School Retention

Position Research Paper
Retention of Children in Schools

Presenting the Favorable Position (Pro) The topic of retention in schools has always been a very controversial issue. Our children are most directly affected by these decisions and thusly parents we go into protection mode seeking what is best for their child. The fact that it impacts their children in such a direct and forward fashion keep this topic at the forefront of education debates year in and year out. Every parent wants what is best for their kid, always seeking to make their childrens lives filled with more opportunities than they themselves were afforded. The parental instinct drives people to try and make decisions with the child’s best possible interests at heart.
In some places the retention rate for African-American and Hispanic children are as high as 50% which is an appalling number. Once a child is held back once they are much likelier to be held back again than children who were passed to the next grade. The blatant discrimination against minorities in holding children back shows a social problem of holding back only certain groups of children. Williams next point is one commonly brought up when discussing retention, gains are only short term. This is a huge problem because it defeats the entire point of holding a child back because they will quickly fall behind once again. The time period for losing these educational gains is usually 2-3 years. Just addressing the child’s lack of learning is not enough, if programs are not set up to give those children the one-on-one attention they need throughout their schooling retention was just a waste. Finally Williams addresses one of parents biggest concerns, the emotional distress of repeating a grade. Shane Jimerson, PhD., of the University of California is a nationally respected authority on retention. Jimerson cites that “grade retention was as stressful as the loss of a parent or going blind” (Williams). The level of stress and emotional turmoil that a child is forced to deal with for little to no benefit leads retention to be nothing more than an emotionally traumatizing
Stump recognizes that retention is often associated with increased behavioral problems. This is a very important piece of information because across the board the behavioral problems are likely to increase. That means that a child with behavioral problems will only worsen after being held back and a child who showed little to none behavior problems could very possibly develop them after retention. This just reinforces how hard it is for a child to go through being held back a grade. Stump continues, “grade retention is one of the most powerful indicators of a high school dropout” (Stump). The fact that there is a direct correlation to whether a child has been held back or not and the chances of them becoming a dropout in high school is very worrisome. How can we continue holding children back grades “for their own good” when in fact the evidence points that we are increasing the likelihood they will discontinue their education later in life. Stump concludes that although a few school districts who retain children have programs in place to help them many schools have none. More often than not the child is left without any specialized help or tutoring to help them better understand the material. Williams and Stump both give very logical and sound arguments as to why retention