How to Effectively Change the School System

[Math_n_Logic]

So it seems apparent that many people here have anti-school sentiments. However, I find that most of us are just ranting and venting out our views rather than taking a call to action. I feel that people must understand that for something to change, there must be action taking place and that taking action comes with its consequences and sufferings. Thus it seems necessary that a thread like this comes into play.

Also, I am aware that there is another forum post that is also about, "How We Change the School System". However, it is important to note that the post is more of a brainstorming session rather than a plan. So I shall list key constraints on what I think would take to change the educational system.

- A source of income that makes it possible to defy the educaitonal system
- Provide cohesive arguments with facts and statistics that refute the usual schoolboy arguments(i.e appeal to tradition arguments)
- Understand that laws still apply to you and that one needs to make intelligent decisions
- People are resistant to change in this aspect, so it is important to act in a civil manner to further convince and spread awareness
- The biggest really is to raise awareness

There are certainly more, but this is what I shall list for the mean time. If you feel like this is your call then you can gladly discuss about it here and feel free to message me if you are willing to take action.

[James Comey]

Sorry, seems your posts were marked as spam; I approved your posts.

I think the issue is that the main site is vastly out of date and doesn't have fresh content either. Not to mention the whole "fuck the system" message isn't exactly the best way to get the message out.

I really agree with your fourth point though. If we're to be taken seriously, we have to advocate change slowly. People hate radical change, it's fact.

[Math_n_Logic]

Thank you for approving them and understand the issue. In any case, what are your thoughts? More elaborated I mean.

[James Comey]

Well, you're very new here, but the "golden age" of School Survival was from 2005-2008 when the site was really active and had a lot of serious discussion on school reform. Things sort of changed from 2009-2011 and the site was more of a venting place than serious discussion, but overall it was active.

Then the forums shut down and a large part of the forum base left semi-permanently. There was a brief revival of sorts in 2013-14 but it didn't last very long. Here are the issues currently facing the site:
-The main page's formatting and structure is out-of-date by a decade. It's barely changed and looks like it's from 2005-07.
-The forums have declined in activity.
-There's no daily stream of fresh, new content, news, or blog posts.
-Content that is on the site is out of date by 9+ years in some cases.
-No real organization in trying to connect with larger youth organizations, etc
-Not much promotion of the site either

So, yeah. There are a lot of things we need to fix.

[Math_n_Logic]

Interesting, would you mind if I were to volunteer in helping the redesign of the website? Although I have gone into programming, I have only dabbled into web design and software(meaning don't kill me while doing it). I'll also be happy to dish out "fresh" and "front page" content from time to time in the main page. Additionally, I would also think of ways to spread the message of SS through websites like YouTube, Minds.com, and the such. In any case, I am not looking for any payment or money and would be glad if you guys could also help me out...that is... if you guys are willing to do it.

[James Comey]

(04-19-2017 11:06 AM)Math_n_Logic Wrote:  Interesting, would you mind if I were to volunteer in helping the redesign of the website? Although I have gone into programming, I have only dabbled into web design and software(meaning don't kill me while doing it). I'll also be happy to dish out "fresh" and "front page" content from time to time in the main page. Additionally, I would also think of ways to spread the message of SS through websites like YouTube, Minds.com, and the such. In any case, I am not looking for any payment or money and would be glad if you guys could also help me out...that is... if you guys are willing to do it.

We really should have an active YouTube channel. It's nice to have people who want to help out.

You can contact Soul to do a redesign, she's the one that runs things over here.

Alternatively I may create a new site soon, I'll keep in touch with you on that.

[Math_n_Logic]

Hmm, I can't seem to send a private message to Soul_Riser.

[James Comey]

I think it might be because you're new here.

Try sending a message to me by the way and see if it works.

[Math_n_Logic]

Nope...I can't seem to send private messages.

[James Comey]

Huh I think Soul once had a "PM approval" system but I'm certain we got rid of this a while back.

[GamerGurl]

School Survival has always been, and always will be, a place to vent and rant about school. I hope that never changes.

I think the main reason why most of us here can't take a "call to action" is because we're still in school, if we haven't dropped out or graduated already, and while we're in major conflict with our parents, we still live with them and depend on them, possibly with a crappy retail/service job or no job at all. It's very difficult to take action when our lives aren't where we want them to be.

[SoulRiser]

I've been thinking of converting the whole site to Wordpress, it'd make updating things a lot easier.

But getting it converted to Wordpress will be a pain in the ass.

I could set you guys up Author accounts on the Wordpress we currently have (which I also probably need to seriously update), and you can help copy-paste the content over there? That sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?

As things get copied over, I can set up redirects from the old URLs to the new ones.

PS: I have limited internet atm, so I can't do much for the next few days anyway. Next week sometime things should be back to normal... hopefully my damn recurring tooth/jaw/neck ache gets fixed too.

[James Comey]

(04-21-2017 11:48 PM)GamerGurl Wrote:  School Survival has always been, and always will be, a place to vent and rant about school. I hope that never changes.

I think the main reason why most of us here can't take a "call to action" is because we're still in school, if we haven't dropped out or graduated already, and while we're in major conflict with our parents, we still live with them and depend on them, possibly with a crappy retail/service job or no job at all. It's very difficult to take action when our lives aren't where we want them to be.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. We only have so much power in our lives. At least I'm a mostly independent adult.

Though yeah... hmm perhaps we can start little by little to get to Wordpress. It would make the site a lot smoother.

#NeverIgnorantGettingGoalsAccomplished

[SoulRiser]

I'm actually gonna set up a brand new Wordpress for this... the current one is in the /blog/ subfolder, and if it's gonna replace the whole site, I don't want everything to be in /blog/... which means the old Wordpress content needs to be moved as well, but that'll be easy to do. Simple export/import, yay.

Will keep you guys posted.

[James Comey]

Thanks

[SoulRiser]

I've also found an interesting way to set up a wiki inside Wordpress. Actually several ways, one of which involves using BuddyPress and a plugin that makes a thing that acts much like Google Docs on our site. Not sure which will be best... maybe just the simplest one.

[James Comey]

In that case, likely the more simpler one.

Oh times are changing!

[Math_n_Logic]

Need an artist if we want to make a YouTube channel.

[James Comey]

Hmm.

R/teenagers is a good place to set ground.

[brainiac3397]

Look up business plans for nonprofits, structure an argument along those lines, try to get it mailed out to parents(physically mailed so you gonna need to dig for addresses. Joining the yearbook club or whatever may give you access to addresses).

[James Comey]

Are YellowPages still a think?

[brainiac3397]

Yesish. Might have better chances crosschecking with local municipal property tax database. Some states show the family name or taxpayer name (course if they rent or bought under a llc, which is clever tactic to buy a home while reducing personal liability in case of bankruptcy and foreclosure, then u wont get that info).

Its too easy not to show up on yellowpages(whitepages, for ppl actually) and info could be wr8ng or outdated. Best source is directly from the school somehow.

[James Comey]

You could always do a door-to-door survey thing like the old days as well, as well as making fliers and putting them in places like laundromats, strip malls, etc even around campus

[the Analogist]

i might one day get around to making my video on my Three Category System. I'd be cool with posting that on sone official the School Survival YouTube channel if only somebody from here could do good animations and editing to match my voice over.

I think my video #sriracha shows my potential as a voice over guy. I have NO TIME to edit. that short video took me awhile. getting a good production cycle going would pretty much require a dedicated team.


Watch on YouTube

[James Comey]

Huh, I see potential in these kinds of videos, if we could promote them properly.