I have to disagree with you on this. Saying public school is "bad" is just a generalization. I have been going t6o public school all of my life, however, now I am at a Private School. I have seen that Public School does have its flaws, but so does any school. The only thing about Public School is you HAVE to teach to EVERYONE. But, again, I know a city in my school where the public school tests outstand the rest in the state. This city has a public school, with good teachers, a good system, and smart studetns--and as i mentioned, thier test scores are outstanding comapred to the small catholic schools and even the urbane, primer, private academies. In a point, to say public school is "horrible" is a genralization, and not a very good one. You see, it is based on the teachers, the administration, the student body, the MONEY AND BUDGETS, and the state itself--no public school is the same! Thus, no private, prochioal, or catholic.

-Nat Richfeel free to reply via e-mail: njRicci90@aol.com

I agree that our school system has flaws, but it's not perfect. Nothing is. Not everybody is entirely saintly/intelligent as you try to be. I'm an A student and spend hours on homework a night, but I have no complaints. I carry about 20 lbs. of textbooks home, so I don't know why a 4 lb. textbook is so bad. Plus as for the freeloading of answers, it's called helping people. People get the answers from me all of the time, it prevents them from failing. Plus all of these people are fairly intelligent also, I see nothing wrong with them.

"The assignments will be short because he realizes that you have other things to do."
you're ridiculously funny. it is not wrong to stay up late doing your homework, and i suppose if you are as wonderful a student as you assert throughout your essay, that shouldn't be a problem for you.
"He tells the student to his or her face why she's a good student and that he appreciates it."
why isn't an a+ enough?
"He also tries to stop other students from freeloading off of the good students. (I would really like it my teachers did that. I'm so sick of hearing, 'Shannon, what's the answer to number 5 on the homework?')"
ooh.. way to compliment yourself in a self sacrificing way. it must be so involved being you!

"If they don't care that we're bored in their classes, and that we have suggestions about how to make the class better, then we shouldn't care that they want respect."
so you justify being rude or disruptive in class (as i assume that is what you mean by not showing respect to your teachers) because you are bored and no one is listening to you? i can tell how pro education you are.
"Of course, we do need practice, but that doesn't mean carrying home a 4-pound textbook to do a 3- ½-page homework assignment."
all you do is whine...

I agree that there are problems with the school systems. Standerd test are concentrated on way to much. However, alot of people do know this and its alot harder to change then someone would think. When it comes to standerdized tests and being put in an AIS class I'm not sure what that is. I do know that there not allowed to seperate special ed kids(at least in maryland maybe thats similar to AIS) unless a person has severe learning problems like autisum. Also teaching is not the easyest job in the world. Teachers also feel like they need to be respected by students and when there not well of course there not going to be the best teacher in the world.

HA HA HA. What dream are you having? You are just rambling on and failing to provide any decent arguments against school.

I need to ask; who exactly do you think you're influencing? If you wrote an anti-Bush essay, that might convince people to vote against him. But we have no say in state exams and teachers and all the crap. Other than telling people to drop out of school and screw up their lives, this drawn out whine-fest of a rant does nothing.

"people who can afford to go to private schools end up getting a better education than the rest of us, and that is not fair."

I agree. Why should people be able to use their own money to get a better education for their children than they would in a system you obviously hate? What **.

"people who go to wealthy public schools have an unfair advantage."

YEAH! Why should they want a better education than other people? I know that's what collegs are out to do, but it's mean that they can do things with their own money. But, "private" schools that are funded by tax-payer dollars (all gay high school) are good.

Well Shannon, it seems you bent down and pinched out another piece of ** you call an essay.
"Making millions of kids take the same test is just plain stupid." The purpose of a standardized test is to see where students stand on certain necessary subjects, agreed? To find out where they stand, they need a standard (hence "standardized") to put their data by. If all the schools take different tests, how the hell can they get acurate data?
" Homework is pointless too. If we know how to do the work in school, why are we suddenly going to forget at home? Of course, we do need practice, but that doesn't mean carrying home a 4-pound textbook to do a 3- ½-page homework assignment. If the homework isn't a graded assignment, it makes it even harder for a student to get help if he or she needs it. The teacher just walks around and sees if you wrote anything down." This cracked me up. You sound like one of those anti-establishment emo teens that can't stand spending an hour on your homework. The purpose of homework, my dear Shannon, is to get practice. Like they always say, practice makes perfect.
" Why do we even bother attending school if this is the case? It's pointless for us, because we aren't learning the way we need to learn." Then why bother going? Why don't you just drop out, get your GED, and take your place behind the cash register. I need my groceries bagged.
Love,
Voronwe

Interesting essay. Could have been longer, but, hey, why? Don't know if the public school system is really the worst mistake our country has ever made--what about the Patriot Act? But anyway, I mostly agree.

i agree. unfortunately, people who can afford to go to private schools end up getting a better education than the rest of us, and that is not fair. also, people who go to wealthy public schools have an unfair advantage. i go to a school that is under warning, so i can also testify that the no child left behind act does not help one bit, by the way. anyway, nice essay.

A couple hundred years ago, school was actually valued. People WANTED desperately to attend school. The problem was that schools were private and required tuition. The public school system was created so everyone, regardless of race or income, could have a chance to do so. Would you rather be forced to spend your parents' money to attend a private or Catholic school?
Gee, I really do hope you plan to give better explanations of your ideas because as it stands right now, this essay's looking pretty **-poor. Your reasoning is blippy and short, and sound more like whiney rants than, you know, real arguments. Pay more attention in class. You'll learn how to write better.

Ok, we can all see that the public school system has its screwups. But just because you're a "i-hate-school-because-I'm-failing-and-it's-not-my-fault, it's-the-school's-fault-and-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-fact-that-i-spend-too-much-time-on-my-crack-pipe" type of person, doesnt mean the whole system is flawed. Seriously, you think it's the worst idea ever, but I'm SURE you dont wanna be in a Catholic School, or any type of non-secular institution (dun dun dun). Yeah, some teachers and subjects are crap. Suck it up and deal with it.