The Heirarchy of High School
I feel that I must take this time to rant about an issue that had been consuming me for the past week. So at my school, we have this place called "The Bear Pit". It's a sunken area, in the main part of the school. It doesn't sound like much, but in the past it has been a defining part of the school. It's for the students to hang out at lunch and between classes and for the most part (except when they come in to talk to us) the teachers stay out of it. The only rule with The Bear Pit though, is that it is only for senior students (grade 11 & 12). And in past years seniors have been very strict about not letting junior students even close to it, they've always had to be "behind the blue line" (there is a blue line that surrounds The Bear Pit) and if you crossed it, you were in trouble and if you ever THOUGHT about stepping into The Bear Pit, you were OUT OF YOUR MIND! because you just didn't do that! It would have been suicide to step foot in The Bear Pit if you were a grade nine or ten. However, this year it has been very different. You see, my grade doesn't really care and so this year there have been GRADE NINES IN THE BEAR PIT!!!!! And NO ONE KICKS THEM OUT!!! I just can't believe it and certainly can't get over it!! So this has been a HUGE frustration to me in the last week or so and I think, in the near future, something drastic is gunna have to happen because I'm not sure I can take too much more of this! You see the whole dynamics of my school have changed since I was in grade nine. Back then there was a heirarchy system with seniors at the top and juniors at the bottom. There was absolutely NO going in or through The Bear Pit. Seniors had authority over juniors and juniors respected that. And this is the way it should be. Also in our gym, when we have assemblies, the seniors used to sit at the top of the bleachers and if there was room the juniors could sit at the bottom but if not, they had to sit on the floor. This year though, the grade nine's are sitting where ever they want....at the last assembly, they were sitting at the top of the bleachers! There was barely room for us, the seniors! *Sigh* My school has changed so much in the four years I've been there, and it's all been for the worst. There is no heirarchy anymore, and that is sad. The junior students have no idea, they think they own the school. And they will continue to do so if someone doesn't take action. And that someone just might have to be me!
posted by Karlie Silcock @ 3:50 p.m.
3 Comments:
You know, in Catholicism, there's a hierarchy as well, with, as you'd expect, the Pope at the top. But there's an interesting spin to this hierarchy and that is that the Pope is also at the bottom, below even the common people. It's like turning a pyramid upside-down.
I think you fail to notice one thing in all this stuff. That all students are students. They're equal. It's just this whole system of not being allowed to be in certain places that has developed only because those before you had it done by those before them, who in turn had it done by those before them. It's all full-circle, and all it is is revenge, because you had it done to you, so you think that the new kids should have to face the same consequences that you did.
Now, if the Juniors were getting cocky about it, and started trying to rule the Bear Pit, then you would have some problems.
Just don't go mauling students just for being in the Bear Pit.
namd3r.com
Although I appreciate your comment, Matt, I don't agree with your opinion. I don't think grade nine's and ten's should get all the privileges that seniors do. It's different for every school, but at Bayridge one of these prilvileges is The Bear Pit. It's something that you get to look forward to, something you have to wait for, and that makes it special. If anyone was allowed in it, then it wouldn't be different than any other place in the school. But because seniors are the only ones allowed in, that makes it special, and that also make it one of the defining parts of Bayridge. So that's why I don't think junior students should be in The Bear Pit, not because they're lesser than us, or because it's a consequence, or because it's an issue of revenge, just because that's what make The Bear Pit special and if you take that away, then you take part of Bayridge away.
Karlie
Oh, I see, makes sense.
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