With the continuing controversy over the 2006 Derby High School yearbook, you have to wonder what next year’s edition will look like.
More tattoos, body piercings and teen pregnancies? Or a renewed focus on the school’s best and brightest — the jocks, A students and Leaders of Tomorrow who normally crowd this sort of publication?
By choosing a more authentic depiction of high school life, the yearbook staffers opened themselves to a raft of criticism — and maybe learned more about journalism than they intended. They should now be well-versed in the First Amendment and the Kansas Student Publications Act, which — controversy aside — protects every choice they made with the yearbook. They’ve also learned that the right to print something is not quite the same as a right not to be criticized for it.
As for the gripes, some are understandable. There are only so many pages in a yearbook; devoting more to social issues presumably leaves less for scholastic ones. I can see how the parent of a kid who’s making all the right choices might feel a little undermined.
Still, this year’s Derby yearbook is more interesting than most. It got people talking. Next year’s staff might face a tough choice: Tone it down, or top it?
Posted by Dave Knadler
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33 Comments
How about a yearbook that features everyone that attends the school? Don’t just use it as a ’showcase’ for who you consider the best students. It’s supposed to be a yearbook for everyone. Include pictures of those students who don’t make straight A’s or who aren’t on a sports team. I don’t mean just the little bitty pictures that everyone has in there. I mean the big ones like the cheerleaders and so-called popular students get. Let others know these kids are important, too. That’s real life in a high school. So far, high schools produce one-sided, popularity induced rags for yearbooks. Change something.
I think my year book had like 812 pictures of the quarterback.
Why would you feel undermined by the way they produce a yearbook? It is about the school, the whole school not just a portion you like to see. If you raise your kids the way you want let that be good enough. Others may raise there kids differant. That does not make them wrong or right. It is called a choice. I would rather my kids be around differant back grounds. Then work with them and explain to them the choices poeple make. Raise them to see both sides of the coin. At school you have both sides of the coin, so why not show it in a year book? Some of these kids have made a choice good or bad! At least they are in school trying to make a better life.
There are two ways to deal with a problem. The middle school here at one time had a outraguios number of pregencies…MIDDLE SCHOOL! Now that is a sign there is a problem, how did they face it?They could have had a intense program to educate and combat the problem or they could ignore it?Yeah, they did the latter. School for teen is reality, it is the day to day that they deal with. It is not wishful thinking, or always the smart way to handle it.But it is there everyday and to ignore it may make us feel better.But tomorrow it is still there.
There’s no controversy, somebody is always bitching about something. News flash, person complains about weeds in lawn. Is there a controversy about the spreading of weeds? Nope, who cares about a yearbook that someone will forget about in a few months?
I have watched over the last few days the “controversy” regarding the year book in Derby. Being 15 years removed from the world that is high school, and as a father of 4, i applaud the students for their approach. Did it cause controversy, maybe. Did it make people uncomfortable, most likely. But if you look back the successful “movements” of the past 40 years, each generation had such times. Granted this isnt the rock-n-roll movement, the hippie movement, the liberation of the 70’s, nor the mass materialism of the 80’s, but as it is, it is their time and thier opportunity. These students saw their opportunity to make their mark and to take a chance and they embraced it. Bravo! Not only is it rare to have such an opportunity in life, but to be presented with it at an early age, recognize it for its long term meaning, but to seize it is a testament to the students, their teachers and certainly their parents. By making people a bit uncomfortable we inspire discussion and debate which is never a bad thing. As a great character played by Robin Williams said, “Carpe Diem!” in all of its glory.
I think the students are given to the room to make the decisions and this is what they wanted. The book is for the graduating class. It’s not going to be read over and over by generations of students.AND – why is the woman with the poofy dog hair on TV complaining? If her Kid is graduating in May without getting being knocked up or getting someone knocked up then what’s the big f’ing deal.It is a reflection of the lives of the graduating class during their senior year.NOW- I do think the teacher has a responsibility to ask the students thought developing questions so they know what ‘permanent’ means. I am left wondering why anyone would want a pic of BTK in their yearbook, maybe a small notation, but not a serial killers picture. I think the teacher might have said something…maybe they did debate it. I don’t know.I don’t think a teenage girl who gives birth should be shamed by some others students stuffy fat-ass mother – who wears her hair in a style that will prevent her from ever getting a hard man near her.For Christ sake – would everyone just worry about their own child.Holy Shit – adults are a bunch of frickin wussies.
What is needed is a follow-up in a few years. Show the knocked up teen as she raises her kid(s) working nothing jobs for minimum wages. Show the idiots who tattoo and pierce themselves not being hired other than for low,low pay jobs.
Now that will send a message.
I’m glad that Derby is incorperating the teen pregnancies and tattoos/piercings. It shows what’s really going on.Most mothers will tell you it’s hard raising kids. I can’t imagine how hard it would be trying to raise kids while in high school. I waited until I was out of college and semi-established in my career and it’s still hard!As for the tattoos/piercings. If you’re gonna get ‘em at least make sure they can be covered up by clothes if you want to pursue a professional career and not just work dead-end jobs. Mine are covered at work.
Jim G.
Well done.
hiI did not read it.if it is all a true reflection of the yr. did they show the kids who got d.u.i.,s or possesion busts or the kids that worked to give money to mom or dad for rent.what about the drop out,s they deserve a pg. also.a personal thought , I applaud the “kid” who had a kid I hope the daddy is still around.what the h… do the parents of the kids with the tat,s do, think, etc.huh..????the most news worthy thing I saw was that d…b a…s woman on the news that said derby would become a haven for pregnant teens and other shady types???? huh.not an exact quote but close .she must live in the sub division in derby that limits your deck and fence stain to 6 colors ,very specific shades and it is an ordinance and is enforced?? huh.suburbia sucks , Rick from the north end with the latino,s
Last year i was displaced by hurricane Katrina and landed in Kansas. I have been here for a year and honestly am still experiencing culture shock.
I just read the article about the Derby Yearbook controversy. Frankly I can’t see why in heavens name these people are complaining. I am a 56 year old mother of 7, and maybe when i was a teen this type of thing would have been kept hush-hush. But, good grief, people wake up! It happens, sometimes deliberately but most likely because premarital sex was not openly discussed in the home. Hello! Maybe if parents would talk TO their teens instead of AT them, teens would fully understand the impact of a teenage pregnancy will have on their lives.
And the statement about a pregnant teen most likely winding up on welfare, well that’s the biggest crock i have heard in a long time. Any teen from an open and loving family knows the consequences. They also know what it takes to raise a child. Everyone needs help at some point. Be it physical, emotional,or monetary. I can attest to that personally.
Instead of complaining, why not step up and see if there is anything you can do to give assistance. Oh but wait, that may interfere with their holy-than thou lifestyle.
WhiteGOld mama, I love you babe.
Why is it that parents try to talk to their children by saying, “don’t have sex, its against the bible”. Shit, everyone knows the biggest sluts are catholic school and preachers kids.
Try something like, if you screw around, you will end up getting pregnant and you will spend the next 18 years with no money, no free time, with a lame job and no future…
I think that sounds good. Than give them some birth control!
One problem we have is the loss of extended family. As a result kids grow up without experiencing the fun of changing stinky diapers of siblings/cousins. Far too many underestimate what is involved with having a kid.
I have multiple tattoos and a high paying job. So I don’t think that body art means people will be on welfare.
I did have enough sense to use a condom during high school however.
It is not so much the yearbook that disturbes me. What concerns me and I would hope concerns all parents is the statments made by the schoolboard. I.E. Comment: “Not only will we continue to teach kids the academics but we will also teach the kids our (teachers) life experiences” Having been involved in the schools and public school system the last thing I want for my children is to have some half-baked teacher explaing his/her life experiences to my children. This is a very good example of what is wrong with our world today. Teachers pushing their views upon our children. Teachers and School board members need to stick to the academics while the parents are the ones to share life experiences with their children. This statment made by the school board is a slap in the face of any parent regardless of what was published in the yearbook. Fire the ones on the school board and get some responsible adults in place. Billy McDaniel
Whitegold, welcome to Kansas!
High school yearbook–you eagerly await its coming out and you page through it looking for pictures of yourself.
Then you look at the goof-ball pictures of your goof-ball friends.
Then you put it on your shelf and don’t have the good sense to throw it away, because you’ll never look at it again.
People should really grow up . . .
I wouldn’t worry too much about the complaining Derby parents. They’ll just move their kids (along with their kids’ bad habits and drug usage) to one of the smaller towns. They really like those smaller communities. So much so that as soon as they move there, they want everything to be like it was in Derby.
Let the yearbook reflect all students. And remember that even those jocks drink, smoke, drug, and have sex, just like the tattooed, pierced and A-students do.
Get real Mom and Dad. That yearbook is a reflection of THEIR life, not yours.
‘half baked teacher”??Wow talk about a disrespectful parent. If you don’t like teachers, take your kids elsewhere for their education. If you want to know why kids have no manners and disrespectful, it’s directly from the parent’s behavior.
Any bets the ‘biddy bitching ’bout the baby raising grad is an anti abortion militant?
Arguements over yearbooks. Sheesh. All the real problems in the world and a few folks are worried about yearbooks? These are complainers with WAY too much time on their hands.
It doesn’t matter if “us” kids have peircings or tattoos, or even children. I have friends who have many children that are senior this year. A friend of mine is even graduating early, maintaining a great job and starting college in February. Just because of how teens today look, shouldn’t reflect on their restrictions. We’re who we are today…if parent’s have such a problem with what we look like then don’t allow us to get tattoos or piercings…for the yearbook those are our friends and peers…people who attend our school and are unique…this is their thing…yes i do not attend their school but we are not from the past…these are our memories and theirs not the parents. Let us live and remember everything we want to…these are our most memorable years not just the parents.I say-Let the students design the yearbook how they want to. It’s theirs not yours…if you don’t want to purchase a yearbook allow the child to with their money. It’s for them to look back on and laugh, cry and remember all the good times from high school.
Great post Samantha!
Samantha and others,A little information concerning your yearbook. Whatever you paid for your yearbook was not what it cost. Ninety percent of the cost of the book itself and one-hundred percent of the cost of producing the book were picked up by the property owning taxpayers. You may think of it as “your yearbook” but the only thing of the yearbook that is yours are the images. It is actually the taxpayer’s yearbook.
LOL, poofy dog hair lady. Between her and the other fat ugly hag that were on TV it doesn’t give a very good impression of Derby women. Are they all that gross? No wonder the kids are rebelling. If those were my mothers I’d jump off a bridge.
These people need to get a life. Maybe at a gym and hair salon. It’s just STUPID to get all worked up about a few articles in a yearbook about things that are going on. Although this WILL probably be a yearbook they won’t forget.
Agreed that Laramie. There certainly are better things to get outraged about.
I hadn’t opened my yearbook in more than 10 years. The only thing that prompted me to do so was when a guy I knew in high school got killed in Iraq.
So what’s your point WRS?Are you pissed cause ya’ don’t like the yearbook?Or do ya’ just wake up looking for something to be offended about?As an ex-hippy freak, I say,YOU KIDS ROCK!!Have fun and live life to the fullest.Good luck, and study hard.Kids in China are starving for your jobs.
WRS,
And just exactly how do you know those cost figures? Anyone who has ever been on a yearbook staff can tell you that the retail cost of the book pays for the printing cost of the book, as well as any other expenses like photo equipment and developing. That’s why students work so hard to produce a book students will want to purchase. The only thing one can assume tax money pays for would be the physical space in the school and other trappings that go with offering a public school class (of any kind.)
I love it when people cite statistics they pull out of the air.
Get a life. It’s a dead issue. Get over it.
Some energetic students decided to work on the yearbook. Writers, photographers and editors. Some of these teenagers will become authors and journalists as adults. I think it is great that this year’s corps got to experiment and create a new kind of yearbook. Great job, Derby students!
***ROFL*** The combine IQs of everyone who posted supporting the yearbook was….let’s see…12!
{{{{HUGS}}}} to the sad people who still obsess about past indignities. Who post comments on blogs 7 months after the issue has been resolved. Who have to fib and embellish in order to get any support. Sad hag.