[ConservPhant]

When I first read your post, frankly, I was insulted.

I am a 16 and a sophomores in suburban Virginia. I am in public school and have always been. My high school is more than 800 students over capacity and we, as well as the middle schools, have trailer complexes. There is a high school being built, but it will not be ready until I am in college.

I have been in an honors class since I was in 1st grade. I would be pulled out of class along with about 20 other kids. The subject would differ every year, but was usually science or English. In 5th grade, I started the elevated, or honors, math class.

There are very few "beasts" as you describe. I am never on "pins and needles," as another poster mentioned, to avoid offending anyone. There are no roving gangs in my school, nor where some friends go in the city. While a good many are rude and disrespectful, there are few that dare cut up in class, especially the honors.

In every class, there is only as much disrespect as the teacher allows. By the end of the first class, we know how much he/she will take and adjust accordingly. How much of this "disrespect" is from past years when they got away with it?

I have never been in a "wild" class. From Kindergarten, teachers have always had control. In the regular classes, and everyone has to take some, there is more talking and more disrespect, but I have yet to see a teacher lose all control.

In every single honors or advanced class I have ever taken, there has been little need for classroom control, as the kids actually worked! The best teachers make us think and perform beyond our abilities. From my 15 or so different honors teachers, only my Algebra I was not adequate for the job, and I was unfortunate to get her the last year of her career.

There are kids who do not belong in my honors or AP courses. Either they drop down or they work to keep up. It is obvious who does not belong as obvious as it is who does belong. Every year my classes get bigger and are filled with kids who want to work. To give a blanket statement that children are "beasts" and are "stupid" and "lazy" is very insulting to me and those who do work. People tend to focus on the bad ones and forget to see the good.

As an example, my class was the first one to not receive a weight for GT or advanced classes. This means that level 7s (honors) are worth the same as level 3s (special ed). Only Advanced Placement classes are given a weight. Instead of fewer kids signing up for them because of lack of incentive, the numbers continue to rise.

As for the drug and gang problem, there is very little. Occasionally one will hear talk about drugs and smoking, but that is rare. There are no gangs to speak of and few assaults, on grounds or not.

On a side note, anyone here with young kids, get them into music if it is not too late! Almost all of the kids in music are essentially good and are high achievers. The music kids band together, providing friends and support.

[SoftballMominVA]

This is my 16-year old daughter and her first post. I'm proud of what she does and of whom she is.

Any issues with her post--let her have it. She's a big girl and can take criticism with the best of them

Love ya, kiddo :)

[Amelia]

ConservPhant, Great post! I can see that you are doing well in school, and I can understand why your Mom is so proud of you. Your post is more articulate and better written than those of many of the adults here. I think two of your points bear repeating:

In every class, there is only as much disrespect as the teacher allows.

People tend to focus on the bad ones and forget to see the good.

The latter I think is especially true. Yes, there are problems in the public schools, just as there are problems in society. However, there also many good schools, many good students, and even many good teachers. It's quite easy to focus on the bad, however, because usually the bad examples are the ones who make the news.

Thanks again for your input! :-)

[13Sisters76]

You sound like a great kid. If I had more like you, perhaps I wouldn't be so down on the public schools. Interestingly enough, in this area, the few classes that I have had with good kids were all honors classes with a majority of Asian students.

The schools here (in this county) have moved to a majority of black and hispanic kids with many of those the children of illegals. It amazes me with what pride these kids refer to themselves as "wetbacks".

Keep up the good work. Your mother (father?) sounds rightfully proud of you.