Hays High School's Official Student Newspaper

The Guidon Online

Hays High School's Official Student Newspaper

The Guidon Online

Hays High School's Official Student Newspaper

The Guidon Online

Disrespect in the halls of Hays High?

Disrespect—that’s all it is. Whether it’s true or not and whether you think it’s funny or not, it’s disrespectful.

The latest trend making its way through the halls is the new Twitter account “HaysHighProbz.” Technology provides a whole virtual world that can be used in such great ways, but how does our student body choose to use it? By saying hurtful and rude things about teachers.

This collective group of students who have chosen to start this think they are such hot stuff because they are bringing Hays High “all the news, gossip, and things you want to hear about.” The best part is they think no one knows who they are. Believe me, this isn’t the case.

Why use Twitter? It’s simple. By using Twitter, these cowards can hide behind a name rather than facing the harsh reality of what they are saying.

It made me sick reading the tweet about Coach Keltner, one of the kindest people I know. Whether he knows my name or not, he always has a smile and always makes it a point to say hi. Seriously, who could care so little about someone else’s feelings to write “When Coach Keltner starts talking, never stops, and there is a glaze of saliva all over the ground in front of him.” It’s just rude.

Or about Mrs. Spicer. “Two hour long conversations with Mrs. Spicer when you want to change one class.” She is so nice and cares about nothing more than your future and only has your best interests in mind, and this is how you repay her?

Or how about Donnie? For one, you can’t even spell his name right. Saying he has a “PHD in janitorial arts” isn’t that far off. He does a fabulous job and kudos to him for still getting up every morning to face the brats that go to this school. If I were him, you couldn’t pay me any amount of money to face the ungrateful and rude students at this school.

Ponder this: you say it’s all fun and games, and that because it’s “true,” there’s nothing wrong with it, but the majority of you would feel very uncomfortable reading the tweet to the teacher it’s talking about.

Where the cheerleaders are concerned, I’m astonished that the student section would turn their backs while they were cheering. They are your peers, classmates and friends.  Why do people feel the need to cheer over them? Don’t cheer with them, whatever, but at least have the decency to be respectful to them while they are cheering.

I guess I just don’t understand why we are spending so much time and energy being mean to one another. Is this your definition of cool? Is this your definition of senior leadership? Is this really how you want to leave your legacy at Hays High?

View Comments (27)
More to Discover

Comments (27)

The Guidon intends for this area to be used to foster healthy, thought-provoking discussion. Comments are expected to adhere to our standards and to be respectful and constructive. As such, we do not permit the use of profanity, foul language, personal attacks, or the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous. Comments are reviewed and must be approved by a moderator to ensure that they meet these standards. The Guidon does not allow anonymous comments, and The Guidon requires a valid email address. The email address will not be displayed but will be used to confirm your comments.
All The Guidon Online Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • R

    Rachael ArthurFeb 13, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Bottom line is none of this garbage would’ve have gone on in the first place if people hadn’t created it. Seriously people, I realize that it was supposed to be a joke but really people? It’s still disrespectful even if it was supposed to be a joke.

    Reply
  • J

    Jordan DietzeFeb 6, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    Honestly, this story makes the #HHSProbz a bigger deal than what it really is about. Just because a person is poking fun at someone doesn’t mean we need an online article about it. I’m pretty sure there are bigger issues than saying Donnie has a “PHD in Janitorial Arts”

    Reply
  • H

    Hays High GraduateFeb 6, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    Hays High has always had problems. However, I don’t see those problems to be with the teachers, but with the students. The student body has always been very hateful toward anyone who didn’t fit a norm or didn’t do things exactly the way others agreed with. The school has been run by popularity.

    Morality has been a low at Hays High.

    I believe the biggest problem with the Twitter account is that the originators have completely bared themselves to the public eye. No matter how you try to delete that account and it’s traces, there will always be some history, somewhere. For the students who created that account, they may have future backlash. Facebook, twitter, wordpress, pinterest, everything is on display, forever. When those students are applying for jobs, the businesses will be lead straight to this account. Who wants to hire someone who’s going to tweet insults behind their back?

    Reply
  • T

    Taylor WiesnerFeb 6, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Are we done here yet? No one really cares that you guys hate it give up.

    Reply
  • D

    Dustin MulkeyFeb 6, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Jackie, I’m on your side. Just so everyone knows, this page clearly says OPINION, therefore its obviously opinionated. Jackie was not “overLY-sensitive” on this subject, she was just expressing her opinion.

    Reply
  • R

    Rachel MoravekFeb 6, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    I’ll admit, I’ve caught myself laughing at the less personal tweets about Hays High and its “problems” posted by HaysHighProbz. But my morals kept me from enjoying the rude and hateful tweets directed towards teachers that dedicate their time to benefit our future. I feel that if you have no guilt about posting these comments about your teachers, you need a serious attitude change. I don’t feel Jackie is making this more dramatic than it needs to be or blowing it out of proportion in any way. This needs to be covered and people need to know that it’s not okay to hurt people through the internet or otherwise. Try saying those things to peoples’ faces and see how funny that is.

    Reply
  • L

    Laurissa MarcotteFeb 6, 2012 at 10:41 am

    Honestly, the biggest problem I have with it is that they claim to be the “official” Twitter account of Hays High. What if someone from the Kansas State Board of Education saw a tweet from them with a vulgar word or something disrespectful towards a teacher? Hays High could be in a lot of trouble. If you’re going to be immature, at least use the word “unofficial” instead of “official”. That can get you into legal trouble.

    Reply
  • K

    Kylee FilleyFeb 6, 2012 at 9:41 am

    I don’t agree with HaysHighProbz and never have. The tweets are rude whenever it is about a teacher and honestly most of the tweets aren’t even funny. I think Jackie did an okay thing by bringing this to the attention of others. All of you are mad at her for saying this site is up and calling HaysHighProbz out. At least she has the guts to call the people out versus tweeting about them behind their backs. She didn’t hide behind an account and she spoke her opinion without being completely rude. She’s definitely not the hypocritical one here.

    Reply
  • A

    Amanda KoenigsmanFeb 5, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    If you don’t like them, don’t follow them. What they did was wrong but everyone talks about teachers, I’m sure you have too. And if you’re going to be a teacher you have to expect some kids to not like you. You’re not always going to be everyones favorite.

    Reply
  • T

    Taylor WiesnerFeb 4, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    Haha i just realized how many babies we have at this school its funny stuff to read i actually this its pretty hilarious andd you ask is this how we would like to leave high school heck yeah this is how so stop making a big deal over something so small i read part of this article and though it was pretty lame now if it was on twitter people would make it sound funny thats ll it is is jokes hah grow up..=]

    Reply
  • E

    Erica StaabFeb 3, 2012 at 11:22 pm

    At first, I also thought the tweets were funny, and I laughed at the truth in the tweets about the teachers. After thinking about it, i realize i would NEVER want to say something like that to a teacher, to their face or otherwise. It is mean, and hurtful no matter what. I realize it was started as a joke, and thats whatever. If the kids in charge of it would of kept it strictly about things or objects in the school, not the people, I think it would of been just fine. It just went to far. Recently the drama at hays high has exploded. Why can’t we just be kind to one another? Putting each other down and starting mini wars with each other is only going to make high school even more unbearable. I realize some think that just because it’s on twitter people can simply “unfollow it” if they don’t like it. This is true, but the fact that the account is called “hayshighprobz” makes it a school issue. As long as an account is associated with the schools name it is representing the ENTIRE school and all of its student body. I personally would not want to be associated with the immaturity of some of those posts. Lets get real, jokes over.

    Reply
  • J

    Jill PokornyFeb 3, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    Honestly, I believe that this is a major issue. No one likes being talked about behind their backs, so why should teachers be accepting of it? I admit that I have made a few comments about teachers, but usually it was because I was angry with them or for some other stupid reason. I feel that it was very immature of someone to put it on twitter and if they really felt so stongly about a teacher, maybe they sould switch out of their class. You can only say “Oh, I was just kidding” so many times before no one believes you. This is cyber bullying, you are bullying your teachers. You are putting down the people who are trying to make your future better. I cannot believe that some people in Hays High would act like this and expect it to be taken as a joke. Some people just need to grow up. It is not funny.

    Reply
  • E

    Emily McPhersonFeb 3, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    Oops…thought the first comment didnt go through…

    Reply
  • Z

    Zoey GubitosoFeb 3, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    Lol

    Reply
  • E

    Emily McPhersonFeb 3, 2012 at 7:43 pm

    I think you went the wrong way about this. People on their regular twitter accounts talk about how boring class is or something like everyday and no one says anything to them about that do they? I think it is also unfair to call all of us brats. I agree some of the things that were said were kinda mean but it was just for a laugh. If you guys haven’t noticed TMP has the same account about “TMP Probz” and there is no fuse about it there. I think that this shouldn’t be that big of deal, its just our opinion.

    Reply
  • E

    Emily McPhersonFeb 3, 2012 at 7:34 pm

    It was just for fun and noone was meant to be hurt. By showing the teachers what they said just made it worse. I agree with Jessica, you should have come up with a more mature way to talk about it. I agree some of the tweets were mean but people on their regular twitter accounts with their names on it saying who they are post their opinions about teachers everyday. Most of them are not nice either. So before you judge the people who made this up think about the people who do the same thing and noone cares. Just because they used Hays Highs name doesnt mean they are any different then the rest of us and they should be treated fairly. Oh, and were not all brats.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  • B

    Bayron RiveraFeb 3, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    I have to admit this probably wasn’t the right way to but this out there even though it was already out on the web. But on the other hand i agree with almost everything on here. It was done as a joke and not to hurt the people it was about and sometime people take stuff the wrong way. some say how would you like if it was about you or about your friends and that true but if people can dish it out they better be able to take the criticism right back. Like this, if the people that said that stuff get mad about this then they shouldn’t have the right to say stuff about others. It says that they hide behind tweeter and its kind of true. They wanted to say it to be funny or something and didn’t want the teachers to find out that’s why they used tweeter. But they still said it and put it out there so we cant do anything about it now. I think people these days take some stuff to seriously and need to come back to reality. This is life its not perfect its not fair sometimes someone may say something about you that may hurt. It means they are the smaller person be the bigger person and let it go don’t make such a big deal about it. Ya everyone has the right to there own opinion and this is mine so you can think what ever about me and what i said here just remember i don’t care hahaha you got to laugh and move.

    Reply
  • A

    Audrey JonesFeb 3, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    I think it is really disrespectful that people would be doing this. I stopped using my twitter, because of all the preps/ popular kids who were causing drama over twitter. Do people really need to go so low in the boring lives to start drama about innocent teachers on the internet. I just hope our nation as a whole isn’t going to be as rude as the kids in our high school is at this moment. Please people just grow up and find something useful to do with your lives. Thank you.

    Reply
  • E

    Emma HenryFeb 3, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    Dear Jackie,

    I appreciate you bringing this up to everyone including the staff. This needs to be taken care of right away. It’s distasteful and flat out rude to post things about teachers in that manner, not funny. I think people need to grow up and realize that this stuff is unacceptable regardless of who sees it and who doesn’t. To be quite honest, the comments they are making on the teachers that are putting every ounce of their energy into our futures is extremely immature. Thank you, Jackie for your thoughts on this matter.

    Sincerely,
    Emma Henry

    Reply
  • J

    Jared WillhoftFeb 3, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    Nobody on twitter makes you follow anyone. You obviously were curious about ““all the news, gossip, and things you want to hear about.” if you looked at it. If you don’t like it unfollow them that simple.

    Reply
  • A

    Aaron CunninghamFeb 3, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    Dear MS. BALZER,
    I appreciate your thoughts and opinions on this matter. More power to you.

    Sincerely,

    Aaron J. Cunningham

    Reply
  • K

    Kinsey AshworthFeb 3, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    If a friend tweeted about one of your friends on twitter, you would automatically tell them what the other person said. They deserve to know. Just because they are teachers, and not students, doesn’t give the students the right to bash them publicly. If you want to talk about a teacher behind their back, that is fine, but it’s rude no matter what. & posting that online is technically considered cyber bullying. That can get taken to court.

    Reply
  • J

    JAYDEFeb 3, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    Lolol you’re just making a bigger deal out of it by putting it on the website.

    Reply
  • L

    Lexsie DitterFeb 3, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    If you really think it’s so wrong, why would you post it on the front page of the website for all those teachers to see? They never would’ve seen those tweets. Twitter lets you choose who to follow, and if you don’t like what someone or some group is saying, there’s an unfollow button.

    Reply
  • B

    Brad DesbienFeb 3, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    Dear Mrs. Balzar, I am Brad, I am a co-creator of the Hays High Problems. No one is hiding behind twitter. Thank you that’s all.

    Reply
  • J

    Jessica CarreiraFeb 3, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    I’m not saying I agree with you, but i don’t necessarily disagree either. Yes, I thought most of the tweets were funny, but some (about the teachers) were taken too far. But saying that they think they’re too cool and calling us all brats was no way to go about it. And it does not make you any higher than those of us you’re accusing of being mean to one another. I for one think this school is full of bright, young individuals that are full of potential. Calling us all brats is only degrading. Also, do you not go to this school as well? Therefore, does that not make you a brat also? I understand that this is your opinion, and i respect that, but how you went about it could have been done in a more tasteful manner. Thank you.

    Reply
  • K

    Kiara DillonFeb 3, 2012 at 11:10 am

    It’s meant to be funny. Not disrespectful. You’re just being over-sensitive and blowing it way out of proportion.

    Reply