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Four South Jersey high school seniors' moderate little act of resistance and artistic freedom brought down some punishment recently. Too much. Even if later, some of it was snatched back.
I held it, because we don't generally comment on school policy. And there's a reason for that: educators have the crushing responsibility not only for launching young scholars into the world prepared for life, but also for their safety. I believe in treading lightly where school policy's concerned, and I respect educators. But a similar crackdown in a Morris County high school - also over pre-approval of students' words - makes me want to talk about this here.
Lower Cape May HS has an Annual Talent Show, for a lot of graduating seniors their last time to perform on their home stage. I remember those shows. It's a big deal.
The Jetsons, all students there, were the closing act. Their song, like all material, was pre-approved by faculty. Red Hot Chili Peppers' Aeroplane (presumably with f-bombs excised). But at the end of it, they segued into unapproved material, Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall Part 2:
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.
Ironic, given these seniors were headed to college ... and more education. So there were cheers. It's funny! And it's a decent American tradition, that kind of impudence. Spunk. I wish I could tell you teachers grinned at the opening chords. After all, Pink Floyd's their era.
But, no. Amplifyer cords were yanked, curtains pulled. Then, punishment, for defiance of authority, insubordination and misuse of school property. Kids responded by coming to school in t-shirts depicting Hollywood 1950's blacklisting, emblazoned Teachers! Leave those kids alone! Yeah, that's a little dramatic, albeit correct grammatically. But it got the school to stand down. Good on the kids.
Now, jump with me for the goings-on at Mount Olive HS. It's a little worse:
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