My Brother Is Not In School

Hello,

My younger brother (15) has not attended school in a few years and I (19) want to help him somehow. It starts in eighth grade, where he dropped out halfway through because he caused a disturbance (I think he knocked over a desk in anger) at the school. The next year (ninth), he did not attend the first half of the year; however, the next half of the year he did attend online school (but was enrolled in the eighth grade to complete his second half from the previous year) but he barely did any of the work and did not learn much. I felt very bad for him and saw he was having a hard time so I tried to help him with his online school, but he did not feel like doing it. Now, present-day (supposed to be in tenth... or is it ninth? I don't know anymore) he is still not enrolled in ANY education. The school year started a week ago and I am trying to get my parents to enroll him in some form of education. I feel bad, he is a very smart kid but he is going to have a hard time in the future doing things like the SAT and getting a good job. My parents said he will get his GED; however, I feel like my brother should at least experience some school. At the moment, he plays video games all day.

My parents tell me it is none of my business. My stepdad has cheated on my mother twice in the past five years (and both of my parents act like it never happened) and I feel she is not the same person she was five years ago, as she never let me even stay home from school when I was my brother's age. She keeps saying she'll figure out my brother's education, but I am doubting this as it has been a few years now. Perhaps this heartbreak has damaged her common senses. She was very angry both times he cheated, as she threw a TV out the window in both scenarios.

I want to become a teacher, as I am going to my community college for that. I feel like I am a failure already as I cannot provide my own brother with an education - how am I going to teach others?! I feel immense guilt over this, I am even considering not pursuing my educational career. I want to help my brother, but I feel like I am powerless to do anything. My friends tell me to do nothing, that I should care about myself right now but that is just not me. Is there anything I can do? What should I do? Should I even do anything? Is this educational neglect?

Sorry for the long post! I am just freaking out right now, as I foolishly expected my mother to enroll my brother in school this year.

(I should add, this is in the United States)

Submitted September 16, 2020 at 10:58AM by EggsAndToast23 https://ift.tt/3knBK8z