When we arrived at the high school around 7:30 p.m., the line at the entrance extended far out the door. We took our place, and a fellow student immediately informed us that we might not be let in on account of our shoes. One friend of ours told us that she had worn crocs last year, with the same rules in place, and had been admitted without a problem. As any student at OPRF knows, however, the 'Safety and Support' team has dramatically changed the character of enforcement lately. Leniency and empathy are things of a bygone era.
After waiting in the line for fifteen minutes, a staff member aggressively informed us, "we can't let you in with those shoes." Our absurd anxieties had been realized. We went up to talk to him. "We're all dressed up, we spent $30 on the tickets, and we just want to go to our homecoming," we pleaded. "We can't make an exception," he replied. I felt frustrated, so I asked him, "Is there any logic behind this rule?"
"The logic is, it's the rule."
We walked out of the hallway, dejected and depressed. We decided to try another entrance, and perhaps encounter a little sympathy. The next staff member angrily informed us, "We've sent 40 to 50 kids home crying because of their shoes, if we made an exception for you then someone would take a picture of your shoes and we'd be getting calls from parents." So we didn't go to homecoming this year.
Does this rule have a logical explanation? Not that I can think of. If the explanation derives from an idea of dressing nicely, I would point the administration and the student council to the countless fashion blogs discussing the merits of gym shoes and converse with suits and dresses as a fashion statement. If the explanation derives from an idea of safety, I would love to have Mr. Randy Braverman explain to me how converse pose a greater safety threat than high heals or other dress shoes, and why his safety measures have to be enforced in such a hostile fashion.
Mr. Rouse, the principal of Oak Park and River Forest High School, asks what kind of 'culture' we want our school to be known for. His employees perpetuate a culture of hostility and disrespect. They discourage students from wanting to come through those doors. There are exceptions of course, security guards who want to help students succeed, but they are fighting a much larger trend towards the impersonal and indifferent treatment of the student body.
How can any member of the administration expect a change in the character of the student body to occur while the staff continually treats the students with disrespect and a lack of sympathy? Every corner I turn, I see the words "Here we treat each other with respect" flaunted by the administration. I don't feel treated with respect, how about you?
"The logic is, it's the rule."
We walked out of the hallway, dejected and depressed. We decided to try another entrance, and perhaps encounter a little sympathy. The next staff member angrily informed us, "We've sent 40 to 50 kids home crying because of their shoes, if we made an exception for you then someone would take a picture of your shoes and we'd be getting calls from parents." So we didn't go to homecoming this year.
Does this rule have a logical explanation? Not that I can think of. If the explanation derives from an idea of dressing nicely, I would point the administration and the student council to the countless fashion blogs discussing the merits of gym shoes and converse with suits and dresses as a fashion statement. If the explanation derives from an idea of safety, I would love to have Mr. Randy Braverman explain to me how converse pose a greater safety threat than high heals or other dress shoes, and why his safety measures have to be enforced in such a hostile fashion.
Mr. Rouse, the principal of Oak Park and River Forest High School, asks what kind of 'culture' we want our school to be known for. His employees perpetuate a culture of hostility and disrespect. They discourage students from wanting to come through those doors. There are exceptions of course, security guards who want to help students succeed, but they are fighting a much larger trend towards the impersonal and indifferent treatment of the student body.
How can any member of the administration expect a change in the character of the student body to occur while the staff continually treats the students with disrespect and a lack of sympathy? Every corner I turn, I see the words "Here we treat each other with respect" flaunted by the administration. I don't feel treated with respect, how about you?
I strongly admire your blog post. You powerfully express your opinion and even go as far as to referencing a fashion blog in support of your opinion. I also agree that limitations such as permitting only dress shoes into homecoming do not create a friendly environment and are not just. I would also like to point out that once past the doors at homecoming, most girls take off their shoes in order to dance, making the shoes worn to the dance pointless. Lastly, I really appreciate your closing line, as it evokes harsh anger that I can picture. Nice job and I hope you receive some justice!
ReplyDeleteAwesome title too!
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ReplyDeleteI feel bad for you. I agree that they should have let you in, especially considering that converse shoes wouldn't look that out of place. There was a kid walking around in Jordans. They need to have specific rules before they kick people out like that.
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