Schools protesting human rights should not turn their comments off

Students all over the United States are learning of the debate that is a right to a safe and legal abortion. Yet some high schools in the Nebraska area have taken to social media to express their opinions on abortion. Schools should not be allowed to post their political view on social media, then turn comments off on these posts.  

This does not mean individuals are not allowed to have their own opinion about what is going on in the world. Everyone can state their opinions on something, as that is unpreventable. However, posting an opinion on human rights as a school is completely unfair to students. Because certain schools in Nebraska have posted their opinions on social media, it ties all the students at the school to that opinion. Students do not deserve to be grouped into a harmful opinion such as anti-abortion and have no ability to say that they disagree. It is completely unfair and shows how the school disregards their students’ beliefs.  

Obviously, what is posted on the internet by a school is out of a students’ control. But students are also now not able to comment on the post. Turning off the comments on a post perfectly shows how a school does not care about other students’ opinions, or anyone else’s. If one is going to use a school’s Instagram to publicly share their thoughts on legislation that already challenges a person’s human rights, they should be able to take the response from that; good or bad. Allowing zero response also takes away from students’ ability to individually stand for what they believe in, something that is taught and valued in education. Something as simple as turning off comments shows how schools have no interest in hearing their students’ opinions, and does not encourage their students to stand up for what they believe in. 

Turning off the comments on a post that is debating human rights also allows no room for education or growth. Many of the comments on anti-abortion posts were made to educate and explain why the post was wrong. The comments were not cruel or rude, and they are being treated as if they were. A school that is already limiting education on laws that will affect students’ future is further limiting students to voice their own opinion. It is almost guaranteed that many students that were pictured protesting the right to a legal abortion do not know the consequences that their words can have. Without explanation from commenters, they are continuing to post and protest in ignorance.  

A student should not be grouped into an opinion that debates human rights through their school. What these schools should be doing is encouraging diversity and allowing students to form their own opinions based on their own beliefs. A voice is one of the most important things a person has that no one can take away. A school conditioning that voice and forcing that voice to speak certain things will only set them up for failure in this world.