Meaningless words: what's the meeping deal?
Kristin Dragos
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Opinion
Recently, Denvers High School in Massachusetts had to ban the word "meep." The word originally came from The Muppet Show character Beaker, and students in the school picked up the word and used it repeatedly throughout the school day. In an article on msnbc.com about the ban, the school's principal says that students used Facebook to plan to interrupt classes through frequent use of the word. The students' punishment for using the word in school, either verbally or written, could result in suspension.
While I agree that schools need to prevent issues that can cause disruptions for students to learn, I think this is going a little too far. Doesn't the school have more important things to worry about than students using a particular word? Suspension as a punishment may be a little extreme. The students say this word doesn't mean anything, but the principal says the disciplinary action is necessary because they wouldn't stop using the word.
An article on abcnews.com compares the term to the F-word. "Meep" can be used as almost any part of speech - noun, verb or adjective. The word has been used as a way to say "uh-oh," a replacement for vulgar language, a greeting or an expression of happiness.
I know many people, myself included, that periodically quote movies. Is the "meep" situation any different? If the students pick up the single word "meep" out of the millions of quotes from movies or other things, I'd say that's pretty good. The students could have chosen a line much worse from just about anything else. If all of the students are using "meep," it shouldn't be interrupting the school day. Students would eventually become used to it and move on. I think this is simply the creation of a new slang term, and the older generation, having no idea what it means, is becoming paranoid.
It is likely that the students are using the word because the teachers and the principal are reacting to it. When you tell someone not to push the red button, what do they do? They want to push the red button. This situation is no different. When the principal bans a word, students are going to want to use it as often as they can.
While I agree that schools need to prevent issues that can cause disruptions for students to learn, I think this is going a little too far. Doesn't the school have more important things to worry about than students using a particular word? Suspension as a punishment may be a little extreme. The students say this word doesn't mean anything, but the principal says the disciplinary action is necessary because they wouldn't stop using the word.
An article on abcnews.com compares the term to the F-word. "Meep" can be used as almost any part of speech - noun, verb or adjective. The word has been used as a way to say "uh-oh," a replacement for vulgar language, a greeting or an expression of happiness.
I know many people, myself included, that periodically quote movies. Is the "meep" situation any different? If the students pick up the single word "meep" out of the millions of quotes from movies or other things, I'd say that's pretty good. The students could have chosen a line much worse from just about anything else. If all of the students are using "meep," it shouldn't be interrupting the school day. Students would eventually become used to it and move on. I think this is simply the creation of a new slang term, and the older generation, having no idea what it means, is becoming paranoid.
It is likely that the students are using the word because the teachers and the principal are reacting to it. When you tell someone not to push the red button, what do they do? They want to push the red button. This situation is no different. When the principal bans a word, students are going to want to use it as often as they can.
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