EDITORIAL: Student behavior becoming troublesome
Students should be able to learn in a healthy and dependable environment. However, the student behavior at Lamar High School continues to worsen as the year progresses, and students continue to attack, both verbally and physically, fellow students and staff.
Some idly stand by, choosing to ignore the problem. Those who search for a way to stop the aggression often reach a dead end causing them to feel as though school is an unsafe, and a rather burdensome, place to be.
Currently, it does not come as a surprise when a student, walking to their class during the allotted 8-minute passing period, witnesses a group of students in a loud, rowdy clamor. In some hallways, the crowds are thick and it is difficult for anyone to get anywhere. By the time a student arrives to their classroom, it is too late and the bell has already rung. Another tardy is added to a student’s attendance. Each tardy, when added to others, may eventually affect the student’s future, such as exemptions from finals, graduation plans and could even lead to suspension..
More often than not, the racket caused by a negative student’s actions provide a disruptive circumstance for teachers and students who are not even involved. Teachers are forced to take time away from classes to stop a fight or ask students to be quiet in the hallway because their voices are disrupting classes. That same hallway noise during classes can distract a student’s focus for tests and school work. Both staff and students, who are innocent in the situation, are forced to suffer the unintentional consequences.
The type of behavior exhibited at school can cause serious physical, mental and legal issues for those who are involved. Fights can cause serious injuries to a student, but they can also lead to suspension, being expelled and even jail time. This reflects poorly on the students’ and school’s record. In other cases, such as bullying, students feel as though they are inferior and don’t belong Even teachers may feel this way when these types of encounters happen on a regular basis.
Overall, good students and teachers are forced to carry an extreme amount of stress and irritation due to the handful of students who are constantly negative.
More importantly, as more students practice poor behavior, other individuals come to the conclusion that this unrestrained, disruptive behavior is OK. And while for some, the actions are rooted from poor environments or a lack discipline, they still are a cause for concern. The school administrators, with help from the district, should work together to find a solution to a problem that has grown to be quite unruly in recent days.
