The Art of Procrastinating

The scene would have been ridiculously hilarious had it been captured from a book or movie. Some thirty-five odd white or proverbially white (and by that I mean privileged) kids sit in a portable classroom, art 1. An extra credit assignment has just been offered and most (all but one) are relatively hard at work completing their posters. As their brand new Mercedes or bmws sit out in the parking lot, the kids are painting posters protesting the recently announced budget cuts which would cut a certain sum of money from the school district and redistribute it throughout the schools in California. Bob Marley?s greatest hits cd (available at tower records and virgin for a mere 19.99) is playing in the background.

First let's establish the following. These kids don't know shit about shit. These kids are hugely impressionable. And these are the offspring of the cream of the crop of Silicon Valley's free market capitalists. And..., they don't know shit about shit.

Since the cuts were announced, many teachers have made it their business to involve students (and please tell your parents...our lovely voters) in the coming events. Teachers who do not yet have tenure and the teachers in special programs (art, music) have been especially enthusiastic. Curious.

Now, I'm not for cutting special programs as I am not a math and science kid. I've enjoyed myself thoroughly in both music and visual arts classes (my barn is almost done!). BUT...I think this whole situation is sickening. Both teachers and student leaders are playing on these kid's greed and capitalist "ideas" (I use the term ideas very loosely because these kids don't know shit about shit) to enlist them in a "worthy cause" that will conveniently result in money for the school. If these art students would have been so adamant in their fight against Mr. Davis (who has never led us astray) and his proposed cuts, they would have volunteered to make the posters, as opposed to wait for extra credit to be offered. Again, capitalism at its finest.

I could picture a school fighting for its budget; however that school does not have a TV and computer in every classroom. That school does not enjoy six different foreign language classes, countless clubs and after school sports. It does not have a swimming pool nor tennis courts (which are being expanded for a measly $4 million). Nor is it building a second gym because the first one 'just wasn't good enough.' Here's where our staff gets really smart. They berate the children with ideas "fight for YOUR education," "they're taking YOUR money from YOUR school," and suddenly the inherent greed that runs through the body of ever red white and blue blooded American kicks in. it doesn't matter that our school enjoys countless privileges. It makes no difference that the money will be redistributed to benefit schools that have never had these programs. Level playing field?! That's not what America is about. Don't tread on me, motherfucker. And BAM, our school turns into a microcosm of the United States. People think they're free when really they're being manipulated by the system. Disgusting.

Tom Maimon