The “Vagina Monologues” Controversy
-
- March
- 5
Three students have been suspended for saying the word “vaginaâ€? during an Open Mic Night Friday at John Jay High School in Cross River. School officials had warned the girls they would be reprimanded if they said the word while reading a selection from Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues”:http://www.randomhouse.com/features/ensler/vm/
The girls had divided the reading into thirds, but all joined together in saying the word “vagina,� which appeared only once. The girls each must serve a one-day, in-school suspension.
Here’s what they read:
“My short skirt is a liberation
flag in the women’s army
I declare these streets, any streets
my vagina’s country.”
Meanwhile, classmates have expressed outrage over the suspensions, saying that a school should be a place where students have the right to express themselves. They plan to make t-shirts and posters to protest the school’s decision.
Do you think the students should have been suspended?
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on Monday, March 5th, 2007 at 12:51 pm by Diana Costello.
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Suspend the health and science teachers for teaching them the word. ludicrous huh?! please.if they didnt use it in a vulgar way who cares its high school. we truly are the most repressed country on the planet.
The girls received a suspension because of nsubordination, and I understand that. However, a school should be a place where students have the right to express themselves. The word was not used in a derogatory manner so it does not seem fair that the word was considered taboo. Although students rights are limited, within the constution we have freedom of speech. How is it that a small westchester school has the ability to overpower federal amendments? For me personally it is a cloudy line between the rights we have to express ourselves as students. The Bill of rights states we have the freedom to express ourselves. However, once we enter our schools we must suppress that right until the bell rings.
The only thing we are not allowed to do under freedom of speech is to yell fire or cause panic.
Schools sometimes are set outside some laws and not others. it depends which way the wind blew that day.
I cannot see a suspension for this, a little shock a little discussion but a day off?! kids will be yelling vagina in the halls just to get out of school for the day.
i just dont get it anymore.
Va-gi-na: (Latin) Sheath.
The word was said in context. Should I suppose that the musical, “Hair”, would be banned as well? Perhaps Faranheit 451 is no longer a metaphor?
Had the children been yelling/using the word in an obscene manner, then it’s a disturbance to minimally expected peace and quiet enjoyed by the student body. Note, this is a societal issue, NOT a legal one. After all, most of what might be heard in a typical HS hallway would shock even the most liberal of conservatives.
No, this issue simply someone’s political platform, and these children will be served up as the chattel they are perceived to be by those who claim to look out for their welfare.
I’m with Steve C. on this one, people.
Enjoy your inchoate neototalitarian state. And get a dictionary for the big words.
sure, they WERE suspended for going against the rules and not censoring after being told do, but isn’t that copyright infringement or something?
i wasn’t there myself, but i’m sure saying vagina made people uncomfortable. things are going to make people uncomfortable. it happens. it’s called open mic for a reason!
Pretty simple one here. They were warned that it was inappropriate but they blatantly defied that as is their right but now they have to face the punishment decreed for that.
Actually Steve C. there are far more words prohibited than fire in a crowded theater and it has been adjudicated that schools have the right to restrict speech.
The reason “Open Mic” is called this is to promote an open exchange of ideas, opinions, etc. Attending this event is accepting that there might be content that is shocking/offensive but understanding that everyone has the same right to stand on stage and say what they’ve prepared.
The word in question was not used in an offensive or inflamatory context-it was used to refer to a body part that more than half the school has and everyone in the school knows about, at least in passing. If we’re allowed to use “vagina” in Health, Biology, and Anatomy classes, I don’t see why it can’t be used here.
I don’t think much can or should be done about the punishment, but I applaud the girls who stood up for what they felt-if we learn nothing else from this, we should learn that we need to be comfortable standing up for what we believe in.
The girls deserved the suspension, as they were punished for insubordination. But while I don’t want to sound like a broken record, “vagina” was not an inappropriate word in context. It’s meant to sound empowering, especially considering that “The Vagina Monologues” is an extremely feminist work. At least here, it wasn’t meant to be vulgar, and I think it’s this that’s made the students at John Jay react as extremely as they did. (Some were heard to be chanting “vagina” over and over again once open mic night ended… and that was just on the one night!)
In response to Michael, the reason there was such an uproar by the student body is not because of the three girls getting in school suspensions; they were told they would get punished for what they did, and they followed through…they deserved that, and everyone understands that. But the fact that they were not allowed to say “vagina” is what is really irking the students. Why should we not be allowed to say vagina? Half the world’s population has a vagina. Where was the harm of saying vagina when it is used during sex education starting in 5th grade, to the reproduction unit in Highschool Biology? I think that anyone who was offended by hearing the word vagina should realize that by being so uptight and one sided, that their opinions are what are moving us backwards to when people couldn’t talk about sex and the changes going on with and in their bodies rather than to a time where people are comfortable in their own skin and can talk about their penises and vaginas just like they could talk about their eyes and ears.
Should I be embarrassed because I have a vagina? Of course not! But by putting vagina on the same plane as “N****r”, leaves me feeling that vagina is a terrible thing and that I should be ashamed because I have one. I’m so glad these girls did this because it needed to be done. They really show pride in being not only women, but individuals as well and I am so proud to know them.
Our school is a community with in itself at the beginning of each year each and every student is forced to sign a code of conduct sheet, I could understand if this happened outside of our school then it would be appropriate to fight against however it happened in our school our school has different rules and also the rules are much more strict. Due to the fact our generation uses these words in such a context they are created into gross and vulgar words rather than simply what they are. Since our generation is like this now it creates more discomfort within the community. If these girls were told not to do something then they should of just not have done it, they knew the consequences they were going to face by saying vagina. So as ridiculous as it seems all three girls should be suspended and our administration’s reputation looks horrible because all of the attention brought from this. The main point is they were given a warning in advance. I back up our school administration and I think that all the students protesting this it really needs to stop, especially all of the media being brought into this (magazines, newspaper articles, interviews ect)you have to think how its affecting everyone else who disagrees. By writing stuff across you forehead, wearing tee-shirts, and hanging up posters which by the way is a waste of paper your not going to change the rules our school and schools across the country have to follow. I could understand if the event that occurred had a more significant issue like feminism or something like that, this just seems so minor compared to the other issues occurring. Rather than wasting articles to raise awareness on how unfair JJ is because they wont let there students say vagina why not global warming, AIDS, and other globally significant events. Just to make one thing clear I’m not saying just because we are young we cannot make a difference in the world/community we live in but some rules are for the general comfort of others. Censorship rules need to occur in order to maintain a level of happiness among the parents and student body.
How can at an open mic night there be censorship. I thought the whole point of the night was for students to be able to speak freely about how they feel and read literary works of their choices. Why should the “V-Word” be censored in a excerpt from a play, while when in english class students read books with far worse words in them? Why shouldn’t the “F-word” in stories be censored? What about the “N-Word” In english class we read countless stories containing such vulgar terms such as these and yet they are being allowed. Personally I feel censorship in school is wrong in schools and if the word is taught to us as early as the 5th grade in sex ed, why are we being punished now for saying it?
THEY SAID VAGINA. GET OVER IT. IT’S NOT A BAD WORD AND SHOULDN’T MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA. Get over yourselves and grow up. It’s a body part, not the end of the world.
Thank you for finally pointing that out
all of you give it up already. your all so annoying, no one cares anymore. give it a rest. you waste all your time complaining about this incident, and your not getting anywhere. you all keep repeating yourselves too. it’s really getting old. get lives.
I’m not sure if nothing can be done about the punishment. The Supreme Court has ruled a number of times to establish that students do not shed their rights at the school house door. Speech is protected provided it does not substantially disrupt the school environment, and if this was an open mic event, the school may shed some of its control over what can be said. They can control school publications. What were the ground rules here for speech? Just because the students were warned is not necessarily a defense for the school. Saying the students were suspended for insubordination may not fly if the school cannot forbid students from speaking freely at an open mic when they are not substantially disrupting things. If the students cared to pursue it, I would suggest they contact a lawyer or at least give the ACLU a call.
all you liberals are really annoying…that is all
This statment has kind of missed the point. All of the people protesting (in my experiance after talking to many students, and including myself), are not protesting their in school suspension. The admistration told them they couldn’t use the word, and they did anyway- they are accepting their punishment. However people are upset that the school made the decision to censor the word “vagina” in the first place, or to make any censorship actions in the first place.
You are all so wrong. The administration doesn’t choose what words are apporpriate, the community, as in parents and people living in the area have already decided what is apporpriate and what is not. The administration is just enforcing it. If you really want to change it, protest your parents, not the administration.
The fact that students were prohibited from saying the word vagina and then suspended for it is just embarassing. This is Westchester NY, not Kentucky. Incidents like this bring down the face value of a John Jay education.
To every student who is saying that this movement will not make a difference:
You are wrong.
I was in touch with Eve Ensler today, the writer of “The Vagina Monologues”. Shes outraged and 100% on our side of the issue. This controversey will be published on her website and she’s planning several events. This story is being published in The Journal News, aired on Channel 12 news, published in the Record Review, the Lewisboro Ledger. . .
this is getting big, as it should be. Brace yourselves.
If this happened in 5th grade i would be concerned. But this was HS. Most of the kids are ALMOST adults. The students were asked to basically censor a word in a book. The school was wrong.
These situations were bound to happen. When Clinton lied to during testimony about sex the comments were,”it’s only sex”. Its not! Its about lying and following the rules that we as a society have established. They knew and agreed ahead of time not to say the word, but of course they didn’t have to honor their word just like Clinton or any of our athletes honoring a contract.
To Megan’s point above – note that there are already 23 comments on this post, but the stuff about poverty in the schools, the New City testing debacle, and other issues are getting one, two, sometimes NO posts. Clearly this has struck a nerve. Can’t wait to see it covered on the news – will THEY be embarrassed about the word vagina?
Doreen I agree about the other news worthy blogs only getting one and 2. its sad.
This isn’t the first time there’s been a local controversy about this play.
Back in 2002, student-run productions were forbidden at Iona College and the College of New Rochelle because it was “inappropriate” for Catholic institutions.
I remember after an item about the Iona students’ plans appeared in The Journal News, I got a couple of phone calls from very angry people demanding to know who at Iona had authorized such a disgraceful, obscene thing.
And in Irvington there was a little kerfluffle over the word on posters advertising a local production. The theater company instead put up signs all over the village heralding the V——a Monologues.
I would first like to commend Principal Rich Leprine and his administration for taking a stance against student insubordination. These students were told prior to the open mic night not to read this passage and did so anyway. If the JJ administration found that it could be offensive to the genearl public in attendance that night the students should have cooperated. They chose not to so they should accept the punishment, end of story. Students and parents need to remember that there is a reduced expectation of privacy on a school campus. Students can not simply govern themselves they must respect the guidelines and restrictions that are issued to them.
When I first saw this this morning I too was upset at the censorship and felt that the word vagina is indeed not vulgar and certainly not in High School.
However, after reading Mr. Leprines letter it is clear that the young ladies were disingenuous in their actions. having agreed not to say the word and then “pulling a fast one” is not a quality that I want my kids to learn. If the students felt so strongly that they shouldbe able to use this word they should havfe protested or made their case public beforehand. Doing it the way they did shows a lack of integrity and should not be reinforced, particualry by parents.
I don’t think it’s the word vagina that aggravated Mr. leprine but the fact that he was lied to by these students. In his shoes I would have done the same thing. Alternatively, I may have agreed to let them do it but warned the audience beforehand but given the circumstances the students were deceptive and were rightfully punished.
BTW – I am not a member of VOTE or one of these School District crony groups. I am often critical of the admninistration but we must place a value on honor and integrity. Putting this particular word aside.
word to the lady above. GIVE IT A REST FOOLS, NO ONE CARES ABOUT THIS TOPIC ANYMORE. ITS NOT GONNA BE BIG, AND EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL is getting fed up with all of these shirts, signs and pamphlets being made. you disobeyed a rule so get over it. this incident is so over and no one gives a sh**. you hippies who are revolting need to stop, cause its gettin really annoying. i agree that you should be able to say vagin* in school because its not a bad word and everyone uses words like that daily, but just please stop with this. its getting old and your wasting your time.
I just read Mr. Leprine’s letter and found it disingenuous…if the concern was for the “community” or the possible children at the event, then the girls should have been told the entire presentation was not appropriate, not just the word vagina or specific stanza. Although I would have objected to that censorship as well, it would at least have had some logic! Mr. Leprine’s (and I understand also Mr. Lichtenfeld’s) rationale does not hold water and they should not get away with it.
As for the suspensions, I understand the girls knew what the consequences would be and accept them—our country was built and grew on such sensible civil disobedience.
does not hold water…......ha…..ha…sorry
Censorship is the opposite of education. Richard Leprine has again shown himself to be a mediocre and uninspired principal who is not up to the task of administering anything, least of all a high school. My daughter is a student at John Jay; she learned the word “vagina” as part of the curriculum at her elementary school in Virginia in KINDERGARTEN. That’s right, in kindergarten. And Virginia is not exactly a hotbed of liberal education. John Jay is out of touch and Leprine is an embarassment.
I think any parent calling a High School principal or ANY adult for that matter, an embarassment is immature and in-fact and embrassment. I don’t agree with everything he does but with that I do not believe it is in anyway professional or mature to call the man an embarassment.
the students did in fact argue with the adminstration about being able tor read the piece and after some time were allowed to do so. this was done the day of the open mic although I do believe the administration had the piece 2 days beforehand. the girls did protest as much they could before the open mic, but if they had refused to censor the word vagina that day they probably wouldn’t have been able to say anything at all… so instead they chose to do it and stand up for what they believed was not a vulgar or insenstive word at all and was no more charged than the rest of a very important. empowering feminist piece.
the school is beating around the bush with the insubordination bit. the girls knew they would be suspended but that’s not their problem, their problem was that they were told not to say it in the first place and thus censored. I’m proud that they decided to do what they felt was right. a school may have a right to censor words of harm but not a word like vagina which poses no threat and should not be silenced. there is nothing wrong with it.
the community and administration and society in general needs to learn from this and I hope it does, and additionally I hope the resentful bashing within the student body and community ceases.
The amazing thing to me is that the administration is actually saying that this is not about censorship. When they told the students not to use the word vagina, THAT WAS CENSORSHIP !!! What they are saying about it being inappropriate is their way of spinning the facts because THEY KNOW THEY WERE WRONG !!! As far as the idea that elementary school children could have been in attendance is completely irrelevant because at any age the word vagina is APPROPRIATE !!! What is wrong with these people ?
I stand behind the John Jay administration completely. Being a female, I find the Vagina Monologues to be insulting. My interpretation of the Vagina Monologues is that it stands for the power of a woman in a sexual manner rather than a respectful and admirable manner. I believe the power of the female brain is a great deal more significant than the power of the “vagina.� Students should be concentrating less on the “short skirt liberation,� and more for liberating people of poverty in the world. Think of something else to fight about.
i look at this from the standpoint of not a jjhs student, parent, alumni, administrater, but a student of a different school. i am jelous. at my PUBLIC high school wearing pj’s to school risks being sent home. but this is almost besides the point. the girls were suspended IN SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY. they were given this for not using the word, but for defying an administator’s order to them to make their reading more appropriate. therefor the admins. are justified in calling this not an issue of sensorship, but insubordination. also, the uproar that has been caused at the school is ridiculous…it is completely inappropriate and to many people concidered sexual harrassment-for a girl to be wearing a shirt with a v——- on the back. whats the big deal? the big deal is common sense. do we need boys walking around with their reproductive organ pictured on the back of their shirts? what kind of uproar would that cause?? it’s not about expression..i feel it’s about these girls and their attention starved rebellion. this act to use the word doesn’t make me feel any more comfortable.
Would the girls have been prevented from saying the word penis?
As a 1990 graduate of J.J.H.S., what I find almost as embarrassing as the request from my alma mater that the girls censor their performance, are the statements from fellow alumni such as this one:
> If these girls were told not to do something then they should of just not have done it
What has happened to the classically liberal education I received at John Jay, where I was taught to question authority, in the tradition of Emerson and Thoreau, if it disagreed with what I knew to be true? (They also taught us proper grammar back then!)
Sigh…
Intelligent, questioning adults are needed even more in the post-9/11 era.
Hi together,
I was refused to believe it as I read the story on our
most popular german news site “spiegel.de” (trans.: mirror.de):
http://www.spiegel.de/schulspiegel/ausland/0,1518,470361,00.html
(sorry, there isn’t any english translation).
In Germany its a obligation to participate on the clarification-instruction
(mostly in class eight). Within these course the teacher explain the WHOLE
anatomy of female and male corpus and also the sexual act of human beings. So, there’s
no chance for the teacher to illustrate all the things without using words
like “vagina”, “clitoris” and so on and so forth, because it’s part of
the anatomy !!
The pupils are dealing open with it (not spoiled), like everything else which regard
your / our copious knowledge, its the only way to get a vast understanding of all.
I hope the best for Megan, Hannah and Elan and that they handeled with respect and
(a little bit) veneration. I can’t still believe that something could happen in a democratic
country like the USA, sounds that the “incident” occoured in any dictorial territory where
you’ve to mind what you have / haven’t say.
Very dolefully….
Greetz from Germany and all the best
Murrer
how sad that these young women think they are defined by their reproductive organ. there are better ways to raise awareness about violence against women than shouting the word vagina over and over.
Freedom of speech
Stand up for your right…
Greetings from Germany
The ironic thing is that if the administartion didnt try to censor teh students speech this controversy would have been avoided. It seems to me that the administration of John Jay put their own fears and inhibitions ahead of common sense.
the passage the students read is one of empowerment not sexual. i question as to whether the administration understands this or are they that close-minded and inhibited that they are blind.
I bet now they wish they just let them read teh passage unedited.
Richard Leprine (please parents, we’re not in school anymore, we can call teachers and administrators by their first and last names) was hired in response to a “get tough” reaction from parents and the school board. This was due to, among other reasons, to a questionairre filled out by students two years ago where seniors responded to questions about drug use, gangs, sex and who knows, maybe even the use of the word “vagina”. The seniors, of course, exagerrated everything and we bought it and Dick Leprine. Now we’re getting what we paid for.
I am disgusted that women like ourselves would find that passage appropriate. It is disrespectful to women, and I believe the only reason these three girls did it was to get attention. They couldve found a more apporpriate word than this. They love attention and no one is getting that. If they are told not to do something than they shouldn’t do it. And you people with “Freedom of Speech.” Seriously people, get over yourselves…i guess i’m going to run around the school saying the word over and over again, and being disrespctful to women. I personally found that little excerpt to be very offending. I feel bad that those three girls really need that much attention. It’s pretty sad.
And please don’t even say it’s “FEMINISM”? YEAH RIGHT. Oh yeah, and “I am expressing myself.” You need to get over yourself. The administartion of John Jay High school was 100% correct in their decision, and seriously people. Why do you care about this, we’re fighting over the word “vagina” if someone tells you not to do something, DON’T DO IT! It wasnt even appropriate.
“My short skirt is a liberation
flag in the women’s army
I declare these streets, any streets
my vagina’s country.�
You think that is feminism? That is about a SLUT!
P.S John Jay students: You really need to get over youselves.
I agree with the one before me, I feel like these girls really only wanted attention. Obviously there is something go on in their lives.
you need to sit down and read the entire excerpt and understand that it is not about a slut at all. it is about the freedom and comfort women should have but unfortunately many lack in society to be comfortable enough with their own sexuality and bodies. it’s about a womans ability to be sexual and beautiful without the threat of rape or the others calling her derogatory names/ a slut. our society has stigmatized and silenced talk about sex and sexuality. it is only causing more problems, shame, oppression and unhappiness.
if everyone blindly obeyed authority solely because they were told so nothing would ever change and many horrible rules, laws, etc. would remain. hate would remain. nothing would ever progress for the better.
jjhs student
That is your interpretation of the excerpt, please give others the right to their own interpretation. Don’t assume everyone appreciates that form of art. We all have the right to view art differently. If you truly care about the female view on this subject listen and be open to all interpretations and don’t expect all to be in aggreement with you.
Hannah, Megan and Elan,
don´t worry about the punishment. With your decission to speak out the word vagina you made a hit against the prudeness. And with your help once again millions of people around the world take attention of the (growing?) prudeness there. You said no dirty word.
Why people have a problem with this word, the scientific name of a body part, which around 50% of the world population possesses? And a lot more had contact with it at least one time in life and more.
Your nation can be proud on these girls. I think in these case it was not wrong to break their promise.
If they would not have given the promise, do you think officials would have given the permit to read the Monologues…
thoughtfully greetings from germany,
ah
I´m sorry for my poor english.
As a 35-year old mother of two young children, I am utterly flabbergasted that the proper, scientific name for a part of the body is generating this much controversy. The word “vagina” is not vulgar or obscene. My six-year-old daughter and three-year-old son both know that a girl has a vulva and a vagina and a boy has a penis and testicles, just like they know that girls and boys both have elbows and stomachs and ears.
I commend Hannah, Megan, and Elan for their courage and independence.
Rachel, this is what people don’t get. It’s not about the word itself its about the context of the passage. It was an innappropriate thing to say and was not supposed to be read at an open high school community night. They were told not to say it, so DON’T SAY IT. End of story. You guys can fight as much as you want and say that these girls all have courage, but they are all really just wanting attention. I read the vagina monologues, and believe me it is the OPPOSITE of feminism. So don’t even try and give me that. The whole thing is about being a slut, and letting yourself out.
YOU PEOPLE NEED A WAKE UP CALL.
I really don’t even know what this world is coming to if you really are so worried why 3 girls would get suspended for this. Sure, its “Free speech” If you want to say that…but there is GOING to be consequences to it. Sure, say whatever you want but you are going to have a punishment. What about Martin Luther King? He spoke his mind but got arrested. You need to stop…all of you and think.
This passage was disrespectful to women and I REALLY don’t think it was appropriate for the moment. This belongs at a 40 year old mic night. Not this.
These three girls need huge wake-up calls, because they are in NEED of attention. And it’s kind of sad how none of you guys know this..
RICH LEPRINE FOR PRESIDENT!
Does any-one mind if i say ‘penis’ now?
And you call yourself a free country???
With freedom of speech?
Haha…
...
So they didnt agreed on the censorship (and to everyone not even reading it, they didnt agreed on not saying it) and half of you agree they should be punished?
So everyone in china/north korea/iraq/etc that violates the censorship should be punished as well? They broke rule afterall, and rules should always be followed…
Im glad at least those girls had the guts to disagree about it. Even if it the text would be insulting to women, they prohibited to use vagina, not the text itself, so really, you cant hide behind it being “offending”.
“It was an innappropriate thing to say and was not supposed to be read at an open high school community night.”
The text would be at least as inappropriate as only vagina, why wasnt the text banned at all?
“They were told not to say it, so DON’T SAY IT. End of story.”
I order you to kill all catholics. I told you, so DO IT. End of discussion.
Land of the Free!! Best country in the world!! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Newspeak? (1984-George Orwell) Hopefully it works and will stop these people who are forbidding these things from reproducing themselves.
@Jelle: Don’t say that! Before you know it Bush comes knockin’ on our door because of our “free way of life”...
Why is this article only tagged with “katonah-lewisboro” and not “vagina”?
@Dennis: Oops….....
@ the girls who commited this ‘crime’ : I am about 30 years older than you are , but still I understand why you did it. The only mistake you made probably is agreeing with not saying it before. (although then you wouldn’t have gotten the chance to say anything I suppose).
Don’t feel guilty or something like that , and NEVER keep your mouth shut because some censorship tells you to.
They teach you words about a free country , so stand up for your right of free speech.
The mistake is theirs , NOT yours!
Has anyone noticed how many times the word vagina was written above. You should all be suspended
.
Anyway, it is a shame that something like this can happen. But am I suprised? No! It’s the States. The country where, until last January, you were still allowed to smoke in bars in the capital, but was banned in the rest of the country. The country where Christianity flourishes even within the Democratic party.
Just send your kids to schools abroad and let them return with not onl having an open mind, but also being able to use it!
This is a laugh. It reminds me of a 5 year old kid, in the usa, who was punished because he touched his nannys tit.
Same things happend in the nederlands about 60 years ago when we where told by the (nazi) Germans what to do.
I guess we could censor the word “embarassment” as well. Though like vagina, it is technically correct description of the situation. Why do you think there has been all of this media coverage? Because the action is so out of touch, particularly in the context of education, and particularly in New York. It has even conservatives shaking their heads in disbelief. And the subterfuge about insubordination being the issue is actually worse. At the end of the day I suppose someone could believe in their heart of hearts that it is the right thing for a community to try to prevent teenagers from using a particular word in a public forum, though the rest of the world might disagree. But taking it to the next step and actually imposing a punishment for an act of speech is the real crime here. Why not have a conversation with the girls and say “I am disappointed with your choice but I understand that you felt strongly,” and leave it at that? That is what a reasonable administration would do, end of discussion. The girls did not commit an act of violence or endanger themselves or anyone else or interfere with anyone’s right to education (quite the opposite). The sad reality is that when the media has gone away, besides the fact that this is what people will remember and associate with this school system, our students will be left with the same poor judgment and hyper-punishing mentality. JJHS punishes first and asks questions later: they routinely (and I do not use that word carelessly) make mistakes and act quickly to punish the students for those mistakes. Thus informing students whose parents dutifully mailed in emergency contact information cards in August that the students would have to stay after school for detention as the school did not have a card on file for them—why? Because someone in the administration lost or misfiled the cards. Same thing for students who did not have a signed technology use agreement in their files. We’ve received phone calls informing us that our student “skipped” a class when she did not, and she was in school and in class that day. Quite a few students will tell you about a counselor who puts students names on a call list to come down to the office to see her at a particular time (requiring them to miss part of a class) and, when she gets there, asks them why they are there. I have no problem with small mistakes, administrative mistakes, and even, at the end of the day, with a principal’s decision that 95% of people including me disagree with. The real problem is the reaction of the school in these kinds of situations. A blog on the Washington Post website put it accurately: “it seems the only thing the school achieved through this fiasco (other than giving the trio a kick-ass topic for their college essays), was to educate students and remind parents that bureaucracies care more about protecting their authority than accommodating the public they were designed to serve.” I hope hope hope that this will be a wake-up call to the school district and high school administration: they are here for the students, not the other way around.
Furry foreigner from The Netherlands,
These aren’t “things” reproducing themselves, they are high school aged children, and they are not ready for legal dope smoking or employment in your country as prostitutes.
Give them a few years.
Terrible Ted
Amelia: I have a vagina!
Jenn: So do I!
Chloe: Ethan doesn’t. But he wishes he did!
Ethan: I resent that. I have a penis.
Meredith: Hi, kids, I’m calling from the Today show.
Ethan: Aren’t you the chick that got hit in the head with a basketball?
Chloe: No, that’s Katie Couric!
Jenn’s Mom: No, Katie is over at CNN.
Meredith: Excuse me, maam, that would be CBS.
Jenn’s Mom: How dare you interrupt me! I know my TV. We get adult programming in our house and lots of it.
Amelia: Can’t we all just get along, pleeese! I want to get back to talking about my vagina.
Ethan: He, he. I want to talk about Amelia’s vagina too!
Amelia’ Mom: My daughter has a right to talk about whatever she wants!
Foreigner: Een my kuntrie vee luf to zee da fachina!
Jenn’s Mom: No one is seeing anything We’re just talking about female rights and the attempt by the man to take away our vaginas.
Foreigner: Yu meen da bush?
Ameilia’s Mom: How dare you call my daughter’s vagina a bush!
Foreigner: I vas onlee talkeen about yer prezi-dent, dat bush.
Ethan: Where’s the bush?
Chloe: The president is a bad man, my mom said so.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Isn’t it usually the assistnat principal that dishes out the discipline?
At least it was when I was an Indian!
@dam-dame:
irreclaimable ;o), there enough other “bad-examples” in presence, but (i must say): you’re totally in right !
If you have comment some sensetive topics at that time you was spinned off from the community or constrained in a camp.
Be aware Americans…dont let it happened that somebody fobid you to speak out what you think !!!
“They couldve found a more apporpriate word than this.”
I’m just curious what a more appropriate term for the correct anatomical name for a body part would be. Should they have instead said something like ‘coochie’, ‘pussy’ or some other derogatory name for it?
If they didn’t feel the poem was appropriate then they should have asked the girls not to read it at all.
Anyway , I still think it is ridiculous that young people (16 or 17 years old girls do not like to called children anymore because they can think for themselves) are so much censored that it is forbidden to speak out the OFFICIAL name of one of their OWN bodyparts. A bodypart that is just as much a part of their identity as their breasts or their face.
So who does America think it is if it’s own people are forbidden to even name a part of their own identity??
Terrible Ted: in our country highschool girls are much too young to be legal prostitutes.
And as far as smoking dope is concerned : you have to be 18 , and my opinion is the same as yours – I’m totally against it.