#FreeSamson started off when I was leaving class and "wandering" the halls. I would go to the office and I would hang out in there for 10-15 minutes, and I was aloud to do this in most of my classes when I was done with my work. I would run errands, go find out information about stuff, etc. But when I was told to leave, I didn't go back but stayed there for a couple of minutes, which then when I got told a second or third time, I would leave; but I never got yelled at for it and I never had a problem for not going to class on the first "leave". Then one day it got to a point where the office staff didn't want me in the office anymore because I was becoming a distraction (which I could understand), so all of my teachers got an email sent to them saying that I wasn't allowed back to the office anymore, so I didn't go back. From that point on when I was done with my work, I would just go to the bathroom or go get a drink instead of the office, but then security saw me and told me that I wasn't allowed out of the class and I told them that that wasn't true, I just wasn't allowed to go to the office. So they told administration that I was wandering and out of class so my teachers got another email saying that they weren't allowed to let me out at all, or at least thats what they got from it, so whenever I would ask to go to the bathroom or get a drink, they would deny it but let other students go. So this frustrated me, as it would you too, so I started #FreeSamson. At first I made poster papers and put them on walls, which then they got taken down, so I started putting them on people, and thats when Admin got mad that I was "taking this too far" so I started getting talked to about it and kept on getting called up to the office for it (ironic huh lol) and thats when they told me that I couldn't be doing what I was doing, even though I knew that I was in a public school and the right to Freedom of Speech is allowed. So after all of the numerous threats of suspension, I gave up and found that there wasn't a way to beat the administration, because in the end, they can say whatever they want to say and still make themselves look good because they are "the higher power". So I turned #FreeSamson into a "brand", because I've been through so much with that title, trying to stand up for what I believe in and fighting for what I think is right, and the title grew on me. I created shirts and wanted to give them out, but yet again I was told that if they saw them, I would get suspended, EVEN THOUGH it wasn't about trying to get my privileges back, that was over when I knew I couldn't win against someone who could say anything to make themselves look better. I kept this going as a thought and reminder to myself and everyone else that you CAN fight for what you think is right, and you SHOULD, even though in the end you might not win; because you yourself will learn something from it and the people involved with it will also. Admin told me that I was not able to change the motive of #FreeSamson, but how are you able to tell someone what the can or can't believe in or think? You can't. They were upset when I got so much attention for it because it was against something THEY believe in; but it was something the rest of THEIR students believed in. I was being told that I was a distraction because of #FreeSamson, yet if they let kids believe in what they want to believe in there wouldn't be a problem. Instead they tried to change everyone into thinking what they think and saying that I was a distraction, when honestly, I think pulling kids aside and talking to them about a little shirt that they can't wear because they "don't agree with it", or pulling kids out of class to talk to them about what they are doing thats "wrong", is a bigger distraction then me fighting for what I think is right, and having people support me for it. This isn't about the admin anymore or anything with the office, it has to do with me and my learning experience from it.
