The book focuses on four teens who dropped out of high school. Their reasons for dropping out included childbirth, substance abuse, gang activity, unpleasant school experiences with classmates and academic difficulties. Teens who drop out of school before graduating pay a high price in the job market, finding themselves in dead-end jobs that pay little and offer no hope of promotion. In addition, the lack of education costs American businesses more than $25 billion in on-the-job education for workers who lack some of the most basic skills in reading, writing and math. Dropouts cost the taxpayer as well. Teens who drop out of school are far more likely to require welfare benefits than those who stay in school. The four teens’ stories demonstrate a litany of poor choices, short-sighted thinking and self-gratification. Nevertheless, their identities remain distinct, their personalities diverse. Before politicians can address the problems of school dropouts, homelessness and other societal ills, they should see the victims as individuals, not simply as an undifferentiated, stereotypical mass. The book contains names and addresses of organizations to contact for more information about teen dropouts. Bibliography, index