The Editor, Sir:

Rules were made to be broken, many students believe. However, it seems they are oblivious to the fact that our country is in a chronic state of disrepair.

As a disciplinarian at my school, witnessing the issue of nonconformity among students raises my concern. As such, I yearn to see the country lift itself out of its stagnant pool of difficulty.

The issue of nonconformity ought to be mitigated, thus paving the way for a prosperous and peaceful academic environment.

Projecting criminality

Too many of our young minds become polluted and this projects into society, contributing to crime and violence.

Therefore, school seemingly serves as a correctional institution for these young minds. But, how many of our students are cognisant of this?

Evidently, not many, as just recently, the problem of school violence has decreased by a slim margin.

The sheer social disorder, or mayhem, in our schools, is as a result of the refusal to conform, and this, therefore, encourages an augmentation in juvenile delinquency.

Students should be propelled by uprightness and not allow their society to fall ill to violence by disobeying the rules laid out by the school.

Just the other day, while travelling home from school, a student of a prominent high school in Clarendon was in the back of a taxi, a few feet away from me. This student made numerous verbal threats, which included putting an end to his enemys (another student) life. The weapons he blurted out included his cellular phone and knife, which he did not have.

What if he didn't conform to his school rules? Another lifeless body would have been in the morgue due to non-conformity.

Little things matter

This confirms the concept that it is the little things that count and not only the big ones.

The school and its rules represent the minute things that will help in the eventual obli-teration of crime in our society.

I am, etc.,

ALDEAN ELLIS

ritchie_ellis@yahoo.com

Clarendon College