The past couple of weeks have been my first re-immersion into high school in over 30 years. (Yikes! -- can it have been that long?) I am stunned by the changes. There are more rules at the girls' HS than you can shake a stick at. There is a reason for that, largely gang problems. This, I am told, is standard at most high schools around Chicago. I guess I'm clueless because I had no idea. I thought in the burbs things were relatively safer.

Emily came home crying after the first day of school. Imagine how that felt. Things have gotten better. She made the volleyball team and is making friends in class. A bunch of them are coming over tonight for a sleepover. That doesn't mean all is well. One of the first friends she made warned her that you don't talk back to certain kids or you get your a** kicked, unquote. Wonderful. If I had known the girls would be living with me I wouldn't be living here.


>This has happened to my daughter at two separate highschools (not to mention the numerous times in middleschool). There are certain times during the day when students are allowed to go to their locker. Not between every class. The result is that they are forced to carry far too many books and notebooks around all day. Some subjects have a huge book as well as a workbook then there is the 'required binder' that each teacher insists on. I get so tired of arguing with the teachers about it. Unless your child is a 180 lb linebacker, she/he will probably have back problems long before they graduate. Oh, and due to security, they are NOT allowed to carry backpacks or tote bags to class period.
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>>>>>>- you must not or you must access your locker between classes, depending on the school. There was even one where there was no rule about that.
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>>>>>In high school, my sister's boyfriend was in a class where an important paper was due. He had it done, but forgot it in his locker. They did not let him go get it. He flunked the class, and as a result didn't get to play football for the rest of the year. He was a senior and a four year football starter. My high school was like the friggin twilight zone.
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>>>>What's the point of having a locker if you can't go during the school day?
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>>>>Tamar
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>>>It was during class that they wouldn't let him go. His locker was probably 50 feet away from the room. She wouldn't accept it after class either.
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>>Then it was the teacher, not the school, that was asinine. Wonder what lesson you mistakenly thought she was teaching him.
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>>Tamar