State Journal: Not-so-fond farewells

At least one Wisconsin lawmaker is saying good riddance to 16- and 17-year-olds who don't want to be in school.

Sen. Joseph Leean has proposed letting children as young as 16 leave school--provided they have parental permission and have either lined up full-time work or enrolled in a job-training program. The proposal goes beyond Gov. Tommy G. Thompson's call to lower the compulsory-attendance age from 18 to 17.

Mr. Leean, a Republican from Waupaca, expressed impatience with his opponents, including state schools superintendent, John T. Benson, who have said 16-year-olds are too young to be going out into the world without a diploma. In a May 10 letter to newspaper editors, the senator asked why people would be so concerned with "some very disruptive, unmotivated, and violent students" whose behavior "is stealing the educational opportunity from the...