<p>If I start a petition against a school policy that everyone has complained about...can I be suspended for it?? I haven't made any threats to the school or anything like that. I'm trying to get signatures against a policy during my lunch hour and before class that has just been enforced because many students feel that it is irrational and a lot of people are complaining about it.</p>
<p>Does the school have a right to suspend me or anybody who signs this petition?</p>
<p>nm...I just found out that I have to get permission from the principal first.</p>
<p>Good luck changing that policy.</p>
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I just found out that I have to get permission from the principal first.
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</p>
<p>there were two students who sued their own school for spending money unfairly, and they were expelled immediately AND the school was found innocent by the jury. good luck.</p>
<p>just make sure teh reason u are petitioning is mature. Not something lame like, ooo they're not letting us wear flipflops in school, or something to that effect.</p>
<p>I'm not going to do it.</p>
<p>Smurf, why not? If it's something important, then do it and don't let fear of retaliation prevent you from doing so. The constitution is on your side.</p>
<p>Now if it's something trivial, well that's a whole nother story...</p>
<p>Hmmm...I don't know if the constitution is on your side because you are still a minor, and therefore not fully protected by it. </p>
<p>I agree with Random Bob otherwise, however....if it is something major then I would try to pursue it. Even something semi-trivial might be worth it--at our school there was a petition to open the library in the morning so people can go and print out their homework, etc, and it was re-opened. It depends on the atmosphere of your school and administration. It looks like you already have your mind made up, however, so good luck on accomplishing the change in other ways!</p>
<p>if you don't mind me asking, what are you exactly petitioning for?</p>
<p>JTC007: So long as she/he is not purposefully disrupting the learning environment Tinker v. Des Moines clearly applies.</p>
<p>Recently, the administration has decided to lock some bathrooms and have teachers guard the unlocked bathrooms due to vandalism and security threats. We have to sign in and out (if there even is a teacher available to guard a bathroom). A lot of students are upset about it that someone wrote in to our school newspaper.</p>
<p>I talked to the principal about it and she wouldn't approve of the petition that goes against "protecting student's safety". She also said that a lot of students actually agree with this policy (which is undoubtedly a lie if someone actually wrote in to our school paper and constantly hear students complain about it). She said that she discusssed this with parents and that they also agree (of course they would agree if they're only hearing one side to the story). I really don't understand why they're so considered about this when there isn't even soap or paper towels in some bathroom for WEEKS. </p>
<p>And when some guys (who I don't know so I couldn't report them) decided to take a picture of my body part without my consent...I was told that it's my problem and that students shouldn't even have cell phones in school. So I have no idea where that picture is...if it's still on that kid's cell phone...or if it has been deleted..or if it's on their myspace or something. My school is so concerned about vandalism and threats on bathroom stalls that they fail to protect a student's individual rights, like privacy.</p>
<p>Every teacher agrees with this policy and they are saying the exact same things like they're saying it from a script. A LOT of students are unhappy about this recent change. </p>
<p>So there's nothing I can do about it. I just thought instead of complaining about all this constantly...I would take action, but I cannot do that. </p>
<p>Please, Please you guys...don't attack me for anything I wrote. The reason why I came on here is for support...not to be barraged with insults and attacks. As I stated before...I'm not going to do anything.</p>
<p>Sounds like 1984 all over again.</p>
<p>that's a total invasion of privacy. writing a letter to the school district might be a good idea.</p>
<p>Get the petition and mail it with your letter to show the universiality of your complaint. So long as it's done in a mature fashion it really should improve your case.</p>
<p>My advice: keep quiet, don't complain, be a good little toady. </p>
<p>There is an ancient tradition of treating students with no respect. Nothing you can do will change that. </p>
<p>If you were to manage the publicity perfectly, you MIGHT get the school to change this policy, but at the expense of them resenting you and trying to punish you for it for the rest of your time there. </p>
<p>High school is to be endured. If you possibly survive without calling attention to yourself, then devote your energies to something else.</p>
<p>maybe tip this off to your school newspaper, perhaps it could be a feature in it?
this is assuming your newspaper is self-funded and is not funded by the school, there could be problems otherwise.</p>
<p>im on the newspaper staff and we aren't funded by the school so we have a large degree of freedom in what we write.</p>
<p>
[quote]
maybe tip this off to your school newspaper, perhaps it could be a feature in it?
this is assuming your newspaper is self-funded and is not funded by the school, there could be problems otherwise.
[/quote]
even if the paper is school funded, i have a suggestion:
why not make a whole new section in the newspaper about what the students want from the school? the principal wouldn't be viewed as so respectful if she decides to reject it; after all, it's for the good of the school. then have some of the people on your side to consistently write about the problem for the section. something will happen.
whatever you do, don't give up!!!</p>
<p>Are you at a private school? If so, they can do whatever they want with no recourse by the student.</p>
<p>It's my last year at this school (it's public) since I'm a senior. I don't want to do anything that will cause me to get suspended and jeopardize my chances of getting in to a good college. </p>
<p>I remember telling my Ap Euro teacher that students are powerless in school and how the only way to get something changed is to have parents start a war with the administration. Funny thing is...he didn't believe me.</p>
<p>Our school newspaper is supported by our school because we have a Journalism class and the students who are in that class write the paper. So everything must be approved by the Journalism teacher. Btw...I'm not in Journalism class..so I can't write anything in the paper. </p>
<p>I seriously can't stand being in my school anymore. If they're going to monitor bathrooms...they should just put cameras in the bathrooms and get it over with. (I know that's illegal..) I feel like this year...my senior year...I have been treated so disrespectfully by teachers and students.
So I am giving up. There's no way I'm going to pull this off without getting suspended or being a success. </p>
<p>This is what happened yesterday...</p>
<p>I'm an aide for a teacher and she wanted me to ask a teacher or the librarian to run off copies for her. (Aides aren't allowed to use the copy machine for some reason) So I went into the library and asked the librarian to run off some copies for me (technically for the teacher I'm aiding for) and he went to the copy machine and started saying "This isn't my job...." and I asked him what I was supposed to do since aides aren't allowed to use the copy machine.... and he just went off on me saying the same thing. What ended up happening was that the copy machine was down. Seriously...***?</p>
<p>Sorry for ranting...I just am so sick of the way my school is being run.</p>
<p>permission to start a petition....lol this world is really messed up</p>