>> When I heard, about fifteen years ago, that colleges were looking at kids' transcripts all the way back to FIFTH GRADE... I was appalled. <<
I agree. Nobody's life should be determined by things they did that young.
But then, I think that if college is required to have even a chance at a job that pays enough to live on, it should be rolled into the public education system and provided free to everyone who wants it. Nobody should get shut out of higher education just because they're "not good enough" or can't afford it. Fix that, and much of the stress would drop away.
I think it would also be good to gauge colleges on their completion rates and student health. It's no use if the education breaks people. You can see how some of them are selecting overachievers ... who then burn out or get sick partway through. Turbo is a button you push and let go, not push and hold down.
>> The stress begins to mount earlier and earlier, <<
Painfully true.
They're pushing kindergarteners to be fully literate now, which is completely inappropriate for their stage of development. It's not what their brains are geared for at that age, which means they're missing the stuff they should be working on. Okay, the baby bookworms have already been reading for two or more years, but most kids aren't and shouldn't be.
>> and NO ONE suggests that there's something BADLY broken in a system that won't allow a ten-year-old to stay home alone for half an hour, BUT expects them to be actively WORKING toward college admission requirements.<<
Exactly. Kids are getting more and more adult obligations heaped on them, but no more privileges or freedoms. An adult in a stressful job can quit if it wrecks their health. A child who tries to bail out of a health-wrecking school will be dragged back in chains. Of course they're getting sick: it's the only rest they're allowed anymore.
>> Some days, I think the whole world is crazy.<<
I agree.
It really undermines my willingness to listen when people carp about my habits. Y'know what, assholes? Come back when you've stopped destroying the environment, the food system, and each other. Then maybe I'll consider that you have some idea what you're doing. Until then, I don't give a flying fuck.
Re: Stressed middle schoolers
I agree. Nobody's life should be determined by things they did that young.
But then, I think that if college is required to have even a chance at a job that pays enough to live on, it should be rolled into the public education system and provided free to everyone who wants it. Nobody should get shut out of higher education just because they're "not good enough" or can't afford it. Fix that, and much of the stress would drop away.
I think it would also be good to gauge colleges on their completion rates and student health. It's no use if the education breaks people. You can see how some of them are selecting overachievers ... who then burn out or get sick partway through. Turbo is a button you push and let go, not push and hold down.
>> The stress begins to mount earlier and earlier, <<
Painfully true.
They're pushing kindergarteners to be fully literate now, which is completely inappropriate for their stage of development. It's not what their brains are geared for at that age, which means they're missing the stuff they should be working on. Okay, the baby bookworms have already been reading for two or more years, but most kids aren't and shouldn't be.
>> and NO ONE suggests that there's something BADLY broken in a system that won't allow a ten-year-old to stay home alone for half an hour, BUT expects them to be actively WORKING toward college admission requirements.<<
Exactly. Kids are getting more and more adult obligations heaped on them, but no more privileges or freedoms. An adult in a stressful job can quit if it wrecks their health. A child who tries to bail out of a health-wrecking school will be dragged back in chains. Of course they're getting sick: it's the only rest they're allowed anymore.
>> Some days, I think the whole world is crazy.<<
I agree.
It really undermines my willingness to listen when people carp about my habits. Y'know what, assholes? Come back when you've stopped destroying the environment, the food system, and each other. Then maybe I'll consider that you have some idea what you're doing. Until then, I don't give a flying fuck.
>> It's nice to see a moment of sanity.<<
Yay!