We didn’t react to the removal of Advisory with protests or mass demonstrations. While this could make it seem like we are indifferent to the decision, it is actually a reflection of our belief that we have no say in the school’s goings-on. We were not given the opportunity to express our opinions before it was removed, so why would arguing to get it back make any difference? This situation is forcing us, as students, to become apathetic in regards to the schools happenings. We deserve nothing less than a fair opportunity to present our ideas on the topic with the hopes that the administration will take our suggestions into consideration next time.
Advisory was, for the most part, used for socializing and wrapping up homework. Teachers passed out forms and occasionally there was a presentation in the JRT, but it was mainly considered twenty free minutes to chat. But who’s to say that a short break isn’t as important to students and teachers as those forms and assemblies? Advisory broke the monotony of five consecutive days of sitting-sitting-eat-sitting-sitting. After hours of taking notes, hunched over desks with drooping eyes, Advisory was a reprieve that allowed us to be more productive in class.
Five minutes is not a very long time. You could play two rounds of Scramble with Friends or microwave a bag of popcorn. Advisory only shaved off five minutes of each class for an, evidently, burdensome total of twenty minutes out of the seven hour school day. Did teachers have to rearrange their lesson plans to account for the lost five minutes? Were our grades slipping every week because of those few minutes? The difference in class time was not nearly at critical as the benefit we gained from Advisory.
Advisory was our own twenty minutes. We could do what we chose, within the limits of the normal school rules. While the rest of our day was claimed by teachers and notes and tests, Advisory was ours. It was important to us, and the administration removed it without considering our ideas. We’re not questioning their authority or their ability to establish effective school policies, but instead wonder about the reasoning behind this particular decision. Was there really so much to be gained from removing Advisory? We can offer valuable insight into the benefits of Advisory, but the administration never asked for our perspective. All that we as the student body ask is a voice to express our opinions, and reasonable consideration, in the battle over school policy changes.
The Paw Print is published by the Journalism class. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the staff, the students, the administrators, or the school board. Letters to the Editors are encouraged. The Paw Print reserves the right to edit any submissions.
