by Aimee Zirker: Brightonian Staff
I think everyone can agree that, among students, the senior class has the most power in the school. After four long years of high school it makes sense that the seniors are at the top of the food chain. With this power, seniors sometimes demand that they be respected. They think it is their right to do whatever they want. But how far is too far when it comes to seniority?
At the PVHS vs. BHS basketball game at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday, I saw that some seniors let their special rights get to their head. The “rule” that freshmen have to sit in the back has been a tradition for years, but no one cares about it as much as those who want to sit in the front. Several seniors were seen tormenting some freshmen girls in the fourth row, trying to get them to move so other seniors could sit near them in the front. The seniors used the excuse that this was their last rivalry game and they wanted to be next to their friends. They tried to use the seniority excuse to cover up the fact that their friends showed up late and no one saved a seat for them. If those seniors really wanted to be in the front, they would have showed up on time or at least warned someone that they wanted to sit in the front. Instead, their laziness resulted in an intense argument about the rights of seniors.
When the freshmen refused to move, the seniors came up to the freshman and started yelling at them and telling them they had to move or they would tell administration. These threats had no effect on the freshmen, and they decided to stand their ground and take on the powerful seniors, much to the senior’s dismay. This battering continued until another girl told the seniors to leave them alone. Some harsh words and insults were exchanged before the seniors finally backed down. Just like any person who has had their authority challenged, insults and name calling occurred among the seniors in the front.
I understand that everyone has to pay their dues, but sometimes the seniors take it to the next level. I get it if there is a group of rowdy freshmen and they are sent to the back, but these girls were members of the basketball team and were there to support their teammates. One of them was actually cheering more than the seniors were. What I (and other people I’ve talked to) have a problem with is when the seniors try to kick out the freshmen that aren’t causing any problems. Especially at rivalry games, it is common for seniors to walk down the bleachers and pick out the freshmen and banish them to the back when they are not even causing any problems to anyone. The only reason they do this is because there is no room for their friends and they want to uphold the tradition of picking on the freshmen.
Now I am very loyal, especially when it comes to people my age, so I do cut the other seniors a lot of slack. But when it comes to bullying people just because of their age, that’s when I think something has to change. Seniors do deserve some extra rights, but they cannot let that get to their heads. If this abuse keeps up, then no one will want to come support their fellow classmates for fear of the seniors. The senior classes all need to take a step back and realize that freshmen in the front are not the biggest problem they need to worry about. Seniority can be a great privilege to the senior class, but they need to make sure they are respecting those powers.