of this, and because of the fact that news programs latch onto bad news before good news, we are exposed to more of the 'bad eggs' than the success stories that come from the welfare system.

I personally agree that those that have no common sense, are raised on welfare and know no other way of life, or those that abuse the system need the proverbial smack to the head for a wake up call. I'm tired of seeing all these kids following a welfare mom and getting free food for being pregnant with the next member of the litter. Forced contraception won't work for several reasons. First, it's deemed unconstitutional from many standpoints. Second, there are more women who cannot tolerant implants (like Norplant) or DepoProvera shots than those who can. Though in the long run the doctor visits to assess which kind are more tolerable and procedures etc would be less than raising children, it isn't right for anyone to be forced to tolerate implants or injections that may or may not completely imbalance their systems.

Second, to Messy Buu and anyone else ignorant enough to lump all HS dropouts into do-nothings: You are speaking only from personal experience at best, and have no right to pass judgement upon anyone else who may or may not have dropped out of high school. I finished high school, but to be honest I did so because it was the only thing to do with my time, having grown up 45 miles from any other semi-stimulating activity. I graduated one year before the programs went nation wide that allowed high school students to start taking college courses while still in their junior or senior year, and I feel like I missed out on that. If there had been any other option open to me, I would have dropped out of high school because yes, it was boring, I didn't learn anything relevant to my future during most of my senior year that I couldn't learn on my own. In many ways, it was a waste of time. Think on this for a moment: how many places have you worked for that actually ask to see your diploma or other proof of graduation from high school? I've had a few jobs, and none have asked. After reading this thread last night, I asked a few folks I work with today..none of them have either. In fact, colleges I've attended haven't asked either!

High school in this country to anyone that is intelligent enough is a joke. During my sophomore year, I wanted badly to be an exchange student in Europe because of their higher teaching standards. I dreamed of going to University in Germany.

I will agree that there are a lot of dropouts that are lazy, stupid, and a drain on society in general. To lump all dropouts into this category is extremely ignorant though, and I'm willing to bet that there are far more people you've met that are dropouts than you can imagine at this point. I know there is a list somewhere of famous intelligent people, Einstein and Edison just to name a couple.

**edit!!** I meant to say that there is a list somewhere of famous intelligent people who have dropped out of high school or the equivalent, Einstein and Edison are just the two I could think of. GIVE ME EDIT POWAH!

Well Joe, I'll agree with the first reason. If somebody needs to take care of a relative full-time, then I could respect them dropping out of school temporarily to care for their loved ones. However, the rest can be done while in school. People do have jobs while still in school. As for college, if these dropouts are so smart, they should graduate high school with flying colors and get scholarships. Of course, I guess long-term investments aren't something these super intellectuals factor into the equation.
On many job applications, there is a place to fill out your education history, and there is a place to mark whether or not you've graduated high school.
You're right. Most of the stuff that's taught in high school can be learned elsewhere, but high school is more than just education. It's also a test to see if you can stick with it, and I'm sorry to say, that these people who drop out of college 'cause it's "too easy" seem to lack that ability, and if they can't stick with something that's as easy as high school, then why trust them to stick with something much more challenging?
There are always exceptions. Most dropouts, however, don't end up like Einstein and Edison.

Well, obviously you are completely closed to the idea that:

You can lie on your application. (duh)
High school is a monstrous farce in many areas (popularity does not equal leadership), including 'education'. I do not denounce the fact it is a learning facility, yet it's disgusting the US doesn't rank even close to being in the top 10 in the world in any subject.
You (messy buu) are extremely close-minded and no matter what anyone says, recounts, or provides as information for you, you will still see a high school drop out as a loser.

So, do you see those who graduate high school as better people than those who did not? If so, I say again that you are extremely ignorant, stereotypical, and judgemental. I encourage you to do some research, and ask everyone you encounter whether they graduated high school or not. It is obviously a huge factor in how you determine a person's worth.

I do not say this to insult you, but I am putting it in front of you that you insult others with your assessments. It's nothing short of disgusting.

I see. People don't have to graduate high school because they could lie about graduating high school.
By the way, the ad hominems are rather immature.

" People don't have to graduate high school because they could lie about graduating high school."

I know you mean that as sarcasm, but it's actually true. Of course another reason people don't need to graduate from HS is that a HS diploma has no value.

What I find immature is the complete lack of ability to see people for who they are rather than judge them by the diploma they may or may not have from high school. As I mentioned, I'm quite sure you've encountered more people who haven't graduated school than you realize.

You are missing the point so entirely that I sometimes am under the impression that you are trying to avoid it.

As a non American I have to ask,

Are you allowed drop out of high school?
Is there an age limit?

I personally believe that every kid should have a free education till they complete their SATS (I think those are the ones at the end of high school). Likewise they should NOT be allowed to avoid this. Whether they go on to university, start an apprenticeship , work on the farm or work in a factory after that is their own choice, but they should at least be schoolded till theya are adults and ready for that choice.

Paul.