October
2
Student Rights
Today we went on a field trip to the Westchester County Board of Legislators. There we talked about how the board functions and how a law becomes a law.
When we got back we talked about Student Rights, which are different from adult’s because students are younger than eighteen. I don’t think this should be because kids and grownups are both human and both deserve to be treated the same way. I’m definitely NOT saying that the government is cruel even in the least bit possible. Students still have a LOT of rights- just not as much as adults.
Here are some Student Rights:
- Public schools and even private schools are allowed to search student’s lockers and bags but only if they have a reason to, such as if they suspect a kid is bringing drugs to school and they have proof. The same goes for grown-ups; a police officer is allowed to check a man for cigarettes if he smells smoke on him in a place where smoking is not allowed.
- Schools are allowed to forbid certain activities from students such as swearing, talking over someone else, or cheating on a big test. If kids BREAK these rules, then the teacher is allowed to punish them.
- When kids are out at School or Summer Camp, counselors and teachers are permitted to act as if they were the parents because they are the adults payed to take care of the kids for a few hours. A phrase for this isĀ in loco parentis, which is Latin for “acting as the parents”. If the school or camp does something the parents do not approve of, the parents can sue the school.
I think it is very important that kids have rights as well as adults do. People should obey these rules so everyone can live a happy life.