Essay 1

Rachel Elder
Professor Andrew Smith
English 1020
9 February 2009
Teenagers are not Fit for Adulthood
High schools are the learning centers for teens all across America. Not only does high school provide an education but it also provides a social outlet for most teens. It is an experience that almost all Americans share with one another. From an eighteen year old eager college student to a seventy year old retired farmer—it is an experience that all Americans can look back on. It is a way of life as well as part of the American culture. From magazine racks to Hollywood movies such as Sixteen Candles and the Breakfast Club—high school is very much a part of our society. The time period in which teenagers walk the halls of high school is a time of adventure and self discovery for many. It helps shape teens for their future as well as prepares them for higher education. Imagine American society without high school. What would America be like if those last vital four years of learning were done away with? To many, this may seem like a ridiculous proposal—but not to Leon Bostein. In his writing Let Teenagers try Adulthood, he suggests that high school it a waste of time and that at age sixteen teens are ready for the “real world.” In no way could America benefit from such a proposal, sixteen year olds are not ready for adulthood. Teenagers should not try adulthood because they are not yet adults.
Overall, Bostein’s ideas of abolishing high school are simply absurd. However, he does make a few valid points throughout his writing. For some students, four years of high school is some-what a waste of time. There are a few students that exceed above and beyond high school expectations and at a younger age are already performing on a college level. “Most thoughtful young people suffer the high school environment in silence and in their junior and senior year mark time waiting for college to begin (140),” suggests Bostein. This suggestion may hold true to some teens. These particular over achievers should be permitted to an early graduation if they wish to do so provided that they have completed all requirements with exceptional grades. These are the only students that could possibly be mature enough to handle such a drastic change at an early age.
Although there is an exception as stated above, the majority of American teenagers should not be permitted to graduate at sixteen. There are already enough jobless adults in this country—do we really need jobless and homeless sixteen year olds as well? Furthermore, what kind of preparation would a sixteen year old have for college? Very little is covered in two years that could allow a student to be prepared enough to enter college and an independent life style. Bostein has poor reasons to back up his argument for an early graduation. He argues, “No other group of adults young or old is confined to an age-segregated environment, much like a gang in which individuals of the same age group define each other’s world (140).” If high school was done away with would it prevent cliques, violence, or age segregation—most likely not. Another scenario that Bostein uses to base his negative opinions on American high schools are the shootings that took place in a high school in Littleton, Colorado. Bostein explains, “The Littleton killers above and beyond the psychological demons that drove them to violence, felt trapped in the artificiality of the high school world and believed them to be real (140).” Maybe they did—maybe they did not, Bostein has no way of knowing how those students really felt or what triggered them to commit such a violent crime as murder. High school alone cannot be held accountable for such a tragic event. The only people responsible for this violent shooting are those who pulled the triggers themselves. Early high school graduation will not put an end to violence and murder—it will always be in the world. For that matter, the students involved were clearly very unstable people. What would have stopped them from murdering a college professor or taking the life of a co-worker? Early graduation is certainly not the solution to such a problem.
In conclusion, doing away with high schools in America would not be beneficiary to the young American teenager. High school if an important time and should be enjoyed and valued. America would not be right without high school. It has been around for years and should continue to be here for generations to come. High school will continue to be a place to learn, make life-long friends, and allow students to be one step closer to entering college and higher education. Bostein’s writing suggests high school as a negative experience for teens. Coincidently people often speak of high school years as an exciting time full of fond and positive memories.