Recently we ran an article about the Pro-Life group that is attempting to become a recognized student organization on campus. When the article was posted on our website, we expected to see a thunderstorm of malicious, angry comments from both sides of the issue.

            We were pleasantly surprised by what we saw. For the most part, all of the comments were respectful, well-thought out, and level-headed. There were none of the typical name calling or pettiness that has become all too familiar in most online discussions.

            While we are proud of the comments on this article, they are sadly the exception to the rule in regards to commenting with a feeling of anonymity; it seems that anytime a person can comment without their real name attached, they become unbelievably cruel.

            Benjamin Morrison of the Columbus Dispatch recently wrote an article on the same topic, calling out his readers on their inappropriate behavior in  the online comments section. In his article he compared the comments of those sent via email versus those sent anonymously through the comments section.

            He stated that without fail those who replied through email, and thus were somewhat accountable for their words, were more kind and respectful, even when disagreeing, than those responding in comments on the newspaper’s site.        

            The same theory can definitely be applied our paper and the types of comments we encounter. Why is it that people are willing to be hurtful and demeaning when they think they can get away with it? What does that say about human nature- that we are only good for fear of getting held responsible for our actions?

            When we redesigned the newspaper’s site, the Bulletin staff went back and forth trying to decide whether or not to make comment-posting anonymous or require a name and email. Ultimately, against the wishes of many of our readers, we decided to go with the required “log-in”. 

            Though we have seen a dramatic decrease in comments since that decision, we have noticed that those who do comment are more civil in their tone, and tend to avoid personal attacks and petty behavior, which was common on our old site.

            There must be something to the idea that when we hold readers accountable, by name or email, they tend to think twice before posting their thoughts. Our site doesn’t even require a real name, as many people simply use nicknames. It is really only the email that lets us contact the commenter.

            The question then becomes; what can we do to increase commenting on our site, bearing that it is of the civil and constructive manner we are hoping for?

            This whole issue relates back to the  goal of our newspaper: we report the facts, you draw your own opinions. We want to hear your feedback on the news we are offering and the easiest way to do that is to comment online.

            We are always searching for ways to improve our paper, and we need your comments to help us get there. That being said, we hope you can covey them in a way that is respectful and constructive with clearly defined examples of what needs improvement, or what is working well, and why you feel that way.

            We are proud of our new website and we’d like to see more of our readers follow us there week after week. One of the best ways to do that is to continue cultivating strong discussion through our comments section. We want that to be a place where students and staff can speak their minds and share their thoughts on the issues addressed in every issue.

            But we ask that those who do comment continue to remain polite and civil in their comments, and treat all those they interact with, readers and Bulletin writers alike, with the utmost respect.

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Harrison George

Last Monday, I was feeling exhausted. I had gone through a full day of class, two club meetings, and still had an event for The Bulletin to prepare for. I had a free hour in my schedule and decided to go listen to the speaker at the Granada Theater.

Her name was Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons. She was a Civil Rights activist who worked with Dr. King during the 1960’s. She spoke about her time as a volunteer in the American South, helping minorities register to vote and working with local churches to spread the word of the Civil Rights Movement.

As I listened to her speak I was consumed by an overwhelming feeling. Suddenly all the feelings of exhaustion, and pride, created from the work I had done that day drained out of me and I was left only with one big question; “What am I doing to change the world?”

To say I found Dr. Simmons inspiring would be an understatement. Her personal story of sacrifice and dedication to a cause she felt so much passion for made my own feelings of commitment pale by comparison. She spoke about the things she willingly risked to become involved in the Civil Rights movement; expulsion from school, disownment from her family, threats to her very life.

Up until that night I felt I was doing a lot in the name of my passions. I felt satisfied with what I had done and was doing, and I felt like I was doing “enough” to support them.

            But after hearing Dr. Simmons speak, I realize there is no such thing as “enough” when it comes to an issue you are truly passionate about. Until that problem is solved, or justice has been delivered, you can never do “enough”.

I’ve always been inspired by the actions taken by the counterculture generation of the 60’s. Looking back at all the work that generation did for great causes such as Civil Rights, Women’s Liberation, the Viet Nam protest, I can’t help but wonder why our generation has not followed in their footsteps.

What will be our great cause? What will cause us to rally by the thousands to have our voice be heard?  What are we waiting for?

It can’t be because there are no more issues to fight. In some ways, we have just as much work to do as any generation that came before us. The problems might not be as clear-cut as legal racial discrimination, but they exist.

I’m reminded of a silly bumper sticker I once saw on the back of a truck. It said “If you aren’t angry you aren’t paying attention.” Where is the passion of our generation? Where is our unstoppable desire to see change?

All of us have watched the harrowing footage of protestors being attacked by police dogs, and being sprayed by fire hoses. I have tried to think of a situation where our generation would put themselves at that much risk for a cause, and I seem to draw a blank.

We’ve let society define us as a generation of apathy; a generation of slackers interested only in instant gratification and job security. Society tends to place its own worse habits on that of the latest generation. We are letting them tell us who we are, and more importantly, how we will be remembered by generations to come.

I know for a fact that I could be doing more. With every day that passes my feelings about our wars in the Middle East grow stronger and more concrete. My dedication to protecting the environment continues to be central to who I am as a person.

So what do I do about it? Why aren’t I protesting, taking my views to the people, making my voice heard?

Because it’s easy to get slowed down in the daily distractions of modern life; TV, Facebook, and the like. Because it’s easier to say you’re an advocate for something then to go out and prove it.

In the 1960’s, the people didn’t wait around for their government to create change. They didn’t put all their hopes on the shoulders of one charismatic leader. That generation stood up, made a plan, and followed through.

Are we going to do the same, or are we going to stay seated?

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Alex Pedersen

There has been a buzz, pardon the pun, around campus recently about a potential new recognized student organization which advocates pro-life legislation and action.

            In the Feb. 18 issue of The Bulletin, Lauren Walbridge wrote a story on Students for Life and their struggle for RSO status. They are hoping to get the three things they need to gain status, which are enough signatures to fill a petition, an advisor and approval from ASG.

            I respect their beliefs and fully support their vying for RSO status and would even agree with giving them allocation money, but I think they are outright wrong. If you believe that abortion is wrong, then don’t get an abortion. But it is arrogant to try to take away free choice based on a religious belief and, in this Midwest hotbed of heaven-hungry activity, we must keep that in mind at all times.

            I understand that being pro-life is typically a religious belief and those are hard to change, but I find it wrong in any situation to justify forcing others to do or not do things based on a belief that they may not share.

            Back to Students for Life, I will give a hearty thumbs-up to any group trying to become an RSO because it increases cohesion in our university. Like-minded people tend to gravitate towards each other anyway, and by allowing them to meet on campus and have a more official, professional setting, it allows students to find more interests that maybe they didn’t know they had, meet new friends and practice group communication skills they will undoubtedly have to use in the future.

            As for funding, that is for ASG to decide. I think that every group should receive equal funding, regardless of their goals. Every student organization, even RSO’s that are based around a hobby, is persuasive in nature: they try to get you to join whatever they are doing, attend their events etc.

            We shouldn’t tell ASG to cut funding from one organization because they have a religious message if we have another that is based on a political view, culture, or hobby. As long as it is for learning purposes, ASG should allocate money to it properly because that’s what the money is there for.

            I can understand the pro-life argument, that it should be a higher power’s choice when, where and how each person should die. That from the moment of conception or heart-beating or whatever you define it as, it is a living creature and should be treated as such.

            But there are many instances that this ideal does not quite work in. Should a woman be allowed to abort a child if she was raped? What if having the child could endanger the mother’s life? What if the child would die in a short amount of time anyway? These are finer points which are not addressed with a simple, “abortion is wrong,” outlook.

            If one argues any of these by saying, “God planned for this child to be in the woman, rape (or what have you) aside,” then it could easily be retorted by proposing that God then planned for the woman to have an abortion. This gets into the free will argument, and, again, I’m not trying to argue religious beliefs in this.

            There is also the outlook that abortion is torturous for the fetus but, given the choice, I would much rather be an aborted fetus and have a few minutes of pain than something that is a socially acceptable tortured creature, such as a veal calf.

            And say pro-life legislation was passed, what would happen? Women won’t stop getting abortions if they choose to have one. How many fatalities would back-alley abortions cause?           What would be the punishment of those caught receiving an illegal abortion?

            The issue raises a lot of questions, but I think that the viewpoint that abortion is downright immoral is far from a proper one for a civilized society to have.

            So, Students for Life, I dig your fight and I wish you the best of luck, but I think you need to separate yourself from your religious ideals for a moment and ponder what this could mean for women and society altogether.

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March marks the start of Women’s History Month. This celebration of the achievements of women throughout America and the world has its own rich, interesting history.

2010 marks the 30^th anniversary of the first official acknowledgement of Women’s History. It was not immediately given its own month, but rather started out as a full week long event throughout public schools. The was so popular it spread throughout the country and soon the government declared the week of March 8^th to be the official Women’s History Week.

The purpose of this week was to increase awareness of all the work women have done for society throughout history. Those who created this movement felt that women were being vastly underrepresented in the media and in history books for their involvement in the shaping of our modern world.

They wanted to see an improvement in the way classes were taught in regards to women’s history.

Through their continued dedication and the raising of awareness of the issue across the country, March was officially dedicated as Women’s History Month in 1987 by the President of the United States.

Every year the president presents a speech to kick off the month, where they emphasize the importance of acknowledging important women in history.

Every year is also marked with its own distinct theme – a message to help unite all of the supports of women’s history. This year the theme involves a return of women in public education textbooks.

Some believe that women have once again taken a back seat to men when being represented within history books. This month should be a reminder to highlight all the great deeds that women have accomplished in this country.

It is easy to think that having months dedicated to specific demographics or minorities is a redundant or even biased. But it is important to remember the real focus of campaigns like Women’s History Month – they are geared towards making changes in realm of public schools, especially for children.

We may know of the many great things women have done for the world, but that is only because we were taught about it since elementary school. Our generation was one of the first to receive a full education about the minorities that history typically seemed to overlook. So of course it will seem unneeded to highlight information that to us seems common-place.

It is because of the work of the first women’s history advocates that we have the privilege to feel that way. We must all do our part to ensure that future generations get the same opportunities to learn about the overlooked populations that have been so pivotal in shaping our modern world.

So use this March as a time to really develop our understanding of the importance not just of women but of the education of the work women have done. Attend any of the various speakers that are planned for the month, or the series of one-acts that are being put on by the women’s rights organization POWER. You have the ability to help ensure that future generations will all get the same opportunities to learn about the female heroes that helped us all get to where we are today.

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Harrison George

I never thought that my last semester in college could be so difficult. It’s not the workload that is hurting me, or the juggling of class, work and my club activities. Those things are all challenging in their own way, but what is really throwing me for a loop is the content of my classes.

As a senior sociology major I am forced to examine every single one of my views on how the world operates on a daily basis. My classes are all based on viewing everyday subject matter from a new perspective.

For example, I am in Sociology of Death and Dying. The class focuses on how society views the process of growing older and dying, and how we react to the natural occurrence of life and death. This class forces me to analyze my own private opinions on death and how it affects me.

Like most normal people I try to avoid thinking about death, either my own or that of my family, whenever possible. This class pushes it to the fore-font of my attention.

I’m also in class entitled Social Deviance. This class has taught me an incredible lesson. From this class I have gathered there is no real universal “right or “wrong” in life; all values are relative based on their specific society or culture.

So anything I might consider to be wrong, weird, or in any way deviant is merely a product of my culture and time period.

Confusing? Try taking 15 hours of this a week – it’ll make your head swim.

The point is that in the last two months alone I have felt my values and world views, things I hold very dear to my heart, begin to mold and shift, and I can see that my outlook on life is currently undergoing a monumental transformation.

But as scary as it is to have your proverbial rug pulled out from under you, I have to remind myself that is exactly why I came to college in the first place. I am here to have my values and opinions tested, and I am prepared to change them if they can’t be defended.

College should be that time in our lives where we are the most open-minded to new ideas. We are away from our parents, our biggest social influencers growing up. And we are still a few years away from joining the “real” world, where we are expected to have our opinions in line. Now is the time we should be testing and experimenting, and be willing to make changes if that’s what the situation calls for.

I welcome you all to willfully step outside your comfort zones while in college and try embracing ideas radical to your own. If you try this, there are only two feasible outcomes – you view both sides of an issue, decide you still agree with your initial opinion, and walk away that much more secure in your beliefs, or you decide there is more logic found in the alternate viewpoint, and you walk away with a more open mind.

Either way, putting your views and opinions to the test will only make you more comfortable in the end with the way you feel, and will help you the next time you feel the need to explain yourself to an ideological opponent who questions you.

I feel as though my values are under a constant attack on a daily basis. But once I get over the feelings of involuntary defensiveness that comes with having strong opinions, and agree to see the issue from the widest perspective possible, I am able to appreciate what college can really do for the mind.

I hope that all students are able to appreciate the college experience in that way.

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In a world of Walmarts and chain restaurants, it is good to have a few outliers. If you are experiencing Applebee’s angst or you’re in a Carlos O’ Kelley’s conundrum and you are looking to eat some local fare the Olpe Chicken House could be your place.

Located nine miles south of Emporia on East Highway 99 is the 52-year-old slice of local history. You can read positive restaurant reviews of the Olpe Chicken House on tripadvisor, mytravelguide.com, and americantwons.com. The Chicken House was even featured in the “Town and Country” magazine some years back.

The thing is I don’t think about restaurant reviews when I am at the Chicken House. I don’t even think about chicken. I think about my maternal grandma Mary Lucille. The chicken house was “our place.” We went there almost every time I came to visit her-which was often. I think she liked it because she recognized and chatted with so many people.

I still visit the Olpe Chicken House, but I go without my grandma now. I like eating there because it helps me channel up memories of Grandma Mary. In the physical sense she is very much alive. But my family lost her a couple years back. Alzheimer’s.

A lifelong Emporia area resident, she started out at a one room school house south of town. She rode a horse to school as there were no buses. She later graduated from Emporia State with a degree in teaching. She saw a lot of things take place in Emporia over the years.

Like many in her generation, she struggled with the demographic changes that took place in Emporia with the arrival of commercial meat packing plants and migrant workers. “I’m going to have to learn Spanish just to live in Emporia” she’d say. She believed-perhaps correctly that some of Emporia’s new residents had immigration/citizenship issues that were not entirely in order.

Upon the celebration of her 80th year, my family held a birthday party for her at a hotel in town. I jocularly threatened to pass out fliers printed in Spanish at every factory plant in Emporia inviting workers to her party. There’s going to be all these Hispanic people saying “we’ve known Mary Lucille since she was 75” I said. She laughed and promised to “shape up”.

In third grade for grandparent’s day I painted a picture of her holding a small electric saw cutting brush on her farm. Chainsaw Grandma says “die tree” the caption read.  She laughed at that too.

Mary Lucille is approaching 90 now. She doesn’t have any more trips to the Chicken House left in her – her body having outlived her brain.

But I like to think of her as a young girl galloping off to that schoolhouse.  A lone rider silhouetted against a Kansas sky.

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Alex Pedersen

On Thursday, Feb. 4, police officers in Lawrence raided an herb store named Sacred Journeys and took, among other herbs, their stock of a drug known primarily as K2.

For those of you who don’t know, K2 is a brand name for herbs sprayed with JW-018 and JW-073, two synthetic cannabinoids, which is sold as a potpourri or incense, according to an article from Lawrence Journal-World. However, it is usually inhaled into the lungs via zig-zigs, bong, or the tried and true glass pipe.

This is because, as you may have guessed from the word, “cannabinoids,” these chemicals give a feeling similar to that given by marijuana. The effects have a shorter duration, but people have found that they can smoke K2 and pass urine tests, hence the craze. Some other brand names are Spice, Genie and Zohai, according to one Associated Press article.

Yes, I just said Associated Press. Though, according to another Associated Press article, the legislation to ban K2 was passed by the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives and it is apparently a big enough story for even AP to cover.

To me, this whole banning of K2 reinforces the idea that the majority of Kansas, and Emporia as well, is considerably less open-minded than they should be.

If K2 even appeared at a store in Emporia, I have no doubt it would be run out of town within hours of the public hearing that it is somewhat like weed.

You should realize that K2 is not something that matters to me. I may have indulged in it once or twice when it was legal, but I hold no loyalty to it. I am more concerned with that fact that Kansas legislators will criminalize a drug simply because it’s a drug.

For example, Kansas Sen. Jim Barnett, a republican from here in Emporia, said of K2: “It’s an imitation drug, but it’s still a drug,” as quoted in another LJ-World article.

In truth, they have made it illegal because its high is like ganja’s. Their prejudice against herb apparently includes anything that looks, smells, tastes and especially gets you high like herb.

My belief is that the best solution for K2, as with each and every drug, is to legalize and regulate it. By making any illegal, legislators are doing several things. They are gaining some money for probation and court costs, but they are losing far more by paying for incarceration and by missing out on the taxation they could place on it, were it regulated.

And, perhaps most notably, they are strengthening the black market which they are trying to take down. I met a girl a few weeks ago in Lawrence who told me that she had driven to Missouri that day to buy K2 because she was in some sort of trouble with the law and was required to take urinary analysis.

I can only think that if this same thing were to happen to a chemical that was similar to alcohol and not cannabis, the story would play out much differently.

Let’s hope that eventually Kansas and Emporia will grow beyond their small-town paranoia and take things as they are, not as they are scared they may be.

Why can’t we have hugs and drugs?

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February is drawing to a close, and that means that March, and spring, is right around the corner.

Few college students can think of springtime without thinking of one thing – spring break. Spring break is that magical vacation away from all academic worries and concerns; a time to rest relax and reboot.

It is supposed to be simply a week long chance to clear our heads before returning to the grind of school.

But for many college students, spring break is more than just a break – it’s their excuse to go wild. Over the last two decades spring breaks have grown from a typical school sanctioned vacation, like fall break or winter break, into a wild booze-filled over the top rampage.

The mentality behind the break is what has fueled the change in behavior. Students treat this break as their reward for staying focused and not partying (too much) during the semester.  Once the break arrives we go nuts, as if trying to make up for all the lost time.

We aren’t the only ones to follow this mindset – the older generations are the same way. We all know people who are simply “living for the weekend,” using their jobs to pay for their fun once Friday rolls around.

Whatever causes people to go crazier on spring break than the other breaks is merely a side note, because it is the fact that people are going crazy that really matters. Each year hundreds of students are hospitalized for alcohol or drug abuse, dehydration, assault or a variety of other abuses. Thousands of dollars in damages occur in hotels and bars around the world, due to out of control partiers. There are even a handful of deaths that occur every year due to things getting out of hand.

And what happens once the college crowd returns home? We are wiped out, drained from the excess amount of partying that went on. We usually don’t feel any more prepared for school than when we left, sometimes even less.

All we can do is get thrown back into the grindstone, and start counting down the days to summer break.

So if that’s true, what’s the point of spring break? Wasn’t it supposed to rejuvenate us? To refill us instead of wipe us out?

It’s not a matter of not partying, but simply of partying smarter. Learn to make informed decisions about your situations and your groups of friends before the situation is allowed to get out of hand. Educate yourself about the risks involved in spring break so you can be ready to deal with them should they come up.

Each year ESU hosts a Safe Spring Break event, dedicated to informing the campus about some of the dangers associated with spring break, and how best to avoid them.  They cover a wide range of topics, from alcohol poisoning to sexual assault to over-exertion.  The event is free for anyone to attend and usually contains a lot of fun games prizes and food. This year the event is March 8 from 8-9:30 p.m. in Webb Lecture Hall.

There is nothing wrong with going out and having a fun, relaxing spring break- that’s why it was created. Without something to break up the semester I don’t know how we could get through the whole thing in one piece. But if your spring breaks usually wind up being more trouble than they are worth, with injuries, legal incidents, or just unhealthy practices, maybe it’s time to reevaluate how helpful that break is.

It’s never too late to make a change for a safer spring break.

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Harrison George

My senior year will soon be drawing to a close, and I can’t help but think about what kind of impact I have made here at ESU.

It’s also made me stop and see the school on a larger scale, seeing not only how ESU impacts me but all the students, staff and faculty here. I feel grateful for all that my college experience has given me.

This school has given me so many great things – a great education, a wonderful group of friends, a fantastic fraternity, just to name a few.

The last four years have been instrumental in helping shape me as a person. So it’s natural that I would want to give back to a campus that has given so much to me.

I feel proud of the work I have already done on campus. Working with the Environmental Club, Zoiks! the improv comedy team, and my fraternity, AKL, I’ve been able to get involved on campus and feel like I’m helping make things better for the campus as a whole.

I have a deep pride for my school, and the Emporia community, and I am glad to give back whenever I can.

But I see a lot of students who don’t feel the same. It seems that many students are content to simply go to class and go home. They are also the students most willing to speak poorly of ESU or Emporia as a town.

Now I should point out there are those who would be more actively involved throughout campus but cannot for various reasons. I have been lucky enough to avoid ever working a full time job while in college and because of this I’ve had the time to commit towards campus activities. (Though I’ll be paying back the student loans for a while)

This school does so much for the students, but what do the students do for the school? What are we doing to ensure that the future generations of college students are getting the same, if not better, college experience?

It’s easy, especially at a school like ESU, to adopt the mindset of just wanting to get through college. ESU might not be the most exciting school out there, or the most prestigious, so many people just treat it like a stepping stone towards their next life goal.

But this mindset undervalues all the wonderful things that ESU and Emporia do have to offer. It’s simple logic that the more you put into something the more you will get out. Your college experience is what you make it. No one but you can have the final say on how you view your time here- not your fellow classmates, not your teachers, and not the administration. If you want to have a good time in college, the responsibility lies on you.

My friends at KU and K-State ask me how I’m able to have so much fun at ESU. I tell them it’s because I decide I’m going to have fun, and then go out and find it. I put in the work and I get to reap the results, which are an awesomely good time with great people.

I hope that everyone will look back on their college years with as much enjoyment as I will. I cannot wait to come back for ESU alumni events, to see the old alma mater once again. I hope that I will still see students actively involved in their campus and community events.

I will feel proud to know I was someone who helped maintain, and maybe even improve, the workings of the campus, so that others after me could enjoy it here as much as I did.

Like the old saying goes, “we plant trees under whose shade we will never sit.” We all have the opportunity to plant trees here at ESU, for the future generations of students to enjoy and to use.

We should take advantage of those opportunities, not just because of what they can do for the future, but for what the experiences can do for us now.

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We have all had these experiences; while meeting someone for the first time, you inform them that you are attending Emporia State University. Their response might be varied. Some smile politely, thinking to themselves “Why would anyone want to go there?” Others might let out a laugh right in front of you, and say something smart like, “Oh, wow the bustling town of Emporia, huh? How exciting!” Others might never have heard of it.

How do you usually respond? Do you take note of your use of words and your tone when you describe your school and town to others?

Usually it’s easiest just to mimic whatever tone your conversational partner has picked. If they are congenial, you’ll be congenial, saying “Yeah it’s small but it’s affordable.” If their response is to make fun of it, you might join in, saying “Yeah I know – there’s never anything to do there.” No matter how you respond, the conversation only lasts a few minutes and once it’s over, the person has stopped thinking about ESU.

Of all the tools of promotion Emporia has at its disposal, the most constant and most effective it word of mouth. It’s free, it’s simple and typically it’s reliable. But it’s the one method the school has spent the least amount of time trying to improve.

If the school could guarantee that its satisfied students and faculty were spreading the word about the advantages about attending ESU, it would have an army of sales people helping increase reputation, and more importantly, enrollment across the country.

And there are plenty of advantages to be talking about. ESU has the flat rate tuition, small class sizes, and great opportunities for traveling abroad. We are nationally recognized for our teaching program and our glass and engraving degrees.

But what do we talk about when we are describing Emporia? That it’s too small, that there aren’t any good stores or places to eat, that the town smells bad?

Well, those aren’t all true anymore. Like a skipping record waiting to be replaced, the comments we pass on to others are the same we were told when we moved to Emporia. Just like the smell, which disappeared once Tyson stopped slaughtering, the other comments are mere myths these days. We have plenty of great places to eat and shop, they are just waiting for you to find them.

And about the size – why do you think Emporia is small? What would make enrollment go down, do you think? Maybe it has to do with students complaining to everyone they talk to that the school is too small? It’s an incredible self-fulfilling comment – people aren’t coming here because we are telling them no one comes here.

So before anyone complains that the school does a poor job bringing in new students, or that its methods of selling itself are weak or misdirected, take a minute to look at how you are presenting ESU. Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

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Harrison George

Last week we had an interesting discussion in my Social Deviance class. The question was posed is it alright for teachers to be friends with their students? If so, to what degree is that friendship acceptable? What are the boundaries?

The topic was brought up to show examples of deviance, or abnormalities, within society that sometime occur. Our professor was wondering what we considered appropriate interactions for a student-teacher relationship, and what was considered to be crossing the line. The class discussed the issue and raised good points on both sides of the argument.

Personally, I feel that the relationship between a college student and their teacher should remain strictly professional, with limited interactions outside of the classroom. This is a feeling I was raised to believe, and have followed it since my earliest days in school.

This is not to say I don’t have teachers that are great people who I would love to be friends with. I think that people can only play one primary role in another person’s life, and the start of a friendship could complicate matters. Ultimately, I feel the benefits would not outweigh the possible negative outcomes.

I know for a fact that I get this mindset from my parents. They have always been strong believers that “you go to work to work, not to make friends.” They put their responsibilities at the office above all else, including and at the cost of, developing strong personal relationships with their coworkers.

This mindset was passed down to me and I transferred it to my experience at school. I’ve always respected what I consider the rigid roles that are found in schools – you are either a teacher, student, or staff. During my time in school I have made my education my entire focus, with friends and other interactions taking a back-burner to my learning. This included my relationships with teachers.

This isn’t to say I was ever mean or distant to teachers, or do I think other people should be. I have nothing but the highest respect for teachers, and I think they are severely underrated (and underpaid) in society. But I never went out of my way to learn about their personal lives or to try to see them as people with lives outside of school.

 As a child it was hard to do – thinking about your teachers as real people who go home and have a life that doesn’t revolve around the classroom. As I got older, it was easier to do, but were still not thoughts I entertained.
            I guess the reason I am weary for students to develop strong personal ties to their teachers is because of the confusion it could create within their professional relationships. Once a student and teacher move beyond their positions as student/teacher, they might experience emotions that would interfere with their duties and cause bias or prejudice towards that student or others that they teach.

By emotions I don’t specifically mean romantic feelings, though that is a concern, and what most people probably think of first, when student and teachers become friends. I am speaking more about feelings of empathy, sympathy, trust, and the like. Feelings like this could influence their decisions at work.

            Imagine a teacher befriends a student and they start to hang out outside of class. The teacher learns the student has a lot of problems and home and because of them does not do all their work in class. The teacher is in a tough situation-should they give that student some slack, knowing how hard their current situation is, or continue to treat them as they treat every other student, and risk hurting their personal relationship?

            Either way, the two people involved stand to suffer either emotionally or professionally. Personally, I am not tough enough to not go easy on someone when I know they need it. But that’s what’s required as a teacher, and it wouldn’t be fair to the other students who weren’t being favored.  

            So it is because we all people, with strong emotions and high expectations of each other that I don’t think most of us could handle the balancing act of being friends with students or teachers. I am sure that it successfully happens all the time. I am friends with my teachers, on varying degrees. I just think we should be aware, students and teachers both, of the consequences when expanding that relationship.

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