I was having an email conversation with a friend the other day where I said that a school reunion had little meaning to me as I was completely indifferent to five years of my life in an education system that for one reason or another, I didn’t respond to.

His argument was that our schooling was what shaped us to being what we are now and that we all seem to be doing okay now, so it couldn’t have been that bad. My argument is that I learnt to read, write and understand basic arithmetic at junior school and that, in my opinion, I left secondary school with less intellect than when I started; for me it was a five year non-event in educational terms.

The secondary education suits some, but anyone described as non-conformist is left on the shelf and labelled as disruptive (which I was) and not worth bothering with, so whilst I don’t depress myself with it, or blame anyone for the fact I didn’t fit in, I am not going to delude myself that it was a golden era in my life that shaped me as a human being.

The problem with our sort of education system is that it was/is operated in a way that there is one way of doing things out of state text books and if you don’t agree with it or want to challenge it, you are nothing. Some even say that the comprehensive system is a way of teaching people not to know too much in order to keep the masses stupid. I tend to agree.

I played cricket last year against an old school master and it was apparent that he still needed some sort of hero worship as if though I had something to thank him for; I am not sure why?

He proceeded to behave like a bit of a prat all afternoon and when my son, who was having a tremendously destructive innings, tried to play an audacious shot (what is known as a Dilshan in cricket terms) my ex teacher publicly admonished him and told him to show more respect.

It was pathetically embarrassing for everyone who was at the scene.

George: Publicy admonished by my ex teacher for daring to be creative

That summed up so many things for me. By demonstrating that if you dare think outside the box or be creative, you are worthy of nothing more than criticism; it was installed in the mindset of the retired school master to admonish someone for doing something that wasn’t from his own self-righteous text book. How sad.

Perhaps, before he started pontificating, he should have looked at the way I played cricket, a cataclysmic show of ineptitude that surely, would show him up as not being quite as brilliant a PE teacher as he perceived himself to be.

I only learnt to hold a bat the correct way two years ago and it is still something that feels alien to me and ultimately results in catastrophic comedy as I descend into resembling a demented octopus.

All my teachers were like him and it probably wasn’t even their fault, they were probably told that there was one way of educating and those who dare challenge, should be crushed, whilst those who toe the line and embrace it, should be given a prefect badge and the opportunity to admire their masters. I have never done that and for my sins, I have always taught my own children to think for themselves.

So I am looking forward to the school reunion, but I won’t be attending by wearing a pair of of rose coloured spectacles and thanking God that I was blessed to be taught by such a bunch of total fuck-wits. I would only be lying to myself.

I have shown this video before; it is a constant reminder to me of what the state education system is all about; teaching people to be stupid and using ADHD as a get out clause for stifling creativity.