For 12 years we endure the trials of Fairfax County Public Schools and after 12 years, we only know “tired.”
We know the harsh reality of dragging ourselves to school for seven hours every day, then going to work or to a practice for three and then coming home to face four hours of homework; all of this running on less than seven hours of sleep a night.
We know the nightmare of making it through the stress of the day, only to look back and see that the people we love simply can’t.
People have heard of Fairfax County everywhere in the country. College counselors’ eyes light up at the sound of our name because they know our reputation. They know our schools are the “best.” But we’re not so sure. Looking at our sparkling statistics, it’s easy to forget that we’re people and not just GPAs on a college transcript.
For every “5” on an AP test in this county, how many students sit awake at 2 a.m. unable to sleep because they know they didn’t get all of their homework done?
For every SAT score over 2,000 in this county, how many students hate themselves for not being able to get there?
For every “A” earned on a report card, how many students look down to see tally marks on their arms because they just don’t feel good enough or perfect enough to keep up in this toxic environment we’ve created?
These are the ignored facts of life here in FCPS.
Nearly every person we have talked to has faced or knows someone facing some mental health problem due to pressures they live under, whether it is parent-based, school-based or self-inflicted. Then we look around only to see little to no response to this should-be shocking fact. High school shouldn’t be the “make-or-break” time in our lives. These four years shouldn’t hold so much stress and pressure that some of us can’t make it through. High school shouldn’t be a constant struggle between mental health and what is considered educational “success.” Our education system has become a war, with more fallen soldiers than wins and nobody bothering to compare the two numbers.
While our grades may be mighty and our stats may rise above the rest, is it real? How can anybody in the real world say it’s realistic to be better than perfect and to stay that way for the some 1,400 days we’re expected to? Because that’s what seems to be expected of us here. A GPA over four; that’s above a perfect. A report card with only “A”s; well, that’s way above what’s technically average, which, keep in mind, is a “C.” Filling up our extracurriculars, competition on sports teams, joining honor societies on top of all of that; it is just too much. And if everyone’s perfect, who really is?
If you don’t believe the claims that this is a beyond imperfect system, take a look at the numbers. Consider the 42 kids between ages 10 and 19 who have taken their lives since 2003 in Fairfax County; think about the fact that the United States Center for Disease Control is currently investigating suicide clusters here and realize that nearly 82 lives are lost to suicide in our community every year. Since we’re a county so set on statistics, let those numbers sink in.
Let’s make it clear: The students aren’t the ones who are failing. A county with a school system that makes students hate their school, hate their lives and hate themselves is failing. No matter what our rank is or what our stats may say about us, asking the individual will say more. So go ahead. Ask anyone what they think about attending FCPS, because while we’re thankful for the opportunities we’ve been given here, we’re simply disgusted by the outcomes this place can create.
Yes, we recognize all the good our public schools do and how many great workers we have, especially at WS, looking out for us.
We also understand that mental health disorders are something that are complicated and can never be fully understood unless experienced. That being said, when one looks at the number of students who have taken their lives, one can’t help but connect that sad fact with the pressurized environment that engulfs every one of us. Then look around and see that close to nothing has been done about this problem until recently.
No solution will be perfect, but thankfully, the school board and Superintendent Karen Garza are starting to address this issue. For far too long, our own school system has failed to live up to the standards that they expect from us.
Which is more important: the brilliant numbers we pump out of this school system, or the students who give everything they have to try and keep up with those expectations?
For the 12 years we battle here, nobody escapes untouched.