Monday, May 19, 2008

TY LONGBY





Hello All!

My name is Ty Longby most of you should know me as the one time jock now a teacher. It is a shame that the school had to get involved in the lives of the students while not at school. It is our (I say our because I am part of the staff) reponsibility to keep the kids safe at school. When something is brought to our attention outside of school, we must handle it. Kids in High School know what is illegal and what is not illegal. I know that when I was at school, we all knew how to get around the law. We would sneak things places that shouldn't be there. Since I was the coolest kid at my high school I always knew where the spot was.

I think this is absurd. The recent MYSPACE bust at our school. Kids are so stupid these days. Everyone uses the the internet. School is even becoming the internet. Students no longer have to show up at school to be called going to school. It is crazy the way the internet has changed the way we live our lives day to day. We are in a culture of speed. When we want to know something we will find out with the click of the send button in our email. But anyways back to the MYSPACE scandal. The Students are idiots. They know that putting things on the internet could end up in the wrong hands. First off why would they be doing illegal things, secondly why would they piost them they can get in trouble. Students taht get caught doing illegal things will be punished. No matter how it is shown they were doing it. If people are going to do those things and make it public they will get in trouble. The best way to not get caught is to not do it.

Students need to realize that we are trying to make them better people in the future. Doing harmful things to the body at a young age will only make it worse. So if it means getting them into trouble now, and that will save their lives then we will do what we have to. Kids should thank us when they get into trouble, because hopefully it was a lesson learned and will never do anything like that again.

20 comments:

Heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

I completely agree (besides that part about you being a beast or being cool) these kids should not be participating in this illegal activity in the first place. If they are posting pictures on the internet of themselves under the influence, they are just asking for trouble. I keep hearing about more and more student getting into trouble because of pictures on MySpace or Facebook. Here is one example.. http://media.www.thepacificindex.
com/media/storage/paper1207/news/
2008/04/25/SpecialFeature/You-Were
.Drinking.Facebook.Told.Us.So-3350
756.shtml
The students at Grand Heights High School will have a consequences because of these pictures.

Alli L said...

I agree that illegal activity is not acceptable and that the kids should face the consequences for posting bad behavior online. I am shocked that the kids and there parents think that it is unfair to be punished. Its one thing to be discreet about bad behavior but to put it in the public eye is a whole new thing.

-Ms Johnson

Jake S said...

Hello there Mr. Longby, I remember hearing about you sometime ago, I'm one of the bus drivers, Lloyd is the name. I feel that illegal activity is not okay to be going on around school. But people should realize that no matter what kids are going to drink and there is nothing we can do to stop everyone. Therefore we should try to become more accepting, and make it safer so when kids do drink they won't feel like they have to hide it as much resulting in a death. Hopefully you see where I'm coming from. Good day.

mgartner said...

Ty,

Thank you for your supportive comments. Our school has been going through a rough time and it is important for us and the rest of the staff to be there for the students and straighten this mess out. I have been available for the students to talk to and I hope they take advantage of that so that they can get back on the right track. We need to not only fix this situation, but make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again.

Thanks again,
Cecile Calibo

LaurenVann said...

Mr. Longby,

I do agree with your beliefs about how teens should be punished by posting illegal things on the computer HOWEVER, I do not think that in any way the students at Grand Heights High School are idiots. I mean, if you think students are idiots, why are you even teaching? You should enjoy my job. I enjoy slapping mushy green beens on prison-like trays on a daily basis. I also enjoy yelling at line budgers and personally escorting them to the end of the line. Mr. Longby, I think it's time for you to retire.
Edna Quiggle

AlyssaV said...

Mr. Longby,
I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say in either your post to me or your personal post. You contradict yourself every other sentence. First of all, in your first paragraph, you say that “It is a shame that the school had to get involved in the lives of the students while not at school”. However two sentences later you state “When something is brought to our attention outside of school, we must handle it”. I'd hate to be condescending, but I honestly hope you see the problem in your statements. You can't both stay out of students' personal lives and punish them for breaking the law, because doing one violates the other. Later in the paragraph you admit that you broke laws when you were a teen, and then at the beginning of the next condemn my peers. I would assume that you are disappointed in my peers merely for making their illegal actions so obvious rather than the act itself. In short, you don't mind the fact that we are committing crimes, just the way we present them in public. Later, though, you say that students shouldn't do illegal things because they will be punished for them and that “the best way to not get caught is to not do it”. This highlights yet another flaw in your argument. What subject do you teach again? And at the end you say students should be happy they are caught by the school doing illegal things because it will make them better people.
The problem is, Mr. Longby, it is not the schools job to punish students for crimes. Last time I checked the school was not a part of the justice system. You commented on my blog and said that I was friends with all the kids who got in trouble. You're right, I am friends with some of them and know who all of them are. However, your assertions that I was also involved are untrue. While I enjoyed the link on student body presidents and their duties, I am substance free and I try to set a good example for my peers. But just like it's not the schools job to get involved, it's not my job to force my peers to follow me, and I wouldn't choose to. People have to be allowed to make decisions for themselves. You accused me because you're prone to think that all students are inadequate members of society. I'll be the first to admit that we have our downfalls. But I suggest you take a closer look at yourself.


Sincerely,
Lyla Marx

Student Body President
Grand Heights High School

Jeff T said...

Mr Longby,
I will consider letting you come talk to my team, I feel that it would make them stronger to have a elder come and speak to them about the struggles of life teach them about winning and help them become men. As for loosing some of my best players its terrible but it has to be done to set the right example kids these days are way to out of control and they need to be taught that using in season and out will only cause you more trouble in the future and in the present thanks for you consideration
coach Kell

Chelseaw said...

Mr Longby,
I agree with some things you say, and disagree with others.
Some things you say are contradicting other things.
I agree with the fact that they should just know not to put things like that up on Myspace, but I don't agree with what you said about the school handling the situation. It doesn't involve the school so there is no need to get involved.

-Herald Hounderson

Jillian said...

Thank you for agreeing with me Mr. Longby. In times like these us teachers and administration need to stick together. This Myspace incident is extremely embarrassing not only for the students involved but for the school as well. These decisions made by these kids effect everyone and we need to make sure that they know that this behavior is not acceptable and it will be punished. It's amazing to me that these kids not only participated in these illegal activities but actually posted proof on the internet!

Brandon K. said...

Hey Mr.Longby I agree with what you have to say about the privacy, and what kids are doing is stupid, but I don't think that they should be punished for it. It their own time, and the schools job is to punish people when kids are at school, not when they are on their own free time.

Chet Ander

Heather said...

Mr. Ty Longby,

First of all you have no right to be rude to me. I don't think that you realize that I am your boss and I do "release" teachers that do not belong at Grand Heights High School. I believe that you need to watch your attitude before this becomes a further problem. Thanks for your time
-Mr. Man

E. M. Peterson said...

Dear Mr. Longby,

I don't know if you understand your students quite as well as you think. I don't mean to offend you in any way, but I don't think you are someone the students want to talk to about this issue at hand. Calling the students idiots isn't exactly...kind words Mr. Longby. Now I know that you are concerned about our students' safety on the Internet and with reasonable cause. I'm not going to say that negative things don't happen over the Internet. Unfortunately, 60% of teens have talked to someone over AIM or email that they don't even know.

(http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/36/report_display.asp)

But Mr. Longby, who can the students turn to and ask questions to about the Internet. I mean, what if the students know that they have made a mistake and want to go to someone about it? I guess it's a difficult issue. But Charlie, why did they look through his things? I find it unfair and rather cruel that they just did that. Those letters were his vent, those letters were his escape. If you take that away what do you think will happen? Will he bottle up those emotion? Or could they backfire and explode? I am so frightened Mr. Longby because he is my good friend. Please, Mr. Longby, think about it. Think about Charlie. And Listen. Just listen.

~Isabella Ophoven

Tommy said...

My guy Ty, you are the idiot! Don't say that kids are the idiots when I've heard rumors of you when you were in high school. That's right Ty, I heard about your senior prom, and all I can say is I'm disgusted! Teenagers these days deserve some privacy, and you're just taking it right away from them. The problem with you teacher's today, is that you're all power hungry and want to have control of the students even when their not in class. That is immorally wrong and very immature. Lets not act our shoe sizes here Ty, lets give the kids some freedom.

Sincerely, John Braewood

Mike B. said...

hello beast,

I have to say I agree with basically everything you had to say. It is parent's and the school's responsibilities to protect, and in cases like these punish kids for bad behavior. It's the only way to try and prevent a teenager from developing bad habits like drinking and drug abuse. I bet that the schools' decision will help these kids greatly in their future. Lets hope that they do in fact thank us for our decisions.

College Girl said...

Mr. Longby-
I am definitely not saying that what the kids did was acceptable but I don't think the school has the authority to punish them for something they did outside of school walls. Is should be left to the parents or the law enforcement. But the school should stay out of it unless it is at school.

April Shauers

Gorman said...

Mr. Longby!

Long time no see, I hope to see you at one of our games soon. A lot of the students really respect you as a teacher and love when you tell them about your past history as an athlete. Anyways, you made your great point about how times have changed, and the internet basically rules the world. But make that adjustment and wonder what it would be like being a teenager these days. I'm sure you would have a myspace page if you were in high school. As much as you loved sports, wouldn't you be bummed out if you got banned because some parent sent in a picture of you because they wanted their son to start in a sport instead of you? Just something to consider! A lot of students would be upset if you were the reason they get caught!

-Danny Reynolds

Josh R said...

Ty,
Why the long face... Ha your still the same jerk you were back in the day. I think unique is a better way to describe me instead of weird. Oh and inappropriate things, don't tell me that you never heard a swear word in a song before. Were you really surprised that this happened cause I remember you being involved in suspicious activities. I think someone got in trouble when they were a kid and now that they have power they wan to take it out on the kids. Which raises another question, is administration just power hungry?

Josh R said...

Frank out

E.Holmquist said...

Mr. Longby,

Excuse me but as a faculty member of Grand Heights I think that it is a bit disrespectful that you are calling a student dumb. I don't know if you have any sort of argument to back up your thoughts but it did not seem that way to me. First of all I agree with you that the students information becoming private makes it free game. However I don't feel that the school has a right to do WHATEVER they want to. The school should not have authority to punish former students at the least. I don't know if you just don't like students or think that every teenager is the stereotypical rule breaker, but teenagers do deserve a bit of a break. Of course there are consequences but the school took them too far.

Hoping I never have a class with you, Valerie Smith