when i look back at all the crap i learned in high school

since I've told a few of my high school chums (hi, chums!) about this site, I thought this might be of interest... and even if you didn't go to high school w/ me, check out what a great place it's becoming!

From the May 4 parents' association meeting:

In the aftermath of the Greece trip, students have been spoken to regarding Hackley’s policies. The objective is always one of deterrence. Walter’s hope is to create a safer environment for all students. He also discussed the conditions under which Hackley may require look into drug testing, as decribed in the Student Handbook. Random testing will not be employed, but if there are credible allegations of drug use, Hackley reserves the right to use non-invasive drug testing by hair sample. He noted that sometimes students may act as if they use drugs just to attract attention. The hair testing system, which requires only 1.5 inches of hair and tests drug use in the past three months, can be employed to test for a variety of substances, although not alcohol. Rules regarding severity of punishments and offenses are found on the website in order of their severity., although none are absolute. As a result of the Greece trip, there will be an increase in the rationumber of chaperones on school trips, and chaperones will be instructed on increasing their effectiveness. He intends to talk more to students, faculty and parents in the future to explain the protocols, possibly including a signedwritten agreement to signfor students participating in overnight trips and for their parents.

(yes, all the typos are from the website, too... i was too lazy to go in and enumerate the [sic]s...)

Does the word 'draconian' pop into any of your minds also?

Some background:

• Yes, I went to a snooty private school in Westchester, NY. For what it's worth, I had a great time, made some lifelong friends, and learned a lot.
  
• Walter = the headmaster.
• "The Greece Trip" that is referred to in the above snippet happened last year. On the trip, a faculty member apparently let some kids drink booze. Somehow word got back to the mothership and all hell broke loose. The funny / ironic part is that neither I nor thousands of other alumnae would have heard about it if the head of the alumni and development office hadn't sent out an email explaining the whole situation and how Hackley 'did the right thing' by severely disciplining the faculty member and students in question. Jerks.

I've heard of schools in less-than-savory areas installing metal detectors, but as far as I know, public schools can't get away with randomly drug testing 'suspicious' kids. Come on, man. As if most of our high school years aren't spent being horribly awkward-- I'm sure I would have been on whatever 'watch list' the administration drafted up just because i had was a really skinny kid with a big ol' afro. Plus one of my best friends was kicked out of school for allegedly selling some pot to another kid in our school's candy store-- I honestly don't know whether it actually happened, but the kid that got caught with the weed's testimony against my friend was more than enough for the administration to kick out my good friend. A bunch of friends of the accused went to Walter and pleaded for our friend- who knows, if the policies mentioned above were in place then, we probably would all have walked out of walter's office with 1.5 inches of hair missing.

It's too bad. When I went there, it was a great place where you could meet some really interesting people, both kids and faculty, and be overprepared for college in the process. Now they're lucky to hold on to a teacher for more than two years. I have three words of advice for my Hackley brethren:

Shave your heads.