The End of "Tradition"

My story begins about three years ago, when upperclassmen at Chatfield decided they wanted to start a "tradition" of chanting "FRESHMAN SUCK" during assemblies. At any loll in an assembly, the seniors would start the chant, and before anyone could stop it, 1,500 sophomores, juniors and seniors would be chanting along. Our pathetic principal last year decided he was going to stop it (Chatfield has gone through 5 principals in the past 7 years-it's a tough school and no one has been able to make the cut thus far). Bernie was one of them.

During the Homecoming assembly last year when the chanting started, Bernie grabbed the microphone and started scolding the kids.

"Come on. That's enough. Stop it. I said stop it. I'm going to cancel this assembly if you don't stop. Please stop. That's enough, or else...." All empty threats.

His pleas could not be heard over the chanting, and our staff hung our heads in shame. Not only did we not respect our principal, but the students did not respect him either.

After several minutes of useless pleas, Bernie then decided that if they wouldn't listen to his demands, then they might stop chanting if he threw prizes at them. So rather than cancel the assembly as he threatened, he started throwing out prizes to those who were chanting the loudest. Chick Fil A coupons. T-shirts. CFA stuffed cows. DQ coupons. The chanting eventually stopped, but he had basically just rewarded them for their horrific behavior.

The chanting continued through that assembly and also through our spring assembly as well.

Bernie "quit" at the end of last year.

Wendy, our new principal is fabulous. She is confident. She is strong. She is a leader. The first words out of her mouth on our first day back was, "I'm your new principal, and the FRESHMAN SUCK chant will be ended. I will not tolerate it, and it has met its match. I have a plan in place, and this will be the end of this harassment." The staff cheered.

The kids got wind weeks ago that the chant was over, and that has been the main topic of conversation through the hallways. "But it's tradition. She can't stop it."

They obviously don't know what a tradition is.

And they obviously don't know that Wendy CAN stop it.

As the Homecoming assembly approached (today), students grew more and more upset. They wanted to do chant it. They "deserved" to chant it because it was done to them so why can't they do it to the freshman?

Oh, to have no other concerns in the world.

Wendy pulled aside all the juniors and seniors on Wednesday (all 1,000) and spoke to them about respect, honor, pride, etc. It was a positive talk overall, and she assured them that if the chanting started, the assembly would be called off, classes would resume as normal, and potentially the Homecoming dance would be canceled. She was booed.

She then received a threatening email saying she was a dictator and she was "ruining my child's senior year by putting a stop to this tradition."

Unreal.

Wendy laughed.

Teachers could barely get through class on Wednesday because students were so upset that their beloved "tradition" had supposedly come to an end. Rumors floated around that the chant would still be done but they would wait until the very end of the assembly. Rumors also floated that they were going to chant, "Wendy sucks." Bring it on. We dare you to try.

I had a student walk into my 3rd hour class on Wednesday (that had 30 students) and yell, "Freshman suck." He got it from me, his coach, another teacher, and the assistant principal. He later apologized for his rude and disrespectful behavior.

The staff has been on edge all week.

Today was the assembly.

First hour: My students whispered. "Are you going to do it? Should we do it? Will she really cancel the assembly and dance? I don't think we should do it."

Second hour: "It's our right to do it. We're doing it."

Assembly: All was quiet. Well, not quiet because it's so loud in the gym that you can't hear yourself think. But the students were respectful. They didn't do it. They lasted 55 minutes without chanting "Freshman suck." Teachers swelled with pride. This was finally the school where we were proud to work. These were the students we have helped raise. This was the pride we want our school to have.

And then 20 senior boys, at the very last second of the assembly, started the chant.

How dare they!

Teachers swarmed. We got them. It lasted about 10 seconds. Their peers glared. No one else followed suit. Out of 2,000 students, 20 isn't that bad, I guess.

We're all very proud of the other 1,980 students.

And freshman don't suck. Those 20 boys suck!