October 2002
Should minors be allowed to enroll in community colleges?
Please e-mail responses to Communications Director Keri Goulart, kgoulart@faccc.org by October 31 (use the subject "October Question")
Your responses will be published here at www.faccc.org and may be published in other FACCC publications.

Thu 10/31/2002 4:14 PM, SheppaM@scc.losrios.edu (Marian Sheppard)
Yes. In my job as Counselor/Transfer Center Director, I have met minors who are clearly ready for a college experience. They are unusual. This why all minors should be evaluated for maturity and current school performance. It should be an educational decision whether they are here, not a right.

Thu 10/31/2002 4:04 PM, lesabrash@aol.com
Yes, if they are ready for it. I remember when my son was 15 and a sophomore in high school. He was ready and wanted to take computer classes. Wouldn't let him. As a senior, he was taking honors math classes at Cal. I've also  had some young kids in my chemistry classes; some do well and some do not. But for those who can handle it, why not?

Thu 10/31/2002 2:26 PM, ncowan@gw5mail.clpccd.cc.ca.us (Nancy Cowan, Chabot College)
It depends on the age of the minor . . . and the time of the class. Some minors (for example age 9 and around that age) taking evening classes are at risk for a variety of problems — not the least of which can be violent acts from predators. They are simply not prepared for what is "out there." Nor are they sociologically prepared to deal with some of the the types of issues that go on in college.

Thu 10/31/2002 11:21 AM, ALVARADO_MARIA@smc.edu (Maria Alvarado, Santa Monica College)
Should minors be enrolled in community colleges? This is a continuous question that came up in Academic Senate Professional Ethics committees. For example, a minor enrolls in a course and leaves the class before the class has ended for a particular day or evening. Minors fall under the "Loco Parents" guideline. Therefore, who is responsible for a minor if they attend college courses? Is the administration and who specifically is that person within the administration? Or is any one responsible for the minor?

This question has not yet been resolved as to whether the instructor or anyone is really responsible for the minor until the minor arrives home safely. It is difficult to be responsible if minors leave in the middle of classes and does not go directly home. Therefore more clarification is needed in this area and others areas before allowing minors to take college courses.

There are many other factors involved and should be seriously considered. There are legal matters, parental acceptance that no one maybe in charge of the minor. There is much in question from this perspective to define as well as others perspectives first before allowing minors to attend college.

Wed 10/30/2002 12:01 PM, CMachalinski@dvc.edu (Catherine Machalinski)
No. At DVC parents have begun putting their 14-15 year olds into our summer school classes. Most of these kids are not ready for college level coursework. They are keeping other students out of our classes. Many end up dropping the course. Also, some high school counselors appear to be sending their students who flunked biology to DVC to "make-up" the class! These kids, who couldn't pass a high school class, do not belong in a college-level class. It seems to be a growing problem.

Wed 10/30/2002 11:31 AM, Smith_John@rsccd.org (John Smith)
The ability to offer adults a variety of courses dealing with topics from career education to parenting seems to say that there are topics unsuitable for minors in our curricula. Human sexuality to literature to abnomal psychology to philosophy of religions are not courses which include topics that all parents (guardians) are open to discussing with their children. Furthermore, sequential topics like pre-calculus, organic chemistry, English composition or any language course cannot give a student the coverage of material available through a year long high- or middle school course. I strongly believe that students should not take these classes to skip ahead in K-12. Using these classes as make-up for courses not passed in K-12 is edgy.

Finally, the inclusion of adult themes in drama and art classes means we recognize a dividing line between content appropriate for minors versus content appropriate for adults. those adults who do not want to deal with these topics vote with their feet - they don't attend - but does a minor child have the same reasoning power to know when a topic is being presented that he/she is not mature enough to deal with?

K-12 schools are formed to pass on heritage, form the basis of critical thought and have time to build minds from concrete to abstract thinking skills. Community colleges assume those processes, even in remedial education, and hone critical thinking skills. We cannot be all things to all people, especially when the people are minors to be covered by K-12 education.

Wed 10/30/2002 10:48 AM, Barcela@arc.losrios.edu (Anthony Barcellos, American River College)
Not ordinarily. I would make the occasional exception for minors who have achieved high school equivalency or early graduation and have nothing more to gain from secondary school. We do offer many developmental courses that are the equivalent of high school courses, but these are geared to adults who are trying to fill in gaps in their education, not to minors who would rather skip high school. I particularly do not want minors to be competing with our adult students for spots in classes they should be taking in high school.

10/30/2002 10:13 AM, Manzano_Rick@rsccd.org (Rick Manzano)
No.

Wed 10/30/2002 9:10 AM, Jim.Custeau@gcccd.net (Jim Cousteau, Cuyamaca College)
I don't believe the question is properly worded. By law a minor is a person under 18 years of age. As you already know, young people who are 16 years of
age and junior status in high school can and do regularly enroll in community college classes. Honestly, I believe that is a good cut-off point. I don't think our community colleges should be enrolling 10 and 12 year olds.

Tue 10/29/2002 10:54 PM, EDiablo@aol.com
depending on how old. ,but not before 16.

Tue 10/29/2002 9:54 PM, raythel@ix.netcom.com, (Thelma Epstein)
Minors are already enrolled in community colleges. De Anza College has a program for juniors and senior in high school in which students enroll in college courses which count toward their graduation requirements from high school and also give these students a start in college. De Anza also enrolls thousands of minors in summer day camp activities. Community colleges are for people of all ages.

Tue 10/29/2002 9:24 PM, dcollins@glendale.edu (Deirdre Collins)
No. There are a number of policy issues that must be faced when discussing whether minor students should be able to enroll in community college classes. These issues should be discussed in terms of what would be best for larger population groups, such as recently laid-off workers, and not in terms of what might be best for certain, special, individual students.

First, given the difficulties many adult students face getting into classes, as a result of student enrollment growth the community college system is facing as a result of Tidal Wave II and the poor economy, it seems very strange that the system should encourage minors (who have their own, better funded K-12 educational system) to enroll in community college classes. Minor students use resources that would be better spent on adult students, who do not have any alternate educational systems to turn to.

Second, a great deal of research has already be done that shows that the success rates for minor students enrolled in community college classes is abysmal. Even fairly mature high school students are seldom capable of displaying the personal responsibility required in order to succeed in college classes. They expect a level of monitoring by the instructor that is not provided in college courses. For every amazing success story featured in a local paper, there are 80 to 90 failures. The waste of resources expended on these other students is quite distressing because these are resources that could have been spent on needy adult students trying to retrain after being laid off, or single mothers trying to improve their job skills in order to better suppor their families, or transfer-bound students.

The issue of allowing minors to enroll in the community college system is fueled by a few, extremely special cases. Public policy decisions on how to allocate scarce educational dollars should not be based on what would be best for a single exceptional 12-year-old with an I.Q. of 175, but, instead, on what would be best for 10,000 middle of the road 18- to 85-year-olds. The average 12-year-old is better served by his or her local junior high.

Tue 10/29/2002 8:09 PM, teribern@cpl.net (Teri Bernstein)
Absolutely. Anyone achieving a 1000+ score on the SATs — even if still in middle or high school — have probably demonstrated an "ability to benefit" from classes and should be allowed to enroll in community college classes. Additionally, they should be permitted to increase their seniority by completing classes successfully, just as other students are (currently they have to actually reapply for admittance each semester, even if they are carrying a 4.0). Faculty need to be trained, however, as to their additional responsibilities to minor students (reporting evidence of child abuse; emergency care, etc.).

Tue 10/29/2002 6:12 PM, DGood95310@aol.com
Yes, why not?

Tue 10/29/2002 6:15 PM, CShackett@srvc.net (Chuck Shackett)
No.

Tue 10/29/2002 5:28 PM, Henrybud@aol.com
I would only favor allowing high seniors to attend a community college with the recommendation of a counselor.

Tue 10/29/2002 4:32 PM, bob_miller@wvmccd.cc.ca.us (Bob Miller)
Yes.

Tue 10/29/2002 4:06 PM, Rockoff_Sheila@rsccd.org (Sheila Rockoff)
Yes, but not for "transfer" credit classes

Tue 10/29/2002 3:10 PM, aysunza@santarosa.edu (Ysunza Anne)
Only if they can demonstrate that something beyond regular HS curriculum is needed before age 18. Those at developmentatl levels should not be trying to make up credits missed in HS. The purpose should be enrichment only, not to make up credits, or attending college because of discipline problems in HS.

Tue 10/29/2002 2:47 PM, marting@crc.losrios.edu (Gary Martin, Consumnes River College)
Yes. The Los Rios Community College District recently revisited its policy on this and revised the district policy and guidelines on "Advanced Education." A new 'enrollment' form which must be signed by the student, the student's parents, the student's HS counselor and a college counselor before college admission explains the process. Parents, for example, may not inquire about grades. Minors MAY be subjected to adult issues common in a college classroom about controversial topics. A faculty member's academic freedom may not be infringed. A variety of other issues and concerns were discussed at the distirct and local Academic Senates last year, but this work is essentially complete now.

Tue 10/29/2002 2:29 PM, piercebob@fhda.edu (Robert Pierce)
Yes, minors should be allowed to enroll in CC, but they must understand it is an adult environment.

Tue 10/29/2002 2:23 PM,dquatrar@bc.cc.ca.us, (Dee Quatraro)
Yes. Many high school students elect to "jump start" their college education by taking college classes. Some students want to pursue areas of interest not offered at the high school level--or simply want to be exposed to subject areas that may help them determine future major or career goals.

Tue 10/29/2002 2:19 PM, deamer@smccd.net, (Patricia Deamer)
We already have concurrent enrollment which is for high school students and the majority are minors. Those students that finish high school prior to becoming 18 years of age are allowed to enroll. If I am not mistaken, this is a moot question. If I am in error please correct me.

Tue 10/29/2002 2:15 PM, aodonnell@santarosa.edu, (O'Donnell Anne)
Yes, of course they should!!! Both my daughters enrolled and reaped the benefits of CC instruction while still minors.

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