Status Quo Essay, Research Paper

Status Quo

1776, The American colonies rebelled against their oppressive, imperialistic mother country Great Britain. They challenged the traditions of an ancient mother country to become an independent nation that would eventually lead the free world. Critical review of established laws, attitudes and beliefs are what this country was forged from. The United States exemplifies the idea that it is necessary to challenge practiced policies when they have become obsolete and ineffective.

When governments are out of touch with the bodies they govern then they have become ineffective. This holds true for any situation where one group has control over another from the United States Congress, to state and local governments, and even school boards and administrators. Student life is fully regulated by those who are in noway subject to their own rules. Many examples of this are present in the hallways of schools across America. Most of the hypocrisies are not major travesties of justice, but they do lead to a feeling of second class citizenship among the student body. Little things like not being able to drink a cup of coffee in the hallway degrades students by questioning their ability to perform a simple task without causing problems or difficulties. Unbalanced legislation such as this, where there is a double standard, should be replaced to insure that regulations are to protect the welfare of a population. Not merely to oppress it.

Another oppression in schools is the use of a permit pass system for movement from room to room. This practice of total documentation of a students movement throughout the school day is not only unnecessary, but also impractical. And can again lead to the feeling in students that they cannot be trusted because they are inferior to their older counterparts. An idea which is not cohesive to a learning environment by installing an attitude of failure before an attempt is even made. This unfair policy should be replaced with an honor system based on the students verbally informing those who are liable where they are going to be. Changes like this are often needed to transform a non-working system of regulation into a constructive guide for coexistence.

Administration?s control needs to be changed as well because in most cases it is comprised of professionals with the highest degree in their fields. This in turn means that a great deal of time and with it change has occurred between their actual experience of their first twelve years of education and their present state in life. This change makes for a ruling body which has no first hand experience into the psyche of those it controls. In short high school administration is totally disconnected from the student body because of its lack of experience in the positions students are in. This situation leaves students without their needs for control met because those imposing the restrictions do not understand the circumstances surrounding undesirable behavior. Even the allocation of power must be constantly reviewed.

The idea of reviewing the control of those in power and their legislative decisions is where the United States found its beginnings. To follow the doctrine of a ruling body without evaluating its need and its effects is foolish. To simply continue in a set path because it is what has always been done leads to many problems. As time changes so must laws and regulations or they will become obsolete and potentially harmful. Wether it be school rules or the antique practice of imperialism by a nation, policy must undergo constant scrutiny to assure its applicability to those it affects.