I'm glad to hear that Rick, I certainly don't think that every kid there suffers, just that it's not for everyone. My kid are smart, but I didn't like the demanding environment when I visited the school myself. I push mine hard, and they spend a lot more time on homework than I did as a kid their age, but I still think that they need time to be kids as well. And that's hard enough with the extracurricular stuff they want to do, and should try.
Yes, they can take band while in school, but that's nothing compared to getting personal music lessons at home or at a music studio. Yes, they can play sports during PE, but it doesn't compare to being in a sports league. And while they are young is the best time to try out a variety of activities so that they can discover what they like or don't before they graduate and are scratching their heads wondering what they want to do in life.
Kids face the same stresses now as we did - wanting to fit in, doing too many after-school activities, being pressured to do things that they shouldn't, having to deal with homework and worrying about bad grades, or bad parents, having to cope with puberty, what to do with their lives - it's no different. There are always slackers, there are always kids that aren't challenged, there are always ones that will do jut enough to get by, ones that are hiding abuse at home, ones who are over-achievers, ones who are already into crime/drug-dealing/etc - the quality of school can help, but it's never going to be the total solution.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
