Schools differ from country to country, and there are some pretty interesting school systems in the world. In The Netherlands, for example, kids start school on their 4th birthday, no matter when the school year starts. Kids in China, in turn, learn on the principle of memorization.
And then there's the US. What most of us know about American schools probably comes from movies and TV. But what are schools in the US really like? Well, here we have a list of pics from many primary sources, the students themselves. They capture the true experience of the American school.
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Florida Teacher Here. This Is Our School’s "Library" Now
Florida passed a law that said no books can be displayed in a school, until they've been reviewed and approved by an appointed team. If a teacher shows a book that has not been approved, they could be charged with a felony.
My School Blocked A Website Because It Was Labeled As Educational
During The Summer, My School Installed Metal Gates Over The Bathrooms To Keep Us From Going Between Classes
Currently, American schools lag a bit behind other countries in the world in terms of their students' academic achievements. When they tested 15-year-olds in their math and science literacy, American teenagers ranked only 38th out of 71 countries. Among other 37 OECD countries in 2022, Americans ranked 38th in math and 12th in science.
Younger students, however, are doing surprisingly more well. In 2015, American fourth-grade students placed 11th out of 48 in math and 8th in science. Eighth-graders scored 8th both in math and science among 37 other countries.
This Survey At My School
My School Doesn't Have Stall Doors
There are also huge mirrors directly facing them.
My School Wants Us To Allow This On Our Personal Devices, Just To Use Google Classroom
That's not right. If schools were that paranoid about it, they should have issued each student separate devices. Another thing that concerned me with online classrooms is students who were already vulnerable and bullied at school had their personal space exposed to their bullies and that eliminated their safe, private space.
Interestingly, Americans don't think that the quality of education in the U.S. is above average. In fact, 32% of adults believe that when it comes to K-12 STEM education, America ranks below average compared to other wealthy nations. But are statistics of academic achievement all that matter when we talk about schools?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, also surveys children about how they feel at school. Data shows that younger students report feeling happy "all or most of the time" more than older students. 49% of fourth-graders say they're happy at school, while only 27% of eighth-graders say the same.
This Is The Inside Of My Child's Homework Folder Provided By The School. At What Point Has Consumerism Gone Too Far?
Creepy Surveillance Into The Boys' Bathroom At My High School
There is a window in the boys' bathroom that has a perfect line of sight with the security office that doubles as a panopticon of the entire commons area. If this was the girls' bathroom, heads would roll and there would have been a riot outside years ago. I hate it here.
"So, why do you want the job as school security guard?" " I like to watch boys pee. " "Perfect! You are hired!"
They Start The Indoctrination Early At My Florida High School
American parents say they're mostly satisfied with their children's education but don't think K-12 education in America overall is of good quality. They also think that teachers are doing a good job. 36% of parents think their children's teachers are "excellent" and 37% believe their kids' teacher is "good."
The School Lunch System Is Disgraceful
From my years in high school I compiled some pictures of the horrible things that got served that no one questioned. It really is ironic given how adamant they all are about eating healthy by including every food group.
My Friend Got In Trouble For "PDA"
Oh heavens, not holding pinkies. Next thing you know, they might hold hands or even *gasp* hug! What has this world come to.
What A Sad Country We Live In For My 12-Year-Old To Text Me This
Same here in Britain.
Load More Replies...Kids shouldn't have to go to school to be traumatized and live in fear like that.
I remember we had a bomb threat at my High School in 2005. So many students were taken home early because of it.
We had a few bomb evacuations at my primary school in the 1970s. Pretty much all of us children viewed it all as "just another boring fire drill" except, of course, each time there had been an apparently credible bomb threat passed to the police. So it goes. Back then, it was down to "The Troubles" over the sea in Ireland. My parents grew up with actual bomb-dropping German air raids.
Load More Replies...It has been 35 since Australia had a school shooting. They made guns illegal 35 years ago. F**k you america
whats horrible is it has affected so many. i am a freshman in high now but both years in middle school i had to send nearly the same texts to my mom. both times luckily obviously was nothing, but im thankful that both time the police came rolling up in 2 assult vehicles and 18 other cars including uc vehicles, i ppriciate them taking it seriously, but i was traumatied from the first time and just went along with it the second time. its horrible that they say "shooting threat" and my heart beat isnt even elevated. for context we live in a suburban town
okay for those who arent in school, this is misleading, this is called the "test out browser" its a special browser that only allows the school districts management, submission for assignments and test windows to be opened on it. it classifies everything, but that does not mean its supposed to be blocked. no hate of course but this pic is misleading
In France it is an "Intruder on campus" drill. Somebody goes around trying the door handles to see if we are locked down, and teachers get instructions on their phones to evacvuate their students through the windows if they are on the ground floor. We do not have work phones, and some teachers do not have cell phones.
Load More Replies...I think I was about 13yo when we had our first active shooter. That was back in the early 90s. Nobody died that time.
I remember waking up in the morning to find my 16 year old on her phone. She showed me a tweet that said "I will shoot down every band student in the Fox Chapel high school." She told me she didn't feel safe going to school.
Pandas, please raise your hand and give the name of your country if your schools have active shooter drills, Americans need not respond. Seriously, I actually would like to see, thank you
The private pre-schools in the UK have terrorist awareness lessons!! 3 year olds!
What's weird is that there was a school shooting in my area as a kid. I was in grade 9 when the Taber shooting happened (Taber, AB, Canada). It was the next town over. It was never really addressed. We didn't talk about it, we didn't talk about what to do, there was no counselling, nothing really. The adults just treated it like it was one of those you see on the news in America. Over 20 years later and I still don't understand
How can you even send your child to a school where that situation is a thing?
The only other option is to homeschool, and I need to work to keep a roof over our heads!
Load More Replies...This makes me so scared for my toddler when he is of school age, I still don't know what I am going to do
My 12 year old sent me something like this too. Lots of kids sent a text to parents and the school was swamped with parents taking kids out. School denied there was an issue
Those who are not from America might look at this list and think how strange and different American schools are. But the truth is that each country has something different about its education system and schools that might surprise people. Finland, for example, which is often thought to have one of the best education systems in the world might seem strange too.
Our School Spent 1.3 Million On New Turf For A Loosing Team, But I Get To Deal With This Every Time It Rains Because They Can’t Afford To Fix The Roof
The Absolutely Terrible Design Of My School. This Is The Place Where Every Hallway Intersects
Perfect for a school shooter. Seriously, all these metal detectors, bag searches, and shooter drills to keep the kids safe but then pen them all here in one location.
Our High School Covers Expiration Dates With A Sharpie
Now the kids can eat expired chips AND weird cheese powder that no other country allows.
The country began its education reform about 40 years ago and prioritized hiring educators in decision-making positions both at the local and national levels. Teachers in Finland must have a Masters degree in Education, and the system prioritizes the underprivileged. "Children from wealthy families with lots of education can be taught by stupid teachers," veteran teacher Kari Louhivuori said.
I Guess My Daughter's School Administrator Is Trying To Reprimand Me?
I was late a lot through high school, but I'd never been sent home with anything like this. My mother would get a call from the school every now and then, that's about it. For reference, my daughter's in 1st grade.
upvote if being patronized is one of your least favorite things 😾👇
My School Blocked Google
I can't see the name Chesapeake without mis-reading it as "cheapskate"
My School's Bag Check Line
Now they are selling bullet proof shields that go in kids backpacks. Seriously ... USA now stands for united states of assault !
Singaporean schools are often at the top of international ranking tables as well. What American students might find strange in a Singaporean classroom is that teachers are usually the ones who talk the most during lessons and discussions by the students aren't that widely encouraged. Pupils use digital devices in the learning process, as teachers incorporate technology into classrooms.
My Children's School Folders Are Starting To Look Like Internet Pop-Ups
This is in my wife's hometown, which is small, so she doesn't share my anger. She said it was to raise money for the fall festival. Told my buddy from back home about it and he was just as angry as I was, even calling it child labor.
Bathroom Pass In An American School. I Mean, I Get It, Kids Take Advantage, But This Is Too Much
This Is What They Gave Us For Lunch Today. I’m A 6'5" 160 Lbs Track Athlete, With Practice And Weight Training After School. This Did Little To Nothing To My Hunger Level
The South Korean education system is often lauded as well. Students in Korea spend more time at school than American students. An average American student spends 180 days a year at school, while a Korean student – about 220. Together with Finland, students in South Korea also get the least amount of homework per week.
Honestly, I’d Rather Just Ask For Cash
So we have to buy a $60 box of chocolate bars (which I noticed are now only 0.8 oz when they used to be 1.5 oz), sell the whole box, and only $22 of that goes towards an end of year trip? Just no. I’d rather donate cash and save myself and my kid the headache. Or even do a lemonade stand, or sell bracelets. Seems like the least efficient way to do a fundraiser.
The fact that our schools are holding fundraisers for basic needs says a lot about our country as a whole.
School Board Policy For Lunch In North Carolina
The director of school nutrition does not want children to have nutrition.
My School Banned The Dinosaur Game
If you've ever been to Spain, you know that the siesta is sacred to people there. The same is true at some Spanish schools: students get a two-hour lunch break to go home and eat and possibly take a nap. The usual school hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, others from 8 am to 3 pm.
My School Is Fining Students That Take Too Long In The Bathroom
School Has A "Minimum Donation" For A Fundraiser
My friend's kid's school is having a fundraiser. I was like, yeah sure I'll donate 5 bucks. Nope. Well now they're getting no money because 15 is a little too much for me.
Sign On The Nurse's Door At My School
Here's another fun fact for you: students in Australia and New Zealand sometimes go to school barefoot. Kiwis and Australians going to the local supermarket barefoot isn't so unusual generally, so why should schools be different? Inglewood Primary School in Perth, Australia, has officially adopted a no-shoe policy. "We believe that children need opportunities to explore indoor and outdoor environments without shoes," they stated in a newsletter.
My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework
About Half Of This 50-Gallon Trash Can Is Full Of Perfectly Good Cartons Of Milk, Expiration Date Is In 2 Weeks. Schools Waste A Lot Of Food
There Was A Typo In The First Sentence Of My School's Guide To Careful Writing
Gads I had to read that twice even though it was pointed right out! Must be past bedtime.
I believe we have many Pandas from different countries here. So, don't hesitate to share what distinguishes the schools in your homeland from the rest of the world. Is it the curriculum? Is it the classroom environment? And, if you've ever been on both sides, how did an American school compare to the ones in your country? Let us know in the comments!
Toilet Paper Provided At My School
This Map Is In My School's Elementary Library. Because All Of Eastern Asia And The Pacific Islands Are Apparently China
I Don't Think That's Even Legal
When Your School Bans Wikipedia, Only To Copy Directly From Wikipedia In Their Own Lesson Resources
High School Bathrooms Are Really Wild
I have literally had nightmares about being forced to use a public toilet with that exact layout.
Bathroom "Stalls" At James Rumsey High School
Just Got Handed This In The Middle Of Class. I’m In High School
The Shower Rooms In My School Dorms Have Mushrooms Growing In Them
"The budget's been really tight lately, there is not enough food for everyone. We improvised, okay?"
Bathroom Passes. Each Circle Represents One Pass, We Get One Of These Papers Per Semester. To Get More, We Have To Arrange An Appointment With The Administration
At least they get passes; where I teach in the UK we are told to absolutely never let students go to the toilet during class unless they have a medical condition 🤷♀️
This Milk At My School
When The School Gives A Big Box To Hide The Size Of The Pizza
Maybe they could give a full size slice if they saved money by deleting the packaging.
When You Get One Formula Wrong In Our Weekly Tests At My School, They Make You Write It Out 150 Times. I Have 4 More Of These To Do
My Little Brother’s Middle School Schedule. He’s Having Such A Hard Time Remembering When Periods Start And End. Why Are The Times This Specific?
Why are you guys having lunch that early? More like brunch.
This Sign On A High School Classroom Door
"Gift" From The School My Girlfriend Works At For Teacher’s Appreciation Week
I'm A Night Custodian At A High School. This Is What The First Day Of School Looks Like
My School Could Afford $6,000,000 Worth Of Renovations, But They Can’t Afford Toilet Paper That I Can’t See Through
My School's Renovated Toilet
You Can’t Convince Me That "Syrup" Isn’t Just Motor Oil
That looks like "Goldsaft", a syrup made from sugar beets (Not that tasty in my opinion) Grafschaft...70-png.jpg
High School Throwing Away Perfectly Good Books
Pretty obvious they're trying real hard to tank the public school system so they can swoop in with charter and private schools, and truly intensify the classes permanently. This is intentional. Like when they privatized prison. They want to intentionally tank it so they can point to it and say 'see, private is better'. Bunch of aholes poking holes in the boat decrying how it won't float anymore.
Anti-American? Check. Divisive? Check. Stereotyping? Check. Cherrypicking? Check. Double-standards? Check. It must be a day ending in 'Y' on BP. --- Copied from Mimi M., whose post was spot on and therefore naturally down-voted to the bottom.
Proof's in the pictures. I'm American and our education system is in deep trouble. You can harp all you want, but the truth is the truth.
Load More Replies...The title makes it seem like every American school has all these things
Australian here, and been working in high schools for over 10 years. Toilets are locked during class time- students see the office to get access. This prevents them being vandalised, and students skipping class to meet their friends. No lunch is provided at all. Bring from home or pay at the tuckshop. Toilet paper- yes it's thin for staff also. They have to chose between teaching supplies or paper- what would you choose? also
Locking the loos up must be a new thing. I graduated high school in 1997 and they were never locked.
Load More Replies...So much of this follows a critically flawed concept of punishing everyone when a small number are a problem in some sort of vain hope that the guilt will get to the guilty and they'll change their ways. What really happens is that this behavior empowers the troublemakers to cause misery for everyone else at will.
I've never seen any of these things at US schools. Maybe they were taken from schools for troubled kids or something (disciplinary issues, etc?) Especially the range of weird bathroom stuff (faculty and visitors/parents use the same bathrooms as students and thus would never be locked/exposed in a normal school).
I recognize most of these. Went to school in Southern California and West Texas. I've always ended up in s****y' schools and i've seen alot' worse than these pics.
Load More Replies...As a former teacher, I have to say many of these were not surprising. My students never, ever brought school supplies. Either the teacher or the school provided everything. Pencils were supplied and quickly broken into tiny pieces, bathrooms were trashed all the time, students constantly asking to use the bathrooms and staying for long periods of time (texting, meeting up with friends, playing on their phones, etc), Text books were gotten rid of because a)everyone has online books b) students wouldn't use them. Homework is a thing of the past and no one did it. Grades didn't matter until ninth grade so many students just passed along.
As a former teacher, you should have the critical thinking skills to know when anecdotal information is applicable and when it is not.
Load More Replies...All the ones involving toilets/restrooms because just horrified me because when I was an adolescent, I was very self conscious about my body and I was very bladder shy as a result, and I'm sure that there's kids in those schools who are just as uncomfortable as I would have been having to use those shambolic facilities.
Anti-American? Check. Divisive? Check. Stereotyping? Check. Cherrypicking? Check. Double-standards? Check. It must be a day ending in 'Y' on BP.
The United States is not a perfect country and, like every other country, has problems that need fixing. Perhaps this article is misleading... maybe; but "anti-American" is a stretch.
Load More Replies...I cannot attest to the validity of most of all of these images, but what I can say for certain is that my schools were similar. Paying for school lunches has always irked me, as the students are required by law to attend. The schools needs to use the inordinate amount of taxes that we donate to them to feed the students who didn't volunteer to be there.
Must be groundhog day, because it's another America-hating post. My HS in California is just fine (albeit a bit old, it was built in about 1990)
Listing problems that the United States has with their educational system does not equate to "America-hating." Not everything is black and white.
Load More Replies...These kind of things should not be occuring anywhere. School officials need to be publicly shamed I guess.
That don't happen all the time everywhere. This is not standard in most schools.
Load More Replies...All of these make me so glad I finished school when I did! But now I am wondering if it will be a good idea to take my kids to public school if I ever have any kids…
A lot of us schools locked bathrooms.during 2021 during the devious lick trend. Also, NEVER eat school chicken, that shits either gray or pink
I tried to read all the entries in this list but failed miserably. I had to give up way too soon, because I simply couldn’t take it anymore. My hat is off to you (kudos!) for compiling this pile of … whatever, but I just can’t take all that examples (and proofs!) of utter BS. I highly appreciate your work, but I must admit that this is beyond me. Sorry!
This school system is a the perfect example of how to make children hate the education and teachers. The leaders proclaim quality and free education but only if the students obey the stupid rules. I think whoever makes these rules and laws hates education, hates teachers and the worst of all, hates children. They want to restrict children according to their idiotic ideas. They do not know that a happy, productive nation begins at school.
In the first 2 days at my middle school there were 4 suspensions. 4. W.T.F.
Children deserve more protections than guns. This sickens me and hurts my heart...
I'm just blown away by this. I attained my tertiary degree in the US in 1973 and it wasn't like this then. Thank goodness I live in a relatively "normal" country ( Aussie ) and went through the excellent education system we had in the 1950s and 60s. I'm sure this is part of the dumbing down of society.
Kids needs to learn how to hold their bladder. I am sorry. 😂 This is ridiculous. You are at least 14 years old. I hope you don't start to cry because you had just enough time to go to pee but you didn't and now you have to hold it back for a little. I might also say a prayer for these "poor" babies 😂🙏
Another day, another group of Americans whining about something being critical of something in the US. Why are you so easily offended?
Pretty obvious they're trying real hard to tank the public school system so they can swoop in with charter and private schools, and truly intensify the classes permanently. This is intentional. Like when they privatized prison. They want to intentionally tank it so they can point to it and say 'see, private is better'. Bunch of aholes poking holes in the boat decrying how it won't float anymore.
Anti-American? Check. Divisive? Check. Stereotyping? Check. Cherrypicking? Check. Double-standards? Check. It must be a day ending in 'Y' on BP. --- Copied from Mimi M., whose post was spot on and therefore naturally down-voted to the bottom.
Proof's in the pictures. I'm American and our education system is in deep trouble. You can harp all you want, but the truth is the truth.
Load More Replies...The title makes it seem like every American school has all these things
Australian here, and been working in high schools for over 10 years. Toilets are locked during class time- students see the office to get access. This prevents them being vandalised, and students skipping class to meet their friends. No lunch is provided at all. Bring from home or pay at the tuckshop. Toilet paper- yes it's thin for staff also. They have to chose between teaching supplies or paper- what would you choose? also
Locking the loos up must be a new thing. I graduated high school in 1997 and they were never locked.
Load More Replies...So much of this follows a critically flawed concept of punishing everyone when a small number are a problem in some sort of vain hope that the guilt will get to the guilty and they'll change their ways. What really happens is that this behavior empowers the troublemakers to cause misery for everyone else at will.
I've never seen any of these things at US schools. Maybe they were taken from schools for troubled kids or something (disciplinary issues, etc?) Especially the range of weird bathroom stuff (faculty and visitors/parents use the same bathrooms as students and thus would never be locked/exposed in a normal school).
I recognize most of these. Went to school in Southern California and West Texas. I've always ended up in s****y' schools and i've seen alot' worse than these pics.
Load More Replies...As a former teacher, I have to say many of these were not surprising. My students never, ever brought school supplies. Either the teacher or the school provided everything. Pencils were supplied and quickly broken into tiny pieces, bathrooms were trashed all the time, students constantly asking to use the bathrooms and staying for long periods of time (texting, meeting up with friends, playing on their phones, etc), Text books were gotten rid of because a)everyone has online books b) students wouldn't use them. Homework is a thing of the past and no one did it. Grades didn't matter until ninth grade so many students just passed along.
As a former teacher, you should have the critical thinking skills to know when anecdotal information is applicable and when it is not.
Load More Replies...All the ones involving toilets/restrooms because just horrified me because when I was an adolescent, I was very self conscious about my body and I was very bladder shy as a result, and I'm sure that there's kids in those schools who are just as uncomfortable as I would have been having to use those shambolic facilities.
Anti-American? Check. Divisive? Check. Stereotyping? Check. Cherrypicking? Check. Double-standards? Check. It must be a day ending in 'Y' on BP.
The United States is not a perfect country and, like every other country, has problems that need fixing. Perhaps this article is misleading... maybe; but "anti-American" is a stretch.
Load More Replies...I cannot attest to the validity of most of all of these images, but what I can say for certain is that my schools were similar. Paying for school lunches has always irked me, as the students are required by law to attend. The schools needs to use the inordinate amount of taxes that we donate to them to feed the students who didn't volunteer to be there.
Must be groundhog day, because it's another America-hating post. My HS in California is just fine (albeit a bit old, it was built in about 1990)
Listing problems that the United States has with their educational system does not equate to "America-hating." Not everything is black and white.
Load More Replies...These kind of things should not be occuring anywhere. School officials need to be publicly shamed I guess.
That don't happen all the time everywhere. This is not standard in most schools.
Load More Replies...All of these make me so glad I finished school when I did! But now I am wondering if it will be a good idea to take my kids to public school if I ever have any kids…
A lot of us schools locked bathrooms.during 2021 during the devious lick trend. Also, NEVER eat school chicken, that shits either gray or pink
I tried to read all the entries in this list but failed miserably. I had to give up way too soon, because I simply couldn’t take it anymore. My hat is off to you (kudos!) for compiling this pile of … whatever, but I just can’t take all that examples (and proofs!) of utter BS. I highly appreciate your work, but I must admit that this is beyond me. Sorry!
This school system is a the perfect example of how to make children hate the education and teachers. The leaders proclaim quality and free education but only if the students obey the stupid rules. I think whoever makes these rules and laws hates education, hates teachers and the worst of all, hates children. They want to restrict children according to their idiotic ideas. They do not know that a happy, productive nation begins at school.
In the first 2 days at my middle school there were 4 suspensions. 4. W.T.F.
Children deserve more protections than guns. This sickens me and hurts my heart...
I'm just blown away by this. I attained my tertiary degree in the US in 1973 and it wasn't like this then. Thank goodness I live in a relatively "normal" country ( Aussie ) and went through the excellent education system we had in the 1950s and 60s. I'm sure this is part of the dumbing down of society.
Kids needs to learn how to hold their bladder. I am sorry. 😂 This is ridiculous. You are at least 14 years old. I hope you don't start to cry because you had just enough time to go to pee but you didn't and now you have to hold it back for a little. I might also say a prayer for these "poor" babies 😂🙏
Another day, another group of Americans whining about something being critical of something in the US. Why are you so easily offended?