#028 Brandon Eason [Class of 2014]

 My reputation at The Oaks was established before I set foot on campus. With older sisters in the first few graduating classes and close family ties to key leaders and members of the school, I felt that I had a certain standard I had to live up to. From 2nd grade through senior year I attended the school, graduating in 2014. Looking back on my time at the school, I can only find two positives that came from my time there. The first was Mr. Williams and his extremely positive ways he promoted body positivity. He was confident in being himself and it set a good example for us students. The other gift was critical thinking. This gift I will now turn on the giver, showing how my time at The Oaks did very little to prepare me for life outside its doors.

My first grievance is this: the school, like the church it claims to support, does very little to rectify the gaps between physical real world evidence and the Bible it so desperately clings to. This for me was an issue in the “Logic” stage in high school. I was often marked down on papers for not providing enough scriptural evidence, even on topics that had very little bearing on the topic. Using solid, real world examples was not good enough. Kevin Kimball was the worst about this. From the looks he gave me in class, and the remarks on theses and papers, it was made clear to me that the Bible was the only source that was trusted. Not every topic has a biblical correlation, which is a concept the school and the staff either cannot or will not acknowledge. This too needs to end. Punishing students for a perceived lack of spirituality is wrong, and forces the student to make connections where none exist. This must change. 

The second grievance I have against the school is their lack of sexual education and awareness. When I graduated, my knowledge of human anatomy and sexuality was almost non-existent. Sex was seen as a taboo topic to even talk about, even with a whole book in the Old Testament devoted to it. Everything I learned about sexuality and intimacy I had to learn for myself online. The rules against dating I find to be archaic as well. I dated during my last two years there, and the constant looking over my shoulder for spying eyes was an awful way to conduct a relationship. Charlie Dowers, then the Vice Principal, once approached me senior year and asked about very personal, private information about my relationship. I firmly believe that if the school was to positively promote healthy sexual practices and education, then the dating rule would be amended to allow students to express their feelings. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I am appalled by the school’s complete disregard for sexual education. If the school believes that God made us who we are and that it is perfect in his eyes, then why would you indoctrinate your students into believing that loving who they are naturally drawn to is wrong? This must change. 

My third grievance lies with the curriculum. The school operates on the assumption of the infallibility of the Bible and does not tolerate criticism. More time is spent on learning how to destroy an argument using God as both sword and shield that it ignores an important aspect. Knowing the errors of a religion or philosophy is not enough to make an educated opinion. Anyone can point out flaws. The school is afraid to explore any possibility of validity of differing worldviews. It is a narrow and arrogant approach to thinking that must be changed. When I was in school, I remember voicing my concerns about teaching Latin, for there are very real world uses for it. The responses from Eric Indgjerd were lackluster and minimal. Offering students an easier way to learn practical languages is smart in theory, but my biggest regret is not being bilingual in two real world languages. When I left the school, the curriculum prepared me well for academia, but horribly for reality. I could translate my battallion’s motto and pick apart an argument, but that has very little real world value. The school needs a more practical curriculum to help students become informed and educated on the realities they will face immediately after graduation. The school failed me in this regard. This must change. 

My fourth grievance against the school concerns the students. Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD was difficult enough, but my fellow students did very little to help me feel confident in myself. I had very few friends in the 10 years I was there. My friend’s group was considered to be the oddballs. I remember countless conversations crying to Frank and Janice about my lack of friends and consistent bullying at the hands of my peers, but very little was done to rectify the situation. The uniforms need an update. Polos and khakis are what middle aged men wear golfing. The school needs to allow students to express themselves. Certain things should not be allowed on school grounds and I acknowledge and support that. However, the strict uniform and often changing standards prevents students from expressing themselves. I will ask this question: If the school believes in “being who God made you to be”, then why would you deny students the opportunity to showcase that publicly during the critical years of adolescence? This must change.

My final grievance lies in the culture. So much emphasis is placed on “living how God intended” (whatever that means) that self expression is suppressed. Students are led to believe that the only true way to live is as a heterosexual, church going, psalm singing scholar who’s only aim is to please God. Parents: if that is what you wish for your child, then send them to this school. The school forgets the individuality of the students, forcing their beliefs on them over objections for grades. I had to suppress my bisexuality for many years. I left the school with a very shaky personal identity because of the emphasis placed on the “right” way to live. The intolerance of the school toward people with differing views and opinions was appalling. Alumni who left the church or “stopped living as God commands” were shunned and almost ostracized. The public humiliation of attention grabbers needs to stop. Failure in the real world is acceptable. Shaming students for not immediately grasping a concept is demeaning and damages a student’s ability to be confident in the classroom. This must change.

I graduated school in 2014 and enlisted the following year. The culture shock alone was challenging, but the worst part of the transition was the endless odd looks I received for having very little knowledge of how life actually worked. The Oaks presents an idyllic view of life that rarely works outside of the halls of the school. Reality is harsh and brutal. Afghanistan showed me that. The Oaks chose to ignore that fact. The objections and grievances I have stated above tell my story. Looking back, my identity growing up was not one of my own choosing. I had to believe a certain way out of fear. I had to act a certain way because of fear. I hid who I was for years because of fear. The school must change its ways. That much is clear. It took me years to discover who I was and fully embrace it. The school denied that. Looking back, I am saddened by the religious bigotry the school props up as holiness. Children need to learn for themselves who they are. The school does very little to facilitate that, forcing its own narrow, arrogant, intolerant views on the students no matter how loudly they protest against it. The Oaks must change.

Brandon Eason (Formerly Johnson)