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| Opinion-Editorial December 2001, Volume 5, No. 4 |
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Questions? Comments? Tell us what you think?
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The bandana brouhaha
By Mike R.
Sports Editor
It is a new fashion trend for girls and guys to wear bandanas. There did not appear to be any problem until one day a member of the Peacock faculty told eighth grader, Joe G., to take his bandana off.
He did as he was told, but eventually students realized that girls were not being told to remove their bandanas.
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Also, it is now considered sexist to prohibit a girl or guy from doing something the other sex can do. |
On the other side of the question, Kim C. noted that for the girls, wearing bandanas is a fashion statement and a hair accessory. For guys, it stood for gang signs and drug dealers.
Most teachers appear to agree with Kim. There also seems to be support for prohibiting boys from wearing bandanas because of tradition. We are, however, entering a time when everyone does things a little differently than they did before. I think that the faculty should let us keep up with the times.
Also, it is now considered sexist to prohibit a girl or guy from doing something the other sex can do.
Samantha C., seventh grade, said, "Ok, well, I think that it should be fair for guys and girls because it makes no difference either way. If girls are allowed to wear them, then guys should be allowed to, too."
If guys aren't allowed to wear bandanas, girls shouldn't be either, but I also think if girls can, guys should be allowed to as well. So this leaves me wondering, were do we go from here?
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New building spoils Itasca
By Paul P.
Op-Ed Editor
There are all sorts of new building projects in Itasca that are degrading our quality of life by increasing noise and traffic. Itasca used to be a small town that had nice, old buildings and an unspoiled atmosphere. New houses are being built behind Franzen School, and across the street from my home, eight new houses and a street are being built.
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It looks, by the size of the huge houses going up all over the place, that all they want to do is shoehorn as many people as possible in town. |
It looks, by the size of the huge houses going up all over the place, that all they want to do is shoehorn as many people as possible in town.
Eight new families on my street will increase the noise level more than ever. The street will come right into my neighbor's house. One of the big pine trees in my yard collapsed when a speeding car hit it. God only knows what the future will bring.
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Schedules
Lousy, stinky and boring
By Laura B.
Our new schedules this year are the following: lousy, stinky and incredibly boring!
In the first issue of the Charger this year, some teachers commented how good this change would be for us and "how much easier it would be."
Frankly, I disagree.
Who wants to sit in a plastic static-ky chair for one and a half hours, and in some cases three hours?
No one I'm sure.
There are many, many more bad points to this schedule, but that would take me just about forever to write.
I know this sounds really strong, but I am just trying to get my point across.
Whoever thought of this schedule should try a long day at Peacock. I wonder what they would think then?
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We need a Safety and Awareness Committee
By Raya P.
By forming a Safety and Awareness Committee, we have a chance to make a positive change in our school. We need this committee because students and teachers need to become aware of problems and to find solutions.
Situations that the committee could deal with include icy sidewalks that are not cleared on your walk to school, or a bad traffic intersection that you need to cross everyday when walking home.
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This is also about dealing with a suspicious person hanging around the school when students leave every day. |
This isn't just about asking the custodian to remove ice from the sidewalks in winter. This is also about dealing with a suspicious person hanging around the school when students leave every day.
We can set a date once a month to meet after school with two or three volunteers from each grade level and a faculty advisor to make up the committee.
All students, teachers, and school employees could take concerns to a member of the committee. Minutes from each meeting would be posted.
But for the committee to really work, students and staff will need to bring safety problems and awareness issues to the committee. Keep your eyes open and be aware of what is going on around you in Peacock and Itasca.
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Were you as shocked as I was?
Community service, is it really making a difference?
By Carly L.
If you were totally stunned about the six hours of required community service you weren't the only one. Community service sounds like something that felons do when they pick up trash on the side of a highway.
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“Community service is supposed to be voluntary and this whole mandatory volunteer work is ridiculous because then it defeats the purpose of being a good doer” |
But no, it's just totally brutal to be a humanitarian for six long hours. We can't show one once of humility to another person. If you think like that, you are really pathetic.
Six hours. Come on! One hour every day after school for six days and you'll be done! It's not that hard. A lot of kids have been going to the Arbor nursing home. And others have gone out of their way and way beyond the call of duty to help their neighbor or their fellow Americans.
Seventh grader Rachel R. went to an orphanage in Indiana and made crafts and sold goods. She raised three hundred dollars.
"It was fun and it helped the orphans get a better environment," said Rachel.
Like Rachel, I did something a little more drastic then most people. I went on a mission trip with my youth group to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
I was stationed at Hill Side Boys and Girls Club. There I gave my time and love to care for children with terrible lives. That experience has changed my life forever.
I went there unaware of the community service requirement. I went because I wanted to. No one made me. And it got me forty-one hours of community service in the process.
I know I went a little overboard, but I love helping others. And even though I already have way more than enough I'm going to keep on doing it for the love of it.
"Community service is supposed to be voluntary and this whole mandatory volunteer work is ridiculous because then it defeats the purpose of being a good doer," said Jessica L., seventh grade.
I agree with Jessica. It's not as meaningful as if you do it for the sole purpose to help others instead of "because I have to."
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I gave my time and love to care for children with terrible lives. That experience has changed my life forever. |
"My only worry is that I have a sixth grade advisory and I don't want them to think, 'lets go mow a stranger's lawn,'" said seventh grade language arts teacher Mr. Poremba.
Still, a lot of the kids are looking at the bad side of it. Seventh grader, Kyle P., sorted books in the library and said, "it wasn't fun."
Sixth grader, Ryan G., mowed his neighbor's lawn and didn't enjoy it.
If you're not having fun, then go with some friends. They make it a lot more enjoyable and make the time go by faster.
Also, do something you like so you can get more out of the experience. As a simple suggestion for Dr. Nickisch, instead of making community service a requirement reward kids who do community service. That way it isn't mandatory, but kids will still want to do it for the rewards. Just stop making a big deal about it and it won't be a big deal.
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