Hello all, Mr.Johnson here. I am currently the dean of students.
I personally am working hard with the school to help the victims related to this case and also trying to punish the criminals. As an administrator, I know that it is my business to help the students feel safe while they are at school. Like Kevin Giles said in his recent article, the youth are feeling the bite of the adder we call technology. This girl who had her nude photos hanging up in the locker room, is surely feeling the sting. Fact of the matter is though, that this boy is surely troubled that he felt as though he had to ruin her reputation by hanging the pictures up.
Truly what I am advocating for is having a school wide assembly to let these students know to not do these atrocities. They are representing our beloved school, and putting a bad name on our gorilla. Our pupils need to realize the horrible side affects of their actions. Oregon police chief Don Brown who recently had to deal with drinking pictures on myspace.com, remarked that "you can learn alot about your kids and your community [from myspace.com]." I truly advocate for these students to get punished. Don't do the crime if you can't pay the time.
11 comments:
Mr. James Johnson,
I'm glad that we are on the same page. The students at Grand Heights High School represent our community and we need to keep our wonderful reputation. The administration must come to a conclusion on how to punish these students. They need to know that what they are doing is not only wrong, but dangerous. We will talk soon.
-Mr. Man
James,
I am glad to hear that you tried to approach me in a calm, respectful way. You sound like you need to relax. I mean this with all respect, but what exactly are you doing on myspace. I understand that some of your students are in trouble with the law. That is exactly my point, the law, I know that you want to keep students safe, but you are in no position to punish kids for what they are doing outside of your high school doors. They can choose to do whatever they want in their own free time.
Rudy BUrgandy
Mr. Johnson,
I agree that a school assembly is a good idea. There are a lot of students who don't think that this is a school issue. I think that it is a school issue because it involved our students and when they are writing their inappropriate magazine they are representing our school. We should make the students aware of the punishment given for this kind of issue so that it doesn't come as a shock. Maybe if they know the punishments, they will stray from this kind of behavior. My job is to keep the students on the right path, maybe I should talk to the students involved in this.
Thanks,
Cecile Calibo
Guidance Counselor
Mr. Johnson,
I think your move for a school wide assembly is good in theory, but would be a complete waste of time. No offense, but I don’t think students really care, that much is obvious based on the reactions of the men’s locker room population. I agree with you that students need to be warned to watch their actions more closely but I think you overestimate us. An assembly would merely provide an opportunity for student to skip school with out missing class. Most of us know what has come to pass; we are aware of the current events. Gossip travels fast. I think an hour or two our assembly/ lecture would deaden any empathy or impact the original issues had on the student body.
I whole heartedly agree that students should be punished for the things they post online; though I am apprehensive of your true meaning. I don’t think the school administration should be the one doing the punishing.
Sincerely,
Lyla Marx
Student Body President
Grand Heights High School
P.S. While I am a big supporter of GHHS, I don’t think preserving the name of the Gorillas is a motivation for kids to stop drinking. Our school has pride, but if athletes on our sports teams aren’t deterred from substance abuse under contract, I don’t think the student body will stop in the name of our mascot.
Mr. Johnson,
I do speak up. I think those pictures were horrible, and I am still in shock that one human being could do that to another. I suppose that shows how naive I am. I really do condemn the actions of my fellow students. I suppose they think they are invincible. I hope the recent events will show them how truly vulnerable they truly are. However, I am in serious doubt about that. We were all aware of previous cases, such as the one in Eden Prairie and Woodbury, but they didn’t seem to make an impression.
Lyla Marx
James,
I Am also glad we are on the same page on this one. the students need to be safe and if that means intervening with there privet lives then it needs to be done. the things they are doing is horrible and they need help controlling there student body.
Coach Kell
Dear Mr. James Johnson,
I understand what you are saying about the students who are being punished in this incident, but I do need to speak out for Charlie. I know you guess must think he is a stupid kid who shouldn't have had those letters in the first place. But Charlie, that was all in his past. He's gotten better. Much better. You must have heard about his home troubles and the reasons behind his hospitalization. Anyways, I hope you don't look at the Internet in a negative light Mr. Johnson.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121208127671929753.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
There is an article there about these student who interview and question each other intelligently about many different things. Charlie is kind of like them. Always questioning. I'm sorry I keep bringing him up but he is a dear friend to me. And I think I'm one of his good friends too. Anyways, I really do think you are the right man to get the ball rolling. I feel like the administration is turning a deaf ear to the students and I really think you can turn that around. You are our voice, Mr. Johnson. Please, let us be heard. Please, let us speak.
~Isabella Ophoven
Mr. Johnson-
I understand you want to protect the kids but that is not entirely your responsibility to do so. Yes you can protect them inside of school but outside is the parent's responsibility. The school is to educate the student and to teach them what they need to go on to college and so on. Parents are to teach the kid about the real world and morals and how to be safe. It is crossing that line you are proposing to do when you get involved in issues like this. Just stay out of it.
April Shauers
Dear Mr. Johnson,
I really like the way you are approaching this issue. I think it's fair that you are letting everyone know what our expectations are here at Grand Heights. Give them an opportunity to get rid of what they have, immediately, before any more action is taken. Kind of like giving everybody a new slate. Those who have already been caught will serve their time, but those who have things that should be taken down, should delete them immediately!
-Coach Reynolds
James Johnson,
I disagree with what you are saying. Why do you think it is your job to look through everyone's facebook. I think I know what your deal is, you are just a creep. You probably spent many long hours checking out pictures of all of the cute highschool girls on Facebook. What are you, like forty five? Thats just gross. If it weren't for creeps like you, we wouldn't have this problem right now. Get a life man.
-Joe Hyland
Mr. Johnson,
Hello there. I am currently a senior at Grand Heights and I feel the same way about the administration's role in promoting a positive school community. I also think that the punishment from the faculty was a bit harsh. I know that there were bad things happening in those photos and the lockers, but to go punish a student who no longer goes to Grand Heights was out of line. I mean if you want to keep up the reputation of the school than all you need to deal with is those students who attend the school. This former student is no longer associated with Grand Heights and should be of no concern to the school. I believe that the motives were legit and acceptable but I think next time the administration should really ask who do we have power over? what should we as a promoter of positive actions be able to do to keep that up? These questions will hopefully be answered differently than in this case in the future, but the intentions are good.
Sincerely,
Valerie Smith
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