Stuff you can’t say to your teacher

 

To my former school

I have some words for you

Ten years of teaching me

Was all you had to do

 

I tried my very best

Every single day

But most teachers hated kids

And just waited for their pay

 

I begged for harder work

I was often bored to tears

But usually nothing changed

And I sat sadly all those years

 

If the classes weren’t boring

The teachers expected us to learn on our own

They didn’t bother with textbooks

They just sat and played on their phone

 

Students were yelled at for asking questions

Apparently I wrote more than they cared to read

I never felt like an important student

But few teachers would ever take heed

 

Rarely did they care about my day

To them I was just a good test score

I was starved for education

I longed for something more

 

The secretary yelled at my mom

For simply no reason at all

I was even bullied by teachers

That left me crying in the hall

 

The principal wouldn’t believe me

She acted like I was a liar

She trusted her teachers more than students

She said she was careful about the people she hired

 

I was told to commit suicide by one teacher

Wow, what a thing to tell a kid!

The superintendent ignored the problem

Just like most of the faculty always did

 

If only they would care for the students

Then maybe I wouldn’t have felt so alone

The ever-constant walking on egg shells

And the slicing anger in their tone

 

School athletes were of highest important

They wouldn’t even allow academic teams a bus

I strived to make academics the bigger goal

But no one cared about us

 

To my teachers that loved their students

To those who actually cared

I thank you for keeping me going

All these years it’s how I’ve fared

 

To the majority who didn’t bother

Those that hurt a child’s dreams

You’re the reason I begged for graduation

I was coming apart at the seams

 

But Junior year, however

I discovered a new school

One that respected its students

Where academics rule

 

Each faculty member welcomed me

Everyone was kind

I wasn’t treated like a stupid child

I could freely exercise my mind

 

I only wish my old school

Would sit back and take a cue

Their students don’t feel loved

Except the football-playing few

 

With some care for their students

And more attention to their studies

Perhaps my old school faculty could improve

Even though we’ll never quite be buddies

 

After all, education is most important

I needed a place that taught me well

And these are all the things

That to my old school, I can never tell