Bill of Rights for High School Students

From: panidi

So I was checking the discussion board postings for a graduate class I am taking and found that one of the other students in the course once again pissed me off with his apparent liberalism. (the guy plans on going into administration and has barely taught. His educational career includes teaching a course in Human Services at Sojourner Douglas College in DC...can we say majorly liberal and racial school? as well as teaching Math, language arts, and computer at a private school and public school...teaching experience, albeit limited in reality, is 4 years...oh and his BS is in Ministry and has a Masters in Theological Studies).

The question posed was which was more important: the individual rights of the students and teachers or the schools need for structure and discipline. This particular student felt that the individual rights were paramount and that schools had no right to violate the Constitution in any way (and he plans on being an administrator...heaven help us).

Technically, The United States Supreme Court has for years been clear that school administrators have the right to restrict constitutional rights in order to keep students safe when they are at school. The Court has held on many occasions that because students are in the care of the school during school days, schools can take the steps necessary to maintain safety and order. This means that schools can impose restrictions that would not be necessarily be constitutional when applied to adults in general. Schools have been allowed to restrict First Amendment rights to free speech and press, the Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches; and, of course, the Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

Sorry, I digress. At any rate, while looking up all my materials to blast him (had to make sure I had proper APA format in my references) I happened upon this satirical Bill of Rights for High School Students on newsvine.com and thought it was hilarious so decided to share it with you. The scary thing is that there are very liberal educators who might think this was really appropriate.

So either enjoy or be really scared (kind of depends on how you want to look at it)....dianna

Bill of Rights for High School Students.

Amendment I
The Administration shall make no rule respecting the establishment of a code of dress prohibiting the free choice of items of clothing to be worn, or of the right to dine in classrooms.

Amendment II
Being necessary to receive important incoming calls, text friends, and take photographs, the right of the students to keep and bear cellular telephones shall not be infringed.

Amendment III
No security guard shall, in time of school hours, be quartered in any classroom, without the consent of the a two-thirds majority of the students in that classroom.

Amendment IV
The right of the students to be secure in their persons, lockers, papers, diaries, backpacks, and iPods against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.

Amendment V
No student shall be held to answer for any misbehavior — including but not limited to tardiness, cutting class, dissing a teacher or administrator, defacing school property, or just generally being a pest — unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury of his peers; nor shall any student be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of disciplinary action; nor shall be compelled in any disciplinary proceeding to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, snack food, or iPod, without due process of law.

Amendment VI
In all disciplinary prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of peers of his grade level; to be confronted with the witnesses who seek to rat him out; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of his parents for his defense.

Amendment VII
Whereas this is the Seventh Amendment and that the number Seven is inherently lucky, the Administration shall make no rule infringing upon the rights of students to play games of chance, including but not limited to craps, blackjack, poker, spin-the-bottle, and Three-card Monte.

Amendment VIII
Excessive punctuality shall not be required, nor excessive homework imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments such as being sent to the principal's office inflicted.

Amendment IX
The enumeration in the school constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the students. (We have no concept whatsoever of what this might mean but it sounds like a good idea.)

Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the schoolteachers and administrators are reserved to the students.

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Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. ~U.S. Constitution

http://www.NationalPrecinctAlliance.org