Our overworked, underrated Student Council
by John Peters, Commentary Editor  

      "Student Council doesn't do anything." This is a comment we often hear around Maine South. However,r this writer feels that the above statement is unjustified and a slander to those Council members who diligently devote their time and efforts for worthwhile causes. And I also must say that, for the most part, Those who claim that Student Council accomplishes close to nothing speak out of ignorance of council operations and limitations.
     Due to this ignorance, many people seem to feel that Student Council is a legislative body just as Congress is a legislative body; that it may initiate action as a powerful, governing force. However, this simply is not the case. Everything that Student Council does or intends to do is subject to approval by the Administrating. In other words, Student Council is in the position of merely recommencing action. Thus Student Council does not have the power to establish a smoking lounge, create open campus, or enact any other such legislation without the Administration's consent.
     In addition, many people tend to overlook the actual accomplishments of Student Council. Did you know what Student Council is the directive force behind two of Maine South's most involved activities, Homecoming and V-Show? Student Council is responsible for virtually everything involved with Homecoming excluding the dance; it is also responsible for the entire production of V-Show. These two spotlights may seem trivial to the time in a lengthy school year, but the work put into the behind-the-scenes activities (of which many people are ignorant) by the members of Student council and their sponsors is tremendous. However one must not only focus on these two activities, for there are many other Council such as the reforming of the school constitution which also go unnoticed; ironically, this is a point that affects every student.
     To condense things, one may categorize complaints about Student Council inactivity just as one would classify the ramblings of an armchair quarterback. True, council may not perform up to par all of the time, and true, some members may do close to nothing in their respective positions, but the inquisitive individual will find that the majority of Student Council attempts to gain what reasonable progress it is enabled under the present system. In other words, an intelligent and rational person will look into the situation before he cops an attitude, for as an old Indian saying goes, "Grant that I may not criticize another until I have walked mile in his mocassins."