However, at a recent school-wide assembly aimed at reprimanding such an outburst, the administration resorted to an unusual method of lesson-teaching: the story of a Clark graduate’s recent death was recounted with a negative connotation, hinting at his foolishness for having drowned in a canoeing accident. This student’s unfortunate end was used as a diving board to teach the value of maturity and conformity to the age-old phrase, “measure twice, cut once.” The overall message was that if he had measured twice, he wouldn’t have lost his life.

Let’s be honest, people. Did everyone actually sit there while this young man’s accidental death was paraded around like some public service announcement and think to themselves, “Golly, I sure feel enlightened that this student died so I could be taught a valuable life lesson?” It’s probably safe to assume that most people would agree that such a blatantly tasteless reference has no place in a behavioral reprimand, especially one issued to over 1,000 public high school students.

What effect was the administration going for? Did they really think that using this student’s story would scare the pants off of enough students to eliminate whatever mischief they were up to?

The trouble-making students most probably learned their lesson from the punishment they received, not the insensitive tirade of a peer’s untimely demise. Besides, this young man probably wouldn’t appreciate the fact that his death is being used as an educational tool to cure delinquent students.