By Tim Persyn
Is it acceptable to use stereotypes to describe groups, even if the purpose is well-meaning?
In the June 5 Saratoga News, Tom Larsen wrote in support of Grad Night because he sees the evening as a sober, healthy alternative for graduating teens. I think reasonable people everywhere can perceive the value of an activity like Grad Night, in which teens have the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in a drug- and alcohol-free setting.
Unfortunately, Larsen relies on stereotypes of teen behavior to make his case for the support of activities such as Grad Night. Frankly, Larsen portrays teens as irresponsible and preoccupied with alcohol use, unsafe sex, and other such reckless behaviors.
He writes that graduation can be a time when "our youth take to their cars with joy in their hearts and a bottle of alcohol in their hands..." In another scenario, teens come home from an unsupervised party "laced with alcohol and drugs, bleary-eyed, ending four years of high school with an overdose, an unwanted pregnancy, or death."
Although graduation can be a time of high-risk behavior, we must not forget that there are good kids out there who aim to do the right thing. In any event, Larsen's article relies on stereotypes of teen behavior to make his argument in support of Grad Night.
If Larsen had presented an alternative, positive portrayal of teens in addition to his stereotypical one, his article would have been more accurate. The fact that the vast majority of graduates attend Saratoga High's Grad Night demonstrates that young people are willing to embrace a constructive situation and not resort to destructive behavior.
Although Larsen's article is well-meaning, we must not fall into the trap of perpetuating stereotypes in the media to make our arguments. This is true no matter who we are referring to, whether it be women, men, ethnic minorities, political parties, or the teenager down the street.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, June 19, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved