From my entire high school experience, I can tell you the Pythagorean Theorem, the equation for slope and how many stars exist in the galaxy, however I can’t tell you how to pay taxes.

There is something wrong with this picture. Why is it that I know all these insignificant things, but I don’t know how to take out a loan?

My theory is simple: our schooling has set us up for failure. The system was designed for us all to fail, rewarding the ones who have failed the least with the opportunity to go to college, the place where at least half our learning is the same meaningless garbage we learned in high school.

One day we are raising our hands asking to go to the bathroom, and the next day we are paying our own rent. School has not prepared us for that. Something should be done about our public schooling systems both high school and college level on a national basis.

There is no reason why students shouldn’t be able to write a check by the time they leave high school.

Tests like the SAT and ACT never prepared us for college. They were tests of knowledge and not intelligence. Why wasn’t I given a test on what to do if my identity was stolen instead? I can actually use that in life.

Our schools have trained us to be conformist robots. We had to repeat everything we were told, and if not, we would be punished with failing grades. If we didn’t behave in a manner in which the teacher believed to be proper, we were shunned. We weren’t allowed to be ourselves.

The Pythagorean Theorem won’t be of much help if I receive a flat tire on my car. Knowing how many stars are in the galaxy won’t help me get my bills paid.

Public schools need to change their systems so that they teach us things that actually matter in life if we truly want to see a turnaround of things in our country. We should begin with our education system first.