Viewpoints
From Our Editor: Why Local News is so Important: One of the reasons I wanted to become the Editor-in-Chief of FOCUS was to increase awareness about local news. A goal of mine as Editor-in-Chief is to demonstrate to the students, parents, faculty and staff of the Blind Brook School District, and to the other residents of Rye Brook, the importance of local news. Last year, as Politics Editor I decided to add to my editorial role and also write a political column for FOCUS. I interviewed local politicians that represent our village. From United States Congressman Mondaire Jones to County Executive George Latimer, I wanted our community to learn who their elected officials were and what they stood for. After these interviews were published I received feedback from people which surprised me. People did not know that these politicians existed, let alone knew anything about what they had done for the community in which they lived. This is a primary reason that I wanted to become Editor-in-Chief of FOCUS, to strengthen our community’s awareness of local issues, and I will continue to conduct interviews with Rye Brook resentatives. I want FOCUS to become the resource for our community to learn about local issues, whether that be in Blind Brook High School, the Blind Brook School
District, or in Rye Brook. Our neighbors at the BMP Ridge Street elementary school have seen issue after issue over the past two years with the ongoing construction project. Up until just a few months ago there was no coverage of the issue by journalists. Local news organizations like FOCUS allow us to stay informed about local government and our schools. I hope to bring a new perspective to this newspaper, by keeping our community informed both about the issues going on as well as learning who makes the decisions that impact our daily lives. I hope you continue to read this great publication from a dedicated staff of 40 high school students, and share it with your friends and neighbors.
Should we ban junk food in the cafeteria? This is a topic that is frequently discussed within the school community. Among the students, the popular opinion is no, but the majority of adults answer yes. I believe that junk food should not be banned in the cafeteria because there are many benefits to allowing children to consume this food. Since we eat lunch so early in the morning, kids typically aren’t hungry enough to have a full meal, and sometimes a small snack is ideal. Although a healthy snack is rationally the best option, in reality, kids aren’t goingsire to buy an apple or a cup of fruit. Ultimately, with or without the school providing snacks most kids are going to bring their own.
By Katelyn Faustino
Josh Rosenblut Editor-in-Chief Photo Courtesy of Brad Penner/USA Today Sports
Should We Ban Junk Food From Cafeterias?
By Abby Meron
Should Vaccines be Required for All Professional Sports Players?
By providing these snacks at the school we can control to some extent what students consume. By having snacks that are slightly healthier but still considered junk food, students will be tempted to buy those instead. As said in an article by SchoolConnects, “Junk foods are craved more by kids of various schools when they are not permitted.” Banning junk food will have the opposite effect intended, only creating more problems. These students will only want to junk food more. This proves that banning junk food from the cafeteria is not a solution to making kids eat healthier, and will more likely than not make them want to eat junk food even more abundantly. Evidently, getting rid of junk food completely isn’t the
Pro-athletes: well under 1% of the population can claim they are one. In fact, only about 1 in 250 college athletes go on to play professionally. It’s pretty rare and extremely impressive to do what they do. That is why the health and safety of these players should be of utmost importance. One of the most controversial medical debates in recent history has been over the coronavirus vaccine. At the moment, there is no federal mandate on needing to receive the vaccine although it is strongly recommended. Employers, universities and local governments can all issue some type of vaccination requirement…but what about national sports leagues? In the National Football League, a mandate does not exist but there are certain protocols.
Those who didn’t get vaccinated are tested daily for COVID-19 while vaccinated players are only tested weekly. Vaccinated players who test positive for corona may also be able to rejoin their team sooner than unvaccinated tested players who test positive. The National Basketball Association has not required vaccines either but will continue its strict regulations this season for unvaccinated players. Professionals like Bradley Beal and Kyrie Irving who entered training camp unvaccinated face salary and playing time threats. Those who are unvaccinated won’t be allowed to play in games per the vaccine mandates of of the host city, and they also risk not getting paid for every game they sit out.
right way to go. Lindsay Kenetman from Today’s Parent has said that “Rather than teaching kids that certain foods are bad or making decisions about what kids should eat... schools should take a more proactive approach.” Schools should not take away the option but teach their students how to make the choice. Banning junk food can cause ing disorders and food fears. Again, causing more harm than good. I believe that schools should give students options but ensure that kids know the benefits of choosing the healthiest foods. Instead of trying to control students’ di-
ets, which is impossible to control considering their parents and individual wants, schools should inform students on the nutritional benefits of healthier foods and help them understand how to maintain a good balance between junk and healthier foods. Letting kids make decisions about their school lunch will help them be able to tackle other choices that they will face later in life. With everything said, clearly, the best choice would be to keep junk food in the cafeteria. Between the potential for
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