As a senior at McIntosh High School, I was horrified to see this whining under the guise of a poorly constructed argument be revealed to the general public (“Freshman decries loss of rights,” The Citizen Letters, March 19, 2014).
Therefore, I wish to attempt some PR damage control, as she is not the ideal representative of my generation.
Firstly, of course we didn’t read the Code of Conduct (also, why is “rule book” in quotes? Is it some sinister creature in a clever disguise?).
During the first week of school, we stay in homeroom for less than 30 minutes for the purpose of overviewing the Code of Conduct.
Over the school week, that adds up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of the administrators explicitly defining the behavioral guidelines expected from students.
If you didn’t pay attention to the smorgasbord of assemblies and explanatory videos, that is your own fault.
Furthermore, if teachers and elder, experienced students advise you that you will need to learn to behave, or do anything, for that matter, you do it. Did you think we were telling you to shape up because we thought it would be funny?
Besides, as far as I am aware, you were not allowed to brazenly flaunt your technology in middle school. Do not act as though you were not familiar with the fact that technology should be kept away until needed for educational purposes.
Next, the fact that you didn’t recognize the teacher is entirely irrelevant. Do you think crime rings are exempt from arrest if they are infiltrated by an undercover detective, and didn’t know he/she was a cop?
She is an authority figure, and according to that “green slip of paper,” you must obey her. Period. What was on your phone matters just as little.
The fact remains, you directly disobeyed a guideline explicitly set forth during the first week of school. She “behaved as if [you] had committed a crime when [you] refused to hand her my phone” because you did commit one!
Do you honestly expect us to believe that your charges were so severe for no reason? If you had simply apologized for not recognizing her and then immediately handed over your phone, the only punishment you would have received would be a mild chastising.
You pigheadedly resisted, and that is why you received those 3 days of ISS.
As to those students unpunished for their behavior, the administration is not giving them special favors, no matter what you may think. They simply peruse their technology inconspicuously in a non-disruptive manner, and therefore do not get caught.
What makes you think that the school “bullied” you just because not everyone got caught? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a “bully” is “a blustering browbeating person; especially one habitually cruel to others who are weaker.”
Firstly, the teacher did not respond cruelly despite what you may think, as the punishment meted out was not unfounded. Also, unless you have been grievously ignorant and careless, I doubt the punishment has been habitual.
Therefore, the school, in fact, did not violate its policy of anti-bullying, and your definition of bullying is incorrect.
According to your way of thinking, we shouldn’t punish criminals because not all of them get caught. The school didn’t “pick you out.” You just got caught, end of story.
Finally, if you are so disturbed by McIntosh’s policy, convince your parents to either move to a different school district or home-school you. The administration of McIntosh is not obligated to change their policies because some immature student is griping about them.
While I am aware your precious phone is obviously a vital organ, without which you will fade away into nonexistence, it’s time to stop the tantrum. You were in the wrong, and cannot blame anyone for that besides your own stubborn ignorance and self-entitlement.
Andrew Russell
Peachtree City, Ga.
