Tampa Bay Technical High School (TBT) claims to be an A-rated public school. An A-rated title brings to mind images of scholars and studious pupils that all work hard to better the world through education. On the surface, this school looks prestigious, elegant and refined; but as you journey deeper into the open halls of what is Tampa Bay Tech, it feels as if you've entered the dark streets of some gritty city.

The walls are lined with graffiti and trash piles up along them, carelessly strewn three feet from waste bins. Dirt tracks are noticeable leading into buildings where sometimes desks and chairs are damaged beyond repair. The smell of weed and urine is so strong, most of the students douse themselves in perfume to keep the stench from offending them further. 

Bathrooms are wet, moldy and covered in bodily fluids. The sinks are broken or defaced and the soap dispensers are never filled. Most students would invest in hand sanitizer or sneak to use the faculty bathrooms in order to relieve themselves. Most of the bathrooms are even locked off due to students smoking weed inside them. 

The students themselves are volatile due to this dangerous environment and fight one another as if they were feral animals, not caring who gets in their way. The teachers, who are supposed to maintain a friendly and safe atmosphere verbally abuse their charges and pervertedly harass them daily with the knowledge that they are protected by laws meant to keep them in the system. 

No one wants to own up to the ill practices that happen at this so called "school", not even the principal. 

The school is a literal prison that decided that Iron Gates around the perimeter were enough to keep order amongst the populace. Any reasonable parent and recent alumni of this high school would agree that TBT needs to be shut down. Someone has to hear the voices of those who want to keep their children safe from harm and allowed a safer, cleaner environment to receive an education. 

Either this school needs to clean up its act and address these problems or it needs to go.