I’ve been in the public school system for ten years. My father’s worked in the public school system since long before I was born. My mother was a secretary in an elementary school. I watched as my brother spent his whole childhood in the system. I’ve always known that it would be a monumental part of shaping who I became.

Which is terrifying because there is so much wrong with it.

From the way that students are taught to memorize, test, and forget to the way that people who learn differently must struggle to conform to a uniform mold, there are so many ways that the system could be improved. The travesties in the public school system have gone on too long, and people must begin to take action against it. Unfortunately, students are often too young when they are in the system to make any significant change. And once people get out of the system they quickly erase much of it from their memories. And they move on with their lives without ever looking back to the kids who are now stuck in the muddy mess of a system that they just escaped from

Of all the ways students could work to combat the negative aspects of the public school system, constantly complaining will do no good. Griping about all the problems in the system takes no steps towards trying to improve it. I far too often hear students in the halls or in classes complaining about school and A?helpfullyA? saying all the ways they would change it. I’m saddened to admit I often catch myself joining in.

We could improve the system by leaps and bounds if students took all the time they spent complaining and spent it trying to move forward. Students may not have much control in the “real world,” but if they would only open their eyes they would see that together we are strong. A student’s voice on its own would do no good but the change that could be brought if every student spoke upa�� there would be no stopping us.

So don’t let your voices be silenced.

Continue to work to change the public school system for the better. Come together and yell until those in charge take initiative and make our education system something we can be proud of.