What experiences in high school affected you so much that it altered your future?

[Wyatt earp]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

Mrs Bievergall?

That woman told my mom I would come stonned to school everyday in the 9th grade..


At that time I never even smoked a joint.she told my mom she hated me, it was crazy I was the quietest kid in the class, I just read WWII books

For real? Why in the world would she do that
0.o

The book I read on the subject of introverts like me suggested back in the 1950's in the USA they chastised us and wanted to make kids more social / more salesmen and all/more chatty kathys

It was one of the best books I read in along time.

 

[Andylusion]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

Mrs Bievergall?

That woman told my mom I would come stonned to school everyday in the 9th grade..


At that time I never even smoked a joint.she told my mom she hated me, it was crazy I was the quietest kid in the class, I just read WWII books

For real? Why in the world would she do that
0.o

The book I read on the subject of introverts like me suggested back in the 1950's in the USA they chastised us and wanted to make kids more social / more salesmen and all/more chatty kathys

It was one of the best books I read in along time.

Exactly. Exactly right. And when you really think about it, there is some logic to it. Extroverts naturally do better in many areas.

But more importantly, extroverts naturally assume that because it works for them, then it must be good for everyone! Because... it works for them. And I can't blame them for that. Human beings always assume what works best for themselves, should work for everyone.

I remember reading about an woman executive in Japan, whose company had one of those personality tests. She figured out what answers they wanted. She answered the personality test exactly how the executive board wanted, and got promoted. Of course they quickly figured out she was nothing like the personality test indicated, but at the same time proved herself with work ethic and diligence at her job.

People always assume the best people for a job, are people just like them.

Interestingly it appears that more CEOs are introverts.

Most successful CEOs are introverts | Daily Mail Online

Again this is where media plays a part in public perception. Introvert CEOs obviously as the name suggests, do not splash themselves all over the media, like say... Steve Jobs, or Elon Musk. As a result people have this idea that extroverts dominate the CEOs of the world. And it does not look as though this is the case.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

I'm lucky. my calculus teacher was totally cool. he taught trig as well, so I had him both years.

I did not have any single incident that shaped me, but I was younger and smaller than everybody else as a Freshman, and so had a bit of a complex over it.

 

[Pogo]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

I absolutely hated school. Hate the people there. Hated the kids. Hated the teachers. I would be hard pressed to come up with anything good about that prison camp.

I was an outcast of outcasts. I didn't fit in anywhere. I wasn't particularly athletic. I most certainly wasn't that smart. I wasn't even nerdy enough to be a nerd. Not popular enough, to be with the "in crowd". Not rebellious enough to be the the rebels. With no one to defend me, I was an easy target. And kids love nothing more, than an easy target to pick on, that no one will stand up for. That was me. As a service to the entire schools pride and ego.

And the teachers were no better. Had one of the popular girls, enjoy some fun at my expense in class, until I finally snapped at her, calling her a cow. (which for me, is about a vulgar as I get). The teacher who had been there the entire time, gave me detention, and let her go. Had another time where I was required to give a class presentation, only to get heckled and mocked from a guy in the front of the class. After enduring insult after insult, I looked up to see the teacher just sitting back in his chair smilingly brilliantly at me, as if to say 'well sucks to be you loser'.

That isn't to say it didn't work for some people, I'm sure. I knew of people who enjoyed school, and more power to them.

But it most certainly didn't work for me. Unfortunately, my well intentioned parents, were both public school teachers. Both were firm in their unwavering support of the school system.

To be fair to them, I can't blame them for that. It would be nearly impossible to spend your entire working life in a system you didn't believe in. Between the two of them, I wager they put in about 85 years into the system.

Regardless, the result was that the abuse I suffered at school, was met with skepticism and dismissed. I was told I was 'being negative' and that I was just misunderstanding the people who harassed and abused me on a routine basis.

This was particularly bad for my poor mother. Again, it's hard to not give her some a fair shake, because after all... she's kept in touch with every single person she went to high school with, even to this day. Now in her mid-70s, she still hasn't missed a high school reunion. I have not spoken with a single person from my school, in 20 years. Now, I don't think I would be able to, since I can't remember a single person's name from my school.

But my mother never understood the extreme wedge that she unintentionally created between us. She complained constantly that I never talked to her, but then.... who ever wants to talk to someone, who never believes anything they say? Why bother talking to a mother who will simply deny your pain, and claim you are just making it up because you are so negative.

It is impossible to calculate the damage public school did. One of the reasons I never wanted, and never will, have children is because I can't stand the idea of putting a child through, what I went through.

Nevertheless, I have a unique and burning hatred for public schools. It's a fire I'll likely carry to my grave. When I argue here against schools, I try and keep it based on the facts, like low education outcomes, and the high cost.

But the reality is, I think nearly ever public school should be burned to the ground with thermite, and then turned into a land fill. Too many students are abused in public schools, and no one does anything about it.

One of the reasons I support private schools, is because in a private school, a student is also a customer. Teachers that abuse kids the way I was abused, would be fired, because they would cause the school to lose money. Public schools couldn't care less. They lose nothing, if you remove your kid from their school. They got your tax money, whether you are happy or not. Same is true of school bullying. Not all, but many private schools have strict rules against bullying, because again, a student that leaves, is bad for business.

Anywho.... terrible experience, I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even those I don't like.

Sounds like a whole lot of blaming everyone else for YOUR failings. Never too late to grow up.

Are you completely devoid of empathy? Did you comprehend what he wrote?

Don't be harsh on Unkotare. Honestly, if you haven't experienced it, how can you understand it? My father for example, had a blast in school. He was popular, part of the wrestling team, smart, one of the cool kids, blaw blaw blaw blaw.

Look at AquaAthena above. She had a blast. What I'm saying must sound like latin to her.

I can still remember him saying in a dozen different conversations, he wished he could be a little mouse in my pocket, because nothing I told him about my experience, could he ever relate to.

Unkotare and I have had our disagreements for sure, but I can't fault him for not understanding something that never happened to him, or even if it may have happened to a lessor extent, but he had people with him. You can brave almost anything, if you have people going through it with you. It's a little different when you are rejected by all.

Generally I would agree with him. I don't make excuses for failures today, because of failures 20 years ago. That's ridiculous.

At the same time, that doesn't mean that events long ago, can't have a life long impact. I remember reading the story of a guy who loved piano, until his father and brother, who were both hunters, came in from hunting to find him playing the piano, and insulted him over it. I can't remember if they called him a sissy or something, or whatever.

But at the age of 13, he never touched a piano again for the rest of his life.

Does that mean we lost a world renowned pianists? Who knows. It's impossible to guess. He might have stopped playing right after high school like my sister did.

Regardless, my goal has never been to eliminate all bad experiences from growing up. Opposition to some extent is actually good for people. Real life is harsh, and you need to have some level of ability to handle criticism. Kids that grow up in entirely padded rooms, with nerf tables and chairs, end up having a mental crisis when they get into the real world, and stub their toe on a metaphoric chair leg at work.

But there is a line between kids bickering at each other, and outright abuse by staff or students. That's where we need to focus our attention.

The piano reference reminds me of another school incident, although way before high school. In grade school they offered piano lessons after school so it seemed natural to pick up on them, having a piano at home where both parents and my grandmother played, and I was musically inclined from infancy. I was about five or six and it went great for the first year or two. Then they switched to another teacher for whatever reason, and it quit being fun. You hear the cliché of the teacher rapping the knuckles if your finger slipped, I knew that before it was a cliché. I quit those lessons and never went back. A positive had turned into a negative. I don't think that ever would have happened with a decent teacher.

 

[Pogo]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

Mrs Bievergall?

That woman told my mom I would come stonned to school everyday in the 9th grade..


At that time I never even smoked a joint.she told my mom she hated me, it was crazy I was the quietest kid in the class, I just read WWII books

WOW! There's a person who has no business around kids.

She was like 55 years old short red hair, my first class in high school (I was just tired, ran track, cross country)

I went from a straight A student to a burn out real fast after I heard it..

A few words from someone not even related to you changed your entire identity?

Also I remember my kindergarten teacher, I used to be a righty, but became a south paw because of her. Still am.

And I write worse then doctors

Yes teachers had really messed up effects on me, because they didnt understand why I was so quiet..

Wait, whoa.

Why did you switch from righthanded to lefthanded? Were you already inclined that way? Doesn't sound like it.

I used to write lefthanded in mirror image (the natural direction) just for fun.

 

[Andylusion]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

I absolutely hated school. Hate the people there. Hated the kids. Hated the teachers. I would be hard pressed to come up with anything good about that prison camp.

I was an outcast of outcasts. I didn't fit in anywhere. I wasn't particularly athletic. I most certainly wasn't that smart. I wasn't even nerdy enough to be a nerd. Not popular enough, to be with the "in crowd". Not rebellious enough to be the the rebels. With no one to defend me, I was an easy target. And kids love nothing more, than an easy target to pick on, that no one will stand up for. That was me. As a service to the entire schools pride and ego.

And the teachers were no better. Had one of the popular girls, enjoy some fun at my expense in class, until I finally snapped at her, calling her a cow. (which for me, is about a vulgar as I get). The teacher who had been there the entire time, gave me detention, and let her go. Had another time where I was required to give a class presentation, only to get heckled and mocked from a guy in the front of the class. After enduring insult after insult, I looked up to see the teacher just sitting back in his chair smilingly brilliantly at me, as if to say 'well sucks to be you loser'.

That isn't to say it didn't work for some people, I'm sure. I knew of people who enjoyed school, and more power to them.

But it most certainly didn't work for me. Unfortunately, my well intentioned parents, were both public school teachers. Both were firm in their unwavering support of the school system.

To be fair to them, I can't blame them for that. It would be nearly impossible to spend your entire working life in a system you didn't believe in. Between the two of them, I wager they put in about 85 years into the system.

Regardless, the result was that the abuse I suffered at school, was met with skepticism and dismissed. I was told I was 'being negative' and that I was just misunderstanding the people who harassed and abused me on a routine basis.

This was particularly bad for my poor mother. Again, it's hard to not give her some a fair shake, because after all... she's kept in touch with every single person she went to high school with, even to this day. Now in her mid-70s, she still hasn't missed a high school reunion. I have not spoken with a single person from my school, in 20 years. Now, I don't think I would be able to, since I can't remember a single person's name from my school.

But my mother never understood the extreme wedge that she unintentionally created between us. She complained constantly that I never talked to her, but then.... who ever wants to talk to someone, who never believes anything they say? Why bother talking to a mother who will simply deny your pain, and claim you are just making it up because you are so negative.

It is impossible to calculate the damage public school did. One of the reasons I never wanted, and never will, have children is because I can't stand the idea of putting a child through, what I went through.

Nevertheless, I have a unique and burning hatred for public schools. It's a fire I'll likely carry to my grave. When I argue here against schools, I try and keep it based on the facts, like low education outcomes, and the high cost.

But the reality is, I think nearly ever public school should be burned to the ground with thermite, and then turned into a land fill. Too many students are abused in public schools, and no one does anything about it.

One of the reasons I support private schools, is because in a private school, a student is also a customer. Teachers that abuse kids the way I was abused, would be fired, because they would cause the school to lose money. Public schools couldn't care less. They lose nothing, if you remove your kid from their school. They got your tax money, whether you are happy or not. Same is true of school bullying. Not all, but many private schools have strict rules against bullying, because again, a student that leaves, is bad for business.

Anywho.... terrible experience, I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even those I don't like.

Sounds like a whole lot of blaming everyone else for YOUR failings. Never too late to grow up.

Are you completely devoid of empathy? Did you comprehend what he wrote?

Don't be harsh on Unkotare. Honestly, if you haven't experienced it, how can you understand it? My father for example, had a blast in school. He was popular, part of the wrestling team, smart, one of the cool kids, blaw blaw blaw blaw.

Look at AquaAthena above. She had a blast. What I'm saying must sound like latin to her.

I can still remember him saying in a dozen different conversations, he wished he could be a little mouse in my pocket, because nothing I told him about my experience, could he ever relate to.

Unkotare and I have had our disagreements for sure, but I can't fault him for not understanding something that never happened to him, or even if it may have happened to a lessor extent, but he had people with him. You can brave almost anything, if you have people going through it with you. It's a little different when you are rejected by all.

Generally I would agree with him. I don't make excuses for failures today, because of failures 20 years ago. That's ridiculous.

At the same time, that doesn't mean that events long ago, can't have a life long impact. I remember reading the story of a guy who loved piano, until his father and brother, who were both hunters, came in from hunting to find him playing the piano, and insulted him over it. I can't remember if they called him a sissy or something, or whatever.

But at the age of 13, he never touched a piano again for the rest of his life.

Does that mean we lost a world renowned pianists? Who knows. It's impossible to guess. He might have stopped playing right after high school like my sister did.

Regardless, my goal has never been to eliminate all bad experiences from growing up. Opposition to some extent is actually good for people. Real life is harsh, and you need to have some level of ability to handle criticism. Kids that grow up in entirely padded rooms, with nerf tables and chairs, end up having a mental crisis when they get into the real world, and stub their toe on a metaphoric chair leg at work.

But there is a line between kids bickering at each other, and outright abuse by staff or students. That's where we need to focus our attention.

The piano reference reminds me of another school incident, although way before high school. In grade school they offered piano lessons after school so it seemed natural to pick up on them, having a piano at home where both parents and my grandmother played, and I was musically inclined from infancy. I was about five or six and it went great for the first year or two. Then they switched to another teacher for whatever reason, and it quit being fun. You hear the cliché of the teacher rapping the knuckles if your finger slipped, I knew that before it was a cliché. I quit those lessons and never went back. A positive had turned into a negative. I don't think that ever would have happened with a decent teacher.

Yeah I heard about that. Talk about a ridiculous teaching method. I suppose there was a time where that worked, but I never understood that whole capital punishment for making a mistake. If the punishment for an error is too high... it doesn't encourage more effort, it encourages not trying at all.

So this was a school teacher? I was wondering why your parents didn't just find where the other was working, and send you to her.

I had a private teacher, but she made the fatal mistake of having a recital, where she put the beethoven of piano first, and the worst players last. So I got to get up after some 18 year old Asian chick played Moonlight Sonata (can't remember how old I was at the time), and I got to pluck through some terrible beginner song of some sort. It was horrific and embarrassing. Never went to a recital again. A year later I quit piano altogether.

The teacher's efforts were not terrible, just the horror of plucking through some crap starter song, right after all these piano prodigies.... and to do so in front of people.... so humiliating.

 

[Pogo]

I absolutely hated school. Hate the people there. Hated the kids. Hated the teachers. I would be hard pressed to come up with anything good about that prison camp.

I was an outcast of outcasts. I didn't fit in anywhere. I wasn't particularly athletic. I most certainly wasn't that smart. I wasn't even nerdy enough to be a nerd. Not popular enough, to be with the "in crowd". Not rebellious enough to be the the rebels. With no one to defend me, I was an easy target. And kids love nothing more, than an easy target to pick on, that no one will stand up for. That was me. As a service to the entire schools pride and ego.

And the teachers were no better. Had one of the popular girls, enjoy some fun at my expense in class, until I finally snapped at her, calling her a cow. (which for me, is about a vulgar as I get). The teacher who had been there the entire time, gave me detention, and let her go. Had another time where I was required to give a class presentation, only to get heckled and mocked from a guy in the front of the class. After enduring insult after insult, I looked up to see the teacher just sitting back in his chair smilingly brilliantly at me, as if to say 'well sucks to be you loser'.

That isn't to say it didn't work for some people, I'm sure. I knew of people who enjoyed school, and more power to them.

But it most certainly didn't work for me. Unfortunately, my well intentioned parents, were both public school teachers. Both were firm in their unwavering support of the school system.

To be fair to them, I can't blame them for that. It would be nearly impossible to spend your entire working life in a system you didn't believe in. Between the two of them, I wager they put in about 85 years into the system.

Regardless, the result was that the abuse I suffered at school, was met with skepticism and dismissed. I was told I was 'being negative' and that I was just misunderstanding the people who harassed and abused me on a routine basis.

This was particularly bad for my poor mother. Again, it's hard to not give her some a fair shake, because after all... she's kept in touch with every single person she went to high school with, even to this day. Now in her mid-70s, she still hasn't missed a high school reunion. I have not spoken with a single person from my school, in 20 years. Now, I don't think I would be able to, since I can't remember a single person's name from my school.

But my mother never understood the extreme wedge that she unintentionally created between us. She complained constantly that I never talked to her, but then.... who ever wants to talk to someone, who never believes anything they say? Why bother talking to a mother who will simply deny your pain, and claim you are just making it up because you are so negative.

It is impossible to calculate the damage public school did. One of the reasons I never wanted, and never will, have children is because I can't stand the idea of putting a child through, what I went through.

Nevertheless, I have a unique and burning hatred for public schools. It's a fire I'll likely carry to my grave. When I argue here against schools, I try and keep it based on the facts, like low education outcomes, and the high cost.

But the reality is, I think nearly ever public school should be burned to the ground with thermite, and then turned into a land fill. Too many students are abused in public schools, and no one does anything about it.

One of the reasons I support private schools, is because in a private school, a student is also a customer. Teachers that abuse kids the way I was abused, would be fired, because they would cause the school to lose money. Public schools couldn't care less. They lose nothing, if you remove your kid from their school. They got your tax money, whether you are happy or not. Same is true of school bullying. Not all, but many private schools have strict rules against bullying, because again, a student that leaves, is bad for business.

Anywho.... terrible experience, I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even those I don't like.

Sounds like a whole lot of blaming everyone else for YOUR failings. Never too late to grow up.

Are you completely devoid of empathy? Did you comprehend what he wrote?

Don't be harsh on Unkotare. Honestly, if you haven't experienced it, how can you understand it? My father for example, had a blast in school. He was popular, part of the wrestling team, smart, one of the cool kids, blaw blaw blaw blaw.

Look at AquaAthena above. She had a blast. What I'm saying must sound like latin to her.

I can still remember him saying in a dozen different conversations, he wished he could be a little mouse in my pocket, because nothing I told him about my experience, could he ever relate to.

Unkotare and I have had our disagreements for sure, but I can't fault him for not understanding something that never happened to him, or even if it may have happened to a lessor extent, but he had people with him. You can brave almost anything, if you have people going through it with you. It's a little different when you are rejected by all.

Generally I would agree with him. I don't make excuses for failures today, because of failures 20 years ago. That's ridiculous.

At the same time, that doesn't mean that events long ago, can't have a life long impact. I remember reading the story of a guy who loved piano, until his father and brother, who were both hunters, came in from hunting to find him playing the piano, and insulted him over it. I can't remember if they called him a sissy or something, or whatever.

But at the age of 13, he never touched a piano again for the rest of his life.

Does that mean we lost a world renowned pianists? Who knows. It's impossible to guess. He might have stopped playing right after high school like my sister did.

Regardless, my goal has never been to eliminate all bad experiences from growing up. Opposition to some extent is actually good for people. Real life is harsh, and you need to have some level of ability to handle criticism. Kids that grow up in entirely padded rooms, with nerf tables and chairs, end up having a mental crisis when they get into the real world, and stub their toe on a metaphoric chair leg at work.

But there is a line between kids bickering at each other, and outright abuse by staff or students. That's where we need to focus our attention.

The piano reference reminds me of another school incident, although way before high school. In grade school they offered piano lessons after school so it seemed natural to pick up on them, having a piano at home where both parents and my grandmother played, and I was musically inclined from infancy. I was about five or six and it went great for the first year or two. Then they switched to another teacher for whatever reason, and it quit being fun. You hear the cliché of the teacher rapping the knuckles if your finger slipped, I knew that before it was a cliché. I quit those lessons and never went back. A positive had turned into a negative. I don't think that ever would have happened with a decent teacher.

Yeah I heard about that. Talk about a ridiculous teaching method. I suppose there was a time where that worked, but I never understood that whole capital punishment for making a mistake. If the punishment for an error is too high... it doesn't encourage more effort, it encourages not trying at all.

So this was a school teacher? I was wondering why your parents didn't just find where the other was working, and send you to her.

I had a private teacher, but she made the fatal mistake of having a recital, where she put the beethoven of piano first, and the worst players last. So I got to get up after some 18 year old Asian chick played Moonlight Sonata (can't remember how old I was at the time), and I got to pluck through some terrible beginner song of some sort. It was horrific and embarrassing. Never went to a recital again. A year later I quit piano altogether.

The teacher's efforts were not terrible, just the horror of plucking through some crap starter song, right after all these piano prodigies.... and to do so in front of people.... so humiliating.

My Dad played Moonlight Sonata all the time. But he played it in C natural, I believe it's written in C#.

 

[Jackson]

I used to love math. I loved Algebra and Geometry so Algebra 2 should have been a breeze, But the teacher I had was a witch. The only kids she was nice to were athletes and cheerlearders. I was very shy and she saw I had a problem wrong so she told me to go up to the board and do the problem for the rest of the class. Right at the start she began yelling at me and I panicked. I couldn't tell her my name if she asked. I just froze and the louder she got.

Stopped all math at that point. No calc, no trig...no dream of becoming an astronomer.

the next week, I was chewing gum and had to put it on my nose for the rest of the class. Hated that woman.

I absolutely hated school. Hate the people there. Hated the kids. Hated the teachers. I would be hard pressed to come up with anything good about that prison camp.

I was an outcast of outcasts. I didn't fit in anywhere. I wasn't particularly athletic. I most certainly wasn't that smart. I wasn't even nerdy enough to be a nerd. Not popular enough, to be with the "in crowd". Not rebellious enough to be the the rebels. With no one to defend me, I was an easy target. And kids love nothing more, than an easy target to pick on, that no one will stand up for. That was me. As a service to the entire schools pride and ego.

And the teachers were no better. Had one of the popular girls, enjoy some fun at my expense in class, until I finally snapped at her, calling her a cow. (which for me, is about a vulgar as I get). The teacher who had been there the entire time, gave me detention, and let her go. Had another time where I was required to give a class presentation, only to get heckled and mocked from a guy in the front of the class. After enduring insult after insult, I looked up to see the teacher just sitting back in his chair smilingly brilliantly at me, as if to say 'well sucks to be you loser'.

That isn't to say it didn't work for some people, I'm sure. I knew of people who enjoyed school, and more power to them.

But it most certainly didn't work for me. Unfortunately, my well intentioned parents, were both public school teachers. Both were firm in their unwavering support of the school system.

To be fair to them, I can't blame them for that. It would be nearly impossible to spend your entire working life in a system you didn't believe in. Between the two of them, I wager they put in about 85 years into the system.

Regardless, the result was that the abuse I suffered at school, was met with skepticism and dismissed. I was told I was 'being negative' and that I was just misunderstanding the people who harassed and abused me on a routine basis.

This was particularly bad for my poor mother. Again, it's hard to not give her some a fair shake, because after all... she's kept in touch with every single person she went to high school with, even to this day. Now in her mid-70s, she still hasn't missed a high school reunion. I have not spoken with a single person from my school, in 20 years. Now, I don't think I would be able to, since I can't remember a single person's name from my school.

But my mother never understood the extreme wedge that she unintentionally created between us. She complained constantly that I never talked to her, but then.... who ever wants to talk to someone, who never believes anything they say? Why bother talking to a mother who will simply deny your pain, and claim you are just making it up because you are so negative.

It is impossible to calculate the damage public school did. One of the reasons I never wanted, and never will, have children is because I can't stand the idea of putting a child through, what I went through.

Nevertheless, I have a unique and burning hatred for public schools. It's a fire I'll likely carry to my grave. When I argue here against schools, I try and keep it based on the facts, like low education outcomes, and the high cost.

But the reality is, I think nearly ever public school should be burned to the ground with thermite, and then turned into a land fill. Too many students are abused in public schools, and no one does anything about it.

One of the reasons I support private schools, is because in a private school, a student is also a customer. Teachers that abuse kids the way I was abused, would be fired, because they would cause the school to lose money. Public schools couldn't care less. They lose nothing, if you remove your kid from their school. They got your tax money, whether you are happy or not. Same is true of school bullying. Not all, but many private schools have strict rules against bullying, because again, a student that leaves, is bad for business.

Anywho.... terrible experience, I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even those I don't like.

Sounds like a whole lot of blaming everyone else for YOUR failings. Never too late to grow up.

Are you completely devoid of empathy? Did you comprehend what he wrote?

Don't be harsh on Unkotare. Honestly, if you haven't experienced it, how can you understand it? My father for example, had a blast in school. He was popular, part of the wrestling team, smart, one of the cool kids, blaw blaw blaw blaw.

Look at AquaAthena above. She had a blast. What I'm saying must sound like latin to her.

I can still remember him saying in a dozen different conversations, he wished he could be a little mouse in my pocket, because nothing I told him about my experience, could he ever relate to.

Unkotare and I have had our disagreements for sure, but I can't fault him for not understanding something that never happened to him, or even if it may have happened to a lessor extent, but he had people with him. You can brave almost anything, if you have people going through it with you. It's a little different when you are rejected by all.

Generally I would agree with him. I don't make excuses for failures today, because of failures 20 years ago. That's ridiculous.

At the same time, that doesn't mean that events long ago, can't have a life long impact. I remember reading the story of a guy who loved piano, until his father and brother, who were both hunters, came in from hunting to find him playing the piano, and insulted him over it. I can't remember if they called him a sissy or something, or whatever.

But at the age of 13, he never touched a piano again for the rest of his life.

Does that mean we lost a world renowned pianists? Who knows. It's impossible to guess. He might have stopped playing right after high school like my sister did.

Regardless, my goal has never been to eliminate all bad experiences from growing up. Opposition to some extent is actually good for people. Real life is harsh, and you need to have some level of ability to handle criticism. Kids that grow up in entirely padded rooms, with nerf tables and chairs, end up having a mental crisis when they get into the real world, and stub their toe on a metaphoric chair leg at work.

But there is a line between kids bickering at each other, and outright abuse by staff or students. That's where we need to focus our attention.

The piano reference reminds me of another school incident, although way before high school. In grade school they offered piano lessons after school so it seemed natural to pick up on them, having a piano at home where both parents and my grandmother played, and I was musically inclined from infancy. I was about five or six and it went great for the first year or two. Then they switched to another teacher for whatever reason, and it quit being fun. You hear the cliché of the teacher rapping the knuckles if your finger slipped, I knew that before it was a cliché. I quit those lessons and never went back. A positive had turned into a negative. I don't think that ever would have happened with a decent teacher.

That makes you think...What If... Someone should have let that teacher know what she had done to her students. Maybe she could have changed.

 

[Jackson]

After all of these posts, I thought there should be a class in positive procedures where there would be book of negative experiences so soon to be teachers realized just how dramatic their teaching styles affect the students.

Perhaps that could be an eye opener for those who are predisposed to be assholes.

 

[Andylusion]

After all of these posts, I thought there should be a class in positive procedures where there would be book of negative experiences so soon to be teachers realized just how dramatic their teaching styles affect the students.

Perhaps that could be an eye opener for those who are predisposed to be assholes.

Well.... Interesting concept. I don't think any one person could write that book, because usually each person had one really terrible teacher, and a bunch of mediocre teachers, and usually one really good one.

Someone would have to some massive compilation of everyone's stories from across the country.

The other side is, that some times, a teacher that is horrific with one student, is great with another. Meaning, their method of teaching might be horrible for me, but perhaps might work for someone else.

That's said, it would be a fun experience to see if someone could collect those stories from around the country.

 

[Pogo]

I absolutely hated school. Hate the people there. Hated the kids. Hated the teachers. I would be hard pressed to come up with anything good about that prison camp.

I was an outcast of outcasts. I didn't fit in anywhere. I wasn't particularly athletic. I most certainly wasn't that smart. I wasn't even nerdy enough to be a nerd. Not popular enough, to be with the "in crowd". Not rebellious enough to be the the rebels. With no one to defend me, I was an easy target. And kids love nothing more, than an easy target to pick on, that no one will stand up for. That was me. As a service to the entire schools pride and ego.

And the teachers were no better. Had one of the popular girls, enjoy some fun at my expense in class, until I finally snapped at her, calling her a cow. (which for me, is about a vulgar as I get). The teacher who had been there the entire time, gave me detention, and let her go. Had another time where I was required to give a class presentation, only to get heckled and mocked from a guy in the front of the class. After enduring insult after insult, I looked up to see the teacher just sitting back in his chair smilingly brilliantly at me, as if to say 'well sucks to be you loser'.

That isn't to say it didn't work for some people, I'm sure. I knew of people who enjoyed school, and more power to them.

But it most certainly didn't work for me. Unfortunately, my well intentioned parents, were both public school teachers. Both were firm in their unwavering support of the school system.

To be fair to them, I can't blame them for that. It would be nearly impossible to spend your entire working life in a system you didn't believe in. Between the two of them, I wager they put in about 85 years into the system.

Regardless, the result was that the abuse I suffered at school, was met with skepticism and dismissed. I was told I was 'being negative' and that I was just misunderstanding the people who harassed and abused me on a routine basis.

This was particularly bad for my poor mother. Again, it's hard to not give her some a fair shake, because after all... she's kept in touch with every single person she went to high school with, even to this day. Now in her mid-70s, she still hasn't missed a high school reunion. I have not spoken with a single person from my school, in 20 years. Now, I don't think I would be able to, since I can't remember a single person's name from my school.

But my mother never understood the extreme wedge that she unintentionally created between us. She complained constantly that I never talked to her, but then.... who ever wants to talk to someone, who never believes anything they say? Why bother talking to a mother who will simply deny your pain, and claim you are just making it up because you are so negative.

It is impossible to calculate the damage public school did. One of the reasons I never wanted, and never will, have children is because I can't stand the idea of putting a child through, what I went through.

Nevertheless, I have a unique and burning hatred for public schools. It's a fire I'll likely carry to my grave. When I argue here against schools, I try and keep it based on the facts, like low education outcomes, and the high cost.

But the reality is, I think nearly ever public school should be burned to the ground with thermite, and then turned into a land fill. Too many students are abused in public schools, and no one does anything about it.

One of the reasons I support private schools, is because in a private school, a student is also a customer. Teachers that abuse kids the way I was abused, would be fired, because they would cause the school to lose money. Public schools couldn't care less. They lose nothing, if you remove your kid from their school. They got your tax money, whether you are happy or not. Same is true of school bullying. Not all, but many private schools have strict rules against bullying, because again, a student that leaves, is bad for business.

Anywho.... terrible experience, I wouldn't wish on anyone, not even those I don't like.

Sounds like a whole lot of blaming everyone else for YOUR failings. Never too late to grow up.

Are you completely devoid of empathy? Did you comprehend what he wrote?

Don't be harsh on Unkotare. Honestly, if you haven't experienced it, how can you understand it? My father for example, had a blast in school. He was popular, part of the wrestling team, smart, one of the cool kids, blaw blaw blaw blaw.

Look at AquaAthena above. She had a blast. What I'm saying must sound like latin to her.

I can still remember him saying in a dozen different conversations, he wished he could be a little mouse in my pocket, because nothing I told him about my experience, could he ever relate to.

Unkotare and I have had our disagreements for sure, but I can't fault him for not understanding something that never happened to him, or even if it may have happened to a lessor extent, but he had people with him. You can brave almost anything, if you have people going through it with you. It's a little different when you are rejected by all.

Generally I would agree with him. I don't make excuses for failures today, because of failures 20 years ago. That's ridiculous.

At the same time, that doesn't mean that events long ago, can't have a life long impact. I remember reading the story of a guy who loved piano, until his father and brother, who were both hunters, came in from hunting to find him playing the piano, and insulted him over it. I can't remember if they called him a sissy or something, or whatever.

But at the age of 13, he never touched a piano again for the rest of his life.

Does that mean we lost a world renowned pianists? Who knows. It's impossible to guess. He might have stopped playing right after high school like my sister did.

Regardless, my goal has never been to eliminate all bad experiences from growing up. Opposition to some extent is actually good for people. Real life is harsh, and you need to have some level of ability to handle criticism. Kids that grow up in entirely padded rooms, with nerf tables and chairs, end up having a mental crisis when they get into the real world, and stub their toe on a metaphoric chair leg at work.

But there is a line between kids bickering at each other, and outright abuse by staff or students. That's where we need to focus our attention.

The piano reference reminds me of another school incident, although way before high school. In grade school they offered piano lessons after school so it seemed natural to pick up on them, having a piano at home where both parents and my grandmother played, and I was musically inclined from infancy. I was about five or six and it went great for the first year or two. Then they switched to another teacher for whatever reason, and it quit being fun. You hear the cliché of the teacher rapping the knuckles if your finger slipped, I knew that before it was a cliché. I quit those lessons and never went back. A positive had turned into a negative. I don't think that ever would have happened with a decent teacher.

That makes you think...What If... Someone should have let that teacher know what she had done to her students. Maybe she could have changed.

At the age of seven you don't yet know what "fair" or "normal" is. Just as you don't know your eyes are bad until you get the eye exam. All you can do with limited experience is assume that whatever you cope with is the norm.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Hey, at least nobody had a substitute teacher like this. And, aren't schools supposed to screen those people they hire as substitutes?

 

[SweetSue92]

Hey, at least nobody had a substitute teacher like this. And, aren't schools supposed to screen those people they hire as substitutes?

Welcome to the national teacher shortage. People might--MIGHT--take notice when this starts happening more frequently. And it will.