Скачать или смотреть Disguised Segregation - A Slam Poem About Learning Disabilities in the Education System

This "slam" poem is a narrative inside the mind of a student with a learning disability, whom the education system pushes aside and makes feel worthless. (continue reading below)

// W O R D S \\
stupid
slow
dumb
does it show?
talentless, gallantless, humiliated, hated
stop saying “school is cool”
because whoever wrote the rules of ridicule
to make kids “smart”
when it set goodness apart
and made some feel like nothing more than a fool
is cruel
my disability, their care?
both invisible

it’s a disguised segregation
mental and social separation
no, not the emancipation proclamation
it IS illegal to discriminate by the color of one’s skin
but look within
everyone forgets we’re different there too

if no two brains are the same, why is it all the same?
there hasn’t been much change in the game
and refusing to care how different brains are wired
WON'T get you fired
you see, kids label each other no matter what
and when even teachers agree
then the label "I AM UNABLE"
becomes a definition

oh, 1:00! time for you to split up in your groups
that of course have nothing to do with your GPA
group 1 cough cough the elites
group 2 (whisper whisper) mediocre
group 3: special education
wow, it really feels special
to be, special.
and for a near friendless kid who just wants to be liked
segregation and separation
takes away anything left of my concentration

teacher passes out a packet
here comes a variety of
anxiety and “crap, if forgot to study”s
heart racing, despite my slow pacing
I’m scared of what I’m facing
THIS determines where I’m placing
pick A, B, C, D?
I’m getting an F
why does this question contradict the content
there’s a squirrel outside
distractions, distractions
I'll pick C
but then again… why even try
when trying my hardest
gets me a D

but standardized testing?
I will never live up to their standards
a test should not define you
don’t be blind
when asked to define who you are
would the word “test” even come to mind?
an array of regurgitated questions
that doesn’t display how creative, or kind, or talented, or bright you are or ever will be
but that doesn’t matter, right

eh, who cares about my art
the word “smart” is defined on a scale of letters A-F
but if you think this rigged competition makes my persona better
listen to this newsletter
you must be deaf

common core shakes me to my core
awareness is unadopted and the lack of inexpensive options
is becoming a bore
each student’s brain is different
taking shapes that won’t fit into rigid-framed blocks
all of a sudden schools of talks to think outside the box
oh wait.. not like that
whether I am locked in or locked out of it is still expanding
but the farthest distance between it all
is misunderstanding

education is one size fits all
but these pants are too large
and i am too small
they say it’s not right the way i am thinking
and it's not the pants that are getting bigger
but it's me
that is shrinking

every day I come home wishing I had a talent
and that I could be gallant
from the anxiety
to the immense offense
to the stares and the eye-rolls when it's my turn read
to nothing making sense
I’m giving up on me
to finally feel worth it would be enough

thanks school,
you took all the ability I thought I had out of my disability
and all that’s left
is dis

- - - - - - - - - -

I wrote this back in November, feeling extra angry, sad, yet inspired by what was going on in the corrupted education system, which hasn't had its priorities straight for a long time. After a coincidental opportunity, I wrote this in a night and performed it in front of my school the next day. To my greatest satisfaction, it opened up a very brave conversation where so many kids who go through this "disguised segregation" every day of their lives shared their painful stories, and truly reestablished empathy for one another. Though I don't personally have a learning disability, I know second-hand the isolation, frustration, and emptiness it can bring. It's very important that we are all a little kinder and mindful of everyone's struggles, and I hope this poem can hit home for at least someone.

If this has touched or brought awareness to you in any way, please share this with loved ones! And if you're interested in getting an even deeper understanding... literally just watch the show Parenthood.