Applying conflict theory to high school

[BluesyZapatista]

Do you think it would make sense? You have many groups in school, and which one your in usually decides if teachers let you speak your opinons, be friendly to, and get there voice heard. The "popular" group gets to express there opinion a lot more than any other group, and there opinion is usually taken as the opinion of the entire student body. In the yearbook, the pictures that line the bottom of the page are always of the popular group. The popular group gets the most out of it, and then you go down from there. They usually get out of diciplinary action for there actions while others get the worst for who they are. I could go further but im sleepy. Ive been thinking about this for a while. Ever since i stepped foot in my high school I have seen this and have always wanted to express it. Any thoughts or opinions?

[Beccie]

Do you live in America? What you have described sounds like what I would expect to see in a Hollywood movie.

In my school the teachers use to love the nerds. I was lucky, even though I went to a Catholic school in Australia, I had many leftist teachers at my high school who encouraged intelligent response and tended to ignore ignorant remarks usually made by "the popular people" (I really hate using that word)

The photos in our yearbook were done in alphabetical order.

[BluesyZapatista]

i live in america, and in the south. Thats what happens at my high school. The ones who are usually the popular ones get loved by teachers, not the nerds.

[Sabocat]

I think you'll find that this aptly describes most people's high school experience. At least in the U$

It rings very true to me, and I haven't been in high school for 23 years! Some things never change.

[Beccie]

like I said before, I was rather lucky with my high school.

[redstar2000]

I suppose the best advice I can offer you, BluesyZapatista, is to simply ignore all the high school bullshit and "follow your own course"...on the internet or with potential friends who don't go to your school or any school at all.

When you get right down to it, what difference does it make what assholes "think"?

:cool:

[Subcomandante Marcos]

Now there is a script from another teen movie, i swear i havent seen that kind of crap anywhere, only in movies and i laugh really hard.

In my school there are groups, of course, but there is no such thing as popularity. Lets analize the word a little bit, according to the dictionary: 1. fact of being well liked: admiration, approval, or acceptance of somebody or something by people in general or by a particular group of people.[15th century. Via Anglo-Norman populer from Latin popularis of the people, from populus people (source of English people and public), of uncertain origin: probably from Etruscan.]

This means been liked, no one likes the teeny girls who look down at other people, they think they are the popular ones, but there is no such thing. That kind of crap is only believed on the US and i couldnt expect any less.

They are going to dominate as long as you are afraid of them, is like a dictator, he is going to rule as long as the people dont overthrow him/her. Stand up to them.

[Dirty Commie]

Has any one noticed that the rich snobby 'popular' people are the ones that most people hate because they think they are popular?

I have always stood up to teachers, NEVER let any teacher try to silence your first amendment rights, even when the government wipes their ass with the bill of rights, you can take a teacher to court if they won't let you organize a student group as long as it doesn't disrupt the daily routine more than another group would.

Get up, stand up! stand up for your rights-Bob Marley

[Organic Revolution]

my school sucks

[Blibblob]

I go to a full nerd school(in the name: Center for Advanced Technologies, yeah...). But within that school, the more popular nerds get to voice their opinions more often. But since they are all nerds and know nothing of politics, they usually don't say anything. My history teacher didn't like me giving him articles in person(he knew it was coming from a communist), so I placed them on his desk, un-marked. Next I knew, he read it to the class, it was on the Pearl Harbor conspiracies. I see something wrong there.


Now there is a script from another teen movie, i swear i havent seen that kind of crap anywhere, only in movies and i laugh really hard.

In my school there are groups, of course, but there is no such thing as popularity. Lets analize the word a little bit, according to the dictionary: 1. fact of being well liked: admiration, approval, or acceptance of somebody or something by people in general or by a particular group of people.[15th century. Via Anglo-Norman populer from Latin popularis of the people, from populus people (source of English people and public), of uncertain origin: probably from Etruscan.]

This means been liked, no one likes the teeny girls who look down at other people, they think they are the popular ones, but there is no such thing. That kind of crap is only believed on the US and i couldnt expect any less.

They are going to dominate as long as you are afraid of them, is like a dictator, he is going to rule as long as the people dont overthrow him/her. Stand up to them.
If it's in US movies, it usually happens in life...

[bemalech]

I'll never forget my 6th form (12th grade) in which we were studdying China from a rightist point of view. It was like being spoon fed propaganda. I failed my special studdies because i focussed on Mao and Joseph stillwell and the whole rise of the communist party. My teacher said it was "misguided" and that those sort of oppinions were not welcome in her classroom. The so called 'popular' students who did crappy half assed reports scored higher because the went along with the rightist b.s.

I had it remark by the head of the department and got 82%, my teacher was not happy.

[Lefty]

Most of my teachers like me because I prove the stupid people wrong without truly pissing them off. Also, we have two card-carrying members of the Communist party in my school teaching Western Civ, World Studies, Current Events, and Economics, among other things i'm sure, and another one that is retiring this year. I have yet to meet a single real right-wing teacher, except my nemisis Mr. Krull from last year, but he was cool because he thought it was good that I could actually back up my opinions, and he supported me protesting and things like that. Other than him, all of my teachers have not only liked the smart people regardless of popularity, but had open minds, and it seems like that is something that most other school districts don't have. I guess I'm lucky.

Oh yeah, my 8th grade history teacher made the class read "Lies My Teacher Told Me" because "most of the stuff in the textbook is pure bullshit." I love Mr. Antion. :)

[Iepilei]

I had a teacher who referred to his history class not as 'american history' but as 'american history according to westfall (his name)'

Atleast he was honest.

But as far as my school goes, the popular students get in well with the regular/honors classes and the smarter ones tend to get in well with the ap teachers. I'm liked by my teachers because I'm not afraid to stick it to anyone - not even them.

My economics teacher is cool with me, as is my philosophy. My economics teacher is very very right winged, and my philosophy teacher is borderline (centrist-boarder leftist). My govt teacher was hardcore crazy liberal. I got along well with her.

Is it just me, or is anyone else uncomfortable with using the world 'liberal'? I use it to describe the american 'left'. Leftists, as I see, are revolutionary-minded or are atleast very apt for quick reform. 'Liberals' are just closet leftists.

[Lefty]

Mr. Uetz at my school (social studies and economics) got in trouble for excusing kids from class as long as they were protesting or working to bring about the fall of bush or capitalism, and he gave extra credit to those who wrote reports about their experiences. That is fucking COOL!