- Joined
- May 14, 2011
- Messages
- 513
- Reaction score
- 1
I went to a private school for Kindergarten (my mom worked at the daycare it was a part of, so it was free); however, since then, I have been going to public school (essentially, I am finished now and headed to college). Other than a few really amazing and influential teachers, I have nothing positive to say about the experience. As far as I am concerned, it has given me nothing and, ultimately, has only left me struggling and trying to pick up the pieces. Most of what I learned, I taught myself. By the way, I do not live in an inner-city, poor neighborhood, either, so it is not an issue of that.
I was actually talking to a friend about this yesterday, and this is the summary I gave of my experiences:
My pre-K (1 1/2 - Preschool) and K years were in private school, because my mom worked there (still does) and got free tuition. They were great and even offered me the chance to enter K early (my mom declined, in fear of emotional damage *sigh*). They didn't force me to "sit still and listen, don't move, don't make a sound" or work on assignments I had already mastered. When they realized I was reading and writing at way above average level, they allowed me to self-pace and do my own thing, so to speak. Then I entered public school, because the private school only went up to K and we had no money, and it crushed me. I'm still not recovered from those first few years, really. In the private school, nobody had tried to get me to fit a mold I couldn't. In public school, it didn't matter if I could read at a college level in 1 - 3rd grade, I still had to sit through all the same lessons (don't speak, don't move, don't sleep, stop daydreaming!, pay attention already and stop being lazy! She can never sit still and listen, have you considered medication?), day after day after day, as everyone else - even though I had mastered the material years ago. They never gave me extra or level-appropriate work, despite my requests (yes, I wanted to have more work!) and said I thought I was better than everyone else, "every child is gifted" (of course they are - what does this have to do with anything?), I think I'm entitled, I'm just lazy, etc. Told me to use smaller words, because I would hurt everyone's feelings. Yelled at me and wrote me up - in front of everyone - for bringing in adult level books to read in free time because they were not 'appropriate" (they were not erotica! Charles Dickinson, Shakespeare, Plato, etc). The harder I worked and the more I did, the more I was punished, screamed at and insulted. I eventually broke down, got tired of being abused, ignored and suppressed. I stopped doing the work and dropped to a C average, despite my abilities. All the while, they just kept yelling - they were right all along, I was just a lazy screw up (quoted directly). We went to the principal, to the district. We didn't think we were better than anyone (heck, as a kid, I had awful self-esteem), we didn't think we were entitled, we just wanted them to work with us - even if that just meant allowing me to do extra, more challenging work after I had already finished the assigned assignments (so, in free time). I wanted to do well, I wanted to be challenged and to learn; I just wasn't getting that. The school didn't care. We told them what I needed academically, what was wrong - but, over and over again, it wasn't them, I was in the wrong. I was the brat. All they cared about was what I and everyone else scored on those ridiculous standardized tests because, by the government's (No Child Left Behind) logical, if a student was doing well on those, their academic needs were obviously being met.
It also becomes a catch-22 because I couldn't move into honors or AP unless I got a certain GPA; but that GPA became so hard to maintain in the situation. To deal with things, I ended up signing up for night classes at the local State Uni, and now the local CC as well (so I can take more credits beyond the limits imposed on non-matriculated students), which was the only educational environmental I felt somewhat at home at. The relief I feel that I only have a semester to go of this public school BS is far stronger than I could ever actually articulate.
It also becomes a catch-22 because I couldn't move into honors or AP unless I got a certain GPA; but that GPA became so hard to maintain in the situation. To deal with things, I ended up signing up for night classes at the local State Uni, and now the local CC as well (so I can take more credits beyond the limits imposed on non-matriculated students), which was the only educational environmental I felt somewhat at home at. The relief I feel that I only have a semester to go of this public school BS is far stronger than I could ever actually articulate.
By the way, this worked in the reverse, as well. If a student was struggling or actually diagnosed learning disabled, the school would often rush to label them special education and claim they could not succeed there, suggesting either the public or numerous private alternative schools in the area. The kids who stayed, despite the pressure, were often bullied, harassed and denied services by the school. I know numerous families who have hired educational lawyers to get the school to do what it legally should be and I know of one is who is even considering a class-action law suit. I understand the desire to do these things (sue); but, for some reason, I can't see that solving it. It seems to be a greater problem, one within the system, instead of any particular school.
But, yes, the system is a mess. Kids succeed, of course; however, in my experience, the ones who do fit the fold or, if they don't, come from stable - emotionally and financially - families who can fight for them. Many of the others fall through the cracks.
Last edited:
