School horror stories

(self, vanity)

[laurav]

I'm trying to compile a list of "school horror stories," specifically ones that deal with bright children's minds being numbed by school in the name of egalitarianism. Example: a musical prodigy forced to play in an elementary school orchestra. A kid who already reads forced to take quizzes on the letters, because to let him move on would violate the principle of social justice. Can anyone help me out?

[laurav]

Thanks!

[HairOfTheDog]

Gotta love people with an axe to grind....

a musical prodigy forced to play in an elementary school orchestra.

FORCED? By who? - Orchestra is completely optional. If a child is forced to play in orchestra, it is by his parents, not the school. And a talented child participating in orchestra with other kids his age is considered oppressed now?

I applaud people who have the time, talent and energy to home school. But not all schools are the evil boogey man, and you have so much bias and no apparent call for proofs in the question. The product of this research of yours is going to be worthless, you realize that?

At least try to hide your agenda! Just a recommendation.

[T. P. Pole]

My wife volunteered at my son's school two years back (second grade). She noticed that if she got there early, that our son was sitting at his desk with his head down.

We also noticed that he was bringing home hundreds of pages of doodled paper. When we asked about it, it turns out that that was math, and the teacher booked an hour for the lesson each day. He "got it" and when the ten minutes it took him to finish the assignment were over, he was told to doodle or nap while the others caught up.

We have homeschooled since.

[Corin Stormhands]

I'm trying to compile a list of "school horror stories,"

Why?

[dd5339]

Tx,

I'm guessing that the homeschool crowd might have a few stories to tell!

Semper Fi

[laurav]

FORCED? By who? - Orchestra is completely optional.

not in this school in question it wasn't. The young man I'm referring to played the piano beautifully, but that didn't count. Had to be a stringed instrument, and he had to play in 4th grade orchestra.

I agree that some schools are quite good. I'm collecting stories on the ones that aren't.

[Corin Stormhands]

The young man I'm referring to played the piano beautifully, but that didn't count. Had to be a stringed instrument, and he had to play in 4th grade orchestra.

If it was part of a regular class curriculum why is it an evil thing to learn a new instrument?

[ecurbh]

The young man I'm referring to played the piano beautifully, but that didn't count. Had to be a stringed instrument, and he had to play in 4th grade orchestra.

Well, piano ain't exactly a school ensemble instrument. The first time I remember piano being used in school (other than accompanying the choir or for solo festivals) was in Jr. High jazz band. I still don't get the beef here.

[D.P.Roberts]

Not so much a horror story as a silly one: homeschooled girl types 90+ wpm, has to take a year-long keyboarding
class upon transfering to public school.

D.P.Roberts

[weikel]

My Middle School pre 8th grade felt like Stalin's Russia I don't remember a lot of the details I blocked most of it out. I remember I had a higher IQ before I went there and the pointless busywork crowded out all the independent reading I did before it.

[weikel]

It may not be optional Orchestra ussually is but not always.

[HairOfTheDog]

why is it an evil thing to learn a new instrument?

Really good question Corin.... What is the harm in a fourth grader learning a new instrument?

[HairOfTheDog]

My Middle School pre 8th grade felt like Stalin's Russia I don't remember a lot of the details I blocked most of it out.

A bit on the dramatic side there, weikel.

[weikel]

Not really in 7th grade I was contemlating suicide fairly often things got better in 8th grade 5th 6tyh and 7th grade were 3 years of hell I don't think I could have taken another year.

[HairOfTheDog]

Weikel... Your situation was not normal then, and I don't know what to tell you. Honestly.

[weikel]

I loved High School, but the prisonlike atmosphere of my Middle School coupled with bad faculty( my homeroom teacher in 6th grade was certifiable and 7th grade I had a real manhater math teacher) and bad kids running around( in High School most of the real troublemakers were expelled in the 1st 2 months, in Middle School I was often in trouble for fighting with them luckily the VP was one of the few honorable people there and he knew who was really the source of trouble) coupled with pointless busywork and leftist indoctrination took quite a toll on me.

[Corin Stormhands]

Not really in 7th grade I was contemlating suicide fairly often things got better in 8th grade 5th 6tyh and 7th grade were 3 years of hell I don't think I could have taken another year.

Maybe your school wasn't the greatest, but your trauma was more likely attributed to the raging hormones of puberty than the failing public school system.

[weikel]

Believe me no.