Should This Be Your High School Yearbook Photo?

A Colorado high school senior is planning on taking legal action against the Durango School District over a racy photo that administrators will not allow in the school's yearbook.

Student editors at the Durango High School decided not to publish the picture as they believe it violated the school's dress code.
“We are an award-winning yearbook. We don’t want to diminish the quality with something that can be seen as unprofessional”

Administrators issued a formal statement:

“The editors of Durango High School’s yearbook informed a senior student in December that her photo in question would not be included as a senior portrait in the yearbook and asked her to submit a replacement. Durango School District 9-R’s administration supports this decision.”

Spies disagrees. She said to the Durango Herald, who picked up the story, that she felt her freedom of expression was violated.

Ok, so what we have here is clearly a "15 minutes of fame" scenario. Observe the pose, the inappropriate attire. Consider that the photographer had no common sense either.

What parent in their right mind will support their daughter for doing such a thing? Is this kid famous for swallowing hot dogs? Has extraordinary singing talent? Visions of a budding politician? I doubt it. That would make this a lame public relations stunt.

Is the idea here to embed deeply in the minds of your fellow classmate your half naked body? I would figure that most people would judge this photo as being on the racy side and that of being slutty

But you know what? This is all our fault. We have let stuff like this get too far.

Unfortunately, this is today's new way of getting attention. And it is getting worse. A lot of this is being driven by over use of online social networks and society's acceptance of the Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashians of the world. Too many people are thinking that life is about being famous and to get there, you have to sell yourself out. Remember those hordes of photos in your friend's Myspace profile pointing a cheap cell phone camera in the bathroom at your head? All 300 shots in different attire and posees? No different here. Its self infatuation, plain and simple.

Narcissism is today's new un-curable disease, right behind heart disease and cancer.

If Sydney Spies feels her rights are violated, maybe she should ask how her fellow students feel. A year book is about your school, your classmates. Since when is it all about you? One individual decided to be different, show her sexuality, and go against the grain. That's what selfishness looks like in the 21st century of Me Me Me.

Word has it Sydney Spies will be on the Today Show next week to tell her side of the story. Yes, this story has gotten that far in the public eye.

About Kerry Kobashi

Kerry is the founder of KerryOnWorld. He lives in Silicon Valley.