In his article Essay #2, MacDonnel discusses the Los Angeles school system and the teaching methods their board of education prefer. Essay #2 points out that the Los Angeles school system would rather their students learn about abusive relationships, love and control, and putting academics aside. While children should be learning English, math, history, and science; Berendo Middle School is learning how to leave an abusive relationship. Even though that is just as important; it is not something a student should learn in the classroom. The school should have a day or two during the students' physical education class to talk to the students about life lessons.
When it comes to students learning at school academics should be the first priority. In Essay #2 MacDonnel states "Berendo's students are spending precious class time role playing dating scenarios rather than studying the grammar of dependent clauses or poring over algebra worksheets." Parents in that neighborhood are sending their children to school to learn about dating when that should be the last thing on a seventh graders mind. Even though our generation is different from past generations; there are still people who would like to learn and make something of themselves. According to Essay #2 ninety six percent of Berendo's students receive free or reduced lunch so therefore more than half of the students who attend this school are low income families. .
The Berendo students should not be learning about love and control in school. The students should be learning core subjects. The students are learning the things they should be learning in the home. The school is located in a bad neighborhood and most of the children will be susceptible to joining a gang, taking a path that leads to jail, or death. The school being located in a bad neighborhood and the type of student who attend cannot be used as a crutch; the school system should still tighten up on the academic aspect and leave the relationship discussion to the parents.