One time I had a teacher who would not grade my 5 paragraph essay; due to missing school because I got into a car accident. So what I did was write a whole new essay and send it to no only her, but every important head in the school district. Here is just a little something that I wrote my junior year of high school, while I was struggling to get my English grade back up.
Fairness and Favoritism
Echo Dietzler
Fairness; noun the state, condition, or quality of being fair, or free from bias or injustice. Is how dictionary.com defines the word “fairness” which to me seems to be what every school district claims to believe happens on a daily basis under their premises. Often enough, I can disagree 100% with what school districts believe, I know what is right and wrong. I also know that fairness also relates to favoritism. Which I strongly believe that I will not have to define that word. May I also add, every school district in the nation will claim that under their premises favoritism is something that happens on a daily basis. Depending on what crowd a high school student falls into, or how much butt is kissed throughout high school years, I have found the kids who are treated by favoritism as well as kids who are treated by unfairness.
As a 9th grade student I was a 3 sport athlete, A honor roll student, and a total kiss ass to almost every teacher in my high school. I wanted to succeed, do well, but more than anything I wanted teachers to like me. At most high schools it starts off at 9th grade. Thats where every student is handed a fresh clean slate to forget all the middle school years, every teacher back in that prison we like to call middle school. But just because a clean slate is handed to every student, doesn’t mean that every teacher treats every student as if they have a clean slate. Teachers know of students reputations from middle school, which usually means that, that’s how a student will now be treated. By their reputation. Which in my mind seems completely and utterly crooked.
As sophomore year comes around, students are usually finding who to click with, who has the same interests. Students will find happiness, sadness, heartbreak, and come to realization that some people really will not like them. As do teachers though, teachers can point out a student and put a label right across their forehead. If a student is in the school band, well might as well give them A+ on their 3 page essay, a student is an athlete they deserve an A as well because they can’t miss a game because of having bad grades. But what seems ironic in my head is that, a student who is quiet, doesn’t discuss much in class, maybe smokes pot on their free time to deal with stress, someone who will cut themselves down over one stupid essay, work all night, even spend days on this essay that is so important to do well on and gets their paper back, with a D- plastered in red on the front of their paper. Even though, one student's work is just as good as another, one student discusses more in class than another, it’s about fairness right? There is no such thing as favoritism I thought? Or atleast thats what every school district likes to believe.
As junior year starts, every student is slapped in the face with the ACT. Basically students are told that if you don’t do well on this, go work at Mcdonald’s. But also, by this time of student’s high school career some people have developed this thing called depression, or anxiety.
Depression; noun feeling of severe despondency and dejection. Is how google defines the word depression, which most school districts also say that students should be able to cope with their mental illness like depression at school, with a therapist that is provided by the school. But may I add, it is so great school districts have these opportunities for students to seek help. Although just because a district has these choices for students and their families to make, teachers have problems with students missing even 2 minutes of class. A therapy session takes about 45 minutes. Well teachers are now having fits about students missing class for their own mental health that can be caused a lot of the time by school, teachers, other students, and just the stress of not feeling good enough. Students will feel scared, worried, anxious to even attend school. I can say that for a fact because I am in that exact situation. Teachers, and students have made me feel like there really is no point in going to school, trying, or just being existent. Rude behaviors by certain teachers have really set me off edge, remembering back in 9th grade I was a suck up to teachers. Students who have bullied me for wearing foundation, getting spray tans, or having a boyfriend make it hard to face to reality of high school.
Every school district goes against the morals of fairness, and goes with favoritism. Students are so different from each other, but hard work is something that many of them have in common. But only some get praised for it. No matter what battle a student is fighting, teachers will only care about the students who are their favorites. As I would witness it every single day at school. No student should feel as if they shouldn’t try as hard because a teacher won’t give them the time of day due to their attendance, reputation, or past problems. Every student deserves fairness, as all should be treated equally. As well as a clean slate on a daily basis.
