The most critical lesson a person can learn as a young adult is to take responsibility for his actions. At a time when one is being introduced to driving, drinking, drugs, and other choices that will have a lasting impact on one’s life, it’s important for parents and teachers to foster an environment in which young people are able to take responsibility for their actions. The recent suspension of a high school girl in Fairfax County for taking her birth control pill during the school day shows that young adults are not being allowed to nurture their sense of personal responsibility, which can have grave consequences when it comes to venturing out into the world.
College life is fun and exciting in large part because it is the first time most people get to make most of the decisions that affect their everyday life without the input of authority figures. Although there are resources for college students to advise them through their transition from a relatively rigid life structure to a wealth of newfound freedoms, no one is holding their hands through the process. Some students make wise choices and most students make at least one or two bad choices, but the transition from constant surveillance to relative freedom is likely easier for those who have been given doses of freedom and learned to handle themselves responsibly.
At high schools in Fairfax County, students are not allowed to possess or self-administer any drugs, whether they are over-the-counter or prescription. But it is more than likely that most of these students are doing just that whenever they are not in school. It cannot be expected that students stop taking care of their health when they are on school grounds, nor should they feel compelled to put their health in the hands of a school nurse or other administrative figure. It is paramount that students who require prescription pills learn to self-administer those drugs without the supervision or instruction of school officials. In addition, it is reasonable for students with colds or similar ailments to be responsible enough to treat their symptoms during the school day. High school is a time during which young adults learn to handle themselves responsibly, which is a skill that becomes increasingly important as they enter college and eventually the real world. The school rules currently in place regarding over-the-counter and prescription drugs inhibit young adults from acquiring those skills.
If the school is concerned about student safety, it should incorporate lessons about safe drug use into its already existing health classes. Students can be disallowed from sharing over-the-counter or prescription drugs with other students or consuming over-the-counter or prescription drugs outside of a private location such as the bathroom. Such a system would create an environment in which students can learn to take responsibility for their health without endangering others, rather than punishing them for taking control of the situation.
The case of the girl being suspended for two weeks because she took her birth control during the school day highlights the administration’s unwillingness to allow students to take responsibility for themselves. It would have been simpler for the girl to have adjusted her time for taking the pill to some time not within school hours, or to have spoken with the school nurse about keeping a supply of pills for her that should could come take. But in reality, the girl was doing the right thing by taking responsibility for her sexual health and using contraception. It’s ludicrous to encourage students to take responsibility for their health in Family Life Education classes while simultaneously punishing students for taking care of their health during the school day.
Personal responsibility should be cultivated at all stages of life in order to prepare people for the more serious challenges they will face as they continue to grow, move on to college, and eventually the real world. Current high school policies inhibit students from nurturing their sense of responsibility which can have serious repercussions when those students reach their college years and are faced with a wealth of choices and no directions. High school administrators cannot expect students to stop taking responsibility for themselves during the school day. The life of a student does not stop between the first and last bell.
Michael Khavari’s column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at m.khavari@cavalierdaily.com.
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