US high school rights!

In US schools students have no rights, They basicly took away the right to protest by claiming that you are disrupting school opperations,or if you protest after school hours you are then tresassing. This is unconstitional!
not only do they take away your right to protest but also the right to free speech..........EX. shortly after the colinbine shootings a small town girl was suspended for the following statement "I can understand how someone could snap like that" the school officals suspended her because her statement was suspicious. This to me does Not represent America The Free and the Brave....This says "america wants to brain wash their children and take away thier thir Natural rights. another odd shcool rule is the one dealing with skiping....if you proceed to skip school for a week they suspend you...is'nt that what you wanted not to go to school..

High school students have no rights? On the contrary, this generation of High School students seem to exercise a greater lattitude in attitude and behavior and basic rights than perhaps any other generation of sudents ever to matriculate through the U.S. school system. As minors, which most of High School students are, they really are not held responsible for their actions. They do not have guarenteed rights. Parents are held responsible for the actions of these youngsters.

The only rights that are prescribed for minors is the right to basic food, shelter and clothing. That's it. In return, children should focus their attentions towards getting an education so that they might be prepared to fully accept the responsibilties of their "rights".

At the school I went to this wasn't much of a problem--none of the students really cared enough about anything to stage a demonstration on campus, either during or after school hours. I have absolutely no clue how it would've been handled, but I'm pretty sure the principal and staff would've agreed to it had the students gone the proper routes--the equivalent of obtaining an assembly permit.

I would like to see more details about that example you gave though. If that's all that was said, no other statements by the student that could change the context of it, then you're right, that is a little harsh of a punishment. I can understand the anxiety caused by Columbine, and how the staff may have been quick to take action immediately following the incident, so the timeline may be relevant as well. Was it the day after? Then it might be rather insensitive at best, but could also be seen as a potential threat--"Hey, those guys did it, and I understand why" would lead me to think that the student is getting the wrong kind of ideas.

As benevolent tyrant pointed out, there are more important things that high schoolers should be worried about at this time, like trying to fill their brain with as much as they possibly can while it's still free. Worry about girls/boys, worry about what you're going to do Friday night, worry about passing that test or how you're going to tell your parents you don't have any homework so they believe you.

If you want to organize a protest, do it on your own time outside of school. Protest whatever it is you're against in a park or something, after you obtain a permit. There's no need to have it on campus--is the principal going to override the local/state/federal gov't? Or if you're talking about protesting the way the school is doing something, try getting students to talk to the teachers or principal. Talk to your parents about it, and have them call the staff about it. Getting parents involved is much more efficient than trying to get an assembly of high school students together for something. As far as free speech goes, I know many students--myself included--who got detention or worse for much, much less than that example.

While it may not seem like it, the time someone is in high school is extremely short compared to life in the "real world." It's pretty much the last 4 years of your life where you generally don't have to worry so much about a job, paying bills, supporting a family, etc. (While there are many exceptions to that rule, given differing circumstances, I think it covers a large enough portion of the population to be a fair statement.) Think about it like this: you have a total of 18 years where you have comparatively no worries. Sure, you have to worry about tests, your grades, your social life, and your parents.

All that changes for sure when you graduate is that you aren't in high school. Go to college, you have more homework, more difficult tests, and instead of just holding you back a year, low grades can loose a scholarship for you. Still have a social life, but if you worry too much about it you start slipping on your grades. No parents, which at first is wonderful, but now you don't have that morning safety net of someone making sure you're up, and you don't have someone keeping you in check to make sure you do your homework and pass your classes.

Skip school and go straight to the work force? Now you have a boss who's wanting you to show up on time--you don't get detention for being late, you get fired, which can mean you loose your house/apartment and have to go back to live with your parents. Instead of tests and grades you have evaluation reports--mess up on those, and you get fired instead of just failing a class you can retake next semester. For "homework", you have projects where if you turn it in late you may cost the company more money than you're worth to them, and again, you get fired instead of dropping a letter grade. On top of that, you probably still want a boyfriend or girlfriend, you probably still want to hang out with your friends on the weekends, but now you got to foot the bill instead of asking for gas money from your parents--may not seem like that big of a deal, but when every week you have to decide whether you want to pay rent or have a night out, it's not that great.

I can't think of many body parts or organs that I would not sell to get back to the time I was in high school, and I'd gladly give up most of my rights to do so, other than those benevolent tyrant mentioned.

I can understand your point of view because I'm a senior at silverton union high school and I'm already missing it...I have early release and I work after school........But that's not the issue the issue is the silly rules.....Like no cellphone use on school property(even after class) its understandable durring class but when a student can't call their parent or work to check in or get a ride its a little rediculous....OR ...the rule That students are not allowed to wear numbers on clothing is stupid...what if I want to wear my grad year on a shirt? The students where talking about orgnizing a cell phone protest that would't affect the school, you see every student at 35 (five mineuts after school) are spose to take out their phones and talk to some one...Its non-violent, leagle and an act of civil disobeadonce.
the protest was cancled on account of the morring anouncement saying that all students who violate the rule durring or after school hours would be expelled...
Don't get me wrong we have a great school that is very student orentated .......for hevens sakes we are allowed to go off campus for lunch which most high schoolers would die for...I love It here Its just the stupid incomutant rules that get me burring

I can almost see your point of view regarding the needs for using your cell phone. However, I'm old enough to have grown up where cell-phones were not common in school--in fact, most of the people who had them were considered spoiled brats, right up there with those who's parents bought them a brand new car when the rest of us either had to work for ours or got a clunker hand-me-down. As far as clearing up ride issues, etc., I always had to use a pay phone if I didn't have the foresight to settle my issues before school.

Originally posted by Miranda
the protest was cancled on account of the morring anouncement saying that all students who violate the rule durring or after school hours would be expelled...

That right there is a great example of the problems with most of the nation's population: everyone's willing to fight for what they believe in as long as there's no potential consequences. I can say that, because I'm the same way If you get a large enough group of students to agree with that no matter what happens, they most likely will not expel everyone--the organizer, perhaps, but I really doubt that school would like to have 100+ expulsions in one whack on its record.

You can always take the "high road" as well, and (as I said above) get parents in on the act. I'm sure that's not a very palletable option, but if it's something that's that important to you and your fellow students, then it should be that important to your parents as well. And if they have a reason they feel it isn't worth going after, then maybe they'll show you a different perspective you can look at it in.

Originally posted by Miranda
the issue is the silly rules.....Like no cellphone use on school property(even after class) its understandable during class but when a student can't call their parent or work to check in or get a ride its a little ridiculous....OR ...the rule That students are not allowed to wear numbers on clothing is stupid...what if I want to wear my grad year on a shirt? The students where talking about organizing a cell phone protest that wouldn't affect the school, you see every student at 3

5 (five mineuts after school) are suppose to take out their phones and talk to some one...Its non-violent, leagle and an act of civil disobeadonce.
the protest was cancled on account of the morring anouncement saying that all students who violate the rule durring or after school hours would be expelled...

Wow! Has anyone given the matter of WHY these "silly little rules" exist? Are you incapable of "thinking outside of the very small box that happens to be your existence"? Let me repeat what said in my earlier post. You are not in school to be making or to be receiving phone calls. If there is an emergency, there is a school office. As far as personal family planning, surely you have time to make arrangements at a decent time -- the night before or in the morning before school.

Lawmakers and educators, for the most part are competent individuals who enact rules and regulations for reasons other than to inconvenience an entire age group. These dedicated men and women are the infrastructure of the nation. At the municipal level, government is genuinely concerned with a variety of issues that are certainly not trivial. Government and the educational departments, at this level are concerned with a number of issues such as; keeping you and the other students safe, they are entrusted with educating you and your classmates so that you might be able enter society as a responsible individual. As duly elected representatives of you community, the actions of your local government and your teachers (duly licensed by the municipality and the state), reflect the attitudes and desires of your community. If you had not been on the phone, you might have learned about this in your civics/government or history classes (or, at the time, you may have said to yourself that this "stuff" will never affect your or that you will never have to know it). Well it's affecting you now.

And, finally, surely you must have better things to do with your time than to stage a "peaceful act of civil disobedience" over the issue using a cell phone? If you were all, as a student body, truly concerned about rights and were so dedicated so as to stage a political protest aren't' there much better issues? I must you guys credit, however, that you were able to discern that this cell phone issue was not an issue to be suspended over. But it only goes to demonstrate that you do have some awareness, albeit a dim one, to recognize that this issue did not merit your concern.

Look at what is going on about you? There are millions of people who are homeless, lives in upheaval and displaced from their lives in Louisiana and Texas. Young men and women, not much older than you, are risking their lives every single day in some hellhole of a country -- somewhere humping eighty pounds on their backs and a ton in their hearts. And you can't use your cell phone at school. You even caved on the protest. C'mon, isn't there something, some issue, some real issue that you could be protesting? Or do I have to repeat myself again?

I am not trying to put you down or demean you. I am being deliberately sardonic in an effort to clearly express to you that your life is not your own nor will it ever be. And as far as those "other kids" humping those packs, if a draft were enacted, you'd be there too in a very short time. Still think the cell phone issue is worth protesting? Go to school, learn, do what you have to do to become a lawmaker, educator, whatever and change things if you still have the same opinions when you are in your twenties or thirties or older. I don't mean to rant but this is important both school and your understanding of why are you there as well as your place in the world.

The issue is simple.

You are in a building of learning. If something is detrimental to that atmosphere, it is within their power to prevent it. The state requires learning, so you can't prevent it, whether via endangering other students, talking during class, or whatever. They have the right to regulate what happens in those buildings, especially as you are a minor at that point.

If you're in a private institution, they have even more of a right.

Basically, it sucks to be young sometimes. But, on the bright side, no taxes.

What is the old saying?

"Youth is wasted on the young..."

Miranda, someday you may well look back at your time in highschool as the easiest and least restrictive portion of your life. Most of us oldsters do.

Originally posted by Miranda
, They basicly took away the right to protest by claiming that you are disrupting school opperations,or if you protest after school hours you are then tresassing. This is unconstitional!

No it isn't. Why do you need to protest at the school anyway?

shortly after the colinbine shootings a small town girl was suspended for the following statement "I can understand how someone could snap like that" the school officals suspended her because her statement was suspicious.

in loco parentis, the schools are responsibile for the safety of the students.

Lemme tell ya something... no one cares about high school starting about 5 seconds after they leave it. No one is going to do anything to give students the ability to 'protest' inside of schools, are to rant about wanting to get guns and murder their fellow students, period. The public has made the schools for the express purpose of educating their children, who are mostly minors for that matter. The law is set up so that the schools are your parents while you are in school, you can't sue your parents for not letting you say something in your house, and you're never going to get the ability to distrupt class in order to express your opinion. In a few years, you won't give a damn about this either.