Archived News Item

Crackdown on the Berkeley High Senior Class

Berkeley High administration cracked down on the Berkeley High senior class severely earlier today. It was announced in the senior meeting with principle Slemp that any student with 3 or more unexcused absences in any class would lose all privileges of graduating on graduation day or going to the Senior Ball on June, 2nd. Mr. Slemp also announced that any student caught streaking would face even more severe consequences then last year’s seniors because “being naked in school is against the law in the state of California which includes Berkeley.” While I agree with what Mr. Slemp is trying to do I don’t agree with the way he’s carrying it out. Being a senior I personally believe that his announcements will only motivate seniors to continue cutting and streak anyway. Seniors will keep cutting because most seniors are eighteen and if they aren’t eighteen one of their friends probably is. (If you are eighteen you are allowed to clear your own absences without a parent calling in.) As far as streaking goes, I believe that the threat against streakers who are caught will only motivate them more to streak and try to get away with it. By threatening them it gives them more excitement and motivation to do it and it will just shovel more work on to Berkeley High security worker’s plates. In addition to all that, Berkeley High streak day is a tradition that begun longer then I care to look back or find out about. All I know is if the administration cares about it so much now how come they didn’t care about it that much throughout all the other years that seniors would streak successfully. Until the next article I am out!

— Josh