May 2013
It is the same thing that we are told over and over
In all our classes, all our days
For one hundred and eighty days on end.
In math we are told about the Pythagorean theorem and Pathetic Fallacy~~
But some of us still do not know the value of "X".
It is after parents get called from teachers saying that their child is:
hyperactive
easily distracted
unfocused
doesn't do the proper thing
And that their child, who is brilliant, cannot be in a Level One class.
We all have different abilities and thought processes.
Why is it that a class full of individuals is tested by all of the same means?
Exams are the way society tells you your worth.
But it is the same society that:
says abortion is wrong but then looks down on teenage parents
promotes natural beauty but has models flushed with makeup, hair extentions, false lashes, and nails
shows slender people for their weight loss commercial that look like an hour glass already
has pastors that preach charity but own jets and sports cars
has Imams who preach against greed but are all fat
has parents who want their child to get a good education to get a good paying job but hate how rich the neighbors are
is run by governments that preach peace but endorse war
Has colleges who want smarter kids but increase the tuition
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
to the kids who study hard and barely miss the target
to the kids that know what it feels like to be worth that D or that A when a teacher hands back a test
to the kids who are never good enough in their English teacher's eyes
to the kids whose writing is missing key literary techniques or was too informal to be understood
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
to the math teacher who pesters you about trying harder when you can't tell them "X" but can tell them the date of any war
to the science teacher who tells you to know the periodic table and yells in distress of their 'worst student'
We're told everything that we learn we'll use the information again but never do when we walk out the door.
They try to prepair you for the world, but they don't prepair you for life.
always being the second best
not getting the scholarship that you needed to go to college
not getting the solo on your last concert night.
not being able to make the mark
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
In all our classes, all our days
For one hundred and eighty days on end.
In math we are told about the Pythagorean theorem and Pathetic Fallacy~~
But some of us still do not know the value of "X".
It is after parents get called from teachers saying that their child is:
hyperactive
easily distracted
unfocused
doesn't do the proper thing
And that their child, who is brilliant, cannot be in a Level One class.
We all have different abilities and thought processes.
Why is it that a class full of individuals is tested by all of the same means?
Exams are the way society tells you your worth.
But it is the same society that:
says abortion is wrong but then looks down on teenage parents
promotes natural beauty but has models flushed with makeup, hair extentions, false lashes, and nails
shows slender people for their weight loss commercial that look like an hour glass already
has pastors that preach charity but own jets and sports cars
has Imams who preach against greed but are all fat
has parents who want their child to get a good education to get a good paying job but hate how rich the neighbors are
is run by governments that preach peace but endorse war
Has colleges who want smarter kids but increase the tuition
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
to the kids who study hard and barely miss the target
to the kids that know what it feels like to be worth that D or that A when a teacher hands back a test
to the kids who are never good enough in their English teacher's eyes
to the kids whose writing is missing key literary techniques or was too informal to be understood
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
to the math teacher who pesters you about trying harder when you can't tell them "X" but can tell them the date of any war
to the science teacher who tells you to know the periodic table and yells in distress of their 'worst student'
We're told everything that we learn we'll use the information again but never do when we walk out the door.
They try to prepair you for the world, but they don't prepair you for life.
always being the second best
not getting the scholarship that you needed to go to college
not getting the solo on your last concert night.
not being able to make the mark
What does it mean to "make the mark?"
