Our Education System

limerick | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday November 09, 2004 20:09 by John

The Hypocracy

Working for a volunteer organisation helping young people is getting harder and harder let me recount my story.

Today I returned to my alma mater secondary school to promote a vulunteer organisation I work with which aims to help and support young people. I was accompanied by one young lad also a former student of the school. We were due to talk to the kids in schools about our organisation and the benefits of involvment. Before our talk a teacher came and told us that as my colleague had been "troublesome" and had a "bad record" in school the management wanted him to leave. I remonstrated with them that his very participation in this event today was testimony that he had changed his ways and was " a better person". To no avail I was told either he goes or the talk is cancelled.

Is this the education system we want? The system and the school failed this kid in the first place and then refuse him admission to possible try and stop other kids following on his route. But its not just this example, Its 2004 and I am teaching young kids of 14 or 15 to read and write because the school system left them behind. Everyone nows that earlier this year nine kids were denied places in schools in Limerick because of predjudice and bias and the minister for education had to intervene. It frustrates me so much to see this continuing, kids need nuturing and help to get through school ( and I wont even mention the bullshit curriculum they use) but its a hard time with a lot of pressure and many need all the support they can get. If not they lose out and society loses out.

Sadly I feel that the education system is geared towards status quo (I know its a cliche) but I felt that the symbol of a 2bad" kid coming good would be seized upon but know because he argued with a teacher over Irish lessons when he was at school,

Sad to see power and oppression on our kids at such a young age, no wonder the youth are aploitical, they must feel why bother when the fuckers just keep knocking you down.