Look who becomes valedictorian now

[IsKvlt]

Look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M4tdMsg3ts

You can tell this nation is headed for collapse when idiot rebels like this can be become valedictorian of all things and then take the podium to promote this neurotic self-justifying hipster nonsense like "durr, grades have nothing to do with intelligence, it's the system's fault, durr..."

When will this nation learn to sit down, shut up, listen, learn, read, keep the dope out of their lungs and take the condom off the cucumber?

Well, maybe most of them are just too retarded.

Now all the idiots with low attention span can justify their inaction as long as this valedictorian is their spokesperson.

God help us.

[metal on metal]

God help us.

You can tell this forum is heading for collapse when new users are already converted to Christianity.

Just kidding. What I meant to say is- whatever. Are you really going to click that?

[hoodwink]

I doubt you actually listened to what she said.  Her point is that schooling rewards mediocrity, not excellence.   She also raised a point made by many here in a recent thread  that classes are often taught by incompetents whose sole concern is collecting a paycheck.  All of her points about  the necessary drone mentality of successful students are spot-on.  She does veer off at points into typical teenage rebel territory, but that doesn't lessen the veracity of her points about the failure of American education.

[IsKvlt]

All of her points about  the necessary drone mentality of successful students are spot-on. 

Oh sure, it's all "drone mentality". Because those genuinely bright students didn't get there because they're actually smart. Way to make the pothead who shows up to class twice a week with bite marks out of his paper feel better.

"I didn't make the honor roll, but I'm not dumb, man. It's, like, the system that's keepin' me down, man. Goldson said so *puff*." -- Hipster

[Levy_Spearmen]

All of her points about  the necessary drone mentality of successful students are spot-on.

Oh sure, it's all "drone mentality". Because those genuinely bright students didn't get there because they're actually smart. Way to make the pothead who shows up to class twice a week with bite marks out of his paper feel better.

"I didn't make the honor roll, but I'm not dumb, man. It's, like, the system that's keepin' me down, man. Goldson said so *puff*." -- Hipster

It's mostly drone mentality. How much of the politically correct bullshit can you take to stand to get through this. There's nothing any reasonably intelligent person can't do in school, i.e., complete linear problems.

[hoodwink]

All of her points about  the necessary drone mentality of successful students are spot-on.

Oh sure, it's all "drone mentality". Because those genuinely bright students didn't get there because they're actually smart. Way to make the pothead who shows up to class twice a week with bite marks out of his paper feel better.

"I didn't make the honor roll, but I'm not dumb, man. It's, like, the system that's keepin' me down, man. Goldson said so *puff*." -- Hipster

She said nothing like this.  If anything, her point could be construed as condescending to lesser students.  The crux of her argument is that schools have been dumbed down and award middling performance.  In essence, what you're saying she's promoting is exactly what she's railing against.  The lowest rung of the educational ladder is who is being pandered to in schools, not the "genuinely bright students".  These problems become more avoidable at the secondary level if you've got the cash and grades to afford elite schools, but there's no escaping the fact that any so-called bright student will be swarmed by subpar intellects in all other settings.  The reason for this is that schools have adopted pitifully low standards in order to move as many people through as possible.  Your pothead with the masticated paper is the status quo, not the exception. 

[The internet shelters weaklings.]

Working your way up to change society is admirable. We are just sceptical because we have become used to talkers.

And though her choice of words may have been less than perfect, the message was still poignant.

Here are some related videos:

Changing Education Paradigms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

School without teachers or timetable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awOAmTaZ4XI


Interesting stuff, however, it would probably be impossible to change anything without changing society as a whole.

[Veritas]

Well, in that case we'll just have to change society as a whole.

[TheCryingOrc666]

If you have half a brain cell you can make it through school fine. People who have the ambition to make it through school will do it. The idiots will naturally not make it. For instance, all schools will have some bad teachers. If the teacher is bad stop complaining and study harder and look for other resources to learn the material.

[nether]

I agree that school gives one adequate means to rise above his situation.  The bright kids seem to realize that if they want to accomplish something, they have to fight for it, stop worrying about the others who will hold them back, take some risks and opportunities.  No Child Left Behind really means No Child Gets Anywhere; students, teachers, and administration alike mock standardized testing.  In short: no one buys the nonsense we're fed, and the valedictorians tend to be more vocal about it.

To change society as a whole: don't let it drag you to mediocrity.  Don't get a degree that will land you an office job, and don't get into a position where you have to take orders from higher-ups.

[NHA]

The bright kids seem to realize that if they want to accomplish something, they have to fight for it, stop worrying about the others who will hold them back, take some risks and opportunities.

Or realize that being constantly surrounded by narcissistic morons makes for a great existential nightmare.

Good times.