Pressure to do the right thing has been present our whole lives.

Most people do the right thing because they’ve been raised knowing it is right. But there are always the outliers, the misbehavers per say, who get the do-gooders in trouble for doing what they’re expected to.

Rules are in place, at school, at home, and everywhere in between, to keep the kids who make trouble in line. It’s been this way for generations. We understand it’s nothing new that trouble-makers inhibit other kids from pointless restrictions.

For example, because of the risk of kids misbehaving, WS does not have an open campus lunch policy. Almost all students would respect the freedom that an off-campus lunch date entails and appreciate the privilege by accepting the responsibility that comes with this particular opportunity. However, administration realizes that some of these trouble-making students would take advantage of this break from the school building, and therefore the administration must enact rules and restrictions to keep these kids in line. Not only are these kids (who clearly need these rules) restricted, but the kids who are accountable are held back as well. For the ill-behaved students, these constraints mean nothing to them and they choose to break the rules with no concern for the consequences to themselves or other students. Since this is the case, the rules seem incredibly contradictory, keep those who deserve more privileges confined and encouraging those who need limitations to break the rules.

Unfortunately, this is one of those instances in life where society is flawed. Those in charge are obligated to enforce the rules to the best of their ability in an attempt to constrain who they can, and usually it’s the rule-abiding high schoolers who end up suffering.

Having to sit in a smelly cafeteria surrounded by stale food is just one of the consequences of having a few students in our school who disregard restrictions. We’re tired of taking the fall for rule breakers and receiving fewer liberties because of them.

It’s not just the bad kids who ruin privileges for us. Often it’s a miscommunication between the student and the administration. We understand that they have to assume the worst to ensure that no one takes advantage of looser policies. However, most of us student have good intentions.

We really are trying to do the right thing, so once in a while, take a chance on us students and have faith that we can handle the responsibility of additional privileges.