High schools usually have their own sort of community, and in that community there are various different problems. The question is: out of these problems, which issues matter most to the students that live with them every day?
There are three big matters that occur in a high school environment, including discrimination and other various students who lack respect for others. These are what students care about as it can lead to many not feeling safe when they go to school, and that is not right.
Discrimination happens to many minority groups, especially in schools that are much larger then ours in Walkerton. Racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are all issues that take place in schools. Sacred Heart has a “Gay Straight Alliance”, and speaking personally, I know very well the school Trinity program makes a point to Grade 9 students that disclusion is a definite no in the community. It’s never fun to have a target on your back you can’t control, for certain.
Besides discrimination, there are more types of direspect that really upset people in the community. Students who crowd the halls, push and shove each other – that really blocks students off when they only have seven minutes to get to their next class. Typically, it’s usually new or young students who are yelling and goofing off in the halls, disrupting classes and making a scene when everyone is just trying to get to school. This has always been a problem at Sacred Heart, but nothing can really be done except for warnings and trying to ignore the students who are acting out.
Respect among students isn’t as strong as it should be, in my opinion. Despite all the seminars and other ways of educating each other to get along, there will always be a form of persecution and division. This is a big problem students care about, because everyone is affected by the disrespect. While the school continues to make programs such as GSA, Trinity, SAC and even now the BIPOC, disrespect will always be a problem students must face and fight against in the school community.
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Emily Bowen is the Walkerton Herald-Times’ co-op student.
