Do You Feel Like a Prisoner in Public School?
© 2004 Laurie A. Couture, M.Ed., LMHC

There are some kids that fit right into public school. They tend to be quiet, easy-to-please children who are ok with doing everything they are told to do, even if it makes them uncomfortable. They can sit still for long periods of time, and don’t seem to mind lines, lectures, listening and the endless busy-work thrown their way. Many of them tend to be girls or very shy boys. Public school teachers love these types of students, and everyone who cannot fit into that mold suffers for it!

"School is for learning” (and other myths!)

What is the purpose of public school? Ask most people and they will tell you that school is a place kids must go in order to learn and get an education. They will tell you that without school, children will grow up to be “lazy”, “stupid” and “unsocialized”. They will tell you that without public school, kids won’t learn about the “real world” and will never get ahead in life. What if I told you that all of those beliefs are myths, not facts?

Here is a history lesson that won’t bore you:

Public school is kind of new- from the late 1800’s. I know it sounds like ancient history, but that means public school has only been around for 150 years, even though the United States Government was born in 1776! That means that before 1850, no one could be forced by the government or the law to go to school!

Then how come those guys who wrote the Constitution and The Declaration of Independence were so smart? They were smart because, like everyone else in those days, they either taught themselves to read or they got together with other kids in private little school houses and learned. In fact, the literacy rate in Massachusetts was higher before there were public schools than it is now!

What happened in 1850? Factories were a big thing in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. In order to work in a factory, you needed to be obedient, quiet and able to sit or stand there and do what you are told for several hours, or you would be punished. Hmmm… sound familiar? Factories did not want people who were free thinkers or rebels, they wanted obedient robots. The Government knew that factories made a lot of money for the country, so they agreed to get involved. If kids were home or in private school houses learning what they wanted to learn, reading the books they wanted to read, that means they would be free thinkers, not good factory workers! Oh no!

The Government in Massachusetts decided that children would be better off away from their parents and away from home schooling and private schools. They forced all children under a certain age to go to public school, or get in trouble with the law. At first, parents took up guns to try to stop the public schools from taking their children away from them. But eventually, every kid in the United States was forced to go to a place designed to make kids obedient factory workers. They were allowed to learn only what the school taught them, and they were taught that you cannot get an education any other way. So here we are today, and not much has changed about public school… it is still designed to produce obedient factory workers…

A few years ago, a very intelligent 12 year old boy who I was working with said to me:

“School is a prison, and I can’t afford the bail!”

Some adults would laugh in a patronizing manner at his comment. But I wasn’t laughing, and neither was he. In countries like the United States of America, we live in a democracy. That means that people are supposed to be free to live the type of life that they wish as long as it does not hurt someone else. People in a democracy are supposed to be free to speak out about problems in society that they do not like, without the treat of punishment. People in a democracy have a right to be protected from assault, harassment, discrimination and abuse. Basically, a democracy means freedom, unless you do something to harm someone else. Does that sound like how American kids are treated in public schools? What have kids done so wrong to be treated like prisoners in a democracy?

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The “crime” of being under 18…

For the “crime” of being under the age of 18, you are forced against your will to go to school. In public school, you are treated in a way no adult would tolerate. In most public schools:

1. There is almost nothing about public school that is like “the real world”.
2. You can’t even go to the toilet without permission!
3. You can be punished for needing to go to the bathroom at the “wrong” time!
4. Some schools lock bathrooms, which is illegal.
5. You can’t eat when you are hungry or drink when you are thirsty.
6. You are confined to a seat in one room, or set of rooms, all day long.
7. You are forced to do homework on your free time- after being in school all day!
8. You are only allowed to speak when told to.
9. You have to raise your hand to speak in class.
10. Recess is stopped by the 5th or 6th grade in most public schools.
11. Recess in many schools now is only once per day for only 15 minutes.
12. If you feel trapped, you cannot leave the classroom.
13. If you are uncomfortable in your seat, you cannot get up, walk around and stretch.
14. If you are an energetic, creative, spirited or free-thinking person, teachers can recommend you be evaluated for medication.
15. If you cannot conform to the teacher’s rules, teachers can recommend you be evaluated for medication.
16. You cannot have any part in the community during school hours.
17. You are segregated by age.
18. You cannot talk to your friends when you want to.
19. If you cannot even sit in the seats you want in many classrooms.
20. You cannot speak out about what you don’t like about school without punishment.
21. Student Government has no real power to make any real changes.
22. If you suffer severe peer harassment, you still are expected to come to school.
23. You cannot make any real changes to the school’s rules or philosophy.
24. You cannot design your own education according to what you want to learn.
25. You have no say in how teachers choose to treat you.
26. Teachers play favorites, often favoring girls, “preppie” and “jock” students.
27. You cannot argue with, debate or challenge something a teacher says is fact.
28. You have no say if the teacher decides to punish you unfairly.
29. You have no right to bring your own ideas to the classroom.
30. You have to agree with what the teacher says, or your grade could be lowered.
31. Teachers do not have to teach according to the way you learn.
32. You can’t learn through hands-on and real life experience in school.
33. You have no power to fire bad teachers.
34. You have no say in how you are graded.
35. Your teacher has the power to grade you based on if she/he likes you or not.
36. You are not allowed to physically defend yourself if you are assaulted in school.
37. You cannot leave school grounds without severe punishment.
38. You cannot “quit” school before the age of 16 in order to get your own education.
39. You are not allowed bereavement time if someone you love dies.
40. You cannot take a vacation when you want to.
41. Kids with medical problems such as diabetes or asthma cannot carry their medications with them.
42. If you miss a certain number of school days, even for a severe medical problem, you can be made to stay back.
43. Even though science has shown that teens need to sleep late and go to bed late, high school starts at 7:30 or 8:00 a.m.
44. The school is allowed to make up arbitrary (unimportant) rules that you are forced to follow (dress codes, no gum, no hats, no public displays of affection, etc.)

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Say YES to Drugs!

How many times in school do you hear the 1980’s slogan, “Just Say No” to drugs? Yet, because of school, thousands and thousands of school children are diagnosed with “ADHD” (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and are drugged with strong chemicals such as Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Cylert. Many of the kids that are brought to my office for therapy have been diagnosed with “ADHD” by their pediatrician or psychiatrist. They were diagnosed because they cannot conform to the classroom’s rules and regimens. When I evaluate them and spend some time with these kids, I find that the majority of them do NOT have ADHD! In some cases, there is a serious problem at home, and they are suffering from anxiety or depression. In many cases, they are smart, creative, energetic kids who just can’t conform to the prison-like conditions in school!

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A word about “socialization”

Mention the word “home schooling” and the first thing that jumps out of people’s mouth is “what about socialization”? What these adults don’t realize, is that humans are born social, and do not need school to become “socialized”. This is what “socialization” is like in the public schools-- see if you can relate:

1. Kids are segregated according to age and ability.
2. Kids are not allowed to “socialize” in school unless there is a very brief free period.
3. If you “socialize” during class, you are punished.
4. Kids form exclusive groups or cliques in order to have some power and control in school. They use this power to exclude and sometimes hurt others.
5. If a kid is considered “uncool”, he or she may be harassed and taunted to the point where that kid may feel suicidal or homicidal.
6. A kid who is “cool” one year may be considered a “loser” the next year.
7. If you don’t have the right clothes, hair cut and “toys” and gadgets, you will be considered a “loser”.
8. If you aren’t rich, you may be considered a “loser”.
9. If you appear too smart, too “weird”, too different or too unique, you may be considered a “loser”.
10. If you don’t fit in with the “preppie” or “jock” group, you may have no choice but to gravitate to other groups that will take you in, such as the “stoners” and “troublemakers”.
11. A public school kid is often intolerant of differences in people, and often will not “socialize” with people older, younger or different than themselves or their group.
12. It is often a taboo to hang out with or be nice to younger kids.
13. Sometimes violence seems like the only way to survive in school.
14. If you haven’t gone through puberty as quickly as other kids, you might be harassed and considered a “loser”.
15. If you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you might be considered a “loser”.
16. Mentally retarded kids are treated like they are not even human- they are often harassed, taunted and mocked in school.
17. Kids who appear gay or are bisexual, gay or transgendered are often severely harassed, taunted and mocked.
18. Kids who are seen as less attractive than others are often severely harassed, taunted and mocked.
19. Overweight and underweight kids are often severely harassed, taunted and mocked.
20. Public school kids are often the biggest conformists, dressing, acting and looking like everyone else in their clique.