Dear Miss Lam,
I am terribly sorry to disturb you during this stressful period at school ——– with all the parents paying attention to the fight that happened some time ago. However, the matter is very urgent because I heard the decision of expelling Tom and Jerry from the school. Being one of the witnesses of the incident, I wonder if there is still a better alternative punishment.
First of all, I hope you can understand that the relationship between our class with 6B is not good at all since we are both claimed to be the elite classes. Teachers and parents always make comparisons between us, and the invisible pressure produces so much intense competition. So actually, long before the basketball competition, we have already had deep hatred towards each other.
Back to Monday, when the competition was held, participants from both classes played the match with their grudges. It was obvious that the match was rather violent. We, the cheering team, thought the violence would stop at the end of the match. Unfortunately, our team fouled and lost a critical point affecting the result. As they found the judgement of the referees might be wrong, they wanted to seek explanation. Nevertheless, the opponents blocked the way. They ridiculed and derided our team with the rudest language, saying that we could not bear the fact of losing. Finally, when Ken said that our whole class was simply like rubbish, Tom and Jerry reached the boiling point and the fight started.
I understand that violence should never be tolerated, and with the fact that some people were injured in the incident, it is justifiable for the two of our classmates to receive punishment to bear the responsibility. However, I sincerely hope that expelling from school is not the option. In fact, regarding the conduct of Tom and Jerry, they are the most caring and helpful students in our class. They are always eager to assist classmates with academic problems. They respect teachers and, actually, all the students. If Ken and his classmates were not humiliating our class, which Tom and Jerry loved so much, they would have never behaved so irrationally and impulsively. Other than this, both of them are already feeling remorseful about what they have done. When all of us visited the hospital for the injured schoolmates, Tom and Jerry terribly regretted seeing the injury they caused. They sobbed and apologized genuinely, which somehow resolved the conflicts between two classes as Ken forgave them. We are teenagers, and we know that it is inevitable to behave wrongly sometimes. What Tom and Jerry need is a chance to correct themselves.
Thus, I would like to suggest a more lenient punishment that is suspending them from school for a week. It is necessary for Tom and Jerry to reflect on themselves on the incident, and to make sure the absurd behavior will not happen again.
Their absence can give a lesson to other students, showing that violence is unacceptable, no matter whether it is intended or not. Also, they will be aware of that secondary school students are old enough to shoulder responsibility of their own, so that they should make sound judgement anywhere at anytime. Of course, serious warnings should be issued, telling them not being expelled is not a chance for acting violently. In this case, the punishment suggested could produce the same deterrent effect and, at the same time, give Tom and Jerry a chance for correction.
I believe forgiveness is a major component for a school to cultivate real mature pupils. I sincerely hope that the school can consider the above alternative punishment and treat our beloved classmates with leniency.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Wong