From Loki to the rest of Marvel to cannibalism to virgin sacrifice to the horrible lack of good sex education offered in most public schools.
That was the direction my conversation with some high school girls went last night. It was a good conversation.
But I've noticed a trend in my conversations with most kids that are still in high school.
And in it I mostly end up bemoaning the terrible state of public education in America.
Wait. Let's be real. Anytime education comes up in a conversation, I usually end up spending the rest of that conversation grousing the terrible state of public education in America.
This is just something I've been exposed to my entire life.
I grew up the daughter of a man who works in University libraries, under various different titles. My mother has always cared about and been involved in my education. I have always had the importance of a good education pounded into me. And there is nothing I really enjoy more than learning things and growing and becoming a better person through learning and sharing information and all the wonderful stuff.
But, as my dad has talked with other people in education, my elementary school principal, various teachers I've had, the topic turned always to education. It's what they were involved in, it was - is - their life. I, being my father's daughter, would sit there and listen to the grownups talk because that's a lot more exciting than playing in the corner with children usually several years younger than me. (Oldest kid problems)
So I have spent so much of my life listening to my father and other administrators and teachers talk. Probably about ten years actually understanding to a certain extent what they were saying. The gist of which tends to go somewhat like this:
There are so many problems with college students not understanding or being able to do simple things they should have learned in high school- okay, let's be real, probably middle school. Just life skills in general, they're not learning and it's not good and makes for a problem for university administrators and professors.
Oh, but the high school teachers would love to be able to teach them but they kinda have to teach to a stupid test and things and they can't teach how and what they think is necessary, but what is imposed upon them by people who think they know what kids need to know for life.
But, frankly, I just don't even know anymore. Our educational system has so many flaws it's not even funny, but there it is, being flawed, somehow putting out students who I'm surprised know how to function in society. I'm surprised I know how to function in society, sometimes.
Things I should probably have learned in school, but it wasn't in the curriculum:
The only reason I know how to make a resume is because I had a teacher in my sophomore year of high school who decided that even though it wasn't in the curriculum, she needed to teach us how to make a resume so we could function in society. Please note she did it because it was lacking in the curriculum. She was my American Literature teacher.
How to dress for a job interview? My mother. How to prep for a job interview in general: my mother. OKAY THE WHOLE PROCESS OF JOB APPLICATION I LEARNT FROM MY MOTHER.
Birth control and sex education in general: my mother/ my friends/ tv and the internet and various other media. school? only for vague anatomical drawings that no one could take seriously, much less see because the equipment in school was always on the verge of dying. Because funding schools isn't a thing. This one really gets on my nerves. Really. So many problems could be solved if people would just teach kids about sex and how it actually works and how to get birth control (you know what else would be nice? easy access to birth control) and what happens after and seriously why doesn't this get taught in school??????
How to cook and clean and do laundry and budget and set up a bank account and manage money: YEAH MY MOTHER AGAIN BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS THAT YOU'D THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE EVERYONE'S PARENTS AREN'T AS AWESOME AS MINE.
How to basically work a computer: my father. again, super important life skill, not taught in school.
I'm sure I have more, but I'm getting ranty and irritated and should probably stop now before I get more mad at society for not caring about education and how much it would solve so many problems if we just focused on teaching kids actual important things and life skills in school and not just that the opposite sex is icky and you shouldn't touch them. because they're totally going to listen to that anyway.
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