I sit alone in a locker, pondering exactly what to write in this space. It is hard to write in such cramped quarters, but I must press on. I must finish this article, and then force it upon the next idiot who walks by (Hey!!) My voice will finally be heard after years of wandering the shadows, and being told to shut the hell up. That's right. I said “hell”. My editors have assured me that I will be allowed to use the word “hell.” (We did WHAT?), and use it I did. In fact, it might've been rather unnecessary to use it. But I used it anyway. Why? Because I can! Hooray for the First Amendment!
But then ask yourself, what exactly is the point of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press?* Why do we need it in MTA, if some shady guy sitting in a locker will only use it as a cheap joke in a column he's writing? And if there is no point to the First Amendment, what point did I make by using the word “hell”? That would mean that my entire first paragraph is gone, and frankly, I worked hard on that.
I'd like to suggest that freedom of speech and freedom of press is not only valuable in the American system of democracy, but is also valuable within MTA. That's because freedom of speech guarantees the right of citizens to criticize their government in a constructive and respectful manner. The role of the media in an ideal society is to be the voice of the people, whose responsibility it is to tell the government what the people want and expect out of it, giving criticism whenever necessary. A free, eloquent, and active press has always been a hallmark of a democratic establishment, while a censored medium is a defining characteristic of a totalitarian body.
Why is this important in MTA? Since R' Gottleib took the helm 3 years ago, we've been promised a “new MTA,” and the efforts he has done to make it so have been commendable. However, there seems to be a lack of input on the students’ part as to the direction the school is headed. It seems to me that the administration follows its own path without allowing students to review and critique its policies. For this I fault both the administration and the students. The authorities that be have not shown much of a willingness to listen to the complaints of the students. They made a student council which has no voice, and has censored news articles that critiqued their actions. The students, for their part, have not made their issues known in a constructive manner; choosing to vandalize air conditioners and destroy the game room rather than address their issues.
This is why a free press in MTA is so vital. If the administration is so committed to the education and freedom of its students, it should allow grievances to be aired in student publications. Furthermore, the administration should actually read the articles, approach them with an open mind, and enact changes when necessary. On a student’s part, if you are upset with the school, don't break a window, regardless of how fun it might be. Write an article for The Academy News, write an article for Scope, post 99 Theses on the library door, whatever. Just make sure you are heard. For too long we've had school papers that barely come out. When they do, they rarely ever tackle actual issues, instead talking about a basketball game that happened six months ago. The school publications are there for you, the student, to have a voice in how the school is run. I urge you all to get up on your respective Soap Boxes and make your voices heard. If we are to have a school in which the everyone is happy, content, and opinionated, both the students and the administration need to work and not against each other.