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The Hogs of Entropy 0260
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$$$$$$$$$$$ hogz of entropy #260
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>> "Why I Won't Be At Graduation" <<
by -> Cyn
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I am choosing not to attend my high school's graduation ceremony. No, this
doesn't mean I'm not graduating. No, I'm not a dismal student. I am, in fact,
a National Merit Finalist, Team Captain of my school's Academic Decathlon
Team and recipient of the Wellesley Book Award. I will be receiving my
diploma. I'm just choosing to have it mailed to me, rather than crossing the
stage and shaking someone's hand to get it. But then, they don't actually
give you your diploma when you shake hands with the principal. What you get
then is a rolled up piece of paper. I suppose they don't trust us not to lose
them. To get your actual diploma, I believe you have to go stand in line
somewhere.
So I'm missing graduation. I'm skipping sitting in folding chairs in a field
in the sun for two hours. I'm missing the self congratulatory speeches by the
administration, telling us what fine young people they turned us into. I'm
avoiding the enforced conformity of wearing a cap and gown. I'm not going up
on stage to shake hands with a principal who has no idea who I am.
No, I'm not doing this merely because burgundy, the color of our caps and
gowns, looks bad on me. I have a reason beyond not wanting to listen to
boring speeches. I am not going because I am protesting having to listen to
the paeans recited to the administration, for the administration, and by the
administration.
My school is run for the convenience of the administrators. They do not care
what the students think. In fact, they would probably prefer it if the
students did not think at all. Ideally, we would do as we were told, not
speak unless spoken to, and get out of the halls. Daring to question their
authority is blasphemous.
When a student actually dares speak, perhaps to explain why he's trying to
get down a hallway when an administrator is trying to shoo him away, he is
treated with all the respect one gives a particularly loathsome and annoying
insect. Once the student manages to make himself heard, he is allowed to
continue on his way if his reason is judged sufficient. Now, this situation
is not taking place during a tardy sweep or class time. This is taking place
during lunch and nutrition, on the student's own time, while he is trying to
get to a school office, such as the counselors' office, the main office, or
the college counselor's office.
My school currently has a policy against having students in the hallways
after five minutes into nutrition and ten minutes into lunch. Unfortunately,
this means it is impossible for a student to go to his locker, go to an
administrative office, take care of his business in the office, and then go
into a teacher's room. More unfortunately, this neatly describes my daily
routine. Almost daily I am yelled at for trying to get from one of the main
offices to the English building.
One of the reasons I have to go to at least on of the main offices daily is
the incompetence of the office staff. I have gotten the correct classes on my
schedule once in the last six semesters. This is after I've gone into the
counseling office, spent hours of my own time there and stayed after school
to talk to my counselor.
It took me two weeks to get an 18-year-old privilege pass. This is two weeks
of visiting the attendance office twice a day. And every time I went it was,
"Oh, we were really busy today, come back after school." "Oh, we were really
busy, come back tomorrow at nutrition." Finally, I stood there while they
called my father. It took ten minutes.
If I was forced to pick one word to describe the administration, I would be
hard pressed to decide between officious and inept.
I am not saying I regret the time I have spent at San Pedro High School. I
have had some great teachers. I have learned a great deal. I've had a great
time with all of my friends. Some of the administration, most notably Mrs.
Zorotovich, the college counselor, and the secretaries in the counseling
office are quite polite and efficient. However, the treatment of the students
by the majority of the administration tempts me to skip high school and get a
General Equivalency Diploma.
I will not be attending my high school's graduation in June. And I won't be
there for a reason.
If you would like to contact my school and tell them that their behavior is
reprehensible, the address is:
San Pedro High School
1001 W 15th st
San Pedro, CA 90731
and the phone number is:
(310) 547-2491
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* (c) HoE publications. HoE #260 -- written by Cyn -- 8/16/98 *
