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High School Bill of Rights Teenlink Student Staff Important: This article was last updated on May 15, 2009. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all high school students are created equal except for freshmen (just kidding, but not really), that they deserve certain rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness:
We declare that students should be allowed to do the following without detentions, referrals, suspensions, expulsions, parent phone calls, dirty looks, etc.: 1) Our ability to show affection to our friends and/or significant others should not be hindered by the possibility of punishment, as long as we keep our tongues in our own mouths and our hands to ourselves. 2) Our ability to express our opinions through school publications, art and speech should not be prohibited because it differs from that of our schools. 3) Our ability to express individuality through our appearance and fashion sense should not be suppressed as long as we are not not naked or indecently exposed. 4) Our ability to use the bathroom should not be endangered by a teacher's need to have a full classroom or by a teacher's moodiness. 5) Our ability to use cell phones and iPods does not jeopardize our learning between classes and therefore should be permitted. Let us jam! 6) What we do outside of school should not jeopardize our reputation or good standing in school (i.e. Facebook or MySpace pictures), as long as it is not a criminal act. 7) Our ability to arrive 2 seconds late to class should not be stopped by locked classroom doors or by crazy and unequally applied tardy policies. 8) Our ability to access the Internet through web sites such as Google and YouTube should be allowed for the sake of research and learning. 9) Our right to a timely return of graded material should be respected since we are expected to turn in our materials on time. It should work both ways. 10) All students should not be judged by the acts and mistakes of a few. Innocence should be ours until proven guilty. |
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"One time it was really cold outside, I decided to come to school in regular pants. Just for that, wearing pants in 48 degree weather, [the teacher] gave me detention. I thought it was kind of excessive."
Sophia Sciilano, sophomore,
Pine Crest
"Teachers shouldn't take away technological devices. People should be allowed to use iPods and cell phones because it's your right to communicate with others and entertain yourself."
Josh Seidner, senior
David Posnack
"I once had a research paper due the day before winter break. I submitted the first draft two weeks before the due date and didn't get it back until 2 days before the due date. My teacher wanted me to rewrite all 10 pages. In 2 days."
Steven Garcia, junior
Atlantic High
When Kelly Hernandez defended her friend in an online verbal fight in middle school, she found herself in the principal's office. Although she was not punished, she was left with a strong opinion about students' rights in school.
"If it happens outside of school, it's not their problem...Unless a student writes something online that suggests murder, rape, or physical violence, school should have no say."
Kelly Hernandez, senior
Pembroke Pines Charter