Higher Education

Brookhaven Symphonic Poetry: SNG'z - Higher Education

Crafted from "Parade of the Slave Children" by John Williams, originally appearing on the original soundtrack for "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom".

Listen:

So the story behind this one goes like this:  One night, I was on Facebook, and I was arguing with a guy who happens to be a teacher.  He was bitching about how worthless his students are.  So I laid into him, and we got in this big huge argument and said a lot of mean, naughty words to each other.  He was not the only teacher that I've had such a fight with, either.  

Yes, little girl. School does indeed suck. If you're smart, you'll teach yourself, and discard all the garbage they try to feed your brain at school.Now, when I was in grade school, it was exactly the shitty attitudes of teachers, giving up on their students, that led to me having such a "wonderful" experience in school.  I resent the hell out of teachers who talk shit about their students.  It might be one of my biggest pet peeves ever.  Those same types of Teachers were the kinds that told ME when I was a misunderstood (and entirely too intelligent) school kid that I didn't have any right to an education because my personality was "too volatile".  

You can imagine how much I just LOVE such arrogant jackasses, huh?

Sadly, this contempt that teachers seem to have for their students is disgustingly widespread.  There are plenty of teachers in this country who have given up on their students, and told them, as they told ME, that they would never be anything.  That's the sort of thing that makes mild-mannered D.J. Raspe turn into the Incredible freaking Hulk...and Hulk smash.

So anyways, that night, I decided to craft a bit of a retort to all those arrogant teachers out there.  The result was this poem, "Higher Education".  It's a poem, all right.  It doesn't have a hook.  A hook would have only gotten in the way of the lyrical venom I intended to spit on the mic.  It's a poem about the problems of the Amurrican Educational "system" (read as: Madness).  

This is, in my humble and honest opinion, a very good piece.  It's not perfect, certainly, since in parts it sounds like I was doing precisely what I WAS doing, which was reading words I had written, off of a computer monitor.  And in one part only, I think it might be one of Doggman's verses, I kinda slipped up the rhythm a little bit.  So it's not going to get a perfect score (I almost never give myself a perfect score anyway).  

But other than a few minor details for me to nitpick at, this piece turned out exceptionally well, I think.  I certainly enjoyed making it, and I hope you enjoy listening to it.  The lyrics are below.  Thanks for listening. :)

Raspe's Rating: * * * * 1/2

     LYRICS     

D.J. Raspe:  Yo, I know you're expecting the hip-hop to hit.
But there ain't no hooks in THIS shit.
This is just pure content. Lyrical poetry.
Music from John Williams inspiring flow in me.
This song is written about the parents, the teachers, the children
which comprise our national Educational system.
I hope you're willing to listen, start assistin', and foment...

D.J. Raspe:  I feel I gotta speak a moment about the educational system
in our land, and damn, I gotta set apocalyptic rhythm.
Hit you with some truff about the schools you send your children to,
never knowing for a second what it is they put your children through.
Don't you want to know how your children do?  It's up to you. 

Doggman:   Yo' kids roll up through the door to see some piglet with a loaded gun,
and a uniform.  Bacon storm, strollin' all up in they shit, cause they don't fit the profile
of a good, obedient student. Then they're marked for exile.  
Buried in a summary fashion.

D.J. Raspe:  Though the schools gave up on them, their gang brothers and sisters got compassion.
What are YOU doing, while they're building bonds with murderers and drug dealers?
Criminals and soul-stealers? No good thugs and deal-sealers?

Doggman:  Congratulations, Big Education.  You've crafted a nation
of angry schoolchildren. Yet when they snap in class, you call THEM villains. 
Now they killin' all yo' colleagues and they classmates.
Corporate Education squandered the mandate.
Tried to hand a race of zombies incapable of independent thought
to the very same Oligarchy we see must be fought.
I remember the days of public school, so dark and mirthless.
Our Teachers created the monster when they named us 'worthless'.

D.J. Raspe:  How many have to die, your daughters and your sons, 
before you throw away the rulebook, and write a better one?
Between yourselves and parents, you've covered yourselves in disgrace!
You failed to teach the children virtue!  DARE you fucking show your face?
Too busy whining about compensation to bother preparing the children of the Nation
with Education!

Doggman:  Tell me how it is that teacher-bureaucrats
talk about the myriad ways they help the underpriveleged, inner-city whelps?
But only if it increases personal wealth!  They don't give a FUCK about the health of the child!  Self-interest running wild! 

D.J. Raspe:  And then they got temerity to call their students worthless fucks,
when that very evening they're denouncing them on Facebook!
Take a look, and you will see these kids DO have functional brains.
But you're too BUSY to believe in them!
Because you've given your fucking arrogance full-rein.
Kids better educate THEMSELVES, and take a SHIT on your name!

Doggman:  Damn, Raspy!  Don't you think that's a little harsh?

D.J. Raspe:  Fuck that shit!  The Educational system is a farce!

Doggman:  Yeah, but you gotta moderate yo' message to sell 'em.

D.J. Raspe:  I'll just give 'em the Truff, and this is what I'll tell 'em. 
"Kids! Don't let them put your knowledge on the shelf!
The burden is upon YOU to educate YOURSELF.
Knowledge is the key to achieving all you seek.
Time to build a new school system since the old is weak."

Doggman:  "One that gives knowledge and wisdom absolutely free.
And teachers contribute with compassion and integrity,
to do their best to build a better world for everyone.
You're the future, and one day it will all be run by you.
So try not to screw it up more for the rest of us." 

D.J. Raspe:  "But when the Demons come, put 'em to rout.
And write the law so no one ever goes without.
Remember that this world belongs to every one of its creatures.
And remember to preserve it lovingly with all of its features." 

Doggman:  "Be prepared to overthrow!
Seek to cultivate yourself, and show
integrity, compassion, and truth, and your youth
can't stop you from learning to be human."

D.J. Raspe:  "Rely upon YOURSELF, with virtue,
cause the School Board just don't CARE about you!
They talk a mile about the altruistic merits they've earned.
But then they talk nothing but shit when your back is turned!"

Doggman:  Parents, did you know when your children go to school,
they are bullied and harrassed. 
When they try to stand for themselves, 
they're put into the "special" class.
Admin and peers serve 'em up social stigma.  Act like it's enigma,
when they drop out and do nothing with their lives.
Don't it figure they're just niggers to you, engaged in thoughtless mobbery.
Ain't it a shame, you're the one to blame for the robbery?  
Cause they don't get paid enough on minimum wage at KFC!

D.J. Raspe and Doggman (in unison):  And while teachers are droppin' educational amphetamines,
Schoolkids loading up magazines!
This all comes of YOUR hypocrisy!
The lost and forgotten of society, 
are seizing the Technocracy!

D.J. Raspe:  This piece ain't written about Rebellion or a Revolution.
We're just trying to inform the public, in the form of elocution,
to the problems facing our School System.  In case you missed 'em, 
it's the fact that the District's too corrupt for the teachers to care!

Doggman:  So they take all they chances out there, in the Jungle.
And they leave all the teacher-bureaucrats to bungle the Education of the young.
And they'll devour you alive, if the problem's not overcome.  TRUFF!
 

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