Dead Prez - They | School (album Version)

The song differentiates between meaningful "education" and "schooling," which the duo views as a tool to train Black students to be "slaves and hard workers" for white-owned businesses rather than critical thinkers.

Despite its profane and militant stance, the song is frequently used by modern educators and school principals as a tool to discuss concepts like social justice, internal oppression, and culturally relevant pedagogy . dead prez - They School (Album Version)

The song utilizes a "pedagogical flow," moving between spoken word and rhyming couplets to emulate a teaching style that directly instructs the listener on the Black schooling experience. contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline .

Lyrics describe the school environment as a "military compound" where police presence and searches are normalized, contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline . dead prez - They School (Album Version)