As students we find it hard not to scrutinize school discipline procedures when they continue to mirror the storyline of the 1985 film, The Breakfast Club. It appears that every demerit obtained, no matter the reason for receiving it, eventually leads to the same resulting and outdated consequence — a Saturday school.

Whether you’ve been caught vaping in the bathroom or have accumulated a laundry list of tardies, you’ll end up in the same seat on a Saturday morning, completing the same fill-in-the-blank worksheets that resemble the code of conduct posters that we all look at oh-so-often.

You too, the one mixing chemicals in class, will be in attendance, staring out the cafeteria windows and walking in line during the gender-segregated bathroom breaks. Could it be more old-school?

Here we are, in an age of progression and transformation, tethered to age-old discipline practices. Students sit for hours in silence, permitted only to complete their homework and twiddle their thumbs. Besides learning that this isn’t a place they’d want to return to, what do students take away from this?

We do acknowledge that the threat of receiving another Saturday school, especially after previously experiencing one, may prevent future improper behavior, however, we also recognize that the possibility of receiving a Saturday school varies, making this “threat” not always present.

As expected, some housemasters put their foot down a little harder than others. Some give warnings, some let it slide once or twice, and others show up to your classroom with a Saturday school notice for tardies that you didn’t even realize you had.

We are asking for three things: consistency, consequences that are appropriate, and to not always be approached as guilty.

In terms of consistency, we want less variability in receiving consequences. The discrepancies in disciplinary actions from house to house has left the lines blurred for students. Although it is technically in the student handbook, many students don’t know when they will actually see the consequences for their actions. It needs to be more straightforward. Not to mention, a simple reminder from a housemaster when the lucky number of demerits that will win you a Saturday school is approaching, would certainly help.

Consequences need to be appropriate for the different rule-breaking actions. If one is late to school unexcused, perhaps they need to be required to stay after school. By implementing this method, students will understand the direct consequences of their actions that day. They will not be wondering a month down the road if their tardies have finally added up to a punishment. Consequences need to be directly applicable, something that students may learn from. If they are forced to stay after school and in turn miss a sports practice or game, they will be less likely to repeat that behavior. They will make it to school on time knowing that there is a definite repercussion that will be enacted on that day. Obviously, there are several different offenses that can warrant a Saturday school and not every one may have a punishment of its own, but if they are at least more effective and pertinent than staring blankly like Molly Ringwald for four hours, then our disciplinarians are doing something right.

Even though we recognize that our administrators need more consistent and fitting punishments, we find that they also neglect to employ positive reinforcement in discipline protocol. Students seem to always be perceived as guilty by many of our disciplinary personnel. Students are run down for not wearing their lanyards, yet never acknowledged for wearing them. We believe that if administrators carried out practices of positive reinforcement, thanking students for abiding by school rules, and helping retain a safe environment at BHS, we would have greater respect for the high school staff. We have acknowledged that we are much more responsive to staff that come over and simply say “hey bud, I like the hat, but would mind taking it off for me” versus the ones that yell “take that hat off” at us down the hallway. We’re not always doing something wrong or intending to do so. If we forget our lanyards one day, don’t treat us like “bad” students, we’re just kids. We forget things and we make mistakes.