Page 2
leN
day 6 on+il
a
THE HIGH LIFE
(i
September, 24, 1976
New Policy Allows
Student Absenses
Who Will It Be In 76
Once again it is that time, that
comes about every four years
which is known as the “election
year”. Of course, everyone knows
this. We are spoon-fed the every
move of the candidates. Our
newspapers and other forms of
media are dominated by the news
of the campaigns. This summer,
three networks showed us almost
every minute, without relief, of
the two conventions live (if you
can call conventions “live”) from
Kansas City and New York. All
this coverage and hoopla
surrounding the election and yet
the American voters are not
coming out to the polls.
It is estimated that a little more
than half the eligible voeters will
turn out to the polls in November.
Why are the people so apathetic
in exercising democracy’s so-
called greatest right, the right to
vote? Even in our bicentennial
year, people are not interested in
voting.
Are people becoming disen
chanted with bigtime politics and
candidates? Or do Americans just
care less n 1976?
After Watergate and all the
national disgrace that occtired,
Americans feel betrayed. The fact
that they, the voters, put their
faith and trust in one man who
turned out to be something less
than a bungling common criminal
could be the cause of the lack of
voter interest. People don’t want
to take the responsibility of
making a mistake such as many
people did in 1972.
This is one theory as to why
people are uninterested in politics
this year. Another is that, until
lately, Jimmy Carter and Jerry
Ford were little known outside of
their own homestates. People
tend to be less excited over
someone they^have hardly heard
of. When Ford took over office
after Nixon left, many people
asked the question, “Who’s Jerry
Ford?”, And, before this year, not
many people could name a single
governor of Georgia except for
Lester Maddox.
It is hoped that this year’s
candidates can restore the faith in
government and politicians, to
the American public.
After years of bickering,
students forging notes and
receiving assorted zeroes for
unexcused absence, the Greens
boro School Board has at last
departed from the ancient
attendance policy which forced
students to lie, cheat and steal
their way out of school.
The new policy allows students
to miss up to ten days each class
period per semester without
having to show any form of an
excuse.
Almost all students are totally
in favor of the new policy while
most 0^ the administration and
teachers seem to be taking a
wait-and-see attitude towards the
new standard.
It now appears that the School
Board has loosened its strict ties
from the hands of senior high
students. They have given the
responsibility of the students
attending class to the students
themselves. This will give the
students a chance to attend such
functions as the GGO and getting
out of school early for a beach trip
at Easter without having to falsify
School Should Be More
Than Just Books
Letters:
To The Editor
Editor:
Greensboro is lucky in that it
serves to house a chapter of the
North Carolina Civil Liberties
Union (NCCLU), an affiliate of the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Since the closing of the Center
for Student Rights, the NCCLU
has not been actively involved in
the struggle for students’ rights.
Spokeswoman Liz Wheaton
stated, “...everyday we (NCCLU)
must deal with people, both
young and older, who have lost
jobs, money, property, and many
times their freedom because they
did not know their fundamental
rights.’’
Heed this important statement
of Abe Fortes, Justice of the U.S.
Supreme Court in a 1969 case:
“Students in schools are
‘persons’ under the Constitution.
They are possessed of fundamen
tal rights which the State must
respect, justice as they them
selves must respect their
obligations to the State.’’
Any student threatened with
expulsion deserves a formal
hearing with school officials
during which he can defend
himself against changes made. A
student may dress as he wishes as
long as his personal appearance is
not unhealthy or indecent.
Students are guaranteed free
dom of the press within their
schools as long as it does not
overstep the law.
Remember that a locker is only
rented and school officials have
the right to open it when they
choose to. Object but do not
physically resist a search of your
locker. Avoid trouble by not
keeping anythng that could be
embarassing in your locker.
Students have the right to
speak up if they feel they have
been discriminated against. They
can refuse to take part in
patriotic ceremonies also. Preg
nant students must be respected.
When confronted by the police
object to a search, but never
physically resist, never!
Presently the NCCLU is
interested in speaking with
students who would like to design
a pamphlet elucidating the rights
of young people in and out of
school in connection with both the
school administration and the
police. The phone number of the
NCCLU is 273-1641. Please call;
the NCCLU wants to talk with
students. The NCCLU also
provides speakers and materials
as their limited resources allow.
Carol Eddy
Another summer has come and
gone. We try to sit back and
reflect. What have we done and
where has all our time gone?
School starts up again right as we
are starting to get the
summertime doldrums. But class
begins and we’re daydreaming
about all the exciting activities we
could be doing if it were only
summer again.
Yes, school has started again.
The year has scarcely gotten
under way when the student finds
himself locked into another long
year already wanting it to end.
Homework, registration fees,
teachers and all the pressure
which goes with these common
place happenings which accom
pany the opening of a school year
start to pile up on the student.
The first week or so (depending
on the student), the student seeks
out some relief from this
hazardous time of year. But no
outlet can be found except for the
too-short weekend which is
crammed full of activities so the
student is exhausted by the time
school begins on Monday.
But wait, school isn’t as bad as
all that. There are many good
things about school opening. Not
the classes, tests on Monday
mornings, but the things that go
on in the school environment. The
common student at the beginning
of any given school year may stop
to question this statement, but as
the year wears on, he will find
something about this institution
which he enjoys.
Take, for instance, the
opportunities which arise from
the school environment - the
many clubs, organizations,
bands, orchestra, athletic teams
and many other activities to which
a student can apply his various
talents or interests.
A student may think of school
as a place solely for books,
teachers and desks. It can be that
way if the student wishes. But, if
one wants to stretch out into other
aspects in his spare time, then
there are more things for the
student to do than he possibly has
time for. A student never has to
be bored during the school year.
Practically every night there is a
school-related function which the
student can apply his valued
time. A concert, an athletic event,
a play or any number of things
occur in a given week.
And now with a new intramural
schedule of activities being
formed, any student can
participate in some form of
athletic event. All the student has
to do is want to.
Participation in any extra
curricular activity will be a
learning experience as well as
leading people to new relation
ships. School should be more than
an 8:30 to 3:30 day. To experience
the high school years to their
fullest, one should be involved
with what is going on around him
before he has to leave it behind.
Our Thanks
The entire HIGH LIFE staff
would like to express our utmost
appreciation to all students who
subscribed to HIGH LIFE in our
recent drive. Your support has
been greatly appreciated. It is for
the students, we produce our
paper and your help is greatly
desired.
Also, we would like to show our
thanks to those students in Ms.
Sroog’s third period Journalism
lA class, who without their help
our subscription drive would have
not succeeded. Their help in
promoting it with their posters
and announcements, as well as
going to the homerooms to
collect the money. HIGH LIFE
thanks all of you.
a note or having their parents to
do the lying for them.
With ihis new policy, the
students will learn that it will not
be easy to miss ten, or for some
people seven to eight, class
periods and still be able to pass.
The student who wants to learn
and receive the best grade he can
will budget his absences
properly.
The new policy will give the
schools a semi-college situation.
Students will learn that if they
want to receive an education, they
must attend class. When the
college-bound student arrives at
the institution of higher learning,
they will have already been
subjected to attending class at
their' own discretion and,
therefore, know how to handle the
situation. Whereas, if the former
policy hadn’t been changed, then
many students would have
abused the freedom and possibly
have been a flunk-out statistic at
the end of the semester.
The School Board should be
commended for hearing out the
students requests- It is hoped
that, in the future, when
problems arise, students will take
their grievences to the Board for
it is now known that they are
willing to listen to the students.
The students of Greensboro have
been in on several of the Board’s
most major decisions directly
concerning the students such as
the exam policy and now the
attendance policy.
It is now hoped by everyone
involved that the students of
Greensboro’s senior highs will be
able to handle the freedom as
responsible high school students.
Our Policy
HIGH LIFE will welcome all
editorials, articles and letters to
the editor. Anyone who wishes to
submit an article of some type
should feel free to do so although
we cannot guarantee publication
of all material submitted. Top
priority will be given to those
writings which are interesting
as well as good writing.
Most desired are those letters
to the editor. A special effort will
be made to print all of those.
However, it is not our policy
though to print letters using
profane language.
All material which is submitted
should be left in Room 868 or
placed in Ms. Sroog’s mail box in
the office. Material can also be
given to any member of the HIGH
LIFE staff. All writings should
have the name of the writer as
well as his class on the paper.
HIGH LIFE invites anyone,
student, parent, teacher or
administrator, tP express his
talent or opinion.
HIGHUFE
Published Monthly
by
Grimsiey Senior High Schooi
801 Westover Terrace
Greensboro, N.C. 27408
HIGH LIFE is a member of Quill and Scroll and the National
Scholastic Press Association. The cost is $1.50 per semester, $2.00 per
year.
EDITOR: Lee Evans
SPORTS EDITOR: Billy Tsintzos
NEWS EDITOR: Carol Eddy
FEATURE EDITOR: David Bulla
ART EDITOR: Curtis Fields
ADVERTISING MANAGER: David Bolton
BUSINESS MANAGER: Susan McGlamery
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Terry Williams, Richard Biller, Randy Apple
ADDITIONAL STAFF: Charlie Brown, John Cauble, Hank Howard,
Gary Sue Steve Theriot
ADVISOR: Ms. Kathi Sroog