Students Speak Out: Minnesota
Freshmen Suck!
Spirit week should be about school fun, spirit and togetherness, right? I think if you asked any high schooler they'd agree. But the reality is quite different, if you're not a freshman, at least!
It all starts out fun...pajama day, sports day...today was "Twin Day" but really, it's code for Class Color Day... they only call it Twin Day because we're not supposed to have a Class Color Day because of hazing.
Seniors wear red, juniors wear blue, sophomores green, freshman orange. So, today, like many other freshman, I wore orange...not fearing the rumors of hazing. That'd never happen, I thought.
And to be honest, it wasn't a big deal...just a bunch of sophomores running around with dark green markers marking all the freshman they see. Some on the arm (like me, I felt very lucky), some across the face.
I wasn't upset or anything, it's just that...it's so MEAN! It's totally planned, too...they all even have the same shade of marker. It's like someone made a special trip to the store and said, "Hmm, which markers should I get to harass freshmen on Class Color Day? I think I'll go with the dark green..."
And then, tomorrow will be fun...pep fest! We get to sit quietly while everyone in the school yells "FRESHMAN SUCK! FRESHMAN SUCK!" I've heard this is quite fun...if you're not a freshman, that is. (I heard from some of my friends that people even throw batteries and eggs, but my sister assured me that's probably not true.)
But really, you don't need a special day to be mean to freshmen! It can happen any day! Commonly heard statements include: "These stupid freshmen are clogging the hallways." "Stupid freshmen, move!" "Eww, freshmen."
I just find it intriguing...it seems to be normal routine and traditions at my school. What has led people to be so MEAN to the babies of the school? I don't recall this happening to kindergardeners. Where did this start? Adults, was it like this when you were in high school? My sister said no one marked her when she was a freshman, no one did it then...that was two years ago.
I like class color day, it'll just be nice next year not to have to watch out for people with markers. It's not a huge deal...maybe I just notice it, oh, because I am a freshmen. Maybe next year someone will erase my memory of it so I think it's fun to harass those younger than me. That must be what happened to the sophomores with the green markers in the hall....
It all starts out fun...pajama day, sports day...today was "Twin Day" but really, it's code for Class Color Day... they only call it Twin Day because we're not supposed to have a Class Color Day because of hazing.
Seniors wear red, juniors wear blue, sophomores green, freshman orange. So, today, like many other freshman, I wore orange...not fearing the rumors of hazing. That'd never happen, I thought.
And to be honest, it wasn't a big deal...just a bunch of sophomores running around with dark green markers marking all the freshman they see. Some on the arm (like me, I felt very lucky), some across the face.
I wasn't upset or anything, it's just that...it's so MEAN! It's totally planned, too...they all even have the same shade of marker. It's like someone made a special trip to the store and said, "Hmm, which markers should I get to harass freshmen on Class Color Day? I think I'll go with the dark green..."
And then, tomorrow will be fun...pep fest! We get to sit quietly while everyone in the school yells "FRESHMAN SUCK! FRESHMAN SUCK!" I've heard this is quite fun...if you're not a freshman, that is. (I heard from some of my friends that people even throw batteries and eggs, but my sister assured me that's probably not true.)
But really, you don't need a special day to be mean to freshmen! It can happen any day! Commonly heard statements include: "These stupid freshmen are clogging the hallways." "Stupid freshmen, move!" "Eww, freshmen."
I just find it intriguing...it seems to be normal routine and traditions at my school. What has led people to be so MEAN to the babies of the school? I don't recall this happening to kindergardeners. Where did this start? Adults, was it like this when you were in high school? My sister said no one marked her when she was a freshman, no one did it then...that was two years ago.
I like class color day, it'll just be nice next year not to have to watch out for people with markers. It's not a huge deal...maybe I just notice it, oh, because I am a freshmen. Maybe next year someone will erase my memory of it so I think it's fun to harass those younger than me. That must be what happened to the sophomores with the green markers in the hall....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Victoria Ford on
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There was nothing like this when I went to high school! Or maybe there was, but I was just so out of the "spirit" loop that I didn't notice.
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Permalink Reply by Kim FB on -
This sounds like a culture of disrespect. The kind that makes students boil over eventually and do things like, say, Columbine.
It would be pretty obvious to any adult that this is happening. What would urk me as a parent would be: how would a freshman think that they could/should go to an adult at the school with an issue if the adults so clearly are ignoring the issues that are at the forefront, in their face, but ignored? I can imagine that adults blame the students for bad behavior, but the way Annie writes it I wonder how long a freshman would tolerate it without adult response before just joining in/expecting the negative atmosphere.
I'm not saying adults are to blame for the culture/behavior. But are they to blame for not acting on it? Teachers out there: I'd love to hear your perspective on this.
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Permalink Reply by Annie W on -
Adults definitely turn a blind eye...I don't think they see it as threatening. On the first day all of my teachers said something like "All the upperclassmen just love freshman!" or "They'll embrace you!" ..."Don't worry, no one REALLY throws batteries." And for the most part, nobody's seriously hurt. Freshmen kind of just tolerate because they know that they won't be the picked-on freshman next year...they'll be the picker-oner (for lack of a better term). Adults couldn't seem to care less...they just sort of deny its existence and move on to teaching.
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Permalink Reply by Kim FB on
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Probably different students react to this is different ways. Some tolerate. Some probably get angered by it...like they get picked on at home, too, and now also at school. No matter how real it all is to any teacher, it is still a big deal to them and perhaps an obstacle to learning.
I think what you say about adults moving on to teaching is an interesting point. This is their job, and there is debate about how much of their job is to deal with stuff like this.
It would seem to me that those who make comments about the "freshmen love" even further alienate themselves from kids who need to express their anger/fear. If I were an angry freshman, these comments would render these teachers unapproachable. Hmm....
A new group of Minneapolis students is going to be addressing school safety and I think it makes sense for them to think about this issue in particular. I hope you'll join those forums when they are up Annie and pose these important questions.
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Permalink Reply by Brett on -
I personally hate disrespectful behavior anywhere, and I think this would qualify under that umbrella of negative energy. I really don't understand why there has to be so much disrespect everywhere . . . maybe I sound really adolescent and simple minded here, but does it have to be that complicated? Can we simply work on respecting your peers (and your elders too =) Could a solution be teachers and staff not tolerating this type of behavior and making it have consequences?
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Permalink Reply by Kim FB on
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Well, the teachers and staff could form a solution. But (picking up on what we're talking about in the hugging forum) do you think students working together might come up with something that would work better? What if freshmen got together to explain to the teachers the impact of both the upperclassmens' behavior and teacher response?
I think a school has to have a culture that would support this, however. For example, in the hugging forum discussion we have a school where the parents and the student just go to the detention because they want her to succeed even though they know the policy is ridiculous. That family went to the press, but will anything change? In response to the story the superintendent supported his policy even further! How many families don't go to the press?
How can we create a culture that supports student input on policy discussions?
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Permalink Reply by Brittany Manor on -
yea my school is like that they go more then markers they spray them with silly string and shuve them around alot to scare them the seinors are alot more mean they dress in alot of black painted face arms legs then they mark everyone and play pranks on everyone and they win always win the class color day ware we go against eachother in things like trivia yea well my alc isnt like just main stream its pretty intresting what they think of =]
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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Avaire on
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Brittany, Are you speaking of your current ALC? How many students are in your current ALC?
Carolyn
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Permalink Reply by PangNhia Moua on
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Hah, that happens to everyone everywhere. Here in Patrick Henry too.
Of course, we only BOO the freshmen as a joke and spirit triviality...
but your case seem so extreme. May I ask which school are you from? Or did I missed it?
*doesn't have her glasses*
Either way, I have to run. I'll reply back once I get home. This is a rather interesting topic.
=)
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Permalink Reply by Brittany Manor on
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yupp i was talking about my current ALC =] ....Ummmm.. i am not sure how many its pretty big we have like 2-3 pods of sudents. in like each pod is like 2 class rooms =] is every one on here in ALC?...I been in alc since 7th grade.
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Permalink Reply by Kim FB on
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Students on the boards go to all kinds of schools. Annie (who started this post) goes to Southwest in Minneapolis (I think). Compared to Annie's school, your school is far smaller (seems it would be easier for the adults to notice.)
Does the marking bother you? I understand competition in the name of class spirit; but the marking isn't that IMO.
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Permalink Reply by Annie W on
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Yep, I go to Southwest. My class alone, I think, is close to 500. (the largest in my school) All the rest of the classes are upwards of 300.
The markings...I don't know, I mean it's not something to cry or seethe over...it's more of a nuisance. I just remember feeling really ticked off because I made it through the whole day (clutching my friends in fear in the halls, eyes peeled for sophomores with markers) and then, only to be marked on my way out the door.
And it also just feels kind of insulting...like, excuse me, but what did I do to you? I guess the "Freshman suck!" chanting is tolerable, but marking just seems extreme, and kind of the opposite of what America is supposed to be. It sounds cliche, but isn't America supposed to be all accepting and free of persecution?
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