Fat, Drunk, and Stupid is no way to go Through Life: Unless You are a Michigan Public School Student

The governor and the state legislature are engaged in a process of encouraging Michigan students to fail.  Currently, the state has a policy that requires students who are unable to read at the second grade level by the time they finish the third grade they are required to repeat third grade.  This policy was based on the reasonable assumption that fourth graders who can't read at a least one grade level below, or worse, would be in academic trouble, and unlikely to succeed.  The law allowed for several exemptions, however, and the governor is working with various non profit organizations to make sure that as many students as possible take advantage of these exemptions, no matter how suspect these exemptions are.  Some school districts have stated that they will not hold any students back.  

Third grade is an important grade.  A student who struggles in the first and second grade can sometimes catch up in the third grade. However, if you are unable to read by the end of the third grade a student is in deep trouble, but unlike Dean Wormer of Faber College, Michigan public schools and the administration seem disinterested.

Not to be outdone, the Michigan legislature is now considering dropping the Algebra II requirement as well as the physical education and health requirement.  There is currently a exemption for the physical education requirement for students that play a sport.  The lack of physical education opportunities is an issue throughout the grade levels, it adversely impacts all students but boys are especially impacted by the lack of exercise during school.  They tend to get bored and fidgety and without a physical outlet they tend to do worse at school.  This is one of the reasons girls are outperforming boys by a wide margin.  A well designed physical education class would help students develop habits that would last a lifetime.

Apparently, the argument against Algebra II is that it is too hard and students who are not college bound don't need it.  The fallacy of this argument is that 17 and 18 year olds know what they are going to do the rest of their lives.  Many jobs are going to require higher levels of math in the future whether or not you have a college degree and math helps people think more rationally and systematically.  Again, what harm is there in having students being well educated before they graduate?

Eliminating the health requirement could have serious repercussions.  Michigan is now a state that allows recreational marijuana and without an effective educational program, drug abuse may get worse. This may already be the case with older people who were not educated on the impact of opioids.  A well designed health course should also be able to warn students about the risks and impacts of STDs without encouraging sexual activity.  

For the most part (physical education and health requirement being the exceptions), the unions and educational establishment favor these changes.  This should come as no surprise, as is the case with most large organizations, preserving the status quo and capturing economic rents is more important than providing good service.