Flip, this is what I mean when I say not everyone had a high school experience like yours. This happened at my high school a few months ago. (The second paragraph is wrong, the kid was in Annandale, not Alexandria. Google not available.)

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '><b>Link:</b> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... 27.html</a>

Flip, this is what I mean when I say not everyone had a high school experience like yours. This happened at my high school a few months ago. (The second paragraph is wrong, the kid was in Annandale, not Alexandria. Google not available.)</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>The writer of the article tries to make the parents sound like they did all they could, inspite the fact that they put an illiterate child right into public high school.... good thinking there.

Its a sad story, but this was way beyond anyones control.</div>

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Annandale has an extensive ESL (English as a Second Language) program; they have infrastructure for the immigrant population the area. Not great, but it's there. Where else would he learn but at a school?</div>

[SineSwiper]

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Still, he's (nor his parents) aren't paying for it (being illegal immigrants and all), so what's the point? They'll become illegal English-speaking immigrants.</div>

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>I ascribe to this crazy notion of helping the less fortunate. Although if you want a practical argument, they are members of our society, and unless you're going to kick them out, helping to integrate them is beneficial.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>as is letting them kill each other off, in a way...</div>

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Wow.</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>I just loathe the ones who are along for the free ride (which, unfortunately, is a lot of people on welfare who probably had a similar childhood like in the article). I support high school programs like you describe, its a shame that wasnt pushed for the teen in the article, he could have met some people like him who actually wanted to succeed.</div>

[Kupek]

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>Although we're digressing into other issues. My motivation for posting this article was to show you that even in high schools ten miles from yours, some kids actually are facing "all sorts of crap all the time."</div>

[Flip]

<div style='font: 12pt "Cooper Black"; text-align: left; '>and it does suck for those who have to take it day after day after day. I'm becoming more like an adult everyday, because i do wish everyone could just get along, and it does make me mad if i happen to walk by one kid making fun of another. In middle school and sometimes in high school i know i was an ass to a few people and today i wish i hadnt been. I only hope to raise my own kids to be repectful.</div>