Deviance x2

In class this week we read an article called The Saints and The Rednecks by William J. Chambliss. This was a story where a sociologist followed students that both demonstrated behaviors outside the social norm (deviance) and documented their actions. This guy, William J. Chambliss, labeled the groups "the saints" and "the roughnecks" based on how others perceived them. The saints were seen around town as good students, smart, intelligent, wealthy (or had some money), and all around good students that had a bright future ahead of them. The roughnecks were just the typical bad guys---the ones who ditched class, didn't do their homework because they didn't care, didn't have a lot of money, didn't really know what they were doing with their lives. Both these groups ditched class, lied to their teachers, and were equally deviant, however, they weren't punished the same. I thought this was really shocking because when I think of someone ditching class, I think of getting in trouble. But when the saints ditched class, they'd come up with some excuse like a different teacher needed to see them, while the roughnecks were honest that they didn't want to go. Honestly, I think it's better to be a roughneck than a saint, because at least you're honest when you're a roughneck, even though you're breaking the rules. At our school if you ditch a class, 2 days later you get called down to the dean. The dean asks you why you weren't there, and you can either say you didn't go, or you got called out or something and then they ask your parents. It really depends on the type of person you are. If you'd rather lie when you get in trouble or just get in trouble because you deserve to.