Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tales of a Substitute Teacher: SEVENTH GRADERS PROPOSE CHANGE THAT'S MOSTLY PREDICTABLE


Today's lesson in 7th grade civics focused on "how a bill becomes law." Using short skits to demonstrate the process,  here's a brief look at what life would be like if they ran Congress.

Less School Hours
Only school for a minute
Free period for middle-schoolers
Schools should start later in the day 
(so kids can be more rested and eat better breakfasts)
Less Homework 
(so they can spend more time with family and have less stress)
Fewer Standardized Tests 
(too much pressure for kids)
Outlaw Science Fair Projects
Kids should get paid to go to school
School should be on weekends not weekdays
Kids 12 and older can get a job
Lower the driving age to 14
No more gas vehicles
All cars must pass emission tests
Your living environment must be inspected before owning an animal
(to cut down on animal abuse)
Can't smoke cigarettes until you're 30 or 50
Fudge should be in all ice cream

It was no surprise that most of the proposed bills would relieve these 12 and 13-year-olds of the incessant and unnecessary stress that public school seems to put them under. I was personally relieved to see that there were at least a handful of adolescents who were cognizant of the world beyond themselves.  And while I am not a big fan of fudgy ice cream, that idea was my favorite because it was just so random.


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