Humor Editor
If my grandparents were to attend school with me for a day, they would without a doubt be disappointed by adolescent behavior. The lack of manners that the majority of today’s youth demonstrate appalls members of older generations as well as teens such as myself. For as long as I can remember my parents have bombarded my sisters and me with the now foreign concept of proper etiquette. It was a simple process really; when we wanted something, we didn’t get it— unless there was a “please” or a “thank you” involved.
Maybe it’s just because my parents were manner-Nazis, but I always notice when someone is not being courteous. This widespread issue really caught my attention when, after thanking one of the cafeteria staff that handed me my lunch, she commented on how rarely she gets thanked by the student body, and that she truly appreciated it. A wave of shame came over me; could students really be that ungrateful? Our teaching and custodial staff work tirelessly to enrich our educational environment and yet we can’t even muster up a simple “thank you?”
Because it would be wrong to base an opinion off one person’s experience, I spoke with several cafeteria staff members. The general consensus was that though students aren't completely rude, very few go out of their way to be extra polite. I understand that people are busy and that sometimes even the most polite people forget their manners once in a while; however, I feel the need to stress the importance of thanking those who help us.
Courtesy is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “behavior marked by polished manners or respect for others.” The key word in that definition is respect. Students are losing respect for their elders, their teachers, and their school. Moreover, disrespecting substitute teachers has become a common trend amongst students nowadays. Almost every experience I have had with a substitute involves, to varying extents, students who blatantly disregard the substitute’s authority.
Some may say that its just “kids being kids,” however, high school students are hardly kids anymore. One would think the very individuals who are constantly vying for more freedom could offer the same respect to temporary teachers whom they expect in return. Having worked as a substitute for a few months before taking a job at LGHS, Mr. Pawlowski recalls, "Unless I set up clear expectations, students tried to take advantage of me and push the limits of acceptable behavior."
Unfortunately, substitutes aren’t the only adults who feel are continually deprived of respect. In prior issues of El Gato, the perils of the custodial staff have been touched upon. El Gato delved deep into the issue of students failing to pick up their trash, however, we failed to shed light upon the issue of students destroying school property. It is really discouraging to see students harm our beautiful campus, and even more saddening to see the custodial staff cleaning it up.
Also, though I’m embarrassed to write about this, and I can’t speak for the girl’s bathroom, however, whoever finds it humorous to place feces anywhere other than where it should go is completely juvenile and disrespectful. I can’t begin to describe how disgusting it is that adults have to pickup after students in that regard. Nevertheless, I don’t mean to come off as completely judgmental and scathing. LGHS wildcats have a reputation for being hardworking and smart students. For the most part students are respectful, but there is always room for improvement. I hope what students take away from my spiel is to always remember to be grateful and courteous because people work hard. A simple “thank you” can make someone’s day
