Editorial: Pros and Cons of Seniority

With many schisms proliferating between the middle school and high school at Seabury, some people have questioned the legitimacy of seniority here at school. I do not write this to argue with the middle schoolers, but rather to describe the good and bad sides of respecting older students and vice versa.

Relying on systems like Secret Seahawks, where middle school and high school communicate via letter, Seabury is really built upon the relationship between middle and high school. Students are able to communicate with other grades through lunch and break time, allowing many students to make friends with each other. With all of this in mind, the connection between grades must be mutual in order for this system to work.

Of course respecting one’s elder is important, but hazing may be imminent due to seniority. Seabury has never had a bad problem with hazing past pushing around freshmen, fortunately for the younger generation at school. Even though it may be fun for the older kids, the freshmen hunt can end up very badly, in every way.

Really, the system of the freshmen hunt is great and all, but getting along with the freshmen is much easier than spanking them with old-school paddles. Community is one of the key values at Seabury, and no matter what may happen between grades, high school and middle school have great opportunities to bond with each other.