Stand On Guard for Thee?
Nathaniel Moses-Weiner
Mind-Numbing Music
Kathy DiCastro
Nothing But A Deal With The Devil
Marcela Crowe
Stand On Guard for Thee?
Nathaniel Moses-Weiner
Every morning around nine o'clock, students all around Jarvis Collegiate stop what they're doing, whether it be talking, walking to class or sitting down, to stand up. Why? For a song. You might have heard of it…it's a little ditty called O Canada.
Like zombies, everybody obeys the orders delivered by the little white box on the wall for their daily dose of patriotism. I can't say I've ever seen anyone sing along, I've never seen a tear roll down someone's cheek, I simply see apathetic students following their routine.
The 1999/2000 Education Statutes and Regulations of Ontario under Operation of Schools-General, in regulation 298, states among other things, that "(1) Every public elementary and secondary school shall hold opening or closing exercises," and "(2) Opening or closing exercises shall include O Canada and may include God Save The Queen." Asked if the school was just following orders, or if there was a philosophy behind the morning ritual, Jarvis principal Ms. McKenzie explained that. "It's in the education act…it's what determines what we do in school. It's the law." She also points out that "it is the responsibility of the students to follow the rules," and that "It is the responsibility of school staff to reflect accepted behavior of our society."
The head of the history department, Mr. Keenan, explained that "We who live in Canada have been privileged to live in Canada, largely by luck rather than deserving, so to periodically stop and recognize the nation that has given us all we have is a good idea, to recognize how lucky we are." Sure, Canada is one of the best places in the world to live in, but in a world plagued by war, environmental destruction and oppression, that's not a huge accomplishment.
The things we are so lucky to supposedly have are freedom and democracy. There's no democracy in the morning's national anthem; it's part of the opening exercises because the provincial government made that law (to ensure respect for the state), not because the students chose to have it. That, of course, would be democracy, which would subvert both the national and educational power structure. As for freedom, is that not the right to determine your own actions, including dissenting? That's not what grade nine student Amanda Fitzgerald discovered. To her, O Canada is "a blatant symbol of nationalism." She sees Canada "as a piece of land." She doesn't see why students should stand up. "They say it represents all of us, but I'm not a Christian male or nationalist, so it doesn't represent me." Yet what happens when she dares to be free and stand up for her beliefs by not standing? "My teacher will yell at me. I offer to stand in the hall, but my teachers just say I don't have a choice." According to Ms. McKenzie, however, Amanda was given the option of standing in the hall after discussions with her parents. Amanda was also offered the "privilege" of sitting in the Vice-Principals' office during the playing of the anthem.
A teacher has no right, except that given to them by the education regulations, to force students to do things against their will. Students may not believe in the anthem, whether because they see it as mindless nationalism used as a propaganda tool to keep citizens unquestioningly supportive of their government's actions, because they think it celebrates the "theft of land" from its aboriginal habitants, because they feel that the anthem doesn't represent them or because they simply don't want to be ordered around, and they are absolutely entitled to act upon their beliefs. As long as they're not hurting anyone, they should be able to express themselves through their own actions, and that means the freedom to choose if they want to stand for O Canada. Because the government, the administration, and some students experience deep feelings of patriotism, does that give them the right to impose their views on others?
It isn't entirely the school's fault that the national anthem is played every morning; while it could be a bit more progressive and show some backbone in dealing with provincial regulations, it is dependent on the government for funding. That makes it a far bigger issue that has to be directed towards the school board and the provincial government. However, Jarvis teachers are at fault for making students participate in exercises they don't believe in.
Luckily, there is a way out within the school system. Section 5 of regulation 298 states that: "No pupil enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school shall be required to take part in any opening or closing exercises where a parent or guardian of the pupil or the pupil, where the pupil is an adult, applies to the principal of the school that the pupil attend for exemption therefrom." While this section was included primarily because of religious considerations, Mrs. McKenzie says that, "If a student has some personal beliefs which conflict with the opening exercise, I'm always happy to receive a letter from that student and talk to them." Those who are truly committed to freedom and democracy have that option.
Mind-Numbing Music
Kathy DiCastro
Following my daily routine, I headed for school. A normal morning: sitting in the subway, silently waiting for my stop. Seeing strangers is also part of this daily routine, but nothing unusual ever happens…with the exception of today. A man sitting near me was shaking his head as he looked towards the student that just walked in. He said, "How can you listen to music that loud on a Monday morning?" The sound of another adult's voice was heard saying, "Kids. Blasting their music to shut their mind out from reality."
As I make the rest of my way to school, I began to ask myself, "Is this the generalization made by the older generation on teens like us today? That whenever we turn the radio on, it is not to bring something in, but to shut something out?" The thought was disturbing. I began to wonder "What exactly is music?"
Well according to Sydney J. Harris, the author of a short story called Blasting Music To Drown Out Reality, music began as "a celebration of nature and an exploration of the human spirit. Bach elevates us, Mozart delights us, Beethoven deepens us; all bring us closer to the wellsprings of life. Now this great gift has been turned against itself blasting forth a cacophony to dull and deaden and dehumanize the soul." Is it really true youth have taken advantage of music in order to exclude reality?
Some may think so, but others will argue that music is simply a way of expressing one's ideas. According to Ely Buendia, vocalist of the Filipino band Eraserheads, "music is a way we communicate to the audience and when we see the people singing our songs as we play them, it gives us great joy because we know that we have reached them."
I can understand why adults will find it disturbing whenever they hear loud music coming from a teenager's portable radio, Walkman, or car stereo. Even some teenagers would find it annoying. But is it really true that teens play loud music to drown out reality?
Not likely. In fact, many teens would argue that music allows them to be more in touch with reality because it is through music that they can truly express themselves. I play my guitar often to express my mood or feelings as opposed to just playing it because I have nothing else to do," says a male 17 year-old.
Many teenagers say that it is through music that they are able to let their voices out. "Whenever me and my parents get into an argument I automatically lose. What I do is I go to my room and I play a song that I can relate to. I play it really loud because it's the only way I know to get through to them," says one of Jarvis's students. Teens use music as a way to represent their views whether or not they are listened to. Teens do not play music to run away from reality, instead they use it as a guide to help them get through the trials they face in real life.
My theory is that most adults will continue to think that music for teens is at the same level as drugs, booze, sports and television, which can all take away the sense of reality. On the other hand, teens may continue to "blast away" with their music, for reasons such as need of attention, self-expression and visibility at home or within a community but not to shut out the reality of their existence.
Nothing But A Deal With The Devil
Marcela Crowe
Over the last generation or so, schools have increasingly been reduced to acquiring money from corporations to partially replace the public funding once provided in full by the government.
The presence of corporations signals that education is now perceived as nothing but a marketplace commodity where price tags and the bottom line determine its value. The real value of education cannot be reduced to such vulgar short term levels.
Historically, schools have been autonomous from the corporate world. Now, it is becoming more difficult to identify the separation of institutions of learning and the negative influences of advertising non-curriculum base consumer goods.
Nevertheless, the choices that the administration, student council, and even the Toronto Board have made, have been reactions to the lack of public funding they are receiving. With increased cuts in funding to our education system, the sustainability of certain programs in schools now depends on other sources. The ever-so-willing corporate world is ready to sink its teeth into an untouched environment swarming with impressionable teenagers to be brainwashed and conditioned to believe that the public sector can be replaced so conveniently and without any cost to our education system, by private companies.
The "education reforms" Mike Harris has overseen (i.e. abolishing media courses, and thus eliminating student development of critical thinking towards consumerism) now makes schools more corporate-friendly. One must skeptically assume that the interests of the business world come before social programs. If this is true, then we can conclude that any money given to our schools from companies cannot come from common decency or charitability. Other wise, we would not be in the predicament we are in: for it is commonly known across the land of our fair province that ol' Mikey over in Queen's Park maintains the interests of the corporate world over the well-being of our public sector.
Maintaining the interests of an elite at the expense of the public sector has been a priority of this government. This has been demonstrated by financial cuts to public services such as health care and education. These social programs have seen tens of millions of dollars drained out of them, while simultaneously tax cuts greatly benefiting Ontarians whose family income is greater than $60,000 have been applied. Where does the majority of the population benefit from this? Perhaps in having to resort to private companies for assistance, who then, in turn change our school dynamic to one that welcomes the corporate at the expense of the critical thinking that we are, ideally, supposed to develop within this institution. Many schools in the United States have been offered free cable and educational programming to show in class. The students must then sit through the twenty minutes of commercials that follow the program. Although J.C.I. has not been corporatized to this extent, we have nonetheless seen the beginnings of the sort of private mentality that is influencing every school.
Pepsi, which provides all the carbonated beverage a school could need, and Pizza Pizza, friendly local suppliers of quality cafeteria food, are examples of the beginning of the privatization of our schools. That is why it is imperative that we analyze their agenda. Why do they want their presence within our school? Is it because they wish to condition us at an early age to feed off the overwhelming insecurities of teenagers who will do almost anything to fit in? Probably.
Take, for instance, the deal the Board of Education made with the Pepsi Corporation in 1994. Many critics of this deal believe that it was the beginning of the privatization of our schools. This $1.14 million deal allows schools to subsidize their cafeterias and also allows them to provide student awards which include Pepsi paraphernalia.
Other companies have also been quick to respond to the ever increasing need of money within the school. A more informal example of corporations becoming a necessary presence within our school are the SPC cards. These cards are sold to the school and then sold to the students by the student council at a greater cost. Then the profit made by the sales is returned to the school for clubs and school functions. The interests of these franchises lie merely in circulating their name, in the attempt to influence our buying habits and is, in essence, advertising within the school. We are being targeted, and our school's financial needs exploited.
Perhaps people are ready to accept the presence of companies within our schools as a cost for getting money. However, certain things must be made clear: if we continue to allow advertisers to slowly creep into our education system, then they will put us in the frame of mind of functioning in their corporate mold. They will also brainwash us to sell their product and condition us to believe there is no alternative but to "play the game."
We live in a free market economy that is constantly imposing and preaching its values and ideas. For this reason, we should treat schools as a sanctuary, and advocate that corporations should not have a place in our schools. It is an evil that will not justify the end, but create it...
...kind'a what the plan was all about, for them anyway.
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