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High school valedictorian's speech condemns U.S. education system
pressofatlanticcity.com — Imagine the nerve ... a high-school valedictorian, on his way to Princeton next year, daring to speak about a topic he obviously has given much thought to — the American education system. And the principal's reaction? He said Elnahal's speech was “hypocritical” and “an insult.”
Artifez- 1314 diggs
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- Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -70/+2story got pulled
- CrimsonBlur, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8No it didn't...
- zirtbow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25Good speech its too bad they screen it out. They might as well have someone else write 4 or 5 speech's and let the kids pick one of those since essentially they are REQUIRED to sound/go a certain way. For someone that worked hard enough to make valedictorian a valid speech as his should be allowed to be presented even if it is outside the norm.
- superal1394, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13That explains why our valedictorian speech last year sucked... I know If I become Valedictorian, I would to ask if I can wing the speech. If they say no, I'd write the speech, get up there, then wing it.
- tkdan235, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/john_gatto.html
John Gatto says it all! - Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3A followup
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/letters/story/6478196p-6330558c.html - Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3And a couple letters on it:
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/letters/story/6495078p-6344575c.html - Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+65 SPEECH of the Student
Published: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Updated: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Four years ago, we gathered here for an education. Today marks a milestone in that pursuit, a culmination of four years of learning, growth and shared memories. At such times, it is appropriate to reflect on years past, to examine what we have done and what we have learned. Today I am charged with that difficult task, and I would like to thank the school for the opportunity to stand before my peers and reflect on our time together.
Education can be defined a number of different ways. For me, it is the product of human curiosity. Intellectual thought, as far as I can tell, is nothing but the asking and answering of questions. In my reflection, however, and I have reflected on this a great deal, I found that many of life’s most important questions are ignored here. What is the right way to live? What is the ideal society? What principles should guide my behavior? What is success, what is failure? Is there a creator, and if so, should we look to it for guidance? These are often dismissed as questions of religion, but religion is not something opposed to rationality, it simply seeks to answer such questions through faith. The separation of church and state is, of course, important, but it should never be a reason for intellectual submission or suppression of any kind. Ethics — it is what defines us — as individuals, as a society — and yet it is never discussed, never explained, never justified. Rousseau, Descartes, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Aquinas, nearly every major writer I’ve encountered devotes time to the subject. And it’s not as if these questions are without practical concern, that they are less immediately relevant than science for instance. Our laws, our institutions and all our actions are a reflection of our ethics. Our own society owes itself to the writers of the enlightenment, but we never probe their work — we fail to espouse the movement’s central principle, doubt — doubt everything. We study what is, never why, never what should be. For that reason, the education we have received here is not only incomplete, it is entirely hollow.
What’s more, this same lack of focus can be found in many of the subjects we do study. We approach history as though it were a story, endlessly cataloging every major character or event. But the details of that story are insignificant — what is significant is the progression of ideas. A study of history should get some sense of how the society he sees around him developed from those built thousands of years ago, what ideas changed and what changed them. When humanist scholars looked into ancient Rome during the Renaissance, they searched for moral examples, for ideas. They didn’t mull on every single daily event. They were inspired, and they transformed society. History is not an end in itself; it should act as a tool for greater thought.
But it’s not only history. I’ve taken a literature class nearly every year of my life, but never has a question so basic as “What is good writing?” come up. Literary technique, what should be the focus of the class, is never discussed. How does an author develop plot? How can an author control mood or tone in his writing? What is the advantage of one author’s methods over another’s? Such matters are never discussed. We read for the sake of reading, to talk about our interpretations in class as though we were in a book club. But no attention is paid to why we read the books we do, what makes them so special. And this pattern, grade for the sake of a grade, work for the sake of work, can be found everywhere. Ladies and gentlemen, the spirit of intellectual thought is lost. I speak today not to rant, complain or cause trouble, and certainly not to draw attention to myself. I have accomplished nothing and I am nothing. I know that. Rather, I was moved by the countless hours wasted in those halls. Today, you should focus on your child or loved one. This is meant to be a day of celebration, and if I’ve taken away from that, I’m sorry. But I know how highly this community values learning, and I urge you all to re-evaluate what it means to be educated. I care deeply about everyone here, and it is only our fulfillment I desire. I will leave now so that the ceremony can go on. Again, my deepest apologies, God help me. - lokoluis15, on 10/12/2007, -2/+26That's an incredibly good speech that shows very individual thought, I think. More valedictorians should make speeches like this to show that learning shouldn't be something that we just do because we are told to do so. If I went to this kid's school I would give him a pat on the back and take him out to lunch. He seems like a great person to converse with. Seriously though, most kids my age really don't bother to ask why we learn what we learn and schools really don't bother to teach philosophical ideas like that.
Much kudos to him. - fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -20/+5Wow. That is an incredibly average speech.
He must have gone to a horrible high school if his teachers never asked those sorts of questions in class. Eve n the non-AP students got some of this in my district.
But I guess Cali is just leaps and bounds over anything Maine can offer... - InferiorWang, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10"Eve n the non-AP students got some of this in my district."
I was AP and still didn't get any of that in mine. When we graduated, my friends and I realized that graduating high school was the easiest thing we ever did in our lives. All you had to do was show up enough and finish your busy work. For many of the top students in my class it became a contest to see who could wait until the last minute as much as possible and slack as much as possible and still make it in the top 10%. I am thoroughly disappointed with my "education" and can't wait until I finish college so I can free up more time to really learn. I know that most of my time learning real usable knowledge and skills was driven by my own curiosity and will to learn. School was mostly an irritation that I knew I had to bear like everyone else so that I could get on with the real world. Something really needs to change. It's scary to think about having children of your own wasting their time there instead of living up to their potential. - psquared89, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Not looking to start any flame wars (*ahem* "Cali is miles ahead of Maine...?) I think it's important to bear in mind that this is not a universal problem. I've been challenged with some of these questions since middle school and I'm currently entering my senior year. This is an issue of the education system where the author of this speech resides. My biggest problem with school systems is not their lack of effort, it's their apathy when is comes to student achievment. By all means, I'm a hard-working, intelligent student. But my entire school is not made up of people like me, there are far too many high-school students who are satisfied slogging thier way through the education system. My school offers a multitude of AP and 'Honors' classes, but most of them are barely 25 students strong (in a school of 1600 kids). Too many kids today are satisfied with a passing C (or even D) as they go from Extended Algebra to Geometry Senior year. The best thing that schools could do for their students is find a way to motivate them, because there are a lot of kids today who are throwing their life away, and it's truly a sad state of affairs.
- YouKnowMe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2To Psequadra89: I'm going into my senior year also, and I see these same types of kids in a our school. If a kid does not want to get his education and wants to dig ditches his whole life, then so be it. But, I wish, they knew what they consequences of their actions would be.
- revthwack, on 10/12/2007, -3/+66Nice to see someone else standing up and trying to speak the truth, that the US education system doesn't teach you how to think, but how to be a mindless automaton.
- Tiabin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+39Preach it... he may have been a little bit dramatic about it, but this needs to keep happening. People need to demand that the education system be changed. This doesn't mean just throwing more money at it either.
- prot0col, on 10/12/2007, -3/+53The biggest problem is the "No Child Left Behind" law. Is the thought behind this to dumb up everyone else so that the dumb kid is not left behind?
- imikedaman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+49Damn straight. Schools favor memorization over critical thinking, and it disgusts me. There's a reason why the brightest in the technology field often did poorly in school, or even dropped out - they have incredible reasoning skills, and yet all they are allowed to do is spit back useless information. How frustrating.
- OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -30/+15doing your tedious job without complaint is more valuable to our society than being a free thinker. you can either embrace this or be an angry little person for the rest of your life.
- monolith, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7@Protocol, these problems with the public education system have been there a LONG time.
Can you bust up what is already broken? - HoboMaster, on 10/12/2007, -1/+33"doing your tedious job without complaint is more valuable to our society than being a free thinker."
Tell that to Einstein. Or George Washington. Or any of our forefathers. Or just about any influential technologist (Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc). Or for that matter, ANY influential person in the history of our society
No truly great person has been so by being an automaton. They've done it by ignoring the norm and thinking differently.
People like you, who believe "just fitting in" is the most important thing are what's wrong with our society. - incubusnb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25I graduated from a Canadian HS so the system is slightly different, but still emphasised memorising over problem solving. I was one of the kids that sat at the back of the class and slept, school was boring and I found I learned more on my own time anyways. well, I completed HS just 5 credits short of my diploma but due to having made an appointment with one of the heads of the Computer Science department at my local college I was accepted into the program. Even though I barely passed most of my HS classes and didn't pass some of them, I managed to maintain a 92% average in my first year of College.
High School doesn't prepare you for post-secondary, It prepares you for McDonalds and Warehousing jobs where memorising things like stock placement and customer orders is important. - hackwrench, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5"Tell that to Einstein. Or George Washington. Or any of our forefathers. Or just about any influential technologist (Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc). Or for that matter, ANY influential person in the history of our society"
It all depends on which measure you use to define value. If you measure value by what the society sets out to produce, it can hardly be said that it sets out to produce that sort of person. - kenz0r, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5@hobomaster
i believe you misinterpreted what he said. - FluffyArmada, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15@ OrangeTide
The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world... are the ones who do. - adminmatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10“Society often forgives the criminal; it never forgives the dreamer.”
-Oscar Wilde
- CrimsonBlur, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32The kid has an excellent point and he made it eloquently right up until he got booted! The education system in the US IS ***** up, everyone knows it and teachers shouldn't try to deny it, they should help try to solve it. I can't believe that schools (and our government) are now taking the stance that anything "bad" about our country needs to be silenced, and you are a hypocrite or a terrorist if you speak your mind and they don't like it.
- srhall, on 10/12/2007, -19/+8Protesting or saying something "bad" should be condemned. Giving an alternative is what should be expected and welcomed. This student did give example as to why he felt his education was poor. Good for them. Equally poor, however, would be the act and timing of the speech. Nice way to ruin everyone else's graduation for the gratification of one individual.
- iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11QUOTE Protesting or saying something "bad" should be condemned. UNQUOTE
Then how the ***** are you to recommend something, if you don't get the word out that it's ***** up to begin with? You are (your thinking that is) the "type" that make this cycle of the ***** education system come back full circle, and never dealt with.
- srhall, on 10/12/2007, -19/+8Protesting or saying something "bad" should be condemned. Giving an alternative is what should be expected and welcomed. This student did give example as to why he felt his education was poor. Good for them. Equally poor, however, would be the act and timing of the speech. Nice way to ruin everyone else's graduation for the gratification of one individual.
- ytrabbit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+64The principal - “My hope was they did not hear or understand what he was saying"
That's funny. Who is insulting the students?- mystagogue, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19i thought that quote was really telling...
- Nougat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+20That statement only proves the point of the censored speaker.
- FluffyArmada, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23I'd be honored to graduate with someone like that.
- kingkilr, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6If I become validictorian I hope to follow in this kid's footsteps and spread the truth, unfortunately it probably won't happen because I long ago stopped doing the ***** work(I do the legit stuff though).
- OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14"validictorian" I'm guessing you can neither say it or spell it. so we don't really have to worry about you blowing the "cover" on the public education system.
- tdogg241, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15That was the part of the article that really grabbed me as well. Because what is that really saying about the education system that the principal was HOPING the other students didn't understand what their valedictorian was saying?
- tdogg241, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Oops, that reply was meant for ytrabbit.
But for OrangeTide, spelling is largely memorization. And the fact that s/he spelled valedictorian the way it probably should be spelled combined with the fact that s/he got their point across should tell you that your argument is baseless. - OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4you are awarded "valedictorian" for your achievements in academics, not for being a smart person (directly). I was not valedictorian, and I have no problems with people who did not get such an honor. But you are delusional if you think that you will suddenly become valedictorian (without trying) when someone cannot do basic tasks that academics demand the most of someone who is elected valedictorian.
stating that spelling is about memorization and "therefor" my argument is baseless is not a logical argument. please try again. - jimmyjimbo13, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Actually, spelling can be both. Some choose to memorize each and every word, but others develop a feel of the English language and don't need to memorize a sequence of letters.
- kingkilr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I suppose I was unclear. It's not that I don't try, it's that I understand the purpose of the work and try to do it in order to complete a worthwhile goal, not to do busywork.
Unfortunately trying to modify a time filler into something useful is not generally what teachers want.
Too bad
- DCMacHead, on 10/12/2007, -5/+30The "problem" with our educational system is that the kids are lazy. I've seen this first hand by tutoring high school kids. Today kids expect things to be thoroughly explained to them without studying the material for themselves. There are also a lot of kids that are denied tuition assistance despite good academic standing at colleges and universities--meanwhile, scholarships are doled out to other kids based on the color of their skin, not their grades.
- hyperstation, on 10/12/2007, -3/+24Amen. I'm going to be a sophomore in college, and i get no assistance despite having a 3.67 in high school. It's my fault my parents are middle class and white. I have no money, my parents do. Go figure.
- Mudb0y, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Its not like laziness is a new problem. Laziness and apathy happen to people of all ages and levels a education. Why are they lazy? For me, its because I was bored. Do teachers teach the same courses the same way for 20 years? Why? Because they are lazy as well. In school, I got the grades I needed, learned the things that I wanted to in the classes that I liked (in my case, math and physics), and ignored the crap that was "Language Arts."
Did the school system do me a disservice? I will say that my first year in college was a shock. Things I thought I was good at, it turned out that I actually had to WORK at for the first time in my life, so yes, a little bit of a disservice. But you know what, I figured the ***** out, and learned, for the first time in my life, how to LEARN... That is the biggest problem. We aren't teaching the basic skills of learning in the first place. I'm not talking about memorizing, or anything as mundane as that, but to actually learn a topic so that you understand it well from all angles, and that knowledge becomes a tool for you to use. Its not something that you can forget over the summer, because its within you.
I have degrees in Political Science and Economics, but I work in Engineering because in studying those topics in college, I learned how to truly understand any topic.
Most other systems make you do this in high school, and college is more of a breeze, but in the US, we don't... which means that we spend more time re-learning what we thought we knew in the first place... - humanaction, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6The problem with our education system is it is run by the government. Get rid of the DOE, the teacher's unions and all that, and let the market (people) pick the winners with their buying decisions. And don't reply by saying only the rich would be educated, that is hogwash. In free-markets, prices go down and quality goes up, exactly the opposite of government education.
- barak, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3high school students expect to get taught, to be lectured and to remember it! its like getting ass raped by information, they have to learn to like it! its how they have been told to learn since kindergarten. The only reason that they are lazy, is because to them it is inevitably the duty of the teacher to make sure they learn.
That's why there are all the BS scholarships for minorities, because for the minority student to have acculturated themselves into sitting down and shutting up just like the other kids, to deny themselves their culture for the teacher's culture, makes teachers and administrators feel better about their ***** jobs. The reason for ever being a teacher is to give your mind to your students, and if the strange ones with no reason to learn, do it for "learning's" sake get the scholarships, than apparently TRYING to get brain raped and keeping it even though it would be easy to ignore is WORTH SOME MONEY.
getting good grades just means they have already won your mind, and they don't need your sorry face any longer than it takes to pacify you towards BS.
There should be a mandatory critical thinking class for EVERY SINGLE citizen, that's administered like jury duty. (or you can go down to the bookstore and pull out some books on it, which would be even better)
BTW i totally agree with Mudb0y - DCMacHead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@hyperstation
I was in the same boat you were--good grades, but parents made too much. I ended up working my way through college working full time during the school year and doubletime in the summer. Today, laptops are cheaper than when I went to college, so I'd encourage you go stay mobile and try to cram your classes in around a work schedule. I ended up finding a decent job while I was in school and it turned into a salaried gig after I graduated. Good luck, stay with it and don't let anyone keep you down. - tfen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0the laziness is caused by the school having the students do busy work. How would you feel if in a foreign language class you were asked to copy down each sentence then translate them. BTW there are more then 50 sentences and the difference in them is one word that is what causes the laziness. Also too many classes is regurgitating information.
- willgonz, on 10/12/2007, -11/+6U.S. K12 education is the worst education system in all of the world. Google it.
- OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25Yea. it's not the "worst in the world". But it is the worse for the amount of money spent per student. Embarassing really, where does all that money go?
Somalia is one example of an education system worse than the US's, if you were wondering. There are hundreds of others below the US.
The US education system is probably better described as the biggest waste of money in the world, rather than the worse in the world. - invader, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7i agree with orangetide. it could be worse.. i mean at least a good portion of our schools *have* computers (or electricity for that matter). however, for being a developed country and a world superpower, our education system is pretty pathetic.
- OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Most Americans are pretty shocked whenever they hear we aren't the best in everything. We don't have the best schools, we don't have the highest Per Capita GDP (PPP), we don't have anywhere near the highest GDP growth rate. Although the US does have the highest GDP. We're like double of #2 (usually Japan or China, they switch every few years).
- OrangeTide, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25Yea. it's not the "worst in the world". But it is the worse for the amount of money spent per student. Embarassing really, where does all that money go?
- groceryheist, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Everything he said is true. A highschoold deploma isnt that big a deal. I personally know a master in English and a PHD in chemestry who never graduated from highschool. Its just a hoop you jump through so you can be normal and socially accepted. And get a job alittle bit easier if you are an idiot.
- wolfjack, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I think the kid definitely had a point. It'd be very interesting to read the full text of the speech because it looked like the editorial edited the heck out of it.
- Satanael, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7This kid has achieved what I have only dreamt of achieving. This has made my day.
- SeanFL, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6The only thing that would have gotten him booted quicker is a mention of what God, or Jesus, or Allah mean to him. And he's right...our education system is horrible. We've been passed up by far too many around the world at this point. It's time for a big shakeup.
- TheKillDoctor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17BZZZZ! Wrong! I've been to 5 graduations in the past 8 years and in everyone of them a valedictorian started off their speech saying,'And first I'd like to thank jesus (or god).' One student even went on for 15 mins about being 'saved' and spelled out her churches website for everyone. These types of expressive speeches are NOT condemned and though annoying as hell these students are allowed to have their opinions. It's just to bad this student who actually HAD something to say was silenced.
- automagically, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10The graduation isn't a place of religious debate. The kids are required to be there, and families are there to support their kids. Unless everyone in the graduation is Christian, I don't think it's fair. It's not a question of free speech, it's a question of not being rude. It's a question of being fair, and not imposing or forcing others to listen to religious beliefs when they aren't allowed to debate or speak out. The Valedictorian has a right to put people's religions down on government time and money?
It's basically saying, "Hello graduates. God saved me, and if you don't believe in my god, you're going to hell, because you're a heathen." That's not fair, not when students are forced to be there and not allowed to speak up and defend their religion.
- gwenkelly, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5This kid is a genius. It's only depressing because the truth is the principle's hopes were probably fulfilled by many of the students. I can only hope that this kid goes on to a policy position in government. It's just a shame that the members of the congress don't see things as clearly as a high school student.
- dooms13, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9No he isn't a genius, he is a smart kid willing to speak his mind. He spoke it at the wrong time, though. He got himself kicked off stage. If he were really smart he could have said this subtly and let those smart enough to "understand," him as the principal put it, listen and think.
- ccran, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4If the young man is as astute as he seems, he will stay far away from government.
- otherland, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4Nice speech but kind of hypocritical since he obviously played by all the rules, did all the work just for working, did all the reading just for reading, got the grades for the sake of grades... because he's the valedictorian...
He has a point, we need change immediately, but the greedy teachers union won't allow any changes in the system. No other profession would accept the amount of incompetency as professional teaching at US public schools. But bad teachers are sheltered for life with tenure.- opnickc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9He was not hypocritical. He only proved that he fully understood traditional side of the issue.
Would anybody listen if he had barely passed? He'd just be dismissed as complaining about not doing well. - akatsuki, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I agree fully that he knew how to play the system. School demands nothing from the students, even the memorization is a joke (and don't think for a second that memorization is not important, it just isn't the be-all end-all of education). Teachers unions destroy any attempt to change the system, or any ability to truly assess the student's progress under a rubric of "soft" principles around which they base their education, claiming that "forcing them to learn will destroy their creativity" or "we will be teaching to the test"... What a load of crap./
- opnickc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9He was not hypocritical. He only proved that he fully understood traditional side of the issue.
- dboylon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2sounded like a great speech. I feel the same way. I have been trying to shake myself rid of the garbage they taught me for years. Poor kids going to Princeton though...not a good idea if he wants to learn how to think. I guess he gets to learn first hand how to manipulate people to his advantage...then he'll understand why our educational system is the way it is. http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/index.htm
- jif84, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8I definitely understand what this kid is saying but i disagree with him in some aspects. An education is what you make it. You cannot blame anything on the school. If you want to think, then think! You cannot wait for someone to come along and teach you, you must go out and learn! The schools give you the tools to learn and it is up to you as to what you get out of the education. Sure there are bad teachers and there are flaws, but the only problem is blaming everything on the school. Grow up and think for yourself, don't wait for someone to think for you. It will not happen.
- Dawnspire, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Kids in 3rd-4th grade dont usually try to Stick it to The Man, or try to radically upheave the educational system for the better. Unfortunately elementary school is when kids 'learn the way things are', not really getting much chance to 'think' about what their teachers are teaching them, or how.
Fast forward to junior/high school when kids and teens start forming their OWN opinions about the way things work, and possibly question the 'system' in which they were raised like the graduate in this article. Now they are making their own ideas; but about what? When they were in the critical stages of intellectual development they got the same crap jammed down their throats as they do now- memorize, summarize summaries in textbooks, use a TI-82 to play solitaire. Would you believe in gods and the bible if it wasnt taught to you as the only answer from childhood? Would you know what stars or the sun were for that matter?
Its all crap. The principal that took him off stage is just as much as a bastard as the guys in congress that dont know GTA and Hot Coffee from a goats *****. - jimmyjimbo13, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2This is absolutely correct. Even though school undeniably is extremely dull and boring to many students, if they learned how to try to see the meaning behind even the seemlingly most dull tasks like memorizing periodic tables and learn how to not be bored while focusing, then they might find meaning in school.
- FuManchu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"Grow up and think for yourself, don't wait for someone to think for you. It will not happen."
True.
But one of the main problems with your perspective is that the public school system takes children too young, neurologically, to have these skills, and then indoctrinates them on several levels to avoid developing critical thinking about a lot of things in life. People who do "grow up" do it in spite of public school more often than as a product of it.
- Dawnspire, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Kids in 3rd-4th grade dont usually try to Stick it to The Man, or try to radically upheave the educational system for the better. Unfortunately elementary school is when kids 'learn the way things are', not really getting much chance to 'think' about what their teachers are teaching them, or how.
- birch25, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4high school taught me how to do things i didn't want to do; like writing mindless essays, completing endless math problems, memorizing the periodic table, etc. it's not that we shouldn't know anything about math/science/literature, but there are ways of giving out this information that are not mind-numbingly dull and detrimental to people's perception of learning.
- dboylon, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2schools give you the tools to learn...hahahahaha...maybe you didn't understand the whole point of his speech. Human beings can be manipulated and controlled...just like the Germans under the Nazis...just like the Americans under the Republicrats. If you want your kid to grow up with a brain... homeschool
- invader, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2you must not know very many parents... only people who were homeschooled have a possibility of homschooling their children.. if you were public schooled, leave your kids there. they're better off
- invader, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5this sounds like something i would do... but i'm too much of a slacker to ever be the valedictorian (i got a 2.8 gpa back in high school, and struggled to keep over 2.0 in college). i always saw the same patterns, and unlike this guy, i didn't play into them for the sake of getting that silly grade.
- MajorD, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Great story... poorly written article. Where's the follow up? Where's the interview?
- Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I posted them up top.
- Kickboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6The problem with the education system is quite simple: Teachers don't get paid enough.
I don't think that statement requires an explanation.- humanaction, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Again, thanks to the government. Let the market control the schools (i.e. privatize them), and the best teachers will be in demand, and the best teachers will get paid a higher wage. Again, it comes down to a simple trade, which is what a wage is. A teacher who is in demand will obviously earn a higher salary because they will have more offers. The one they choose will be the one they want to take. And parents will also be able to choose, and the best schools (with the best teachers) will demand the highest tuitions. Is there something wrong when people get to choose freely?
- fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5That solves nothing. You end up concentrating all the good teachers in the higher paying districts WHICH ALREADY DO FINE.
Let me repeat that: the problem is that the education system fails the *poor* districts, not the the rich ones.
Nor does simply upping pay. Teachers already get paid sweet somes of money for *9 months* of work a year, with 2 months or more of vacation. You know any other job that pays like that?
The problem is that apathetic students, overbearing parents, and paper-happy administrations focus more on their own interests than on *teaching* the students. - profJohn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The best quality teachers aren't going to be able to perform if they're stuck in a situation that packs too many students into classes and that doesn't budget teachers the scheduled free time needed to do a good job with lesson plans and evaluating and providing feedback on assignments. The system is such that even good teachers get plugged into a system that can't help but foster a "nudge the cattle along" mentality.
It's not just a mater of teacher salaries. Actually, I think the pay rate isn't all that bad. (In many areas it's quite close to what starting university faculty make, with much lower requirements for entry.) What really seems lacking is the budget to hire more teachers and build more class space... the student to teacher ratio in public education is pretty appalling right now, and the schedule of the typical public k-12 teacher is about as insane as it gets.
- Lososaurus, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Wrong wreply.
- mallow005, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The principal - “My hope was they did not hear or understand what he was saying"
Hilarious.
Although I agree on a whole with the student's speech, or the excerpts thereof, the school systems are the way they are for many reasons. A certain amount of memorization is good, often there are things that are necessary to memorize in order to understand concepts. But all too often, classes make you memorize things that are not necessary to memorize, and then base your grade on regurgitation.
Other classes at the high school level rely heavily on facts and regurgitation. Biology, history, geography, physics, etc. Analysis of these facts and concepts should also be taught, but a certain level of memorization is required for a complete or even basic understanding of these subjects. Seeing as how the purpose of high school is to prepare you with a base of knowledge/concepts/learning abilities regardless of what you will finally end up doing later in life, memorization of subjects that you will never use again is a necessary evil.
The system tailors itself to the common denominator; If your school does not recognize and accommodate your "superior intellect", stop worrying about your GPA so much and devote more time to your self-taught education. Self-schooling is something that you should start early and practice often, it will make high school and college more enjoyable.
I hope that student finds some interesting people or finds some similar minded groups in college, because I imagine the classes are conducted in mostly the same way even at Princeton (with more emphasis on understanding, but still too much memorization of useless crap!). - tendonut, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2One program they are implementing where I live goes by a name I cannot recall, but it basically gives a student a minimum of a 50, no matter how bad the kid does. (Is this the No Child Left Behind program?) This sure doesn't help them if you ask me. The kids have started to abuse it, naturally. They have discovered that if you get an 85 in 2 marking periods, you can just not even show up for the second 2 semesters and STILL pass with a 67. What benefit if giving kids something for nothing? I have thought about this over and over again, and I just can't see the logic in it. In the elementary schools, they stopped giving kids grades entirely. It's either pass or fail. They apparently don't want to let the kid down or make them feel stupid. Heaven forbid these kids get a taste of real life before they graduate high school.
- tendonut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I should probably mention that the schools give the kids a minimum of a 50 per marking period. Not just the whole year. Not sure if I made that clear.
Also, I am a prime example of a broken school system. I never did that great in school, usually pushing a B or something, and in college, barely holding onto that 2.0. Yet for some reason, I am more qualified and knowledgeable in my field than the people who graduated at the top of their class and have Master's degrees in the same field. Everything I know is basically self taught. I love computers :)
- tendonut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I should probably mention that the schools give the kids a minimum of a 50 per marking period. Not just the whole year. Not sure if I made that clear.
- macjunkie7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8an interesting note...
One of my friends who just graduated from college was taking a public speaking class his last semester. As it turned out, the commencement speaker was going to be chosen from this class. My friend is a pretty good public speaker, but doesn't really like to follow a script, and would rather just wing it. Because of this, he decided not to try to get the job, but he did find out some interesting things.
The student's speech would be reviewed multiple times by some of the faculty, and they would have to preview the speech almost daily. If the student were to deviate from the written speech at all, he would lose his diploma.
Kinda sad... - shonuff444, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8As a teacher, I think one of the biggest problems with the education system starts before many of the kids come to school. Kids are force fed stimuli so often, in the form of television, and video games, etc. and aren't taught how to think about the things that they are shown. This makes them less receptive to trying to actually think about things on their own, and makes it much easier for them to fall into the trap that memorization is learning. It also can have the effect of making them less likely to come to their own conclusions about things. Now, don't get me wrong because I'm not trying to badmouth video games and TV, as I love them, and I've had conversations with my students about both, but at some point parents have to take some responsibility and start talking to their kids. Discuss current events, discuss the latest video game or music video, just do something besides sit there. This obviously is not all parents and I understand that people are busy, but I think we would all agree that educating our kids is important.
Now this is not to say that there aren't numerous problems with the school system the way it is and this young man touched on some of them. In my opinion, one of the biggest problems is that the support system for new, young teachers that are really dedicated to making a difference is horrible and there are so many older, jaded teachers in the school system that often don't see the kids as kids, but as potential problems that it can be very hard to bring a new way of doing things.
This kid hit the nail on the head with his speech and its a shame that he couldn't find an outlet for his fellow students to hear him. I've found that it is very hard to get kids to realize that learning and memorizing are two different things. Doing this will require a huge shift in the way that many curricula are structured as well as a shift in the way that many teachers think. Having students think on their own and come to their own conclusions about things is a great thing to see. I hope that his speech was handed out to the faculty so that they could see what happens when you encourage kids to think. - Zreitan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2The education system in the US is pretty crappy, but you have to have something to replace it
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553375407/sr=8-1/qid=1152143855/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9669490-7524929?ie=UTF8
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553375407/sr=8-1/qid=1152143855/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9669490-7524929?ie=UTF8
both extremely amazing books with an interesting angle on the subject. - Bob042, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I know the person who was the #1 class ranked senior in my high school, and if he had given a speech, he would have remarked on the failures of the education system as well. I guess it's not that uncommon for the highest to have a disdain for the system. =)
- Zomar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3This is a very smart kid. I think this was the best place to get his message out. Where else would it get so large of a reaction? Where else would 18 year old kids actually listen to it? The media has taken it up and the word has spread! A simple newspaper article or website wouldnt have created even a speck of attention this has gotten. His word was put out. It has got people thinking. Oh course it's probably not going to change anything by itself, but nothing does, it takes a movement to make change. It's people like him that start movements.
I have the same views. High School was a joke. A complete waste of time. The only reason why I did the work was so that I could go off to a good college and make a good living for myself. The work was pathetic. I probably spent at most 5 hours a week doing work outside of school and I basically slept through all my classes and I graduated in the top 1% of my class. I have a good memory, that is all. But I feel like I learned nothing. I applaud him for his exelent speach.- Rodzirra, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm with you, Zomar. A decent memory is the /only/ requirement for doing exceptionally well in high school. I'm pretty sure critical thinking skills can only decrease your graded performance.
- netsui, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3As a student myself, I agree with what this student had/has to say. My friends/peers and I have both had the feeling that school is dumbing us down. The repetition and routine can be grueling, oppressive and unbearable. This inherent routine and repetition only cements the fact that they are teaching us to memorize; not to think.
Pearl Harbour was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941...They will tell this to students innumerable times. But, when the question of why the Japanese bombed it is asked, the teachers give a half-assed answer, or no answer at all. The students have to find the answer for themselves. If you are a student who wishes to actually learn and think, then you have no choice but to do it outside of school. - robertgoodwin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Kudos to this kid! He obviously managed to acquire a great deal of insight and intelligence despite the so-called educational system.
- psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It takes courage to say what he did.
Which is laughable. What he said is entirely innocuous. That anybody could find his speech troublesome is the problem. - rekrapt, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2All your child belong to us.
- Chronomaster, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5As far as timing goes (and to the letters who think it was ill timed), it couldn't have been a better place. ~300 Students, their families, the faculty, and anyone who read that article just got an inside to how bad our schools really are. Read his speech anywhere else and it's likely to lose impact and probably easier to smother out of existence. He even apologized for possibly ruining someone's graduation (to tell the truth, graduating meant nothing more than getting out of that hellhole into the real world. I went through high school in a daze, paying attention to very little and still passing with a 3.0+), but it seems like people ignored his foresight on that matter by way of responses. I saw a letter that said it had heavy religious implications, and I couldn't see any in the speech (philosophical and religious aren't synonymous). Hopefully, these signs of ignorance are short in number.
Kudos to the Valedictorian for such a tactical move. - KublaKhan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5GOOD JOB!
I decided to homeschool throughout highschool and easily finished school in 2 years (or was it 1.5?). As a homeschooler you soon realize that you haven't studied enough for the ACT/SAT compared to your highschool friends (whose whole curriculm is based on these tests). However, I still was accepted in my first choice college and my second choice college - although I probably never would have got into an Ivy League school even though I took 9 college courses at a local college (all A's, only two B's). It turns out that the smart kids usually are the ones who see through the whole system and hate it. Too bad colleges don't believe in what they teach - i.e. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
For those of you who don't know the Theory of Multiple Intelligences - google it. A test base on this theory would find man smarter kids in different areas. Intelligence is not - as the ACT/SAT testmakers would have you believe - restricted to Logical Mathmetical abilities (even the writing portion is based on logic and not linguistic abilities (it's timed, structure is very important, and creativity doesn't earn points. All of this is later unlearned in the Advanced Writing class ;).
The only way for the U.S. to do something about this is for a sudden shift in people becoming home schooled (the government helps out in this area but it's not good enough) and everyone in general protests the school system. One big help would be if colleges would make new tests based on The Theory of Mutliple Intelligences. And that won't be too hard since all of Europe has been implementing this idea for a long time already (the U.S. is behind most of Europe in education, by the way).
I commend this kid - I wish everyone commencement speech was on the same subject. To the principle: your the hypocrite! The kid fought his way through your system and came out disgusted. Look around, listen, and do something about it. You've obviously done something wrong when your top student critizes your school system! - tranix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3US Schools - by NY City & State Teacher of the Year award winner... he agrees...
http://www.wesjones.com/gatto1.htm - SmeRndmGy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5This kid is 100% right. Schools do not educate you. They simply implant all the thoughts and ideas into your head that society wants you to have. Sanitized history where the US is always right and good and never did anything wrong. There were no Indian massacres, they just traced their hands on thanksgiving to make turkeys and then they opened up a casino. Nothing that will make you think too much or ask the wrong kind of questions. Just what you need to learn to become a "functioning member of society." Get a job doing something stupid and buy whatever the latest product is. And if you don't like it, they threaten you. Do what we tell you or you'll fail and you won't get into college.
They tell you to write a position paper about your opinion on a current issue, then give you a bad grade if they don't like your opinion. In high school, I had an assignment to present my opinion of drug company advertising. I presented a well informed speech about how it is a bad idea and how doctors should decide what drugs, if any a patient needs, not their TV. I was given a D on that assignment because the teacher's mother saw a commercial for some drug and now she takes the drug so that means drug company commercials are good and my opinion was wrong.
They don't want you to learn how to think. They want you to learn certain facts that someone else already thought of. They want you to learn NOT to think. When you think, you might disagree, and disagreement = bad grades. When you memorize and repeat there is no chance of an uncomfortable disagreement that makes people think. - realitybased, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Apparently, the editorial is wholly inaccurate. We would all deplore a principal who "hustled" a kid off the stage. It looks as if this principal let the student finish the speech, and no one was particularly scandalized by it.
- Chronomaster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It was mentioned in a post article that the principal did let him finish his speech, but that didn't stop everyone else's disgust (IE, the letter responses) over the matter.
Still, I bet there were a few good letters sent in; the press just decided to supress them (from the last time I saw them. There might be more letters published that I'm not aware of).
- Chronomaster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It was mentioned in a post article that the principal did let him finish his speech, but that didn't stop everyone else's disgust (IE, the letter responses) over the matter.
- novabeatnik, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This story reminds me of the story of my own high school experience ,or at least part of it. I spent many semesters repeating AP English classes in order to improve my grade .Not until I set aside my opinions and thoughts regarding the literature we were studying and wrote almost verbatim the opinions and thoughts of the teacher was I able to attain a perfect grade.
- psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yes! YES!
This is exactly how I survived college.
- psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yes! YES!
- profJohn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Strange and sad if it's a fair characterization of the student's experience. I've got to say that I'm pretty shocked that the principle who admonished him has a Ph.D. One would hope--I sure do--that someone who's gone through the PhD process would have a healthier appreciation of academic freedom and critical thought.
Maybe my education was quirky, but my high school teachers (in an IB program in public high school in central Florida) were mostly encouraging of just the sort of critical thought and inquiry that the student was advocating in his speech.
Frankly, I think the biggest failing is that this was a surprise. Did the student really blind-side the school with these remarks? If one of the school's best performers honestly feels that the school was such a poor learning environment, then a conversation about that should have happened long before the graduation day speech. And I'd put the blame for missing that talk on everyone involved--the responsibility for good education is shared.- psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You went to a school very much outside the mainstream.
- JeffBoyaredi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2School is about learning how to play the game while not having the game play you.
While I despise flowery speeches, this speech was still a complaint and inappropriate for the occasion. If asked to give a eulogy, you wouldn't insult the deceased-- you'd simply turn down the opportunity to speak.
That's what this student should have done.- FuManchu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"If asked to give a eulogy, you wouldn't insult the deceased-- you'd simply turn down the opportunity to speak.
That's what this student should have done."
Wrong. The analogy you make shows you have no education in critical thinking. There is almost no isomorphism between voluntary attendance at the memorial service for a departed soul and High School graduation.
The student was forced by the government to attend school, and was taught what they wanted him taught. He has every right to pass judgment on that experience then and there. He has in fact earned the right by being the top student. That's why he was "valedictorian." He wasn't asked to show up just to make the dead corpse of public education "look good." - JeffBoyaredi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The valedictorian doesn't have to speak at the graduation. They have every right to turn it down. As a matter of fact he doesn't even need to attend graduation. Everyone who graduated that day also earned the right to enjoy it; not have their own high school experience critiqued at a time when they're trying to celebrate it.
Now this whole idea of being forced is just, well crap. Every single day at school he made a choice. If his school experience was so bad why didn't he do something to change it. If he really didn't want to go to school he could have stayed home. Homeschooling is an option; he could have just played the truancy game. The truth is that he chose to stay put until the very end when he decides to spit on the experiences of his classmates by crying about his own. He's was probably a real treat at graduation parties.
One things is for sure, despite being the valedictorian he still hasn't learned about tact. - psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1School is a game? "Truancy game?"
This is how people ensure that they will never grow up.
If you think it's all a game, then you've already been played. - JeffBoyaredi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Huh? I don't understand your comment. . . please be more specific.
- FuManchu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"If asked to give a eulogy, you wouldn't insult the deceased-- you'd simply turn down the opportunity to speak.
- petiejoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Funny enough, my sister played a clip from Kodachrome (the Paul Simon song quoted in the article) as part of her salutatorian speech at graduation. I don't think she was making quite the condemning point this student did, but everybody took it in stride. Sadly, the school I graduated from didn't have the valedictorian speak. I would've loved to raise a few eyebrows on the way out (probably why they don't allow the valedictorian to speak).
- RyanChappell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Schools cater for the shallow thinking masses. They probally have to. You would think that universities would allow better exploration, but they don't. I think it is a SJ majority vs NT minority conflict. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator#Temperament
- psients, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's interesting. Our valedictorian was an SJ and I'm an NT and barely made it through.
- deepsub, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Thanks for having the stones to remind your elders how ***** up they are, young dude.
- livestradamus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Up to high school it's a breeze, as I remember it. College/University level it gets real serious (challenging)- that's why I think there are so many college drop outs.
I think kids need to be challenged mentally.. then they can perform even higher and then a better future they and we all will have.. all the while leaving no one child behind! - fastfood15, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1*****-A!!! I actually was planning on doing something along the lines of kritiking school if i ever get to speak infront of my school. Now i have a model. BTW if anyone actually understands the work kritik, email me.
- Lswa, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Interesting speech, but not appropriate for the venue. Something like this would have been better as a letter to the local newspaper or something along those lines.
- commonsense2009, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I am an 8th grade teacher. Our education is failing due to a real simple reason. The government has taken discipline and self-responsibility out of the schools. Thank you ACLU.
- bryanedds, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2That is correct. The only way to teach these little heathens is to beat it into them.
Idiot. - JeffBoyaredi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1*****. When I'm in the classroom the government (or the ACLU) is nowhere is sight. Teachers make the school; they're responsible for the education in the US.
The problem is that we're not attracting (or retaining) the good ones like we used to.
consider: http://www.gse.upenn.edu/faculty_research/docs/SA-RMI-2002.pdf
- bryanedds, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2That is correct. The only way to teach these little heathens is to beat it into them.
- cantoral, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Great kid, that Kareem.
- Tranquilled, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Those who think freely are those who can escape the bonds of society in order to look at it, think critically, and change.
This kid should not have been chased offstage. His principal was... dare I say it?... an oppressor. I don't know if that's a real word, but it would work. A person so brave as to stand up there and say those things, to tell the TRUTH, he should be commended- not humiliated.
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