I’m not the only one doing fantasy today. But my fantasy is pretty small potatoes compared to what the mayor of Chicago has come up with.
Mayor Rahm “No Immigration Law Here” Emanuel has decreed that, starting with the class of 2020, no Chicago high school student can receive a high school diploma unless he or she has a “life plan” which is to go into effect right after graduation ( http://www.newser.com/story/240905/no-plan-after-high-school-no-diploma-says-chicago-mayor.html ).
He stopped short of telling the graduates just what life plans will be acceptable. Go on to college, or community college, or join the military–these “life plans” are expected to bag you a diploma.
I wonder what they’d say about, “Well, I plan to have a couple of out-of-wedlock children, then win the lottery and go out West and buy a horse farm.” Or “My plan is to become famous!” Or “King o’ the world, baby! I’m gonna be king o’ the world!”
And what happens if your formally stated life plan doesn’t work out? Like, things change and for some reason you can’t join the military. Do they take back your high school diploma? How much time will they give you to put your life plan into action. And what if you just simply change your mind about what you want to do? Can you be charged with fraud? Obtaining a high school diploma under false pretenses?
Really, this doesn’t sound like it’s been thought out all that carefully. If this were a fantasy novel, it wouldn’t hold up at all. The reader would just walk away from it.
But the fantasies concocted by our politicians–Heaven help us, those we’re stuck with!
I’m always astounded by the degree to which the Left thinks you can plan ahead and everything will just work out. Very little in my life’s path has happened as I had planned or envisioned. To make matters even more complicated, our nation is in debt to such a degree that our economy doesn’t strike me as being predictable.
Just a month or two back, a self-professed liberal of my acquaintance told me that home prices will continue to rise from now on. One thing I’ve learned, is that when virtually everyone climbs upon the bandwagon of some economic theory, that signals a reversal against that theory. In 1929, no one could imagine anything but growth, then there was no growth for years on end.
I wish I had a life plan, but I don’t. If I wake up tomorrow, I’ll go about my business for that day. That is, and remains, my life plan.
Any life plan a high school senior comes up with should be viewed with suspicion automatically. No 18-year-old knows enough yet to be able to plan his whole life. And in fact, if he’s already planned everything down to the last detail, he’ll probably fail, because he hasn’t allowed room for the unforeseen, for unexpected opportunities, or even for learning anything beyond what he already knows or thinks he knows. Besides, when he knows his graduation depends on his coming up with an “acceptable” life plan, he’ll probably lie his head off.
But then again, maybe this is a stealth exit exam to see whether he can spell his name and construct a coherent sentence — or sentence fragment — by the time he graduates.
“maybe this is a stealth exit exam to see whether he can spell his name and construct a coherent sentence — or sentence fragment — by the time he graduates.”
Yep! Anyone that can do those things will probably be viewed with suspicion from then on.
Question: What if some kid’s life plan is to stay in high school forever? Then they can’t let him graduate without scuttling his life plan, but then that would actually fulfill his stupid plan, and then… and then… I have to stop this now, my head is hurting.
My question is this – how can they be expected to write a life plan when they can’t read or write? Your idea is probably the closest to reality, Lee – professional students.
Good point.