Phillip is one of them. It s his second year of seventh grade. For two years, Phillip passed from one grade to the next even though he refused to do his school work. He made it to seventh grade through social promotion, a controversial policy that allows teachers to pass students to keep them with their class, despite failing grades.
Opponents say social promotion hurts kids and their community.
I think we are doing children and the business community a disservice, if we do not retain these kids and get them academically prepared, says Louise Radloff, a school board member. But others say social promotion is the lesser of two evils. Kids who are forced to repeat grades have a higher drop out rate. In school, at least the have a chance to be successful, says Jerry Hagger, a school administrator. You may only reach ten percent, but you ve lost them if they drop out.