Regardless of whatever formula the state or the county is using to calculate the drop-out rate for the students in Selma and Dallas County, it is irreleveant.

We cannot afford to have even one student fall through the cracks. As long as one student in our school system is deeming it worthless to have an education, we as educators and role models are not doing our jobs.

Dallas County has a chronic unemployment problem that has and will continue to plague our community as long as we allow students to drop out of high school.

Educators need to reach out and teach to everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and put each of our high school students in a position where they will thrive in the real world.

The only way to win this uphill battle is to prepare the students to take a position — whatever position they can — to assist employers thoughout Selma and all of Dallas County.

This is no easy task, and no one is saying otherwise, but local elected officials and state legislators need to do all they can to appropriate funding so education is a top priority.

We must continue to find ways to invest in education to positively affect the future leaders of our community.

Numbers are nothing more than marks on a piece of paper. Our students are intellectuals with endless possibilities. Lets not let marks hold back our students.