BeaknEye_2_11_ISSUU
10/6/2011
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Beak ‘n’ Eye
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DISRESPECT Volume 52 Issue 2
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West High School
3505 W. Locust St. Davenport, Iowa 52804
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Friday, October 7, 2011
Taunting, name calling, violence, spreading rumors, harassing, lying, & hurting
By Krista Johnson
It’s the second day of high school and Sarah’s first time in the cafeteria at West High. Seeing all the different foods to choose from and all the people crowding into the same small area, she discovered the realization that she was no longer a middle school student. She finally found her food, made it through the line, and made a seating selection with a friend. The relief of accomplishing that maze set in but not for long. A senior boy who was sitting at a nearby table with other seniors took his milk carton, full and unopened, and threw it at Sarah. Fortunately, the milk did not open but it did still hurt her. She stuck up for herself by throwing it back at him but it didn’t change the fact that this stranger had targeted her. That was her hazing. “I felt angry that he thought that he had the right to act that way to me just because I was a freshman. He didn’t know me or my life which means he didn’t have a right to be so disrespectful towards me,” said Sarah Buffenbarger, senior. Hazing is just one form of disrespect at the high school level. Other forms of disrespect include spreading rumors, using vulgar language, and simply bumping into others without an apology. Hollywood movies have often portrayed the life of a high school student as dramatic and intense nearly every moment. While West High is not the setting of a Hollywood hit, it does have some of the very same problems with rumors and gossip. “People like to judge and have their opinions just to make themselves look ‘cool’ or ‘popular’. When [people] don’t like someone they start a nasty rumor, but what they don’t understand is how it can affect someone,” said Laren Skulte, junior. Vulgar language is often heard in the hallways. Harmful slang terms such as “slut,” “fag” and “nigger” are offensive and disturbing to many. A recent survey done by the Associated Press and MTV showed that 45 percent of the 1,355 people ages 14-24 that were surveyed were ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ offended by the word “nigger” online. The same survey revealed that 42 percent have seen that very word used online. However, the majority of those surveyed felt that the use of such terms is not offensive because it is not serious, it is only a joke. West High students also felt that such
photo illustration by Krista Johnson
Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself. Namecalling is a common form of disrespect.
words are not offensive. “Yes some of these words are often used but I don’t feel offended by them unless these words are directly stated at me,” said Amber Valentine, senior. Wesley McMahon, senior, feels similar and explains that when he hears such words he is not offended because he doesn’t care what people think. However, while the majority does not react harshly to the use of vulgar language, the minority is affected. “Yes it’s offensive to hear and it shows
our ignorance,” said Tony Ketelaar, senior. Bumping into others in the hall can be innocent and completely unintentional, but there are students who take offense to it when an apology is not given. “When I am walking in the halls and people just be mean mugging me and I don’t even know them. Or when somebody bump into me and don’t say excuse me. I think these two things are very disrespectful,” said Valentine. Some students are able to brush things off their shoulder like having lies spread
By Krista Johnson The ‘West High Way’ is a new addition to the anti-bullying program OLWEUS which was put in place in 2007. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects that go along with bullying, the staff at West decided to focus on the positive things people in the building can do for one another. The mission of the West High Way is “making good choices in all aspects of life, being a good citizen, striving in academics, being a good friend, classmate, and team-
mate, accepting responsibility for actions and helping others.” It is described as the way to “do business” at West. In 2007 when West became an OLWEUS trained building they started with four simple but important rules that were placed in every room of the building: ► Bullying is unacceptable ► We will assist those who are bullied ► We are an inclusive community ► If bullying occurs we will report it at school and at home
about them, being called names, or being bumped into. However, some take such actions seriously and they do affect their day and mood. “There can be serious consequences from bullying. Suicides, suicide attempts, drop outs, and retaliation,” says Jennifer O’Hare, freshman counselor. “Some kids feel the need to take drastic measures to send a message to end the bullying.” In the past school shootings and suicides have occurred directly due to excessive bullying. Other effects that are not quite as serious include withdrawing from activities and skipping classes. There are boys who go out for football and end up quitting because other boys are making fun of them, explains O’Hare. She says the same thing occurs when kids bully other kids in class; that students attendance becomes a problem for that specific class. In a survey done by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, 47 percent said they were bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset them in the past year. O’Hare believes a big problem that comes with bullying is the loss of trust between teachers and students. She says that students who are bullied often wonder why people aren’t helping or looking out for them. However, she siad it is very hard to spot bullying if it is not reported. “No one should live in fear of being taunted or harassed. It destroys the safe climate and learning environment that all teachers try to maintain,” says Steve Lyle, language arts teacher. Surveys show that bullying is a problem and the solution comes from the student body. While teachers are already leading by example and doing their part when bullying is demonstrated in their view, each student, one by one, must do the same. “Upperclassmen don’t respect underclassmen because they think that they are better than them because they are older. Upperclassmen need to remember that they were underclassmen once and they probably didn’t like it when the upperclassmen then disrespected them. They need to think of underclassmen as people who look up to them and they should show them the respect that they want in return,” says Allison Chapman, senior. “I try to treat freshman and people I don’t know with as much respect as possible because I know what it’s like to be disrespected,” says Buffenbarger.
The ‘way’ West High does business
While school exists to provide all students with an education, the school staff feels students need to learn how to be good people as well. Helping another student with their books, holding the door open for someone, and smiling in the halls are all examples of things that support the West High Way. When students act disrespectful to others, teachers are encouraged to intervene and say, “That’s not the way we do things here.”