There is no curriculum that is going to work for all students. Society needs skilled workers --whether or not it can supply them with jobs in the field. A community needs electricians, plumbers, CNAs, accountants, paralegals, car repairers, hair cutters etc. If there is no employment, as exists in some areas, the community still needs the skills and they can be bartered. So skill distribution is a very important benefit of occupational education.

The answer that I have heard, I believe by a former secretary of Labor, is to put every student through occupational education. For one thing, they can help earn their way through college. For another, there will be less looking down on other students, some of whom are poor at academics and brilliant at welding for example. There should be an expectation that every single student will graduate with saleable job skills and a recognized set of skills.

For those who drop out early, there should have been more entry level skills taught...custodial, food service etc. in the earlier grades.


And the problem with reading Shakespear?? is not the reading of it...some students might need more abridged versions, or to watch a video as well as reading etc.. I think the problem is to make them write about it and analyze it. I personally never figured any of that stuff out..could not figure out what English majors extracted from it..so just have them read it in some classes, and skip the overanalysis part..have a class discussion on it, tell them what some experts have to say and move on.