Okay here's the story::

Last week, I was suspended for something that I say in my strong opinion, was EXTREMELY STUPID!

Benito :: middle school .. it's the name of the school.. I'm 14 in 8th grade so it's my last year in jr high =P

In my school, we usually have 1st period and then homeroom or as they call it down here in the south of the US, T.A. (wtf does that mean @_@). I'm from New Jersey, US and I know for a fact that the laws are entirely different from down here in Florida and the situation would've been handled much more differently than it was down here.

We went to Homeroom first instead of first period because we had to write this practice essay called the practice MOCK. It was an essay that was going to our English teachers to see what we need to do better in, as of writing, and what we we could fix and improve (same thing right)? Okay anways. So the prompt was this:
"At the end of the morning announcements the principle, Mr. Smith, ends the announcements with the school's motto "Benito pride is hard to hide!". Explain what makes you proud to be a Benito student. Now write what makes you proud of our school!"

My school is extremely wack! I mean because it's really strict over such petty things and you get in trouble for the simplest and most ridiculous of things. Besides, since it's the south, there's alot of racism down here. I HATE my school to the max. It's against my philosiphy to lie about something that I absolutley do not believe in. From what I remember I was told to always tell the truth no matter. So to make a long story short, I wrote a lot of stuff in the most professional, most formal way and basically in mature professional terms using educated phrases and high leveled vocabulary, I basically said it sucked. For instance I said that the school is covered in filth and it's dirty, which technically IS true. I also remember writing that the staff and the principle have no common sense because they complain how they have to watch us after a lunch period's lunch is over. That basically means, since I'm in lunch C (3rd lunch period), the lunch lines are so dam-n long that we have to stay late just to eat our food. Well it's not our fault because they make us wait until we get to the very front to the cash register to order our food and waiting for the people to search and find it, then paying! It takes about a minute or 2 depending on how long the line is. Okay well that's just one situation but yeah. That describes how they don't have common sense. (Okay sorry if I explained too much about that one situation but it was needed for you to understand my point). Okay another issue; they let the white kids (I'm saying white because it's truth!) get away with a lot of stuff. If black people, Hispanics--such as myself---or Asians, Indians or any other race not related to White/Caucasian, they get in 10x worse trouble for little petty things because the non-white kids are known to be "ghetto" and "living in the hood" which to the ignorrant people ==>troublemakers. It sucks.

So yeah and I also said that the principle and staff needs to take a look into reality and realize that the school isn't all jolly and happy like they expect it to be and that not everyone likes the school and that most of the people writing this essay are just lieing because they don't want to fail/get into trouble. So to them, I was "extremely disrespectful" and "insulted the principle, staff and the whole entire school". I DONT CARE! It's not my fault that they can't face the truth! Even though they didn't ask for my opinion, I refused to lie and gave it to them anyway.

Later on in 5th period I get called down to the office and my friend Tony is there. He told me what was going on and that he's getting suspended because of the essay and that they called me down to the office for the same reason. I was like "O.O! OH MY GOD! ARE U SERIOUS?!" He's like "yeah! I'm getting 10 days because I wrote about the food in the school" I was like "o_0 wtf?" So yeah 5 minutes later, the lady who suspended me---which may I say is a new lady who's been working at my school for less than 2 weeks and acting like she knows me---calls me into her office and she's explaining what I did wrong and I told her "Okay I was strong on my opinion I'm not ashamed to say it" and she gives me this look like "You're not ashamed?! You SHOULD be!" <--that kina look. She's over here reading the highlighted parts of my essay to me that were "obscene". She's over here telling me that what I wrote was not only rude and disrespectful but also that it was a moral threat to the name of Benito and that I insulted the principle and staff. She's over here wasting her breath trying make me change my mind so I can feel guilty but I showed her no fear and I told her that I agreed with everything I wrote and that I was not afraid to write it and I told her it's true about how the staff and princple, especially the principle, thinks that everything is going great! He sits there putting on a stupid smile, trying to get everyone to love each other like brother and sister when he should realize that it's the complete opposite! I told her that it's even worse with that coyote (that's the dog of the school, AKA Ms. Shultz, the diciplinary officer who basically does nothing but yell and punish everyone) running around yelling at everyone and suspending everything for petty ridiculous reasons. I told her "Might I also add that the students that are not White/Caucasian tend to get in less trouble than those not of that decent." She got quiet... so she calls in the coyote and she's like yelling at the top of her lungs telling us how we didn't even pass our writing exams at all 3 years---6th, 7th and now 8th (which I did because I got a 6 on all my FCAT Writes exams)--- and she's only been here since the middle of last year. She's yelling at us saying that we shame our family which got me so pissed off! How dare she stand there and tell me I shame my family when I know I don't! Anyways after that dumb coyote was done yelling, the lady who suspended me couldn't find anything else to say because she knew she had nothing else to back her up from my reasons so she uses the lamest excuse "Well you were supposed to write posotive things about the school and you didn't stick to the topic! So you're getting 10 days" I'm like "10 days?! That's denying my freedom of speech which I can legally sue you for as for the whole school!" and she's like "Too late you got 10 days"

So I'm sitting in her office listening to her complain how she's suspended so many kids from the same situation and I'm like "Hey lady! You're not the only one stressed here! You try running a web design/digital arts/layout site and get about almost 20 requests a day from people all over the world! I bet you don't even know how to use photoshop!" She looks at me like ooookaaay! lol!

Okay point is, don't you agree that what I got suspended for was totally absurd and the school denied my freedom of speech which is the 1st ammendment in the United States constitution? I got my 2 weeks (10 days) reduced to 5 days because my mom had to go into the school and cuss the lady out so she could give me at least 5. My dad wanted to slap the hoe and my mom wanted to frickin kill her because of something so stupid! My dad was all like "You know what, next time don't say anything.. because if you dont say anything, and you get in trouble for that, THEN imma do something about it" So yeah I had to go to this place called ATOSS which is bascially alternate school u go to during ur suspension period... I just came back to school this passing thursday so everything was back to normal except the staff wasn't glad that I came back. They acted like they hated me coming back.

That's the story (sorry if sounded boring )

I'd like to see a copy of this essay you wrote before I make further comments.

i agree with napishtim's point, though if your essay was written in proper language, and you just stress out the reasons you are NOT proud of your school, i see no point in your suspension. you could have gotten a 0 (or whatever is the lowest-possible mark in that school) for being off-the-topic but a suspension for a text which is not publicized anywhere seems truly ridiculous.

Technically at least, you should have explained that you have no pride in the school, and asked what you should therefore write about.

If what you wrote was really what you believed then you should not be ashamed. It would seem that the administration at your school is just loath to hear opinions that do not mesh with their own. Such a punishment seems completely uncalled for, they did ask for your opinion, and unless you started spewing profanity with no rhyme or reason they have no right to punish you. I just hope this doesn't discourage you from voicing your opinion in the future. It makes me wonder whether schools like this are trying to create people with educated opinions or brainwashed automatons.

thats really is wack... as i see it if your essay contained no indecent language, your whole essay was structured perfectly in challenging the topic then i dont see why you are getting punished. with people like that running your school wtf is going to happen to your and coming generations, being punished for voice your opinion ffs ><"

well on a lighter note at least you got to stay home for awhile heheh xD

Your teachers aren't that stupid, you know. Even if you use sophisticated words as a facade for an outright insult on them, they can still recognize it. And yes, an insult is still rude and disrespectful, regardless of how true it is. Therefore, the suspension is kinda appropriate. That is how the world works and that is the undeniable truth.

You could have said something that makes you proud of the school and then point out improvements that could make you even prouder of the school.

And the Freedom of Speech thingie IMO is the most overused excuse for the lack of common sense when speaking your mind. You should know what's in it for you when you decided to proceed with what you did.

My two cents.

Well that WOULD be true except I'm not proud of ANYTHING at my school. If you were to go there you would see how much of a hell it is. What's there to be proud of? Nothing! I'm not going to get into details. The Freedom of Speech thing wasn't an excuse it's the truth. But I'm not going to go strongly about it. I don't use excuses. The most disrespectful thing that I said was that the things that the staff and principle does makes us believe they have no common sense whatsoever.

I'm the kind of person who shows no fear in expressing my opinion, even if I get in trouble for it. In fact I think it may be one of my flaws.

But I forgot to mention that another kid (I'm not comparing myself or at least trying not to compare myself with his situation but you'll see how unfair my punishment was) DID use profane language and I remembered exactly what he wrote. He said::

"I hate Benito! This school sucks major a$$!" That's all he wrote out of two pages of what we were supposed to write. Don't you think that only 8 words out of two pages (we were supposed to write two pages) that describes in that sentence that he was more disrespectful than I was while I was sitting, cramping my hand over two pages that we were supposed to write? It seems greater than or equal to what I wrote and he should've gotten the same punishment. The coyote didn't even yell at him she just gave him this look like "Well haha! She's getting more than you! I'll just give you a tiny bit of time!" I'm not getting into racial terms but stereotypically, the south is well known for racism and it's true but this kid was Caucasian! Well he was from the decent but this kid is a redneck (no offense to rednecks I'm just stating my point). This kid only got 3 days of ISS (In School Suspension). That means he just has to go to one classrom all day and do the assigned work for the day.

I agree that I got an unfair punishment, also because of this side case. How is it that I get 5 days for being proffessional and mature about my opinion with no profane language and they find it "disrespectful" all because I said they have no common sense. I didn't call them stupid or retarded or dumb or anything offensive. I just said they have no common sense or they seem like they do. He only got three days and he wrote an 8 word sentence with the word A$$ in it out of 2 pages we were supposed to write.

Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the essay. But seriously in a school that has racism, fights every day, grafitti on the walls, it's just plain dirty, ignorrance even in the minds of adults, and I think there's other things that I'm not going into details about.

Point is, what's there to be proud of really? I'm not proud to be a student of that school and I'm not proud of the school at all. Besides most of the stuff I wrote was about the school, not about the people. So why was it again that I was supposed to be suspended?

merged: 12-20-2005 ~ 03:41am

Quote by ryuu-niisanwell on a lighter note at least you got to stay home for awhile heheh xD

Oh yeah by the way, I didn't get to stay home. Since it was more than 3 days that I got I had to go to this Alternate school to make up my work. 8am-2pm.

Well from a "grown up" perspective........

1. Good girl! Never let anyone make you hide how you feel! It lowers your demeanor and allow for you to be submissive! If it sucks, tell them objectively! If you went about it like a ungrateful geek, then that is why you got suspended. Personally I would have made 3 copies; one for the essay, one in case they did something stupid such as what they did, send it to the editorial of the local newspaper (that will get everyone's attention) and the third will be kept at home, as backup! Grown ups have a tendency to "lose" stuff when it embarrasses what they want.

2. I am sure you've spoken objectively, but to clarify, it is how you choose your words. I always say if you can't say anything nice don't say nothing at all. But if you got to say it, say it with respect. Even if it will light a fire in their ass! Seems to me that the school can't take constructive criticism well.

Quote: "I hate Benito! This school sucks major a$$!" That's all he wrote out of two pages of what we were supposed to write.

When compared to someone who just did two pages of detailed attack on the school, teachers and students, of course he had the lighter punishment because the severity of it was not as bad as yours'.

What that fella wrote was still disrespectful and he had the punishment to go with it.

Wow, I can't believe I read the whole thing

First, and formost, I must say it was a totally stupid reason. But, maybe your school is so strict because you go to a big school. I'm a freshman, and my school is so small, that today we had some exams (I didn't have to take them, but came anways), and everyone from 7-12th grade ate lunch together, in a lunchroom that has 7 normal tables for students. We get off soooooo easy on eveything, but we have some strict rules, but still, only "certain" people have to follow them. I get off because I'm the smartest girl they got .

Anyways, I think its totally bullcrap for what they did to you. First, they had no clear reason, except you wrote an essay they didn't like. Big deal, get over it! Second, check your Civics classroom. Or American History. See if their is something called the "CONSTUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA". They should take a read at it. And, freedom of speech is close to the front, so their illiterate brains won't have to work hard

You may have been out of line by "offending" them, but oh well. And, they should have just ripped it up and made you write something on another topic if they wanted to punish you. I would have sued them over this matter. Its a violation of your free rights, and wrongly punishing students.

Hehe, thats just what I think ^^

A topic has already been given for the essay and that can be seen as terms and conditions for writing the essay if seen from a legal viewpoint (or to be more precise, Law of Contract viewpoint). Writing an essay means that you have agreed to the terms and conditions set by the teacher.

So, it's either stick to the topic or don't write at all. Freedom of speech does not hold any meaning here since the person has written out of topic (i.e. breach of contract).

But they would've suspended me if I didn't do it at all. I asked my homeroom teacher what would happen if we didn't do the essay. (Remember this essay is only practice for our English teacher to check to see what we need to do better in). She said we would get 10 days and it was true because 6/30 students got suspended for not writing the essay. I didn't want to get suspended so I wrote. But it was my opinion and I stated it clearly. IMO, I think I sounded very sadly annoyed but it wasn't in an extremely strong tone but I was clearly sticking to my opinion. I didn't go off topic about little minor things. But my question is, even though it didn't ask for my opinion, even though it didn't ask me what I DIDN'T like, I still don't see why I was suspended. They tried to pin me with the excuse that it's happened before in my past records from last year and the year before! Which may I say is not true because::

1. All of my records of 6th and 7th grade were erased and cleared out by the school district.

2. I know for a fact I've never done something like this in my past years!

My English teacher didn't even read the essay. My history teacher read it which I don't know WHY she read it because it was not for her to read! She could actually get in trouble for doing that too but she didn't get caught. SHE'S the one who reported me in the first place. Ok that's not the point; point is, I expressed my opinion in a professional formal way and I got straight to the point of what I wanted to say; no profane language, no informality (is that even a word ) and I got suspended for it? That's a little extreme if you think about the basic point. What bothers me even more is that the adults belittle me because I'm 14 and they acted like I didn't know what I was saying and that I was being immature about the situation.

Once again, what they found "disrespectful" was when I said they have no common sense or at least some of the things they do make them appear that they have no common sense. Everything else was about the school and the school community itself; in other words, ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STAFF.

Some adults may think that I think it's unfair that I got suspended because I'm 14 and it's in "my eyes" and "my point of view" and it's a "one sided story". Well I can see it from all points of view, adults and teenagers. I know if I was in New Jersey (I don't know the laws in other states) I would've at least gotten a day of detention. In fact now that I think of it I don't think it's what state you're in, it's the school I'm in.

The same exact situation happened to tons of students all over the county of where I live. It was on the news and I remember because my mom was watching it. In other schools, students either got a day of school/lunch detention, 2-3 days of ISS, no punishment at all, got a zero on the essay or had to re-write the essay with a different topic. Benito was the only school who unfairly suspended students for the essay. The ONLY one. At least 40 students got suspended from my school at least 3-20 days because of the essay depending on the severity of what they wrote.

Whatever point is, it's not fair. I would've sued them except I don't have enough money to hire an attorney and all that. I would've hired my uncle but he's in a different state unfortunately. >.>

If you don't live in the U.S. please tell me what your school would've done in my situation.

First of all I totaly agree with you, I'm sick of schools giving bull$#!t questions and expecting every student to do as the school wants.

Quote by BankotsuInuyashasgirlMight I also add that the students that are not White/Caucasian tend to get in less trouble than those not of that decent.

I'm sorry if anyone finds this offensive but I'm going to be frank about differentiating races. I'm not racist, I just want to cut the crap.

K, I'm Aussie so I'm not realy in the know, but I thought that the racism in the South was a white majority against a black minority. You said students that are NOT white (i.e. black) get into LESS trouble, then in your later post said that a white redneck got into less trouble, but its totaly wrong to discriminate either way.

Im a Senior now (I think thats the way your crazy American system is, 12th year you are a senior?) so my english skills might slightly out 1337 yours, but it seems to me that maybe you could have said something to the affect of: Nothing at this school makes me proud of it. It does make me proud of my self in that I have still with me the moral fibre to speak out against the many problems our school has yada yada yada.

My English teacher (who I hate) says we can write anything provided we can link it to the topic and back it up. If you'd done something like that they couldn't have played the "Disobeyed instructions" card.

Last time I pulled something like that I got two ASDs (After school detention). In an ASD you sit outside regardless of weather (you should have thought of that before you wrote that essay) on a stone bench against a brick wall. The prosecuting teachers do everything in their power to prevent any human contact (they even asked the cleaner to take the long way around to the classroom i was in front of, down a flight of stairs, up another and thought an office, computer lab and hallway) for 1 hour.

Teachers dont care if you break the rules. Teachers care if you upset their little power trip because they think theyre so damn good for bossing 16 year olds around, and that theres nothing kids can do.

I can't be quit sure of my real opinion because its a one-sided article no matter what. Me not being able to see your essay also doesn't help the judging process. But I'm going to trust your word only because I've known many people who have been punished unfairly by schools before. It happens in all schools and grades, for many different reasons as well.

I do believe you were punished unfairly. I think suspension should only be used for things such as Battery, public crudeness, and verbal assaults. For something like not writing an essay, I think an okay punishment would be at least an after or before school detention, or a 0 grade. Same goes for if you just went off topic with your paper. But in your case it seems they took it alittle to far by thinking of your opinion as an attack on the school, which it doesn't sound like it was. It sounded more like they just couldn't handel another opinion. Unless you cursed at or crudly spoke back to the lady who called you into the office, I don't see how this punishment could in any way be fair.

Even though the punishment was ridiculus in all ways. I don't think this is anything that should be taken to court. All it would do now is give you a bit more pride in yourself... but nothing more than that. It wouldn't help the school change in anyway deep down.

By the way, don't let this incident stop you from being truthful and openly opinionated. It a respectable trait that happens to be dieing these days. I suggest if you really want to make a difference in the schools. You keep trying to get the best education you can, and by the time your 18, start voting for the people you trust to help the schools, or better yet, you get in there and do it yourself. Oh and if you think something is amiss, always write your opinion. Just remember to send it to the write people. If you don't respect the person your writing to or about, then be respectful in your writting anyway, since otherwise it becomes a rant and an insult, and that hurts more then it helps. Good luck getting through your middle school. I hope high school turns out better for you.

hmm well i finished school a few months ago.
and im thinking, could u have started being all polite and proper but at the end as you write about how much school suck the polite and proper parts fly out the window...so to speack.

yes im talking from personal experience....about the racism part, i believe ya since im not american and idk what exactly it is in the south...
*waves at aussie ppl*

id say its best to try not to lie in essays but at the same time dont hurt other ppl's fealings.

i congratulate you on telling it like it is.
If what u say is true(no reason to doubt) then there is racism... as well as agaist you.

if what you say isnt true then ur an attention seeking teenager. yeah i think ur the 1st one...

about what my school would of done...
well while back when we had a middle east topic(modern history year 11) a rabai asked to come to our school to give a speech. Mrs gone told him we have 4-5 arabic people in our classes(60ppl total)...he asked to have them removed while he spoke. Mrs gone said no way and afterwords she was moved to another school(government controlls teachers employment) our school got talked about in parlament..i feel proud

my long story's point is that people who might be teachers stood for what they believed in no matter what the cost. and that my school rox coz of people like mrs gone(yes it is a nickname)

I think that's totally messed up. I ust did a letter comlaining about the pledge of allegiance and my principal called me in but he was rather understanding.

Well if that's not the gayest thing I've ever heard. .::shakes head::.
I for one find it was absurd for you to get 10 days suspension.
But lets face it, adults now a days don't like to hear their flaws. They don't like to be criticized. It's just the way they are. You can say one thing and they'll start ranting for hours. And especially when you have prejudice teachers, or a prejudice staff.
I had something similar happen to me, but that's a story for another time.
Anyway, that staff only wants to make an example of people, but why it has to be a non-caucasian, I don't know.
You're smart to stand up to them, and they're stupid for not taking the critizism. They should just get over it.
You should take LigerZShnider's advice, make copies just incase you come across this incident again.

Yeah I can't make copies though because they took it away

and yes im telling the truth this is a true story! I'm not some attention seeking teen who just wants to be heard because I think thats lame
And I would've gotten 10 days if my mom didnt come in and cuss them out! So they narrowed it down to 5 days instead. But still aside from al the racism stuff, the main point is i got punished unfairly. It's just a stupid essay! My god! They were threatening me saying that it was going county wide for the school district to read when I got them saying that they told us it was only going to our english teacher! They got mad quiet. Every excuse they pulled on me I got them back so they had no choice but to use the lamest excuse ever; i was off topic! So what if i was! Who cares?! They shouldnt because its not like i was threatening the school or anything! All I did was state my opinion! I'm not going to kiss their a$$ and lie about it! Sorry not doin it!

Wow, getting suspended for speaking out your mind... and then they are surprised students want to rebel and don't trust their superiors at school...

funny, i read your thread yesterday, and today i watch the news, and i see that a student in Quebec was suspended for a reason as lame as yours. He was suspended for recording his teacher... Now why would he record his teacher, for the fun of it? Nah, because he was critical of what she said to the students in her class: insulting them, talking about their weight and so on... So he decided to record her to get the proof that she said hainous things to her students, and to try and make her change her habits. The result, he got suspended, and he'll be reintegrated in school if he changes groups coz' that teacher doesn't want him in her class... same for the other teachers who, of course, are defending their colleague <.< In all of this, we don't hear anything about the remorse of the teacher, and the school direction doesn't seem to care about what the teacher said... but the student who tried to do the right thing gets punished.

See, schools aren't fair places... and the opinion of students, as right as it may be, is often overlooked... i guess this only reflects the unfairness in all our society... As long as you feel you did the right thing, and that what you did was in respect with your values, without showing any disrespect towards others, then you should be proud of yourself, even if you did get detention... they're probably only afraid to admit a student is right <.< sadly, that's often the case...

i would have shot you in the head.......................................(...) joshing. ha! ok, ok that was unappropriate. wow. i sure laughed at that. as ayamael said, schools are not fair places. it is not a democracy to say the least. but i as well would like to see this essay. for word choice is very important. even though you might have thought that you were being diplomatic about your dissatisfaction with the school's policies and treatment towards students with different racial backgrounds, those who read it might have found it threatening and condescending. i would have to commend you for your actions. and that, i'm sure you don't need to be told, you were not in the wrong, and you should stay with your convictions. one thing though, there is no reason to have tunnel vision, try thinking about the situation in another way, other than yours. take it from the perspective of the teachers, maybe your parents or colleagues. or maybe pretend you don't have a race. just try to stay open minded about it, and don't let yourself pigeon hold yourself or of course, others. quick note, freedom of speech doesn't actually hold as true as you think in K-12 school. and you spelled positive wrong. cheers, and please don't harbor any ill feelings. make yourself stronger through this. hate helps none at all. cheers.

When I was in school I couldn't even write one page of anything good or bad about it. I just didn't care, no school spirit at all. Just the idea of making all the students write an essay about the school is just a way of making a percentage of the students get a bad result in the first place. That could have been what they wanted in the first place, find out who they think the trouble makers will be for them. I'd really need to see the essay to make a complete judgement. If this story is true and on the level it sounds like a set up.

I wonder.......what did your parents do? If I was your father, I would have been arrested by now then! I would have caused a major ruckus! That is if you was innocent......I look at things objectively too, I know there are two sides to a story and when it comes to stuff like that, people like to hide that bad stuff they did so they would look innocent. But if you was righteous about the situation, they would have caught Hell from me, thats for sure.

i know my story sounds crazy and all like a set up but im honest, its true wether u belive me or not. im not sad or mad at them or anything because if i was that would show to them that i was submitting to them but that's the last thing on my mind! but yeah.. well its overwith now so i guess theres no point in talkin about it now... with the majority of responses that they got i dont think that they're gonna give us another essay like that, not as long as I'm in the shcool!

and yeah i know i spelled posotive wrong but i was too lazy to fix it =P