Room Search Bravery
Sarah Rivette
Issue date: 5/2/07 Section: Opinion
Last week, two Mount students were arrested and charged with drug possession. These arrests have subsequently sent waves of dissent and relief through students here at the Mount.
There have been two differing bodies of students standing their ground on two very different sides of the argument. Some are crying out for the students arrested, saying that they were framed and that what happened to them was unjust, that the room searches were against their right to privacy, and that the administration had it out for them. These students have even gone as far as to retaliate against students that they believe to be the "tattle tales". On the other side of the debate are the students who want these renegades to open their eyes and realize that what these two arrested students were doing was in fact extremely illegal and potentially very dangerous to everyone on this campus.
Adele Gatens, the Dean of Students, sent out a message to all students informing them all about what was happening on campus. The room searches are in fact described in a clause in the room and board contract for the simple fact that all of the residence halls are owned and operated by the College, and therefore everything inside those rooms are under the College's jurisdiction. The police were called in because the situation was just too large for the College to handle internally. The administration, in fact, did nothing wrong. They followed through on complaints made by students and faculty alike and maintained their commitment to the whole college community.
The two students who were arrested, however, did not. They jeopardized themselves, everyone that participated in their illegal activities, their roommates and everyone in their residence hall. They were foolish, after a quick dollar and popularity, and for that they have thrown their young lives away to the New York prison system.
The students who are defending them need to walk away while they are still ahead and stop preaching to whoever they can get to listen to them. They are consumed with blaming everyone but themselves and those who are truly guilty, and in this endeavor they are only slowly burying themselves.
What people should really be doing is thanking those who had the courage and the strength to come forward. Those individuals followed their instincts and their beliefs and have made living and attending classes on this campus a safer experience for everyone.
There have been two differing bodies of students standing their ground on two very different sides of the argument. Some are crying out for the students arrested, saying that they were framed and that what happened to them was unjust, that the room searches were against their right to privacy, and that the administration had it out for them. These students have even gone as far as to retaliate against students that they believe to be the "tattle tales". On the other side of the debate are the students who want these renegades to open their eyes and realize that what these two arrested students were doing was in fact extremely illegal and potentially very dangerous to everyone on this campus.
Adele Gatens, the Dean of Students, sent out a message to all students informing them all about what was happening on campus. The room searches are in fact described in a clause in the room and board contract for the simple fact that all of the residence halls are owned and operated by the College, and therefore everything inside those rooms are under the College's jurisdiction. The police were called in because the situation was just too large for the College to handle internally. The administration, in fact, did nothing wrong. They followed through on complaints made by students and faculty alike and maintained their commitment to the whole college community.
The two students who were arrested, however, did not. They jeopardized themselves, everyone that participated in their illegal activities, their roommates and everyone in their residence hall. They were foolish, after a quick dollar and popularity, and for that they have thrown their young lives away to the New York prison system.
The students who are defending them need to walk away while they are still ahead and stop preaching to whoever they can get to listen to them. They are consumed with blaming everyone but themselves and those who are truly guilty, and in this endeavor they are only slowly burying themselves.
What people should really be doing is thanking those who had the courage and the strength to come forward. Those individuals followed their instincts and their beliefs and have made living and attending classes on this campus a safer experience for everyone.
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