Yes, this isn't EVO related... however, you're the people I know, so I want your opinions... whatcha think of my paper? I'm in the middle of editing, so things are kinda sloppy (I just moved paragraph #3 into paragraph #1's spot.... and the such)....
An Analysis of Cliques
Period 2 Expos
Clique, n: A small, exclusive group of friends or associates.
The dictionary offers such a simple definition for a very complex social issue. Cliques are naturally formed in every high school; students associate with others who share their taste, style, and interests. Students who do not fit in with a certain group are excluded and in some cases, ridiculed. Pressure on High School students is immense, and the added social pressure given by Cliques is sometimes too much to take. Adolescents are psychologically fragile, and mistreatment from schoolmates leaves deep wounds. (Time Magazine, 1999) Situations like those at Columbine High School emerge every so often and change the way American society looks at High Schools forever. Cliques and social exclusion are often blamed on high school shootings. Dawn Yow, an opinion writer comments,
Cliques in high schools are a microcosm of a society dominated by hierarchies. Look around. It is hard to find one fully united school, devoid of the intricate social castes. In the wake of the now-infamous Columbine High School shooting, society was mercilessly slapped with t he harsh effects of cliques, and temporarily forced to reexamine the complicated social hierarchy that confronts students during their most formative years.
How much of an effect do Cliques have on the High School student? Could they really be the cause of such a horrible situation like Columbine?
How and why do Cliques form? There are two separate environments that Cliques can develop in, the large public High School and the small private High School. The large High Schools Cliques form based on interest; sports, drugs, school/homework, computers, chess, etc. The private High Schools Cliques (or sometimes, Clique) form in a little more complicated way. My own class has had a set and defined Clique ever since I came to SPA in 2nd grade. Back in 2nd grade it did not dawn on me that the class was separated. I was friends with those that I play with on weekends. Slowly, throughout elementary school, I began to realize that a large group of friends had formed and did things on weekends as groups. How had this group formed? Dawn Yow comments,
Popularity is Genetic. As in any other school, fitting in or being popular is really a gift. You have to be blessed with strikingly good looks that will cause massive salivation in the opposite sex or have the muscle mass to indulge yourself in team sports in order to start wearing the "jock" label. These traits supposedly shower a sense of elitism upon those who possess them, instantly making them people with the most clout and giving them the authority to revile those who are different as geeks, freaks, punks or other unmentionable expletives.
In a sense, this is how the Clique formed back in 2nd grade. The outgoing kids who could hold a air of importance about themselves were flocked to and befriended by others with that same gift. I was friends with a few individuals in the group, but Id never dream of doing anything with any of their friends. Slowly, as we were all ready to go off to Middle Schools, those friendships broke apart and I just stopped spending time with them. The Clique had already formed long before most of its members even entered the school. Chuck Fisher, SPA school counselor, says that he has noticed the same thing. Teachers can even point out the popular Clique when all the new students (new transfers and elementary) come into 7th grade. New members are added depending on first impressions. Members of this huge Clique limit their social interaction to only other members of the Clique. Certain members may have best friends within the Clique, or even enemies, but they all stick together for power in numbers. Cliques in smaller schools form for the same reasons as those in larger schools, but the guidelines are very different. Not everyone in the SPA Clique enjoys playing sports or skateboarding or doing drugs, but regardless, they do something special and they believe that elevates them above the others.
Cliques have been present in High Schools for the past 60 years. It is natural for students to group together with those most similar to themselves. Sandra Roe, a graduate of St. Paul Academy, remembers how divided her class was in the 1940s. She mentions that there was a defined group of popular girls at the school and the others girls always tried to fit in with them. They experienced the same kind of social exclusion as kids in todays High Schools do. Sandras group would single out seven or eight girls and be especially cruel to them. In her days, the administration and faculty never discussed social problems with the class. Class activities forced interaction among all the students, but the Cliques remained intact. By the end of her High School career, Sandra realized what an awful place the school was for social development. She felt guilty about how she and her friends had treated the girls who were not in her clique. Sandra went so far as to promise, I never want to interact with SPA again. Mixed with todays society, Cliques have evolved into an even more powerful entity. Sandras high school experience was very different from todays high school students. Sandra attended an all girls school, which offers a very different environment for students. What with most schools being co-ed today, students act differently around each other. Students do things to impress the opposite sex, including showing their dominance over another student. Students are more worried about their reputation, and what better way to make yourself feel better than to make someone else feel worse? During Sandras time, drugs and sex were not as prevalent among teenagers. In todays society, drugs are widely used, and kids are having sex at a much younger age. Chuck Fisher, SPA school counselor agrees that both of these factors contribute to the tightening of Cliques. It adds the element of secrecy to the group. If they go out and smoke pot or have sex, it must be kept within the group, and that leads to tightened bonds. (Personal Interview, 2000).
Two different Clique environments exist. Those at schools with small class sizes, like SPA, and those at schools with enormous class sizes. The small class size schools usually have one main clique, like during Sandras SPA time, or my current grade level at SPA. Jason Floyd attends Wayzata High School, with over 1000 people in each grade level. He says that there are over 15 different cliques that he knows of. Jason commented,
Im guessing that a school like Wayzata has a much more diverse population than your SPA. That just means that there are many different kinds of groups that students can form. Some get along with others, but there are often conflicts among the members of different cliques. Its like one big gang war, toned down a little bit. (Personal Interview, 2000)
Columbine High School is much more like Wayzata than it is like SPA. Columbine and Wayzata both have enormous class sizes and multiple cliques. When asked if he could see any aspects of Columbine in his own school, Jason said, Yeah, theres the same kind of clique division. I could even point out for you the outsiders like Klebold and Harris. (Personal Interview, 2000) However, the shootings didnt happen just because the outsiders existed. It had to do with the individual situation for each of the students. Chuck Fisher says that you cant say, in general, why Columbine happened in general. You must look at the individual circumstances for each of the killers. They were outsiders and they were ridiculed by the more popular boys, but their outside interests are what made them violent; their interest in hate websites and weapons. (Personal Interview, 2000). The ridicule and exclusion may have given them something to be mad about, but their outside of school activities gave them what they thought was a solution to their problem.
Cliques and social exclusion have a major impact on High School students. High School is usually the toughest time for teenagers. Its the time of greatest physical and mental growth of their entire lives. The added pressure of grades, sports, the opposite sex, parents dwarves the pressure of social exclusion and cliques. Columbine is a one of a kind situation, despite the fact that numerous other high school shootings have taken place (which are all unique in themselves). As Chuck Fisher says, it must be looked at on an individual level. Harris and Klebold both had family issues, liked the idea of harming others, were obsessive over the Clique divisions, and were into hate propaganda.
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(This message has been edited by Flatulence (edited 11-28-2000).)
This post has been edited by Flatulence : 09 February 2005 - 02:04 AM
It is soo true though... I just moved to a new high school and our freshman class is sooo cliqué! I like middle school better. Okay well hope you get a good grade!