Southern Accent
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 STUDENT LIFE
ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL, TYLER, TX
Dressed for ISS
Students walk fine line between self-expression, distraction
New look for old tradition
BY VICTORIA SUNDIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“I loved the parade and it should most definitely become a tradition. We got all sorts of people from the community out and participating and it really shows off everything Lee has to offer.” -cheer sponsor Jennifer Smith
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SPORTS
Winchester leaves it all on court
“I think I can honestly look back and say that I’ve played my hardest.” -senior Taylor Winchester
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FEATURES
Junior spends summer at circus
When junior Chelsea Garret wakes up every morning, she walks to her closet to pick out an outfit, all of which represent her personality. As school days go by and dress code violations mount, however, her choices dwindle. “I feel publicly shamed for simply expressing myself,” Garret said. “I’m an outgoing person, so I’m obviously going t o show off and make people remember me. The [assistant principals] react so seriously for dressing comfortably.” It is on that ground that student’s self expression conflicts with the administration’s attempt to create a healthy learning environment. Principal Gary Brown said that the dress code exists to provide a clear understanding of what is the minimum expectation for student dress. He also said that the student’s dress expectations are in place in order to reflect basically the campus itself. “Whether you’re at Moore Middle School or John Tyler High School, there has to be some standard of what students should wear,” Brown said. “There’s a standard for attendance, a standard for grades, a standard for behavior; we’re just stating the minimum expectations on what a student should wear to school.” That minimum expectation is set by the school district. Each school then has the right to adjust the dress code to their liking. Comparatively, John Tyler’s dress code states that all students must wear collared shirts, such as polos or dress shirts, their ID on a lanyard at all times, and the only visible body piercings allowed are earrings for girls on ears. “Our dress code is much more liberal,” senior Nicholas Williams said. “With each category, John Tyler seems to go into more detail, while our dress code has a more general overview.” Brown said that there are certain things that legally the school is required to ban, such as illegal activity, weapons, or drugs, but besides that, the school wants to let the students wear what they want to wear. “There’s no doubt that a person’s appearance is going to make a first impression,” Brown said. “The image that someone wishes to project has a direct correlation to the success they’ll have in the future, and that dress is most likely the most primary and the most personal form of individual expression. Within the lines of the school’s dress code, it is still possible to showcase one’s personality.” Dean of Student Life Brian Pendleton agrees that the main issue the students and faculty face with the dress code is its perceived inconsistency: why some items of clothing are reported and why others aren’t. “The dress code is a school wide policy, not a classroom policy,” Pendleton said. “It personally doesn’t bother me for students to wear sleeveless shirts, but because it’s our school policy, I’m going to enforce that students follow it. It’s school policy, so staff members should follow it.” Meanwhile, students like Chelsea will find ways to still personally express themselves at school. Chelsea said that a big aspect of her personality is her self-confidence, which is shown through her style. “My entire wardrobe almost directly reflects my personality,” she said. “I just think it’s ridiculous that I would be forced to sit in I.S.S. or an office, losing valuable learning time, for wearing something that isn’t ‘school appropriate.’”
“When I was younger I did gymnastics competitively, and I had always gone to see circuses and I had always liked them, so I figured that I would like to join one someday.” -junior Sam Hollis
Shirts and Blouses
• Must have sleeves • Must completely cover backs, midriffs, and cleavage • Must be of appropriate length to allow shorts or skirts to be visible when standing or sitting
Pants, Shorts and Skirts
• Must be worn at the natural waist • When standing naturally, shorts and skirts must be no shorter than fingertip length, as measured at the shortest length of the garment, and be clearly visible when the student is standing or sitting. Dresses, Jumpers, and one-piece Garments • Must meet the combined guidelines for tops and bottoms in the single piece of attire. Head Coverings • A hat, cap, hood, toboggan or other head covering that can be easily removed may be worn outside only. Exceptions may be granted by administration for medical or religious reasons.
Too revealing? This is a typical style for junior Chelsea Garrett, but it is not acceptable under the current school dress code.
BY MAGGIE HODGES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
NEWS
Classroom concept outside the box
“I would really love to have a spot on campus where I could do more of the same activities and academic work I’m doing in class but doing it in an outdoor setting.” -French teacher Jane Neal
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OPINIONS NEWS FEATURES SPORTS STUDENT LIFE
REL Dress Code
Print edition returns after ten year break
STORY PAGE 5
inside
VOLUME 47, NUMBER 1
It’s back! The last year a paper was printed at Robert E. Lee was during the 2004-2005 school year. Now, 10 years later, the Southern Accent has resurfaced on campus. Principal Gary Brown decided to revive the print edition of the high school newspaper because he said it is a way for students with a mind for journalism to be able to write, create, develop, and use their imagination in a tangible way. “That’s the unique thing about newspapers and print media, is that whether its a 250 member band that wins a sweepstakes award at a contest or it’s an individual student that’s volunteering for the local animal shelter,” Brown said, “the two articles can be side-by-side and Maggie Ensey/SOUTHERN ACCENT be just as significant. With the same amount of type, same amount of Welcome to the club Senior John Vincent congratulates new inductee junior print.” Journalism Teacher Kevin Berns is new at Lee this year and said the Nyia Young as senior Trevor Carr introduces the 102 new members. newspaper allows for the student body to have a unique voice. “It’s a chance for the outspoken kids to have a positive outlet for their message,” Berns said. “It allows for the administration, the faculty, to get a better understanding of who their students are, BY AMAYA BLANTON because this isn’t just for the students. It’s for the whole Robert E. Lee community.” CONTRIBUTING WRITER Andy Hodges wrote for the Southern Accent his junior year in 1974. The National Honor Society (NHS) has 102 new members. He said the use of technology has to be the biggest difference today. “We had to type all of our stuff out on typewriters,” Hodges said. 16 seniors and 86 juniors took part in the induction ceremony “We didn’t have any iPads and things like that. We just had a pencil Oct. 30. and a piece of paper. You know, back then we didn’t even have air “There’s a lot of things that go on with NHS and it’s a big conditioning in the school.” honor,” Marilynn Mckinley, the National Honor Society The newspaper staff plans to distribute 1,500 copies of each issue for sponsor said. “It’s not easy to get into, you have to have good grades and maintain good grades, you have to show that you free throughout campus with a goal of one issue per six weeks. With a staff of inexperienced students, Berns said it will be an ongoing learning have good character, and that you’re a good leader.” process. NHS participates in various service projects for the “We have to get rid of the mind set that these are high school kids Christmas season. They collect toys for the Saint Paul who are journalists and turn it into journalists who happen to be in Children foundation’s Secret Santa Workshop which high school,” Berns said, “and we do that by working on their critical provides to the children in Tyler that wouldn’t have a thinking skills and their ability to interview and have confidence in their Christmas otherwise. message and how they pass it on to others. I think as long as we keep McKinley’s advice to Aspiring freshmen and sophomores, working forward, working towards that, and recruiting a staff that we “You can not let your GPA drop, it’s almost impossible to can move into next year with, we are going to have a successful year.” raise your GPA once it drops below a 90 average.”
NHS welcomes new members
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411 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701