More flex time, better grades, better students

During this unit, antithesis, we looked into how the constitution seems to contradict itself. We started the course by looking into the constitutional amendments, and started applying them to when they were created. We found that the 1800s marked a time when slavery was occurring, but also a time when slavery "ended" due to the the civil war. The amendments put in place at that time, thirteenth and fourteenth, are controversial. We watched the film, 13th, which gave us an idea of how the thirteenth is being applied today with the situation of mass incarceration in the U.S. We were able to visit the Immigration court house to look into the first cases being looked into, which was an interesting FE within itself due to the fact that we are living in the Trump era and what we may see on media could be interpreted differently when you're at an immigration courthouse. We were also able to sit down with a public defendant and state prosecutor, Latoya Hughes and Connie Jordan. For this AP, we were asked to looked into the GCE student handbook and change a rule that we disagree with and amend it, change it. Read through my AP to look into how I would like to amend a rule at GCE regarding flex time.

Throughout my time at GCE, I have come to realize that students are given many opportunities. One of those opportunities include students being about to make an emphasis or change something in the Student Handbook. Each year, GCE students are required to sign off the student handbook in order to show that students understand certain policies that the school will follow throughout the year.

One of the points given is,

“Most students do not have a lot of unallocated time in their daily schedule. Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years. Students are encouraged to use their time productively. Sometimes they should be studying, doing homework, or meeting with teachers. Other times, it is entirely appropriate to socialize or relax. Students who are having trouble completing work satisfactorily may be assigned to Sanctuary.” 

Syllogism the current handbook, 

P1: Students get opportunities to manage their own time.


P2: Students should be using their time productively.


P3: Students are allowed flex time during Sanctuary, which is after school.


C: Students do not have time set aside on their daily schedule for flex time, except for Juniors and Seniors. 


As a junior student, I do not see opportunities to manage my own time implemented into my daily schedule. Junior year is a crucial year for high school students in order to have students start looking into colleges they’re interested in, taking the ACT, managing prep time for tests like ACT/SAT, getting assignments in on time to keep grades up and GPA’s, and the list goes on. Senior year is also the year to start applying for college applications and ending the year off right. Being a part of a project-based school requires students to be 100% attentive in class in order to be able to show what they have learned through Action Projects. Personally speaking, I think this “rule” is unjust. The fact that GCE junior and senior students are not given the opportunity to have flex time or free periods where they are able to get work done, study, etc. If you were to consider this “flextime/free period” as advisory, many students are participating in group activities at that time or cooking for community lunch, and are not given the opportunity to get work done. Sanctuary is an after school program given to students, but staff may disregard the fact that many students, especially juniors and seniors, have other after school programs to attend after school. Many students are either getting community service hours done, headed to work, a part of a dual enrollment program, Marwen, or other programs that will make an impact in perfecting their college applications. I have constructed my own amendment, Juniors and Seniors should be given the opportunity to have at least an hour of flex time incorporated into their daily schedule.

Syllogism:

P1. Junior students have brought up the fact that they often feel stressed to the school counselor, especially because junior year requires you to be more on top of your grades, APs, etc.


P2. Some students have flex time in advisory.


P3. Sanctuary, an after school flex time program, is considered “flex time”, but not all students can attend due to jobs, extracurricular activities, and more.

C: Junior and senior cohorts should have a flex time period in their school day in order for them to get work done in school, and participate actively in any after school programs they are a part of, without feeling stressed.


If a student gets their device taken away or is not actively participating in class discussion throughout the week or is almost an hour late to school, those students should NOT be given flex time.  The Fourteenth Amendment states that no state can, “ deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” GCE is currently setting up a standard for junior and senior students. Students should be looking into colleges/universities they are interested in, advancing their college portfolios with extracurricular activities, etc. If Freshman and Sophomores are given more flex time than it seems as though Juniors and Seniors are not being given the same opportunities as shown through the student handbook, “Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years.” Juniors and Seniors should be given the opportunity to have at least an hour of flex time incorporated into their daily schedule. The Fourteenth Amendment states that no state can, “ deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” GCE is currently setting up a standard for junior and senior students. Students should be looking into colleges/universities they are interested in, advancing their college portfolios with extracurricular activities, etc.

If Freshman and Sophomores are given more flex time than it seems as though Juniors and Seniors are not being given the same opportunities as shown through the student handbook, “Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years.”  I was able to speak to one of my peers about this rule and they said, " think this amendment will be beneficial for juniors and seniors to focus and prioritize on what they need to work on in and out of school.” SR. 

Furthermore, my other peer, SN, agreed to go forward and sign this amendment! 

I believe that equity plays a key role at GCE. By being a student at GCE, you are entitled to your own beliefs, actions, etc. You are also able to contribute into new school policies, and add onto them for the better. By amending this rule, as a junior GCE student, I would be contributing to this institution and making sure that rules that are found in the handbook are being applied to students' daily schedules equally.