High school is just that....High school.

The Milburn High School in New Jersey is well known for being on the Newsweek’s list of the top 200 schools in the nation. But it is rapidly becoming known for its “slut list”.

Every year, there is a group of senior girls that create the “slut list” of the incoming freshman. This has been going on for about 10 to 15 years where popular senior girls create the list and then hand it out as if it was a worksheet for class.

This year the list was started at a party, fueled by alcohol and according to one current senior it “was worse than ever”. There are more than 300 students in the freshman class and there are 21 names on this list. Each name is accompanied by vulgar descriptions. One description is “I am so desperate and hairy that I’ll give you drugs for free if you get with me.” And another was talking about keeping up the family tradition and getting pregnant at a young age.

Students claim that this is just something that happens on the first day of school and seniors also blow loud whistles at the freshman, as well as shoving them in their lockers and slapping vulgar stickers on their backs.

The superintendent of the school, Richard Brodow, has sent out an e-mail to the students last week stating that “any so called ‘ritual’ which in any way threatens, degrades, or makes any youngster feel intimidated or less than whole is a violation of school policy and just plain wrong.”
When I read this story, I just wanted to cry. I felt so bad for these girls who I am sure are just trying to fit in but instead get made fun of. I was always made fun of in school. Not as much in high school because I tried to stay under the radar of the “mean girls.”

I dropped out of school at the age of fourteen because I was pregnant and I did not want to have to face any one calling me all the names that the girls at the New Jersey High School are being called. I eventually went back only to drop out again later.

I have a couple of nieces that are in high school or close to it and I would be devastated if one of them had to go through this. I truly hope that they know who to hang out with and who not too. I would not wish this kind of “torture” on any one.

I completely agree with the superintendent when he sent the e-mail but I think there should be very severe consequences for the ones who disregard it. I also think that there should be some sort of way the girls being terrorized can remain anonymous. You know that if the freshman “snitch” there will be even more and even worse terrorizing.

I intend to always know what is going on with my children to hopefully prevent some of the torture that can and does go on in high school. Hopefully, my kids are comfortable enough to tell me when something is going on.