McCallum High School - Knight Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Apathy Challenges Spirit Apathy sees spirit as false status. Spirit sees apathy as freaky individual- ists. Which is the right attitude tar the high school student? At present, it seems that the apathetic individualist make up the majority of student opinion. But why? lsspiritlthat demanding? It is true that rules and regulations are dictated in schooi related organizations. But there is a need for these limitations. Society proves this fact. Without laws, we would be one large crime population stealing from each other, ' Without rules. student responsibility would be the determining factor.When a situation dictates the need for masses, such as a spirit organization, are the apathetic individualists going to join the masses even though violating their ide- als. The high percentage of apathetic views within the school seem to prove otherwise. But what are student responsibiIities7 They can range from helping out when help is needed, such as in the case of mini-mester and its struggle to meet deadlines before being put into effect. Or. just coming to school with the attire tude that it is a learning institution and Stereotyped Hood or Status Op mnq!8 not a big stage, where efforts are made to win the applause of everyone. School is not designed to promote delinquency. nor is it a place of prudish characteris- tics. It is there to further your intelli- gence and aid in your process of matu- rity. Skip school and miss the test you didn't study tor. Then later find a friend who'll give you the answers. It used to work. But more and more teachers are catching on to this means of avoiding student responsibility, and not offering make-ups. Teachers are apathetic in themselves. They want to see son spirit betore they wiii begin to symp thize and help. Otherwise, their l is ni going to waste time on some student wt is too busy trying to show his inner self k skipping school. Avoiding the issue w not make it go away. Skipping school, smoking, hassling teacher are regarded by most studen as the right things to do. A person is i high staraidings if he or she performs i least one of these tasks. To other peopt it appears as the easy way out of takin tests. trying to be seen. or meeting inni anxieties. Yet, to the individuai posses ing these traits, school offers only prol tems. with no hopes for solutions. Doe apathy still seem the right way? , Presidents of organizations, squa leaders and glory seeking iocks are iu the opposite. While giving full support t the school, it is for their own beneti Other motiviated members are forgo ten, or paid little attention to. Stati seems to give a person the right to dii tate over anyone of lesser rank. But thos of the lesser rank are human beings, iuf as those of status. and feet they shout be treated accordingly. For they to could be status. but they wont atio themselves to be overcome by the tabs and lose the ties of friendship with othe people. Strict stereotypes are spin-offs of th apathy-spirit conflict. A person see missing a pep rally is immediately consic ered to be apathetic and tabeled hood. Yet. no evidence of neglect c student responsibility is presented. Pec ple who smoke are usually considered t be Hoods. Yet. some of the most spiv ited members of the student counc would prove otherwise. On the othe hand, people who have high positions i organizations are labeled spirited. Bu some organizations never accomplis anything, but instead, the officers serv for status sake. Football players art always related to spirit. But close obser vation at pep rallies could. on the physi cal aspects, prove the opposite. Content plation and getting up for the game are offered as excuses for this display o apathy. It is no wonder the student bod' fails to Participate in spirit orientei activities when no recognition or return i yielded. Promises of winning are alway present at pep rallies. but on the footba field, they seem to dissolve into no mori than a little physical strain. Apathy is thi cause, real spirit is the cure. Spirit or Apathy. The choice is yours Before you decide, make sure you knov what each requires. and the effects the- will have. lt's up to you.

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Traditions and Rules Help Create Apathy Gorging themselves with food, sup- porting their nicotine habits, and trying to be seen by others would seem to describe-theactivities of the apathetic student. The all important l is stressed in this type person. What will l gain? , Why should l do it? and I don't care. all show this fact. However, it would appear that the apathetic student doesn't have it all so bad. The typical school related activities are irrelevant to the apatheticystudent, producing a multitude of extra time to pursue more so called apathetic inter- ests. These people are concerned with more than status. To them, individuality is the key. Traditions, rules. and regulations tend to turn off apathetic students. Their per- sonal rights are infringed upon, as rules are enforced. The necessary identity of the apathetic student is lost in a mass of cans and can'ts associated with school functions. Only a select few of the status seekers are able to support their individuality - these include squad lead- ers, presidents of organizations and glory seeking iocks. Many apathetic students find no inter- est in high school. Backward tradition coupled with status freaks ,create a sick- ening atmosphere for the apathetic stu- dent. To them, education is the reason for going to school, not popularity. New subjects such as media and mini-mester English courses have been installed, try- ing to meet the demands of the apath- etic student. Others want more courses, creating heavier course loads, to get away from the effects of status. Maybe he is labeled apathetic. But he is allowed to be himself. He doesn't need or rely on status to prop his social stand- ings. To the apathetic student, his inner self is what he is. Opemng!7

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