Lunchtime clubs explore athletics.
NON-PROFIT ORG
Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Permit #44 Palo Alto, Calif.
PG. 7 SPORTS
THEORACLE Henry M. Gunn High School
http://gunnoracle.com/
Tuesday, October 4, 2019 Volume 57, Issue 2
780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
California cracks down on teenage e-cigarette use Calvin Cai Centerfold Editor
Photo illustration by Melissa Ding and Grace Liu
Proposed national cuts to school meals may affect low-income students, families Kate Mallery and Angela Wong Lifestyle Editor and News Editor Under a recent Trump administration proposal in July to cut the number of food stamp recipients, low-income students may no longer qualify for free and reducedprice school meals. The proposed cuts are designed to save money by eliminating the “loopholes” found in a flexible qualification system, which states had often used to bypass important eligibility guidelines, according to statements made by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. The misuse of this safety net system allows for unqualified households to receive benefits reserved only for low-income students. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) experts believe that roughly seven percent of children that will be affected by this change do not currently qualify for reduced-price meals. The proposed cut could leave 3.1 million people nationwide without food stamp benefits, which will then deny around 500,000 children automatic eligibility for free school meals, according to the USDA. The USDA also predicts that the cut will impact 10% of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) students, 111,000 Santa Clara County students and two million Californian students. While the cuts may pose a threat to low-income students, PAUSD has already taken certain measures to guarantee that no student goes hungry during the school day. The District Charge policy, for example, makes it possible for all students, regardless of eligibility status, to receive daily school meals, even when they have no money on them. Roughly 3.1 million recipients under the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would no longer receive benefits. “PAUSD currently has 48 students that qualified for free or reduced priced meals based on the families qualifying for SNAP food stamps in California,” PAUSD Nutrition Services director Alva Spence said. Even so, these students could still receive daily meals under the District Charge policy. Families who are eligible for free and reduced school meals will need gross incomes below 130% of the federal
poverty level, or about $33,000 for a family of four. In California, a family of four earning about $50,000 can enroll in a food stamp program, given that 50 percent or more of their income is spent on child care and housing expenses. Families not receiving food stamps may still qualify for free school meals, but they would have to submit paperwork to apply, even though notices are not automatically sent. Families are also not informed of how to access these forms or what they may entail. Spence became aware of the potential cuts to student eligibility for these meals and the potential changes to families’ access to SNAP and the California Food Stamp program in August. According to Spence, 6.5% of PAUSD students qualify for free meals and 2.5% qualify for reduced priced meals. If these cuts were to pass, PAUSD’s current 779 students that qualify for free meals and 296 students that qualify for reduced-priced meals will be affected. PAUSD, though, must follow the USDA eligibility guidelines in order to grant free breakfasts and lunches to its students. “The USDA guidelines are updated annually and are based on the federal income poverty guidelines and stated by household size,” Spence said. “The guidelines are to determine eligibility for free and reducedprice meals and free milk, in accordance with applicable program rules.” So, Spence believes that these proposed cuts will not significantly impact or limit the food service budget allotted to PAUSD for school meals. Palo Alto Parent-Teacher Association member and Gunn parent Nancy Krop expresses her concern over the recent proposed cuts. “I assume [the federal government] is looking to save money by making these cuts, but my response is that our budgets are a statement of our priorities. Yet, at the same time, the government is simultaneously increasing tax write-offs for yachts,” Krop said. “Why are we proposing to cut school meals for children? You can’t have a good answer to that question.” In a past attempt to raise awareness of these cuts, Krop hoped that students, no matter their individual stances, would use social media to their advantage to bring about change. “We need everybody to speak up,” Krop said.
This past month, over 500 people across the country, including several teenagers, have been hospitalized due to vaping-related illnesses. Of these patients, eight have died, while many others have been diagnosed with severe, permanent lung diseases. As a result, California Governor Gavin Newsom has pushed for a bill to end the use of electronic cigarettes, specifically flavored ones that allegedly target teenagers. “I would like to sign a bill to eliminate the legal use of flavored e-cigarettes,” Newsom said in a press conference on Sept. 16. One of the main producers of these flavored e-cigarettes is Juul, a San Francisco-based company infamous for its flavors, like mango, mint and grape. Amid the controversy surrounding vaping, Juul CEO Kevin Burns stepped down on Sept. 25. Principal Kathleen Laurence sees this ban as a step in the right direction. “I think it’s a really good idea [to ban flavored e-cigarettes],” she said. “As much as companies deny that they’re targeting teenagers and children, when you have flavors like that, that’s what it looks like.” Additionally, Laurence sees the companies having these creative flavors for long-term profit. “The reality is that, in order to sell your product, you have to hook the next generation,”she said. Laurence has seen reasons to worry about the widespread use of e-cigarettes. “We have to be aware of what we’re putting in our bodies,” she said. “It’s the unpredictability that you have when you put anything in your body that you don’t know what it’s going to do.” Gunn has been largely affected by the issue of vaping. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, four % of freshmen and 18% of juniors have tried e-cigarettes. On a national scale, the National Youth Tobacco Survey found that between 2017 and 2018, the percentage of high schoolers who currently use e-cigarettes has increased from 11.7 to 20.8%, a 78 % increase. Many vapers at Gunn have been introduced to e-cigarettes by older students. “My sister was vaping,” a current student said, “and I borrowed it. It was fun and it tasted good.” Another student who has quit vaping was also influenced by an older student. Although they have quit vaping, they say that they have no regrets. “It’s just part of being a kid and doing [stuff],” they said. However, they can understand why there is such a high number of people hospitalized for vaping-related illnesses. “None of us knew what was going to happen. No generation before us was smoking this,” they said. Nonetheless, neither of the students believed that Gunn was doing very much to spread awareness of the dangers and consequences of vaping. “They don’t do anything,” the former vaper said. Although both of these students vape or have vaped consistently in the past, they agree that other students should not do it. “Don’t do it,” the first student said. In addition to the health consequences, there are also severe repercussions for being caught. “It’s the same for alcohol and tobacco on campus,” Laurence said. “You get a referral for alcohol or substance abuse.” Students caught vaping must also make a presentation on the dangers of such substances as a form of community service, and to understand the consequences that e-cigarettes can bring if they were to vape again in the future. Background by Grace Liu