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

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I stopped gong to school twice in the 9th grade because they couldn't keep me interested.This was circa 1962-63 in rural schools in Texas. I took a GED test in the Navy, in 1965, and scored at 11th grade level except in math.
After the military I enrolled at a Jr College for a couple of things that interested me, Sociology and American History.
The Sociology instructor was too stuck on herself to suit my tastes and the History instructor was boring. I've learned more, about both subjects, in the last 12 years I've frequented political message boards than my kids learned in High School and college- mostly because I *wanted* to and I can read. My professional life allowed me to work with some pretty sharp people and lay a foundation of looking at situations objectively by researching ALL available evidence before rendering a conclusion.

Education is merely a passing on of knowledge, good, bad and/or indifferent.

What should school do today? Teach how to find answers not what answers are to pass a test. Teach respect through example using the Declaration of Independence as it's foundation, especially the phrase- all men are created equal and have certain unalienable rights. Teach individual effort creates the greater good Naturally. Teach individualism is not conformity.
Reading, writing and arithmetic are really all that's required to accomplish any assigned task. Engage the creativity a sponge for a brain has naturally. Encourage creativity not conformity to test standards. Stop the alleged self esteem building crap.
Self esteem is achieved with accomplishing a task. Period. Respect is earned when respect is given, which builds self respect. Creativity encourages innovation, innovation can create wealth, wealth comes in more than monetary acquisition.
Standardized conformity is a *one size fits all* mandate- it ain't working.

Got any examples from this century?

Any year we went to school is important.

No, because you are talking about schools NOW, not 50 years ago.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I hated school as a kid but also

School should be just like it was when I was a kid

If this is not a typo, it does not compute. Kind of a math, but a very simple math. Looks like it reads, "I suffered, therefore others should suffer". I would never want a kid to have to go through the prison I went through. That's part of why I never had kids.

But maybe it's a typo?

Oh no, sadly, I mean this. Read my fellow conservatives here. They hated the school experience they had but also hate reforms, hate anything that's not whatever decade they were brought up in education. So as I said: "I hated school as a kid" but also, "Everything should be exactly as it was when I was a kid in school"

Oh yeah, I mean it

Then that would mean every kid must be put through the same hell, hate school, waste twelve years and bear that setback into adulthood.

That makes no sense.

No, actually it does. In the 50's and 60's we were educated instead of indoctrinated. Big difference than today.

I hate to break it to you, but there is very little indoctrination occurring outside Libtardia.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Then that would mean every kid must be put through the same hell, hate school, waste twelve years and bear that setback into adulthood.

That makes no sense.

No, actually it does. In the 50's and 60's we were educated instead of indoctrinated. Big difference than today.

When was the last time you spent an entire day in a school?

2003. But I tutored my grandsons and knew what was going on. We can read and listen to the news to see that many teachers and profs are touting the liberal message and not accepting unbiased responses from students.

16 years ago and you think you knows exactly what goes on in every class every now?

Every class, of course not. Have you read about schools, teachers and our standing in the world educationally? Possibly not.

Those statistics are skewed much in the same way as political polls.

 

[Pogo]

I hated school as a kid but also

School should be just like it was when I was a kid

If this is not a typo, it does not compute. Kind of a math, but a very simple math. Looks like it reads, "I suffered, therefore others should suffer". I would never want a kid to have to go through the prison I went through. That's part of why I never had kids.

But maybe it's a typo?

Oh no, sadly, I mean this. Read my fellow conservatives here. They hated the school experience they had but also hate reforms, hate anything that's not whatever decade they were brought up in education. So as I said: "I hated school as a kid" but also, "Everything should be exactly as it was when I was a kid in school"

Oh yeah, I mean it

Then that would mean every kid must be put through the same hell, hate school, waste twelve years and bear that setback into adulthood.

That makes no sense.

No, actually it does. In the 50's and 60's we were educated instead of indoctrinated. Big difference than today.

I hate to break it to you, but there is very little indoctrination occurring outside Libtardia.

I can see why you hate to break it. If I were holding that bag I'd be embarrassed too.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Nothing in High School had any real effect on me. It was being in the military that changed my life.

Same here, but I have to give the credit of being encouraged to join the military to Mr. Parker, my HS guidance counselor. My Senior year, he would do interviews with all the people graduating that year, help them figure out what schools to go to, as well as helped them with their applications.

When he interviewed me, he asked what college I was planning to attend. I told him that because my Grandparents didn't have enough money, chances are I wouldn't go and would start working right after I graduated. He then asked me what kinds of things I was interested in, and travel was in the top 3. He said that if I was interested, I should check out what the various services had to offer, as they went all over the world and I might get a chance to see a foreign country.

Best damn decision I ever made. Not only did I end up with a career that I am proud of, as well as got some pretty interesting assignments (2 back to back tours of Independent Duty my last 2 stations. One on an MSC vessel, the second one was in recruiting as Head Classifier and LPO of Amarillo MEPS), but I ended up staying in for over 20 years and now have a decent retirement and health care for the rest of my life. Been to 26 different countries and 49 different states, only missing Alaska.

As far as who was the most influential on my service in the Navy? That's easy, PN1 Bayona who was my first LPO. He would regularly throw out questions for the office to answer, and whoever got it right was given a soda or a candy bar. Taught me early on to pay attention to the regs, especially the new ones that came out quarterly with the manual changes. And, he also taught me that if I did the manual changes, I would be the first "in the know" of the newest rules. He taught me well as to how to do my job, and also instilled in me a love of being a PN.

Biker, it sounds like you were fortunate to have Mr. Parker as your guidance counselor. Have you ever thought of writing to him and thanking him? That would be cool. After my desire for astronomy waned, I became a teacher and wrote my 6th grade teacher and thanked him for being such a good teacher and I wanted to become as good as he was.

He would be long retired by now, and not sure if he's still alive. But, he does live on in my memory, and every time I speak favorably about the guidance he gave me is a form of thanks.

 

[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.

 

[Andylusion]

I stopped gong to school twice in the 9th grade because they couldn't keep me interested.This was circa 1962-63 in rural schools in Texas. I took a GED test in the Navy, in 1965, and scored at 11th grade level except in math.
After the military I enrolled at a Jr College for a couple of things that interested me, Sociology and American History.
The Sociology instructor was too stuck on herself to suit my tastes and the History instructor was boring. I've learned more, about both subjects, in the last 12 years I've frequented political message boards than my kids learned in High School and college- mostly because I *wanted* to and I can read. My professional life allowed me to work with some pretty sharp people and lay a foundation of looking at situations objectively by researching ALL available evidence before rendering a conclusion.

Education is merely a passing on of knowledge, good, bad and/or indifferent.

What should school do today? Teach how to find answers not what answers are to pass a test. Teach respect through example using the Declaration of Independence as it's foundation, especially the phrase- all men are created equal and have certain unalienable rights. Teach individual effort creates the greater good Naturally. Teach individualism is not conformity.
Reading, writing and arithmetic are really all that's required to accomplish any assigned task. Engage the creativity a sponge for a brain has naturally. Encourage creativity not conformity to test standards. Stop the alleged self esteem building crap.
Self esteem is achieved with accomplishing a task. Period. Respect is earned when respect is given, which builds self respect. Creativity encourages innovation, innovation can create wealth, wealth comes in more than monetary acquisition.
Standardized conformity is a *one size fits all* mandate- it ain't working.

This has been my experience as well. I've learned far more, from forums, wikipiedia, and documentaries on Youtube, than I ever did in high school or college.

Schools, and especially K-12 should primarily focus on the core skills needed in life. Reading... writing... and arithmetic.

I'm to the point that history should almost entirely be taught by playing documentaries from the history channel. Teachers simply do not seem to be able to make the topic of history even remotely compelling. Why they can't, I don't know. But you go to a public school, and it's a bad version of Ferris Bueller's day off.

The founding of this country is extremely interesting. If you can't talk about it, without people dozing off, then you need to stop and let someone else do 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.

SO similar to my own sentiments. I remember travelling back to the old neighborhood after decades living elsewhere, seeing how everything had been developed, new roads, new buildings, everything different except The Prison. Which is what I always called it. It looked exactly the same. Although there was no reason to expect it I felt a deep disappointment that it hadn't been obliterated by a meteor. But if one could plan that I would happily sit across the street and watch it burn, munching popcorn, applauding and saying, "good riddance". And then I'd spit on it.

I've gotten regular invitations to high school reunions over the years including number 50 recently. Never went to a single one, never wanted to. Fuck 'em.

 

[Unkotare]

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.

 

[Unkotare]

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.

SO similar to my own sentiments. I remember travelling back to the old neighborhood after decades living elsewhere, seeing how everything had been developed, new roads, new buildings, everything different except The Prison. Which is what I always called it. It looked exactly the same. Although there was no reason to expect it I felt a deep disappointment that it hadn't been obliterated by a meteor. But if one could plan that I would happily sit across the street and watch it burn, munching popcorn, applauding and saying, "good riddance". And then I'd spit on it.

I've gotten regular invitations to high school reunions over the years including number 50 recently. Never went to a single one, never wanted to. Fuck 'em.

Another loser who blames the world for the fact that you live in it. Talk about arrested development.

 

[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.

Sounds like Attention Whore is back desperately wanting to be included in somebody else's rap, yet failing miserably.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Being made fun of relentlessly for having a speech impediment.

What kind of speech impediment? Like a Porky the pig type or a Sylvester the cat type or what?

I got knocked up.

I gave you a funny, not because it's a funny situation, but because it was funny the way you did that. lol.

 

[depotoo]

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.

Surviving it!

 

[Unkotare]

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.

Sounds like Attention Whore is...

You’re mistaken again.

 

[Uncensored2008]

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 had a witch as a teacher once too.

Bitch turned me into a toad... Had to hop around for three days.....

 

[miketx]

Being made fun of relentlessly for having a speech impediment.

What kind of speech impediment? Like a Porky the pig type or a Sylvester the cat type or what?

I got knocked up.

I gave you a funny, not because it's a funny situation, but because it was funny the way you did that. lol.

Stuttering.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Stuttering.

Oh, I see. Thanks, I was just curious. I have a few brothers who stutter. Anyway, glad to see you back. Your crude humor has grown on me over the least few years. lol.

 

[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.

SO similar to my own sentiments. I remember travelling back to the old neighborhood after decades living elsewhere, seeing how everything had been developed, new roads, new buildings, everything different except The Prison. Which is what I always called it. It looked exactly the same. Although there was no reason to expect it I felt a deep disappointment that it hadn't been obliterated by a meteor. But if one could plan that I would happily sit across the street and watch it burn, munching popcorn, applauding and saying, "good riddance". And then I'd spit on it.

I've gotten regular invitations to high school reunions over the years including number 50 recently. Never went to a single one, never wanted to. Fuck 'em.

Yeah man, I'd be right there with you ready to roast some marshmallows over the flames, with something cold to drink.

I got one of those invitations a long time ago. I felt nothing, but a slight irritation that after all these years, they still managed to waste some minutes of my life trying to figure out what it was they sent me. The paper was disguised as something important, like typical junk mail. After I got through all that "It's been a long time, and we haven't heard from you" to the part where it finally said "Invitation to your 25th high school reunion" I dumped it in the trash, wish for my 10 minutes back, and moved on.

There are only two people in the entire school I didn't hate. One I felt badly for. She tracked me down, and invited me to her after-prom party, and then her graduation party. The story is odd at best. I volunteered to help at the local homeless shelter, with a group from school. As per usual, the person who dropped me off, ditched me, and I asked the teacher that was involved, if they could take me home. Instead he found some guy there who agreed to drop me off.

However, he also agreed to take some little Asian girl home too, and instead went on a sight seeing tour of the city, while hitting on the girl. I had nothing better to do, so I just sat in the back, reading something. Both forgot I was even in the car, until almost 30 minutes of what should have been a 15 minute trip, they remembered I was there and quickly dropped me off at home.

Never knew her name. And she never asked mine. I only knew who it was, because the invitation had her photo on it, and I recognized her from that one night. But she put in the effort to figure out who I was, got my address from who knows, and sent me invitations to her social stuff. I felt bad about it, because there was no way she could have known how much pure hatred I had for everyone else there. Not a chance I'm going to some social event with those walking talking turds bragging about how much vomit they had from the beer pong party over the weekend.

Other than her, there was one other seemingly decent girl named Haley, but beyond that school was just a fantasy dungeon out of a B rated horror flick, filled with nothing but gargoyles that happen to have a humanoid appearance. Go watch the movie DOOM, and that's what school was to me.

Take otherwise decent people, put them in a government funded camp, where they are bitten by some terrible disease that turns them all into arrogant self-centered hideous cannibalistic creatures. I watched otherwise friends, turn on each other, because one was accepted by the 'in-crowd' and the other was not. I watched these pathetic boys, comparing what name brand shoes they wore, and talk about what clothing store they went to, the same way men my age compare what idiotic car they drove to work. Girls all dressing up, or even dressed down like whores, and looking down on each other, for no reason. Teachers that didn't care. School policies that only enshrined bullying.

What a crap hole. What a total utter crap hole. The irony is, this was Upper Arlington High School. One of the top rated public schools in central Ohio. Spoiled brat yuppie kids, driving daddies "used" 20,000 miles BMW. Teach your kids some manors, politeness, and decency, before you teach them to drive.

 

[SweetSue92]

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.

First of all, I believe you, and I'm sorry.

I can excuse teachers being overwhelmed. It's an easily overwhelming job. But I cannot excuse cruelty.

But I hope you realize you do just what your parents do when you want all public schools "burnt to the ground". Perhaps your parents dismissed your experience. It sounds like they certainly did. You're not dismissing a lot of kids' decent, if not good or great, experience by wanting to "burn the schools to the ground". Isn't that exactly what your parents did? Taking YOUR experience and extrapoling it to everyone?

 

[SweetSue92]

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.

SO similar to my own sentiments. I remember travelling back to the old neighborhood after decades living elsewhere, seeing how everything had been developed, new roads, new buildings, everything different except The Prison. Which is what I always called it. It looked exactly the same. Although there was no reason to expect it I felt a deep disappointment that it hadn't been obliterated by a meteor. But if one could plan that I would happily sit across the street and watch it burn, munching popcorn, applauding and saying, "good riddance". And then I'd spit on it.

I've gotten regular invitations to high school reunions over the years including number 50 recently. Never went to a single one, never wanted to. Fuck 'em.

Yeah man, I'd be right there with you ready to roast some marshmallows over the flames, with something cold to drink.

I got one of those invitations a long time ago. I felt nothing, but a slight irritation that after all these years, they still managed to waste some minutes of my life trying to figure out what it was they sent me. The paper was disguised as something important, like typical junk mail. After I got through all that "It's been a long time, and we haven't heard from you" to the part where it finally said "Invitation to your 25th high school reunion" I dumped it in the trash, wish for my 10 minutes back, and moved on.

There are only two people in the entire school I didn't hate. One I felt badly for. She tracked me down, and invited me to her after-prom party, and then her graduation party. The story is odd at best. I volunteered to help at the local homeless shelter, with a group from school. As per usual, the person who dropped me off, ditched me, and I asked the teacher that was involved, if they could take me home. Instead he found some guy there who agreed to drop me off.

However, he also agreed to take some little Asian girl home too, and instead went on a sight seeing tour of the city, while hitting on the girl. I had nothing better to do, so I just sat in the back, reading something. Both forgot I was even in the car, until almost 30 minutes of what should have been a 15 minute trip, they remembered I was there and quickly dropped me off at home.

Never knew her name. And she never asked mine. I only knew who it was, because the invitation had her photo on it, and I recognized her from that one night. But she put in the effort to figure out who I was, got my address from who knows, and sent me invitations to her social stuff. I felt bad about it, because there was no way she could have known how much pure hatred I had for everyone else there. Not a chance I'm going to some social event with those walking talking turds bragging about how much vomit they had from the beer pong party over the weekend.

Other than her, there was one other seemingly decent girl named Haley, but beyond that school was just a fantasy dungeon out of a B rated horror flick, filled with nothing but gargoyles that happen to have a humanoid appearance. Go watch the movie DOOM, and that's what school was to me.

Take otherwise decent people, put them in a government funded camp, where they are bitten by some terrible disease that turns them all into arrogant self-centered hideous cannibalistic creatures. I watched otherwise friends, turn on each other, because one was accepted by the 'in-crowd' and the other was not. I watched these pathetic boys, comparing what name brand shoes they wore, and talk about what clothing store they went to, the same way men my age compare what idiotic car they drove to work. Girls all dressing up, or even dressed down like whores, and looking down on each other, for no reason. Teachers that didn't care. School policies that only enshrined bullying.

What a crap hole. What a total utter crap hole. The irony is, this was Upper Arlington High School. One of the top rated public schools in central Ohio. Spoiled brat yuppie kids, driving daddies "used" 20,000 miles BMW. Teach your kids some manors, politeness, and decency, before you teach them to drive.

Dude aren't you an adult now?

I mean 25 years on? Shouldn't you be getting over this now? I'm a public school teacher and I have never been to my high school reunion. Look, a LOT of us didn't love high school. This is like a normal thing. This is not a special thing.