By Shawna Bratton
Copy Editor
There are three kinds of students in this school; the ones that play sports, the ones that work, and the ones that go home and relax the rest of the night. The school has two kinds of perspective towards these students; you’re important, or you’re not. The value of student athletes is more precious than the value of student worker.
On Monday Sept. 28, 2015, Neshaminy teachers received an email in regards to the football team which suggested giving “leeway” on homework. That same night, some students had to work until late and had no leeway on their school work. “I don’t get home until 10:30, sometimes 11:00, I only get three hours of sleep on school nights.” Neshaminy senior, Mary Doyle, said. Most students with jobs are in the age range as to where they can work until eleven o’clock at night, even later, and they do.
“I work to provide for myself,” senior Michael Thieroff said, who recently got a car which he has to put gas in and pay for insurance. There are many students who work, not for the simple joy of having money, but for the mere fact that they are providing their own basic needs. “My parents don’t buy me things, I buy them myself,” Thieroff said.
Some think working is a choice, and it is; a choice to make a living while learning about the real world and how to be responsible. On the other hand, the students participating in extracurricular activities are considered a well-known priority. Sports are the most prized asset considering they bring in the most money; even higher on the school’s “priority list” is the football team.
They are the team who carries the name to victory; they team that defines school pride; and the team that causes all other clubs to feel less than and unimportant to Neshaminy. “Some staff caters to the athlete especially when it comes to discipline, school policy, and definitely school work,” a member of the Neshaminy faculty said.
They receive “special consideration” when dealing with student body matters. A handful of staff would make exceptions for other students, such as ones involved in the musical, band, other sports and clubs, but most will not. “Some staff makes exception for the athlete and not everyone else; everybody has an excuse for everything, ” said faculty member.
The email sent was considered a “slap in the face for other students,” and “unnecessary”. The football receives a night off from school work along with the marching band and cheerleaders, only because they’re associated with football, while other students are swamped with assignments. The faculty doesn’t know the student’s home situation or work schedule, but if a student had a sports game or practice it’s considered “teacher knowledge”.
The students of Neshaminy deserve a fair chance to be excused from homework when the circumstances call for such measures. No sport or club should be the exception to any rule in regards to school work mean to be done at home. A majority of the student body doesn’t go straight home or stay there all night; people have other late clubs, practices, and work. One for all or all for none.
