I have recently had a run-in with "judicial" system here at
Radford. This is the second time I have been in trouble and I find it funny that both times I was not doing anything that was
endangering others, illegal, or even founded for being a legitimate cause
for being written up.
The first time, I was written up was when I was a
sophomore. I was basically in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone
was running down the hallway while I was standing in the hallway talking
to someone. The person who was running went into a room before the R.A.
showed up. Guess who got accused?
This time I am a Senior, and the "offense" is just as ridiculous.
This time I was charged for not evacuating for a fire drill. Already I'm
sure some of you are saying, "Charlene why didn't you leave when you heard
the alarm?" Well that was the problem. I was dead tired. I needed some sleep! I
got into the habit of sleeping with ear plugs in last year, and have not kicked the habit yet. I am at the point
where I almost can't sleep without them.
On the night in question, I put my earplugs in and proceeded to go into
coma. Around 10:00 in the morning we had a fire drill. I eventually woke
up, and jumped up and put on my coat to run out the door. I didn't
realize that the alarm had been going off for quite some time until my
R.A. saw me and yelled at me to get out.
I made it out of the door before the alarm was off, but I was not out
there for long before the drill was over. My R.A. asked me why I hadn't
gotten out sooner and I explained to her that I was wearing ear plugs.
Thinking that the explanation was good enough, I forgot about it for a
month until I was presented with the charge papers.
Now here's where it gets really messed up, kiddies. I challenged the
charge. My R.A. agreed that I was out of the building before the alarm
was shut off. However I was still found guilty. Their explanation was
that their rules for evacuation were just too stringent and that I simply
didn't get out in time.
Now I ask you, does this encourage people to
respect their authority when one can get into so much trouble so easily?
My punishment for sleeping with earplugs in, is sixteen weeks of
disciplinary probation. This is a pretty stiff penalty considering that
if I get written up just one more time, even for something as stupid as
this, I can be kicked out of school!
I wouldn't have a problem with
this punishment if I had chose to stay in the room, but instead I decided
to do the right thing and evacuate. Is it better to hide during a fire
alarm that you have woken up late for, for fear of being written up, or is
it better to just go ahead and evacuate? What if next time this happens I
decide to hide, and it turns out not to be a drill?
What do you think? Leave your feedback below.
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Name: the author Comments:
Ok JackASS I hope you read this! First off I don't go to bed at 8 pm. Second YOur momma probably wears earplugs because she's tired of hearing you cry in the middle of the night because you set your bed! And as for this article. It's not bitching... I am making a point. Some of these rules at RU are rediculous and need to be revised. Next time you read this I suggest you take your head out of your ass first. Damn that felt good *phew* :P
Name: lame-o! Comments:
okay, quite your bitching. what i think of this is there is just a little too much crying over nothing. first off, my mom wears ear plugs, do you wear a pocket protector to sleep too? and well not to be the world's biggest di@k, but if you are still living in the dorms you a probly a very well behaved person, and you will not be kicked out of RU for shit like that.... think of it this way, next time the fire might be blazing like hell, and your ass is going to burn up in it with those pretty little ear plugs, because you go to bed at 8:00!
Comments:
I do love to fight. My RA is a fucking bitch to some of the people in this wing. I avoid her by following the rules.
Major: Professional Irritant Comments:
Hey, if the staff is a bunch of "lame-duck power-hungry flunkees" as stated above and they cite petty stuff, I say be a pest. Never let them write you up, get under their skin, and make them wish they didn't have your building. Return the favor! Love to fight and love to win!
Comments:
i mean less likely to do something to you..
Comments:
Is this thing edited? Ok..the administration is so strict here with all their little rules and things like that. The best way to avoid getting into trouble is just to treat the RA good and be cool with them. If you do that they are more likely to do anything to you when you break a rule.
Comments:
No question here...I am going to be an RA next year and I don't even see under the circumstances why you even had to go in front of the J-board. I will bring this up in the future when the opportunity presents itself be sure...
Comments:
Next time, try and hide...they'll get you for not leaving, and you'll be outta here. Why fight them? The RAs I've seen seem to be lame-duck power-hungry flunkees anyhow. Why give them the satisfaction of writing you up? Over here in Moffett, I keep to myself, and they leave me alone. Drill me at 2 a.m.-- you got nothing on me man. Nothing.
Comments:
Wow, that's some harsh punishment for taking a little longer than you should have. I mean, this wasn't malicious, didn't hurt anyone (except you, if there was really a fire) and wasn't intentional. I think the J Board needs to examine whether their punishments really fit the crimes.
Comments:
Yeah, that's pretty lame that you got 16 weeks of probation... when I got caught for being drunk in my hall I only got 8. That's messed up.
