Profoundly disturbed

by missyoung
Listening to: silence
Well, I'm back for a bit here because I need to speak for a bit about what everyone talked about today in third block. I have to say that I was completely unprepared for the response I received from students in my class. Varsity athletes, top students, all kinds of kids telling me things like "I love to watch fights!" "I couldn't wait to get to the high school to see the fights!" "If they'd let us fight a little we wouldn't have to beat the crap out of someone later." "They need to let us have a fight club at the compost pile again. Since we can't do it there, we bring it to school." Then students told me that the problem has been blown out of proportion by parents outside of the school, but then when I asked the same students later if they had participated in negative discussions with their parents about the school, the said "yes." Which means that these kids support the problem at school by fighting, watching fights, and or encouraging fights, then they go home and agree with their parents when they say we have a violent school. I just feel like we will never be able fix this problem. What do you think, denizens of RHS? I can't say now that it's only a small percentage of "bad kids" who fight, when most of the comments I heard came from so called "good kids." We have been told by members of the community that we are a violent school and that teachers and administrators don't care. But in reality, we're doing all we can. After today's discussion I feel betrayed to think that the very people who encourage violence at school are the ones who are egging their parents on at home to call us a violent place. What is to be done? Where do we go next? What responsiblity do students have to help fix any of this? Or should they bear no responsibility?
Read 7 comments
Wow, this is even more of a stumper on here then it was in third block, High School has seemed synonymous with bullies ever sense High School has been portrayed. I guess the universal question is what is the goal and what is the motive? If the goal is to stop fights, it seems the likely thing to do is to make stricter rules, if the goal is to make sure parents aren't causing trouble, then maybe more parent/teacher conferences, -nathan-
In third block we talked mainly about people's home lives, and even though you are a respected teacher, how most teachers favor those students who are in sports and clubs and what-have-you. Some kids come from really bad home lives and feel the need to take it out on everyone else. Then there are those who are favored that 'bully' because they know they can get away with it and purposely defy the rules just because they know they can.
A little bit back I found myself wondering over the violence issue, and found myself baffled. Today in Ap English we talked over it more, even more so then third block. And, after long discussion, we didn’t get too far. Allot was placed on the freshman, and their free associated with the "bad kids" but...I honestly don’t know. I think that it is the students that need the responsibility, for they choose their own actions, no one else.
Patric
It seems that it is a rather daunting topic to many. I for one am not completely sure about what can be done, if anything. I can say that I am not one that supports the fighting but I know that more people need to be convinced that it is not the right thing to do. I do agree that it is shocking what sort of people are standing up for the fighting. I'm stuck as well. I have been thinking about it so if anything hits me I'll let you know.

Adam
I was always intrigued by the fights at school. I liked hearing all the gossip about them but when it came time and I saw one forming, I thought it was ridiculous. But I never really noticed fights breaking out all that much. When I heard of everything over the summer, I laughed because school was always a safe place for me. Not once did I feel unsafe or threatened. I thought it was all blown way out of proportion. -Carla
Honestly I'm not quite sure what can be done to stop this fighting. People will find a way to do it no matter what rules are set, or what the administration says. I think a lot of it, is mainly a twisted way to get attention. This new "be good and you get a candy bar" is ridiculous. These kids need to be taught that what they're doing is wrong, but instead they're getting a slap on the wrist and getting treats.
If the students who agree with the administration could get together and somehow find a remedy for the fighting, and possibly come up with a way to help stop it that'd be great. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the administration is out of ideas, and they're pretty much throwing their hands up...but then again, I can understand why. This is a complicated issue...I think it's time for a debate^^
-Kristy