Last Monday (August 1, 2011), my school officially enforced an edict that said "No playing of video games in the library." Now while this sounds fine and all at first glance, the problem is that playing of video games was allowed before our library. Students who were playing video games played only in the discussion area of the library (the part where there are no books at all and is rarely air conditioned). In fact, before this policy was enforced teachers and staff would even watch us play and they didn't gave us infractions or the like. So when I first heard about this, I asked myself "Why only now?" If they didn't want students to play inside the library they should have enforced this rule a long time ago (like before I even entered college). They did not. This new rule also means that students can't play video games on their own devices. To make things worse, they did not even gave a rationale behind this decision. It's as if they woke up one morning and said "Time to take away another one of our students privileges."
This event highlights a problem with my school - rules apparently are passed whenever the school authorities please. Any kind of rules, including ones with no apparent logical explanation. Such a fact goes against the notion that school is a second home for its students. Sure at home rules are made by parents, but of course any caring parent would have given the kids a chance to explain themselves. In this case, we students were not even given such a privilege. They just enforced a rule without hearing our side of the bargain...and without us even hearing their side as well. This makes school less of a second home and more of a prison. If this goes on with my school with whatever future rules, relations will just sour between students and the school authorities. If you ask me, before any rule is enforced in the school, students concerned should be given the opportunity to say their opinions and what ever constructive criticism they have. What I'm suggesting is that there should be referendums with regards to any new policies the school authorities want to implement. That way, there can be a compromise between both parties...the best of both worlds. I feel there is something wrong about my school's way of operating things, and I want change...but not by using insidious, dishonest, monetary, or violent methods. If referendums for school policies do happen (or something like it), it will show that the school authorities are not despotic tyrants as some say but caring surrogate parents.
