As teens, we pride ourselves in our ability to constantly challenge the rules; the cellphone rule, the late work rule, the grades-are-too-low rule.  But at other schools, kids have much more reason to protest.

For example, at some schools, detentions are issued for low grades in school as well as inappropriate behavior. Straight A’s are required some places in order to attend school events, including dances. (Let’s be honest: we would not make much money at dances implementing that rule at AHS!)

Some schools make freshmen decide what major they want to pursue, and allot them classes, such as computer programming, for example, based on those choices, giving the students themselves no say in the matter– freshmen, could you have made this choice? We certainly would not need as many math teachers if this were the case.

Some have zero-tolerance fighting policies; kids who fight are arrested no matter what the circumstance and sent to juvenile hall immediately without given a chance to defend their side of the argument. In comparison, AHS is generous in their leniency.

Many schools don’t allow backpacks that are not clear, exposing many things that ought not to be exposed, I’m sure. Water-bottles that aren’t clear are prohibited as well, for … obvious reasons. In addition, many school crack down on dress codes too; pants with holes are not allowed, and boys must wear belts. (That, I personally wouldn’t mind.)

And finally, the rules that AHS students would perceive as most atrocious: some schools do not allow PDA. Not even hand holding; clearly the most sexual and heinous crime one could commit.

Many schools ban kids from wearing hoodies, (a rule implemented before Geraldo Rivera’s commentary on Fox News), a rule that clearly violates the right of teenagers to be comfy.

Dances at other schools are regulated harshly as well; in many schools down South, “dirty dancing” is forbidden, and phrases like “face to face, leave a little space” are the words to live by. Could AHS students bear such abominable rules?

Probably not.

If that, Athens High School, does not make you grateful for our considerably lean rules, then I do not know what would.

Everyone knows the saying: “You don’t appreciate it until it’s gone.” I myself did not realize that having a backpack was a privilege until I discovered that our neighbors at Alexander aren’t even allowed that allowance. We, high school students everywhere, take for granted what we’re given.

All it takes is a look at what other schools don’t allow, and what we do, to fully appreciate our school.

We’re all guilty of whining about the administration. Sometimes they give us good reason to do so, and other times they don’t. But next time they pass a rule, like “no cellphones”, maybe we ought not to complain so much. After all, AHS, I’m sure we value our hoodies, dirty dancing and backpacks much more.