Plattsmouth High School - Plattonian Yearbook (Plattsmouth, NE)

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Junior Steve Feithousen devotes part of his class schedule to art class. 4

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On September 6, 1985, Ne- braska Governor Bob Kerrey signed a mandatory seat belt law and the phrase “buckle up spread across the state. Law officials could now issue tickets to anyone in violation of the law but only when that person was stopped for an- other offense. Reaction to the law was var- ied and sometimes heated. People against the law said it was a violation of an indivi- dual’s rights. Advocates cited statistics to show how the law would save lives. What does this law have to do with Plattsmouth High School during the 1985-86 year? The answer came out in a discussion that occurred early in the year. When asked to de- scribe the atmosphere of the school, many students offered negative comments: too much stress, too much home- work, no fun any more, tough- er requirements, not enough time for anything ... “School is like a jail ...” “Yeah, everything is tight- ening up — rules, require- ments ...” “It’s like the seat belt law: we have to buckle up — or buckle down — too.”

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ffltfklM T)cwtt If the atmosphere around school seems more restric- tive, who is to blame? “Every- body” might be one answer. Several years ago, schools around the country looked at themselves and saw some areas that could be improved. The same thing happened in Plattsmouth. Even students expressed a desire for more challenge. No, they may not have said: “We want more homework.” But they did say: “We want to be able to get good jobs.” Wanting excellence is one thing; achieving it is another. Juniors and seniors who be- gan high school thinking it would not be too much work, found out that wasn’t true and seem to resent it. However, freshmen and sophomores were told at the outset that their requirements would be tighter. Therefore, they seem to be able to ac- cept it. Consequently, this year at PHS is unique from the years before since teachers and stu- dents and parents were asked to do more. The resulting achievements were often at the cost of increased stress and tension. It was time for PHS, along with the rest of the state, to buckle up — and buckle down to work.