Posted on 01/03/2004 4:08:58 AM PST by JustPiper
Confessions of a high-school dropout
On August 30, I wrote of my decision to dive into the public school system of Oklahoma and it's been quite an experience. This coming Monday, many Oklahoma public school students will be returning to school on the first day of the second semester.
I won't. I won't be returning to the government schooling system. Why? Because I'm a failure. I've fallen short of the bar, and I'm nothing short of a disappointment to society.
I've fallen short by failing to adopt the art of vulgar language in common speech. I'm assuming this falls under the subject of socialization, tolerance and multiculturalism, but I've failed to make the grade in this subject.
I've failed to accept the worldview of apathy. Although this is a philosophy that is widely accepted by my peers, brainwashing on the part of my parents has ingrained in me a sense of optimism. That optimism is what has helped make me a failure.
I guess I'm just anti-social, but I've failed to accept the social experience of getting drunk, the buzz of smoking marijuana or getting high from cold medicine, and I am fruitless in the social event of impregnating teenage girls.
I've failed to accept the idolization of sports. For some strange reason, I have looked at sports as an entertaining hobby, but I've failed to fall in line with the norm at my school by refusing to worship the institution of athletics with my time.
I've failed to accept the common practice of relinquishing the responsibility of my education over to the school. I've committed the evil practice of not trusting incompetent teachers and faculty members with my future.
I've refused to agree with sex education and other "health day" instructions on the part of education bureaucrats. It must be ridiculous for me to find the entire sex-education idea completely unnecessary.
I have not succeeded in denying the existence of reality, and I have been unable to live in the high-school dream world. This is the biggest failure of all: falling short of rejecting reality the real world of outcomes, investment and planning.
I have stopped short of accepting the rampant immoral behavior in which too many willingly indulge. I have refused to take part any longer in the way government schools wallow in mediocrity, and I have returned to an educational option that suits me best.
The bottom line is, probably as a result of the many years of homeschooling, I am a failure in public schools. I don't live up to their standards of socialization, responsibility, education and culture.
I fervently hope that you, the readers, will forgive me of my failures, and I surely hope my parents will still love me, despite my falling short of my peers. I'm what everyone hopes to avoid, I'm what countless ad campaigns hope to stop, and I'm what numerous organizations work to prevent I'm a high-school dropout.
Most of my kind doesn't have much of a future, since it's hard to find a decent job without a high-school diploma. However, I will be returning to schooling at home, despite its well-known failures.
Expounding on the shortcomings of homeschooling, the National Education Association passed a resolution in its 2000-2001 conference that states, "[We believe] that homeschooling programs cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience."
I experienced the comprehensive education of public schools, and I couldn't keep up. Still, I have hope for a good future ahead of me. Since homeschoolers are routinely 30 to 35 percent more competent and tend to accept the idea of moral absolutes and reality, I believe there is a great possibility of rehabilitation.
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wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams - |
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Who said their standards are right?
I fervently hope that you, the readers, will forgive me of my failures, and I surely hope my parents will still love me, despite my falling short of my peers. I'm what everyone hopes to avoid, I'm what countless ad campaigns hope to stop, and I'm what numerous organizations work to prevent I'm a high-school dropout.
You are not even close to being a failure sweetie! Your a published author for goodness sake and reams ahead of any so-called normal PE educated kid! I know I am proud as a homeschool Mom and knowing you as a Freeper I respect. You give me hope for my 15 year old, who is not exactly Jim Carrey socially -smile- but such a great human being and so danged smart my Geek is! Dropout?? You? Never, you'll have your PHD by 20!
Kyle Kyle Kyle...you want to be fruitless son... its the planting of the crop that you will find is most fun.
Kyle Kyle Kyle...you want to be fruitless son... its the planting of the crop that you will find is most fun.
Aim Low and shoot blanks, that's my motto.
Kyle, stand up for what you believe and you'll stand tall amongst your peers.
I spent over three decades working with "educated" people in Federal Government. By "educated" I mean those with a college degree.
In my work, we frequently asked interviewees to subscribe a simple statement. At first, I didn't think anyone could spell.
I later observed that both writing and spelling are personal abilities unknown to others until expressed; meaning, one may be able to hide this inability.
I remember one supervisor, who was well thought of by others. He was modeled as a delegator, as he had the office receptionist typing all of his work. What others saw of his work product, was what she typed. He was paid three times her salary. He could out-talk and out-argue anyone. He had a sharp mind, and his oral skills had purchased him great favor with others.
However, the time came that he had a sudden injury, surgery and unexpected retirement. We never saw him in the workplace again. The task fell on me to prepare his office for his replacement. In going through his files, I discovered in the man's own handwriting his inability to spell. The receptionist, also a college graduate, was able to privately transcribe his notes into polished documents. She was the one with the greater education. He was the one that received the pay and glory.
When the PC began to dominate the work force, transcription to a typing pool died, as many were able to generate their work product on their personal work computer. I watched as several dinosaurs struggled in the transition. Eventually, eMail has outed us all.
Some Freepers observe the occasional misspelling with glee. Other type without even knowing that they are demonstrating to the world their handicap.
I suggest that if you want to advance your "education", read everything you can, observe spellings, write and share with others, and welcome their feedback and corrections on both grammar and spelling. Do not hide any weakness in written skills, but hone them. Those with oral skills may be effective wherever they can find a soapbox, but here in the world of the Internet, written expression reigns as King.
What? What on earth are 'you' doing at FR?! You need to know, 1. Kyle is no ordinary young man and dropping out of 2.American PE system does not mean he is a dropout
It hoits (intentional. love West Side Story ;) anyway, it does upset me when someone butcher's the gentleman's English -g- And when I began homeschooling, after a failed attempt of private education with my oldest, I stressed going back to my roots of the Three R's. My son taught himself algebra at 10 (good thing). My daughter has an excellent command of English. Seeing how they have grown as 'good citizens' really touches my heart. I have the very same problems with defiance occasionally, as any so-called normal adolescent, but being Mom and teacher does have advantages -smiles-
Ther is a wonderful school in Illinois, that understands many parents cannot afford private school and will not subject their children to a metal-detector education. It has satellite correspondence that is exactly like their in-school curriculum and they grade, monitor and the kids can even graduate with the regular class if we choose. But we came to them late.
The social aspect is where homeschooling gets it's biggest critics. But I see many social imbeciles coming out of every school in this country.
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