Class 8 students are currently reading ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell and recently we learned to write a persuasive speech. The following speech (written by Radha) is inspired from the rebellion speech by the Old Major (one of the characters in the book). The subject of the speech below is about rebelling against the school system. Please note that this is just for fun. In reality, all class 8 students do love school! 🙂
Pak Dika
Rebelling Against the School System By Radha 8X
Hello friends! Now, I’m sure you all dread school and think it’s pretty terrible. Well, so do I! That is why I’ve come up with a brilliant set of rulings to rebel against and demolish the horrendous school system, but I can’t do this rebellion without you! Let me tell you, friends, school is trying to kill you! This leads me to my first ruling. Firstly, no homework. Do you want to know why your life is so tedious and full of suffering? Homework is the primary factor. Remove homework from the equation, you remove your suffering. So much time wasted; no time to exercise, hang out with friends, do your hobbies, do your job, get rest after school, spend time with family, and all for what? It doesn’t even impact your class performance! Secondly, no paper exams. We no longer live in the 1950s yet our school system is still based on memorization! Did you know that schools in Finland have no homework or paper exams yet have a 95% graduation rate and 25-30% better scores than the rest of the world? It shows that these exams are pointless and that just because you can’t memorize something on paper doesn’t mean you’re stupid, but school sure makes you feel that way. Also, isn’t it ridiculous that the one thing that sets you up for college, jobs and your future is just a few pieces of paper? Let that sink in. Thirdly no parent-teacher conferences! Jasmine, after your last PTC don’t you remember how your parents absolutely killed you at home? These conferences cause nothing but anxiousness, dread, humiliation, and regret. Isn’t it the worst feeling to sit between your parents and teachers listening to them talk about you and you just wish you were never born? Fourth, more choice in learning. From preschool to high schoo,l we are forced to keep learning subjects we hate. We also are encouraged to remember the mitochondria yet we never learn any real-life skills. As students, we deserve the most choice! Fifth, breaks between lessons/periods. After each lesson, a different part of your brain is used leaving you exhausted beyond belief yet forced to right away switch to another subject! In a 180 you have to switch from algebra to persuasive writing, to concertos or symphonies to the mitochondria! After all our hard work we deserve a break and expecting us to maintain the same amount of focus for 7 hours is ridiculous! Sixth, sleep/rest periods. Pre-schoolers get rest time yet use their brain less! As teenagers, we need that as much if not more than they do as it is the most tiresome age. So how come we don’t have that? School is practically begging us to fail. Seventh, school for fewer hours. Studies show that the teenage brain doesn’t function properly until 10 am so 8 am is way too early to start school. Also, it’s preposterous for school to expect us to function 7 hours a day as well as the extra hours of study at home and shove Math equations in your face first thing in the morning! Eight, dress code (specifically girls). Girls, have you ever seen a guy’s shoulder think wow, I’m so attracted to that? I doubt it. So what’s the problem here? The school would never dress code an 8-year-old girl for revealing her shoulders and if her shorts are just a little shorter. Teach guys how to respect women for a change. Lastly, don’t expect us to know everything once we’re 18. Your brain doesn’t actually fully develop until you are 25. Our school has no right to ridicule us if by 18 we still haven’t made life-determining decisions such as college, jobs, careers, etc. School just puts an overbearing pressure on each and every one of your shoulders casting unrealistic expectations. Schools teach us how to be employees instead of leaders. We have a dress code, follow specific rules, follow a specific schedule, don’t get to choose deadlines, our choices and idea for the school system are heavily limited. We are expected to act obediently, and if we fail we get punished. An email to our parents is like a warning in the office and detention for too many overdue tasks is the equivalent of getting a pink slip or termination. Our generation (gen z) has the highest levels of anxiety and the average anxiety levels of a modern teenager are the same as an asylum patient during the 1950s. We’re expected to attend school 7 hours a day, complete at least an hour of study, complete additional homework, hold house responsibilities, maintain healthy relationships, maintain good mental health, and get enough sleep all in our personal responsibility. Well, I’m tired of living my life this way and I’m sure you all are too! So join me to rebel against the prison which is the school system! They have the jurisdiction but we have power! Together we can end our suffering as the Reign of Dyatmika.