Lazy Whiners With an Over-Inflated Sense of Entitlement
“It’s almost that time of year again.” I told my husband as we were sitting on the couch watching the Washington D.C. news channel.
“What time is that?” he asked with a smile on his face. He knew by the tone of my voice that this was going to be good.
“The time of year when the lazy whiners with an over-inflated sense of entitlement start complaining about the D.C. Public School System.” I said with my best, preachy sounding because I think people will think I’m smarter, presidential candidate debate voice.
He sat back with his full attention focused on me.
It went something like this:
Do you remember, my dear, when our eldest daughter was in attendance at the public school just down the road from the place we call home? At the beginning of the school year the parents went and cleaned up the school grounds. Some trimmed bushes. Some tightened playground equipment. Some swept the paved areas and painted railings. They did this because they wanted their children to have a nice place to spend their days while being educated.
“Why yes I do” he interrupted “I mostly remember the mom in the short shorts hopping around in her high heels”
We chuckle.
Well soon, very soon the public media known as our local news will start at air sad, sad stories. In these stories parents will complain that their children’s schools are dirty. Yet they will not bring a mop. They will complain of trash on the campus. Yet they will not bring a stick with a nail in it. They will complain of graffiti. Yet they will not bring a Mr. Clean Eraser. We will suffer innumerable hours of self-pity and finger pointing. Yet nothing will be accomplished. Meetings will be held. Angry black women will shake their fists at the camera. Yet their perfectly manicured fingernails will be unmarred by any semblance of actual work. I want to be on the news. I want to tell them:
Talk is cheap and so is an old stick with a nail in it. Put on some sensible shoes and get to work. A public school is the responsibility of the neighborhood in which it resides. A public education is considered a right in this country but that doesn’t mean you should take it for granted. All things worth having are worth working for.
I do not want hear you moaning about how no one takes care of you. If you take care of yourself you won’t have to worry about it. It is not my concern or responsibility to take care of you or your school. Yet I would help if needed. However, I am sick and goddamn tired of all the complaining and drama. Stop your complaining, get off your lazy asses, and DO SOMETHING. Until then, I’ll be sitting here on my couch laughing at you. I find it terribly entertaining.
“Umm, I loved it. Just promise you won’t go on the news. OK?”
*Fade out to the sounds of maniacal laughter*
Filed under Stop Complaining |5 Responses to “Lazy Whiners With an Over-Inflated Sense of Entitlement”
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I’m going to side with the whiny parents on this one. If the school is going to collect $8000+ per student, it’s not expecting too much for them to budget a little to keep the grounds respectable. Likewise, I see no reason that teachers should be spending their own cash on school supplies.
I don’t think teachers should buy school supplies for their students and if I had the budget per student most public schools enjoy my kids would be wearing gold plated pocket protectors and riding a pony. That wasn’t my point.
The difference between a clean well maintained school and a dump is both the responsibility of the parents/students and the administration. The bulk of the responsibility falls to the administration but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up trash on a playground if you see it or volunteer to help out where needed.
I’ve listened to the same complaints year after year for the last 20 or so years. What is the point of going on the news to broadcasting the problem if you are not willing to do whatever it takes to fix it? I think most problems are better fixed locally by the people who have the problem. Not by shouting at new cameras in hopes that someone else will fix it for you - then going home.
For the record I went to low-income school for thirteen years. We had two janitors for K-12 that took care of everything. Our school was run down and we didn’t have the newest books but it wasn’t trashed. We were expected to respect what we did have and help out when needed. I get none of that when I see these news reports.
I don’t understand. You write a title about me, but then the post is about the school district?
No, no, you’re confused. What I call you is similar, yet different. :)
Oh okay. Thanks for clarifying ;)