School Issues

[princessliar]

I hope it's okay to post this here, but I really need to get this off my chest. Sorry it turned out so long.

 

Prom night. It's meant to be big, it's meant to be fun and it's meant to be something the school organises. Am I right? Well according to our headmistress, no. My secondary school was only built a year before I joined, and therefore there has only ever been one year above mine all the way through. Therefore, last year was the first prom the school had. The problem is, my year is being denied that chance.

 

There's a bit of a history to this, so bear with me a minute. We were told our prom was to be held on the 17th of May, just before our GCSE exams. The cost of tickets was £15 and they wanted a £5 deposit in advance so they could "estimate numbers". Fair enough. The problem is, they have since decided that they don't have enough people willing to come and have cancelled it. I've done my homework and I know for a fact that they must have enough of us willing to go to cover their expenses, and as far as I can see they're just out to make a profit off us. Quite frankly that sickens me. Another local secondary school is having their prom on the same night and they have done fundraisers and the school is paying for everything. We get out deposits back, but most of us have already hired or bought dresses and tuxes, and some have booked limos for the night. My dress is sitting in the wardrobe as I type this.

 

It's now up to us students to organise something if anything at all is going to happen, and the school is refusing to support us in any way. They have told us we mustn't mention the name of the school in any promotional material or anything, and we're going to have to find and pay for our own venue at very short notice while the school hall sits empty.

 

I have another issue with my school too. In RE, our teacher has been showing us disturbing and graphic videos that have no educational content and are unsuitable for a class of 15 and 16 year olds. We have been shown a video about death, featuring a farmer's body being dressed by his family as it lies on his kitchen table, a video shot from inside a cremation oven, a woman's body with the eyes and mouth still open being put into a cardboard coffin and another body being embalmed. These were all real bodies. We were also shown only the gory parts of a film about abortion called "If these walls could talk", which resulted in women dying in pools of blood. Soon we're going to be shown the unpleasant parts from "The Green Mile" as well, which has an 18 certificate. Nobody in the class is over 16 years old.

 

Again, apologies for the post being so long, but this is something I really need to get out of my system before I end up telling the teachers exactly what I think of them.

[Star ReaVeR]

Doesn't matter as long as you feel a bit better

That really sucks dude, did you speak to your mentor or someone who can help with problems? I know it's a bit hard to talk about but if it isn't acceptable just do it, I do it a lot too and it gets better everytime, although I'm 18 I know how you must feel about those video's etc. . Hope my advice is of any use

 

greetz

[Divine Spirit]

1. My prom is on the 17th May! what a coincidence

 

2. Make a formal complaint to the school saying how you have already bought stuff. Persuade them to help you out!!! there isnt much you can do to overpower the communist regimes of Labour run schools.....i think you will really benifit from voting UK Independence Party in the next elections, im ur age so u should be able to vote by then!

 

3. Tell your RE teacher in private, like at a break time, and just tell him how you and your friends think the videos are slightly disturbing so you wouldnt mind if you didnt have to watch them!

[GreyJedi]

Your school seems to have some issues indeed.

 

Headmistress? Boarding school in Great Britain?

 

Anyhow, if your estimation of the revenues generated from the prom seem to indicate that your school can afford to hold the event, I would suggest pressing the issue to determine why the administrators do not wish to have a prom. Is there some dark political jockeying going on, wherein someone doesn't want a prom for personal purposes? Anyhow, if you can insinuate that this could be bad publicity for the school, they might change their minds.

 

Or you could do what I did, since I didn't want to go to my own prom. Dress up in your tux (dress, since you are female) with a group of friends, hire a limo, and go to a nice restaurant with a dance floor, and have some fun in a smaller group setting.

 

In any event, I assure you that in a couple of years, you won't be as disturbed by all this.

[princessliar]

Thanks for replying everyone, I really appreciate it. I'll try having a word with the RE teacher about the videos and with whoever will listen about the prom.

Headmistress? Boarding school in Great Britain?

Great Britain yes, but not a boarding school thankfully. I think I'd go insane if I had to live there too.

[GreyJedi]

By the way, what is "RE"?

[Divine Spirit]

Originally posted by GreyJedi

By the way, what is "RE"?

 

Religous Education

[Rogue15]

RESIDENT EVIL DUUUUUHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[GreyJedi]

Originally posted by Rogue15

RESIDENT EVIL DUUUUUHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hmmm. Seems to fit the description.

 

Or maybe someone here has been playing too many games.

[StormHammer]

Having to watch videos like that sounds pretty sick, IMO. Well, actually, the teacher sounds pretty sick. It sounds very much like they are trying to force their own personal views using shock tactics. If this is school policy, then it is out of order.

 

If talking to the teacher about 18-rated movies doesn't work, then I would suggest you're fully within your rights to simply walk out of the room while those videos are being shown. Talk to your friends, and walk out en masse...then maybe they'll get the idea that forcing under-aged students to watch adult-rated content is not a good idea. If they want to complain about it...contact the video-ratings board and let them know what's going on. Make sure the others in your class sign the letter, so it gets taken seriously.

 

If that doesn't work...you can always arrange to meet your local MP to raise this issue.

 

As for the Prom thing...sorry to hear about that. The school is probably within it's rights there...so I hope you can either convince them, or find another decent venue and have a good time.

[RoyalGuard]

For all Yanks/lucky g*ts who never had it,

 

RE = religious education, or resident evil, the terms are interchangeable. It should be the open minded study of religions from the world. it normally turns out to be "abortion is bad mmkay", "drugs are bad mmkay", "not going to a useless and meaningless stone building once a week on an arbitrarily chosen day to mingle with old people who are only there to 'cram for their final exams' is bad and means that you aren't christian mmkay"

 

/rant off

 

right now my own personal feelings are out the way,

 

The school is under no obligation to in any way provide a venue or any support for your end of exam/school celebration. They're still utter b******s if they don't but you can't force them too. As our year had this same problem for our end of A-Levels party a couple of years back (urgh I feel old!) I can give you some pointers:

 

1 - ask around, how much are peeps prepared to pay per head? Work out how many are interested and phone local function rooms (you gotta love the yellow pages). Tell them your situation and say you're all students. They will certainly be sympathetic and may even give you a discount.

 

er that's it really, didn't need the bullet points did I? Ah, wait...

 

2 - you're biggest enemy is apathy. It's amazing how many people are up for an idea until they actually have to do something. Target girls, this is their dream date and they can apply real leverage on their boyfriends to promote enthusiasm.

 

3 - The school is your enemy, use "us versus them" for all the loner types you need to come along (no disrespect intended to loner types, I was/am one myself!)

 

4 - Consider using weed killer to write "Thanks for nothing" on the school field! J/K don't do this it's criminal damage!

 

As for the videos in RE, the green mile is a fantastic film about prejudice, miracles and redemption, I can't recommend it enough. For any other disturbing videos tell your RE teacher that you find the concepts disturbing enough without pointlessly graphic materials. Ask him if you can do a more detached debate...

 

Well that's it, sorry about the rambling nature of the post, I'm drunk and I don't feel so good! Hope it helps, urgh...

 

*sound of running feet*

[Divine Spirit]

Originally posted by RoyalGuard

3 - The school is your enemy, use "us versus them" for all the loner types you need to come along (no disrespect intended to loner types, I was/am one myself!)

 

see! communist regimes should not be encouraged, i have found teachers ignorant towards pupils and the pupils opinion all through my school!!!

[princessliar]

Thanks again for all the advice (especially the weed killer ). I'll definitely take it into consideration.

The green mile is a fantastic film about prejudice, miracles and redemption

So I've heard, but all the teacher is planning on showing is the execution part, same as in "If These Walls Could Talk" she only showed us the parts where people died.

[SPY_jmr1]

sounds like a real bastard to me....

 

i'd rather get flunked then made to watch something like this....

 

what the other guy said sounds right to me: just get up and leave. seems like if the school *****es at you about it, they have no recourse...

 

GL:cool:

[Frumpus]

Originally posted by RoyalGuard

It should be the open minded study of religions from the world. . . it normally turns out to be . . . "not going to a useless and meaningless stone building once a week on an arbitrarily chosen day to mingle with old people who are only there to 'cram for their final exams' is bad and means that you aren't christian mmkay"

 

Hmm. You have a strong "opinion" of what "should be" (i.e. tolerance of all/many religions, yet it's clear you are quite INtolerant of other's views. Methinks you've got some "bitterness issues" to work out, RoyalGuard. BTW, I have to say I'm an agnostic currently ("I don't know.")

I've seen enough "religiosity" to be quite turned off to the idea, yet your double-standard is very blatant. Even now the idea that "all-religions-are-basically-the-same-at-their-core" still strikes me as paradoxical. Anyone who claims this hasn't SERIOUSLY delved into the inherant (sp?) differences between them.

 

 

Originally posted by RoyalGuard

2 ... Target girls, this is their dream date and they can apply real leverage on their boyfriends to promote enthusiasm.

 

LMAO!!! ... . good point!

 

 

Originally posted by RoyalGuard

As for the videos in RE, the green mile is a fantastic film about prejudice, miracles and redemption, I can't recommend it enough. For any other disturbing videos tell your RE teacher that you find the concepts disturbing enough without pointlessly graphic materials. Ask him if you can do a more detached debate...

 

I've got to agree there!! The Green Mile was one of the best I've ever seen; a pity your teacher only wants to show you the gory points. He/she is missing the whole point of the show then! Plus, it seems there is a disturbing preoccupation with death in this teacher that other parents should know about. Call me crazy, but I'd think some of them would be appalled at what's going on without their notice or consent!

 

(Sorry if I used the quotes incorrectly. . still learning here.)

[Frumpus]

Cool. They worked.

[xwing guy]

If talking to the teacher about 18-rated movies doesn't work, then I would suggest you're fully within your rights to simply walk out of the room while those videos are being shown.

 

What are you talking about man? He's in the UK, he has no rights over there lol.

 

Sorry about your prom dude, maybe using some of the things other folks here have sugguested that communist school of yours will have it after all.

[RedMan]

Originally posted by xwing guy

 

What are you talking about man? He's in the UK, he has no rights over there lol.

.

 

My dress is sitting in the wardrobe as I type this

.

 

Hmmmm....

 

Our school (long time ago) had a student council thingy, twas up to them to organize.

As for the vids, wouldn't talk to the teacher about it, would talk to the principal. Talking to the teacher might form a unfriendly/difficult relationship. I reckon you need a high admin neutral party. Maybe another teacher who you get along with can help out. Or the councilling teacher person, who's job it is to sort out this stuff if you have one.

 

Thats my 2 cents worth, oh bugger, in Australia that gets rounded to nothing.

[RoyalGuard]

yet it's clear you are quite INtolerant of other's views.

 

I can accept that criticism based on my earlier post, but I think I can be a more coherent, and not use South Park references now I'm not drunk

 

My point (fuzzy though it was) was that a subject that should have been an introduction to other cultures is too often turned into a moral right/wrong approach which is very judgemental and christian orientated. At the time I was a christian in a sense that I 'aspired to be like Christ' (only act like him, I didn't have plans on being the next son of God!) and was told flat out that by not attending church I couldn't have any contact with God. The teacher flatly refused to consider my viewpoint. Hence the bitterness In conclusion (I never seem to be able to write short posts ) I would say that I'm tolerant of other people's views, just not slavish adherence to tradition.

 

Sorry for the OT of this post,

 

Let us know how the prom plans go and good luck!

[Chastan]

Is this Religious Education something that's taught at all schools in the U.K.?

 

I don't know, I guess I am totally out of my frame of reference here (another damn American)

 

edit: Oh, and sorry about the prom thing...hope that works out!!

[JK_Wakefield]

NO S*** that sounds like my Driver's Ed class. Movies with disturbing images (which don't bother me, hehe desensitized yank) and other stuff. I have friends that have to go to Private Schools run by churches so i KNOW that that SUX!!!! Good luck to ya in your quest for prom.