Okay, between the ever popular cops vs. skaters war, dealing with angry asscannons at spots, and the swine flu from the South of the Border, I have to attend the pile of dirtyness which is the American High School.
I've got nothing agaisnt spending my time there. I've got nothing agaisnt my friends and other people I come into contact with. I've got nothing agaisnt learning. I'm all eyes and ears.
Nevertheless, I think American high schools are pieces of junk. Especially in places like California where the school board thinks that they can stuff 35+ students into one classroom. But it's more than that, there's so much more going on at these schools that haunts me.
The way I see it, there's a raging whirlpool. The whirlpool grows larger and larger as more students and teachers are sucked into it. It feeds on students, it grows on power. It's like this:
Teens are forced into school to learn. There they are taught in a "nurturing" environment. Things and phrases that are supposed to make you feel special and good starting from a young age. Well what about when you're a teenager? You're sick of this shit, so you rebel. Now the rebels get disciplinary punishment, which is, skipping school for a week or so, and forging a signature on a referral. The rebels come back, fired up more than ever to cause wrongdoings. They'll make jokes and demand as much attention as possible because they're missing that at home. They don't care enough about the world, because their world doesn't care enough about them. And you know what teachers and staff do? They complain. Every day, each day, that these kids are bad, will never be role models, and we must separate them from the "good" crowd. Day in and day out this is what I see.
If someone could just sit down and have a talk with these kids, maybe they could've turned out a little bit better. Maybe they could've cared about their future.
Why don't teachers care? How about this: take a crummy, low paying job, add being bossed around by people who know nothing at all about school life, and sprinkle on a touch of rebellion. Then, take away the respect that the public used to give to teachers. Plus, take the fact that most of the school board, who runs the schools, have never taught nor have been involved in some kind of school management, and throw around budget cuts like confetti. I would feel bad too, but I have no right to say whether or not I would be the savior teacher. After all, I am not a teacher.
Every once in a while I'll get teachers like my 8th grade history teacher who will buckle up and help you out. People like him are miracles. People like him care.
As more and more teens are sucked into this lost whirlpool, other's expectations keep dropping, so students expectations drop. What's going to be left if this goes on? Certainly not something productive.
I may be writing an opinion, but it is an opinion that is based on facts.
