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At 7:45 a.m., I open the doors to a building

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dedicated to building, yet only breaks me down.

3
00:00:12,515 --> 00:00:16,725
I march down hallways cleaned up after me every day

4
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by regular janitors,

5
00:00:19,922 --> 00:00:24,094
but I never have the decency to honor their names.

6
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Lockers left open like teenage boys' mouths

7
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when teenage girls wear clothes that covers

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their insecurities but exposes everything else.

9
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Masculinity mimicked by men who grew up with no fathers,

10
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camouflage worn by bullies who are dangerously armed

11
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but need hugs.

12
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Teachers paid less than what it costs them to be here.

13
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Oceans of adolescents come here to receive lessons

14
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but never learn to swim,

15
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part like the Red Sea when the bell rings.

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This is a training ground.

17
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My high school is Chicago,

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diverse and segregated on purpose.

19
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Social lines are barbed wire.

20
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Labels like "Regulars" and "Honors" resonate.

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I am an Honors but go home with Regular students

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who are soldiers in territory that owns them.

23
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This is a training ground to sort out the Regulars

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from the Honors, a reoccurring cycle

25
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built to recycle the trash of this system.

26
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Trained at a young age to capitalize,

27
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letters taught now that capitalism raises you

28
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but you have to step on someone else to get there.

29
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This is a training ground where one group

30
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is taught to lead and the other is made to follow.

31
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No wonder so many of my people spit bars,

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because the truth is hard to swallow.

33
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The need for degrees has left so many people frozen.

34
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Homework is stressful,

35
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but when you go home every day and your home is work,

36
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you don't want to pick up any assignments.

37
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Reading textbooks is stressful,

38
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but reading does not matter when you feel

39
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your story is already written,

40
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either dead or getting booked.

41
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Taking tests is stressful,

42
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but bubbling in a Scantron does not stop

43
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bullets from bursting.

44
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I hear education systems are failing,

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but I believe they're succeeding at what they're built to do --

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to train you, to keep you on track,

47
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to track down an American dream that has failed

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so many of us all.

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(Applause)