No School Should Usurp the Rights of Any Student

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No School Should Usurp the Rights of Any Student Children are forced to go to school. This has been the way for a long time. School is a place where students go to learn a curriculum given by government officials. They are not there to get their rights taken away from them. Although teachers have power, they cannot stop students from hearing the issues, speaking without censorship, or knowing their rights. Students are living, breathing human beings. We go to school to learn about and succeed in the outside world. Government officials are to teach us these things and see how well we learn them. We are curious creatures. We need to know everything or else we will rebel. Teachers should tell us both parts of a certain subject to allow objectivity in our minds. If we hear only one side of a controversial issue we tend to assert ourselves with the only point of view. We may also find out information on our own that is bad and believe what we find out. Teachers are here to guide us to the correct information. If a teacher takes a side he/she may tell us only the negative points to his opposing side. He/she may, also, just tell us good points about his side. Either way, he/she gives us a one sided perception. We need to hear both sides in order to make up our own minds. Many believe that teachers have more power than students. This is a weak argument because teachers cannot remove rights of students. The Supreme Court stated this: “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the school house gate” (Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District). Therefore, students are just as powerful as teachers. Teachers want to discipline their students how and when they choose. This is a major dispute among parents, teachers, and students. A teacher may not ever hit a student purposely. A teacher may lower our grade for not doing work or failing class criteria. They may not lower our grade just because they don’t like us or we act slightly out of hand. Many people say that students don’t know what is best for them. This is may be true at lower elementary, but in high school, students can speak for themselves and know what they need. In some court cases or public meetings, teachers or the school bo... ... middle of paper ... ...rookfield: Millbrook,1997. “Student Government”. World Book: Millennium 2000. 2000ed. “Student Rights”. Natural Math. 21 Jan. 2002 . “Students Rights”. Rethinking Schools. Vol. 14, Issue 4 (Summer 2000). 21 Jan. 2002 . “Students Rights”. Y and M Online. 21 Jan. 2002 . “Students Rights and Responsibilities”. University of Virginia. 21 Jan. 2002 . “Students Rights Guide”. American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. 21 Jan. 2002 . “Students‘ Rights of Free Speech”. The American Center for Law and Justice. 20 Jan. 2002 . “Students Rights on Public School Campuses”. Liberty Counsel. 20 Jan. 2002 http://www.lc.org/OldResources/Students_rights_0900.html. “Teachers‘ Rights on Public School Campuses”. Liberty Counsel. 20 Jan. 2002 . Young, David. Survey. Oakridge High School: 30 Jan. 2002.

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