09/10/2001 - 7:38 p.m.

Anarchy

I wish I had a better story to tell, because it doesn't make me feel as rebellious as I set out to be in the morning. Well, I guess I'll start at the beginning and judgement can be passed.

Let us return to the 60's and Tinker vs. Des Moines. It was encouraged that people opposed to the war in Viet-Nam wear arm bands as a sign of protest. Roosevelt, at that time, was a rather not at all loose type of school, and had warned that any students wearing black arm bands to school would be dealt with. One boy wore one. He was asked to go to the office, was suspended.

Upon arriving home he found that his sister and cousin, who attended different schools had had similar actions taken on them. The family reacted. They saw this as the school directly taking away the freedom of expression, which is included in the first amendment. The case went to the Supreme Court, and this is where we get the quote "a person's freedom should not end at the schoolhouse door" (I believe that's the right phrasing). Let me just say that students at Roosvelt High School can wear black arm bands all they want because the Supreme Court has allowed them to.

Roosevelt doesn't, however, allow it's students to wear any type of bandana (you know, the cowboy scarves) at school in any form. They are apparently "gang symbols" and inappropriate for school.

If anyone cares to explain their offense to me, they may. I think anybody who is offended by a bandana should just live with it, the same as I have to live with swimmers t-shirts that say "TRHS Boys Swim Team: In Hard Out Wet" on them, but no, that's not innuendo because Dr. Martindale (the former principal) like sports teams.

I believe that the school should not be concerned with our clothing. That is a decision to be made by ourselves and our parents because it is not the school's job to raise us. We have no choice to go to a school that does not require a certain dress code (it doesn't matter if it's not uniform, a dress code is still imposed), and I believe that they have no right to impose one.

OK, so today is John Lennon's birthday. Well, as his memorial day (in December) falls on a Sunday this year, I decided that mourning would be more appropriate for a day when it can be appreciated by a lot of people. Unfortunately, I have two items of black clothing: a black hooded sweatshirt and a black bandana. Well, I couldn't find the sweatshirt (as was my plan) so I had to wear the bandana. I put it round my head, put on my Abbey Road T-shirt, and proudly made my way into school.

I made it through the first three class periods. In the hallway, during forth, I passed by Mrs. Jansen, the picky bitchy teacher who teaches the special ed kids and must have the damn school handbook memorised. Well, she stopped me and made me take it off. I decided that was OK, since hats aren't permitted (lice prevention). I put it around my arm and answered the questions of my classmates. I continuted all day, just to see if anyone would challenge me. No such action.

I am uncertain as to whether I should be disappointed or enlightened. I wanted to make a sensation, but no one would give me the satisfaction. Ah well, now that I've done it, I'll make sure to simply avoid Mrs. Jansen's hallway next time. (Never mind telling her that it's John Lennon's birthday, and I've already had three class periods, and I'd even walked past the pricipal!)

I'm never willing to be facetious unless I know I have an intelligent way to excuse my action in a way that the other party cannot agree to, so it's being provocative, I guess.