LETTERS: EDUCATION VITAL TO GOOD JOB, POTENTIAL EARNINGS

To the editor:

I would support legislation mandating that any high school student who wishes to drop out be allowed to do so only after passing a high school diploma equivalence exam.

I dropped out at 16 due to the unexpected pregnancy of my high school girlfriend. My choices seemed simple: Go to school or support my child. As adult as I thought I was, nothing had prepared me for the real world. Seeing this after the first week of being refused work because of not having a GED and refusing to accept charity, I scheduled the test at the first available date. Getting my GED was only the first step. Getting experience was another.

Today I have a good job, but it didn't come overnight. It took 10 years of working lousy jobs and lousy hours for very modest pay. I only say this in hope that someone might read this and give it some thought before making hasty decisions.

Looking back, I would have done much better much faster had I toughed it out swinging work and school. If a young man or woman feels college isn't for them, I recommend signing up for trade-related courses, getting the grades and looking into a technical school if not the military after high school. Just a thought.

VERN DAVIDSON

Scott City, Mo.