highlights
March 10, 2017 Volume 90, Issue Ten Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
Girls ball makes history BHUSD aims to cut budget Ben Dahan news editor Jamie Kim news editor
Despite their 33-48 loss to Viewpoint High School in the first rouns of the state playoffs on Wednesday, March 8, the girls varsity basketball team, with the help of junior guard Dominique Petrie, made history by winning their CIF bracket. Photo by: PRISCILLA HOPPER
Since December of 2016, the Board of Education and the district administration have been discussing how to find solutions to the district’s financial problems: $4.6 million in projected deficit spending in 201617, and similar deficits in the future years. According to the district’s First Interim Report, currently the most accurate version of the budget, the multi-year projections indicate that at the current rate, the district will deplete its reserves to the legal limit by 2020-21. The legal limit states that districts are required to have three percent of total expenditures in reserve for the next school year. The Second Interim Budget is set to be presented at the March 14 board meeting. This will give a more accurate picture of the current state of the budget. In a presentation to the Board of Education on Feb. 9, Superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy, who at that point had only been at the district for a week, told the board that “we are on an unsustainable economic path, currently.” In the same meeting, Board president Mel Spitz likened the situation to the
district “heading for a train wreck.” On March 7, in a closed session meeting, the Board of Education approved a resolution to reduce 23.7 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in the next school year. By the numbers: The district receives its revenue almost entirely from property taxes, due to its basic-aid status, with supplemental state and federal revenue being used only for specific programs. According to the first interim budget for the 201617 year, released on Dec. 12, the school district’s revenue in the General Fund, which amounts to a projected $64 million revenue intake and a projected $68.6 million expenditure, reveals a projected $4.6 million deficit. The district is legally required to maintain three percent of its expenditures in reserve. As BHUSD is basic-aid, and thus making its balance between revenue and expenditure more volatile, it would like to maintain a higher reserve. Currently, the district’s reserves sit at $3,657,302, with an additional “back up” special reserve, Fund 17, where $9.7 million sits, leaving a reserve of about
As college acceptance letters begin to be sent out, many seniors begin to research and apply for scholarships. Seeking out the many financial aid grants and loans open to high school students allows seniors to make college more affordable for themselves and their families. Beverly provides students with many opportunities for awards and grants, which can be found in the monthly scholarship newsletter released by the Scholarship Committee.
This group, which consists of College Counselor Casey Rowley, Assistant Principal Luke Pavone, Laurie Edelstein and other counselors, administrators and teachers, holds various events throughout the year to inform students about the many opportunities they may find online and on campus.
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INSIDE
“I do think finances play, or at least should play, an important role in the college admission process. The biggest role it plays is whether a university is a realistic one to attend.”
CULTURE
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News: SLIDESHOW: DECA takes on state Vivian Geilim opinion editor AJ Wolken staff writer
Culture: ‘Logan’ is a brutal farewell to the Wolverine Evan Minniti staff writer
- college and career counselor Casey Rowley
NEWS
20 percent of expenditure. The district brought in School Services California, Inc. (SSC), an independent consultant that specializes in school finances, to analyze the budget. “The ditrict’s current situation is the result of having a very [high amount of] personnel [to] students, as well as providing high levels of compensation to its employees,” Matt Phillips of SSC said regarding the causes of the problem. Though the district has experienced declining enrollment over the past few years, the number of staffing has remained nearconstant. While spending between 75 and 80 percent on employee expenses, such as salaries and benefits, is not abnormal for a district, BHUSD is spending much more on teaching staff per student than surrounding, comparable school districts.
ON THE WEB
Importance, availability of scholarships Sophia Goldberg sports editor
“ We are on an unsustainable economic path currently.” - superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy
Feature: Ticketmaster: Josh Fouladian will fight your parking ticket for you Isaiah Freedman staff writer
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March 10, 2017 Highlights
Importance, availability of scholarships Contined from page 1 “We also host two Financial Aid workshops in the fall, one geared more towards seniors and one for all grades, and a College Monday Workshop on completing the FAFSA and paying for college,” Rowley said. “We have a ton of resources in the College Center to help with everything from completing the FAFSA to applying to scholarships.” Rowley believes the high tuition that comes with attending college plays an important role in the decision-making process. In a discussion with multiple junior classes on Wednesday, March 1, Rowley explained that a high tuition should warrant a “red flag” and some investigating to determine if that college still is important to the applicant, regardless of the associated fees. “I do think finances play, or at least should play, an important role in the college admission process. The biggest role it plays is whether a university is a realistic one to attend. Realistic in the sense that if you get accepted, you’ll feel comfortable attending the school without walking away with mounds of debt. I think this is something that often students don’t really think of until after the fact,” Rowley said. John Cherney Humanitarian Award Chairman Ryan Neydavood agrees with Rowley, saying that the increasing price of many colleges around the country have
limited his options and decisions for a higher level of education. “Personally, the price of college has affected where I have applied and my desires. I believe that as great as college can be, the quality of an education should not be measured by the price you pay, but for the desire you have,” Neydavood said. “There are community colleges, state schools and universities around the area that offer quality educations for a very good price. All that matters is whether a student wants to work hard enough to get into that specific school that can provide
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a monetary sum that can be used toward your first year of tuition. “It’s important for seniors to apply for this award because there are many, many people who do sensational things over their four years at Beverly that reflect the type of person John Cherney was. The Cherney Scholarship serves as a reward to a student who ensembles the right balance of academic commitment as well as community service, and finally, being a good human being.” Rowley doesn’t see any downsides to applying for as many grants, loans and scholarships as possible. However, she advises students research and choose scholarships that are most beneficial to each individual’s path through secondary education. “The benefits of applying for financial aid is that you open the door to actually receive the aid. If you don’t apply, the offer will always be no. So I say go for it! Give yourself an opportunity no matter how small the award,” Rowley said. “Take the time to research scholarships, both nationally and locally, and start applying broadly. Surprisingly, there are a lot of awards that go unclaimed because they don’t have enough applicants. Downsides [to applying for financial aid]? I don’t see any…apply!”
I believe that as great as college can be, the quality of an education should not be measured by the price you pay, but for the desire you have. - Ryan Neydavood
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them a quality education at a low cost.” As chairman, Neydavood works alongside the Scholarship Committee and other students involved with the award to teach his fellow seniors about the benefits of applying for the John Cherney Humanitarian Award and other scholarships offered at Beverly. Neydavood believes every senior qualified for the award should apply, as it is an easy way to earn recognition for one’s community service while receiving
Highlights Keith Stone, Ben Shofet, Max Yera, Veronica Pahomova editors-in-chief
Priscilla Hopper, AJ Wolken, Evan Minniti, Isaiah Freedman, Sam Bernstein, Lauren Hannani, Rinesa Kabashi staff writers
Ben Dahan, Jamie Kim news editors
Vivian Geilim opinion editor
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Sophia Goldberg sports editor
Jason Harward design editor
Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor
Gaby Herbst adviser —
Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print. Highlights is a forum for public expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.
Students exercise power in the district Ben Dahan news editor Evan Minniti staff writer Though the student’s primary role in a school district is to learn in the environment created for them by their teachers, administrators and board members, there are a few avenues in which he/she can exercise power. The campus organization that encompasses students and student activities is the Associated Student Body (ASB), which is made up of students who have been elected by their peers. “ASB works to provide the best possible student experience, from planning events and fundraisers to approving funds for various clubs and sports teams,” ASB junior president Jonathan Artal said. Though the students in ASB discuss and plan amongst themselves, ultimately the decisions are subjected to the approval of advisor Jennifer Goolsby and the school administration. “Very little of our decisions are autonomous...essentially all the programs we execute and all the goals we set must be approved by our teacher/adviser and the administration,” ASB president Noah Lee said. “We propose, and admin keeps us in check. From this pool of student leaders, one person is chosen to represent the student body in the Board of Education. Senior Sam Schwartz is this year’s student
“I’m not a teacher, I’m a student, Team,” made up of a small group board member. bers come into the discussions but I’m more than happy to do of stakeholders, including two or “I think knowing a lot of the with a certain mindset,” Schwartz some educating,” senior Josh Fou- more students, to discuss and debehind the scenes stuff and how said. “So it’s hard to sway them, ladian told the board. “Students sign future projects for the district, it works, and seeing how people there’s not probably not much that first, students second, and every- possibly including a school configmake the decisions and being able I’ve said that really changed everything else takes a backseat. I really uration redesign. to voice student opinions about is- one’s opinions.” don’t know why I should have to “From the beginning, I would sues because obviously the adults Some students feel that the discome here and say that, I thought have students. And they will be part do not always agree with students trict administration and Board of it was common knowledge. ” of the actual designing...It’s the on all issues but being able to at Education ignore their opinions. However, Superintendent Dr. traditional design process where least put the student opinion out On a board meeting on March 1, Michael Bregy is aiming to incoryou go back for feedback and keep there is the coolest part,“ Schwartz many students took the opportuniporate more student voices in disrevising,” Bregy said. “Students said. ty of public comment of what they trict decisions. would have a true voice in what this However, the student board saw was an unjust pink-slipping of Bregy wishes to create a “Launch look like; it has to be authentic.” member does not have the same their teacher, Jeffrey Berkley. powers as the other board members, as he/she can not attend closed session board meetings or cast a vote which factors into the decisions. Nevertheless, Lee believes the position is meaningful. “The fact that BHHS can elect a student to serve on the Board of Education is symbolic of the value that BHHS places on student voice,” Lee said. Despite the symbolic value, Schwartz is unsure how much the position translates into decision making power. “It’s hard to judge how much effect my words have on their Senior representative Nate Anavim, head row secretary Maia Yosef and head row treasurer Eliana Martin sort decision making bethrough plans for the upcomming Junior-Senior Night. cause a lot of the memPhoto by: VIVIAN GEILIM
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March 10, 2017 Highlights
Seniors paint 2017 wall
Senior Destiny Lee fills in a computer mouse as she completes the 2017 Senior Mural. Lauren Hannani staff writer
While music blasts from behind the science building, senior Destiny Lee is putting her artistic talent to work as she carefully leads a group of seniors in painting the senior wall for the class of 2017. Since 2012, a senior is asked to oversee the painting of a portion of the wall behind the science building to commemorate the graduating class. This year, ASB has chosen Lee to take over this job, and she has decided that the mural will include some of her own style. “My ideas for the wall were to contain as much meaning to the class of 2017 as I possibly could.
Every object has a meaning to our senior class,” Lee said. “I wanted our mural to stand out. As for the design itself, the wall has a more pop art inspired feel and includes a bit of my own style.” Lee, who claims she has been making art since she “dropped out of the womb,” hopes to incorporate every detail that has made this class special and different into the mural. “Our class has gone through a lot of changes and the world around us has gone through a lot of changes, especially in 2016,” Lee said. “I incorporated menial things like Starbucks to world issues like the bombings and terrorism. It’s not
too uplifting, but these changes are what make us the class of 2017 and the individuals we are today.” Although she has not done a large scale project like this before, Lee has been wanting to paint the senior mural since she was in sixth grade. “[Getting asked to paint the wall] felt exciting, but also nerve- racking,” Lee said. “Imagine having the pressure of summarizing the entirety of the class and the four years we’ve been in school. It’s kind of crazy.” However, Lee is not unfamiliar with using art to symbolize a theme. “All my art pieces have sym-
Photo by: ISAIAH FREEDMAN bolic meanings. I don’t like the way artwork nowadays has a lack of meaning and is just eye candy,” Lee said. “I think my love of conceptual ideas over surface meaning images makes my art unique.” Although the ideas for the wall came mainly from Lee, the actual painting of the mural has been more of a team project, with 20 volunteers helping out in total. “This wall is different because of the amount of time and effort we’ve put into it. The other walls were done pretty quickly and with a lot less help,” Lee said. “Around 20 people on and off have come to help with the wall...it was so amazing to have everyone have a lot of
fun painting.” Many of those volunteers are grateful that they had the chance to help paint the mural and work with Lee. “It was a great experience helping out with the wall, and working with friends and classmates made the experience more enjoyable,” senior Hannah Cheung said. “It was great working with [Lee]. Painting is not my strongest suit compared to ceramics and sculpture, but she made it easier for me because of her organization.” Overall, Lee hopes that she can look back fondly at the experience and all the fun, hard-working and chaotic moments.
Junior wins Gold Key, aspires for authorship Lauren Hannani staff writer
Crafting short stories since she was eight-years-old, junior Tessa Rudolph has always enjoyed writing whether it was for an English essay, book report or just for fun. Since entering high school, Rudolph has further tested her writing skills in various ways, including participating in contests and starting online literary magazines. Recently, Rudolph has won her second Gold Key for the short story, “Breaking,” that she submitted to the national Scholastic Art and Writing Awards contest. She decided to use the contest as a tool for finding out if other people enjoyed reading her stories. “One of my writing teachers from when I was younger introduced me to this contest last year, and I thought, ‘Why not?’” Rudolph said with a smile. “I don’t share my stories with other people that often, so it was nice to know that someone other than me liked a story I’d written.” However, Rudolph does not participate in these types of competi-
tion for validation of her stories, since she believes that a writer’s job is to not depend on what others think. “I think that to make it as a writer--or any artist, really--you kind of have to love the craft enough that you don’t need external validation in order to feel like your work has worth, or that your writing is only good when someone else tells you it is,” Rudolph said. “So while it’s definitely validating, I do want to make a career out of writing, and no matter what you write, there are always going to be people who tell you it isn’t good enough, or that you are good enough. I think it’s important to be able to push past that and just write to be heard.” Rudolph and her close friend junior India Koloff began a literary magazine called Empyrean, for which Rudolph also spends her time writing. In fact, she founded the creative writing club in order to get more story submissions to publish in the magazine. “I love helping out with the magazine since a lot of our friends
write different stories and we can compile all of them together and make a pretty awesome magazine out of it,” Koloff said. Additionally, Rudolph is the fiction editor for a magazine outside of school, called L’Ephemere Review. She is also planning on starting another literary magazine with her friend that will be exclusively for LGBTQ+ writers and artists. “We think that queer writers are one of the most underrepresented groups in literature these days, and it’s so important that all different kinds of people are able to have their voices heard, no matter who they are,” Rudolph said. As a result of being involved in many writing activities inside and outside of school, Rudolph feels like writing has shaped her life so far, and will definitely shape her future as well. “I know that writing is a really hard business to break into these days, especially fiction writing,” Rudolph said. “But no matter what happens in the future, writing will always be a part of my life--a part of me.”
Junior Tessa Rudolph continues to write a story for her magazine. Photo by: LAUREN HANNANI
March 10, 2017 Highlights
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spotlight 5
Investigating the
BUDGET CUts
Continued from page 1 A district assessment finds it spends approximately $14,280 per student per year, of which approximately $5,455 goes directly to certificated salaries, a much higher proportion than that of surrounding districts. According to data provided by SSC, the enrolled student per classroom teacher ratio of BHUSD in 2014, the most recent year with data provided, is significantly lower than the average of comparable school districts across California: there are 16.03 enrolled students per teacher in BHUSD, compared to 22.01 students per teacher statewide. However, teacher salaries at BHUSD are relatively low when compared to the rest of Los Angeles County. According to a California Department of Education report on Certificated Salaries, BHUSD pays out an average salary of $72,000 compared to $77,500, the average salary for LA County teachers. Earlier this year, the district passed a
technology plan, which would increase and update the technological capacity throughout the district, and authorized the upfront $6 million, but has not yet authorized the yearly cost, $1.8 million in 2017-18 and $1.2 million in 2018-19, which has also not yet been factored into the budget. Board and district’s approach: The board had initially charged the administration to come up with ways to reduce expenditures by $5 million in the 2017-18 school year. The district “Cabinet,” consisting of newly-hired Superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy, Chief Administrative Officer La Tanya Kirk-Carter, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jennifer Tedford and Chief Human Resources Officer Yolanda Mendoza, presented its recommendations to the board. On Feb. 9, during the first study session, the Cabinet presented to the board some possible ways to make the cuts: cutting high school counselors; increasing K-3 class size to 26 (or 29) students per class; replacing tech and STEM teachers with an iCoach program, an online equivalent; reducing the K-5 intervention program, instituted earlier this year, by half; reducing musical instrumental instruction staff by half; reducing GATE by half; making general staff reduc-
tions to match the declined enrollment; and making unspecified cuts of up to an additional $1.6 million. However, the Cabinet was hardpressed to come up with the $5 million figure without having to cut programs outright, something it did not feel comfortable doing. At the board meeting on Feb. 28, Bregy indicated that he and the Cabinet recommended making only approximately $2.2 million in cuts for 2016-17, and using the time until the next school year to further investigate their options. “We couldn’t say to the board, ‘We’re not going to cut anything,’ because we work for the board, and they told us $5 million. We said, ‘We can’t do it. We can’t do what you’re asking us to do without cutting programs. So, give me this time to work with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and work with our chief business official to determine where are we with the numbers,’” Bregy said. However, a catch lies in cutting solely $2.2 million in one year: the technology expenditures for next year, which were not included in the projections, are $1.8 million and almost $1.2 million for the following year. With this added expense, the deficit reduction is “a wash”: only $700,000. “I wish [the costs of the technology plan] had been there, but it wouldn’t have changed anything,” Bregy said. “It just is going to put us further behind, so the crisis that we’re in financially is exacerbated by not cutting as much as we should. But I think that the tradeoff there is instead of doing something reckless [in reductions] now, even though [the deficit] grows, it buys us time to take a better look at
what we’re doing.” Under this approach, as Bregy acknowledges, the burden of deficit reductions will be passed on to succeeding years. As Phillips points out, “SSC believe[s] that the sooner the district can identify and implement cuts, the less painful that actions will be in the out years.” The district’s Finance Committee, made up of five people each individually appointed by a board member, recommended the district reduce expenditures by $5 million in the 2017-18 year, acknowledging that this would likely result in laying off about 50 teachers. According to the first interim projections, a one-time cut of $5 million in 2017-18 would likely rectify the district’s deficits in future years. Nevertheless, Bregy’s approach to make cuts over time seems to have support from those on the board. “Money should be spent wisely and always in the interest of student success,” board member Noah Margo said. “The district should make the necessary cuts to remain financially solvent and use the next few months, as Dr. Bregy has indicated, to develop a long term plan.” Student Board Member Sam Schwartz believes that the $2.2 million cut will give the district enough time to thoroughly analyze the costcutting measure. “While the need to reduce the deficit is great, the need to reduce it in the most effective and least intrusive manner is even greater,” Schwartz said. While the Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA), the teacher’s union, has not expressly supported
the plan that was presented, the union does support making cuts over time versus all at once. Previously, union president Telly Tse had expressed concerns about the speed with which the cuts were previously being considered. “I think that anyone would agree that making cuts over time naturally is a way better process than saying from one year to the next, ‘You know what? Even though we’ve hired 50 new people in the last three years, we’re going to cut 50 people just like that,’” Tse said. “I’m confident that the district, just like us, wants more time to really look at the numbers before they make a decision like this.” Steps already taken: On March 7, the Board passed a resolution that authorized the reductions of 23.7 Full Time Employee (FTE) positions, which translates into a target savings of about $1.6 million. In addition, all Career Technical Education (CTE) employees received pink slips, though Coordinator of CTE Cindy Dubin said that the board will likely rehire the teachers, as the district did the same thing last year. In addition, the district administration is recommending immediately reducing the expenditures of the Special Education program by $500,000, which totals $13 million, $3 million of which is offset by Special Ed specific income from the state and federal government. The primary way proposed by the district to do this is to replace the current two Special Ed department consultants with a full-time, district-wide director who will then investigate where further expenditures can be reduced.
A K-5 intervention program, instituted earlier this year to help students struggling in math and English, was recommended to be reduced by 50 percent, making a reduction of 4.8 FTE and saving about $435,000. Tse and BHEA, however, take issue with the insistence of cutting so many teaching staff at the district. “We believe it would be in the best interests of all involved to look at ways to resolve our district’s financial issues with as little cuts to educators as possible,” Tse said. “Let’s have the reductions come naturally as opposed to the layoff of educators who just started their careers here. We can still do this if the district sits down with us as soon as possible to do so.” In addition, Tse believes it would be more beneficial for all involved if the district used ample retirement benefits to entice senior teachers to retire and not to rehire their positions, instead of making the reductions forcefully.
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PROJECTED REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES
Infographic by: BEN DAHAN. JAMIE KIM
Infographic by: PRISCILLA HOPPER
6 opinion
March 10, 2017 Highlights
Dwelling into dissections Down for Dissections! Priscilla Hopper staff writer In physiology, students are given the opportunity to dissect a sheep brain, a sheep eye, a cow heart and a pig kidney. However, if dietary, religious or activist restrictions are presented, the activity is not required. This lab is important to enhance the learning experience that comes with taking this course. High school is not only a time for exploring ideas that may ultimately develop into a student’s future life’s work. It is also giving us the tools we need to respect ourselves and the world around us. Some students enroll in culinary classes as a step to owning their dream restaurant, some of the newspaper staff aspire to be the editor of The Wall Street Journal and some students take classes like Medical Science Academy (MSA) and physiology to lead them to medical school and a possible residency. However, a lot of our classes are teaching us about the world we live in, not a specific skill we will directly use in day-to-day tasks. Dissection experiences give us a unique look into the life of another living being, and with that comes understanding and respect. Dissection for most high school level classes use organs that are byproducts from already deceased animals. These classes are not promoting raising animals for the sole purpose of basic level science class dissection. Instead, they are ensuring that when an animal is killed it is used in every possible way to further our education. The privilege to hold an animal’s brain which has created it’s every thought and emotion instills a greater sense of connection to how sensitive our own internal mechanisms are. Future neurologists learning from a plas-
tic replica of a brain is like trying to win “Master Chef” with an Easy Bake Oven. The foundations given to students may lead them to a career of bettering the world. The primary cause of blindness is cataract disease: a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects clear vision. Given that 90 percent of the population over 65-years-old has a cataract, learning the anatomy of an eye is a major step for preventing this threat. According the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for one in every four deaths. The rhythmic motor of our cardiovascular system is vulnerable to the decisions many high school students make every day such as exercise, smoking/drinking habits and stress. The tactile experience that in-class dissections allow students to have with authentic tissues will have greater impact on a student’s appreciation for anatomy than any diagram given in class ever could. Every student should be encouraged to study the anatomy of bodies because, in turn, they are learning about themselves and each other. Conducting a dissection arms the student with valuable information of composition and function along with a memorable adventure. No model, video nor textbook diagram can duplicate the admiration students develop when they discover the beauty behind their specimens. Pen and paper note taking is no match for the adventure and fascination dissection presents. It is crucial to expand students’ confidence and accuracy when in a classroom, and by providing them with a firsthand experience of authentic, tangible information, dissections achieve that.
Down with dissections! Veronica Pahomova co-editor-in-chief ian approach of breed-and-kill creates a worker mentality of desensitization And yet another year goes by when and a false pretence that the animal is this district continues to feed the cruel merely a factory object. and archaic industries of animal disSo how does the BHUSD contribute? section, contributing to the annual es- The high school contributes to the intimate of 20 million animals that have come of every cruel industry by purbeen unnecessarily sliced and diced for chasing a shipment of sheep brains and our worksheets. The time to eradicate eyes, cow hearts and pig kidneys for the unbearable sugar-coating of the dissection. The very act of buying and process is long overdue, and the time to utilizing these depressing parts and carput an end to this heinous violation of casses is supporting the idea of unconanimal rights is now. senting, uncalled for murder. So let’s rewind the life of your speciDissection proponents claim that men--that is, before it became the slab dissecting animals provides an educaof mistreated animal tissue on your lab tional experience for students and is table--and gather some information on even suggested for those who chose to what you’re not seeing. pursue medicine. Actually, according to Before the body of this frog, pig, cow PETA, “almost 95 percent of U.S. medior sheep became the title of your project cal schools—including Yale, Harvard, paper, it had a life, a family and a home- and Stanford—do not use any animals -but depending on the company your to train medical students, and experiteacher obtained it from, all of these ence with animal dissection and exprevious factors may vary. This animal perimentation on live animals are not may have once roamed in a open field required or expected of those applying or stream, only to be restrained by hu- to medical school.” mans for harvest. Or maybe it was a Through numerous online simulaloved pet that slipped through the door, tions and computer methods, students got lost and found itself captured and can gain an understanding equivalentthrown in a gas chamber before it could -if not superior--to the one they would make a sound. get during dissections. Once they feel Most can agree that those meth- confident, those who desire to pursue ods mentioned above are inhumane, a medical profession can observe and/ but what about the animals that were or assist a surgeon in an operation until born and raised in captivity, destined they can proceed with their own guided from birth to be slaughtered for meat practice. Also, computer models are or research? Many seem to think this substantially cheaper than the annual process is much better, succumbing to purchase of dead animals and the storthe false “Well, if it’s already dead” per- age of mutilation tools. spective. If the fact that the animals are Classroom dissection is not only unborn in an overpopulated, disease-filled warranted and unethical, but also unenvironment for your consumption ravels a terrible precedent of mindless or lab project doesn’t deter you, then mitigation. Opt out of unessential opermaybe the workers’ treatment of them ations. Put down the scalpel and knife, will. This mass-producing, utilitar- and save an animal’s life.
Editorial Who has the power in our school district? The answer, unfortunately, is not the students. With such a precarious situation for the district’s future, filled with budget cuts and very consequential decisions on the horizon, now more than ever is the time for community input and total transparency. When those most affected by a decision have no say in it, something is clearly wrong. In a previous editorial, we asked students to voice their opinions and join the discourse. Now, we ask the administration and Board of Education to hear those voices. We expect it. When those with stake in the district, of which students have the most, feel as though they are not having their voices heard, they try make their voices louder. If they are again not heeded, the vocalized frustration becomes internalized resentment.
If the Board of Education and administration are indeed trying to govern as best they can, then creating bad blood between themselves and those they serve is not in their, or anybody else’s, best interests. If teachers are constantly suspicious of admin, how can they educate properly? If administration is distrustful of teachers, how can they lead effectively? If students and parents feel they are being ignored or their district is going by the wayside, what incentive do they have to participate in it? Turmoil is not good for a learning environment, the elevation of which everyone should agree is the ultimate priority. That is not to say there is no justifiable reason for district leaders to overrule the wishes of those they represent, but when they do so, they must effectively communicate their reasoning and address the
concerns of the students, parents and teachers who have presented them. Their voices cannot be ignored, especially those of the students, whom are the very essence of a school district. The work of the Associated Student Body, while important, does not currently have districtwide, course-changing policy impacts. It is necessary that students have more of a role in making these decisions. It is in the best interest of the entire district to have as many members of its community be a part of its discussion. Just a few of the ways the district can create a proactive public discourse, some of which have been brought up by board members, is through holding community town hall style meetings, creating committees, conducting community polls, sending out explanatory emails or newsletters, creating guides for how
to read and digest information already presented. It may not be the intention of those at the top to ignore the students’ voice, but students are going to be living with these decisions. The choices made in the coming months will affect how and what we learn, our educational experience and the opportunities presented to us with which we can better ourselves. While teachers may be laid off and administrators and board members critiqued, it is the students who will have to deal with whatever happens next. It is students who know best: which programs are most beneficial to their success, which services are most essential and which aspects can be safely removed or reduced. It is students who know best what it is like being a student. The administration and board members need to take this input and apply it to the
reality facing the district, using their governing expertise and experience, to come to an amiable solution. Superintendent Bregy’s and the board’s supposed commitment to community engagement and district transparency is encouraging. They have spoken about taking a more proactive approach in gauging community and student interest. But it is not enough to just promise such things. Unless those promises are followed through and that commitment materialized, students will be as voiceless and community members as blind as they are now. Until the district sees its students as collaborators instead of inferiors, however, this break in communication will continue to segregate the district from the community and students it serves. Actions speak louder than words.
opinion 7
March 10, 2017 Highlights
HANDICAP. .andPARKING the dangers of neglect Opinions from the student body:
upsetting to see people who abuse the use of “ It’s handicap passes, especially if they are healthy and do not qualify for special parking privileges. I see it happen all the time. - senior Ashley Rahmani
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Though it can come in handy a lot of times, I do feel guilty for talking advantage of the pass because I may be taking a spot of someone who has a physical disability and needs the space to park. - anonymous
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I think that the misuse of handicapped permits by people who aren’t disabled is inappropriate and should not be tolerated. - junior Kia Kahen
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Remember, it is illegal to.. 1
Norman nation’s parking spot exploitation Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Alter a placard identification card
Provide false information to receive a handicap placard
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Allow someone to use your placard
Possess a counterfeit placard
5
2 4
Possess more than one placard
Forge an official signature
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Infographic by: VERONICA PAHOMOVA, ELEANOR BOGART-STUART Information from: DISABILITY-BENEFITS-HELP.ORG
The exploitation of handicap parking spaces is no new trend. Drivers of all ages are at fault of taking advantage of the these spaces due to their ease of use. However, it seems as if there’s been an increasing amount of physically able students who are benefitting from the use of these handicapped spots. “This is a significant issue for our members,” said Mark Perriello, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities, to online paper “Disability Scoop”. “When people are out shopping or dining, they need these spots. When they can’t find them, it leaves people with disabilities out on the sidelines.” Personally, it seems like the root of the problem behind this calamity is technology and social media. Services like Postmates, Amazon, and even Google search, have trained young adults to expect instant gratification. The extra few seconds it would take to walk inside the Pavilions from a regular parking spot is simply too long.
Our generation must have the best and the fastest, and they must have it now. I myself don’t have a license, but I do possess a permit. Although I haven’t been driving around the city as long as most of these other Los Angeles drivers, I’m still aware of a basic code that they seem to have forgotten. It’s called common courtesy. It is simply not polite to not steal a close space from someone who needs it more than you. Some people may not realize this, but there can be major consequences for taking advantage of a handicap parking spot. You could be charged $250 to $1000, but a fiscal penalty is the least of your worries. Illegal use of a disabled placard is considered a California misdemeanor, and the offender could be placed up to six months in jail. There are a variety of ways to qualify for a disabled parking permit. This includes not having the use of one or more arms, being unable to walk a set number of feet without rest, being unable to walk without a crutch, cane, or without personal assistance, needing a portable oxy-
gen tank to function in everyday life or having a visual acuity of 20/200 or less. If your current physical state does not apply to these standards, you do not get to park in a handicap spot. It’s as simple as that. I once thought there was no need to wax poetic when it comes to such a simple moral dilemma as this, but sometimes real life examples are the best persuasive device. Picture your own grandparent physically unable family member or friend, struggling to enter a car, make the trip to whatever event or store they’re traveling to and realizing that they’ve been stripped of the one easy part of their journey: the parking. As students of the only high school in our city, it is our responsibility to represent Beverly Hills in the most respectable way possible. We are ambassadors of a small nation--a nation often ridiculed for its arrogant and shallow citizens. Why feed these stereotypes through negligence of a proper moral code? Asking to park a few spaces farther from the entrance is simply not asking a lot.
March 10, 2017
8 sports
Highlights
Girls varsity basketball falls in state Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor The girls varsity basketball lost the first State game to Viewpoint High School on March 8 after having been previously crowned CIF champions of Division 4A. The home game ended with a score of 48-33, immediately taking girls basketball out of the running for the State title. “We were excited to play on our home court. We had kept our heads [held] high. Towards the end we started slipping, but the crowd and the bench were [still] cheering as loud as they could,” power forward Amanda Lee said. Despite the loss, cheerleader Madison Keiper recounts the amount of energy coming from the crowd. “Even though we lost, there was a lot of spirit in the crowd,” Keiper said. “It was a really good experience to [cheer] all the way to state.” Sophomore Cameron Weisfield, a dedicated basketball spectator, considers his favorite thing about the team to be their determina-
lo believes that the strong relationship among teammates will eventually push the team farther next year. Because they have accomplished a CIF win this year, Araullo trusts that next year’s wins will be even more certain. “Because we had a lot of new players get onto varsity this year, we’re now all familiar with each other and our bond is a lot stronger,” Araullo said. “That chemistry and connection between our teammates will help with our skill and practice.” Dedication and determination are two integral parts of Left: Center Chantal Moawad prepares to make a move and drive to the basket. the girls basketball team’s Right: Foward Dominique Petrie looks to her Moawad to hit her on the post morale. With both emotions entry pass. Photos by: PRISCILLA HOPPER at higher levels than ever, and a title of the first girls baskettion. To him, the loss was irrelStill, Weisfield has hopes for evant due to the sheer persever- more recognition for girls basket- ball team to make State in Beverly ance demonstrated in the game. ball. He also has hopes to win CIF history, the team hopes to grow “They never give up. Even in the and further advance in State next together and move forward next season. CIF Southern Section Finals, they year. “Coach Braddell says it’s deswere down 16 and they came back “Our team is coming back. Some and won. It just shows how Bever- of our best players are only fresh- tiny. Our team, our hard work, it’s ly students never give up and how man, which is amazing,” Weisfield what pulls us to the top,” Araullo said. “It’s what’s going to pull us we always try our best,” Weisfield said. said. Small forward Cheyanne Araul- to the top next year.”
Varsity tennis served loss by Pali Jason Harward graphics editor In their home opener match, boys varsity tennis was dominated 2-16 in matches by Pacific Palisades High School. Captain Jeff Lee thought the blowout was an eye-opener to many younger players, who had never faced an opponent like Pacific Palisades. “I think it was a humbling experience,” Lee said. “We were ranked pretty high in division one at the beginning of the year and some of our younger players got cocky about their playing ability, and I think this really showed us how much harder we have to work to compete with these teams.” Junior Nicholas Pupiec agreed
with Lee’s diagnosis, saying Pacific Palisades’ talent was too much for the squad to handle so early in the year, but also echoed the need to improve their game. “I think it showed us how good some teams really are and that we have to work harder,” Pupiec said. Junior Jackson Stewart, who won the only two matches with his doubles partner, Andrew Liner, thought his team was just overmatched in singles. “Their singles players were very experienced, but we were also a bit shorthanded because [junior] Michael [Huang] was injured after his first set,” Stewart said. Their next match is Monday, March 13, at home against Peninsula High School at 2:30 p.m.
Ben Shofet co-editor-in-chief As April approaches, many students start to get ready for Coachella. However, due to a contract they signed in the beginning of the season, many on the lacrosse team’s ambitions to go to the festival have been thwarted. This rule has been ingrained this year by the students signing a contract. Coach Kyle Kobe was taught that when you make a commitment to a team, you follow through;therefore, he would like to run his team in the same manner. “This rule came as a result of what happened to us last season when we had four members of the varsity lacrosse team skip a weekend to go to Coachella. Three of
hits
Varsity baseball played Hamilton High School yesterday after beginning pre-league play last week.
Varsity golf continues to practice, with their first match on March 28.
Losing to Culver City 0-16 on March 8, boys varsity lacrosse starts league 0-1.
Girls varsity lacrosse began league with a loss to Culver City 4-13 on Wednesday, March 8.
Varsity softball played Brentwood at home yesterday.
Varsity swimming started off their season yesterday with an an intersquad meet.
Jeff Lee practices his stroke at practice on Wednesday, March 8. Photo by: VIVIAN GEILIM
Boys lacrosse applies Coachella ban Rinesa Kabashi staff writer
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them hid it from me and one was ella last year we lost four guys to Coachella it’ll probably become upfront and honest. It left us very, when we only had 18. So we were an issue,” Harward said. very short handed for our Friday left with four subs for two games Harward added that while a night game and on that follow- and we really struggled in those player would be kicked off the ing Monday the boys still weren’t two games. I was irritated that team for either missing the Friday back yet,” Kobe said. they’d abandon their teammates game or following Monday prac“So when we went he just didn’t and what we’d been working for,” tice on either of the weekends, believe that we were sick if a player were to miss a “I was irritated that they’d practice or game any other and when we came back he got pissed at us and abandon their teammates and weekend they would not tried to make us feel bad necessarily be kicked off what we’d been working for.” the team. and be like I can’t trust you guys anymore,” a -Kyle Kobe Kobe believes that stuvarsity lacrosse player dents missing school for who attended Coachella that Kobe said. Coachella seems to be just a “Bevwishes to remain anonymous Many have different feelings erly issue”. said. about the new rule that Kobe has “This wasn’t a concern when I That weekend the four players made, such as varsity lacrosse was in school in the early 90s and went to the Coachella Music and player Jason Harward. there were music festivals, but Arts Festival while the rest of their “It’s not that bothersome to me when I was in school I never had team had two games in which only because I would rather stay on the the option to abandon my team 14 players were present. team because I enjoy it, but I think and it never even crossed my “When people went to Coach- next year when I’m planning to go mind,” Kobe said.
Losing to Palisades 16-2, boys varsity tennis moves to 1-1 in their season.
Varsity track and field competed against Santa Monica to begin their league meets.
Boys varsity volleyball lost to Santa Monica Tuesday, March 7, 0-3 in their first league match.
Check next print cycle, coming out on March 31, to receive more sports updates. To see other sports coverage and sports game recaps on your favorite Norman sports team, check
www.beverlyhighlights.com.