What is the worst high school in America?

[bluestateguy]

We always hear all these ranking about the "best" schools in America, but which one is the worst?

I guess there are many methodologies that you could use: drop out rates, test scores, % who go to college, violence on campus, etc.

Any nominees?

[sasquatch]

1. The worst where I live in Dayton Ohio is Northridge High School

They had a 48% graduation rate and almost the lowest per capita income in the area. The weird thing was they played Oakwood the wealthiest area in Dayton in the SWBL.

[rucky]

26. Dayton has got to be among the worst.

If the charter school I worked at is any indication.

[sasquatch]

34. Our charter schools are the PITTS!

But then again they were set up to do that.

[KitchenWitch]

2. I am guessing that high schools in Compton, Watts, or Crenshaw rank up there

all in the LAUSD...scary places.

[silverojo]

5. Any HS in the LAUSD

With Mayor Viva La Raza at the helm, what can you expect? :(

[sandnsea]

15. Excuse me???

Are you fucking kidding me with that????

:wow:

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

28. No he isn't.

*Advanced search is your friend*

[sandnsea]

29. And yet, here it still is

And I call Hillary a slimeball and it's the end of the world. :crazy:

[Greyhound]

13. Check out the LAUSD administration building sometime.

Put "333 S Beaudry Ave Los Angeles, CA 90017" into google maps and zoom in.

While they boast a disintegrating infrastructure, no text books, record drop out rates, leaking roofs, broken windows, rampant crime, teacher shortages, unlivable teacher wages, etc., etc. Rest assured that the administration has one of the most opulent buildings on some of the most valuable real estate in SoCal. If you really want to get a feel for the obscenity, get inside the offices on the upper floors.

The term "palatial fortress of glass" comes to mind.

[cboy4]

14. I'm not sure if you're satisfied with what you wrote, but

to characterize Compton, Watts, or Crenshaw (all predominately black areas) as "scary places" is really unfortunate.

[Greyhound]

16. They're not scary because they're mostly black, that assumption is prejudice on your part,

they are scary because of the economic apartheid that is practiced all over America and especially in the South-Central region of Los Angeles.

[cboy4]

18. You know what? It doesn't make me joyous to hear someone

like you use the word "prejudice" in relation to my defense of minority neighborhoods.

You don't know a thing about me.

The bottom line is I have a problem with classifying a trio of black L.A. neighborhoods/cities as "scary." Just as I would an Hispanic or Asian or Gay or Russian or any other minority neighborhood.

Yea, I agree with your economic apartheid point, but there are ways to articulate without referring to whole areas as being scary. It's the situation that might be scary. Not the "places."

I'm not at all accusing KitchenWitch of saying these places are "scary" because they're mostly black. I just think the wording could have been different.

So speaking of words, I'd appreciate it if you'd not put words in my mouth.

You've really pissed me off with that prejudice comment. Ya know?

[Greyhound]

27. I don't care what you look like. Get in your car, drive 5 hours south,

and take a walk through any of those neighborhoods tonight, then come back here and tell us how they aren't, in fact, scary. Your misinterpretation of what she wrote was the problem, not her point.

Even, or perhaps especially, the people that live there will tell you that their neighborhoods are scary, so what's the problem? And BTW, South Central is far less black and more brown anyway. You're the one who tried to make this about race.

[Greyhound]

41. What? Not back from your trip yet? n/t

[KitchenWitch]

19. I am classifying the lack of resources those schools are given as scary.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. I have a good friend who teaches elementary school in LAUSD

They have a good superintendent. He used to be governor of Colorado. And she says the elementary schools in LA are pretty good. They have the same issues we do in the urban system where I teach - good elementary schools but high schools that are insane asylums. The elementary school where I teach is excellent. We always make AYP and we won an award from the state for excellence. But our high schools are so bad the state is threatening to take over our district. It's really frustrating, let me tell ya.

And no, the answer isn't easy.

[sandnsea]

3. Wherever Sherri Shepherd graduated from n/t

[sasquatch]

4. I'm afraid you're right

[Bozita]

42. a bit weak in history and earth science?

[cboy4]

6. The one that graduated the idiot in the White House....

It should have its license revoked.

[bluestateguy]

8. OK, Ha, Ha, you made a funny

now how about an honest answer to the question.

[cboy4]

10. Umm, yea. That was my honest answer because

this question is only going to inevitably lead to a list of schools in minority neighborhoods.

Right?

[Rosemary2205]

30. LOL

[alfredo]

33. He got a "gentleman's C."

[upi402]

7. dunno, but worst frat house is White and on Pennsylvania Ave

:spank: :beer: :beer: :silly: :crazy: :smoke: :toast: :party: :hippie: :evilgrin: :evilfrown:

[Bright Eyes]

9. Franklin High School, NJ

My Alma Mater. That place sucked.:rofl:

[951-Riverside]

11. How can I answer that without denigrating a certain group of people

I guess I can't. :shrug:

[Radical Activist]

12. Answering does denegrate a group of people

the politicians that are too spineless or racist to change our system of funding schools based on property taxes.

[flashl]

17. Makes you wonder whats gonna happen after housing meltdown

[Snarkturian Clone]

20. Trenton, NJ--- Camden, NJ

Some REALLY shitty schools. I used to work at a Trenton charter high school. It was actually considered one of the GOOD ones in the city and it was one of the worst places I have even been, let alone worked.

All the kids were Bloods gang members from different sets. Outside gang wars occured in the school and sometimes we had to lock down because the students would call the other gang members and we'd end up with 100 gangsters outside trying to get in. We had many teachers physically attacked, including myself. This was a school that got equal funding to some nice suburban schools but that funding doesn't mean shit when the students destroy everything.

We had parents who were OG's in the gangs threaten us if we didn't give good grades. The year I was there, only 2 of the students who graduated actually qualified for graduation.

We had security guards who were also gang members, getting involved with the gang fights. We had teachers that bought weed from the students.

We had an assistant principal whose daughter was in the school and was also a prominent gang member. That assistant principal didn't mind it, called it "Natural" fot a teen to be in the gang committing crimes.

We had a school play once and it turned into a giant brawl, with parents and students involved in the fighting.

Trenton's superintendant did a surprise visit only to find kids smoking weed in the doorway as she walked in.

And this was in my FIRST YEAR of teaching! I can't believe I made it the whole year.

[bluestateguy]

22. That's quite a story

Teachers just don't make enough money to put up with that kind of crap. As a result, many leave the profession. Teachers stuck in the schools you mention above jockey to leave for an affluent suburban school, and the cycle continues. I know there are a few dedicated teachers in these bad schools, but are just that, the exception and not the rule. I hear to many other stories about bored, washed up teachers just sticking it out in the crappy inner city school for the paycheck and the benefits, trying not to rock the boat or get stabbed, and counting the years until they can retire.

[toadzilla]

40. wow. Trenton is usually at the top of the most dangerous cities list.

[Ezlivin]

21. G.W. Bush High School in Dallas, Texas

Acceptable test answers include:

• I can't recall;


• I wasn't informed of that;


• That is a historical document;


• I've already given my answer and I won't answer it again;


• I'll look into it and get back to you.

[salin]

24. The Civil Rights Institute and Harvard did a study on "promotion power"

of urban highschools - that is how many students graduation within four years. I believe all major urban districts were included except LAUSD - due to something (I don't recall what) that made that district non-comparable. The urban school district at that time (I think the data went up through 1998) with the weakest promotion power (eg graduating the fewest number of students) was Indianapolis Public School - high schools.

I know that there has been little improvement in the graduation rates since that time, but I don't know that other schools/districts are still "better" which would need to be the case to classify these as the "worst."

[ThomWV]

25. The school will be found in Mississippi, Alabama, or West Virginia most likely

Maybe Arkansas, not sure where they rank relative to the bottom.

[Dorian Gray]

31. John Jay High School in Park Slope, Brooklyn

It's in an affluent neighborhood, but it's got one of the worst graduation records in the city. (I think only 35% graduate. It's something ridiculous!)

The schools in Park Slope are drastically improving, but the improvement is bottom up. (They start with the grammar schools, move up to the middle schools, and they have yet to address the high schools.)

[alfredo]

32. Crystal Meth High School Harlan County Ky.

[sasquatch]

35. My dad runs dune buggies through Harlan and Hazard KY

[alfredo]

36. When the revenuers killed white lightning, they grew pot. When they

cracked down on pot they went to pills. It's either oxycontin, meth, or flipping burgers at Mickey D's. What's left of Eastern Ky is beautiful, but mountain top removal will destroy much of what is left.

[AngryAmish]

37. Chicago has some terrible ones

Lazy teachers and administrators. Oh, a lot of them are straight up theives. If you live in Chicago and care about your kids, you don't send them to public schools.

[bluestateguy]

38. I hear Detroit is worse

There are some high schools with a 20% graduation rate in that city.

[Kucinich4America]

39. Todd Beamer high school, Federal Way WA

Actually, I know nothing about the school's academic rankings, but it's certainly the worst NAMED high school in the country. The fact that they named a school after a more than likely fictional character from a Bush Crime Family script in my allegedly "blue" state sickens me to no end. :puke:

[siri2k]

43. The name alone is a mega-barf alert!! n/t

[bluestateguy]

44. I'm not really sure how he was "fictional"

He was a real person, and by all accounts did something to try to take back Flight 93 from the hijackers. The exect details of what happened will probably remain nebulous.