I tried to post yesterday, but blogspot has been having a few technical difficulties. Anyways, I found out more about James Tate, the senior banned from prom for taping cardboard letters to the side of the school that spelled out a question to his girlfriend.
Though school officials say Tate "risked his life" climbing up on a ladder to do this, he actually took several precautions. He brought along two friends, also banned, to help hold the ladder and pass up the letters. He even wore a helmet. How many professional house painters do you see taking these precautions? Yes, Tate certainly put safety first.
Also, Tate isn't the Connecticut first student to be banned from prom for petty reasons. In 2008, Kadijah Ketchum of Hamden High School was suspended and banned for running in the halls. Really? If this were widely practiced, there wouldn't be enough students left to fill the school. Your locker is on one side of the school. Third period is on the other side. You have three minutes to get to class. What do you have to do?
With the help of lawyer Tamarah Evanko, who has also offered her services to Tate, Ketchum was eventually able to go back to prom, though her lawyer had to accompany her.
But what bugs me is that the school was able to do this in the first place. Teachers and parents get to decide how the school is run, but ultimately, school is not for the parents or teachers. School is for the students.
School reminds me of the feudal system. The Board is the King, the district is a duke, the principal is a count, teachers are the lords, and the students themselves are the little peasants tolling away with no voice whatsoever.
Sure, lots of school have little mock groups set up, like student body officers. But how many school even let these representatives make decisions? The SBO's, as they're called at my school, just organize assemblies and fundraisers. All the little jobs the administration is too busy to take care of.
Really, without us the school could not exist. It's our school, so we should be able to influence how it's run.
Though school officials say Tate "risked his life" climbing up on a ladder to do this, he actually took several precautions. He brought along two friends, also banned, to help hold the ladder and pass up the letters. He even wore a helmet. How many professional house painters do you see taking these precautions? Yes, Tate certainly put safety first.Also, Tate isn't the Connecticut first student to be banned from prom for petty reasons. In 2008, Kadijah Ketchum of Hamden High School was suspended and banned for running in the halls. Really? If this were widely practiced, there wouldn't be enough students left to fill the school. Your locker is on one side of the school. Third period is on the other side. You have three minutes to get to class. What do you have to do?
With the help of lawyer Tamarah Evanko, who has also offered her services to Tate, Ketchum was eventually able to go back to prom, though her lawyer had to accompany her.
But what bugs me is that the school was able to do this in the first place. Teachers and parents get to decide how the school is run, but ultimately, school is not for the parents or teachers. School is for the students.
School reminds me of the feudal system. The Board is the King, the district is a duke, the principal is a count, teachers are the lords, and the students themselves are the little peasants tolling away with no voice whatsoever.
Sure, lots of school have little mock groups set up, like student body officers. But how many school even let these representatives make decisions? The SBO's, as they're called at my school, just organize assemblies and fundraisers. All the little jobs the administration is too busy to take care of.
Really, without us the school could not exist. It's our school, so we should be able to influence how it's run.
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