Should a student be made to give up their rights? The schools search through our personal items, take away free speech, and control they way we may express ourselves. I was not aware that being a student in the public school system meant you had to be stripped of the basic American rights. I believe schools need to begin following the laws that they are teaching us and not creating their own set of rules to govern over us. The schools rules were set up by adults; however, our peers were never given a choice either way to voice their opinions.
After the school started taking away privileges, I noticed that they had already taken away basic American rights.. We lost the privilege to leave the campus for lunch and eat with our friends. We lost the privilege to use book bags during school. Next, we lost the right to have the freshman bow at our school (which was a tradition to do during spirit week for over 30 years.) Also, an group called the boom boom boys were disbanded on the basis of their sexual dances. Although the poms are still allowed to grind into the air and run their hands over their breasts in many school events.
The school has claimed the right to limit our speech. There is a large variety of cuss words that are not allowed to be said anywhere on school grounds. Maybe words like these our impolite but the school tries to silence many unnecessary words. Although, most of these cuss words can only be considered bad because of religion. In the beginning the right of free speech was taken away from students. Most schools started with the idea that students only speak when spoken to.
The school now forces students to sign an agreement that gives the school permission to search through their locker and car. The idea is that the school owns a locker; hence, they have the right to search it. However, I feel a locker is a necessary part of attending classes. Therefore, it is not a privilege the school allows to you, but a necessity. The school also has the right to seize an item that the teacher believes is disrupting the learning process. This should only include items that disrupt the class. The teacher should be allowed to control the use of items but not allowed to seize them from the student. This to me seems to be illegal search and seizure.
The freedom of speech was taken away from students, and students lost the ability to express themselves through their appearance. The school dress codes have become more restricting. Clothing is not allowed that might show alcohol, cigarettes, or cuss words. Also the schools have decided what is socially acceptable when piercing your body. Women have had their ears pierced for a long time so this practice is acceptable. Any other piercing is considered a distraction to the classroom. I would like to now point out that the school sponsored spirit week (which consists of students dressing up in various outfits during the week.) has students in sleep wear, face paint, and togas. The spirit week is a much larger distraction than someone's nose being pierced. Tongue piercing is prohibited; however, a tongue piercing stays hidden away from peoples' view. A tattoo doesn't offend me anymore than the ugly posters the school keeps putting up to promote school spirit.
Why do schools have the ability to take away rights when all of the activities above are not against our laws? In fact many of them have specific laws to defend these rights from being taken away. We legally have to go to school until we are sixteen which by that law then would force us to be under the rules of school which contradict the laws by there rules. Jobs are allowed to have rules because you aren't forced to go to work. It is an option to work somewhere. People that work for themselves follow certain dress codes just because you do better in work to act what is considered appropriate. School isn't an option. With this in mind we should have our rights defended while we are attending school. What makes us to young to have the rights of others. What makes us worth any less than others. Complain about the sexism, racism, and everyone else that is oppressed but through out time people have always oppressed children on the basis that the adults know what is best. Most of the rules forced on us aren't in our own interests. The rules about dress code, piercing, and tattoos are all pretty much because some adult dislike the way things are being done and since they wouldn't do it they believe that it is obviously stupid and stupid people should be prevented from doing it. How does a piercing hurt the child especially when you can't get them without parental permission. If the adult of the child says it ok then what does the idea of the school board have to do with raising this child.
-Danman
10/20/99
E-mail Danman at danman@inw.net