Traumatized and Tongue-Tied

Jack Stenger

Sophomore Caroline Tuemler says “no thank you” to the prospect of seeing more hallway PDA.

Walking down the halls of North Atlanta High School is a time to catch up with friends and get to class before the sharp tolling of the late bell. It is not a time to mack on your significant other. Every day, I stroll down the hallway and I am bombarded by the sights – and sounds – of intense public displays of affection. News flash – no one wants to see just how much you love your boyfriend or girlfriend! It is inappropriate and, frankly, repugnant to witness at school.

The first and most important issue to call to attention is that of the very clearly defined rules of the school that these “public displayers” choose to ignore. Not only are you not supposed to be “making out” in the hallways, but you are surely not to skip class to share a kiss with your significant other. This disobeys many of North Atlanta’s policies, and cuts into critical educational time. Additionally, our hard-working teachers would much rather be molding the minds of future world leaders than attempting to split up a pair of animalistic teenagers. It is simply inconvenient for teachers and students, who must step out of their way – in every sense – just to avoid the two people sucking face.

Some may not believe it, but watching others kiss is not a very appetizing scene to be forced to watch. Most students at North Atlanta who have been exposed to this form of pure and villainous torture would much rather spend their transition time quite differently, talking to friends and having a pleasant day. However, those who involve themselves in aggressive PDA at our beloved high school have torn this dream of a normal school day into shreds. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against affection at all, but when two people force everyone around them at school to watch them express this affection it becomes a distasteful complication that often puts a damper on someone’s day.

School is meant to be a place of socializing and learning that improves the lives of each student. It is simply not the place to do these wild things that your love for your boyfriend or girlfriend and the ever-present effects of puberty push you to do, no matter how difficult it is to fight these sexual urges. It affects yours and others’ education, teachers’ jobs, and the flow of the hallways altogether. One must wonder, with all of these consequences, is constant PDA really worth risking in front of every student at North Atlanta High School?