Education System

Okay, my friend ladybug requested to know my views on the education system. I'll split this into sections, from school, to college, and whatever else comes to mind after that. Keep in mind, I grew up in a small town in upstate NY, and the town was 88% White. The town's name is Canandaigua.

Grade School:
I have had quite a few problems in school, that led to my opinion.  I'll list them as I remember.. In about 3rd grade, I was playing on the monkey bars. I slipped, hit my head, and woke up in the nurse's office not remembering who I was. She told me I was faking it and to get back to class. I wandered around trying to find it until someone recognized me. I don't remember anything else.

In second grade, I got banned from the bookshelf for "reading too much". It still irritates me to this day. My dad came in and raised hell.  I don't really know how specifically this affected me, aside from the fact that I escaped into books even more, and nearly failed high school because of my escapism. I read during every class under the desk, the more stressed I got. Long story short, that really killed my trust in teachers.

It goes on and on, stuff like that. I was sent to anger management in 7th grade when a new girl came to the school, manipulated all my friends into liking her and then ditching me. Not knowing how to deal with that kind of pain, I wrote "I hate _____" over and over, and one of them went to the counselor acting like she was afraid I was going to kill her -_-

I have memory problems, read one of my past blogs for details. It's an obvious title. Because of this, I couldn't remember my homework. I didn't really know how to work around that issue, and with my dad telling me about how he'd gotten through school on tests(but that was a different time) I didn't really think much of it. Instead of the teachers asking me why I didn't do my homework (one did, and then acted like I was lying when I told her it was memory problems), they just assumed I didn't care enough.

And that's my biggest issue with our "normal" school system. Teachers and counselors don't really try hard enough to figure out things like that. I got detention for crying once in 4th grade because "I wouldn't calm down".  The kid who picked on me had NOTHING happen to him. It's hard to respect school when they treat you like that.

They could have asked me what I meant by I didn't remember, instead of assuming it was an excuse. I understand a lot of kids use excuses- not all do. I probably would have done a lot better in school had anyone acted like they gave a damn.

I failed English more than once. Obviously, I'm not stupid. (Whee, minor arrogant moment <3) However, when you give me a class first thing in the morning, I will forget homework even more than later in the day. I finally had to tell them to quit putting classes I do bad in for my first period of the day.

Another problem I had? Bullying. My father smoked a lot, and kids thought I was a drug addict. I have a jaw issue (Long story short, my lower jaw sticks out and my upper jaw is too small and my cheekbones are recessive),  and I got picked on for it. One kid in particular I'm not sure I'll ever forget. I've forgiven him, mostly, but it still hurts to remember him sticking his chin out in a parody of my face. Teachers didn't really care or do much about it, I finally had to drop out of science because I couldn't take it anymore.

We need MORE funding in schools, not less. This is the kind of thing that happens when you keep cutting funding. It's also what happens in a society where kids are expected to "toughen up".

College
I have not gone to college yet. One day I may, I'm not sure. I do know I want to go back and do some classes eventually. I have a major problem, though, with how much College is pushed to our youth and in general in our society. Kids in high school are pushed very hard by counselors to go to college.

Please note, I am not ignorant. I am well aware of the benefits of college. However, as an intelligent individual who has been poor her entire life, I'm also well aware of the drawbacks, including amazing amounts of debt, a bad job market, and a weak economy.

Anyway, I actually, perhaps because of my issues with school officials and their way of treating me, took offense to the fact that the counselor was trying to tell me I would never amount to anything because I didn't go to college.  They act as though you can only get crappy minimum wage part time jobs.  They completely dismiss the idea of working for yourself, of creativity, of forging your own path. Instead they tell you to follow the safe route, basically.

However, because kids are shoved through school so quickly, and not given a chance to really think on what they want to do, many kids who graduate High School and go into college end up being in for longer because they discover they did not want to go for what they were going for.  The bills rack up.

Now, I'm not saying don't go to college. This is an opinion of mine based upon my own experience and observations. Some people need college. Some people need the structure, the socializing, etc. Some people are very happy in college. I might be when I go back, who knows. But there are all these ideas we are force-fed, that if we don't go to college NOW, NOW, NOW we never will go. There are still ways to make money without going to college.

Besides, the institution of College is incredibly expensive now, and those who go and get a degree may emerge without a job ready for them.

By all means, go if you want to enrich yourself. I just find it sad that we are taught that's the way of the world, and expected, though in today's age it's not true. I mean, it is expected, but you can be wildly successful without a bachelor's degree.



In short, the government needs to quit pissing our money away on weapons to kill non-white people with, and spend it on education for our children. Just because Republicans want stupid kids so that it's easier for them to be believed in their pathetic lies, that doesn't mean we don't see through it.

As for College- Go *for you* not for anyone else. If you go for anyone else, you won't feel fulfilled .Follow your heart, even if that means going a different direction than others may want for you.