THE STAMPEDE
FEBRUARY 6, 2019. VOLUME 10. ISSUE 4.
PARKLAND: ONE YEAR LATER
With the one year anniversary of the Parkland Shooting on Feb. 14, the nation still finds ways to be a united for better gun control laws.
Cover Photo by Noelle Pryor
IN THIS ISSUE
Tess Thompson poses with her jersey on and a basketball in her hand. Photo by Leland Pan
WEBSITE MANAGER MYRA BAJWA SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR MYRA BAJWA PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDITOR MADDIE CRABTREE GRAPHICS EDITOR KENNEDY HOMAN GRAPHIC DESIGNER ESTHER WHANG PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR AIMEE LEAL PHOTOGRAPHERS BRITTANY EVANS RILEY BURGOON NOELLE SMAGALA MADISON McCALLEY NOELLE PRYOR HEADLINES EDITOR AVANI SHAH HEADLINES REPORTERS TANVI PANT JAMES TURNBULL ALEXANDRA GUCKEL LAUREN COATES TODD REDMAN THE SCORE EDITOR NATE BURLEYSON THE SCORE REPORTERS MADISON McCALLEY LELAND PAN SPOTLIGHT EDITOR CLAUDIA GRZYB SPOTLIGHT REPORTER MARCO RIVERO LUNA ESHA MANDADI BELLA MYERS PROFILES EDITOR JUTHI SAHA PROFILES REPORTER BRITTANY EVANS PERSPECTIVES EDITOR BEN WEISS PERSPECTIVES REPORTERS MYRA BAJWA LAUREL WESTPHAL HUNTER KULAK BRANDT WARD FACULTY ADVISER ADAM PAGE
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EDITORIAL GETTING REAL ABOUT BULLYING 03 HEADLINES ORCHESIS SPRING SHOWCASE 04 FOX VALLEY MALL RENOVATIONS 05 SPRING THEATER 05 THE SCORE HOCKEY RUNNER UPS 06 CO-OP GYMNASTICS TEAM 07 TESS THOMPSON'S ACL TEAR 08 PROFILES FUTURE OLYMPIC MUSTANG 10 RAPPING BECOMES STUDY METHOD 11 ON THE COVER PARKLAND SHOOTING ANNIVERSARY 12 SPOTLIGHT BI-YEARLY HEART SCREENING 16 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT 17 FRATERNITY AND SORORITY HAZING 18 VIOLENCE IN MEDIA 19 PERSPECTIVES ARMING TEACHERS 20 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 21 BREAKING DOWN THE DAY OF LOVE 22 FOUR STAR MOVIES 23
MAGAZINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KELLIE FOY WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MADDIE CRABTREE
STAMPEDE STAFF
Graphic by Kennedy Homan
BULLY FREE ZONE CREATES A FREE BULLY ZONE
02 / THE STAMPEDE
Imagine this: you’re in elementary school, playing on the schoolyard with your friends and no care in mind, when someone, maybe a little over twice your size, comes up to you and pushes you around. This someone leaves you defenseless as they run towards their group of friends who are all laughing at you. Now, imagine this: you’re in middle school, scrolling through your Instagram feed during your morning bus ride to school, when an anonymous account starts to leave insulting comments on every single one of your photos. With tears dripping down your face, you screenshot those comments and run to the school principal to report them. However, since it’s an anonymous account, there’s only so much that the principal can do for you. Which one sounds more like our generation? The playground bully might be what comes to mind for our parents and teachers, but it is nothing like the bullying we see in the world we live in today. As much as we can try, bullying has become an epidemic that is hard to erase from society. Of course the dictionary definition of the word “bully” hasn’t changed, but many of the actions, situations, and surroundings that occur in our society have been classified under this umbrella of bullying. These three have impacted the evolution, especially in recent years. One of the major ways bullying has changed is where it can happen. With technology and the internet always at our fingertips, bullying in a public place doesn’t seem as common than in past history. Instead of hitting each other on the playground, we hit each other online. Today, bullies can be whoever they want to be, whether it is anonymous or the real person hiding behind the screen. This then created the reality of screenshots, when it was down to who said what about who. The context of where and why the bullying was happening are defined as easy for some and difficult for others. According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, statistics show that 40 percent to 50 percent of cyberbullying victims are knowledgeable of the identity of the oppressor. This reflects the impact and power of the internet. It would be easier for the bully to create false information for what really happened compared to the victim who is trying to tell the truth. With the transition of location comes the transition of bullying in two different age groups: middle school and high school. There is a shift in maturity that comes with this idea of “bullying.” From the three years in our middle school experience, traditional bullying is the typical exclusiveness between friend groups and peer pressure in and out of school. This is due to being in our early teen years and wanting to fit in someplace. If we don't fit in, we’re made fun of for it and possibly included in false rumors by those in these friend groups. However, in high school, bullying transitions from the exclusiveness and peer pressure to more trash talking and fist fighting. On many occasions, bullying or the trash talk lead to unnecessary violence. Yet, do we, as high, schoolers, really know any better? We should know better, but there are many reasons why we go directly towards violence. Our generation has grown up in a society of the internet where it’s easy to access violence-related activities, whether it’s in television shows or in video games. Is there a line that is crossed when it comes to where and how long bullying takes place? Is there a reason why we are classifying bullying the way we are? Is there a reason why we act out with bullying and violence the way our generation and society does? There are a variety of solutions to both bullying and cyberbullying. Yet is there use to how we really are utilizing them in this day and age?
STAMPEDE EDITORIAL BOARD
FEBRUARY 5, 2019
Actors read over their lines in preparation for call-backs. Photo by Riley Burgoon
LELAND PAN SPORTS REPORTER
Alexandra GUCKEL News Reporter
Junior Paige Tulo teaches new choreography. Photo by Riley Burgoon
04 / THE STAMPEDE
FEBRUARY 6, 2019
Lauren Coates NEWS REPORTER
METEA THEATER BRINGS NEWSIES PRODUCTION
NEWS
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FOX VALLEY MALL RENOVATIONS RESPOND TO DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE
ORCHESIS PREPARES TO SHOWCASE MONTHS OF HARD WORK WITH NEW SHOW: IN10SITY
Due to changing demographics, the Fox Valley Mall is going through a renovation in order to fit the needs of the people that live around the area. The mall will be adding a sub-area which will help the economic aspect of the mall. The mall is losing a lot of its stores from the lack of people who shop at the mall. The city of Aurora has decided to add homes around the boundary. This should help increase the popularity of the shopping mall. Having pedestrians and better transit will allow for a more welcoming community. Students don’t find the neighborhood threatening, although, sometimes the mall area can feel unsafe. “Once there was a fight with a lot of people, and it was a little scary,” sophomore Sara Jordan said. The main goal of these renovations is to attract “super buyers” who are the most avid shoppers. They are shoppers that buy from multiple platforms and enjoy shopping at many different stores. Since the mall has a large variety of stores, its ultimate goal, to raise more money, should best be accomplished by attracting these types of shoppers. Since the people are the ones that want to do shopping in person and not online, it is important that the mall offers everything that they want in their traditional shopping experience. The renovations of the mall space will make the stores easier to go to, and the experience better overall. “I love going to the mall still. I shop in the main building with all of the little stores,” said Jordan. Within the past year, the major department stores, Sears and Carson’s, have closed down due to a lack of shoppers. Many people wouldn’t go into those stores since their main interests and needs could be found in smaller, more “popular” stores that are spread through other areas in the mall. “I never really went to Sears,” Jordan said.
Springtime means showtime for the theater department of Metea Valley. This spring’s feature musical will be Newsies, directed by Nathan Bramstedt. All of the accomplishments of the theatre department come with great preparation to make sure that the aspiring actors and actresses can audition efficiently. One of the first key steps is to understand the licensing of a play. “It opened on Broadway on 2013-2014 and had a national tour a couple years ago. Usually licensing for high schools and other professional theaters happens after the national tour,” Bramstedt said. Despite the cognitive energy from the TV show, Newsies has another twist in mind for those who enjoy thinking analytically with Metea’s theater program. “There are ten or so adults that commit to organizing the production. And we also have a few professionals to come in to teach the kids about lighting design, and costume, so as a team we really think about the season as a whole for the entire year,” Bramstedt said. The audition process this year is also a more unique experience for all actors and actresses. This year, there are different tiers that go into the audition process. Newsies incorporates different musical backgrounds that are integrated with acrobatics. Through the audition process, auditioners are expected to know how to sing and dance the amount of dance numbers correlates throughout the production will inherit the enhancement and quality that Metea will bring. “Unions and making sure that people have a voice, that’s what Newsies is all about. This fits with our social climate right now. Last May when we announced Newsies, we started to spread the word that Newsies is a dance-heavy show,” Bramstedt said. Newsies will be coming to the Metea Theatre in May.
Situated on the fine line between sports and the arts, the Orchesis Dance Company is a hardworking and close-knit group of students at Metea. With their showcase “In10sity” just days away, Orchesis will soon have the chance to show off everything they have worked on. Senior member and Orchesis President Allison Neitzel knows how important the showcase is to Orchesis members, as well as what it entails. “This is what we’ve been doing all year. We’ve been practicing our dances for showcase. The entire show is all our own choreography, so it’s a chance for everyone to show off their talent," Neitzel said. As a way to show their talent before the showcase itself, Orchesis will be hosting an assembly in the auditorium during third through sixth period on Feb. 15. The assembly will act as a preview for the type of performances that students will be able to see during "In10sity." Neitzel explained where Orchesis drew inspiration for the name. “This year our show is our tenth anniversary, so that’s where the name came from,” Neitzel said. Although the show has a different name every year, there is no concrete theme to go for it. Instead, the content of the show is built by and around the talents of the dancers and acts as a way for the girls to highlight the variety of styles Orchesis performs. “What we take pride in is that our styles are very diverse. We have a lot of different numbers: a hip hop dance, a heels dance, lyrical contemporary, and jazz. We try to do it all,” Neitzel said. Junior Grace Eber thinks the variety of types of dance in the show will make it unique. “Out of all three shows I’ve been in, I think this one has the most variety, which helps it to stand out and be more interesting,” Eber said. Though audiences only see the performances, Eber’s favorite part of the entire process is not the show itself. “My favorite part is tech week. We spend so much time with each other, and we’ve been rehearsing since August, so it’s cool when you really see the show come together,” Eber said. Although the Orchesis dancers pour their blood, sweat, and tears into the showcase, there are unfortunately still many students at Metea who don’t even know it is happening. For those who have never been to the performance before, Neitzel encouraged them to come out and support their fellow students. “It’s such a great opportunity to see your peers do what they do. It’s a chance to learn more about the people around you other than how you see them in class, it’s a great way to support the arts, and it’s another side of somebody you haven’t seen before. All of us, we put our heart and our soul into our dances and our choreography, so it’s an expression of who we are,” Neitzel said. The full "In10sity" performance will take place Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m.
When someone hears the word “team,” a sports team may come to mind. Most sports teams are big, consisting of a large number of athletes. In some cases, a sport that isn’t as popular as others may have a significantly smaller number of athletes. A perfect example would be gymnastics, which is a difficult sport that requires a lot of strength, endurance, and flexibility. For that reason, many people may not choose gymnastics as 'their' sport. A sports team that doesn’t have enough athletes isn’t a "complete" team. A team can be considered "complete" when they have enough athletes to successfully perform. A baseball team needs enough players to play on the field. A basketball team needs enough players to play on the court. As for a gymnastics team, they need enough gymnasts to compete. A complete, successful team also has diversity. They have athletes with different skills and with these different skills they can help each other improve on skills that they haven’t mastered. At Metea, the gymnastics team has very few athletes. As a result of their small numbers, they have the unique opportunity to co-op with Waubonsie in order to make the team large enough to compete. The relationship was decided because it worked out well for both schools. “Right now it’s a matter of numbers. Neuqua has enough of an interest to have a team on their own versus Waubonsie and Metea. Neuqua’s numbers equal out about 16 to 18 girls. We can’t do two separate teams because it wouldn’t be enough,” head coach Phillip Gilmer said. A lot of things make the gymnastics team unique, especially their unknown skills. Gymnastics is also different from most sports at Metea because gymnastics practice is never held at home. The gymnasts practice is at Neuqua because Neuqua has all the necessary equipment. “I think in general just being a co-op is already something different. We don’t practice at either of the schools, and [most] people don’t know we have a team. It’s interesting to see people’s reactions when they come to our meets because they see what we are actually capable of,” varsity team captain Marisa Cruz said. Being on a co-op team gives the gymnasts from both Metea and Waubonsie the opportunity to meet people from another school and work with athletes who they most likely haven’t met before. Chances are that the gymnasts from Metea had never met their fellow Warrior teammates before the beginning of the season and the same goes for the Warriors. “Honestly, I love the fact that it’s combined because the girls get to know each other where they might not get the chance to otherwise. Friendships are made because of it,” coach Gilmer said. The gymnasts don’t let the idea of being from different schools get in the way of working together because they have to work together and be on good terms in order to succeed. Whether it’s for practice or a meet, the girls need to put any differences aside and collaborate so that they are on top. “There’s never been an issue of one school versus the other,” coach Gilmer said. The Mustang and Warrior gymnasts have a strong bond that allows for them to come as one. Having the experience of collaborating with the Warrior gymnasts is great for the Mustang gymnasts. Especially because of the special bonds that they have created and how it makes their team stand out from other teams. “I’ve grown so close to the girls over the years and it’s so nice to have them as a family,” Cruz said.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP LOSS
sports
NATE BURLEYSON SPORTS EDITOR
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MOTIVATES WARRIORS IN NEW SEASON
Thera Brown performs a hold at practice. Photo by Noelle Smagala
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06/ THE STAMPEDE
Junior Zach Pearce looks down at Naperville Central opponent. Photo by Maddie Crabtree
Varsity hockey celebrates their win in the Carillon Cup. Photo by Maddie Crabtree
METEA AND WAUBONSIE COLLABORATE TO MAKE UNIQUE CO-OP GYMNASTICS TEAM
On March 24, 2018, not a word could be heard in a locker room tucked away in the halls of the United Center. The five seed varsity Warriors’ hockey club had just fallen 7-2 to two seed Buffalo Grove/Hersey/Wheeling in the state championship game. There wasn’t much of a sound other than the shuffling of equipment and slight whimpers from a few of the team’s seniors reminiscing on their final game. “I was just thinking about what I could have done differently,” senior and assistant captain Will Naffziger said. It was also a time of pain and uneasiness. “No one really said anything. It was a feeling that I hope to never feel again,” senior Jack Flood said. The run to the United Center was an unforgettable one. The fifth seed combined Metea/Waubonsie Warriors were uncertain with themselves after losing early on in their conference playoffs last February. In the state tournament, they took care of business against Deerfield High School and blanked four seed Lincoln-Way 4-0. They found themselves in the semi-finals against the first seed Glenbard, a team who had beaten them three times already. It would stay at three as the Warriors won a thriller 4-3 to book their ticket to the United Center. In the championship, the team got to acquaint themselves with the building that many of their personal hockey heroes call home. “[Playing in the United Center] was one of the most incredible experiences of my life,” Naffziger said. Walking into the rink was a surreal experience. “You could see all the lights, all the stands, and that was the reality check,” head coach Jeremy Dombro said. The storied halls of the United Center played host to the game that found the team losing by a lot early. The team was back playing spring league a few weeks later with the next season in mind and the disappointment still fresh. A lot of teams that make it to championship games fall off a little bit the next year, mainly due to the loss of seniors. This Warriors team is different though, and they know that. This year returns plenty of guys from last year. That experience is invaluable in their success this season, and the memory of that March afternoon is fueling the team. “A lot of guys from last year like to talk about it a lot,” Flood said. It’s not relishing in the past, it is remembering what the pain of being so close feels like. This year, the Warriors are flipping the script of last year’s regular season. They’ve beaten Glenbard twice now and are feeling like a powerhouse. “With us going 14-1 in the first half, everyone in the league knows who we are,” Dombro said. New additions on the team are credited to last year’s run. “Everybody realizes that after last year we got there and might not have had the pieces that deemed us to get there, and now we got the complete package,” Dombro said. There is a finite amount of time for a player or team to prove themselves. The veteran leadership on this hockey club is important. “The experience last year, everything was just so new. This year, I think guys know what it takes to get there,” Flood said. This March, the goal is to be back in the U.C but when the final buzzer sounds, flip last year’s feeling to relief.
MADISON MCCALLEY SPORTS REPORTER
FEBRUARY 6 2019
Graphic by Esther Whang
A DIFFERENT KIND
OF MOMENTUM
SPORTS
Forward Tess Thompson makes a basket during the conference opener at Neuqua . Photo by Leland Pan
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Dec. 4, 2018: pounding music and heart-racing warm-ups lead up to number thirty-two, the six-foot-one senior, Tess Thompson taking the court. Basketball and soccer were the epitome of Thompson’s life. They were the true experience of learning grit on and off of the court and field until her middle school to high school careers were interrupted by a chain of injuries: not one, but two ACL tears that changed Thompson’s life. Starting basketball in early elementary school, the gain of friendships and intensive coaching with the sport hooked Thompson, to continue working hard for her motivations to play for high school. Through her major wins with both soccer and basketball, Thompson was on her way to make an even more competitive impact in high school. Those aspirations took a turn in the spring of 2015. “I was dribbling up the court, and suddenly I took a big step. I felt that my knee just jumble up. I was definitely blindsided because this was my first major injury. It was the recovery period afterward that I was hesitant about. Practicing how to walk and run again was all just a scary experience. Walking is something that you learn how to do when you are just a toddler, you don’t think about it,” Thompson said. Psychologically, sports can be a strong tool to keep athletes in check with their well-being. Sometimes when the relationship between a sport and athlete is stronger than one could possibly ever imagine, the disruption of that relationship is difficult to mend. Players have been trained to be driven by the balance of mind and body. Like salt and pepper or peanut butter and jelly, there is a harmony. Even when injuries come up, athletes will continue to have that mindset. In effect of that mindset, if mobility is altered, players feel frustration and ultimately betrayed. And with the constant battle between the mind and body, social aspects pinpoint a time of continuous hesitant recovery. “I was frustrated [at the time]. My soccer team went to the championship game, and I couldn’t play with the team. My only resort was to stay busy. When I didn’t keep myself occupied, I had more opportunities to go into a negative mindset,” Thompson said. Lessons were learned, and a mentally stronger athlete was the outcome. Successful basketball and soccer seasons flew by, and motivation to end with an ideal junior year was in Thompson’s mind. Let’s just say that this was not her first rodeo. Perhaps it was a sign from nature that something was going to happen on April 27, 2018. "The week was prom week, and it was so nice before the game. It was sunny and warm, but right after the pre-game meeting, the wind comes in, and the sky was very dark. It was just weird. I received a back pass because I am a defender. One of my forwards sent me the ball backward, and I open my body up. The other girl started running at me, so I changed directions. Then I felt a pop and I was on the ground,” Thompson said. With a time crunch to play basketball and soccer senior year, Thompson had to rationalize the ideas and aspirations to push herself but also recover from her injury. Although Thompson has been through the same situation before, the same mental and physical challenges were still present to recover. “The most difficult challenge for me was to be cleared to run and do a more non-contact activity. It’s [also mentally] hard because I would work up a sweat. I would sit [on the bleachers] and watch my friends play basketball, and I can’t play. I worked out in the weight room after school every day, went to the physical therapist, and went on runs. Even though I did exercise, there was nothing that I could do to speed up the process,” Thompson said. Knowing that it is okay to accept that the body cannot move in a certain way that the mind wants to is the key to finding another way to be a part of the team. “Basketball is a game of momentum. And what I’ve learned was how to be a vocal leader. I knew that I could step up on the mental and emotional side for the team. That really strengthened my leadership qualities,” Thompson said. From plenty of high and low points in life, the hardest days are the most crucial learning curves to never be forgotten. “Don’t spend too much time thinking about the things that you can control, focus on what you can do. Everything happens for a reason, and if it doesn’t work out, that means that it is not the end yet,” Thompson said.
Tess Thompson about to shoot a basket. Photo by Leland Pan
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If you can rap like Eminem, you’re good. If you can rap like Kendrick, you’re amazing. When you can rap and make it school related, you might as well be a legend. Let’s drop the beat, spit some fire, and allow junior Jalen Turner to explain what he does. “Music is something that helps me through things, and it was a way for me to let things out. It became something I did in school, so I decided to mix my usual rapping with my studying habits," Turner said. It started off as a way to let go, and it turned into something that helped him in school. Turner was inspired by people who are motivated and strong and don’t just rap for the money. He also knows exactly what he wants to do with his music. “Artists like Prince, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar inspire me because they make music that is so complex and different from everyone else. They have a story and that’s how I started," Turner said. Jalen started writing as a way to understand things in his classes. This was the only way he could retain information at the time. "Traditional studying is boring and I get too distracted when I try to do it. When I create a rap for school I’m more engaged because I’m doing something I love to over power something that I hate,” Jalen said. This is not a method that everyone should take, but it is a great way to study if you are good at memorizing things. As teenagers it seems as if we can remember lyrics better than anything else. Writing a song and studying it before taking the quiz or test could be the most perfect way of memorizing. When asked where he creates all of his raps, the first thing that he said was the studio. “I come up with the idea very quickly. I go to the studio and actually record, but all of my ideas are written on my phone, or paper, and on some occasions a napkin. Sometimes I rap by myself, and sometimes I rap with friends," Turner said. While in the studio, artists usually make their own beats whether it’s on a soundboard or taking beats from other artists. There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into the making of it. Clearly, this has demonstrated that there’s more to rapping than loud and aggressive music, it can actually help you. There is definitely a purpose and story behind everything that is said, and there should be more songs created to help people. Raps don’t have to be idealized to the current culture of rap. This generation is full of music and emotion, and this can help eliminate stress.
Jalen Turner waiting to make beats on the sound board in the studio. Photo by Brittany Evans
RAP IS A MEMORY GAME
SECTION
BRITTANY EVANS PROFILES REPORTER
10/ THE STAMPEDE
AN ATHLETE ALWAYS FOUND IN THE WATER
Mckenna Stone posing with her trophy at a competition. Photo Courtesy of Mckenna Stone
“Take your mark,” and off goes the sound of the buzzer as sophomore McKenna Stone sets off across the pool. Stone is a current sophomore on the varsity swim team. She has been in the water since she was three months old and competitively swimming since she was five. Since then, the pool has become her home, and water has become her friend. “At first, it was a really rocky start. I wanted to quit, but I kept with it and started getting better and working harder,” Stone said. Throughout her swimming career, Stone has accomplished many events and placed top in state and national levels. “Most recently, I got second at both my events at state and got second in the relays. I went to senior nationals in late November and I [placed] 20 there. I also got third in junior nationals which was 18 and under,” Stone said. McKenna has future plans for swimming including a career in college at a Division I school in the NCAA. D1 schools attract top athletes from across the nation, and have world-class facilities. “I am hoping for a really good D1 school. I am hoping to qualify for the Olympic trials whether it is 2020 or 2024, and just see how far I can go,” Stone said. Training for the Olympics requires long days at the pool along with core workouts including weight-lifting. Balancing school with the challenging swim schedule can be difficult. “I haven’t trained a lot in the past month because I’ve been in competition season, but leading up to that we do morning practices, three hour afternoon practices, and combination of weights and swimming,” Stone said. Passion drives success and there are always other opportunities if events do not go the way you wanted them to. “Even if you don’t accomplish what you want to at the end of the season, there is always another one. It doesn’t have to be over until you say it’s over,” Stone said. Along the way, Stone has gained experience and improved by training and being surrounded by her team that inspires her to persevere and accomplish her dreams. “I would like to say thank you to my high school swim team because I’ve learned a lot from them and I love them,” Stone said.
PROFILES
JUTHI SAHA PROFILES EDITOR
13
SPOTLIGHT
One monstrous event. An inspiring response. An uncertain future. On Feb. 14, 2018, tragedy took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. A lone gunman, motivated by the need for revenge on his former school, murdered 17 students and teachers. The national response to this tragedy was instantly noticeable. Unlike previous shootings, this one established change. Its impact is comparable to the first major school shooting at Columbine High School on April, 20, 1999. This caused students to unite, calling for action to school safety as teachers and parents grappled with the question of how to keep their children safe. Typically, mass shootings in the United States are mourned and then slowly forgotten among the majority. This unfortunate cycle has become the staple of the era of mass shootings in America. We become increasingly used to the idea of these shootings even happening. Parkland was different. With every mass shooting that takes place in the United States the typical response mounds up to a short campaign followed by the tragic event being forgotten. Despite the cost of human life and the absolute travesty this has on the people of that community, time and time again all of this suffering and pain is ridiculed by a single tweet saying #ThoughtsandPrayers. People stopped caring about shootings too quickly and the government’s response to these shootings was too limited. This would all be changed with Parkland, the people of the community decided not to become just another victim and unite to inspire change across the country. The response to Parkland was one of a united community, a group of people who demanded sweeping reforms so that the tragedy may not happen again. This community inspired a bewildered nation as more and more Americans joined the fellowship. The united community led to the beginning of the end for the NRA as their investors and sponsors slowly pulled out. The NRA now stands at the brink of financial ruin in a lawsuit against the state of New York. The NRA claimed that "if the NRA is unable to collect donations from its members, safeguard the assets endowed to it, apply its funds to cover media buys and other expenses integral to its political speech and obtain basic corporate insurance coverage, it will be unable to exist as a not-for-profit or pursue its advocacy mission.” This is a monumental step that has happened on the anti-gun campaign to expand gun control across the nation. Along the unfortunate occurrence in early February 2018, that year was a very political time frame. The midterms loomed in the distance as more and more people marched for issues they cared about. Incumbent republican representatives were defeated by new start up politicians who inspired people to come out and vote. The democrats made big strides into Congress, taking the house despite losing delegates in the Senate. These new congressmen and congresswomen were supported by the new generation inspired by events like the response to Parkland to finally vote for true change to the nation. The democrats, now in control of the House of Representatives, are now in a position to begin to push new regulations on gun control. While President Trump has not approved any major legislation to attempt to fix the problem, many states did. The state of Florida, where Parkland is located and is traditionally very pro gun, was forced to pass regulations after a huge citizens’ campaign in response to Parkland. Just recently, the newly democrat controlled House of Representatives has introduced a bill to heavily expand gun regulations across the nation. Whether President Trump or the Senate allow the bill to become a law may be unlikely, but nevertheless, this kind of change would have been impossible to even fathom before 2018. This event affected everyone, not just in the national government, but local school districts also saw huge change. Ever since the Parkland shooting, the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) program has been gaining popularity among many school districts, including our own. “While the old procedure called for students and teachers to remain locked inside their classrooms during an armed attack at the school, this new ALICE program aims to save as many students and teachers as possible by evacuating as many as they can. The Parkland Shooting does come up in ALICE drills due to situations that happen there,” Metea’s resource officer Troy Kern said. Teachers are now encouraged to flee the building if located on the opposite side of the school and to resort to breaking windows and climbing rooftops if it means safety. Not only did the shooting affect Metea’s response to shootings, it completely changed the school’s attitude towards violence to grow more proactive to keep schools as safe as possible. The school has been taking initiatives, even if controversial, to cut down on school violence and crime by implementing policies, such as the drug dogs and the more recent open bathroom door policy to catch vaping in the restroom. “There are terms and policies that I cannot talk about yet,” principal Darrell Echols said. Both Officer Kern and Dr. Echols shared one common argument: the involvement of mental health in school shootings. More and more people are accepting the role of mental health in this society as the topic becomes significantly prevalent in mainstream conversation. The American Counseling Association’s report on school shootings and mental health found that only 34 percent of school shooters received a mental health evaluation and only 17 percent of them were actually diagnosed with a mental illness. Despite these findings, 61 percent of the attackers had a history of suicidal tendencies. The lack of concern for these students demonstrates a repeated absence of concern for the mental health of students across District 204 and many others. These unfortunate illnesses have to be caught and treated quickly and effectively. A person may never be ready to reveal their insecurities or depression because of the environment around them. These teenagers often cite their anger at the school and the society around them when committing their actions. These kind of thoughts should be the highest priority for counselors to find and to their credit they’re starting to take notice. This is something that both Dr. Echols and the deans of Metea Valley hope to change. Dr. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist who has heavily studied mass shootings across the United States, has found that a significant number of high school shootings happen for the purpose of gaining attention. Meloy states that, “historically, one of the central motivations in cases, although not the only one, is a desire for notoriety and a desire for infamy, and now we have a setting, a cultural and social setting, where your act of multiple homicides will be known about internationally within moments.” In the same vein of Mark David Chapman’s assassination of John Lennon, many of these people merely wish to create a legacy in which they’ll be remembered. Social media has only helped bolster this sentiment as the idea of internet fame has spread. It is now incredibly easy to leave your digital footprint when every moment of your life is digitally fossilized. Obviously this doesn’t pertain to everyone which only brings up another problem with detecting school shooters: the lack of profile. Violence stems from anger, which contributes to how anger issues are a legitimate diagnosable diagnosis. When someone is constantly outraged or has very intense feelings dealing with anger, impulsive decisions will emerge. People will hurt each other based on this feeling. When someone develops hatred towards the school, they might want to take out their revenge on it. Putting funding towards mental health support will be able to prevent these disasters from happening. This will also help out students who need help that would otherwise hurt themselves or perform worse in the environment that is supposed to keep them safe. The threat of a potential school shooting isn’t the only thing administrators at Metea are cracking down on however. School violence and hazards to school safety are slowly being cracked down upon by policies enacted by the Metea Valley staff. The number of school fights has decreased from last year, but it is unclear whether these measures have actually helped to restrict the amount of violence in the school. Of course, the most affected group are the actual students. Students are the ones who have to live in this post Columbine school environment. There is a lot of fear in the community about shootings happening. Memes are even being made about shootings to attempt to lessen the severity of them. It is clear that this is frightening students in otherwise safe districts. This is why the resonating response to the Parkland shooting was nothing to be surprised about. Thousands of students organized and began having serious discussions on school safety and gun control. These small discussions turned into a combined cry for change from within America’s schools. Thousands of districts saw their students walk out brandishing signs protesting the lack of gun control regulation in the United States. Metea Valley joined the movement as the administrators of the school allowed a student walk out to happen in March 2018. The march inspired many to call on their congressmen to change the way things work in this nation. It is clear to not only the congressmen of this nation but politicians across the world that the future of America would no longer tolerate the lack of gun control in this country. In an interview on 60 Minutes with several survivors of the Parkland shooting, among them journalists from the high school’s newspaper, victim Alex Wind said, “the thing about it is we are the generation that's had to be trapped in closets, waiting for police to come or waiting for a shooter to walk into our door. We are the people who know what it's like first-hand.” For most of us students here in media, the rise of school shootings predates us. Since 1999, more than 220,000 students have been exposed to gun violence during regular school hours, according to the Washington Post. When the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School say that we’re the mass shooting generation, they are not mistaken. This begs the question of what the purpose of a student is during the age of mass shootings. It is clear that while schools and the government may be trying, they’re not doing enough. The culture of secrecy that has developed in high schools has helped to worsen this unfortunate trend. No student wants rat someone out and become the student who’s the “snitch.” Unfortunately this means that often early warning signs of potential threats go unnoticed. “It is so important that students report anything at all, that they see that could cause harm,” Kern said. Consistent daily activities are key when it comes to students in one of the best high schools in the state. Many shootings occur every school year. Schools were capable of stopping these shootings if someone spoke up. Students at Metea and many other schools have had weapons brought to school. Whether loaded or not, weapons do possess danger to kids and staff alike. Some guns are very mobile and can be brought to school on a whim. If absolutely no one told staff about signs they saw, it is of a high probability that some sort of violence would happen. If you want to save a life, or even multiple, make sure to tell an adult. Taking a few minutes out of your day to prevent a disaster that should have been stopped is something that we should all devote to. However, despite the many wrongs currently happening in this world, we must remain optimistic and still be able to have a good time at school. If we are always in constant fear of a shooter in the school, we will never achieve what this establishment was meant for: learning. Yes, it is important to always keep an open eye and always to report suspicious behavior to the deans, however, don’t forget that being in constant fear of these shooters only reinforces their legacy. When the Columbine shooters planned their attack, they wrote of becoming legendary and establishing a legacy. They succeeded at doing both. Being in fear of these people only perpetuates their names that are better off forgotten. They wanted a legacy of pain and suffering, not to be faded into history like everyone else. They indeed did get what they wanted. This doesn’t mean we should forget about the event itself. Learning from events like these and choosing strength over fear is what makes us win over these people. We as a school community must consider and learn how to be more open, to seek out help for ourselves, and the people we think may need it. If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a village to help one. Students at Metea can leave anonymous tips for Officer Kern to investigate, seek help for personal issues with their respective guidance counselors and social workers, and even file formal complaints if their issue is with a teacher rather than a student. Whatever the case, as much as it is the student’s responsibility to use this help, it’s the school’s responsibility to have a community that is supportive and proactive rather than disdainful and dangerous. In high school, we tend to forget just how important these years are on our lives. These moments are the moments that will define our adulthood and our lives in the professional world. Therefore, as honest human beings, we must be able to embrace each other as a community and allow for everyone to tell their story. The Parkland shooting was monumental. Despite the devastating events at Parkland, afterward there were some of the most monumental moments perhaps some of the best moments this country has seen. A united group of people finally coming together in order to protect the future of America. The age of #NeverAgain and #PrayforParis are over, real change is beginning across the world. It is ironic how often we see the very best of humankind after its worst moments. Not only did we see the best of other people, but we saw how Metea joined the movement. The walkout was seen as the biggest event of the year at Metea by many, but that’s far from the truth. Metea has joined many of its fellow districts in a new age of prevention of mass shootings. It has begun enacting sensible policies, even when a bit controversial. It has been made clear that Metea is doing its best to now focus on the student’s safety as its number one priority. This school works best when its different components work together. In order to ensure a safe future for all of us, we must unite. People may scoff, but I truly believe that this school along with the whole nation is undergoing great change. Where it will lead is up to nobody but ourselves.
STUDENTS THINK BACK ON SCHOOL VIOLENCE AROUND THE PARKLAND ANNIVERSARY
Metea students participate in the national student walkout following the Parkland shooting. Photo by Kennedy Homan
BRANDT WARD AND MARCO RIVERO PERSPECTIVES REPORTER AND SPOTLIGHT REPORTER
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METEA VALLEY RUNS HEART SCREENING
In recent years, educational pioneers have moved towards increasing the applicability of high school education to real life. This includes preparing students to be participatory global citizens. In government classes, students participate in the Civic Engagement Scavenger Hunt to engage with their community. Government students in all levels participate in a semester-long project where they must complete activities of varying point levels to achieve a certain point total. Activities are divided into point categories and vary from watching the news to attending school board meetings to volunteering with a political campaign. Students were invited to begin completing the project in advance over the summer in place of summer homework, but it was not required. Students completed a variety of assignments that engaged them in their community. “I went to a school board meeting [and] a city council meeting. I volunteered for three hours, and then I had to write a bunch of stuff,” senior and government student Lucas Eddinger said. Other students canvassed voters before the November midterm elections, were volunteer jurors at Youth and Government’s Mock Trial, or were Election Judges at the midterm elections. Some activities, like being an Election Judge, were paid. Some students were already engaged in their daily lives. For example, some students were involved in MVStuGo, Do More Metea Valley, Metea Media, and Key Club. Other students were involved outside of school through faith groups or other organizations like sports. “I didn’t really have to do anything extra,” senior and AP Government student Neha Umrikar said. The effect the project created may not have been lasting, though, as students are not inclined to continue participating in the activities that are part of the project. “I feel like most kids will go to the events just to get the points and then they won’t do it after that,” Umrikar said. “So in the long term I don’t necessarily see how effective it is, but I guess for the moment it is.” Students questioned the purpose of the project and whether it was actually effective in promoting engagement. “I don’t necessarily think I’m civically engaged now,” Eddinger said. Some assignments were things that could be completed once and did not encourage more involvement, like attending school board meetings or simply watching the news. The encouragement of civic engagement in schools can be controversial as it is sometimes seen as a partisan activity. In September, Metea hosted a voter registration drive in order to get eligible students registered to vote in the midterm elections. Promoting voting in school has been considered partisan as it is related to political and partisan issues and asks students to choose a candidate. The Civic Engagement Scavenger Hunt culminated in the creation of a portfolio that includes all the activities the students participated in over the semester. Students turned in all shapes and sizes of folders, scrapbooks, and documents with evidence of their work. The trend in many government classes was completion of projects the night before, as a result of a semester of procrastination. The current climate of politics in the United States drives people away from engaging in anything considered political, which includes voting, attending community meetings, or even watching the news. That, combined with a general characteristic teenage lack of interest, creates a culture of apathy and limited community engagement. This apathy and lack of engagement in politics drives many young people not to vote, which is seen as the ultimate form of civic engagement. Whether students care or not about issues will determine their choice to engage in the future when it is not part of an assignment. While the Civic Engagement project succeeds in getting students to participate in their community, it cannot instill interest in students. The applicability to real life ends there as it does not instill an interest in engagement in any other way that would be sustained past high school.
TANVI PANT NEWS REPORTER
Government student fills out civic engagement spreadsheet. Photo by Aimee Leal
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STUDENTS SKEPTICAL ABOUT EFFECTS
AVANI SHAH HEADLINES EDITOR
Metea holds their bi-annual heart screening, encouraging students to get screened. Photo by Aimee Leal
Students at Metea Valley now have the opportunity to go through a heart screening. The heart screening is sponsored by Young Hearts for Life (YH4L) which identifies high school and college students for serious cardiac issues. Deaths revolving around cardiac issues take lives of more than 60 adolescents a week. The Young Hearts for Life has been coming to Metea Valley every other year so it has become more usual for the students to participate in the heart screening. However, other kinds of screening are often ignored because they originate from very controversial issues. High school students should have more screenings because school can be a very stressful environment. Up to one in five living in the United States display signs or symptoms of a mental health illness. These disorders can include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and anger issues. The major reason for this is because students are usually unaware they have a mental disorder in general. Oftentimes, students who may be in need of a screening show other ways where their behavior is different than other students. There is a stigma often associated with mental illness that makes it harder for students to come forward. Mental illness, if not treated, can snowball into something way more dangerous, such as long term depression, anxiety, and heartbreak. It has been a tried and tested method. In Aurora, Colorado, there are at least six schools that hold formal mental screenings. Administrators at these schools have been saying that they hope this can eliminate any problems before they start. This is also a great opportunity for students to learn social-emotional skills. Having various forms of screening available has demonstrated an important role in destroying barriers, which could interfere with a student’s education. It has become more available in the past as government agencies and private foundations are providing more resources than ever before to help with these types of screenings. Students at Metea Valley High School share that they are also concerned about the diversity of screening that they believe should also be taking place. “It’s amazing that Metea Valley has taken heart screening seriously and incorporates it but that is not the only issue that should be looked at. I would look into other issues such as mental screening, physical screening, and if possible screening for diabetes,” senior Shreeya Vasudevan said. Other students say that Metea is doing a great job at the moment by merely concentrating on the heart screening instead of focusing too many issues, as the school can save money and work towards a bigger budget in the future. “Overall, I think Metea Valley is doing a great job in the health category. It can be hard on the school to raise money to spend on screening for students especially since it is free for the students. Over the years, I think Metea will bring attention to other health problems but as of right now I think we are heading in the right direction,” junior Lalitha Jaligama said.
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CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT LEAVES
WHY HAS OUR GENERATION BEEN CAPTIVATED BY VIOLENCE IN MEDIA?
NOELLE SMAGALA PHOTGRAPHER
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TO AVOID THE PROSPECT OF COLLEGE HAZING?
BEN WEISS PERSPECTIVES EDITOR
As high school seniors rush to submit university applications, it is easy for them to neglect the various possibilities of their future living situations and extracurricular involvement. One can always choose to opt out of participating in college activities. However, the Greek housing life as well as clubs seem to present great opportunities to meet new people and engage oneself while on school grounds. However, the youth culture is changing amid a scene of increasing competition and drugs. Unfortunately, there exist shocking standards for one’s acceptance into not only these societies, but the general setting that is the substance-run campus. “Hazing,” the phrase coined to best describe such circumstances is formally defined as “humiliating and sometimes dangerous initiation rituals, especially as imposed on college students seeking membership to a fraternity or sorority.” With an easy search of the word, one can find this definition, along with an astonishing number of articles, illustrates instances of hazing pledges that date back to 200 years ago. According to statistics provided by the University of Maryland, these annual pledges have resulted in at least one death per year since 1969 and still continue to affect young collegiates. One of the most recent tragedies occurred in March of 2017 in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, where a mere 18 year-old freshman died of excessive drinking during a hazing event. While such events may appear to be exclusive only to university students, at least 18 percent of high schoolers plan to be part of the “Greek life” once in college, and will consequently be vulnerable to hazing, which usually, but not always, stems down to drug culture. Data derived from the national study “Hazing in View” from the University of Maine lays down all the statistics of such consequences. Firstly, one and a half million high school students are hazed each year, with 47 percent already having been experienced with hazing previously. This type of pressure is placed on students within the reaches of clubs to teams and then to organizations. It is necessary to question how exactly those people were victimized in their high school years, and still little justice was achieved. It can often be difficult to recognize and classify certain activities as “hazing.” University newcomers might not know what to expect when entering a system that almost seems to permit illegal activities such as underage drinking and harassment. Not to mention, this transition involves a much larger student population that is much more demanding to administer. Instances of hazing may go unnoticed and unreported by victims who feel they are either over-exaggerating the problem. Hazing is actually much more common than one might anticipate it to be. Again, close to half of all high school students have endured some type of hazing by the year they graduate. In appearing to be in the middle of some sort of “ritual of immaturity” tolerated by school faculty and staff, students are often expected to display a sort of toughness when being recruited into any sort of organization. As Babson College reports, 90 percent of victims have been subjected to such behaviors, yet do not consider that they have experienced hazing. “Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep- deprivation, and sex acts are hazing practices common across types of student groups,” the college also provided with the survey. How it develops into a more dangerous issue during college is the troubling part of the problem. Although not commonly enforced, hazing is illegal in 44 states in America. Ironically though, it calls for students to commit illegal acts as well, thus complicating the legal process that follows the few which are actually reported. Inside Hazing asserts that 30 percent of high school victims did so. Those surveyed were almost equally males and females. Aside from practices associated with drugs and public humiliation, there have been several accounts of sexual assault at high schools nationwide, including an Illinois school district in 2017. A federal lawsuit was filed against Reed-Custer Community Unit School District 255 when an incoming freshman was allegedly assaulted during a hazing ritual. The student was attending a football camp run primarily by upperclassmen who led the assault. While the case was met on a federal level, there should be stronger local enforcement of the law prohibiting hazing, as not all these incidents can be handled by higher government. Upon entering high school, the student developed unrealistic conceptions of what high school is like, when he should have reassured that it should not be that way. Club and organization recruitments are not the problem students are facing today, but how their participants are being manipulated by student administrators wanting to climb the social ladder: this is the real problem. While hazing cannot be stopped entirely, the government can help provide justice for those affected by these rituals, and its people can shed light on this outdated practice.
DO HIGH SCHOOLERS NEED
There is no denying that entertainment has an enormous impact on the world today. Materials like movies, television shows, books, plays, and video games are all aspects of life that are practically unavoidable. The industry takes up a large majority of our intake and is the third largest industry in the country, having an intake of $735 billion according to Select USA. However, another aspect of life that can be shown to be prominent in our generation is violence. In 2017, there were over 1.28 million violent crimes according to Statistica. As found on The Peace Alliance, over 1.6 million deaths are caused by violence every year. Isn’t it strange that some of the most popular forms of entertainment contain violence? Not only that, but people strangely find enjoyment in violent media. Many of the highest grossing movies of all time include a lot of destruction and intense violence. Titanic, the second highest grossing film of all time, literally ends with a bunch of people dying on a sinking ship, which is based on a true story. Yet, the way it’s filmed is almost epic and exciting. Much of the entertainment in the most popular movies, like superheroes and horror films, glorify violence to such an extreme that it makes the act of hurting and killing each other almost seems fun and entertaining. People cheer when a character is killed by a slasher villain or when their least favorite character in Game of Thrones is murdered. In real life, these would lead to controversy and sadness. In some instances, violence is played for comedy. Cartoons such as Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry rely heavily on violence in order to sell its comedy, often getting shot, stabbed, and blown up for the entertainment of others. Recent cartoons, like Rick and Morty, take this slapstick to a more extreme measure by showing characters dying and guts spilling everywhere for the sake of humor. In reality, laughing at death would be seen as sick and cruel, but audiences find it an enjoyable experience in the world of fiction. Perhaps the imagery is so crude and disgusting that it warrants a reaction. Video games are also an incredibly interesting example of the growing rise of violence in entertainment. In this instance, the audience actually controls the characters and can take part in their own fantasy of violence and torture. Games like Grand Theft Auto allow players the option to go on killing sprees throughout the open world and get chased by the cops until you’re arrested or killed. In real life, this would be seen as a tragedy riddled with speculation and sympathy. Games tend to make this appear as fun. This could often be a way of getting out aggression and acting out on primal urges that we cannot do otherwise in our real world lives. The Ultimate Fighting Championship matches are basically martial arts. The athletes are often bleeding and suffer major injuries, but these moments are often treated with fanfare and cheers. Many people being entertained with the suffering of these athletes who put their bodies and lives on the line to beat people up every week. Now, people can argue that this form of violence is all fiction. It is not real, and we have an excuse to enjoy it. However, there are also events like sports that is subject to injury. One prime example is the sport of boxing. The main point is to beat up an opponent until they pass out, and they often suffer from brain damage. According to the Association of Neurological Surgeons, nearly 90 percent of boxers suffer brain injuries at some point in their career. If you think that’s bad, just look at UFC.
To whom it may concern, I am discussing the issue on arming teachers at public schools. It is scary for me to think that I live in the first and only age in America history where a nationwide debate is brought up about allowing teachers to carry firearms on school property. It is scary for me to think about how many school shootings and other public shootings have occured since the very first horror show in the 1990s. But, nothing frightens me more when I think about a firefight between teachers and mentally troubled students or adults. In an event like this I would feel completely helpless, but not as helpless if the only armed one was the one there to cause harm. Arming teachers changes everything. Schools will no longer be an easy target and displayed as “sitting ducks.” The pubic knowing that teachers are armed and have gone through the proper training, will reduce the risk of a shooting. No more hiding under your desks or trying to get out every man for themself. Employees armed greatly outnumber the shooter. At this point, teachers are the last line of defense when a shooter is present and can have the advantage every time. I agree that arming teachers sounds outrageous. Teachers are meant to teach and guide children and young adults on world knowledge and how to act in society. Teachers are not meant to be trained fighters. As much as we hate admitting it, it is time to accept the fact that this is what America has come to and if we want change, we, the people, need to adapt and fight this conflict as one. Thank you, Evan Churchill
PERSPECTIVES
EVAN CHURCHILL GUEST WRITER
21
Hi, my name is MaTeya, and all throughout my school years I have experienced some form of bullying whether it was cyber or verbal, and I’m pretty sure we all have at least once in our life. Everyday bullying goes on around us, but a lot of times no one speaks up because they think it’s funny or they don’t think it’s their “business,” but it is! Anytime an individual is being made to feel like less of themselves, someone should stand up for them and help that person out. Usually those who are victims of bullying are scared, and they feel like they have no one to go to. Which is why if you see it going on around you, you should step in and take that person to a dean or maybe just become their friend. Yes, I know people say that they “don’t need friends,” but in reality, everyone needs at least one person to call their friend. Someone who they can trust and confide in especially for situations like bullying. Also, most bullies are those who have been victims of it themselves, or they have other personal issues that they are dealing with which makes them lash out on others. So, here's some ways to reduce bullying. For instance, going to a higher authority like the dean, teacher, principal, counselor, or even a parent and getting that individual help is one way. If you are a victim of bullying right now, you can take those steps as well. Another way to reduce bullying is by killing that person with kindness. Like I stated above, most bullies are very broken people, but it takes a strong person with a good heart and attitude to put those broken pieces back together. Lastly, never react to a bully. If you give them a reaction, you are putting yourself at risk for suspension or worse. I’m sure that everyone thinks reacting and fighting a bully will solve a situation, but it won’t. I have learned from experience years ago that it will only make the situation worse! So with all of that being said, if we don’t put a stop to bullying it will only become more out of control. It’s time to stand up for the victims that experience it not only at school but at home and social media as well. Just reminding a person of how important they are and letting them know that their life truly matters can save a bullying victim from self harm or worse. As a whole we can make this change, and I know we will. With that being said, GO GO MUSTANGS!
Brandt: I believe that teachers should have the ability to be armed, but there must be background checks on the teacher. These background checks must be intense and very in depth. Any signs that might indicate that having a gun wouldn’t be safe would invalidate the need for that specific teacher being armed. The need for a gun would not be very useful in about 99 percent of situations, and the money that would be put in to be armed is not worth that one time that it does happen. We could instead spend that money on our students' education and mental health. If teachers are to be armed with guns, the guns and anything else necessary dealing with financial cases must come from the teacher themselves. The guns also must be hidden in an area where kids cannot access them under any means. If the gun is accessible, even if it is through knowing a password, it is possible to endanger the public rather than protect the public. If there is an area where it is physically inaccessible to a student, then that is where the gun will lie. I believe that if a teacher really wants to protect their students, they should be able to. They do deserve the right to possess a gun if they so please. I would not imagine why a teacher would want to spend a plethora of their own money and time to receive the ability to possess a gun. Brittany: Arming teachers with a gun is like giving a knife to a baby. It is dangerous no matter whose hands it is in. Do guns really belong in the hands of a teacher? Every teacher in the school having possession on a gun doesn’t sit so well with me. I am okay with the police and security having guns, but when there are teachers who have no experience with guns do they really need them? The amount of money wasted on training, getting a conceal and carry license, and buying guns for all staff just seems unnecessary. Where would a gym teacher keep their gun when they are teaching? Where will dean assistants keep their guns when they are walking around the school? All I am saying is that it is easy for students to grab and walk away. If guns were allowed in school, would the staff be required to tell us where they are? Would they be in a safe? Would they be required to tell us the code for the safe? The staff should be required to tell us where it is. They should be in a safe place, preferably closest to the teacher. We should not know the code, because that gives anyone access to it at any time. If we really need it, and the teacher is not present who will be able to get to it? Let's think about it like this: if we really need a weapon, we have other things, desks, chairs, books, and our hands that could cause as much damage as a gun. Hunter: Teachers having guns is about as effective as nuclear deterrents. It only works at 100 percent efficiency if there’s a constant threat to schools being shot up. Especially since homicide rates are usually substantially lower since 1990. Four of the 12 deadliest shootings in the United States were schools or universities. Though mass shootings, especially at schools, are tragic events to hear about let alone experience, they’re not as common to occur at schools as portrayed by the news. However, statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), in conjunction with the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) published a threat assessment on school shooters titled: “The School Shooter.” In the threat assessment, it says that “News coverage magnifies a number of widespread but wrong or unverified impressions of school shooters.” It states that school violence is an epidemic in which shooters are always loners and alike in personal behaviors. It was also mentioned that everything is a factor that can influence students, good or bad, from family, friends, community, and every other thing. “No one factor is decisive. By the same token, however, no one factor is complete without effect.” as stated in the report “School Shooter” by the FBI. The fact of the matter is that arming teachers should be a last ditch effort to quell school violence, not just school shootings. Steps should be taken to ensure that students feel they are accepted and welcomed. Personally, I believe that systems should be put into place that would prevent all the negative factors from affecting students or other shooters as they would not be compelled to commit such atrocious acts.
CAN ARMING TEACHERS
MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFER?
BRANDT WARD, BRITTANY EVANS, AND HUNTER KULAK Perspectives REPORTER, profiles, REPORTER perspectives REPORTER
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MATEYA SPEARS GUEST WRITER
WHAT A FOUR STAR REVIEW TELLS US ABOUT MOVIES IN 2019
Kennedy: In the past couple of years, every mainstream holiday has changed due to commercialism. What used to be a box of chocolates, possibly a rose, and a fancy dinner, has evolved to expensive jewelry, a bouquet, and a night out of town. The main reason this new change is a problem is the fact that not every couple can afford it. Weeks of saving goes into one night due to the pressures of having to spend more and more each year. On one occasion, my older brother received Instagram posts that depicted baskets filled with gifts, and all he could do was heel into the pressure of satisfying his girlfriend. In 2018, the amount of money spent on Valentine’s Day grew to 19.6 billion from the previous year’s 18.2 Billion. This means that each person spent $136.57 on average for the day of love. That much money is more than what many can afford, especially high schoolers. This holiday is supposed to be about sharing love, not gifts. Brittany: Can we just talk about how fourteen-year-olds are going out and spending hundreds of dollars for a relationship? When you are that young, you do not exactly have access to that much money. Somehow they are able to obtain it. When I was fourteen, I was making things for my boyfriend. DIY cards and making little notes were always the perfect gift. Now I see freshman buying rings, necklaces, and bracelets from Jared. They don’t know that their relationship probably won’t last long. I am not trying to be rude or anything, but what’s the point of wasting money on something so expensive when it is likely to get lost, stolen, or given away? I prefer to have something made or something I can eat, so I don’t have to worry about losing it. As a teen, no one has the money for gifts, dinner reservations, and other activities. When you have a job, you can spend your money however you want, but I would rather spend money on things I need. I love my relationship. However, spending money on a chain, a watch, food, teddy bears, and shopping sounds like $800 out of my pocket. That means I have to save up about three or four paychecks just to have it be gone within a few hours. Esther: Valentine's Day is wonderful, but it all depends on how it is celebrated. To some, it might be any other day, but for many it is forced upon. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend one billion dollars on cards every year. In addition, that sweet and savory chocolate you get is wonderful. Every big name department store like Target and Walmart will have loads of Valentine’s Day themed goods to encourage consumers to buy them. In detail, over 58 millions pounds of chocolate are being purchased every year on the week of Valentine’s Day. 36 million heart-shaped boxes are and eight billion sweethearts are produced and sold between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14. When your significant other brings out a small box of Valentine’s Day theme jewelry, it brings a bright smile. The amount of affection and showing loved ones with cards, and gifts may seem hard to come by. In fact, consumers spend a total of 4.3 billion on jewelry. The average estimation explains why Valentine's Day can be expensive. Some may feel the pressure of Valentine’s Day, wanting to make friends, family or loved ones feel special, but extravagant gifts are overwhelming to buy for many. It may seem expensive to many people, but luckily extravagant gifts don't really show what love is. Imagine all the chocolates you can get for 50% off after Valentine’s Day is over. You can't go wrong with that!
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KENNEDY HOMAN, BRITTANY EVANS, AND ESTHER WHANG graphics editor, Profiles Reporter, graphics DESIGNER
VALENTINE'S DAY HAS LOST ALL MEANING
As an appreciator of art, I watch a lot of movies. After viewing a movie, I usually log it into a film-lover social media, Letterboxd. I write a couple of sentences and give the movie a rating out of five stars. My friends can see what I've seen, what I thought, and what I want to see. It is another place to find new movies to indulge in. As of writing reviews, I have logged 170 films in the past year. 27 that are five stars, 41 that are four and a half stars, 51 that are four stars, 23 that are three and a half stars, 19 that are three stars, five that are two and a half stars, two that are one star, and two that are a measly one half of a star. My reviews are skewed so far to perfection due to a couple of factors. Most movies that I watch are recommendations from people who have similar taste or are movies that look like something that I would enjoy. Most of the time, I am right. A lot of people are afraid to give movies 5/5 on the basis that it means perfection. This makes rating systems like IMDB, Letterboxd, and streaming services’ ratings a little less universally applicable. Rotten Tomatoes’ system seems to be the best and most accurate. If a movie is a 6/10 or higher, it is fresh. If it’s lower it is rotten. This means the percentage you see is just representing how well received a movie is in general. Letterboxd’s rating system is sampling from only the upper-echelon of moviegoers. People use Letterboxd because they see a lot more movies than the average person. These people may only see four or five a year. This leads people to be a little more opinionated. However, when assessing my profile and the entirety of Letterboxd, I see a lot of four-star reviews. For the most part, people tend to avoid hot takes. The four-star review is the safest way to face zero backlashes. People who loved the movie will give it a higher score. You can say that you just thought it was good, but not great. The education system in America has made the 3.5/5 score seem like a negative. You would be upset if you got a 70 percent on a test. However, a 3.5/5 review of something is not bad, it is simply alright. So what does a four-star movie look like? I usually give a movie four stars if it made me feel something while watching, but seldom do I remember it amongst my favorites. Some examples include Joel and Ethan Coen’s Fargo. An indie drama version would be Mike Ellis’ 20th Century Women. A feel-good young adult example is Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a comedy version is John Hamburg’s I Love You, Man. These are all good movies, which fit genres that span all of film. Fargo is an exception because it can be argued as one of the great movies of the past 25 years. Still, though, four out of five is its’ most popular score on Letterboxd. A four-star movie is solid but will not stick. It may not pass the test of time, it may just be simply entertaining. Usually, it has a cast that appeals to a wide audience who can do no wrong. A four-star movie certainly has to pass through a level of quality to reach the high floor, low ceiling mass opinion. Reading reviews is a vital part of the moviegoing experience. They can make or break a film’s success. Only specific actors can override a negative review, along with sequels of good movies. That only covers the top 25 box office movies. For independent films, reviews are the same words that will push the common moviegoer towards it. Good reviews will translate to good publicity. So what does a four-star review say about a film? A lot.
22 / THE STAMPEDE
