Changes Need to be Made to Improve the Climate at FHN [Editorial]

By On Behalf of the Editorial Staff|Published: May 11, 2022

It seems most people at FHN are stuck in a negative mindset. It’s become a problem. People don’t really want to come to this school anymore and that’s not really a good thing. Something clearly needs to change so that we can go back to being a place people actually want to attend. We need to work together to create a better environment for this school.

“FHN Sucks, I hate it here.”

Whenever you ask students about FHN, some say that this school sucks. But many are saying negative things like this because others around them are. We need to stop complaining and spreading this negativity about North. We need to change our mindset. Stop sending videos of fights, stop graffiting and trashing the bathrooms, stop being rude to the people around you just because you can. It is getting us nowhere. Everyone will remember the fights, the graffiti and all the other negative things, but it really shouldn’t be that way. Let’s focus on the good and remember that instead. This year alone, Hannah Ermeling eclipsed 1,000 points in basketball; we had the return of Prom and Pep Assemblies; numerous groups in the school won many awards this year, including DECA, FCCLA, band and our journalism programs. FHN is not a school that sucks, that’s the last thing it is.

“We are all so disconnected.”

We need to stop thinking only about ourselves and realize that others have problems and stress too. We are not alone in it, so everyone needs to stop acting like it. Be considerate when you talk to others, don’t project your stress and problems onto them. Teachers and students both have stress, problems and things going on that no one realizes. Students need to understand that teachers’ lives don’t revolve around them and their homework assignments. Teachers need to notice that students’ lives are not simple and easy just because they are teenagers. We need to be better about looking at others and realizing that we are not the only ones with problems. We need to discuss what is really wrong. Nobody really wants to sit around and discuss their feelings. But we need to speak to those around us outside of our little bubbles, get to know someone who is in a different grade and interact with others. We need to do this so that we can become a well-blended community once again.

“The building is so old and gross.”

Some say that the problem is the school building. But what is really so wrong with the school? The building may be old, but there will be a new one
in a few years. What will your excuse be then? It may be easy to place the blame on the inanimate object, but it’s not the source of our problems. The problem is internal, with the attitude of everyone. We need to realize this so we can solve the problem. We can be in a slightly different location, but the negative attitude, the destruction, the disrespectfulness and lack of community will still be there. We need to be making the most of the two years we have left in this school instead of destroying it bit by bit each day. Let’s accept that the school is only going to get worse if we continue to treat it this way. We need to be better about how we treat the school. We need to use the building while we have it to create a better environment.

“It’s not my fault that the school is this way.”

We have a game going on here at FHN, it’s not a good one though. It’s the blame game and it needs to stop. Teachers blaming students, students blaming teachers — we need to stop. The state and climate of our school is our own fault. We need to accept the credit for our own actions and inactions. Whenever you have the urge to complain, ask yourself what you are doing to make it better. Nothing is going to get better if everyone just complains and doesn’t do anything to help it get better. Take action, change starts with us. The state and climate of the school will never get better if we don’t stop acting oblivious to what’s going on here at FHN. We need to work to make this place better.

“Where are the leaders?”

We have a lot of great leaders at FHN from the STUCO cabinet, and NHS presidents, to Black Student Union members and band leaders. We have lots of great leaders that are all in charge of their own things and do such great things for their groups. Imagine what all these leaders could do if we put our brains together to tackle these problems. We need all of these leaders to come together to solve this problem. We need to come together to make these meaningful changes in this school if we want it to occur. We have band, NHS, Black Student Union, publications and STUCO leaders coming together after school at 1:30 p.m. on May 11 in room 129 to discuss these problems and find solutions to help us move forward. Freshman, Sophomore or Junior representatives from any club are welcome to join us to discuss how we can make the change we want to see. Together we can create this meaningful change.