#us public schools

[public-school-things]

When my freshman year German teacher left and the new teacher came, it was found out apparently the old teacher was trying to teach us 'Pennsylvania Deutsche' (Amish). Not German. I have literally never gotten over that. THIS GUY WAS TEACHING THERE SINCE THE 90S AND NOBODY. NOT A SOUL EVER NOTICED!!!!!

(This is like trying to teach the modern English language using unaltered Shakespeare)

that is in a way so fucking hysterical. im surprised no one noticed. did you guys not have language standardized tests? either way, thats so amusing omg.

[lapseinart]

People talk about the American public school system oh how it’s failed us ooh the American public school system is so shitty and I’m like

I feel like that’s an exaggeration. More likely, your DISTRICT school system failed you. Your STATE (you know the guys who actually set the general curriculum?) education system is bad. There is no federal right to education in the US. Each state independently in their state constitution has education rights, it’s not a federal government thing. There’s similarities because the federal government occasionally tries to bribe the states into making schools more rigorous but states don’t have to completely adhere all the time and some places work differently than others (ie New Orleans charter school system & bilingual schools in DC)

In fact the only reason we get any federal funding at all is through a loophole that funding education is a means of “providing for the general welfare” which they’re allowed to do in like we should be alleviating poverty type thing (same rationale as food stamps and unemployment services) but even then federal funding makes up less than 20% of all school funding. I think it’s between 7-15% but I don’t recall exactly and it can vary from year to year. (That’s also why trump can say he’s going to nix the US Department of Education)

Most funding comes from local taxes (mostly property taxes) and state funding. And while there are changes that should be made to the federal funding formulas, that’s really hard to do and it’s more likely that the distribution of funds is fucked on the local/state level. Like if the money was pooled together and distributed equally instead of the rich schools having more money because that’s where the high property taxes are— you know that’d be great

People like to complain about The State Of US Education but so few people actually vote in school board elections. Yeah I know the whole mark twain quote about the evil of school boards but like I’m just saying.

Also some of y’all just did not pay attention in school and the education system didn’t fail you. You failed you.

[sixseisliu]

I was today years old when i found out the phrase is "bury the lede" and not "bury the lead."

I also just found out what "lede" means.

[onyxedskies]

shaking crying screaming trembling school is Important school is Necessary school is fucking Government Mandated how are we letting this Happen how are more people not Talking About This

the goal is to literally prevent “leftist indoctrination” via public education how are we just fucking letting this happen?????

how are we letting the schools close down because they don’t have enough teachers???? how are people sitting complacently as public schools literally shut down across the country? how are we allowing teachers to teach in a 40:1 classroom???

how are we letting the requirements for teaching get so bad that no one wants to do it???

we are literally living in a dystopian society and nobody is doing anything about it

[indigo-skies2315]

people do not need the public school system to tell them that other countries have actual cities, just as they don't need to be told that the sky is blue

im american and i knew that like in kindergarten so i think some of you are just stupid sorry

[cleradinthealps]

nothing like american public schools. within two days a kid has been arrested for bringing two giant bags of edibles to school, another was arrested for threatening to bomb the school, and a kid was wheeled out on a stretcher during fifth period

[shortkidenergy]

anyone else remember getting an icepack from the nurse in elementary school and it was a frozen wet paper towel in a bag

[almostfini]

Despite being a US American myself, I never attended US American public school. (I had the arguably even more US experience of my parents being allowed to just not educate me but that's a story for another time)

So there's certain cultural things that I never experienced that baffle the shit out of me. For example: Hot dog style vs hamburger style. Wtaf?? I never encountered this until my late teens and I'm not 100% certain people aren't punking me that it's a real thing.

[inth3world]

How is Never Eat Slimy Worms in last place???

Is it Mid-West/Kansas regional specific or smth?

Also, the full rhyme I was taught was:

Never Eat Slimy Worms,

North, East, South, West,

'Round Like A Clock,

That's The Test!

feel free to put location/area in the tags

[archaalen]

Breaking News

[public-school-things]

one of my math teachers in high school didn't like teaching math

thats about it

i feel like everyone knows at least one math teacher that hates math. they either hate it or love it and there is no in between

[beebfreeb]

Louisiana Meshi!!!! Thistle will be at the crawfish boil.

[anonymousdandelion]

A general tip for students who are sending those dreaded Religious Absence Emails to your professors: Rather than asking permission to take the day(s) off, politely let them know that you will be taking the day(s) off.

In other words, consider not saying this:

"May I miss class on [date] so I can observe [holiday]?"

It's not that there's anything wrong with the above, per se. But because it's phrased as a request, it risks coming across as optional — a favor you hope to be granted. Problem is, favors are not owed, and so unfortunately asking permission opens the door for the professor to respond "Thanks for asking. No, you may not. :)"

Instead, try something along the lines of:

"I will need to miss class on [date] because I will be observing [holiday]. I wanted to let you know of this conflict now, and to ask your assistance in making arrangements for making up whatever material I may miss as a result of this absence."

This is pretty formal language (naturally, you can and should tweak it to sound more like your voice). But the important piece is that, while still being respectful, it shifts the focus of the discussion so that the question becomes not "Is it okay for me to observe my religion?", but rather, "How can we best accommodate my observance?"

Because the first question should not be up for debate: freedom of religion is a right, not a favor. And the second question is the subject you need to discuss.

(Ideally, do this after you've looked up your school's policy on religious absences, so you know what you're working within and that religious discrimination is illegal. Just in case your professor forgot.)

[belleamante99]

My PE teacher in 4th and 5th grade played a sadistic game where either boys or girls would go first running on a half mile lap around the playground. He'd give a maybe 20 second head start and then release the other group. If anyone from the second group caught up to the first, that person had to run the half mile again.

So yeah, torture for the slow kids and for the kids like me with legitimate coordination issues (dyspraxia). It's been 30 years and just typing this made my heart rate spike a bit from remembered anxiety.

I was always so grateful when the boys had to go first (because I was saved from being caught) but felt so bad for one particular boy who inevitably got lapped by the fastest girls.

Everyone give me the most screwed up thing that has ever happened to you in the american public school system

[fangtastic-vampyra]

buying books & reading books..two different hobbies.