children out of school in america - University of Tennessee Digital ...

officials said it was too late in the year. They tried
two other schools but were turned down for the same
reason. Melvin then started night classes but had to
hitchhike six miles to get to the school and finaIly
quit. Neither Melvin nor Jim completed high school
and it is unlikely they'll ever go back to school.
"What right does a school official have to turn a
child away because it is too late in the year?" their
mother asked our monitor. "They couldn't care less
if a child is out of school or not."
Thirteen-year-old Danny refused to go to school.
Despite constant punishment by his parents, he continued
to sneak off and go home. He was last in
school in the fourth grade in 1969. His parents have
not heard from school officials in the last five years.
Our monitor, who knew Danny, said, "He needs
some counseling or help from someone. His parents
have tried to make him go to school. They have punished
him every way they know. I reaIly believe he
skipped school to get attention. He's very eager to
do things to please someone. If you don't ask him
to do something for you, he'Il ask you himself."
Seven-year-old Melanie is in a special school for
retarded children in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. Mrs.
Johnson doesn't know much about the program or
whether it helps or not but "half the time the school
doesn't even come to pick Melanie up. They pick
her up when they want to."
The Miller Children
The Millers have six children. The large, urban
high school their eldest daughter went to had a history
of racial problems following desegregation. No
blacks were allowed on the athletic teams or cheerleading
squad; tryouts were held before blacks were
admitted to the school. When blacks tried to organize
their own activities they were not aIlowed by the
principal to have separate clubs; he told them they
had to integrate.
Tensions were high. One day, a white teacher
slapped a black girl in class. Several students rushed
to her aid, and students from other classrooms filled
the hall, surrounding the teacher. One student hit
him. Later that day, the teacher accused Ellie Miller
of hitting him, although she denied the charge, saying
she was in the crowd, but trying to move out of
the way. Ellie was expelled from school, and the
teacher filed assault charges with the police. She was
sent home and a letter was mailed to the parents
notifying them of the expulsion.
When the Millers arrived for a hearing, four lawyers
representing the school were present. No one
had told the Millers they had a right to counsel. Another
hearing was scheduled. This time, Ellie was
represented by a lawyer but nevertheless was pronounced
guilty and denied readmission to high
school. Ellie was also tried in court, since the
teacher had filed a complaint, and was found innocent.
The principal of her high school and two others
in the area, however, refused to readmit her, despite
the court's finding. Ellie was out of school for 3Yz
months until the Millers found another high school
willing to let Ellie attend.
Ellie's brother, John, received a report card indicating
he had failed three subjects. But he had been
transferred from each of those classes at mid-year
because they were overcrowded. How could he fail
classes he transferred out of and not get grades from
classes he attended? The Millers asked the principal
to correct the error, but he said it was impossible
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