Despite being a student in a network of knowledge and development, I am distraught due to the complexities and the stress associated with schooling. It is personal because every day I feel like a machine; being fed information, pushed to my limits, and then being browbeaten into submission. I am punctuating this point with heaviness in my heart, as I manifest my stress through physical symptoms; my hair falling out and a burgeoning bald spot. Night after night, I weep silently due to the overwhelming pressure, further aggravated by the expectations of my parents. The agony I endure due to the difficulty of assignments has shaken me to my core and led me to this point.

Current schooling patterns do not just affect me but millions of students across the world. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 45% of all teens said they were stressed by school pressures. The complications they face at school lead to accumulated stress that may result in significant health problems, including severe anxiety and depression.

The result of this petition does not seek the complete eradication of schools, but a thorough examination and change in the way education is delivered. We want an education system that values and fosters individuality, curiosity, and mental well-being just as much as the acquisition of knowledge. We demand reform, we demand understanding, and we demand an education that ensures a successful, happier generation for the future. Please sign this petition to stand with me today for a transformation of our education system.