Many Newton teens were recently caught participating in various acts of burglary. Two teenagers stole $250 worth of items from a home and another committed an armed robbery. These crimes, however, were not isolated events. There are countless South students who shoplift insignificant items on a regular basis. Though ostensibly trivial offenses, like stealing a pack of gum, these misdemeanors bring us to question why Newton kids who benefit from the resources and support of a strong school system act on the urge to steal.
When we first heard about these events, we wondered when the school administration would act. We expected a repeat of the drunk driving lectures and explanations about the effects that stealing has on our city. But when we sat down to criticize the school for its lack of action and to come up with a genius plan to address shoplifting, we realized we had no answer. There is nothing the school can do to prevent students from stealing. Although addressing underage drinking can prevent future dangerous behavior, addressing stealing would be useless, as the very act of stealing is rebelling against the adults and the administration.
Between the South programs Southside, Turnaround and Step, our school is making an effort to give students various types of support to fit their needs. While Southside directs its program to students with learning disabilities and extra attention with academics, Turnaround and Step target students who, for emotional reasons, have trouble in the school’s stressful environment.
We must note, however, that South focuses its various programs on students who achieve below average grades. There are many students who do well academically but do not receive the emotional guidance they need; it is these kids who may use larceny as an outlet of their need for attention.
Instead of looking to the South administration to take responsibility, we need to think carefully about our individual responsibilities as members of a community in helping these kids and ourselves. We, The Roar, are in no position to preach to the rest of our peers. We know the rush stealing can give us, the small moments of control and rebellion. But when these rushes become armed robberies and break-ins, we must take a minute to recognize each of our roles. Though shoplifting seems trivial, it contributes to a culture that condones stealing, blurring the line between right and wrong. As soon as we excuse a minor offense, we lose our claim to moralize actions.
When we engage in shoplifting, we also encourage others to do the same.
It is true that shoplifting and robberies occur every day in Boston and do not receive horrific responses; Newton’s crime rate pales in comparison. But that does not mean we should take our “weak” crimes as insignificant. If more people stressed that shoplifting escalates to crime, then maybe we could turn kids away from committing offenses.
We are not suggesting that the next time a friend flashes a stolen candy bar, we gasp and preach with condescension, but that we refrain from smiling and asking for a piece. Ignoring these misdemeanors is enough to express our disapproval and to hopefully help in the decline of youth crime. Every time we just steal that $2 plastic ring or that jumbo Reese’s because we’re out of cash, we also steal another ounce of boundary that someone else will take as an invitation to do the same.
Our claim may seem obvious, but it is worth recognizing the strong impacts we have on our peers. When a student comes to school showing off her new leather boots, she wants to hear compliments in the hallway. A suggestion to wear a different pair tomorrow is enough to permanently remove the boots from her school wardrobe. We value our friends’ opinions and base many of our decisions off of them. So just as we must be cautious of the advice we accept, we must be cautious of the advice we give. A smile, regardless of the disapproving thoughts behind it, is enough to condone our friend for grabbing that cute watch, as a frown is enough to startle her, or maybe even to push her to put it back.
