A wide cinematic digital painting illustrating the quiet tension between the State and the Family in public schooling. Foreground: A clean-cut student walking alone toward a large, imposing public school building—neoclassical architecture, American flag, rows of identical windows, subtle surveillance cameras on the corners, muted institutional colors. In the midground, two teachers stand with clipboards, watching the student—not welcoming, but monitoring. Their posture is authoritative, arms folded, expression slightly suspicious. In the background, faint silhouettes of other students walking in lockstep toward the school, heads down, backpacks uniform—almost factory-like movement. Lighting: Early morning light, warm on the student but cold on the school building. Contrast between individuality and institution. Mood: subtle distrust, institutional power, parentless, emotionally sterile.

When I realized public schools see parents as enemies

ByTC Marti

Anything competing against the State is an enemy of public schools. Even if the State’s “competition” doesn’t see it as a competitor. 

I’ve never liked the idea of homework. If you ask me, homework is the perfect way for teachers to invade a student’s private life. I remember the fifth grade, where playing video games sounded more rewarding than solving math problems I’d never see again when I’d ultimately graduate.

So I never did homework. Ever. Until the teacher caught on and threatened me with the usual: I’m calling home, I’m writing you up, etc. But they also asked, “Is something going on at home?” Sigh. It’s crazy how these people act.

Not saying that all families are angels, some aren’t. But to suspect there was something going wrong at home from a kid who was clean-cut, well-dressed, and didn’t look like he was going hungry? That’s invasive.

If I wore old, beat-up clothes to school, was sickly thin, and had a new bruise every week, then okay, whatever. But that was far from the case.

It wasn’t the first time a teacher pulled me aside to ask an invasive question

My third-grade teacher wasn’t half-bad. But that didn’t stop them from trying to invade private lives. That year, I had these weird marks on my face. They didn’t hurt, but I looked like I’d taken a beating since blood seeped out of them.

The teacher pulled me aside and said, “TC, I’ve noticed that you’re getting a lot of marks on your face. What’s causing that?”

I didn’t realize it at the time, but you can put two and two together. Again, it’s crazy how fast they want to suspect Mom and Dad of foul play. And they have every reason to. Public schools are the State’s largest bases.

One of their fiercest competitors? Families.

Anyway, the marks on my face (and my brother’s) were a rare virus that had a weird name. By the time that teacher pulled me aside, my mother already had doctor’s appointments lined up. A few antibiotics later, I was mark-free. Not even a scar on my face.

Anything competing against the State is an enemy of public schools

Public schools love putting on the facade that parents and teachers have a student’s best interests at heart. You may’ve heard of parent-teacher conferences, I’m sure. But these are really ways for teachers to exert more control over parents, especially if the kid isn’t doing so well in class or doing required homework.

So much for a student’s “best interests.” Throughout my time in school, it never occurred to teachers that maybe they were the problem. Maybe their teaching styles couldn’t pertain to 25-plus kids forced to learn the same curriculum.

Perhaps not all students are equipped to sit at uncomfortable desks and listen to lectures before the bell rings and it’s time to move on to something else. Or, what if that kid wants to keep reading that novel in front of them for Language Arts, but they need to focus on math?

Common sense says that such a kid would have a tough time concentrating on math. They lost themselves in that book, but now it’s time to solve equations? Oh, come on. And teachers wonder why some kids lag behind.

Must be the parents. Must be something going on at home. But it definitely isn’t us. 

Some people think public schools and the teachers residing within them can do no wrong. And teachers love that indoctrinated mindset. But those of us with an ounce of logic know otherwise. Some of the most self-righteous people I ever met worked in public schools.

They never hold themselves accountable, regardless of how ineffective their methods are for a good portion of the student body.

Market-based education would put a lot of teachers out of jobs

The Arcane Prophecy by TC MartiIf you want to know why academia, the media, and even some politicians shit on private schooling options and market-based education, it’s because they know such a model would leave a lot of public school teachers unemployed.

The media, the so-called “free press,” is another arm of the State, so of course the mainstream would attack free-market education. Ditto for academia. Even schools with tens of billions in endowment get government funding. So what do you think their research and essays are going to look like?

These people don’t play fair. And a few people who’ve worked for the State in any capacity will tell you, after retirement, “We don’t play fair.” They’re trained not to play fair. So you’ll hear horror stories and get them front and center if you dare to question public schools and endorse market alternatives.

Fortunately, that won’t happen in my Arcane Elemental Academy series. Well, the mainstream media hates Arcane, but it’s Yote Diamondback’s only option in my book, The Arcane Prophecy. And guess what? Arcane ain’t a half-bad place.

But how did Yote end up at Arcane, and why did she have no other option? The first three chapters of The Arcane Prophecy have the answer. Read it and love it.

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