<p>Here is one of the most interesting comments; from a graduate of an underperforming high school:
p<em>linda (0)<br>
p</em>linda wrote:
I went to Milby High School in the East End. I didn’t take AP classes till my junior year because my counselor threw my transcript from my middle school to the side with all the other “below average” students. She put me in math classes that were teaching the students how to multiply and divide negative and positive integers, english classes that were teaching grammar and punctuation and science classes that did not have class sets of scientific calculators.
I fought my hardest to be taken seriously because I was not one of the “magnet students” so therefore I had no voice. The only voice i had was in the school newspaper of which i edited and wrote. I got myself a internship at the Houston Chronicle my senior year because 1 teacher believed in me. I got myself into those AP classes, held a part time job and internship at the Chronicle and got myself into the Top Ten Percent by the skin of my teeth and am now an Honor Student at the University of Texas at Austin.
You dare to tell me, and the 11 other students from my graduating class, that we are not “prepared” because we went to a school that doesn’t wait on you hand and foot?
I spent most of my days fighting for respect from the authority figures at my school to be taken seriously and to take care of my academics and future. Most of the students had full time jobs and helped paid the bills to keep their lights on and still passed AP Calculus with a 5. And yeah, some didn’t have those chances or chose not to take them because they never felt respected or motivated to do so.
UT gave me a chance to get away from that environment. To experience life outside of “you’re not good enough,” “you’re not smart enough,” oh, and my favorite, “you’re not as smart as them because they go to Bellaire, Westside, Carnegie Vanguard, etc.”
I tell you what, I’m smart enough to know which fights to fight and tough enough to let the ones not worth it, go. And I can thank my high school for that. I can never forget where I came from.
8/17/2009 7:39:23 PM</p>