Opinion: October 2009 Archives

Trick or treat!

Those three words fill the streets once a year on the last day of October. Kids of all ages walk through neighborhoods decked out in all sorts of costumes from vampires to superheroes. No house is left unchecked as children run from street to street ringing door bells and lugging bags or candy; that grow increasingly heavy as the night progresses. But at what age should the magic fade- if any? When should kids grow up and leave trick or treating to a younger generation? For many teens that question still has no answer as they continue to go out with friends and ring doorbell after doorbell in search of candy.

But is that right? While it may not impact the lives of people in the community it is still an issue worth pondering. It may be great to see teens having fun and running around but at some point the illusion dies and all that's left is grown "kids" in too tight costumes. It's kind of like the Dad that tries to be young and "hip" and buys himself that muscle car that he's convinced will make him look 20 years younger. The reality is that no one's fooled. Whether it be a car or a costume, objects don't hide your age- they only emphasize it. Eventually the costumes just don't fit. Even though it may be fun to pretend to be 10 again and run around in a Cinderella costume, at some point everyone needs to make the transition from getting candy to handing it out.

The stories about Central's flu hoax have gone too far. Why don't people believe that there were actual sick students? On Wednesday around 23 percent of students were out at the high school. So, maybe a few of those students wanted to get school canceled and stayed home on purpose. But, as a Central student who is ACTUALLY sick, I can tell you that I heard nothing of a planned sick-out.

All of these articles and blogs are making Central kids look like liars. Also, one blog I read just moments ago, mocks us for not pulling off this flu hoax. I really don't appreciate being called a liar or being mocked for something I didn't even do. I've been home sick this past week. Honestly, I'd rather be in school. I don't like lying around worrying about the workload I'm going to have to make up come Monday.

Most of my friends were out sick this past week as well. Yes, they were actually sick! It's sad because the media have made the flu hoax seem like fact and the actual flu seem like fiction.

We can't even prove that there is a flu problem since local doctor's aren't testing. Apparently, we all have "probable swine flu." They don't want us going around saying we have swine flu because, people panic. The whole situation is just a mess.To all you people writing about the "flu hoax," maybe you should do your research before pointing fingers at students who did nothing wrong.

Half empty classrooms, the sound of coughing fills each room, and hushed talk of who'll be the next to have swine flu; these are the things that my day contained.

I must be oblivious, because I didn't have any friends who skipped school because they wanted to close it for a week. Would you like to know why? Because none of us were naive enough to think that was true, and none of us wanted to come back for a week in the summer. I had ten people in my English class today, in a class which usually has 18 people. The field hockey team had to cancel a game because half of them were sick. Do we see a pattern? Central York has a flu problem.

I personally am one of the lucky few who are avoiding catching the flu from those who come to school sick. People who come to school functions sick, such as homecoming, are the reason nearly 25 percent of my classmates were absent today. Contrary what the school district told reporters, this had nothing to do with some freshman trying to get people to skip school.

So Central students, drink your orange juice, cover your cough, and avoid sick friends; but don't worry we don't have a flu outbreak. Apparently, we all had planned to get the flu so we could come back for a week of school over the summer.