This will go on your permanent record.

This lie is often told to students by teachers.

Teachers lacking classroom management skills

Teachers lacking other forms of motivation

Motivation is often replaced by intimidation

Motivation can be either carrots or sticks

Sticks in memories thanks to rote lessons

Sticks break spirits and stifle joy

Joy of discovering new exciting things

Joy of the life skill of learning

Learning should be its own motivation

Learning can be derailed by an education

Education is formalized learning

Education is often a tool of social control

Control of public thought and opinion

Control of the masses ability to resist

Resist the powers that oppress them

Resist the lullaby of ignorance

Ignorance maintains the powerful’s bliss

Ignorance should not be a badge of honor

Honor our ancestors struggles for our futures

Honor those who fought for the right to read

Read the constitutionally amended fine print

Read before reading becomes illegal, again.

Again, the haves try to hustle the have nots

Again, the education disparity gap expands

Expands upon forked-tongue promises

Expands the reaches of school privatization

Privatization of the public service sector

Privatization benefits those with wealth

Wealth does not have to mean “evil”

Wealth should be used to help others

Others who find themselves in dire situations

Others who lack money, power, and resources

Resources need to be reallocated by necessity

Resources cruelly dangled… just out of reach

Reach to the sky when you raise your hand

Reach your answer without showing your work

Work to dismantle instruments of oppression

Work to create new tools of empowerment

Empowerment of students

Empowerment of the people

People without institutional connections

People without friends in high places

Places where students feel welcome

Places that promote cultures of learning

Learning is always taking place

Learning is a life-long activity

Activity

Place