Alexis
English 253
December 3, 2012
Being Under the Influence Shareen Donnell and John Hernandez students at Central High School wrote an article on underage drinking because of a pickup truck accident where five students at Capital City High School were killed. The five students have been drinking, and the driver of the truck had twice the legal limit of alcohol. Shareen and John interviewed a couple of students from their school to take a survey on drinking, drinking and driving. To the superintendent and principal, the article was said to be inappropriate for the younger audiences. It is the court’s decision to decide whether the article should be destroyed or be distributed to the students. I believe that the article should be destroyed.
The superintendent and principal believe that discussing underage drinking and sexual activities is inappropriate reading material for the younger audience of 14 and 15 years of age. One student states, “I started drinking when I was 14… all my friends started then too.” “We have a lot of fun.” This statement from this student is telling the younger audience that it is okay to drink at a young age because they can have lots of fun. Instead of persuading readers to not drink they give them reasons why they should. The younger students look up to the older students as their influences, so by reading their statements in the survey they feel that it is
Capuyan 2 acceptable for underage drinking. Another student says, “’get down to Planned Parenthood and get on the pill.”’ This is very irresponsible because they are not addressing the dangers involved in having unprotected sex. If girls did go on the pill they only think about not getting pregnant, but they ignore the other consequences about unprotected sex such as, aids, STD’s, Gonorrhea, and herpes. Underage drinking and sex is more likely to increase behavior because behavior is presented as acceptable. Studies have shown that the brain has not fully been developed by their mid-twenties. Until then students find themselves as invincible. If the article were published, many of the students may be influenced and engage in drinking and having sex. This is unacceptable. Also, they will see this as a way of becoming popular and thinking they are more mature. The Supreme Court decision ruled that high school administrators have the right to censor or forbid publication of articles in school newspapers in certain circumstances. Circumstances include: speeches that are inadequately researched, vulgar or profane or unsuitable for immature audiences.”’ The school also must retain the authority to refuse to sponsor student speech that might reasonably be perceived to advocate drug or alcohol abuse and irresponsible sex. Also, it indirectly “advocates irresponsible sex and drinking in a high school setting.” Even though the article is protected by the First Amendment, the article’s topic discusses alcohol and irresponsible sex and will be read by a young audience. The article fails to meet the circumstances. Therefore, it cannot be distributed. The article seems to likely increase the illegal activities than decrease it by the students. It fails to address the consequences in drinking, drinking and driving and even in sexual activities.
Capuyan 3
On the contrary, the article is convincing students to do these illegal activities. To the students getting beer or wine is not a problem. They have other people get it for them. They do not see this idea as bad because they are just looking at the bright side being able to drink. A few students who were aware of the fatal accident did not seem to worry that such a tragedy could happen to them. One student says, “They