Over the past few years, many students have noticed many reforms to the education system. Although some of these reforms have been good, many of the reforms are leaving students with the feeling that the school they entered in grade nine has been turned into reform school right below their noses. Schools should take more peoples ideas into consideration before implementing rules and policies.
Almost everyone at Turner Fenton remembers the questionable decision made by our school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and administration that took effect on February 4, 2001 " the banning of ALL headgear from Turner Fenton's buildings. Almost every student who cared thought it was an attack on one of our fundamental freedoms " "Everyone has the freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, - Opinion and expression? Where is our expression if we cannot wear hats? The school's defence was the belief that every person who wears a bandana could be in a gang, expressing their gang's colours. So unfortunately, in an attempt to not discriminate against a small group of people that wear bandanas, they decided to ban ALL headgear, with religious headgear as an exception, from being displayed' on one's person, meaning we are not even supposed to attach it to our belts. The Education Act of Ontario allows this: "If required to do so by the Minister, a board shall establish policies and guidelines respecting appropriate dress for pupils in schools within the board's jurisdiction, and the policies and guidelines must address such matters and include such requirements as the Minister may specify."" .
We all know the stories of Columbine, and other massacres similar which are the strongest point needed for why knives, etc. are banned from school property. As part of a lesson in English, my teacher explained to us the meaning of the mural in the north cafeteria, as well as the meaning of J.
