Defying Authority

Students, for all their worth, aren't always so straight-laced. They violate school rules and regulation. Sometimes because they just feel like doing it, like they haven't got a care in the world. Other times they're just shockingly headstrong, desperate enough to do such offensive acts to get their way.

But what if they were caught?

They won't be so devil-may-care the next time, I'm sure.

In Dante's Inferno, there are nine circles for souls who had committed crime when they were still on Earth. Their punishments reflect their sins. They repent, but that isn't ever enough for them to get away with their crime.

Maybe if there were nine stations for violations, students would be set straight. They won't resort to shady acts. For once, there'd be order. Guilt won't weigh them down. Maybe then there'd be justice. Fairness.

I run through the different places of the school in my mind, and think of the possible violations of the students.

The gates of the school lead to the front of the principal's office. There, students who come late to school stay. They write their names on logbooks. If they're lucky enough, they won't miss their first period. Other students are there because of improper uniform. Females roll up their blouse sleeves. Some wear colored socks, while males have haircuts that aren't deemed appropriate.

The sidewalks are usually clean, but occasionally garbage lies on the way. Students pretend to be casual about it, throwing wrappers around. Few students pick up what they see. Sometimes they act like they don't see it and walk on.

During break time, students feel relieved to be out from the classroom. They talk boisterously. In the halls, the canteen - almost everywhere. Teachers tell them to be quiet, but to no avail.

Students sometimes feign illnesses just to get out of school. Worse, some stay in classrooms to skip classes, knowing they'll get a passing grade no matter what.  In truth, they go play computer games with their companions or go home to catch up on sleep.

In classes, students don't pass homework. They think they can make up for it by exerting more effort in other upcoming projects and activities. Just because they can, they will.

Students talk back to teachers or other figures of authority. They try to make their point clear in a disrespectful way. If it was really awful, they may get sent to the principal's office.

Students can cause harm to other students. They say words that hurt too much, that leave the victim with low self-esteem. They make the victim think of himself hatefully and carry those words for the rest of his life.

They can take what isn't theirs to keep, be it a simple notebook, pen, or Merlin forbid, a can of fizzing soda. A small thing to be mad about, but the thought is that you shouldn't take what isn't yours.

They can cheat, too. They copy other people's homework and brand it as their own. They take hard work for granted. They breeze through life easily and don't take things seriously - just for the sake of a passing grade. What's worse is that they get a higher grade than the ones who work hard and are honest.

They can get themselves suspended - or worse, expelled.