Aragon as a whole is composed of four distinct, but intricately-connected bodies: the administration, the teachers, the students, and the staff. When different organizations with different expectations must work together to achieve a similar goal, communication and transparency are crucial. This is especially true between the student body and the administration, given the oversight responsibilities the administration must exercise over the student population as student leaders organize events for the whole community.
That being said, the student body seems to feel that a general lack of communication and consistency between the student body and the administration exists. As described by Student Body President Jesvin Chandy, a lack of finality of administrative approvals and of specific details regarding cancellations or withdrawals of approval has led to a feeling of noncooperation. “It should be more of a cooperative effort,” Chandy says. “[Leadership] sees [both leadership and the administration] as important parts of the school, we don’t see us as just being rebellious or anything, we just hope to work towards the common student good through cooperation.”
Consequences of this lack of communication have arisen before, as witnessed by planners of last year’s winter rally, who were told just two days before the event had been canceled, only to have it be reactivated the next day. In addition, the Aragon Improv Team found itself in a conflict when administrative scheduling issues between it and the music department were brought up at the last minute.
The student body realizes that the administration, being responsible for enforcing discipline, and being responsible for affairs beyond those pertaining to students, sometimes has to make quick, final decisions. However, the general feeling of disappointment does not rise from animosity towards the decisions, but the lack of transparency as to how these decisions were made. Chandy says, “Usually when [the administration] denies a request, they just say something along the lines of ‘it goes against a district policy,’ without giving us any specifics.”
Compromise and cooperation, then, is the only and best solution to this situation. A technique that has been tried before by both of the organizations is to create a sort of liaison system between the two, with daily reports being shared between both the student body and the administration. This liaison responsibility currently falls upon the teacher of the leadership class, Catherine Williamson. In events regarding leadership, removing the middleman between the organizers of the events, the student leadership class, and the administration might be more efficient. Also, a student liaison would better be able to represent the needs of the student organizers. The Aragon Outlook suggests that the liaison responsibility be transferred to a student, possibly another elected position or an assigned position inside of leadership.
In regards to other events that have inspired the writing of this editorial, the Outlook wishes to acknowledge that the administration can rightly expect students to turn in reservation requests in a timely matter, and that students can expect the administration to return decisions that are transparent, fair and final. Thus, the Outlook would suggest that stricter regulations regarding requests be implemented so that the administration has a suitable amount of time to organize a master schedule.
The Outlook believes that these changes would be a positive given that not only would the students further develop communication and reporting skills, but would also provide an incentive for the student to make the communication a priority.
In addition, other student organizations such as the aforementioned Improv Team or any other student club would probably have an easier time communicating with a student as opposed to the administration, which often finds itself busy with things other than strictly student affairs.
When asked to comment on these matters, Assistant Principal Joe Mahood referred us to Principal Patricia Kurtz, who was occupied during the several occasions we tried to reach her.
