SOUNDING THE FINAL BELL ON THE TARDY POLICY

Editorial

“The final tardy policy has sounded,” flubbed assistant principal Ramón Patrice on the morning of Dec. 11, 2009.

 If only.

The tardy policy is a punishment and reward system.  Arrive at school 5 minutes late and run the risk of a detention or a Saturday school.  Repeat offenders, however, are rewarded with a day of CSI, which is essentially a one-day pass to skip class.

A student who arrives late with a legitimate excuse is given ample opportunity for exoneration, given that he has already tapped into the unspoken (and utterly unheard of) rule that his parents must be brought in to clear his name. 

The absence policy, on the other hand, is far more lenient.  It excuses all absences that are accompanied by a written and signed note from a parent, guardian or an amateur forger, as the case may be.  This leniency provides a striking contrast to the rigidity of the tardy policy.  Logically speaking, a student is better off missing an entire day of school than the first ten minutes of first period.

No conscientious student would miss five unexcused days of school in a semester, while any number of accidents or incidents can cause a student to be late.  Therefore, the administration holds students to an obvious double standard, harshly punishing those that miss part of a school day, and being lenient to those who blatantly game the system.

Because of a limited budget and resultantly limited resources, Beach High relies on a single employee and a laptop to process the dozens of students that come to school late each day.  Therefore, the line leading up to LaRosa Legree, attendance clerk, sometimes floods out the library doors and can take over fifteen minutes to bypass, forcing students to miss even more class.

Make some concessions.  Find a middle ground.  No student should be shut in detention for an hour when he could be participating in extracurricular activities.  Everyone runs a little late from time to time, especially when one has to account for traffic, faulty alarms, daylight savings time, or unreliable carpools. Therefore, if each case can’t be individually reviewed due to fiscal implications, the punishments need to be moderated to fit the resources.

STAND UP ACT – CON

 

 By Amanda Epstein

In a city like Miami it is impossible to maneuver around efficiently without a car.  The long distances, sporadic bus stops and inconvenient routes that end short of popular destinations all make mobility and independence painfully difficult for teenagers.

 

Current Florida laws allow 15-year-olds a driving permit and 16-year-olds a restricted license. While 16 might be a young age to handle the responsibility that independent driving entails, only responsibility itself will teach kids how to become competent, mature adults. Plus, learning how to drive at a younger age will, with the the proper instruction, make better drivers for the future. If it is easier to learn something when you’re young, would this reasoning not apply to driving?

 

A younger driving age isn’t only beneficial to teenagers. Due to cautious parents who distrust the public transportation system and lazy children who refuse to take the bus, parents are too often forced to become personal chauffeurs for their kids.

 

Immature and irresponsible people can be found at all ages. Why should we prevent all the responsible 15 and 16-year-olds from having the privilege of driving, when we let irresponsible 21-year-olds, for instance, drive?

 

Over the past five years there have been approximately 16,342 deaths in Florida related to drunk driving, and in comparison, only 3,143 related to inexperienced drivers, according to the Florida Highway Patrol Agency. When a teen first begins driving, he is recommended to have as few distractions as possible in the car.  As he progresses in experience, he is able to handle more and more.  However, the thrill of drinking that comes legally at the age of 21 provides ample distraction to divert one’s attention from the road. 

  

  

Who’s to say, then, that we should prevent teenagers from driving, and not older people who, for example, have access to alcohol? No one.

STAND UP ACT – PRO

By Joshua Dermer

The Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act, otherwise known as STAND-UP, was passed in April, 2009. The legislation gives states three years to raise their minimum driving ages and impose stages that lead up to full driving privileges for teens. With stricter rules on young drivers, accidents involving Florida teens will decrease dramatically.    

According to the Florida Highway Patrol Agency, over the past five years there have been 3,143 deaths related to inexperienced teen drivers behind the wheel. If that number can be diminished, even in the slightest, the legislation is worth enforcing.  

 The current age for a learner’s permit in Florida is 15. With the new law, the age will be raised to 16. Some states, including New York, have already enacted this requirement. The effects are apparent. In the past five years New York car accidents have resulted in 1, 231 teen deaths. This translates to nearly 2,000 fewer deaths in New York, a state that has over one million more people than Florida.  

The STAND-UP Act also prevents teen drivers from driving with a minor in the car unless someone over the age of 21 is present. Teens can quickly get lost in their adolescent environment and refrain from paying full attention to the road, but with the supervision of an adult this is less likely.   Another issue the STAND-UP Act will address is talking on the cell phone while driving. There are 2,600 deaths in the US related to driving while talking on the cell phone, but there is currently no prohibition on teens. Teen drivers are particularly at risk because of their inexperience and slow reaction time. Good driving comes with good experience, and while in the early stages of driving it is important that teens learn under less strenuous conditions and gradually build up. Talking on the phone is simply something teens cannot handle, and they should not have the option. It is just another measure to keep American teens safe during the early years of driving.  

 It is clear that the longer we force young drivers to wait and the more limits we set, the better chance we have at keeping American teens alive.

THAT’S SO GAY

By Amanda Epstein and Miriam Kolker

History will look back on 2008 as the year America finally addressed its ugly racial divisions and elected the first black president, but also as the year the civil rights struggle for Florida’s gay and lesbian community was set back a generation.

The passage of Amendment 2 with 62% of the vote is a glaring example of intolerance in an otherwise uplifting election. The so called ban on gay marriage, which threatens the rights of heterosexuals and homosexuals alike, will prove to be an embarrassment to future generations.

The amendment, which was intended to discriminate against gays, has the effect of nullifying the domestic partnerships, civil unions, and common law marriages of even heterosexual couples, denying them the same rights and privileges now reserved for a “legal union.” Elderly heterosexual couples that never bothered to get married may now have to do so in order to preserve inheritance and visitation rights, but this option is not available to gays and lesbians, America’s last group of second-class citizens.

Even though this amendment is now part of the Florida constitution, it should be overturned on the grounds that it violates the United States Constitution.

The fourteenth amendment clearly states that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” The right to marry the love of one’s life is something Americans have long since gotten used to.

This idea was put to the test before, forty years ago, in the case of Loving v. Virginia, when the Supreme Court overturned a state law that prevented blacks and whites from marrying.

It might be hard to believe in 2008, but when Barack Obama was born, his black father and white mother could have been arrested in nearly half of the American states, simply for being married to one another. Today, teenagers look back on these injustices with a mixture of disbelief and shame.

So if it was wrong to keep Obama’s parents from marrying in 1961, how can it be right to prevent gay couples from marrying in 2008?

Proponents of the ban will point to religion or biology to come up with an answer: Either gay marriage is immoral, they say, or else it is unnatural. But don’t they see that the exact same arguments were used in the 1960s to prevent interracial marriage? “Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents,” wrote one Virginia judge 40 years ago. “The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.”

In reality, the fact that teenagers today laugh and cringe at the absurdity of these bigoted arguments shows what their own children and grandchildren will think of Amendment 2.

Perhaps the only silver lining of the vote was that while elderly voters voted 66% in favor of gay discrimination, only 52% of 18-24 year olds voted the same way. In fact, if only people under 40 had voted, the amendment would have clearly failed. The truth is that the older voters won’t be here forever, and in another decade two, the same generation that elected the first black President will finally accept marriage equality for all.

PRO-CON: DRINKING AGE

PRO (FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT):
By Amanda Epstein

The big twenty one is highly anticipated by all American teens, marking the moment when they can discard fake IDs and finally consume alcohol legally. But this moment comes too late in life for some.

It is said that when a person turns 18, they become “legal.” An 18-yearold can vote, be tried as an adult, smoke cigarettes, file lawsuits, and move away from home legally. Only the right to drink alcohol is missing from this picture.

The law does not stop young people from drinking. It never has and it never will. Lowering the drinking age will not only take that burden off of those who wish to sip, but it will also take a burden off police.

Once a person turns 18 they can enroll in the army. It is an understatement to say that wars can have negative effects on soldiers. Picture nighttime attacks upon camps in Iraq: soldiers scattered about, thankful that they’ve lived through one more day. Picture young soldiers who have restlessly fought for their country; young soldiers who have put their lives in jeopardy; y  ng soldiers who have had face to face encounters with death, and yet they cannot legally take a drink to unwind and forget, even for a second, the troubles of the world that haunt them even in daylight, if they are not yet 21.

It is unreasonable to allow one to face death on a day-to-day basis but not take a drink to soothe the pain and stress.

CON (DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME):
By Oscar Toller

“If I can vote and go to war, I should be able to drink!” This is a common phrase from young voices across the country. However,the changes one goes through in the three years of life between 18 and 21 are essential to learning the responsibility of consuming alcohol. This is why it would be dangerous to lower the drinking age to 18.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ever since the drinking age was raised to 21 in 1984, traffic fatalities among drivers 18 to 20 have fallen 13%. The amount of college students who consumed alcoholic beverages decreased from 82% in 1980 to only 67% in 2000, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In addition, a study in 2006 by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that teens who drink under the age of 21 are more likely to have an alcohol dependency than those who do not.

Drinking to get drunk is usually the main objective of young drinkers. Not only is this unattractive, but it poses a serious health risk. Over a long period of time, heavy drinkers can suffer from a series of liver diseases, not to mention damage to the heart, brain, and blood  ystem. But in one night, playful binge drinking can lead to high risks of getting in a car accident, starting a fight, or even falling over and further damaging the body.

It is a simple matter of health and safety that the drinking age be left untouched.

RUDY GETS THE BOOT

By Amanda Epstein And Miriam Kolker

Rudy Crew, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools since 2004, is now only a memory. On Wednesday, September 10, he officially agreed to part ways with the School Board, accepting an offer worth $368,000 not to show up to work for the rest of his contract.

Crew rode into Miami on a wave of enthusiasm. Only a few months ago, he was named the 2008 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators. Now, few in Miami are lamenting his parting.

The centerpiece of Crew’s plan for reform was the School Improvement Zone. Schools with persistently low FCAT scores were targeted for extra attention. Many of the schools that were categorized as zone schools were put under severe FCAT instruction. Numerous interim tests and the extension of class late into in the afternoon followed.

Although some have risen above this standing, some haven’t shown any improvement others have even fallen. At the same time, public education has been redirected to mere standardized tests, as opposed to the innovation and audacity of creative learning, under Crew’s leadership.

Crew was also praised for reducing school overcrowding. But what was once admiration turned to resentment, as the construction led Miami-Dade County to overspend millions of dollars beyond the already tight budget. Now, classes are packed again – not because of a lack of space, but because of a lack of money to fund an adequate teaching staff.

In the end, it was the battle over the budget that did Crew in. Teacher raises that were promised never materialized. As tax rates fell and the economy shrank, the former superintendent was left unprepared, and his earlier priorities began to look reckless in retrospect. A formidable opposition developed in a political year that grew to a majority in the most recent election.

This now ex- superintendent has brought to the surface an array of mixed emotions. In the end, his departure may have been the only choice. Now, his successor will face the difficult task of uniting the school boar   calming the teachers, and helping students achieve – all with no money in the bank.

THE WRONG KIND OF CHANGE

By Amanda Epstein

Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s choice for a running mate is as intolerant as she is ignorant. Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, is anything but a good pick.

Her identification with ‘hockey moms,’ her witty remarks, and the conviction with which she speaks against Obama reveal a terrifying aggressiveness that not even lipstick can disguise.

Palin is not stupid; that is not the problem this country faces if she becomes vice-president. It is her apparent rejection of the separation between church and state, and the contradictions of her morality that pose a problem. This is a time to move forward. We cannot go back to the Victorian ages when sexual and police repression fell under the hypocritical banner of family values. Change is necessary, and Palin does not promote a shred of it.

Palin, however, only changes her standpoints depending on what is most convenient for her at the time. She and her husband were previously members of the Alaskan Independence Party, which advocates the secession of Alaska from the United States. Now that the opportunity to be vice president arises, they are more patriotic than ever.

Palin’s radical fundamentalism leads her to believe that the tragedy in Iraq is part of God’s plan. She claims to be “pro-life” because she wants to make abortion illegal, since abortion is murder. But what is the US doing in Iraq? Is that not murder?

In 2001, UNICEF reported that the United States had the highest teenage birthrate and abortion rate in the world, in spite of the fact that American girls were not the most sexually active. This is because of people like Palin, who fail to realize that humans will always have sex and abortions whether it is “morally acceptable” or even illegal.

Palin’s home is a prime example of the inconsistency of her viewpoints. Her 17-yearold daughter is about to give birth out of wedlock. Preaching abstinence as opposed to safe sex will not evade pregnancies. And if the right to choose is abolished, women will continue to have abortions. Only, women that do  not have the money to go through the proper operation will recede to primitive, unsanitary measures.

One person’s opinion, even if it is a deeply held religious belief, cannot rule above everyone else’s in lieu of the Constitution. And that is what Palin is all about. Her particular brand of Christian morality, choices and every day thoughts will invade the daily lives of Americans with different religious persuasions.

Change is the order of this election. So thanks, but no thanks, Sarah Palin.

PRO-CON: UNIFORMS

  PRO: By Alicia Sanchez

Many frown at the thought of wearing a tie-dye shirt with the school’s logo on it, but everyone should consider the bright side of having a school uniform that not only represents Beach High, but can also save students and parents hundreds of dollars.

Back-to-school shopping can be very expensive and troubling for students who cannot afford the latest fashions. Mandatory uniforms will help erase the divisions between the haves and have-nots at Beach High, and will also help to unite different groups of students who might not view each other as potential friends because of the way they dress. They can also save students time in the morning, by making it infinitely easier to choose what to wear for the day.

Uniforms will create a safer environment for students, because it will be easier to detect who does not belong on the school’s premises. They will also improve the school’s appearance, to go along with the newly constructed buildings and updated features of the campus. School uniforms will contribute to the  overall feeling of a new beginning for Beach High.

Many of Beach High’s students have walked past the main office and taken a horrified look at the expected school uniforms for the up and coming years. However, most students are not yet informed that the uniforms on display are only samples, and that the students will have a say in the ultimate design. The school uniform committee is made of students, parents and school personnel, and students are allowed to design the school’s new logo through a contest.

Uniforms will improve the school’s appearance and create a more disciplined setting for the students. It is very important to have structure in the school environment because it will help students concentrate on their studies. School uniforms should be mandatory because they will help to create a better tomorrow for the staff and future students of Beach High. 

 

Con: By Alex Rodriguez

Students from Nautilus who move on to become freshmen at Miami Beach High have always looked forward to shedding their school uniforms and spreading their wings to express themselves as individuals. Now they will have to endure going from one uniform school to another. It’s unfortunate for students who had anticipated the freedom of picking out their own outfits, and it leaves the full experience of high school behind.

Miami Beach Senior High was established in July of 1924; 84 years of existence and not a single one with a uniform policy. Why start now?

The beauty of Beach High is the self-expression that exuberates from the immense diversity of the school. Why should students be restricted of their ideas and individuality? Choice of clothing is a way to represent one’s culture; clothing has its way to identify an individual. Everyone’s style, group identity, and individual personality in attire will now be taken away in favor of a one-sizefits all mentality.

Not everyone decides to come to school looking li   they are off to a night at the club. And if there are such incidents, it is the administration’s responsibility to deal with them accordingly. But change the whole school? Preposterous.

A uniform policy will not be the magic fix that the administration had originally anticipated. Students will sneak around out of uniform, and the administration will waste important time trying to catch them. Others may even save them time, be blatant and choose not to sneak around. What happens to these students? Those of them who get caught will probably be sent to CSI, causing a multitude of students to miss valuable class time because of a rule that not everyone agrees with in the first place.

Is all this chaos worth it? Having uniforms just means that every student is going to look alike and lose their unique style. It will be just like middle school again when the students were obligated to hide their identities behind outof- style, scarlet and silver shirts.

VANDAL SCANDAL

By Alex Rodriguez

You bastards ruined my Kite Runner project! The one I worked on in ninth grade and the one that pretty much served as my pride and joy for a month; the one that took me countless hours to think up and create; the one Mr. Brown has used as a model for three years of freshmen. Yes, that Kite Runner project.

Mr. Brown told me the other day that the project I slaved away on was ruined by the water that flooded into his classroom. You know, the flood that will cost the school $100,000 before the final accounts are tallied? For the fifteen minutes of fame that you attention-seekers got, your tab comes to just under $7,000 a minute.

Frankly, if you haven’t already noticed, I am upset. We waited for years while rats ate our textbooks and jackhammers interrupted our classes, just for you and your lame posse to ruin a building that doesn’t even belong to you. When you grow up to be successful school founders, you go ahead and vandalize as you please, but until then, leave our school alone.

How could you act with such  rekless disregard for our school? Are you not aware that the damage you caused the brand-spanking new building comes out of your own parents’ tax bill? And as the state cuts our school’s budget in every direction, that $100,000 would have gotten us two more teachers to keep our classes smaller.

$100,000 could have meant a new studio for the TV production class, 100 new smart boards, the greatest field trip ever, or 50,000 slices of pizza.

It’s even worse to imagine that our schoolmom had to cry during her speech, as she proclaimed her disappointment to the rest of the school. Too bad we won’t have to imagine it, because it actually happened.

My own beautiful, informative, well researched Kite Runner project aside, Miami Beach High now may have structural damage. When will the madness end?

So far, we can tally your tab up to $100,000 in damage repair, my ruined Kite Runner project, a crying principal, and a no longer brand-spanking-new building.

And what about all the disrupted class time due to the noise from   the construction and maintenance people who have to clean up your mess. Is this how it is for you at home? Does someone always have to clean up after you? If this is the case, we’d like for Beach High to be a place where people leave their messes at the door. Would it be possible if you did the same?

Your fifteen minutes of fame: $100,000. Your identities revealed: $2,000. Having my Kite Runner project dry and intact: priceless.

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BARE BACK?

By Ines Michelena

With the recent publication of the Vanity Fair June edition, many fingers have been pointed at 15-year-old actress and pop singer Miley Cyrus for her supposedly provocative pictures. Parents have begun to question whether they want their children looking up to someone who has exposed herself to the public.

Nevertheless, it seems that these days the public focuses all of their attention on the celebrities’ mishaps rather than on their own kids. It took only one misunderstood photo shoot to fire the media and crowd into a state of total exaggeration and awe. Perhaps this ‘problem’ should be addressed to the millions of girls that are constantly exhibiting themselves with less-than artistic intentions in their pictures on social-networks such as MySpace and Facebook.

The Disney Channel star posed for Annie Leibovitz’s camera after discussing the artistic intentions of the photographs. “I do not believe that the images are anything suggestive or pornographic,” explained visual artist Rochi Llaneza. “Her pictures do  ot make me think of her as a false idol, but rather as an icon. Actresses often do things to promote an image.” The overall public sees the pictures of a teenager barely covered by a simple white sheet, when in reality, she was half-dressed.

Whether or not Miley Cyrus had the intention of posing in a provocative manner, she is undoubtedly a great influence to thousands of young girls around the nation. The Vanity Fair photos have given her even more media attention, but parents with young daughters should be more aware of what their own children are doing instead of paying such attention to this 15-year-old girl.

Although Miley Cyrus is such a strong influence and role model as a teenager, parents should concentrate on having strong family ties and educating their young daughters on their moral expectations. Miley Cyrus has managed to set a successful career as a young woman. It is up to her how she decides to present herself.