So yesterday I’m going to my advocacy class to chill for about 45 mins until lunch time. Usually in advocacy I try and relax as much as possible to make sure that I am not stressed in my final two classes which have a history of being quite taxing, but today I decide that I am going to be productive and finish homework in my 45 min break. This particular assignment asked of me to make a speech about something and bring a example of that something and I ask the teacher politely if I can print out a image to complete the assignment. He agrees and I proceed to walk around 15 to 20 feet to the very next room where there was a printer.
After about 10 seconds of clicking icons and typing an adult in power comes in the room and demands that everyone inside has to go to their advocacy because the “center is not gonna be a place where you can hang out.” Originally I thought that because I was just printing out one image and going back to my advocacy class which was only about 20 ft away and a 8 second walk that if I just explained what I was doing and do it then I wouldn’t have any problems and we could both go about our ways in as an administrator and a student. But of corse this was not the case
Person: “Brian what are you doing?’
Me: “Oh im just printing out an imag-“
The intercom interrupts the conversation with a list of students to report to the office
Person: “What are you doing on the computer and why arnt you in your advocacy?”
Me: “Im printing out an image and my advocacy teacher gave me permission to come in here (a maximum of 20 feet away (and I point towards him)) and pr-“
Person: “what exactly are you printing?”
Me: “A image for my home work assignment in which I ne-“
Person: “What do you mean print an image? Because first of all printing out in anything in here will cost you 25ct per page s-“
Me:”Well I will PAY that 25 cents if you just let me print out the page!”
Person; “Excuse me? Did you just lose it? Do you know who you're talking to? Why don’t you just turn off your computer and go to your advocacy right now?
Me: “yes ma’am”
I violently and quickly press the alt and F4 keys until the computer is at its shutdown screen and I walk into the next room. As I turn to shut down the computer I hear the councilor enter the room and say “Oh Mr, Smith that was offensive to me and you weren’t even talking to me”
Now of course raising your voice at anyone isn’t the answer to your problems. But even a even tempered Brian like I usually am cannot communicate effectively to these difficult people. Honestly if I wasn’t pushed into that corner like I was right there I wouldn’t have yelled. I would have been slightly bugged because of the pestering and asking of questions but that’s understandable. Its your job to make sure that im doing my job as a student so of corse you are inclined to ask what this 18 year old is doing on the computer while he should be in his advocacy class. The problem here comes from two things; 1 the quick adversity to block me from completing my goals and 2 the lack of respect that is given to me, the student.
Now as far as I know the administrative position at any school is entailed by two things: to make sure the school is running properly and to make sure the students are functioning properly. So at first glance, a student on a computer in a room without any supervision looks like something that you would need to fix. But if upon further investigation if the student has supervision or permission from a teacher and is on task then the student should be left alone correct? This was definitely not the case with her at that time. She was determined to move me from the chair the second that she steeped into the room and no middle ground would be compromised upon. This failure to listen and compromise caused the tension and forced me into this corner. My fight or flight scene kicked in and instantly I felt my voice raise without knowing that it did. That outburst that might have been avoided if the administrator would open her ears to me, and listen, and stand on a middle ground with me instead of apposing me.
Now the other part of this argument is respect. I constantly hear about how the younger generation fails to respect their elders or adults that are around them. I find myself as an exception because I always talk to the adults who are around me with the utmost respect. I always say Mr. or Mrs., I always look them in the eye or shake their hand. I always listen attentively and stay quiet and speek when spoken to and all of those unwritten rules, but it’s very hard to give respect when you receive none in return. I felt very disrespected and very belittled as the conversation between me and her progressed. Every sentence I spoke was interrupted prematurely and I found the need to speek faster and faster in a attempt to keep the short tempered administrator appeased. Conversations between normal human beings should not be like this. Respect first and foremost should be revived and given no matter how old a person is. And to be technical, I am a adult as seen by the united states government and if they have the decency to respect me then the administrator, as a fellow adult should respect me too. Its only fair, and I don’t see why that administrator wouldn’t pay me the same respect as the government does to me when it is the government who pays your wages though budgeting. Im just saying
Demand respect only after you have given it in return. Those who receive respect out of power alone receive fake power as well.
That’s more than enough ranting for today. Hopefully this was helpful for something other than my personal well being.
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