We don't need no education

August 23, 2005|by AARON GROVES

In this day and age, when one can simply go on the Internet and print out a high school diploma or take a trip to Mexico to become a doctor, you might find yourself wondering what's the point of wasting away 12 or more years of your life in what is essentially tax-funded day care for teenagers.

School is supposed to prepare you to be a successful adult, having a job, a house, $8,000 in credit card debt and so forth. So maybe you hate having to get up before noon and staying up until 4 in the morning writing a paper on the science fair project you didn't do earlier, but look at it this way: Most adults hate their jobs, too.

No one can honestly say that everything you learn in school is important. Some of it is about as useful as a degree in philosophy.

However, there are some things that are essential to being a successful adult, or at least not bankrupt. So the entire purpose of a school is to prepare you for real life.

If you still don't think high school is important, consider this: The average high school graduate makes more money than the average person who drops out of high school.

So you still think school is a waste of time? Well, you're partially right. You'll probably only ever need about half of the random information school provides you with.

Then, most people enjoy learning, but hate school. So what is it about school that makes it so hated by students? Perhaps it's the schedule or being treated like a number and not a person. Whatever the case, you're stuck with it.

The entire reason you spend at least 12 years of your life in school is so you can achieve the American dream - get a decent job and work until you're 65, then retire and live out the rest of your days in a nursing home.

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