It has long been believed that public schooling is necessary to "make it in the real world." This idea has been force-fed for so long to the very youth that are imprisoned in such institutions that it has become the unquestioned norm. Schools need students. Without them, they would simply not exist. Therefore, schools will do anything in their power to convince the public that "education" is necessary. They accomplish this through fascist techniques of intimidation and shame. Students are told that they know nothing of the outside world, that they will "never amount to anything without an education," and that they should be glad to be in school and have their fundamental rights, such as the freedom of religion, speech, press, and fair trial stolen from them.

It will be said that one needs schooling for an education, when in reality, one will have nearly an impossible time finding anything even remotely resembling an education anywhere near a school building. The terms "school" and "learning" are often inaccurately thrown together, when they are actually quite the opposite. Schools keep their students penned up inside and force them all in the same direction, down the same conveyor belt, instead of allowing them to roam free and learn as they feel comfortable. The best teacher one can have is one's self. People are quite capable, despite popular belief, of teaching themselves what they need to know. This isn't to say that it is impossible to learn any valuble skills in school, but attempting to do so will likely flood one with so many extra trivialities that it will be nearly impossible to tell what is needed from what is merely taking up space.

School "teaches" everyone at the same rate, slowing down those that would excel on their own, as well as urging ahead too quickly those who would need extra time. Doing this is self-defeating to students' psyches, making them feel inadequate and stupid, lowering overall self-confidence, and therefore acedemic performance.

Schools teach youth that communication with peers is "bad," thereby denying another of Life's best learning experiences: the simple conversation. No matter how pointless a student feels an assignment or lecture is, s/he must pay full attention to the "subject at hand," despite the importence of what their peer may have to say. Much more can be learned from a short talk with an experienced individual than an entire book written on a subject. Not only is such learning of a wider range, but has a much greater impact as well.

Schools claim that they prepare students for "real life." Such is also false. School prepares young people for mundane, assembly-line existences. School inhibits individuality, something necessary for moving ahead as a species. One cannot make a difference by acting the same. School teaches what society wants one to think, as opposed to teaching how to think for one's self. Schools seem to enjoy turning children's dreams to dust. School teaches that the beauty and idealism of youth is "unrealistic," when the truth is that society itself is the epitome of surreal. Materialism is not reality. By telling a child that his/her daydreaming is a waste of time, you are ultimately rendering it so. School's habit of crushing fantasies is probably its most purely evil aspect. Teachers will warn their class that they too will be old one day, and they better enjoy their childhood while it lasts. Those same teachers then chastise and punish those students who would attempt to do just that.

School promises the sky but clips wings, expecting one to learn how to fly by reading about it. School cages its pupils until they memorize the quota of mostly useless facts. Schools teach children that they are incapable of logical thought, that the institution knows best. When a student comes up with a brilliant idea, it is thought of as "cute" and posted on the refrigerator (or the closest equivalent), and forgotten about, never implemented into practical use.

School is not, and never has been, a "necessary evil". There are plenty of resources outside the prison gates to learn the skills needed to fulfill one's dreams. We have only to open our collective eyes and realize this. Perhaps then the nearly infinate problems with modern American Education can begin to be fixed.