The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Your View

November 8, 2007

Your View — Minnesota New Country School doesn’t label kids

Jenn Wartman

Henderson — I am a teacher at Minnesota New Country School, recently listed as a dropout factory. I represent the students when saying we take issue with Bob Balfanz of John Hopkins University and your paper for running that article. The data is flawed.

MNCS graduated 16 students in the year he suggests only 5 percent graduated. MNCS is small, the statistics are incorrect. Some students choose to leave because they don’t realize the amount of responsibility and self-motivation it takes to work in a project-based setting. They return to a traditional setting, opting for an easier senior year.

We’re surprised by the statistics in the article, considering we were recently named one of the top eight charter schools in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education. Please go to newcountryschool.com and click on the NPR link. Listen to commentary from students, staff and parents which reflects the passion and loyalty we have for our school.

We don’t consider any student a dropout if they receive a diploma. They may sometimes receive it before or after the mandated May graduation, but we would never consider labeling a student as a dropout. How many citizens graduated college in four years, married at the appropriate 25 age limit and had the recommended 2.5 children?

We are a society constantly held together by numbers and statistics and the minute someone or something doesn’t fit — we label it as failure.

MNCS believes every student has the ability and the right to be successful. We don’t encourage labels, nor do we wear them.

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