Does Alpine Really Listen?

[/media-credit] Does Alpine School District really listen?

“I thought it was ridiculous,” said an OHS parents regarding Alpine District’s survey sent to parents to decide what to do for Winter break. The district gave parents two options for next year’s break, and the parents were asked to vote. However, whatever option won the vote, the district discarded it and chose a different option altogether.

“This showed me that the ‘survey’ was just a ruse to pretend that the district was interested in what we have to say,” continued the parent. “That’s not acceptable.”

Students and parents have had reoccurring statements about the district, both good and bad. Some support their decisions and some feel vastly ignored by what the district decides and how it functions.

“I can say every time I have attempted to email a school official about anything, I don’t get an answer back. If parents disagree with anything, it’s viewed very negatively. The school officials do not like to give the parents a voice,” said another OHS parent.

Another parent said, “I feel like they don’t listen enough to the concerns of the parents, but overall are doing the best they can.”

There has been discomfort regarding the district in both parents and students as there has been support. However, for those who are feeling ignored by the district and feel their opinions remain unheard, a concern I have, as student myself, is: what does this teach us? What does this teach Orem High students when both our voices and our parent’s voices are ignored?

When asked what teenagers are often described as or told, OHS students said:

“We have no self control.”

“Teens are not smart enough to make their own decisions.”

“Teens are immature, and spend too much time on their phones. They can be selfish.”

“Teens are reckless.”

When asked how does it feel to be treated as a teen (from statements above) and what it teaches you, Orem High students said:

“[People] feel as if [teens’ opinions] are unimportant and not applicable.”

“[People] treat them like they are not as important because they are too young to know their own opinion.”

“[…] we’re not old enough or smart enough to understand things, which is not true.”

“[People] simply don’t care.”

Teenagers often feel suppressed already. We feel as though anything we say or feel or think is unworthy in the eyes of adults because we’re too “young, dumb, unimportant,” etc. By the ignorement we already feel, by adding to it in an academic sense by not being heard by our own administrators and district (even with the assistance of parents), we begin to think and learn that what we think already is true–which it is not.

We need to look at all opinions, no matter what age, in the same way. Every voice belongs to a human, a living, breathing, and thinking human. We must listen to every person who speaks and heed what they say, not discard it because of their age or what their opinion is. We learn by what we are surrounded by: will that be oppression or acceptance in Orem High?

Jane Addams, an American reformer and activist, once said, “America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live.”

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Taylor Gardner

Taylor Gardner is an avid lover of three things: food, reading, and of course, writing for her local high school's paper. She enjoys inspiring her fellow peers and readers by flavored sarcastic comments and sly puns (if she can 'taylor' them).