By Jacob Trock ’20

While walking up the ramp to the cafeteria, in plain sight, is a poster about pickleball classes. But upon looking closer, you can make out the face that makes this pickle special. Based off of a joke from the tv show Rick and Morty, this pickle has garnered much positive attention from the student body who watch the popular show frequently.

Despite the joy that the poster brought to students, janitors attempted to take the face down, only to have another sticker adhere to the new pickle poster.

While I understand why the janitors attempted to take the poster down, I think that students should have some small way to have fun, and brighten another’s day. I have seen many people laughing at the poster, and taking photos, to spread the joke.

It is true that the student handbook states that the punishment for vandalism is a 1-5 day in school suspension, a 2-10 day out-of-school suspension, or even a referral to the police. But, in my opinion, putting a one-inch piece of paper on a poster, with no crude language –only a face–is completely harmless.

On the other hand, in the bathrooms, there are more serious accounts of vandalism. Upon entering one of the stalls, I noticed the etchings on the walls, usually curses or crude drawings of genitalia. The graffiti makes the bathrooms feel unwelcoming and disgusting. I would expect behavior like this from bored gas station patrons, but not students going to one of the best public schools in the nation. Whoever thinks that this is funny should take a look at themselves, and think just for a second: Would I do this in any other public place?

But as for the pickle poster, I think it is safe to just ignore it, because it does not create an imminent threat or incite violence against anyone in the school. I say, for the time being, we let “Pickle Rick” live on and let students express their love for a popular television show.