This tutoring thing.

So this tutoring thing... The first day was fantastic! I helped a kid (or almost grown-up. He may not appreciate me calling him a kid.). I had a good time. I felt useful. Ever since then I've gone and sat in either the computer lab or library and done homework. Not because I'm a slacker or have more important things to do than help teenagers with homework. Just because the tutoring program is dumb.

I almost got to do something this week. Well, I almost thought I was going to get to do something. I walked into the library and two senior guys were sitting at a table with what resembled the components of a research paper spread out in front of them. I asked what they were doing and told them I'm pretty good at research papers. They asked me to sit next to them, giving me the impression that they wanted help. Or at least that they were working on their papers and may need help at some point. Boy, was I fooled. The kids sat there for an hour and talked about everything under the sun except their research papers. I read. Or I kind of read. I was more interested in their conversations than The Grapes of Wrath. First I was appalled that these kids were hanging out after school for two hours just talking and the teacher in the room didn't care that they weren't accomplishing anything. Then I was appalled at the things they were talking about. I think I might have learned a new curse word or two. I could overlook those things if I tried really hard. I was getting homework accomplished and their conversation was helping the time pass for me. But then...

The librarian, not the teacher in charge, walked over and asked the guys how their papers were coming and looked at their work. One guy asked her for help. She helped him spread out all his stuff and then proceeded to write his thesis statement for him. Seriously? She thought about what she was writing for a long time, got stuck, went and asked the English teacher (the one who was supposed to be in charge) for help, came back, worked on it some more, and then showed it to the guy and said, "Here's what we came up with. What do you think?" Seriously? Meanwhile, the student continued talking with his friend about the last good fight he was in. They're getting federal grants for this tutoring program, by the way. I'm glad they're teaching the kids.

Oh, and as I left she was beginning to write his paper outline for him as well. And this is the institution we call the American school system.