40 - Wednesday, September 11, 1991 — North Shore News MuchMusic’s Top Videos 1. Metallica: Enter Sandman 2. Rod Stewart: The Motown Song 3. Bonnie Raitt: Something To Talk About 4. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Learning To Fly 5. The KLF: 3 a.m. Eternal é Extreme: Hole Hearted 7. Paula Abdul: Promise Of A New Day 8. Natalie Cole: Unforgettable 9. Sarah McLachlan: The Path Of Thorns 10. C'C Music Factory: Things That Make You... 11. Grapes of Wrath: | Am Here 12. Michael Bolton: Time Love & Tenderness 13. Martika: Love... Thy Will Be Done 14, Dire Straits: Calling Elvis 15. Bryan Adams: Everything ! Do (! Do It For You) 16. Aaron Neville: Everybody Plays The Fool 17. Scorpions: Wind Of Change 18. Anthrax featuring Public Enemy: Bring The Noise 19, Roxette: Fading Like a Flower 20. Huey Lewis & The News: it Hit Me Like A Ham- mer - courtesy of MuchMusic - The Nation’s Music Station DILLON Do you think schools should ban unauthorized gatherings on their grounds? Yes or no? 980-KIDS irresponsible grad pranks are costing students their freedom THERE IS a new School Board regulation making its way into September school newsletters: “having regard and concern for the welfare and safecy of stu- dents, and the rights and privacy of nearby residents, and the public image of the North Vancouver School District, prohibits unauthorized gatherings on school property.”* : It’s true. No this is not authoritarianism; rather, its called ‘preventive policy’’. I have a brother who is entering the high school system who is shocked and appalled at this new reality. “1m shocked and appalled,” he said, ‘‘what is this, every man for himself?’’ He was not alone in confusion. We wondered how such a strange and harsh rule would be imposed? Is this rule characteristic of a democratic society? I was com- pelled to investigate. My first stop was the Canadian Wie GUy WHO | SLIPPED CARROT SNcKS IN THE |COOIE SAR PP 1M 1980 A VULLAGE IN FRANCE HAD A SAUSAGE MADE FOR 'T WAS THE LONGEST SAUSAGE EVER MOWN. ALTHOUGH THE SCORPION HAS CLAWS, 1TS MAIN WEAPON {S THE Ee SPECIES THE POISo CAN BE POWERFUL. ZNouGH TO KILL HOMAN BEINGS. 1905 Tribune Media Services. Resened THE SCARY FART 45, SHE COULD BE REFERRING TO ANY NUMBER OF THINGS... iW THe ARCTIC REGIO 3g Foe WORLD THE CONDITIONS ARE : SUCH THAT ON A PERFECTLY 4E MILES AWAY AND HEAR THE REPLY ALL WITHOOT SHOUTING! f q $ By Rod Solar Contributing Writer Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is usually a good place to start when one needs a security blanket to remind oneself that Canada is still a democracy. It states in Section 2: “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom ofi conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, opinion and expression...; (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d)} freedom of association.” Therefore, this school board regulation contradicts the Cana- dian Charter. This was getting in- teresting... Of course, the charter has limits. Freedom of assembly only applies if the assembly is peaceful. Freedom of association is con- cerned with the right to join in common cause with others for lawful purposes. The School Board regulation does not include this: restriction, hence, 1 would assume that stu- dents cannot, under any cir- cumstances, gather in groups unless authorized by a teacher or administrator. And if they do, these students will be subject to disciplinary action, namely suspension. This seemed altogether unbelievable to me, so I decided to call for professional assistance. I called Mr. Tom Carlyle at the North Vancouver School Board and asked for some clarification of this seemingly harsh and op- pressive regulation. He told me that the regulation was arrived at through due pro- cess of public meetings and District consultations, with parents, teachers and ad- ministrators. Concerns were initi- ated by residents around school properties; namely, Argyle Sec- ondary. ing forward to most this school year. Here’s what you said ‘The holiday.”’ “The best thing will be seeing all my own friends again, all my old teachers, and wearing all my new clothes.” Jan, Grade 11, West Van Secondary. “The best about going back to school is being with my friends.” “The best thing will be having a life again. The next summer Apparently, some years ago, Argyle was the site of a very bad scene, involving liquor, tresspass- ing, arson and the R.C.M.P. It was September of 1989, when Grade 12 students of Argyle played out the traditional custom of camping out on the school grounds the night before the first day of school. It happens every year, at nearly every high school, and some years even makes the evening news. Sometimes it’s toilet paper all over trees, other times its real estate signs ‘‘selling’’ the school cheap. It is the ‘Grad Prank’’, sup- posedly a marvel of student inge- nuity, usually a tiresome mess of some kind. Unavoidably costing thousands of tax dollars to clean up floods, relocation of animals, and damage to property. Money that could be used for more productive pur- poses, like student counselling, facility improvement and staff de- velopment, and so on and so on... The regulation didn’t seem so harsh ard oppressive anymore. It is in fact completely justifiable in light of recent events on the North Shore and elsewhere, perpetrated by so-called imaginative pranksters. The regulation only applies at the beginning of the school year and it is a “reasonable approach’’ as a preventive measure. It is supported by the B.C. School Act and By-Law regula- tion, it is property and time specific, therefore it does not con- tradict the charter. Now that I realize that our freedom is not being infringed upon, it is easier to look at this policy objectively. The policy is necessary. Only because of the lack of foresight by some students who think they’re being cute, but are only ruining things for students in lower grades. These students will feel the con- sequences of irresponsible grad pranks, in the form of rigid regu- lations and loss of privileges. Translation: loss of freedom. eas week, we asked you weather was so bad this about what you were look- summer... it was so bor- ing.”