I am sick of the lectures with the disappointed tone

and the snooty "concerned" face

after a low test average

as you state outright how lazy we are 

and how we'll never amount to anything. 

 

Where the fuck do you get off calling me lazy

when it takes you three weeks to grade a paper

that you made me write in one night?

 

Every day I push myself to the point of starvation

to the ache of fresh ulcer sores 

for the sake of a letter that, 

when received, comes with only the dull thump 

of paper on desk and the word "decent" written so clearly 

in red as if it were the blessing of a deity 

that I should be grateful to have seen.

I do all my work, all the time, 

and to the best of my ability too

the reward I get is an exasperated stare 

and a bothered tone

that echoes with disdain when asked a simple question.

Isn't it your job to teach me? 

 

You play a video every year 

about how this state has the highest

suicide rate 

and the snooty face is back because

your "concerned" for us.

But how are you surprised that kids seek a way out

of this piece of shit school district that will determine 

who they are for the rest of their lives,

when they are nothing

but the sixth letter of the alphabet

or the fourth

or the third

or the second

or the first.

But what happened to the fitfh? 

 

Because "no child left behind" is bullshit

students are left behind everyday

you made sure of that 

when you implemented an inherently flawed system 

on purpose

so that the only kids that made it out alive

were the ones who learned well from a book

and were willing to kiss someone's ass everyday 

just for that A. 

 

 

So please put away that "concerned" face

when you wonder how kids would rather choose

the blade or

the tub or

the rope or

the pills or

the gun

instead of the predetermind path of failure

that you've set out for them,

when they'd rather choose the red of their veins

than the obnoxious fucking red with which you grade.

 

So put away that "concerned" face,

because you're no Mother Theresea 

and your concern doesn't mean shit to me.