[Prince Ea]
Albert Einstein once said
"Everybody's a genius
But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree
It will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, today on trial we have modern-day schooling
Glad you could come
Not only does he make fish climb trees, but also makes them climb down and do a 10 mile run
Tell me, school, are you proud of the things you've done?
Turning millions of people into robots, do you find that fun?
Do you realize how many kids relate to that fish swimming upstream in class, never finding their gifts
Thinking they are stupid, believing they are useless?
Well, the time has come; no more excuses
I call school to the stand and accuse him of killing creativity, individuality, and being intellectually abusive
He's an ancient institution that has outlived his usage
So, your honor, this concludes my open statement
And if I may present the opening of my case, I will prove it

[Judge]
Proceed

[Prince Ea]
Exhibit A
Here's a modern day phone – recognize it?
Now here's a phone from 150 years ago
Big difference, right?
Stay with me, all right?
Here's a car today, and here's a car from 150 years ago
Big difference, right?
Well, get this: here's a classroom of today, and here's a classroom we used 150 years ago
Now, ain't that a shame
In literally more than a century, nothing has changed
Yet you claim to prepare students for the future?
But with evidence like that, I must ask:
Do you prepare students for the future, or the past?
I did a background check on you
And let the records show that you were made to train people to work in factories
Which explains why you put students in straight rows, nice and neat
Tell 'em, "Sit still, raise your hand if you want to speak"
Give 'em a short break to eat, and for eight hours a day tell them what to think
Oh, and make them compete to get an A
A letter which determines product quality, hence grade A of meat
I get it; back then, times were different
We all have a past, I myself am no Gandhi
But today, we don't need to make robot zombies
The world has progressed
And now we need people who think creatively, innovatively
Critically, independently, with the ability to connect
See, every scientist will tell you that no two brains are the same
And every parent with two or more children will confirm that claim
So please explain why you treat students like cookie cutter frames or snapback hats
Giving them this "one size fits all" crap?
[Judge]
Watch your language!

[Prince Ea]
Sorry, your honor
But if a doctor prescribed the exact same medicine to all of his patients
The results would be tragic
So many people would get sick
Yet when it comes to school, this is exactly what happens
This educational malpractice
Where one teacher stands in front of 20 kids
Each one having different strengths, different needs
Different gifts, different dreams
And you teach the same thing the same way?
That's horrific
Ladies and gentlemen, the defendant should not be acquitted
This may be one of the worst criminal offenses ever to be committed
And let’s mention the way you treat your employees

[School's lawyer]
Objection!

[Judge]
Overruled; I want to hear this

[Prince Ea]
It's a shame
I mean, teachers have the most important job on the planet, yet they're underpaid?
No wonder why so many students are shortchanged
Let’s be honest, teachers should earn just as much as doctors
Because a doctor can do heart surgery and save the life of a kid
But a great teacher can reach the heart of that kid and allow him to truly live
You see, teachers are heroes that often get blamed, but they're not the problem
They work in a system with not many options or rights Curriculums are created by policy makers, most of which have never taught a day in their life
Just obsessed with standardized tests
They think bubbling in a multiple-choice question will determine success
That's outlandish
In fact, these tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned
But don't take my word for it
Take Frederick J. Kelly, the man who invented standardized testing
Who said, and I quote, "These tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned"
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if we continue down this road, the results will be lethal
I don't have much faith in school, but I do have faith in people
And if we can customize healthcare, cars, and Facebook pages
Then it is our duty to do the same for education
To upgrade and change and do away with school spirit, 'cause that's useless
Unless we are working to bring the spirit out of each and every student
That should be our task
No more common core; instead, let’s reach the core of every heart in every class
Sure, math is important, but no more than art or dance
Let's give every gift an equal chance
I know this sounds like a dream, but countries like Finland are doing impressive things
They have shorter school days, teachers make a decent wage
Homework is non-existent
They focus on collaboration instead of competition
But here's the kicker, boys and girls
Their educational system outperforms every other country in the world
Other places like Singapore are succeeding rapidly
Schools like Montessori, programs like Khan Academy
There is no single solution, but let’s get moving
Because while students may be 20% of our population, they are 100% of our future
So let’s attend to their dreams, and there's no telling what we can achieve
This is a world in which I believe
A world where fish are no longer forced to climb trees
I rest my case