Whether you’re a senior who knows every inch of this school or a freshman who’s still having trouble telling the difference between B and C hall, everyone knows (perhaps too much) about the new policies of our school. To refresh your memory, just some of these regulations involve producing a “social contract” in every class that lists all of the ways students have “promised” to act, and learning how to “call foul” on offensive comments by other students. But are these adjustments to the school code necessary? Many students seem to think not.

It’s painfully obvious by the weary sighs from across the classroom when the teacher pulls out the industrial-sized paper that no one’s heart is truly in the activity. Considering the fact that every response to the four questions asked of us seem to be a half-hearted answer of the word ‘respect’, it’s fairly clear that students are going to walk out gaining nothing from this experience, which begs the question: who is this really for? If the staff knows that the students have no interest in this and will most likely never use the rules in class, why are they there? Is their purpose to give a facade of a classroom that’s under control?  

No matter what the reason was, one thing’s for sure: the students are not interested. At least, the vast majority are not. Sure, there’s probably some students who genuinely appreciate the rules, but it’s evident that most couldn’t care less about the changes and view them as a disruption to their valuable class time. I may not speak for all of the students, but I certainly speak for most: these rules are truly, utterly pointless.

So, Mr. Dhalla, with the utmost respect and with constructive criticism, I must be the one to tell you: no student will ever use these guidelines unless they are making fun of it. And believe me, many are. High school students will act the way they want to, and no classroom list of how they “promised” to act will cause them to change their actions. Maybe next year the staff can figure out a different procedure that will make students change their minds about the way they act instead of making them sign their name to a vow that they are undeniably going to break. Until then, students will continue to act the same way they always have, except this time, there will be a piece of paper with words and signatures in the background of the classroom that everyone will ignore.