When a letter on a sheet of paper outranks my craving to learn
We have a problem
I remember in fourth grade kids with eager eyes wanting to be drunk on knowledge
All that was a stake then was a check or a check plus
Now we have our lives at stake
I’m so sorry sir
I’ll apologize for the kids whose eyes wandered to my paper
And the time I let myself copy her homework
And the time she skipped class to not stand up
Because we have forgotten that we once wanted to be educated
It’s a lot like dying
But I’m dying to live
I’ll apologize for my lack of care
And the days when I care too much
Because we are like the tides that rise and swell
I’m sorry that you weren’t prepared for the break
I’ll apologize only if you can return the favor
What you neglect to realize is that the C on my paper isn’t just my own work
But a representation of the lack of knowledge you have presented to me
My peer and I are bound  here anymore only by our desire to see a hastily scribbled A on our paper
It’s a lot like dying
But we are dying to live
We have taken the heart out of education
Replaced it with broken glass
Watch your step you could come out bruised and bloody
But I had to learn that on my own
On my own I learned
That what is right is not always true
And that education should not have to be battleground but for some reason I am always fighting
It feels a lot like dying
But we are dying to live again