I suppose that my largest gripe is the fact that our school seems to treat us like five-year-olds. For example, we have a once a month class called, "Advisory." This class originally sounded like a good thing. It was going to be used to look into careers, as well as seek help for our senior projects. However, what they said the class would be and what it actually is are two dramatically different things. We only do two things here.
We look over a ten page list of rules, which tells us what not to do at school, and then sign it ten times, saying that we will not do all of those things. At a glance, this may seem like a good idea. Some things on this list include, "I will not harass other people," "I will not vandalize school property," or "I will not smoke on school grounds." But is a signed list really going to stop these actions? Think about it. If I violated this list, and a school administrator waves it in my face saying, "Look, you signed here," my first reaction is going to be to laugh at them and say, "A world of good those signatures did."
The second frustrating activity that we do in this class is prepare for "Student Lead Conferences." Basically, we have a conference at the end of the year, with our parents, in front of our teachers, at school. In order to prepare for these conferences, we have to do a series of worksheets with vague questions such as, "What is special about you?" or "What will you do to improve at school." In response to all of these questions, I simply write, "Answering a quick worksheet with vague questions will do nothing to improve me as a person. As soon as I finish the worksheet and file it away, I will forget about the questions which it asked. I am excellent at school, and I find these five-minute, vaguely-worded questions which call for 'self development' be a waste of my time, as well as everyone else's."
My frustration reached its peak when it came time to send letters out to our parents which invited them to this "special" conference. It was to be sent through the mail, on a postcard with the date and time of our conference. Once we wrote the necessary information, we had to hand it over to our teacher, who would then give it to the school to send it through the mail. Grudgingly, I filled mine out, and said to my teacher, "I'm going to take it home myself. I'm responsible enough to show it to my parents." Her answer was no.
So I say back to her that I feel insulted. Whoever set up this program believes that we are not responsible enough to present a slip of paper to our parents. Furthermore, sending letters through the mail costs money, money that is provided by our taxes. It seems to be a waste of money when all of us are more than able to carry the postcards home. Or why not just post the information on the school website, if they are so distrusting of us?
She begins to protest, when I point out the fact that there is nothing she can do. This class is not graded, and if she sent me to the principal's office for insubordination, I would be sent right back. I have done nothing to harm anyone, I am known as being what they call a "good student", and I have a valid complaint about the way that the program is being handled. It may sound a bit arrogant on my part, but knowing the principal, he would likely agree with what I would say.
So yeah...that's my gripe: all of the childish rules and regulations at our school. It makes me feel like we've suddenly digressed back to preschool. It may sound a bit self-pitying and arrogant, but I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way.
