Lyrics describe the school environment as a "military compound" where police presence and searches are normalized, contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline .
A central tension in the lyrics is the duo's stated love for education ("I love education") contrasted with their rejection of "they" (white oppressive) schools. Cultural Impact and Usage 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. Lyrics describe the school environment as a "military