This is the thread where Megaman bitches yet again about how his school is socialist.

[Sir Pinkleton]

I never had uniforms, nor were we restricted from bringing in any liquid. Our biggest problems with authority came when people wanted to leave campus to go buy food at the Fred Meyers a block away. I live in the pretty liberal state of Oregon though, next to Portland no less, so that probably affected it a lot.

Actually, something that came up last year, when I still went to High school, was the discovery in the rules, allowing the principal to look in people's cars if it was deemed necessary (aka suspected drug or alcohol abuse). The school newspaper investigated on it, and the principal said he never used the rule, and he promised he would leave it up to the police to do it if it actually became necessary.

That said, I don't see anything wrong with you writing an essay about the school. I think you may be a little paranoid about what the school's reaction might be, but again, I live in a different place. I'd recommend you take the writing slow and thorough; If you can make a point using entirely factual information, and without showing a bias, you'll have a better argument than one wherein, say, you yell without basis, "The school is SOCIALIST," or something.

[Fifthfiend]

I think it's a clever twist on the usual tendency to abuse "fascist".

Kind of charmingly archaic, like the sort of thing you'd have got back when communism actually scared anybody.

Maybe play it up more next time, Meggles. Throw "socialist" into some allcaps, maybe italics if you're feelin' it.

[Mr.Bookworm]

I would've gone for the ultramodern elegance of Obamunism.

[Julford Hajime]

I'm gonna go ahead and just agree with everything Perturbed said. Basically, High School is shit while you're there, but afterwards you realize that EVERYONE'S high school is/was shit, if just for different reasons (In America). Tough it out, laugh about it later, pity everyone still stuck there, visit your old teachers from time to time.

As for the rules:
-I went to two different high schools, but I had no uniform in either. It's not 'standard' to enforce uniforms, but not uncommon, either. I've worked in an elementary school, which DID have uniforms.
-One school 'banned' drinks like soda, which just meant no vending machines sold it. The other didn't. Not unusual, and it's another "government stepping in and saying no because the fatty's parents never did" move that doesn't ever work. Points for trying, I guess.
-Electronics were banned from use in both schools, with a "Teachers are to take them on sight" rule. They really are distracting, as I zoned out in more than one math class with my headphones. And don't even get me started on all the texting that heppens even with that rule.
-That document is similar to the teachers printing out rules for the first day of class and having students take it home to get it signed. It's basically a "I have read and agree to the following terms" checkbox of the school system, and it's not like there're any extra rules in it, I'm sure.
-Yeah, rule zero is there as a safety from rule lawyers like myself. I actually caused my school's rule zero; explaining to a teacher why he was wrong in the middle of class was allowed until I did it too often >.>

As for the staff being abusive dicks about the rules they have in place; well, that's why you, your friends, your parents, your friends' parents, etc., should be talking about it to the superintendant of schools. I got moderate success with lowering the number of my detentions through this by making a case to the superintendant, who in turn had a "No external reading materials in class" rule removed. Book of choice, humorously enough, was Nuklear Age

EDIT FOR NINJAS:

I think we were just lucky enough to have teachers who were willing to volunteer their time to the school and actually, y'know, help students out.

This is definately the case for better schools in general. Quite frankly, most schools do have rules like those listed above, or at least similar rules, but it's the staff that determine the execution policies for these rules. Staff that are all "OhgodIjustgaveakiddetentionYESYESYES" exist, and typically make life miserable, but hell, you learn to live. It's the teachers who take time to consider the reasoning for the rules and apply them with those reasonings in mind that make schools better.

[Pip Boy]

This is Tangipihoa parish.

Y'know, the same one that was recently in the news because of that guy that wouldn't marry mixed race couples. This place has some fucked up shit in all levels of its organization.

[Funka Genocide]

well if I ever have kids, I'd like them to go to a school with uniforms and the like, I think it helps engender professionalism at an early age.

But uh, well I didn't really do the whole high school thing myself. That shit was whack yo.

I guess if you want to go through life the easy way (high school to college to job) then you just put up with the shit. If you don't mind a few years of soul searing poverty then just drop out and become a roadie.

[Viridis]

Note to self: Avoid Tangipihoa Parish

Note to everyone else: Avoid East Feliciana Parish. It's equally horrible.

[Julford Hajime]

Originally Posted by Funka Genocide

I guess if you want to go through life the easy way (high school to college to job) then you just put up with the shit. If you don't mind a few years of soul searing poverty then just drop out and become a roadie.

No offense, but I'm going to put that on the "Stupidest things to tell people, let alone high school students, EVER" list. It's right up there with "The government banned marijuana, and it's good, so that must mean acid is good too!" Because seriously, acid fucks you up bad; but that's a whole 'nother discussion >.>

[Funka Genocide]

what you got something against roadies?

[Pip Boy]

Originally Posted by Funka Genocide

I guess if you want to go through life the easy way (high school to college to job) then you just put up with the shit.

The main problem I see with the problems at my school is how the other students react to the uniforms. They live in a po-dunk redneck hicktown where most of them don't know any differnt. We have foreign exchange students from fucking germany and china who complain that our school is fascist. Most of the people who've always lived here act like there's nothing wrong at all. Everything is dandy. Yay for Holden. They're conformist doormats.

Furthermore, uniforms aren't professional at all. Sure soldiers, lawyers and doctors wear uniforms but teachers, musicians, artists, and plenty of other professionals don't.

As for not wanting people to dress slutty/trashy/gang symbols, that can be easily managed with a dress code.

EDIT: Failed to mention this earlier, but not a single member of the school's staff is expected to follow a uniform. They just have a very basic and reasonable dress code. Y'know, can't walk into work nude.

EDIT AGAIN: Fine, goddammit. Its not socialist, its Fascist. That doesn't make it okay, and neither does it being common. Basically I'm saying "My high school is really fucked up" and some of you say "No, EVERY high school is really fucked up" as if that makes it better and not worse.