Kyle Veremans

School Tastes Stupid

What’s wrong with kids these days? They are crazy and out of control. This could be because of a disorder known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). The disorder is said to make children have a short attention span, which affects their learning abilities. ADD is commonly treated with pills called Ritalin, which can cause a child with this disorder to settle down and become a social work robot. Sophomore Ryan Davis said, “When I used to take Ritalin, I felt quiet, it was hard for me to keep up a conversation, and I still couldn’t pay attention in class.” Did anybody care to ask the kids what they thought of school? Maybe it is just boring, but of course that couldn’t be it. The world is becoming numb, and it’s starting with the youth of America.

It is socially acceptable to do prescribed drugs when they are potentially more dangerous than the common teenage drug, marijuana. Yet it is socially unacceptable to be bored with school, because if you are bored with school then there must be something wrong with you. Some students can enjoy sitting through six to seven class periods a day, every day, but most students are more interested in social activity with their peers than actual learning. This is fine for children because they need to talk amongst their peers. This can teach them how to be social. Unfortunately, many adult authorities have a problem with this. Senior Chrissy Demuth said, “Some kids can benefit from Ritalin, but it is wrong the way doctors have been prescribing it as a cure all.“ Teachers are certain that there is something wrong with a student for wanting to talk to your friend instead of learning about the same math problem you have learned over and over again since you were in 4th grade.

Instead of asking kids what is wrong, they try to pump us up with drugs. Parents need to be held responsible for the drugged up youth. If parents were to talk to their kids more often about the importance of school, then kids would have a better chance of understanding why education is important. Parents blame music and TV and videogames on the behavior of children, when these same parents turn around and buy SUV’s that have TV’s in the passenger seats. Why? Is it for high-tech entertainment, or to avoid social interaction in the car? Many households do not even eat in the same room anymore, but now a family can’t even talk in the car. Schools should not spend money on special education classes or making sure kids are put on Ritalin, because it would be better spent on asking the children what they want in a learning environment.

If parents could just see that drugs for their children won’t solve many problems if any at all. Parents should just sit down and talk to their kids. They don't have to interrogate them. A simple "how are things going?" or "is everything okay?" will allow children to know that their parents care about them without invading their deep, twisted teenage lives, and it seems to works a lot better then drugs.