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Opinion the Stagg Line 2 09.24.10 EDITORIAL Penalties teach responsibility A nervous student runs through the hall looking for campus security monitors lurking in the shadows. The student is almost to class when he is snagged by the front office and asked where his identification card is. The student rifles through his backpack, knowing that he doesn’t have his ID, hoping to fool the campus security monitor. Shaking his head and making a confused expression, he finally gives up the charade. Instead of being dragged off to the book room to get a temporary ID sticker, this year students will have to pay $5 to get a new ID. While $5 may seem like a lot of money for one day without an ID, we’re betting that any student who has to pay the fine will never forget their ID again. We think this new punishment is a great idea and is a good way to teach students responsibility. The whole idea of having to pay for forgetting an ID just once may seem harsh, but what about when the student running through the halls grows up and gets a job? Many jobs, nowadays, make their employees carry IDs or they are not allowed in the Stagg Line Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 1621 Brookside Rd. Stockton, CA 95207 (209) 933-7445 ext. 8487 The Stagg Line newspaper is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Awards and recognitions include the following: X 16 consecutive NSPA All-American rankings X NSPA Hall of Fame, 2005 X NSPA First-Place Best of Show five times X JEA Impact Award, 2002 Stagg Line student journalists have won many awards and scholarships over the years, including California Journalist of the Year, National Story of the Year, and National Photo of the Year. the building. Many businesses have cards with barcodes that allow workers access to the building. If a worker were to forget her ID then she would have no way of getting into her office, let alone complete her job for the day. It is not that hard to remember an ID. If a student would just throw the ID with something that she will never forget to bring to school, like a backpack or cell phone, she would never forget to bring it. This would completely solve the forgotten ID problem. If that student forgot her homework or textbook, she would be punished by a drop in grades or detention; this is basically the same thing. For some it may seem extreme, but maybe it needs to be. According to Sandra Johnson, the textbook clerk, the number of people forgetting their IDs has been a staggering decrease since the new policy has taken effect. Not only is the ID relatively easy to remember, it also teaches each student responsibility. Having to remember to bring their IDs everyday will make each student look more closely before leaving the house, making sure they have everything they will need STEREOTYPES: Wide-eyed and adorably innocent, my friend’s 5-year-old sister looks up at me from the “Glee” rerun we’re watching. She asks me a (not so) simple question. “Are you an emo?” My friends and I laughed, wondering where in the world she picked up the term in the first place. It’s a question I’ve fielded several time before (though not quite as frequently as of late), something I’ve always responded to with an exasperated sigh or a patented eye roll. This exasperation stems from a simple hatred: I hate being stereotyped. It used to happen all the time, usually by those people… With their baggy pants down by their ankles and their several-sizes -too-big white T-shirts, and that awful rap music… Oh, gosh… Sorry. That’s embarrassing… You know, to start off a column about the perils and inaccuracy of stereotypes and then end up stereotyping people, right after complaining about being stereotyped. Jeez, well, that won’t happen again… For as much as I may detest being stereotyped and labeled, instinctively I judge people based off a single glance. Using this likely inaccurate information, I make judgments of people I don’t even know, to keep my distance. Without any truly conscious thought, we form judgments of people, and it is with these judgments that we either isolate others or allow ourselves to be isolated. While it is true that we endeavor, and not wrongfully so, to surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, it is how we filter our company that leads to problems. By forming judgments of people on the spot, we close ourselves off to countless possibilities in friendship. This is what leads to the creation of cliques, something I didn’t believe in until recently. For whatever reason, likely a large oversight, I felt that our school was exempt from the classically cliched image of high school portrayed by nearly every teenage movie or television show ever created. Take MTV for example, a art by Mikeala Axton Chelsea Collura Editor-in-Chief for the day. Forgetting homework and projects will not completely disappear, but if this new punishment can teach one student responsibility, then isn’t it worth it? So next time you go running through the network with many shows supposedly grounded in reality, based around their selling point of young adults. A new show began airing recently, the succinctly named “If You Really Mikeala Axton Knew Me.” The show is centered around a team of people who travel from high school to high school, attempting to breakdown stereotypes, and, (like every other MTV show) reveal the surprising stories behind everyday teenagers. The show typically concludes with a room full of teary-eyed teenagers who vow that they will never look at their peers the same way again. However, as I learned in a substance abuse prevention program over the summer, the effects of an emotional event like this only last for a few days at the most. True change is rare. Even when it comes to “True Life,” a program that showcases the typically overlooked but difficult lives of today’s youth, how long do those stories really affect the way we look at the people around us? The answer is not very long. And yet, probably due to the obvious reasoning of money, these shows keep being put on the air, like “Teen Mom,” “The Hills,” and the new “World of Jenks.” While these reality shows claim to break down stereotypes and get to the Lissette Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief Don Bott Adviser The Stagg Line newspaper is published monthly and distributed free of charge to students and faculty. Our newspaper is a long-standing open forum for free student expression. Student editors and reporters make content and style decisions with the adviser offering guidance. Editorials reflect the view of the entire editorial board and therefore are unsigned. Opinion columns reflect the view of the writer. Readers are welcomed to write letters to the editor. We will make every effort to print any letter as long as it is not libelous. Letters longer than 250 words may be edited. Unsigned letters will be printed only in unusual circumstances, and only when we know who the writer is. Letters may be brought to the newspaper room, A-8, or emailed to dbott@stockton.k12.ca.us Claire Scheffer News Editor Mikeala Axton Opinion Editor Missy Rae Magdalera Features Editor Alisya Mora Entertainment Editor Taylor Hurles Sports Editor Michelle Pheav Graphics Editor Erica Trevino Photo Editor Xe Xiong Web/Multimedia Editor Kristin Acevedo Copy Editor Jeremy Dela Cruz Blog Editor halls desperate to dodge the CSMs because they will make you pay $5 for a new ID, ask yourself why you couldn’t remember it that morning, why you couldn’t throw it in your backpack the night before. Maybe it isn’t the CSMs fault. raw emotion of things, they undermine themselves by perpetuating the very thing they are attempting to disprove. “If You Really Knew Me,” in the show’s opening sequence, advertises its goal of getting down to the real essence of people, tossing aside their affixed label. However, as the show’s cameras follow around students from different social groups, captions above their head read “punk” or “cheerleader” beside the students’ names. As if these are the words that define them. “World of Jenks” follows a young filmmaker on his quest to capture on video disadvantaged people and their “unique stories.” The show advertises itself as raw and real, but in actuality glams up the simplest moments, to give them the illusion of drama and significance. If an autistic kid being helped to climb up rocks on the beach is a truly touching scene, then allow it to speak for itself. There shouldn’t be a need for the insertion of dramatic music or other effects. My point here is that even the shows devoted to breaking down stereotypes and discarding labels stereotype and label. Maybe stereotypes truly can’t be broken through TV shows, making their claim of interest completely invalid. In trying to break stereotypes, the shows must first stereotype. They take “the jock” or “the loner” and attempt to make them label-free, but in doing so, they first have to label them such, defeating the purpose. In the end, we shouldn’t need these shows to do the talking for us. If stereotyping is a problem big enough to need television shows to fix, then it should be taken on as a personal endeavor. If it’s a matter of people hurting other people, then it’s people that need to create a solution. Annamarie Cunningham Harmony Evangelisti Faith Harris Damon Heine Nicole Lawrence Jera Machuca Gabriella Miller Tiffany Pech Annamarie Rodriguez Reanna Rodriguez Seyma Tap Chesiree Terry Mia Torres Art by Seyma Tap Even television shows that attempt to disprove labels promote close-mindedness
09.24.10 Opinion the Stagg Line 3 Let’s get together members of our church and community on Saturday Sept. 11. We’ll gather 200 copies of the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an, and burn them. Although this event never occurred, Rev. Terry Jones from Gainesville, FL had the media criticizing his weekend plans with his community and had many leaders in America, including the president of the United States, informing him that he was making a mistake. Even with a title that connotes a strong picture of Fanning the flames of hate Reverend’s retaliation highlights post 9/11 intolerance Kristin Acevedo “a man of god,” his values, perceptions, and state of mind, to me, fall into question. I wonder how so much hate can burn in the heart of one man, who claims to deliver God’s message to fellow Christians. Those flames of hatred were nearly welcomed to leap out of the hearts of Jones and his followers and consume those Qur’ans. Discrimination is not only a part of America’s past, it is happening now in the land that is derived from people all around the world, the land that welcomes any race, opinion, and religion, except for the Muslims and homosexuals of course. We are “The Land of The Free.” As God “told (Jones) to burn the Qur’an,” I can’t help but doubt that the One who loves all the little children of the world is claimed to have encouraged an act of pure resentment. Evidently we must have a bad connection if people are claiming to be receiving messages like this. Of course, there is a possibility that a man with his state of mind intertwined with a long, thick stream of abhorrence could somehow get the wrong idea. I’ve heard it every time the issue was brought up Not being able to go to the movies on a Friday night because your parents won’t let you – may seem like a difficult life. Caring for a 5 year old who has epilepsy and suffers from spasms at least 20 times a day – that’s a really difficult life. Junior Jeana Correa and sophomore Andres Flores know how it feels to really have that difficult life. Their younger brother, Jaden, can’t walk, talk, or even eat on his own. He depends on his family to go through his everyday routine. That routine typically includes feeding him through a “G” tube, which is two inches above his belly button. They change his diapers, give him showers, and make sure he is comfortable. But Correa doesn’t seem incredibly bothered by it. “I like staying home with him, hanging out by ourselves.” Correa and Flores have done several things to accommodate their brother in a wheelchair, such as completely remodeling their house. They widened the doorways and built ramps for both the car and their stairs. They have adapted to these obstacles, so it gets frustrating when other teenagers complain they have such a horrible life. “Students haven’t seen or experienced hard until they seen him,” said Correa. “He has been through a lot with his short life.” The spasms that he has multiple times a day is one of those obstacles that he faces. If the spasms act up really bad a near by family member will swipe a magnet across his chest, which activates his battery pack sending a shock to his brain every 10 seconds to slow them down. He will have this condition for the rest of his life. When the siblings go out as a family, many pedestrians act as if they have never seen a person with disabilities. These people make the family feel as though they are not “normal.” This sometimes makes it uncomfortable for their family to go out in public. “People stare at us when we are out, my mom can’t stand it,” Correa said. This is not Jaden’s fault because he will never be in control of his spasms, and more than likely he will always be in a wheelchair. “He will be dependent on our parents our whole life,” Flores said. Few teenagers have to deal with disabilities on a daily basis. Between writing essays and deciding what to wear in the morning, being in a wheelchair doesn’t seem to occur to them. Teenagers are so wrapped up for discussion – this man is out of his mind. But maybe he is in his mind? However, his mind has absorbed so much, possibly too much, hatred that it grew twisted, that his view on the right, or in this case Godly, decisions was warped. Hatred. It’s a terminal mental illness that I classify as Hatred Entwined Disease, HED. And as for the followers who so easily melted into the thought of the audacity and disrespect coming from a mosque being built at Ground Zero, where the Twin Towers once stood, this illness is apparently contagious. Yes, to some it may seem wrong to build a mosque, a Muslim church, only two blocks away from where 9/11 occurred, but why exactly is this wrong? After a group of Muslim terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center, an attack that claimed approximately 2,976 lives, a tall, dark wall was put up in the eyes of most. This wall excludes or singles out all Muslims. This wall classifies all Muslims as being the same as those terrorists, full of anger and full of hatred. This wall is kept high and strong in those eyes by their beholder’s own hatred, because to them it is safe to say that all Muslims are the same. Building a mosque at Ground Zero isn’t a slap in the face to America, it is saying that this wall must come down for it was not Muslims who attacked the United States on 9/11; it was terrorists, who were Muslim. It’s simple, and once a person is able to comprehend this statement, the wall begins to decrease in height and the edges are no longer surrounded by darkness; the hatred clouding a person’s perception, a symptom of HED, is fairly relieved. since 9/11 Jul. 21, 2005 May. 2, 2010 Mar. 11, 2004 Dec. 12, 2004 LONDON SUBWAY & ATTEMPTED BOMBING MADRID TRAIN BOMBINGS PHILLIPINE MARKET ATTACK BUS BOMBINGS OF TIMES SQUARE 190 people killed. 15 people killed. 56 people killed. TERRORIST ATTACKS Feb. 6, 2004 MOSCOW METRO ATTACK 40 people killed. Physical disabilities gives students a new perspective Annamarie Rodriguez Information compiled by Damon Heine Graphic by Tiffany Pech and Michelle Pheav “ Between writing essays and deciding what to wear in the morning, being in a wheelchair doesn’t seem to occur to them.” with the present that anything other than “me” doesn’t seem to exist. I am one who is guilty of over exaggerating about how bad a situation can be. I don’t usually think about how hard others have it. I always think “oh, poor me.” But in reality others have it harder, and they roll with the punches. When my parents say “no” to me going somewhere, there must be a reason for it. Considering what others have to go through, why can’t I understand where my parents are coming from? In this day and age some of us act as if our parents have the obligation of giving us everything. And when we don’t get what we want, we overreact and act like we have the hardest life imaginable. Others like Correa and Flores have had to live through these everyday realities since elementary school. “We had to deal with more than others had to deal with,” Correa said. “We had to grow up a little faster.” Despite what it may seem he is not completely helpless. Jaden goes to most of the football games in his wheelchair to support his brother and sister. He expresses himself through gestures or by moving his head. And when he gets frustrated he either cries or yells out for his mother. Jaden’s challenges symbolize the everyday struggle and the commitment of high school students like Correa and Flores. You can’t always get what you want, but it’s not going to be the end of the world because there is always someone who has it harder than you. So it’s important to not take things for granted and keep everything in perspective. Jeana Correa, Andres Flores, and their brother Jaden pose for a family picture at Correa’s house. Correa and Flores are faced with the daily task of helping care for their brother. photo courtesy of Jennifer De Weese-Godoy Recession affects teen employment As the unemployment rate is steadily increasing, what does it mean for teens that want a job? Well, for a teen like me that simply means I’ll have to work twice as hard. From the day I turned 16, I was determined to find employment in order to help my family with everyday expenses and to have some extra money in my pocket. Before the summer break, I started looking, but I have not found a job yet. However, I convinced myself not to get discouraged. Most other teens will give up after the first few rejections, but they have to understand the competitiveness of today’s working world. No matter how competitive, I have always been taught to be persistent. Instead of just scrolling down on my laptop and clicking the “apply online now” button, I have learned that there are better ways to get a job. Although I am trying my best to find employment, I do understand why it’s not paying off as much as I had hoped. If an employer had an application from a middle aged man supporting a family and a teenager that just wants some extra money, they’re most likely going to call the man for an interview. Whether it’s just a part time job to have some extra spending money or a job that helps support a family, jobs are scarce. It takes a while to find a job, but it’s especially difficult when we’re going through an economic recession. I’m not at all claiming to be an expert, and I am not trying to pretend I know what’s best for you, because I don’t. Everybody’s situation is different. If you really want a job, the best thing to do is talk to the work experience coordinator, find places that are hiring, and be confident when attending interviews. Although I’m already competing with too many people in the workforce, I feel obligated to share with you who’s hiring. I already have interviews, so what could it hurt? Some places that are accepting applications and interviews in- Graphic by Tiffany Pech and Mikeala Axton Faith Harris clude John’s Incredible Pizza Co., McDonald’s, Burger King, Togo’s, Starbucks, and Long John Silver’s. Now, I’m not just giving you these names so you can apply online and never look at the site again. Check your email daily and constantly look at the website to see if there are any other open positions you can apply for. Not only this, but definitely walk in after about a week. By walking in to a place you’ve applied for work, you can gather much needed information, such as openings and recruitment events. What I did was ask for shift managers, supervisors and department managers. Just walking in to speak with them is impressive, but having actual questions about the job at hand makes them even more interested to learn your value as an employee. Now, when I say to have questions, I don’t mean asking things about what’s in their food or how fattening their desserts are. Ask about their employee benefits, their health standards, and their schedule flexibility. Asking about these things displays responsibility and genuine interest, both of which are extremely important. Jobs definitely aren’t the easiest things to find, nor are they simple to keep. However, with a little hard work and a lot of determination, it is very possible to find employment. Anyone looking for a job should consider the following: be observant, be willing to work, and, most importantly, be persistent in going after what you want.
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