So. Recently, my schools Administration team decided to scrap Senior Quotes. In my senior year.
Obviously, seniors are not happy. So I'm drafting a letter with all the points we want to make about why we want senior quotes back, and how we can work with Administration to keep the quotes appropriate, while keeping our quotes.
Any tips?

You could include a method for them to monitor senior quotes before they go into the year book, letting them check if the quote is appropriate or not. I recommend suggesting the idea as I’ve found when you give the idea to someone they are more likely to do it rather than them having to come up with the idea. (Just my experience)

You can suggest to form a student committee with a teacher as a head of that committee, where they all deliberate to determine if the quote is appropriate or not. If it’s not, you could simply ask for another one. If they have the time, the quote-writer could defend why their quote isn’t inappropriate. A set of guidelines would have to be written prior to this, regardless.

I answer your question with a question you may or may not have an answer to- and it’s a critical one. Why? You mention keeping quotes appropriate- I infer this may be the reason they’ve given- but do you actually know that is why? I only want to be clear because the precise reason they do not want quotes is very important in crafting a response. Let’s assume for now that is why. BEFORE writing a letter- Get a teacher or as many as you can who is on your side. Convert them if you must. Now- action plan. You’ll need to either have students or teachers or both willing to volunteer to review quotes. Set that up so you already have the commitments. Once you have that- write your letter. Tell them that many classes will walk these halls over the years, but each face in that yearbook will only do it once. That senior year is a pivotal moment in your development and life, that you’ll look back on and cherish. It isn’t just about expression. Your yearbook is a peace of history, a memorial....

... that withstands the ravages of time and preserves the chronically of these memories and people long after your mind has started to distort them. That you may all go your separate ways, but through your time together memories and bonds were formed that you will never forget. The senior quote is a way to get a glimpse into who that person was, beyond their clubs or events, but their personality. That later on you can look back at those quotes and be reminded of the person you knew. That each of you as you grow and change with age can turn back to your own quote for guidance and to reminisce on how much you’ve developed or how much you’ve stayed to your principals. A minority of kids would abuse this profound opportunity or be innapriproate. The majority have been looking forward to this moment for 4 years of your lives, which to you is a sizable portion of your experience. Ask them to not punish all the good and decent kids for the possible acts of the few, to not take your history..

^ Hear hear.

... away from you before you have had a chance to write it. Next year you will all be adults. You’ll all have responsibility and be legal members of society. If you can’t be trusted to write a quote, why should you be trusted to join the armed services or become a future leader of business, law, or medicine. Tell them you acknowledge you have much growing to do before you are ready to take those mantles, but that growth is trough steps. One must place their trust in you so that you may return it in good faith, and have more places upon you in a cycle. This is a step on that path. Ask that if they do not have faith in you, that they at least trust in the education and values they as guides have instilled in you over 4 years. Ask that they show good faith that they actually believe your class has a future by trusting you with this responsibility and pledge that you will personally ensure it is upheld.

That is when you tell them the plan. Tell them that you have XYZ qualified students (and why? High GPA, student government, extra activities, etc. are good to have here...) and that XYZ teachers have either pledged support (REMEMBER TO ASK THEM IF YOU CAN NAME THEM. If not name the ones that agree and just number the rest as: “Ms. Grass and 3 teachers who request not to be named at this time...) or agreed to oversee the review of quotes. Tell them that your personal group on your time will review all quotes before any deadline given and adhere to any rules set forth as well as sound judgment.

If you have a plan or not only shows you’re serious and dedicated, and can actually do what you say and aren’t just relying on them- but it also shows sincerity as an adult. You’re asking they trust you and you’re showing that you are worthy of that trust. Words can be empty. Back them up. You could also get student signatures as well. Just remember if you go this route you and your team must take your jobs very seriously and be very strict on what you let through because it wouldn’t just be your class that would be effected- but this decision will effect wether future classes get to have quotes, and if you come through all sincere and business like but then sneak in some bullshit or blow the deadlines etc- a few years after when some other kid has this idea and takes it to the admins they’ll blow him off and say “that’s what the last guy said and it didn’t work out.” Be relentless, hound them, be sincere and gather allies. No promises it works but put pressure on them....

... chess not checkers. Put your pierces in place BEFORE you make the obvious attack, and escalate. Don’t start at 11 because if you go too hard too fast some people crack back just to show they can’t be pushed around. Start at 1, and turn up the dial as you go, and don’t let off until you have what you want. Best of luck.

*full of typos. Piece, not peace, chronicle, not chronically... sorry. Phone. You get it though.

Thank you all,
I do have a solution to the issue that I'm proposing
Thank you!!!

just do it anyway. Fuck the system.

"Convert them if you must" -@guest_ 0 to 100.... FFS man lmao

and then that went to 10,000... something screams this story touched a nerve. Even for you that winded post was... well.... aggressive.

Lol. @funkmasterrex- I certainly didn’t mean to come off as aggressive, although it seems my writing often seems aggressive or perhaps overly formal? Nothing particular to the topic at hand which touched a nerve. But I can certainly understand how rydler might be feeling. Regardless of what that thing is we all have those things which we want and which mean something to us, and we can all likely relate to a feeling of a unilateral and arguably or at least subjectively unfair decision. So I’d like to see them get their quotes and sincerely hope they do.

Aggressive wasn't the right word. Passionate... lol

They did that in my highschool. Or at least, pretended to. They only have senior quotes to the top few students. Didn’t change no matter how many people complained

I should add this - I go to a very small school