In school

They teach us the syllabus

We listen with diligence  

We memorize with our eyes

But we hear things they do not realize

They tell us what we must do to succeed in life

Whatever we can do to exceed strife

Get friends

Get a good breakfast

Get to class

Get exercise

Get your homework done

Get a 4.0

But what is the cost of damage

For that perfect grade point average?

I want to learn

I want to grow wiser

I want to try new things

But how will I ever be prepared

If you tell me these things should make me scared

Your tests and quizzes mean nothing

Homework is ironic

Because school never really stays at school

Home is supposed to be my sanctuary

But then you take hours upon hours

Of my precious time with family

Away

How dare you judge my smartness by

Which circles I fill in with my number two pencil

How dare you tell me my opinion is wrong

When the words I choose don’t match yours

How dare you deprive me of sleep

Which hours am I supposed to keep

With your demands of my time

I am losing my mind

How dare you put exams above

Your students’ mental and physical health

Learning is not passing

If it was done the night before

Cheating should not be considered a reasonable option

I want to be taught, not tested

I want to read, not cram

I want to take field trips, not mid terms

I want to have experiences, not lectures

Education cannot be confined to your classroom

Students have enough pressure in their lives

How many tests can they take

Before you realize your mistake

Stop suffocating them with their scores

Stop killing them with questions

Life is not a multiple choice question

I cannot pick between

A: School

B: Family

C: Friends and

D: Myself

It is not a matter of true or false

Stability should not be a luxury

I am sick, I am tired

And I am done