Argus Asks (May 2021)
The Midwood Argus is an open forum for student opinion. The views expressed in the paper should not be taken to represent those of the administration, faculty, or the student body as a whole. To submit a letter to the editor, click the button on our homepage.
Earlier this year, Alexi McCammond, a 27-year-old mixed race woman, was expected to become the next editor-in-chief of the magazine Teen Vogue. But before she could start the job, racist and homophobic tweets she posted when she was in high school resurfaced online. Although McCammond apologized for what she admitted was “hurtful and inexcusable language,” pressure from her coworkers forced her to resign.
We asked Midwood students, “Should people be accountable as adults for offensive things they say or do when they are teenagers?” Here’s what they had to say.
"Teenage years are the rebel years. Teens should be allowed to speak their minds. Although some things have consequences, teens should be given leeway." -- Bolanle Orioke ‘22
"People's lives shouldn't be ruined because of things they did during their teenage years, because we have all been foolish in the past. However, there must be a sense of accountability for individuals to make changes and correct their past errors." -- Jason Wu ‘22
"Adults should definitely be held accountable for their actions, regardless of how long ago they occurred. If not, it would send a message to younger generations that such behavior is excusable. However, whether people have changed or not should still be taken into account." -- Joy Tang '22
"I don't think they should be held accountable because when you’re a teen, you’re kind of naive. When you’re an adult, a lot of people regret things they said or did because of peer pressure or showing off." -- Faten Taousse ‘24
“When we are young, we make many mistakes because we are still growing and maturing. Although I do think people should recognize the mistakes they have made in the past, firing someone or ruining someone’s life based on things they have done, and probably grown from, is unnecessary.” -- Kristina Oganesyan ‘22
"No, because people grow as they age. A teenager has a different thought process than an adult, and an adult has more life experiences than a teenager. However, if this behavior continues as a person ages, then they should be held accountable." -- Amir Jeanpierre ‘22
Alexi McCammond was about to become editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue before her teenage tweets resurfaced. Photo: Instagram
"Things in the past cannot be changed. A person may have gone through positive changes since the time of their offensive gesture or remark, and would never do or say such things in the present day. People cannot change what they have said, but they can apologize and become better people than they were in high school. Additionally, people shouldn't maximize the opportunity to harass others for something they have said in the past that they cannot take back. They should look at a person’s current character, and not their past character." -- Lucas Paschke ‘23
"Yes, they should be held accountable. Even though they were young, they should have still known right from wrong. Sometimes as teenagers we don't necessarily think about the consequences of our actions. However, we should be aware that everything we put on the internet will stay on the internet. Therefore, we should be careful what we say because later on it will come back to us. What goes around comes around." -- Brenda Jean-Baptiste '22
“No. When you’re young, you do things that you don't realize have a negative impact on your community. We teenagers tend to have weak minds, and we do things to fit in. We don't always think twice before we put something on the internet, where it becomes permanent.” -- Almaida Mujovic ‘21
“To an extent. Teenagers are old enough to know if something is wrong. But it shouldn’t always jeopardize their lives as adults because teenagers do foolish stuff all the time, and perhaps wanting to fit in or seem funny would lead them to say things they don’t really mean. So there should be certain consequences. But people do become more knowledgeable and able to think about their actions as adults.” --Deanna Rios ‘22
"As humans, we all make mistakes, and although some mistakes go to such lengths that they are deemed unforgivable, it is not fair to ruin someone’s life for something they did many years ago. ‘Canceling’ someone is justified if the person has not taken accountability for their actions. However, it is not right to continue bashing those who have admitted their wrongs and are trying to learn from their mistakes. If we aren’t allowed to learn from our mistakes, we as human beings can never truly evolve.” -- Mohammed Sinhah '22