[Bill L.]

As a father of several teenagers in high school, I would like to know what kids in school are changing in light of the Colorado massacre and the planned attack in Michigan. Specifically: What are the students who identify themselves as preps and jocks doing differently to change the perceived negative stereotypes set upon them by others? Also, are you concerned for your safety in light of the attacks?

User Detail :  

Name : Bill L., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : French/Canadian descent, Age : 40, City : Essex Junction, State : VT, Country : United States, Occupation : Accountant/Analyst, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Cynthia31766]

Preps and jocks are what society defines as “normal” kids. They are the ones who look like GAP ads. They do not wear “strange” clothes, have multiple piercings or wear “strange” haircuts. Since it is no longer politically correct to taunt people who are not of your own ethnicity or sexuality, the only remaining group that can be ostricized are the so-called “fringe” groups of society, such as “Goths.”

User Detail :  

Name : Cynthia31766, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Age : 19, City : Kingston, Ontario, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : College student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Tom W.]

I feel that preps and jocks don’t care about anything but their social life.

User Detail :  

Name : Tom W., Gender : M, Age : 16, City : Tulsa, State : OK, Country : United States, 

[Anne]

I prefer not to label myself in any HS social group. Yeah, I dress nicely (however, I refuse to spend more than $25 for jeans or like $18 for a t shirt, so that means no Abercrombie and Fitch) and all. And I do participate in sports (xc and track) but I have friends from all the groups. Since the shootings started I’ve started just saying ‘hi’ or making small talk to more classmates. This may help them to feel more like they’re accepted.. and it also helps me to be a little less shy.

User Detail :  

Name : Anne, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 16, City : Marshalltown, State : IA, Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Matt]

After the Columbine incident, nothing happened at my high school. We had a short assembly a week later, but nothing changed. The groups did and still do treat each other the same way. People jokingly speculated on who would be the person to shoot up our school if it were ever to happen, but nothing else happened.

User Detail :  

Name : Matt, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 15, City : Arlington, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : High School Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[K. Wojtaszek]

I was personally tormented by the entire jock and prep group when I was in high school simply because I didn’t wear all the expensive clothes, wasn’t athletically inclined, etc. I know that even after Columbine, it hasn’t changed. At my alma mater in Michigan (Chippewa Valley High School), it all still happens. A couple of months ago, Chippewa Valley was playing my sister’s high school, Dakota High School (sister school of CVHS) in a championship football game. My sister was in marching band at the time and she has since quit. CVHS lost the game to Dakota, so the CVHS football players apparently having no problems contributing to the jock stereotype decided to steal all of the band instruments from Dakota’s marching band and throw them in a dumpster. What did CVHS do to punish them? NOTHING. Their response? ‘We don’t know exactly which players did it, so we can’t do anything about it.’ If I were in an administrative position there, I would have suspended the whole team and forbid them to play football in that high school again. *shrug* So basically, they’re doing nothing to change the stereotypes by mistreating people the way they do. Columbine will most likely happen again, it’s only a matter of time.

User Detail :  

Name : K. Wojtaszek, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Cedar Knolls, State : NJ, Country : United States, Occupation : Media Technician, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Katie]

for the most part there was never a large problem with the jocks and the goths. In fact if you will, lets associate ‘goths’ with drama. Our drama program is better then any sport in our school. It is known state wide, nationally and INTERNATIONALLY (we have gone to the fringe festival twice in 5 years- first h.s. to be invited for a repeat performance.) In fact our arts in general are spectacular (our choir performed at carnegie hall last february with acclaimed composer/director Moses Hogan) where as our sports MIGHT make it to state semi-finals or finals once in a while. Everyone has great respect for everyone, because we recognize that others do what we cannot. And even though i am not an active part of our drama company, i call it mine, because it is my school. Just as they call my swim team theirs. Having a racially diverse under 1000 student school helps this factor also. All it is ignorance playing its role. as for safety, my school is trying to be a poster-child for safety… we have had ‘intruder’ lock downs (everyone locks their door and hides in a corner with the lights off.) and evacuation plans (walk 1 mile in the snow to get away fromthe building) sadly there is a need, luckily everyone takes it seriously, yet still light-hearted in the hopes/confidence that it will not happen to our school.

User Detail :  

Name : Katie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 18, City : Bloomfield Hills, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

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