Why Schools Suck in the Movies and in Real Life

Have you ever noticed that most of the schools we see in movies and TV, read about in novels, or even hear about in songs are terrible, rotten places where you’re likely to get pig blood dumped on you at prom, punched out on the playground, or humiliated by classmates and teachers alike?

We take for granted that attending K-12 education is like living in Orwell’s 1984 or serving a prison sentence.

But there are exceptions—in fiction and in real life. Generally speaking, when you get to choose where you go to school, you’re guaranteed a better experience because you’ve picked a place where you actually want to be—and that will treat you well because they know you can leave if you want. That’s reflected in parental satisfaction rates, which are consistently higher for public schools of choice and private schools than assigned public schools. 

Currently, only about a quarter of K-12 students attend something other than their local, assigned public schools—alternatives ranging from charters and magnets to private schools and being homeschooled. If more kids and their parents had more choices, schools would do a better job of responding to students’ specific interests and needs and helping them become the best version of themselves. There’s no one-size-fits-all in education any more than there is when it comes to clothing or shoes.

Here are three fictional schools, which are great not because they’re right for everyone but because they meet the unique needs of their particular students. 

Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

Entry to this academy of superpowered mutants in the X-Men series