Student should be
held accountable To the editor: The May 12
article titled "War Lyrics at student talent show angers parents"
struck a nerve with me as well. It's not only what occurred at the talent show
that seems so utterly absurd, it's the statement that. The school district is
not blaming the student, who apparently won't face disciplinary action."
Huh? Let me get this
straight, the student's First Amendment rights nullifies any personal
responsibility for his little "performance"? Instead, of respecting the spirit
and nature of a civic event, this particular student deliberately and callously
crashed it. But, he won't be held accountable!
His behavior demonstrated an utter lack of discretion and insensitivity to
others in a title of war. Superintendent Fred McCarthy described the act as
"insensitive to military families, graphically violent, politically
partisan and inappropriate for a student talent show." Despite all the
facts, the school district is now tripping over itself to apologize for this student.
Why is the student himself not apologizing for his rehearsed and deliberate
cruelty? Apparently, the district has become so "politically
correct" that it's now required to turn a blind eye to blatantly inappropriate,
disgusting and offensive behavior. This sets up a terrible precedent for this
student and other young people. How will they ever learn that the trades,
business and professional worlds operate on personal accountability, a whole
different set of rules? The First
Amendment does not give citizens a pass on liability. Regardless of one's
political perspective or what you label it, bad behavior is still bad
behavior. But the message
from the school district is clear: Students can say and do what they want (and
in a public forum no less) and as long as the words "First Amendment"
are referenced in the same sentence, they are free of
all consequence and personal accountability. This student is
a product of the school district. If his behavior is so outrageous as to cause
a public outcry and warrant a public forum and a subsequent investigation, one
wonders just where the student's perspectives and attitude came from. The
student walks away, and the district cleans up' the mess. The offended parties
are just so much collateral damage. Students can now
check their brains at the door of future events. Discretion, common decency and
personal accountability are no longer required. CATHERINE CESARO Langley |
|||||