Las Vegas Weekly

Skipping school

Bryce Harper, the local baseball phenom, Sports Illustrated cover boy and national debate topic, will soon earn his GED and move on from the halls of Las Vegas High.

So-called experts have said the 16-year-old’s decision to forego his final two years of high school to enroll in college—and gain eligibility for the 2010 MLB draft—makes a mockery of the educational system. Truth be told, the Clark County School District makes a mockery of itself with its 64 percent graduation rate.

Harper is going to gain career experience playing with a wood bat at the College of Southern Nevada. And he’ll be in college classes. Hopefully the education includes how to hit a slider and how to manage millions of dollars.