Ender's Shadow (Shadow, #1)

by Orson Scott Card

We don’t have to play their game. We can take charge of our own education and get ready to fight the real enemy. We have to remember, always, who the real enemy is.” “Yeah, the teachers,” said Dink Meeker. Everybody laughed. But then Dink Meeker stood up on the table beside Bean. “I’m the senior commander here, now they’ve graduated all the oldest guys. I’m probably the oldest soldier left in Battle School. So I propose that we adopt Bean’s proposal right now, and I’ll go to the teachers to demand that the boards be shut off. Is there anyone opposed?” Not a sound. “That makes it unanimous. If the boards are still on at lunch, let’s bring sheets to cover them up. If they’re still on at dinner, then forget using chairs to vandalize, let’s just refuse to take our armies to any battles until the boards are off.” Alai spoke up from where he stood in the serving line. “That’ll shoot our standings all to . . .” Then Alai realized what he was saying, and laughed at himself. “Damn, but they’ve got us brainwashed, haven’t they!”