Rumors: Toxic word vomit that can easily affect a person’s reputation. Not exactly the Webster’s definition, but more like the high school definition. Rumors are too easy to spread and not nearly as easy to clean up. People are too eager to be the first to spread what they believe is the latest scoop, and are not nearly as concerned with the people the rumor involves or if the rumor is true or not.

With the unexpected passing of a fellow student last month, rumors were flying throughout the halls and classrooms. Despite efforts by administration to remain truthful about the incident, by the end of the school day several stories were circulating FHN. Regardless of who said what, everybody was sure they had the latest, most reputable source and they knew exactly what was going on and therefore it was their duty to the student population to tell everyone what they knew.

Rumors- regardless of where they have been heard and how sure someone is that they know what is going on- are frankly childish. It would be so simple to check the accuracy of a whisper passed. Rather than relying on he-said she-said, go directly to the source. If you can’t check your facts, you shouldn’t feed the fire by continuing the spread of rumors.

Reputations can be made or broken in the matter of seconds thanks to rumors. Seemingly joking comments to friends like, “Did you hear Susy is pregnant?” can be overheard, repeated, and eventually lead to convoluted and ridiculously false statements that spread like wild fire. If Susy is pregnant, it isn’t up to anybody else to let people know. So spreading the rumor, be it accurate or otherwise, isn’t up to anyone but Susy.

It would be implausible to assume that administration could track down every person that has ever spread a rumor and make them get their stories straight. But everyone can do a little to let others know that here at FHN, we don’t condone the spread of rumors.

Hearsay in the lunch line don’t need to be spread around. Two misinformed people don’t need to become 200 misinformed people. It is nobody’s business but their own, and others have no right to continue spreading rumors, whether it be true or not.