[rbbrduckey]

A long rant about the American education system: triggered by a tiktok about "gifted" kids

Former "gifted kid" here, this isn't said as a humble brag or subtle 'I'm-smarter-than-you'. My school districts gifted program influenced me my entire school career. That's the identity I had during some of the most developmentally important years of my life. That influence is something I'm still deconstructing even after a decade of being out of school.

The American school system, like everything else in America, is about money. Our public schools rely on government funding. The government hates funding our education, so your school system is funded, in part, by local taxes. That's why school districts are such a big deal. Schools in more affluent neighborhoods get more funding. Another way schools make money is from grants. A big factor in determining if a school gets a grant is from metrics they obtain from standardized testing.

Better test scores = more money

So school districts have a pretty good incentive to do everything they can to keep those test scores as high as they can. That's why more and more of a school year is dedicated to test prep, and why schools love their little test taking pros.

"Gifted" programs are not regulated on a federal or state level and therefore vary greatly district to district. I can only speak on the district i attended but from others I've spoken to our experiences are similar enough.

The schools don't give a fuck about you. Your teachers? Maybe. But the actual school districts? Absolutely fucking not. And they especially don't give a fuck about its special education programs (people oftain forget that "gifted" falls under that category).

I started getting pulled from classes for 'special' testing in the first grade(it was never explained to me thats what it was for, and I didn't find out until much later in life). I wasn't 'officially' labeled "gifted" until sometime in middle school. Despite their interest in my supposed intelligence from such a young age, I never received any individualized suport or instruction. I was however taken out of class quite frequently for testing.

While I didn't receive any 'advanced' suport for my 'advanced mind', my "gifted" status was noted on my paperwork and I received advanced expectations from nearly every adult in the school system i ever interacted with.

Help was not freely given. I was "smart enough to figure it out on my own"

Anything less than perfect was unacceptable, because "your smarter than that"

Genuine struggle was labeled as lazy

When I did well teachers used me as an example, aiding in the social isolation I was already struggling with.

I dropped out of college. I was unprepared socially and academically. I didn't know how to study and asking for help and letting people see me struggle filled me with a debilitating amount of shame.

I was an undiagnosed autistic kid, who read a lot, had a massive vocabulary, and happened to test very well. And the school system used me. They didn't care if I excelled academically they just needed me to keep preforming.

Today I work an average job, I'm learning to unmask and unlearn a lot from my childhood. I'm still hyper independent oftain to the point of self destruction. Asking for help is like pulling teeth, I feel a lot of shame around asking for help and needing support. I struggle with not being immediately good at new skills. In the back of my mind is a voice constantly saying I'm a failure, I'm lazy and a disappointment, I'm not living up to my potential, I'm "smarter than this". I try to block it out but its always there.

Idk, maybe just a different perspective of 'former gifted kids need to shut up cuz they were never that smart to begin with'. It's hard to let go of what shaped me, what was repeated to me all my life.

[reebmiester]

tiny damian has a LOT to live up to

[rbbrduckey]

Tim vs. Damian; Autism, Gifted Burnout, and the Illusion of Choice

They chose this, your predecessors, it's a testament to their character that they get up every day and choose this.

It's a testament to yours if you fail. You have so much potential, so much natural talent. Don't waste it, you better not waste it. Why are you so uptight? Why are you so aggressive? Why are you acting so childish? You're better than this, so mature for your age.

That sounds like pride, feels like praise. Mature for your age, keep quiet, take orders, complete tasks, be the best. Always have to be the best, think of your potential, the best is the bare minimum after all. Right?

You're the best, you're the best, you're the best. Until you're not. You hit a wall. Your best isn’t good enough. Lazy, a waste of potential. Why can't you be like your brother? Why can't you-

That's disappointment, it feels like disgust.

If you're not the best, what are you? Brat, demon, a child? You can't be a child, your so mature. Just push harder. Who cares if the pain makes you bitter, hateful, angry? Nothing matters except being the best.

Here's what they don't explain to you; you were never going to be the best, a moving goal post always just out of reach. But they are going to let you kill yourself for it, and you do. Piece by piece you carve away until your nothing.

It was the inevitable death of a child, but you're not a child, you were so mature.

[leaves-in-autumn]

damian hate makes me insane. what do you mean he’s your least favorite robin. he has the tragic, abusive backstory everyone tries to give to dick and tim. he’s as annoying (affectionate) as jason. he’s SO MEAN to bruce. he has a SWORD

[spectral-honey]

Damian getting one of those scenes where fun/upbeat music plays while he kills/beats up a bunch of people

At the end Damian turns and yells "Todd turn off that infernal music! Do you know the meaning of subtlety" & the music cuts off as Jason walks out with a boombox on his shoulder

[cactus-fruit-juice]

I saw a thing once that said due to the Lazarus Pit Jason Todd has a much higher immunity to poisons and toxins.

Personally I love the idea of Scarecrow releasing a fear toxin and Jason giving up his helmet for someone who didn't have a rebreather (whether it's a civilian or one of the batfam) and Scarecrow's just like "Perfect the hulking black sheep of the batfam is about to go ape-shit" and Jason just gives a shit eating grin and goes on a whole dramatic ass monologue about how "you may create fear Crane but I control it" and "I'm the king of fear and you're at best the jester" and a whole bunch of overly dramatic lines. And Scarecrow is just like "what??? The fuck??" Because the fear toxin is very much working on everyone else and this guy is completely unaffected. So Crane's just like "holy shit, this guy is unfazed by his greatest fears what the fuck"

Jason, of course, uses this time to take him out. And the batfam is like "whoa jason you're really unaffected by even your greatest fears?" And jason's just out here like "Nah Im just immune to toxins lol. That monologue was just to fuck with Crane"

And Scarecrow just fucking becomes obsessed with Jason because "He knows fear even better than me" and "Someone who can fight even their greatest fears is truly special" lol

[ectokelpeigh]

If a Danny Phantom reboot ever happens there are only two acceptable choices for the theme song:

1. It stays exactly the same

2. They let Lil Nas X go nuts

[buried-alive-inside-my-comics]

Jason: ROY!

Roy: Yeah Jaybird???

Jason: How can your security system keep out assassins, but not cats???

*Jason holding up a large cat*

Roy:

*cat meows*

Roy: It’s not designed to keep out cats. It’s designed to keep out assassins.

Jason: Well what if the cat is an assassin?!

Roy:

*cat meows*

Roy: Are those a thing or—

Jason: No. Damian tried but Ra’s killed that idea pretty quickly

Roy:

Roy: Did they wear little ninja outfits or—

[rocktheholygrail]

I wonder how Michael’s doing…I assume he’s doing the same as every human.

[rbbrduckey]

Please help spread this!

If there's one thing Tumblr is really good at it's spreading shit across the internet! I don't have a big following on here but I could really use all the help I can get.

As of yesterday 3/22/20 governor Mike DeWine of Ohio put in place a stay at home order, with only "essential" business staying open. Whirlpool corporation has decided to stay open saying it is an "essential" business.

Thousands of people work at these factories in Ohio. Workers are close together and there's no way to social distance without potentially doubling an individual's workload.

As of Thursday they shut off water fountains and ice machines for workers.

In an attempt to "keep workers safe" (without loosing profit) Findlay whirlpool shut off water and ice machines throughout the factory. This factory gets vary hot and even in ideal conditions has a problem with people passing out.

If whirlpool dosent close for this pandemic it's employees will pay the price. I just hope it won't be their lives.

Whirlpool employees have started a petition to shut down. Please help support our cause & sign the petition, even if your not an employee. Flood there social medias, let them know this isn't ok!

Whirlpool is Not an essential workplace

Sorry about the long post

[captainsblogsupplemental]

[stephrc79]

One of the biggest ‘get fucked’ in cinematic history. Beautiful.

[free-batch-lover]

So idk how many people who follow me know anything about the situation with @eliciaforever (also known as Euclase, for a while). She has been getting endless hate, sabotage, and basically been terrorized for the past at least 5 years (probably more, I can’t fully remember right now) by the SPN fandom. She has had a number of health issues because if this, one if which being suicidal. If you for one second think your fandom, the art, the fics, the cons, are more important than someone’s fucking life then unfollow me. Get some help. If you have sent her hate in any way, shape, or form, unfollow me. A TV show is nothing compared to her life.

Elicia deserves better.

[plunder-heaven-and-devour-god]

The next person who says the pyramids of giza were constructed by aliens is getting their fingers chopped off.

We have evidence of the villages belonging to stone masons who lived and worked on them. We have records of architects and their methods, hieroglyphs of using water to reduce friction when hauling the stones into place. Egyptians knew advanced mathematics, they knew the earth was round, they knew physics. AND we literally have archeological tools that helped them with geometry and architecture. Just because the tools don’t look like rulers, grids, and protractors doesnt mean that they didn’t have tools for it. They used simpler methods involving strings and weights.

I said it once and I’ll say it again, the ancients were not stupid they worked marvels with the limited tools they had. Part of the reason we posit aliens are creators of monuments in the ancient world is because we can’t conceive that those cultures are responsible for these feats. 11th century Europeans were drinking pee and strapping chickens to their plague bubos but they also created glorious cathedrals for all time. AND YET!!! we don’t doubt them! Mezo-Americans weren’t stupid and in need of aliens, neither did the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Celts, or the rest of the ancient world.

People citing the artwork and sculptures on temple walls that are not perfectly representational as depiction of aliens is so laced with this Western superiority complex. No one is looking at the byzantine Ravenna demon mosaics or the medieval depictions of hell and thinking AH YES THESE NOT PERFECTLY REPRESENTATIONAL HUMANS ARE ALIENS. Because we invest so much time in propagating and furthering the understanding of these Western monuments, culture, and arts we never accuse them of alien interference in their cultures. The Incas and the Egyptians have their proper style of artwork and just because you think: oh this is an ugly human sculpture" doesn’t mean it’s an alien. It’s flipping ridiculous.

[dowereallyneedthis]

a goth mom posted this on facebook in an argument about public breastfeeding and I just felt very impressed

[brinnanza]

@shitpostsampler PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU I know it’s not a text post but still

[shitpostsampler]

[a-spoon-is-born]

@darqueloaf

@artemisia-absinthium-x

[ayot4life]

Yo! @staff

Why do all the black hash tags no longer exist?

And yet we still have all of these…

You have some explaining to do staff

[naran-ja-deactivated20161104]

I THOUGHT IT WAS MY PHONE. Black girls doesn’t even fucking work. Please boost this guys! PLEASE!

[nitro-nova-deactivated20180206]

Man yells, “Make America Great Again!” Before shooting 6 people dead.

Man wearing, “Make America Great Again” hat murders 2 strangers for no reason.

A Trump supporter murders 2 police officers because they told him he couldn’t wave a Confederate flag at a high school football game.

Two men beat a homeless man with a metal bar and urinate on him screaming, “Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported,” When asked for a comment about the incident Trump defends them saying, “My supporters are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again.”

Trump supporter attacks a Hispanic man and a Muslim student at a gas station while yelling, “Trump! Trump! Trump!”

Trump supporter stabs a black man unprovoked because he was holding hands with a white woman, tells police they need to release him so he can attend a Trump rally that night.

Trump supporter attacks Muslim woman at airport.

A Trump supporter punches a 70 year old protester in the face.

Trump supporter arrested for brutally beating protester.

3 Trump supporters arrested planning terrorist attack to kill Muslims.

Trump supporter confuses an Indian man for a Muslim at restaurant and says, “Things are different now, I don’t want you sand n*ggers sitting next to me.” Before attacking the man.

“We got a new President you fucking f*ggots.” Men yell as they attack gay man.

Trump supporters track down and brutally beat an artist because she made a painting of Trump with a small penis.

Trump supporter who sucker punched protester: “Next time, we might have to kill them.”

Trump is asked to comment on his supporters brutally beating a black man, he responds with, “Maybe he should have been roughed up,”

“You fucking gorillas and baby monkeys, We voted for Trump. Trump’s building a wall, beaners, and you’ll be going back to where you belong.” Man yells at black elementary school children unprovoked before he swerves his car at them attempting to hit them.

Trump supporters beat black man so badly he’s hospitalized for concussion and call him the n-word.

Trump supporter pepper sprays a 15-year-old girl point-blank in the face after another Trump supporter groped her breasts, shouting “n*gger lover” as she attempted to run away.

Trump supporter walks up to a black man in the middle of a downtown area and says, “Donald Trump will deport you.” Before punching the black man.

“Trump is going to win and if you don’t like it I’m going to beat your ass,” Trump supporter yells at random black woman outside of convenient store.

Man attacks and kicks Muslim airport employee shouting, “Trump is here now, he will get rid of all of you.”

In 8 months Trump supporters attacked protesters at 20 different rallies.

Trump supporter tracks down a local Latino Democratic political candidate and tries to run him and his elderly mother over with a car. (The Latino candidate is also a former marine.)

“This is for Donald Trump!” man yells as he runs up a Latino person and punches them in the head.

Trump supporter goes to Hillary Clinton rally to disrupt the event, ends up punching someone when asked to leave.

Trump supporter punches, chokes and slaps protesters on video during rally.

An angry mob of Trump supporters brutally beat and grab a mans genitals because he held up a, “Republicans Against Trump” sign.

A Trump supporter yells, “Get your black kids out of here. Do you even have a job? Do you know what a job is, n*gger?” Before physically attacking a black man who had come to the hospital to get help for his sick 2 week old daughter.

Local Republican Politician sexually assaults a woman by, “grabbing her pussy.” and then says he is allowed to do it because now that Trump is president he doesn’t have to be politically correct.

Canadian man who was a vocal Trump supporter both online and in person goes into a mosque and murders 6 people.

Trump supporter physically assaults Comedian on stage for making Anti-Trump Joke.

Man yells, “Trump” while beating African immigrant cab driver.

A Trump supporter is arrested for burning a Mosque down.

A Trump supporter sees a car has pro-gay bumper stickers on it and then follows the car, waiting for the 75 year old driver to get out before brutally attacking him while screaming, “My new president says we can kill all you f*ggots now.”

A Trump supporter is arrested after brutally attacking gay men outside a McDonald’s. Witnesses describe the aftermath as, “There was blood everywhere.”

A Muslim refugee gay rights activist is kidnapped and raped by two men in retaliation for, “Trump being mocked.”

A Trump supporter is arrested on terrorism charges for building bombs he was going to use to kill Muslims.

Person spray-paints a transgender veterans car with the word “Trump” then sets it on fire.

A Trump supporter attacks two Muslim women and tries to push over a stroller with a baby in it while screaming, “Get the fuck out of America”

A Trump supporter tells a random Muslim woman he sees on the street, “I’m voting for Trump because he said he would send all of you terrorists out of this country.” Before attacking her.

Man shoots out the windows of two businesses from a car while shouting, “Hail Trump.”

[ohnahchill]

No kid is gonna sit through a 4hr movie. Incredibles 2 is for us. Idc what anyone says.

[laurdlannister-kingslayer]

this our shit

[jackmeatington]

IT’S 4 HOURS?

[thighetician]

Brad Bird is off the shits

[rbbrduckey]