Fun Times

Sometimes, I wonder if the problem with the education system in America is the system itself, or the students in it.

Something as common sense as "what's the difference between a tall person and a short person?" is apparently beyond the reasoning skills of a highschool senior. In my Sociology class, we were having a discussion on the prison system in the united states. The teacher, trying to get the class to participate, asked us if we had any suggestions for reforming the system.

Now whether this actually happens or not, I don't know, but it seemed like a good idea and no one else was even trying, so I suggested something simple; "Separate the people with violent convictions from those who were convicted of a non-violent crime."

Some girl in the class, not naming names (I'm not sure I even know her name) sat there, twirling her hair around a finger, and said, in a voice reminiscent of Paris Hilton, "Well, uhm, how would we tell the difference?"

Well I don't know sweetheart, but I'd consider the guy who got convicted for selling weed a non-violent offender, and the guy who rapes you would be the violent one.
Or the guy who steals your car? Non-violent. The guy who drags you out of your car, beats you in the street and knifes you, then steals your car? He'd be a violent one.

Regardless of whether the idea of separation is a good one, or whether or not you agree with it, a person should be able to tell the difference between something as simple as violent and non-violent. It isn't that difficult to figure out.

When someone with reasoning skills like that is considered a highschool senior, a legal adult....something is wrong.