Declaration of Independence

 

If in the history of humanity, an institution loses it’s sense of origin and the

passing civilizations neglect to notice the change on account of it’s graduality, it becomes

necessary for these civilizations to comprehend their situation and take actions against this subtle tyrant.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created

equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain" rights which cannot be

alienated by tyrannical powers; "that among these [rights] are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;"

all of which are unharmed by the injustice excused on account of being set up by a Democratic government.

At present, such an unfair and justified institution exists in every corner of the universe, and is known in the United States as school.

This silent despot has headquarters in every country around the globe, and has been fooling generation after generation

into believing that it’s purpose is to help humanity.

It has tricked humans into becoming it’s own representatives, and forced them into continuing this system on their own.

This was not always the case, however.

There was a time when the concept of education was actually a worthwhile cause with a practical system to back it up.

Sharing the same name with today’s monstrosity, school actually had a reasonable purpose which was to bring forth human beings with morals and knowledge.

Today’s system may claim to have the same goals.

However, the manner in which they go about achieving them does the complete opposite.

The teachers themselves are not to blame because they are forced to follow certain guidelines in order to prepare their pupils for specific standards set by confused government officials.

Also, some teachers (especially Mr. Hyles) understand that the purpose of school is not to fill student’s brains so that they could pass a test, but so that the information would be used in the future.

Nevertheless, such rare exceptions hardly excuse the other overwhelming cruelties brought about by the present-day educational system.

"To prove this let facts be submitted to a candid world."

It has set unreasonable and unnecessary restrictions on topics not within it’s limits.

It has endeavored to teach topics of little importance to unwilling students, merely for the sake of taking up their precious time;

and though conscious of the fact that such topics would not be utilized unless the students were to become teachers themselves,

they assign projects whose lengths exceed that of the topic itself.

It has turned many of its teachers, the supposed friends of the students into their enemies, whose goals are to trick the students.

It has refused to grant to the victim scholars acceptable lunch and in-between class breaks, preventing their minds to function appropriately.

It has enstilled in it’s humble followers a sense of debt, and the futile idea that all the pointless subjects taught to the poor students are necessities of life,

and are worth killing thousands of nerve cells for.

It has carelessly overestimated the amount of time in a day, and ruthlessly caused it’s slave pupils to suffer unbearingly large amounts of homework,

well into the night, causing them to utterly neglect their precious sleep, and making their next day that much more torturous.

It has wickedly confused it’s brainwashed victims into placing fault upon themselves when they are unable to complete their extensive assignments on week nights

with school-scheduled events; and when so confused, the students are blamed yet again, for lacking school spirit, and not participating in such sadistic schemes.

It has cruelly invented "pop-quizzes:" a creative trick, perfected in the last century to fool students into not studying, and therefore achieving poorly on them.

It has refused the citizens of it’s numerous communities the right, so well deserved, to "blow off steam" by playing around,

and upon occasion has punished the risking rebels with great severity for expressing their freedom in this so called democratic system.

It has formed a dictatorship in every sense of the word, by stealing into it’s power, the authority to proclaim what is acceptable and what is not,

in areas strictly unrelated to education, thus eliminating any sense of freedom left in the students after complying with other various restrictions.

It has placed enormous responsibility into the hands of the students, and stated many times that "if you work hard, you play hard;"

however, it has proven itself hypocrite in this area as well, and given us no time to play as hard as we work.

It has manipulated it’s obedient compliants into paying for this insufferable treatment by making them believe without question in it’s beneficence;

and while they should be paying us, we encourage them and supply them with unthinkable mental weapons, such as maps, overhead projectors, and computers.

"In every stage of these oppressions" we have not petitioned, and cowardly suffered in silence; some because of ignorance, and others because of fear.

We shall no longer remain quiet and live in such an accommodating manner.

We shall remember the original foundation on which this institution was formed and break apart this communistic puzzle;

and then we shall take the pieces and put together a new system: a system whose goals are achieved in a clear manner,

in which the logical basis would never get lost again.

 

 

Maria Belotserkovsky