Email is the best way to communicate in school. Teachers and students are able to communicate, as well as students with other students. Although this may be the best and most efficient way to get ideas and opinions across, this is also something that is being misused throughout the school. The most common misuse of emails is often between students, when they respond to an email out to the entire school, creating an email chain. These email chains can often get very long, creating annoyance in students as their inboxes flood with unwanted emails. This “Reply all” button is causing much irritation throughout South students, as well as having the capability of getting them in some trouble.

Students did not always have the ability to email the entire student body. This was once only held by a single faculty member, but due to the abundance of emails that needed to be sent out for classes by students, they were then given access to it. Although every student at South has access to this email does not mean anyone can send out these school-wide emails. Principal Kevin Formolo explains this by saying, “This email is accessible by all students and cannot be used without a teacher/administrative approval for official school-related information.” What comes along with these mass emails to the school are the chains that are often created with it.

Senior Garrett Pirrung was a junior at Central High School when he lost his emailing privileges. After sending out an email to the entire Sheboygan Area School District, with intent to organize a walkout for a famous rapper, Pirrung lost access to the address to the South students. “I didn’t realize I couldn’t email the South High student body,” Pirrung explains, “Until I had to email out a survey for a class and couldn’t.” Pirrung’s email that was sent out had many replies to it, which sparked an email chain.

These bothersome chains can be avoided, “With any email chain, you have the option to ‘mute’ the email,” Formolo explains, “Click on the 3 dots above and in the drop down menu click ‘mute’.” This is the best way to get yourself out of an unwanted email chain.

Junior Ian Oplatek found himself involved in these email chains early on in his freshman year at South. Once an email chain between students throughout the district was started, he decided to contribute, emailing a video game rip back to one person. That one person then hit “reply all,” causing Oplatek’s message to be sent out to everyone in that email group. Ian Oplatek now looks back on this experience, remembering that his punishment, “Luckily, was just a warning.” This lucky warning that Ian Oplatek received is not always the case for everyone.

The consequences for misusing your email can vary, depending on the person and what they are saying. “We first email a student who is inappropriately utilizing the email privilege to discontinue their behavior,” Formolo explains, “Continued abuse will result in a conference with the dean of students and if necessary, we can deactivate a students email account.”

Students using their emails in a responsible way is a key factor in the success of effective communication. The best way to stay out of trouble when it comes to emails is to be cautious of not hitting “Reply all.” In addition, if you do have permission to send out an email to the school, remember to use the Blind Copy feature (BCC) to avoid a chain occurring. With the correct use of emails, students and teachers throughout the school and able to successfully communicate.