Letters | 10-20-15

Football snafu could have taught valuable life lesson

It is with disbelief that I read the West Hawaii Today Thursday article about the six Honokaa High School students that got kicked off the team because of a photo posted on social media. I need to make it clear that I don’t know any of the players, I haven’t attended any of the games, and have no connection to the team. The one thing I do know is that “The Zoo Crew” is not a reference to the Konawaena students.

The “Zoo” or “Zebra” crew is in reference to the referees in their black and white stripped uniforms. The animosity stems from the players not feeling represented during the season in that the referees for their games were all from either Hilo or Kona. The school administrator failed to do what is best for the students. The question is, how can the administrators be so far removed from understanding the frustration of the students? Do they remain locked in their offices instead of interacting with the students on a daily basis?

The principal admitted to not understanding the post, yet, without hesitation, she jumped to a conclusion. Her devotion to the “no tolerance policy” kicked in and she issued the death sentence without first investigating.

Our present world is in chaos because of this type of unfounded reaction. In this situation, a simple investigation would have revealed the cause for the post, some decision maker could have explained why there were no referees from the students home towns involved, and those in the photograph could have been made to apologize. Valuable real life lessons could have been learned, while faculty and students could have shared in a bonding experience. Instead, we now all know that there is a “no tolerance policy” on something that is thought to be an “act of bullying” with no conclusive victim.

It is my opinion that anyone who has power and authority over someone else and issues punishment not based on facts is guilty of bullying.

In today’s politics, both political parties basically give each other the “finger” in spite of what may be best for the country. The president basically gives Congress the “finger” when he tells them he will make the decision by “executive power.” The Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, gives our president the “finger” when he says one thing and does something else. I think that the action taken by the principal in kicking the students off the team, without first understanding the facts, amounts to the same “middle finger” communication.

Leningrad Elarionoff

Waimea