Should retailers who legally sell cigarettes be allowed to book GED test appointments?

[Boojatta]

Most people don't have to travel far to buy a package of cigarettes. They have the convenience of paying cash. Of course, it's a question of priorities. As a society, do we value not only convenient access to hazardous, addictive products, but also convenient access to educational testing?

By "book GED appointments", I mean that the retailer would accept payment and that the purchaser would have an irrevocable right to undergo GED testing under ordinary test conditions, just as for all practical purposes a completed cigarette purchase transaction is irrevocable.

[Boojatta]

1. Kick to encourage at least one reply, especially to the question:

As a society, do we value not only convenient access to hazardous, addictive products, but also convenient access to educational testing?

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. But should it really be that convenient?

Education is really not a product you should be able to buy at a convenience store.

[Boojatta]

3. Why not?

I would think that, other things being equal, more convenience is better. In other words, provided that no compromise is made regarding the quality of the education received, more convenience is better. However, this thread isn't about paying a convenience store for education.

The Original Post doesn't propose that the retailer would in any way influence the nature of the educational testing that is to be conducted. For example, the Original Post doesn't propose that the retailer should be authorized to create an automatically official GED test. Nor does the Original Post propose that the retailer should be authorized to invigilate during testing.

The proposal is simply that retailers who legally sell cigarettes would have the option of accepting money to book an appointment for GED testing. The testing would be conducted by whatever organization is authorized to administer the tests in the relevant jurisdiction on the day of the testing. The test itself would be whatever is the official GED test in the relevant jurisdiction on the day of the testing.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. There is a process involved in taking the test

You can't just call and make an appointment. In my state, you have to meet with a counselor who examines your school records and determines if you need tutoring before you can take the test.

I really would rather not place that responsibility in the hands of a convenience store clerk.

[Boojatta]

6. When a counselor says that no tutoring is needed, is there a 100% guarantee of passing the test?

In my state, you have to meet with a counselor who examines your school records and determines if you need tutoring before you can take the test.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I do not know

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. Take your GED at Rosies Roving Restaurant?

That would be a Smart Roach Coarch?
Do you do timed segments in between stops? are you expected to pour coffee as well?
What are the requirements to be a Driver/Sandwich artist/test protor? What does it pay?

[Boojatta]

8. Kick

[Hannah Bell]

9. cigarettes have nothing to do with anything. like retailers are going to be booking ged appointments

WITHOUT MAKING A PROFIT ON IT.

That's what it has to do with, & I say no way.

no more government money to the private sector -- especially while you're laying off teachers & professors.

and no more ridiculous fees for students.

[Boojatta]

11. If the retailer is legally structured as a sole proprietorship...

then how do you determine what part of some income is a wage earned through time and effort of the sole proprietor, and what part is profit?

It occurs to me that there could be a monetary incentive for tobacco retailers to book GED appointments, comparable to the incentive to sell tobacco products. One could establish a non-profit organization and do fund-raising to pay something per booked GED appointment to all tobacco retailers who are willing to participate in the early stages of the experiment.

[Hannah Bell]

12. i don't give a damn. i don't want convenience store clerks scheduling ged appointments

& getting paid out of tax money.

and the only reason to do so = union-busting & taking down the public sector, this time against community colleges.

what is it with DU these days, anyway?

[tinymontgomery]

10. Just my two cents

GED's should be geared more to the vocational side. If the person dropped out then usually they didn't get into the 4 maths,, 4 English's etc. Many of the drop outs would do really well in the vocational side and we need people like that. I hire electricians, brick layers, carpenters etc all the time as a home owner, and to be honest I pay a fair amount for the work, not the cheapest not the most expensive but the fairest for the work. Some things I can do (really minor things) and a lot of things I can't. I remember when I went to high school, early 70's there were two types of schools, college prep and vocational. Now most vocational schools have been combined with the regular school and require almost the same college prep courses that the college prep diploma requires. And don't even get me started on how many different high school diplomas are out there. College prep, College tech prep, College vocational tech higher prep (okay I made that one up) but you get my point.