Opinion
The Battalion
Page 9 • Friday, October 3 1, 2003
Striking out
moi
ily anii
s studer:
with sip
drinks i
sed in t;
ivenessn
md on ill
i the te
h day. \
illow tl
n to ot:
iy is fe
lety todn
Inter
only ho!:
lards, k
: same of
itlined t»
ity Ti"
ramewtn
Wheeie
b sin h
d prote
men.”
alien i
: now. 1
the won
tantly,»
urselves
ilflmk
'hsttuljK
mginetm
Techniques used by teachers during pay disputes do little but hurt children
LAUREN
ESPOSITO
T his past week, the
longest teacher strike
documented in the his
tory of Washington state
came to an end after being
ordered to return to work by
a judge. The teachers were on
strike for seven weeks, delay
ing the start of school for
more than 11,000 students in
the Lake Stevens area. The
teachers drew their picket line in protest of
their current salaries and benefits, even though
they are teaching in one of the top paid dis
tricts in the state and country. The teachers
wanted a 7 percent increase over the next three
years; they were offered a 3 percent increase
and refused to settle for this.
What the teachers do not realize, or do not
care to see, is that they are not gaining any
thing by striking. While it’s true that teachers
earn less than they should, strikes only hurt the
students teachers are there to teach and help.
Teachers must find another, more mature way
to get their concerns across, one that does not
\ta\e innocent children in limbo.
The consequences of teacher strikes are far
reaching. Seniors miss out on opportunities to
apply for scholarships and colleges; sports
teams are unable to compete because school is
not in session, and children lose that classic
first day of school they’ve looked forward to
all summer. The children’s parents, who have
to come up with seven more weeks of child
care or activities to keep their children
occupied, suffer a financial and
mental strain as well.
Simply put: There are no
winners.
The teachers may win a ^
salary increase, or more
benefits, but at what ^ .g
cost? Children miss
days of school,
extracurricular activ
ities and time with
friends, and the only
thing they learn from
the strike is how to
whine and pout and
disregard responsibili
ties to get their way.
Law requires a
180-day school year.
The students have
already missed more
than 35 of these class
days because of the
teachers’ childishness.
One wonders when those
days can be made up. The
students and families should
not have to suffer because the teach
ers they relied on decided not to do their
jobs.
“Based upon common law
of this state, strikes by public employees are
illegal. There is no express or explicit statu
tory right for teachers to strike,” said
Washington state Superior Court
Judge Joan Dubuque. Public
employees cannot strike,
and that is what teachers
are: public employees. It is
amazing that they could carry
on a strike for seven weeks
and not have any outstand
ing repercussions.
|^;.| Although dually noted
and documented, the
strikes by teachers in
many states have no real
L consequences for the
teachers themselves.
A few states are
beginning to change
this, though. Currently
in New York, teachers are
docked two days pay for
every day missed while
on strike. Some districts
in other states are now
beginning to file unfair
labor practice complaints
and order local, regional and
state union offices to pay a
fine of $100 per teacher per
day of strike. Other states
should follow these exam
ples to make sure that pay disputes involving
teachers do not have dire effects on innocent
third parties.
A day of strike may not harm students too
much — and no student ever complains about
a day off — but when the strike drags on for
weeks, the lives of students are disrupted. It
could even be said that a seven-week strike,
and essentially the loss of those seven weeks
of education, could be charges of irreparable
harm to a minor.
A teacher becomes a teacher to help and
educate students so they become helpful and
productive citizens of society. With a frivolous
strike for more money that lasts an extended
and unnecessary time, the teachers are only
teaching their students to be selfish, no matter
what the true basis behind the strike is.
Teachers have a huge responsibility and
should be paid more than what the average
teacher makes, but they should go about
obtaining pay increases in an adult manner.
The teachers need to remember why they are
teachers in the first place and put their students
above a slight pay increase. Frankly, people do
not go into the field of teaching thinking that
they are going to make millions; they go into it
to make a difference in a child’s life.
GraCie Arenas • THE BATTALION
Lauren Esposito is a senior
English major.
Zero-tolerance policies excessively harsh
Church
■ 7:00 i
jOp.m
F ollowing violent incidents in schools,
school districts around the country have
implemented zero-tolerance policies
among other countermeasures to tend to the
increasing need for safety in schools. Safety is
and should be a primary concern for school
officials, and zero-tolerance approaches seem
a reasonable and predictable investment.
However, these policies are losing touch with
reality and do more harm than good.
fm\va\Vy meant to reduce the pre\a\ence of
weapons in schools, the policies now sometimes include long
and detailed lists of prohibited behaviors. Now, children are
treated as if they are the next ring leaders of terrorist plots for
drawing pictures, joking with classmates and simply being kids.
However, nothing draws more attention to the approach than its
inability to distinguish between situations that warrant punish
ment and those that do not.
An eighth-grader named Christina Lough from Katy, Texas,
was disciplined by her school in early October after being
caught with a pencil sharpener that violated the school’s zero-
tolerance policy on weapons. The sharpener consisted of a two
inch blade and is traditionally used in Christina’s native Korea.
In addition to being sanctioned to a special disciplinary class
for seven days, the straight-A student was removed as president
of the student council and honor society, according to The
Houston Chronicle.
Regardless of how school officials try to sugarcoat it, a per
fectly honorable and dedicated student has been labeled and
punished by her own school. The policy went so far as to not
even acknowledge the utensil as part of a cultural heritage, and
then demoted the girl as if she was acting in a criminal or neg
ligent way.
One cannot forget the 1997 incident in which a 10-year-old
girl was expelled from school in Longmont, Colo., after turning
in a knife that her mom had left for her to cut an apple. Had it
not been for national attention and public outcry,
the girl would have not been let back in school.
Incidents like these demonstrate the ruthless tenden
cy of blind policy to subject undeserving students to
far-fetched punishments.
Even when punishment is justified, it is often
too harsh. Some students could simply be slapped
on their wrists for minor infractions and then rein
stated into the normal classrooms. Not anymore.
The days of going to the principal’s office are
over. Most of the infractions prohibited by schools
today results in expulsion.
Once expelled, children are at best put in alter
native schools and sometimes suffer harsh blows
to their academic careers and integrity. Many kids
are going to feel like juvenile delinquents. In years past, many
behaviors outlawed in schools were simply handled by the
schools. Now, it is like the three $trikes-you’re-out rule, but
worse — it is one strike.
Children are going to make mistakes, but they should not
have to suffer consequences to their educational aspirations,
especially after only one fault. The penalties that accompany
these policies are often too strict and, in cases such as
Christina’s, completely unnecessary.
School is a place for students not only to learn but to develop
their personalities and behaviors. With policies like these, they are
not trusted by their mentors. Schools have turned into prisons, ran
domly searching students and lockers, monitoring their every move,
and potentially derailing their educational experience. It is as if
every student is labeled a criminal for simply setting foot in what
should be a haven for support and guidance.
Zero-tolerance policies disregard cases indi
vidually and create one category for their alleged
violators. This is not the way it should be. The
systematic and value-free approach is just another
indication of the inhuman and robot-like means
the country has adopted to more efficiently deal
with certain situations. If schools want to steer
clear of treating students on an individual and
personal level, then they should at least take a
cost-saving initiative and buy machines to do the
job for them.
Principals and administrators have rational and
compassionate capacities for reason. They should
use them, especially when dealing with the most
delicate and developing segment of the popula
tion. Each situation must be evaluated individually because
children are after all individuals. Zero-tolerance policies are
part of a new mainstream ideology that is dehumanizing the
education system and the rest of society. Further, they are leav
ing dedicated students vulnerable to unnecessary and often
harsh punishments.
Chris Lively is a senior
sociology major.
Zero-tolerance
policies disregard
cases individually
and create one
category for their
alleged violators.
Church
i.org
ise
1
;on
MAIL CALL
A&M has alternatives
to parking
In response to David Ege’s Oct.
28 column:
1 think it is absurd to be upset
about the parking situation. Not only
does Texas A&M probably have the
most parking available to students
compared to most major universi
ties, it also has superior transporta
tion alternatives. If you can’t get a
parking spot, take a bus, bike, car-
pool or walk. If everyone drives to
class, of course, there will not be
spots. On-campus residents that
pay to have a reserved spot
deserve it. This is their home. You
have a reserved spot at home. If
you went to the University of Texas
you would not be driving to class.
Doyal McGee
Class 2004
Parking situation does
not have easy solution
Recently The Associated Press
reported that one of the largest con
cerns for college faculty, staff and
students was parking or the lack
thereof. I feel that we all can agree
that parking is a common nuisance
for all. Each day, many parking
areas are filled by 9 a.m. and I have
adjusted by arriving significantly
earlier than my class schedule
requires. For many others this is not
reasonable.
I agree with David Ege, there most
likely are enough parking spaces on
campus to satisfy current demands. I
do not believe there is a single solu
tion to the problem but possibly a
committee could be formed by the
administration to assess the situa
tion. Many other large universities
have developed unique and creative
solutions, some of which might work
here. For example, park-and-ride lots
are commonly used elsewhere and
Reed Arena stays quite vacant daily.
I just want to know that something
is happening to help solve this prob
lem, because the student body at
A&M is not getting any smaller.
Leaf Erickson
Graduate Student
On-campus students
need reserved spots
Those of us who live on campus
do exactly that, we live here on
campus. For those people who have
a blue permit, I understand your
frustration in finding a space when
commuting to class, but you also
have a spot to park when you return
to your house or apartment. The
garage spots that are used so “inef
ficiently” are the equivalent of an
apartment parking space or one’s
driveway for students on campus.
Would an off-campus resident not
be upset to return home and find
another vehicle in his parking place,
even if it is more efficient? I pay for
a garage spot because of its many
benefits and want to keep them.
Jared Briggs
Class of 2005
Attending yell not
football players' jobs
In response to an Oct. 28 mail
call:
It is ridiculous for any member of
the Twelfth Man to expect the team
to attend the after game yell prac
tice. The football team does it’s job
by playing the game to the best of
its ability and to represent Texas
A&M on the field. Our job is off the
field, yelling our hearts out to try
and intimidate the other team. They
have no responsibility to stay after
the game for yell, and for you to
demand them to do so is absurd.
These boys are more Aggie than
the majority of the students here
and they bust their butts week in
and week out trying to do the best
they can. Respect them for that and
let them do their jobs.
You do yours, which is yell.
Charles Falgout
Class of 2003
The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less and include the
author’s name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for
length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid
student ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX.77843-1 111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mailcall@thebattalion.net
VWT MPPENED \NHE-H
Moll SECRETO PIKED
ROX beoftftD
NgmtRS ?...
MOTHER DP'MKED
MHD ONE. ENDED
UP IN CLEVELM-®.