Talon Volume XXX, Issue 6 News Magazine

LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL’S NEWS MAGAZINE. VOLUME XXX. ISSUE 6. MARCH 31, 2015

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT’S RIGHT TO LEARN PAGE 15

TEACHER TENURE

Diet Styles on Campus A RT S

CHARTER SCHOOLS

The Anniversary of WWII N EWS

Uncovering Badminton SPO RT S

STUDENT RIGHTS

A Long Walk to Freedom F EATU RES

March 31, 2015

CARL FAUST

News. World War II veterans from Los Altos share their stories. Page 8

PAGES

5 8 9

10 12 13 14

16 2 | The Talon

CARL FAUST

Focus. Information about charter schools and a look into Bullis Charter School. Page 19

news

Four cups of coffee, 4:30 a.m. bedtimes and burnout Examining stress and mental health at LAHS ■ The 70th Anniversary of WWII ■ Taking the Redesigned SAT

arts

Diet Styles: What diet styles do students at LAHS follow and why?

■ SNL 40 ■ Who is Shonda Rhimes?

22

BRANDON HONG

Sports. An in-depth look into the badminton team. Page 29

features

A Three-Way Street: How the Mountain View Police Department is using social media to change community relations

24

■ Cars, Coffee & Donuts (Or

26

■ Freedom: More Than a Name

29 30

Maybe Not)

sports

The Technology Behind Sports The ways in which technology is revolutionizing sports around the world and at school.

■ Badminton Uncovered

■ Body Positivity

focus

The Tenure Debates: The battle over teacher job security

18

Rights, Rules and Regulations: Maintaining school authority and students’ rights is a balancing act

19

A Middle Path: Charter school disputes in the Los Altos School District

THUMBS UP TO THE SCHOOL for the practice SBAC tests

On Wednesday, March 25 and Thursday, March 26, the school conducted practice tests using the new SBAC secure browser and system. In a survey after the test, roughly 80 percent of students reported feeling prepared for the test. Not everything went according to plan—the school ran out of computers to lend out, and some people were forced to share computers in taking the test. However, conducting a practice test allows the school to work through issues ahead of time and ensures that the first round of graded tests, conducted in May exclusively for juniors, will go smoothly.

March 31, 2015

Talon Supporters Honorary Pulitzers On the cover. This issue’s focus spread covers a broad range of topics in education including tenure, teacher accredidation, charter schools, rights of public school students and more.

With this spread, The Talon hopes to explain the factors of a public school education.

Graphic credit: Vanessa Mark.

Kamal and Sharmila Acharya, Hadas and David Anisman, Holly and Andy Cohen, Henry Dai and Dan Shen, Chuyen Do and Quyen Nguyen, Anne Marie Gallagher, Lisa Gordon, Su-Jane Hsieh, Jerry Scher and Susan Stark, Lillian Terada, The Varghese Family, Talon Volume 26 editors, Tracy Weatherby, Wendy Yang, Yongmei Zhou

Silver Supporters Sam and Ann Baum, Bruce Cohen, Amy and John Gaffney, Bob and Janis Harrison, Samrand Hesami, Rick and Corrie Jow, Jade Kandel, Hanna Khosravi, Vivian Mao, The McColl Family, Angie and Steve McDonald

LOS ALTOS HIGH SCHOOL 201 Almond Ave., Los Altos, CA March 31, 2015 Volume XXX, Issue 6 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carly Cohen MANAGING EDITORS Maya Acharya (Print) Zach Cohen (Print) David Wu (Web) NEWS EDITOR Sofia Guo OPINIONS EDITOR Steven Cui FEATURES EDITOR Katherine Yen IN-DEPTH EDITOR Amelia Baum ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Alice Dai SPORTS EDITOR Daniel Rosenbaum

R

eaders, You are holding The Talon’s first-ever news magazine. In order to expand the type of content we publish and to grow in every possible way, we decided to try our hand at a magazine. This magazine replaces what would normally have been our sixth issue. We will publish our issue seven newspaper in late April.

This year marks The Talon’s 30th anniversary–the 30th year of continued innovation. The Talon now has transitioned from its beginning days as a print newspaper to expanding our online presence through our website and through many social media platforms. Not to mention, we added broadcasting to our coverage. This year, to reflect the ever-changing industry of journalism, we took our publication a step further. Creating a magazine, along with increased media coverage on all social media platforms, including our website, was a large goal for staff this year.

In this magazine, you will find content ranging from a feature on the Mountain View Police Department to a recap of the last four decades of Saturday Night Live in honor of its 40th anniversary. In this issue, we focused on information regarding public education such as content on student rights. This information is crucial for students in particular to understand, as these policies and systems influence them on a daily basis.

These articles go more in depth than previous news articles and make use of the increased design opportunities a magazine offers. To see expanded content for many of the articles, visit lahstalon.org.

This is an exciting year for The Talon, so please keep up to date with us on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube accounts.

Thank you for your support, Carly Cohen

MEDIA EDITOR Noy Anisman

The Talon welcomes letters to the editor. Email letters to talon. lahs@gmail.com, or drop them off in room 409 or in the box in the attendance office.

In the case of spelling or grammatical errors, obscenities, libel or personal attacks, a letter may be edited or not run. Letters must be signed, but a name may be withheld upon request. Letters may be published online, in print or both.

POLICIES Los Altos High School’s Compositional Journalism class is solely responsible for The Talon, which is published eight times a year.

The Talon also updates its website, www.lahstalon.org, with full-time coverage.

The Editorial Board sets the policies of The Talon and crafts its editorials and thumbs. Its members are Maya Acharya, Noy Anisman, Amelia Baum, Zach Cohen, Spencer Dembner and Perla Luna.

ADVERTISE & SUBSCRIBE Send advertisement and subscription inquiries to Johnny Scher and Leonardo Wai at talon.lahs@ gmail.com.

COPY/CONTENT EDITORS William Jow, James Sun, Maya Varghese, Kevin Yen BUSINESS MANAGERS Johnny Scher, Leonardo Wai SENIOR WRITERS Robert Chin, Perla Luna, Sitara Sriram STAFF WRITERS Emily Aoki, Claire Bai, Teddy Chmyz, Hannah Craford, Spencer Dembner, Annie Gaffney, Anneliese Gallagher, Cole Hanson, Olivia Jerram, Hanna Khosravi, Jessica King, Josh Kirshenbaum, Eric Kopps, Elaine Lee, David Lisbonne, Alexandra Milkey, Emily Terada, Eric Thiem PHOTOGRAPHERS Brandon Hong, Gina Kermode, Elvis Li, Menson Li, Ian Mackey, Allegra Maeso, Noah Tsao GRAPHIC ARTISTS Vanessa Mark, Amanda Mell VIDEOGRAPHERS Bonav Duprat, Carl Faust, Brandon Hong, Ian Mackey, Riley Moulds ADVISER Michael Moul

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Talon | 3

March 31, 2015

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March 31, 2015

NEWS

Four cups of coffee, 4:30 a.m. bedtimes and burnout: Examining Stress and Mental Health at LAHS

PHOTO BY CARL FAUST, PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH KIRSHENBAUM

A

mong the chatter of the Los Altos High School hallways, one question resonates with increasing frequency: “Hey, how many hours of sleep you did get last night?”

“Oh, I only got six. How about you?”

“You slept six hours? That’s so much. I only got three.”

We live in a culture where students pride themselves on not getting the recommended eight hours per day of sleep. Less sleep is more. It’s a badge of honor, a representation of how hard students work and how successful they are.

This mindset of students needing to prove their hard work, often through unhealthy habits, is just one of many facets that point to a larger issue: the intense, goal-oriented culture of high school that contributes to the stress and anxiety students feel to achieve and

compete. wide range of mental health issues The environment at our school, that students may struggle with, along with students’ personal including academic stress. These factors, play a significant role in programs include the school’s acastudents’ mental health. In light demic counselors, the Community of recent events regarding stu- Health Awareness Council (CHAC) dent mental counselors and health nationthe school’s psywide, The Talchologists. Othon evaluates This mindset of students er services that the ways our needing to prove their are contracted school current- hard work, often through by the district, ly helps alleviin accordance ate academic unhealthy habits, is just with state law, stress and what one of many facets that include the Lustill needs to cile Packard point to a larger issue: change in orhealth van, the der to make the the intense, goal-oriented Stanford Psyenvironment at culture in high school. chiatric Fellow LAHS even less Consult and stressful. a partnership with the statewide nonprofit “EMQ I. What Los Altos is Doing Families First.” All programs are Well free of cost to students.

Currently, the school provides The process for entering the several programs to address a school’s psychology and/or

CHAC program varies according to each student’s situation. Oftentimes, the process starts when a teacher or other staff member refers a student to a counselor based on their own observations or because a student has approached them and asked to be referred.

“The teachers will first refer the student to [their] academic counselor and then call [the concern] to the attention of one of the ssistant principals,” Assistant Principal Perla Pasallo said. “Then [the assistant principals] talk with the student ... If we think we are going to need to put together the triangle of care, we do it.”

This “triangle of care” includes an academic counselor, an assistant principal and either a therapist or a psychologist. When a student comes in voluntarily or as a referral, this team will meet with the student and determine where to go from there.

The Talon | 5

March 31, 2015

NEWS

Students who need regular counseling are generally assigned to a school psychologist, who is connected to students over their years at the school to work towards helping students become more emotionally independent.

Students who do not need counseling as regularly are generally assigned CHAC counseling; CHAC counselors tend to vary depending on which days each counselor is available, so students participating in CHAC may not get the same counselor every appointment.

Sophomore Samantha Keller has participated in both CHAC and school psychology since last year.

“From my experience, CHAC psychology focuses more on coping with the stress that you already have and finding ways to let it not impact your life so heavily,” Samantha said. “The school psychologist, however, really looks at ways to problem solve and create methods to minimize the sources of stress, which could mean altering your schedule, meeting with teachers to create a personalized plan or writing out schedules for time management.”

6 | The Talon

To prepare the school for urgent and serious mental issues, the administration also provides suicide prevention education for students, parents and staff. Administrators, psychologists and academic counselors are trained to “Question, Persuade and Refer” (QPR) as part of nationally recognized suicide prevention training. Students learn suicide prevention in on-campus health classes, while parents can attend

administration, staff and especially students have certainly helped minimize academic, and to some extent, emotional stress on campus. In particular, the student attitude towards academic stress has helped.

“Over here, people just do their own thing,” senior Amritha Sriram said. “Even with the competition around getting into a good college, I still don’t think that it’s as intense here.”

Students and administration alike see the fact that Los Altos is a relatively less stressful campus due to our school’s racial and socioeconomic diversity. There is a wide array of types of students at this school, and a result, they all experience different degrees and types of stresses, which alleviate the issue of intense academic competition.

“We’re such a diverse school, [in terms of] socioeconomic backNOY ANISMAN grounds and of course race, and because it’s so diverse, it’s not information nights. “[The school] has hosted eve- as competitive as [certain other nings where parents come and schools],” Advancement Via Indithey watch three different skits vidaul Determination (AVID) proon interactions between parents gram member Jhosseline Guardado said. “Let’s and students,” say for examProthro said. ple, AVID stu“A parent redents. A lot of ally may not A lot of AVID students us are expectmean to stress are expected to get ed to get into out their kid, good colleges, but when the into good colleges, but but it’s not child walks in it’s not everyone. As for everyone. As the door [and] for the other parents say kids who come from kids who come ‘How’d you do higher socioeconomic from higher on that test?’ backgrounds, the [exsocioeconomic instead of backg rounds, ‘Hey, how’s it pectations are different].

— senior Jhosseline Guardado the [expectagoing?’ it can — tions are difbe stressful for ferent].” the student.”

As with life, stress at school is The school has also been involved in reducing homework not always related to academics, load, as homework is a large con- and that is part of what keeps the tributor to academic stress. Con- atmosphere at our school relativesequently, beginning last year, the ly balanced. “[When people are] all preservadministration began implementing strategies to reduce nightly ing one type of stress … that causes homework. This includes inform- a lot of problems,” AVID Advisor, ing teachers to reconsider the ef- Economics and Psychology teacher Derek Miyahara said. “Seeing difectiveness of every assignment.

“We’ve tried really very care- versity and different types of stress fully to eliminate anything that [allows] people to have a more balfelt unnecessary, including as- anced perspective on life, which signments that were more for ac- keeps them from taking extreme countability and things like that,” actions.”

English teacher April Oliver said.

III. What Needs to Change Although the programs and the II. Los Altos High School atmosphere at our school are genCulture All of the efforts by the school’s erally supportive and try to give

March 31, 2015

students a balanced perspective, there are aspects of Los Altos culture that have yet to be addressed.

The “elephant in the room” remains the way student suicides and mental health issues on nearby campuses are addressed at our school. Following a nationally recognized code of ethics and district protocol, our school does not release information about such events in an effort to prevent glorification of student suicide in the case that widespread media coverage will give suicidal students further reason to consider committing suicide. The silence might be well-intended, but it perpetuates the lack of knowledge about what the school can do to help students.

Silence throughout the community is not limited to serious events within the community. In general, mental health and stress can be uncomfortable to talk about. Because of this, many people do not know how to talk about them and tend to avoid the topics entirely, an unhealthy mindset for any community. This just adds to the stigma surrounding these issues and the problem as a whole.

“Feeling like stress and stress-induced anxiety and depression are unsafe topics is such a detrimental feeling to have, since it just leads us into feeling weak for not being able to handle school ‘perfectly’ like we perceive others to be doing,” Samantha said.

The administration and staff are not the only groups who are responsible for student stress and mental health. There are aspects of student culture, such as the attitude toward work and healthy behaviors, that influence how stressed out students are and how competitive the environment here is.

“Pressure comes from your peers too,” junior Analisa Milkey said.

“Everyone wants to get all A’s, and everyone wants to have a 4.0 GPA. There’s no one place that you can get away from that.”

Peer pressure to feel academic stress comes in the form of many unhealthy behaviors.

Students often feel that if a peer is, for example, staying up late to finish homework, they should be doing so too. The need to prove and compare each other’s abilities to handle academic loads is widespread; in fact, this culture at the school actually contributes to a lack of effectiveness in school stress-alleviation and mental health promotion programs.

“The school has held evenings for stressed out students to talk, [but] the turnout didn’t fill the College and Career Center,” Assistant Principal Perla Pasallo said. “[It’s] just hard to get busy people to stop and pay attention sometimes to the little things that add up to be huge.”

Principal Wynne Satterwhite agrees that the larger issue is changing the atmosphere surrounding discussion of student mental health and stress throughout the community. She emphasizes that the effort to make discussion of mental health issues and stress more comfortable is not just the responsibility of the administration.

“Mental health is a very scary issue … with a great amount of

NEWS

GRAPHICS BY VANESSA MARK

stigma attached to it,” Satterwhite college.

“This community especially is said. “And that is the place where where every[the school and body thinks the commuthey’ve got to nity] needs to go to these cerfocus our en- Feeling like stress and tain colleges to ergies; how do be considered a we make people stress-induced anxgood student,” not afraid to talk iety and depression Prothro said. about mental are unsafe topics is so “This percephealth?” tion creates a The compe- detrimental, since it just lot of competition between leads us into feeling tition amongst students to score weak for not being able students ... If higher is part of you want to a larger issue: to handle school “pergo to some of the definition fectly” like we perceive these schools, of success as others to be doing. [high academic students striving — — sophomore Samantha Keller achievement] is for academic what you’ve got achievement in high school to enter a high-ranked to have.”

Many students try to compare themselves to this standard, although the majority’s needs would be better addressed by other colleges or pathways. Realizing the importance of embracing individual needs and celebrating achievement at all levels is a collective goal and effort from students, administration, parents and the entire community. Until the mindset towards success and mental health issues changes, the elephant in the room may pose a larger threat than silence. ­­—Sitara Sriram, Perla Luna, Alexandra Milkey SENIOR WRITERS, STAFF WRITER

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March 31, 2015

NEWS

As the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II approaches in May, The Talon would like to honor all the lives that the war impacted, especially those in Los Altos who are still living today.

I

n the small, quiet town of Los Altos, World War II (WWII) impacted many. The town’s newspaper honored 241 men from Los Altos who fought in the war, but the Los Altos History Museum estimates the real number was closer to 400. Soldiers paraded through downtown, and Los Altans went to work in the nearby Hendy engine factory in Sunnyvale. The war effort was never far; an article in the town newspaper documented an incident of an ammunition shell from a nearby army training field falling through the roof of a house on Second Street, while the beginning of a stamp and bond campaign in Los Altos made headlines.

In 1949, Los Altos saw 10 percent of its population relocated to Japanese internment camps at various places inland. Many of these Japanese-American families had been living in Los Altos for multiple generations and owned small businesses in town, like the Furui-

chi’s nursery, which is still owned and operated by the family today. When the order to relocate was declared, the Japanese American families in Los Altos diverged to follow different paths until the end of the war, but most eventually returned to their hometown.

“From the oral histories that I’ve read, none of the Japanese American Los Altans said any negative things about coming back, but that’s not unusual for people to choose to talk about only the good things,” Los Altos History Museum collections specialist Kristin Morris said.

“There were activists in the community, like the Duvaneks’, who were staunch Quakers and extremely active and literally tried to close down the camps entirely. From that standpoint, Los Altos was probably more open and accepting and tolerant and in fact, activist, on behalf of their Japanese-American citizens then some other communities.

[However], it’s very hard for a commu-

AL GALDERIDGE, 89 “At Guam, I watched a big truck come by with a whole load of dead Marines ...

PHOTOS BY CARL FAUST That was a really sad sight for me to witness.

Then there were the Japanese. I walked up a jungle trail looking for souvenirs and I walked up this path and there was a stretcher with a Japanese that was dead. Two guys [had been] carrying him, they were both dead. So I continued on the path and right beyond this cliff they had

this pile of 500 of [Japanese soldiers] piled up. They were going to pour gasoline from the cliff and cremate them, but before they had a chance to do that, we killed them all ... That was something else to see. [We] buried them with a bulldozer, dug a light trench, put a little stick, 500 buried here, 1700 buried there. That war was terrible because you hear them fighting all night long, bullets flying, and we go in and we’re firing away ... But this is how we have our freedom over here. We have to fight for it. Otherwise, we’d be speaking German and Japanese.”

RON FREDLUND, 95 “Here we are getting out of college, and everything’s war ...

I was glad I could get into the finance 8 | The Talon

department because I had majored in accounting in college, and I was able to do something I had some capability in. The war was progressing and we joined a group called the 509th Composite Group, which was a special group for this special mission. We didn’t know what it was but it turned out to be the

nity to admit that it was racist.”

Despite the social and physical wounds the war caused, Los Altos eventually rebounded to become one of Silicon Valley’s most vibrant places for innovation and technology. Many women, men and children of all different backgrounds were part of the war effort; in the following spread, The Talon focuses on those who served in this immense and impactful war 70 years ago. The following quotes are from PHOTOS COURTESY THE extensive interviews with LOS ALTOS HISTORY MUSEUM Los Altos veterans about Above: Los Altos Japatheir time during the war. nese-Americans board a train For full features visit

lahstalon.org

to the internment camps in 1942. Background: Soldiers parade down Main Street.

FRED WELLMERLING, 95 “I was the only boy in a family of three kids. I had two sisters. I was the middle child. And when it came time for me to make up mind, if I was going to make up my mind [to enlist].

If you didn’t, you were going to be drafted, meaning you’d wind up being in the army, and you’d follow what they wanted you to do. I went to the Navy because I prefer not to dig trenches and all that stuff. So I

enlisted. I was born and raised in Iowa, and my orders read, ‘Proceed without delay to San Diego.’ And I went into training there and had immediately decided I wanted to be in communications. That’s how I wound up on aircraft carriers, being involved visual communications. There were times when it was pretty hairy and pretty scary, and there were times when it was pretty quiet and pretty boring. And when we were in training, often back towards Hawaii area, we would practice what we would have to do so we could be effective when we wound up being in combat. We’d work together and do our job to destroy the enemy.”

atomic bomb mission. It was very secret. We just heard that you don’t talk, you don’t ask questions and you just do your job. In the meantime, though, you knew that something important was in the works ... We’ll never know what might have happened had we invaded [Japan], but it would have been a tremendous loss of life on both sides.

People complain that we didn’t need to

drop the atom bombs, that Japan was ready to surrender. Well, subsequent history shows that they were ready to fight ... so I think most of us feel that it was the right decision.” ­­—Katherine Yen, Maya Varghese, Emily Terada FEATURES EDITOR, COPY/CONTENT EDITOR, STAFF WRITER

March 31, 2015

ter-point “guessing” penalty. In the Writing and Critical Reading sections, the essay is optional, sentence completion questions are eliminated and vocabulary will adhere more to everyday language.

Questions will be more eviurrent sophomores across the nation are in for the dence-based and will require deeplargest development in er synthesis of the material. The college admissions testing since math section is condensed into a smaller range 2005; they will of deeper, apbe the first high plication-based school students questions covto take the re- Both College Board and ering data designed SAT ACT Inc. want to make analysis, trignext year. These students will money; they want people onometry and algebra, instead have the option taking their test ... so of surface-level of taking the old they change the test, content from a SAT, the new wide range of SAT, or both they make it more relemathematics; and can send vant.

—The Princeton Review Executive a “no calculascores to coltor” section will leges from either Director Sarah Hauser also debut. The version of the College Board, test. After 2016, only the redesigned SAT will be which created the SAT, states that the modifications are more aligned available to students.

The redesigned SAT is based out with school curriculum.

The SAT has long been criticized of a 1600­- instead of 2400-point system, and eliminates the quar- for being overly strategy-based and

Taking the Redesigned SAT

C

not a real measure of what students learn in school. The last time College Board modified the test, it added a timed essay portion with a new writing section. Despite the benefits that College Board describes in the redesigned test, critics speculate that the new, upcoming SAT is too similar to the ACT and is changing for business reasons.

“In 2012, for the first time ever, the ACT had more test-takers than the SAT,” The Princeton Review executive director Sarah Hauser said. “Both [College Board and ACT Inc.] want to make money; they want people taking their test. So, they change the test, they make it more relevant with what students are learning in school. This is a free-market country; when you lose market share, your product typically changes to try and get it back.”

Pieces of the ACT that can be recognized in the redesigned SAT include the optional essay, more advanced math questions, straightforward English questions and no guessing penalty. The redesigned SAT does not have a science section, which is part of the ACT. Despite the business motivation behind instituting changes, College Board’s larger goal for redesigning SAT is to focus on curriculum standards. However, the most important factor for students still lies in deciding which test better suits their abilities and education.

NEWS

How to Prep

S

tudents can access sample questions and information about the new SAT online. At our school, students can borrow new SAT preparation books from the College and Career Center (CCC) or purchase them from major test preparation companies.

For additional preparation, tutors are available at the school’s tutorial center or the CCC. Students can also sign up for “boot camp” courses at major test preparation companies.

In order to determine whether the new or old SAT or the ACT best displays a student’s strengths, CCC coordinator Dawn Allen recommends students to take the Princeton Review Assessment, which is offered at our school and costs $15.

“If you come out on that test fairly even in your scores, then I’d recommend taking a full mock ACT and a full mock SAT to compare those scores,” Allen said. “It’s worth determining which test you’re stronger in because schools accept each test equally.” ­­—Claire Bai, Jessica King STAFF WRITERS

VANESSA MARK

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March 31, 2015

egetarians refrain V from eating certain animal-based foods, such

as meat, fish and poultry. This might sound near impossible: no bacon, no ham sandwiches, no steak dinners and no hot dogs, among other foods. Meat, the traditional American staple, is prohibited in the vegetarian diet. That’s probably why only 5 percent of Americans are vegetarian.

However, the benefits of following this diet extend far

“

VEGETARIANISM

beyond personal health. As an added bonus, vegetarian diets save water. It takes 45 times as much water to produce one pound of beef as it does to produce one pound of rice. And if people across the globe became vegetarian, it could eliminate world hunger. It takes nearly 13 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat, which means that we could feed many more people if we were to eliminate meat from our diets.

“

The thing I liked best about being vegetarian was that I had control over what I ate and that made me feel better … I would like to tell people to try the diet out because it’s something that not many people do, but [it’s definitely worth trying] because the food is really good.”

— junior Jisel Rivera

VEGANISM

I was a vegetarian for three years before [I became vegan], so I actually didn’t find it hard at all ... It’s just not sustainable to have meat and dairy three times a day … Raising red meat takes a lot of energy … 70 percent of the grain that’s produced in the U.S. goes to feeding cows that we’re going to kill for meat, so I think that’s the biggest thing for me: sustainability.”

— senior Mehr Singh

12%

kno of s veg w the dtudents eter iani ifferencdon’t sm a e b nd v etwe ega en nism

he vegan diet requires T the elimination of all animal-based foods. In

of students would consider going vegan

31%

16%

of students would consider going vegetarian

Ol Sta ivia J ff W err rite am r, B & Le usi ne onar ss M do an Wa ag i er

ARTS

addition to the restrictions of a vegetarian diet, dairy and eggs are also out of the picture. There goes ice cream. Only 2 percent of the U.S. population claim to be vegan—after all, who really wants to give up ice cream? While avoiding veganism might benefit your taste buds, following a vegan diet comes with a slew of health benefits that help you conserve your lifespan. Going vegan decreases the risk of obesity, lowers blood pressure and allows for a higher intake of antioxidants, which help

DI STY

on ca

The Talon cond prehensive s different eat students on This is w discov

keep your body clean and healthy. Besides this, many of the commonly believed challenges of this diet are actually much easier to manage than you might think. Ensuring your body receives an adequate amount of nutrients is in fact not even a concern for many vegans. However, if it is for you, protein and vitamin supplements are easily obtained. Another concern is finding vegan meals at restaurants, but there are hundreds of restaurants in the Bay Area alone that offer vegan options on their menus or even serve exclusively vegan meals.

10 | The Talon ALL STUDENT POLLS CONDUCTED BY THE TALON. 194 STUDENTS OF ALL GRADES & CLASSES PARTICIPATED IN THIS POLL

March 31, 2015

luten-free diets are G devoid of grains, which also include wheat

GLUTEN-FREE

and other ingredients containing the gluten protein.

Unfortunately, many of these ingredients are found in the delicious pastries and desserts that we love. About 1 percent of the U.S. population has celiac disease, which causes inflammation in the small intestine due to gluten consumption. These people don’t have much of a choice in deciding whether or not they follow a gluten-free diet. Yet, in recent years, nearly 30 percent of adult

IET YLES

ampus

ducted a comhe study on the paleo diet ting habits of has gained n campus. popularity as a dietary trend. what we Initially popular vered. in the mid-1970s,

T

the diet entails only consuming foods that early humans would have eaten during the Paleolithic Era, which ended 2.6 million years ago. These early humans hunted and gathered their food in the wilderness. Their diets consisted of the modern equivalent of grass-fed meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

In 2013, historian Hamilton Stapell conducted a poll and reported that about 1 percent of the national population limit their diets to

3%

Americans freely chose to cut back on gluten simply in order to improve their health. There are some who argue the diet is overrated in terms of its health benefits, and while it’s true that the benefits are limited, there are enough to make the diet worth trying. By removing gluten from your diet, you lessen the consumption of processed foods, which are filled with artificial flavors and chemicals. A recent surge in gluten-free products has made following this strict diet easier than ever. Seriously, who could say no to trying it out when (flourless) chocolate cake is still on the table?

“

ARTS

Following a gluten-free diet is definitely difficult at first. It takes discipline to get started, and you have to look at what you can eat rather than what you can’t eat. But it definitely pays off, and I would dare people to test it out and actually realize the impact of this diet for themselves.”

% 4

— junior Rebecca Bettinger

of st u prac dents ti glut en-f ce a ree diet

PALEO

these nutrient-dense foods.

The paleo diet is on the rise, as many more start to realize its unique benefits.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reports that the paleo diet strengthens the immune system and the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology reports that it eliminates common allergens from meals. However outside of the scientific community, few even know what a paleo diet is, let alone understand its benefits. Even those who know about the diet are hesitant to actually try it; after all, there’d be no more potato chips, no more sodas, no more PB&J. In spite of these restrictions, this diet still has a small but dedicated fanbase among the LAHS community.

of students follow a paleo diet

of students don’t know what a paleo diet entails

“

One of the main reasons why I have stuck with this diet is because of how I feel eating ‘clean.’ I have way fewer headaches and stomach aches on a day-to-day basis, [and also have] a stronger immune system. So why not give [Paleo] a try?”

— sophomore Skyler Maeso

ALL OUTSIDE STATISTICS TAKEN FROM GALLUP.COM, PETA.COM, NPR.ORG, CELIACCENTRAL.ORG, KQED.ORG, LINGGREENMAG.COM, PALEODIETEVOLVED.COM

The Talon | 11 BACKGROUND PHOTO BY GINA KERMODE

SNL40

ARTS

TheHistory In 1975, 30-year-old Lorne Michaels was hired by NBC to create a Saturday night TV show. Unbeknownst to the executives, Michaels would return with a genius concept that would introduce a slew of Hollywood icons to center stage, write some of the best comedy on television and go down in the history of entertainment.

Forty years later, Saturday Night Live, or SNL, has maintained its stature as an emblem of comedic greatness and has established itself as one of

BestSkits

the best-known programs of all time.

Quickly developing as a generator of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, the show was catapulted to prominence as the live show that brings laughs, controversy and great writing to the American public from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. each Saturday. It has been branded on TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time” as number 10 on the list.

As expected, SNL rang in its 40th anniversary with a bang on Sunday, February 15 of this year, hosted by an

ensemble of celebrities and cast members from the past and current seasons.

It was a huge deal, and not a star in Hollywood wanted to be left out of the event. Striking the perfect balance between reminiscing and laugh-out-loud moments, the anniversary brought back classic skits and reintroduced audiences to the cast members they had missed. The program was a mix of skits, monologues and “Weekend Update” interviews brought to the viewers by celebrities and cast members alike.

1976 Blues Brothers

­­— Hanna Khosravi

STAFF WRITER

At Olympia Cafe, again starring Aykroyd and Belushi, cheeseburgers are famously pronounced “Cheezborger” and an order of Coke is met with the blunt remark “No Coke! Pepsi!”

2003 Mom Jeans

1988 Wayne’s World

A “commercial” starring past cast members Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph, sporting the infamously ill-fitting attire of “Mom jeans” in their day-to-day lives, making for the hilarious quote: “I’m not a woman anymore. I’m a mom.”

Fantastically portrayed by Bill Hader, Stefon is the Weekend Update’s New York City correspondent, putting forward peculiar suggestions and using bizarre hand gestures that indicate his constant unease.

The star-studded event, packed with the movie and music industries’ brightest starlets, reminded the 23.1 million viewers why they have loved the show for the past 40 years. In fact, according to the Huffington Post, it was NBC’s most-viewed event since 2006, and earned SNL its highest rating in 14 months.

1978 Olympia Cafe

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi at their best as a blues band. This sketch gave way to a Hollywood film and is one of the many reasons that Belushi has been dubbed the best SNL cast member of all time.

2008 Stefon

March 31, 2015

“Wayne’s World” made stars out of Mike Meyers of the “Austin Powers” films and Dana Carvey. The skit spawned two spin-off films, with a catch-phrase of “Wayne’s World! Wayne’s World! Party time!

Excellent!”

2008 Parodies with Sarah Palin Some of the most prominent political skits that the show has ever aired were with Tina Fey starring as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler alongside her as Hillary Clinton and Katie Couric. The much talked-about skits made waves across the nation and even served as a huge influence on Palin’s viewers, becoming a highlight of the 2008 presidential race.

2014 Swiftamine A mock advertisement for a new drug that could help curb vertigo brought on by people’s realization that they love Taylor Swift. This spoof, satirizing the fact that Taylor Swift’s hit of “Shake It Off” attracted a new fan base and appealed to the public with major and unexpected popularity, was an immediate success.

12 | The Talon

Arts

March 31, 2015

TELEVISION

WHO IS

T FLICKR USER DISNEY | ABC TELEVISION GROUP

GREAT QUOTES from ShondaLand

“ ” “ ”

(Rhimes’ Production Company)

Some men aren’t meant to be happy.

They’re meant to be great.

Cyrus Beene “Scandal”

“Oh, screw beautiful.

I’m brilliant. If you want to appease me, compliment my brain.

Christina Yang “Grey’s Anatomy”

he March 5 episode of screenwriter Shonda Rhimes’ political drama, “Scandal,” had the Twittersphere buzzing throughout its premiere.

Fans and celebrities alike weighed in on the episode, with “Selma” director Ava Duvernay even applauding Rhimes for her efforts to put out an episode aiming to start conversations on race.

The episode entitled “The Lawn Chair,” which mirrored the events in Ferguson, Missouri, saw political fixer Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) sent to defuse tensions in a fictional town where a cop shot down an African-American teenager for pulling out what he thought was a knife.

“An episode like this isn’t easy,” Duvernay said in a tweet. “Isn’t easy to write. Isn’t easy to direct. Isn’t easy to get on air. I appreciate the effort.”

Dominating the trending hashtags on Twitter on Thursday night and putting out risky content is a frequent phenomenon for Shonda Rhimes.

It’s on Thursdays that her three current projects—“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How To Get Away With Murder”—air back to back on ABC. That fact that the network would grant Rhimes her own prime time block, nicknamed “Thank God It’s Thursday” (TGIT), is a testament to the power and impact Shonda Rhimes has had on the entertainment industry since 1998.

But before she became the entertainment powerhouse that she is today, she was just a young screenwriter trying to break into the industry.

During her early Hollywood career, Rhimes worked on a variety of small projects, including the Britney Spears 2001 movie flop “Crossroads.”

However, the failure of “Crossroads” didn’t keep Rhimes down for long.

Her next job was writing the script for “The Princess Diaries 2” starring

?

Hollywood’s power-woman is trailblazing a new generation of television, one hit show at a time.

Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews.

Although the movie didn’t earn as much as its predecessor, it has since become a teen movie classic, proving that Shonda Rhimes knows how to reach a wide range of audiences.

It was around that time that Rhimes pitched her first pilot, a drama about a young female war correspondent, to ABC. The pilot was ultimately turned down by ABC, but the network asked her and her production company, ShondaLand, to write a different pilot for them. Rhimes set to work on what would later become “Grey’s Anatomy,” the series following the surgeons of Seattle Grace Hospital.

The efforts Rhimes has made to ground her shows in reality have made her stand out as a showrunner and as a writer. And there’s still more to come.

Rhimes had two goals with the creation of “Grey’s Anatomy”: make a radically diverse show and make one she would want to watch herself. These goals, as it would turn out, would be a staple of ShondaLand dramas.

“For me, ‘Grey’s’ was about me making a statement,” Rhimes said in a 2012 interview with CNN. “I was making a television show that I wanted to watch and part of that was putting people of all colors in it so that you saw people like you on television.”

Besides winning industry awards for her shows, Rhimes has been recognized for her portrayals of women and diversity. Additionally, she has consistently pushed the envelope on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender content. From having a groundbreaking storyline surrounding the coming-out of a “Grey’s Anatomy” character to recent “racy” scenes in-

volving two gay men on “Murder,” Rhimes has been an advocate of representation.

“She knows the power of reflection and wields that power with grace and generosity,” Kerry Washington said in an interview with Time magazine.

“Shonda allows for more people than ever before to see themselves and feel as though the world sees them too.”

While some may criticize her “chick-flick” writing or “shallow” portrayal of diversity, there is no doubt that Rhimes has made a name for herself in television. It’s a willingness to take risks that has lead her to being the most successful woman and African-American showrunner on a major network.

In “The Lawn Chair” episode of “Scandal,” for example, Rhimes did something not many writers would by touching on a topic as debated as Ferguson. Furthermore, her signature twists only up the ante. At the end of the episode, Olivia went against her assignment and brought down the cop responsible.

“We had a great deal of debate about this ending,” Rhimes tweeted.

“Whether to be hopeful or not. It was really hard. In the end, we went with showing what fulfilling the dream [of getting justice] should do.”

Fulfilling the dream Shonda Rhimes is. Her shows satisfy the need for escapism and the drama and romance that come with it.

But the efforts Rhimes has made to ground her shows in reality, whether through diverse casting or mirroring real life events, have made her stand out as a showrunner and as a writer. And there’s still more to come. Life at Seattle Grace goes on, the scandals are endless and the mysteries of murder continue. And viewers love every second of it. ­­— Perla Luna SENIOR WRITER

The Talon | 13 FIRE: WIKIMEDIA USER SE5 FORUM FOR CAMBERWELL

March 31, 2015

I

’ve spent my entire life trying to look like the girls in the magazines and in the movies and on TV, but it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve gotten close to achieving that goal. I didn’t magically lose weight; instead, the media I was consuming began to venture the idea that beautiful women come in all shapes and sizes—something that wasn’t being acknowledged within my school and community.

It’s becoming increasingly common to see plus-size models in popular media and major ad campaigns because models like Ashley Graham, Robyn Lawley and Tess Holliday have signed to major modeling agencies. Each of these women is an inspiration in her own right: Graham, size 16, is the first plus-size model to be in a Sports Illustrated advertisement. Lawley, size 12, is the first plussize model to sign with Ralph Lauren in a major campaign and is also the first to be featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Holliday, size 22, is the largest plus-size model to be signed to a major agency, MiLK’s Curves division.

As a plus-size girl, these women empower me because they show that plus-size women do fit into society’s idea of beauty. Plus-size representation in the media reinforces the idea that being plus-sized isn’t something to be ashamed of. My size is something that I’ve learned to love, and the recent

14 | The Talon

GINA KERMODE

surge in plus-size models in the industry is refreshing in our body-conscious society. Though the media is becoming more progressive on this topic, the fight for representation is not over.

In my experience, the staff and administration at Los Altos High have shown more lenience, consciously or not, about dress code policies to students who did not fall into the category of plus-size.

“I always bring up the issue of dress coding fairly whenever admin and staff talk about this topic,” Assistant Principal Perla Pasallo said. “We have to look at everybody’s size. We have to apply it across the board, and I constantly remind staff. I don’t give them a chance to forget.”

While the administration’s efforts to dress code consistently are comforting, on multiple occasions this did not seem to be the reality. I’ve been dress-coded when my shorts were far less revealing than those of my thinner or more conventionally attractive peers—yet I was the only one who was told to change my clothes.

I spent years ashamed of my thighs because I heard the awful things that people said about them and the names they had for me. Yet, when I finally found the courage to love and embrace them, I was told to cover them up. When it seems as if a greater frequency of plus-size girls are reprimanded for their attire, it sends the message that the problem isn’t the clothing, it’s the girl. It’s my hope that someday we won’t need dress

codes at all, but until that day, we at least need to make more effort in enforcing the code fairly and evenly.

The 21st century is a time for change and progress. The idea that models can only come in one cookie-cutter image is inappropriate for an era that has progressed in racial, gender and LGBTQ+ issues (admittedly, we still have a long way to go on all fronts). An active conversation on body positivity and acceptance is long overdue in our community. As a society, we need to work together to make everyone feel beautiful. I hope we can see a world where people love their bodies and are proud of them without feeling ashamed of their size.

These plus-sized models are not only changing the modeling industry but also inspiring the public to understand beauty in an entirely different light. By giving plus-size women a chance to rock what they’ve got on a world stage, we’re showing plussize women, girls and even men everywhere that they should embrace their bodies as a beautiful part of their identities. I’ve spent my entire life trying to look like the girl in the magazine, and we’re getting closer to a point where I will.

­­—Gina Kermode

PHOTOGRAPHER

+ BODY POSITIVITY

ARTS

March 31, 2015

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“The purpose of the California public school system is to provide for the academic development of each pupil and prepare [them] to become a lifelong learner, equipped to live and succeed within ...the 21st century.�

(CA Education Code 52050.5)

What you need to know about public education The Talon | 15 CARL FAUST

March 31, 2015

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O

The Tenure Debates The Battle Over Teachers’ Job Security

ne of the most common topics assigned for persuasive essays, school debates and classroom discussions is the issue of teacher tenure. It is one of the most contentious topics in education, and all students, no matter where they come from, can relate to it.

Teacher tenure provides job security for teachers who have successfully completed a probationary period.

Teachers are evaluated based on student feedback, feedback from other teachers and observations from the administration to determine whether or not they are a good permanent fit for the school.

After this period, if the teachers are deemed to be a good fit, they are guaranteed a teaching position at that school unless they are deemed incompetent to teach. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including a physical or mental condition that prevents teachers from working with students or for unprofessional conduct.

“I think a lot of students will say ... this teacher is so bad they don’t deserve tenure, they [deserve to be] fired,” senior Ben Gardner-Gill said. “I have heard that so much. I hate [a certain] teacher, and this is why I don’t like tenure; it prevents this person from being fired. That’s not how it works.”

In the Vergara v. California ruling passed in June of 2014, a Los Angeles court ruled that the the processes outlined in the California Education Code by which teachers receive tenure and are laid off are unconstitutional. That ruling is currently under appeal by the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers, and has brought teacher tenure to the forefront of the debates about public school education happening in California.

Despite being one of the most relevant and controversial educational issues of our time, little is known among the student community about the nuances of the arguments on both sides of the debate. Below, The Talon takes a look at some of the issues surrounding the teacher tenure debate in California public schools and explores the viewpoints of both sides on some of the major points in question.

P

roponents of tenure argue that people overestimate the number of teachers who are actually underperforming. Also, they believe that the methods used to determine which teachers are underperforming are sometimes biased.

Often, analyzing the standardized test scores of the students in teachers’ classes is used as a way to determine whether or not teachers are performing well. However, supporters of tenure argue that test scores are far too dependent on the types of students teachers teach.

For example, if there are two new teachers at the same school, one who teaches AP Biology and one who teaches English language learners, the teacher of AP Biology will likely see higher test scores among his or her students for reasons that have little to do with that teacher’s teaching ability. Socioeconomic factors can also play

O

n the flip side, perhaps the most common argument against teacher tenure is that it allows supposedly underperforming teachers to stay in the classroom because the dismissal process to remove a teacher with tenure is often costly and long.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school district in California, and receives a large amount of attention when it comes to issues such as tenure. During the Vergara v.

California trial, the superintendent of the Los Altos Unified School District testified that the district spends excess of $250,000 to $450,000 for each performance-based dismissal. Jason Song of the LA

a huge role in how students score on standardized tests and exams.

“The majority of the variation in test scores is attributable to factors outside of the teacher’s control such as student and family background, poverty, curriculum and unmeasured influences,” a report from the Ameri-

can Statistical Association said.

Additionally, those in favor of tenure believe that it offers protection for teachers who may at

Underperforming Teachers Times analyzed this problem in an article titled “Firing tenured

teachers can be a costly and torturous task.”

“Building a case for dismissal is so time-consuming, costly and draining for principals and administrators that many say they don’t make the

first seem underperforming, but in reality are just responsibly promoting ideas outside of the mainstream.

“If I want to go into my classroom and have a discussion on race and white privilege because I feel like this issue is an important issue for us to discuss and read about, and I am doing it responsibly, I want to make sure that my job isn’t at risk,” school librarian Gordon Jack said. “Tenure is an important component of preserving intellectual freedom.”

Just 0.0008 percent of California’s teachers are dismissed for “unsatisfactory performance” each year.

effort except in the most egregious cases,” Song said.

“Although districts generally press ahead with only the strongest cases … in 80 percent of the dismissals that were upheld, classroom performance was not even a factor.”

The majority [of] teachers that I know don’t need tenure because they are passionate educators and they are always trying to do better.”

— school librarian Gordon Jack *ACCORDING TO STUDENTS MATTER CASE FILES

16 | The Talon

March 31, 2015

P

roponents of tenure argue that tenure is a viable reward system for teachers—the possibility that they may be given job security after only a brief time on the job motivates many qualified people to become teachers, despite the low wages typically associated with teaching. This is important in a profession that has seen a startling decrease in the number of people willing to be teachers.

According to a report by the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing, teacher preparation program enrollment dropped from around 42,000 to a little under 20,000 people between 2008 and 2013.

The possibility of teacher tenure entices qualified teachers into teaching positions, something that is desperately needed, especially in California. Supporters of tenure feel that once these teachers are granted job protection, they’re just as, if not more, motivated to continue teaching well.

NOY ANISMAN

“In my experience, teachers don’t get tenure, kick up their heels and [say] ‘alright, done working!’” school librarian Gordon Jack said. “It just seems that when there is a teacher in need of [help], tenure always gets blamed for why that teacher is in the classroom and I don’t know if that is fair to

O

pponents of tenure argue that it cannot be seen as a viable reward system because it is given much too early, and therefore cannot be viewed as an accurate compensation for years of good work.

In California, teachers are evaluated for tenure in March of their sec-

Tenure as a Reward System

tenure. I think it has more to do with administrators reluctant to begin a process that is long and arduous, and administrators also just not wanting to go through the process of finding a new teacher who may be equally bad or even worse. The majority [of] teachers that I know don’t need tenure because they are passionate educators and they are always trying to do better.”

ond year of teaching, before two full years of data about the teacher’s performance are available. Jack supports many aspects of tenure as a system, but also feels that administrators are forced to make the decision about tenure too early.

“I just think that’s unfair to everyone involved,” Jack said. “It’s unfair to the teacher, who may need an extra year to improve themselves

FOCUS a n d g r o w professionally. It’s unfair to the administrator to make what is essentially a million dollar decision in 18 months. I would advocate as a teacher, as a union member to extend that timeline to three or four years so we can make a better assessment of whether or not that person is a good fit for the school, whether or not that person has made improvements in his or her teaching over the course of the year.”

The short decision period is also disadvantageous to school districts, which may lose out on great teachers.

“You can’t expect someone to become a top-notch [teacher] in two years unless they are truly exceptional when they begin,” senior Ben Gardner-Gill said. “And there are plenty of people who are not exceptional when they begin who can become great teachers. So if you just shunt them from job to job, you lose out.” ­­—Sitara Sriram SENIOR WRITER

DATA FROM EDUCATION COMISSION OF THE STATES AND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, FROM 2013

The Talon | 17

March 31, 2015

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Rights, Rules and Regulations

T

he California Constitution guarantees the fundamental right to a public education. But this guarantee is only the first in a long line of significant constitutional rights that individuals in California have. Several Supreme Court cases have extended many of those constitutional rights to public school students, though while at school, public school students have different rights that are different from the general public. Unlike Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), some Supreme Court cases have decided that other rights are left behind at the school gate.

Most of this is due to a concept known as “in loco parentis,” or a school’s right to act in the place of a student’s parent to keep the school environment safe and non-distracting for others. Most laws and court decisions

A

about student rights fall into two main categories: those that deal with student privacy and those that deal with freedom of speech and expression.

This article specifically talks about cases which concern the rights of public school students, and is not meant to be a comprehensive list of rights but a sampling of some of the most important and controversial ones. Although most of the rights talked about in this article involve national Supreme Court cases, readers should recognize that California has enacted legislation that generally provides its public school students more rights than students in the rest of the nation.

Though plenty of legislation exists in order to protect student rights, some of these laws can be impinged upon if it means creating a “safe and Brief History of Your Rights non-distracting” environment for others. This is something that comes into play with one Tinker v. Des Moines of the two classes of right inStudents do not abandon fractions we will discuss.

1969

all of their rights to freedom of speech and expression in a public school.

New Jersey v. T.L.O

1985

If a school charters clubs, it has to allow clubs from all religious and political ideologies.

West Side Community School v. Mergens 1990

Public school students can be subject to a search if a school employee has a reason to suspect that the student is disrupting school environment.

Vernonia School District v. Acton

1995

A student athlete can be subject to random drug tests without violation of their Fourth Ammendment rights.

18 | The Talon

What Are a Student’s Privacy Rights?

Two Supreme Court cases in particular set the tone for addressing a student’s right to privacy: New Jersey v. T.L.O (1985) and Vernonia School District v. Acton (1995). New Jersey v. T.L.O concerned a student at a New Jersey school who sued when the school searched her backpack because they suspected she had possession of marijuana. According to the student, the search was not authorized and it amounted to a violation of her right against unreasonable search and seizure. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school district, saying that students’ rights can be overridden if the school has reasonable suspicion to think that the student will disrupt school environment. In T.L.O’s case, a teacher had previously caught her with

Maintaining school authority and students’ rights is a balancing act

marijuana, then later decided to search suppressed unless the school has a her again. justifiable reason to believe that a An incident similar to this happened student’s actions would “materialat LAHS in 2006. Then-sophomore ly and substantially interfere” with Cesar Enciso was arrested and made school function. Protests against to take a drug test after a teacher sus- dress codes are widespread; pected he was under the influence of many schools say that they exist marijuana. Enciso passed the drug test; to keep the school environment authorities said that was because the “non-distracting,” an expression drug test wasn’t comprehensive. En- that doesn’t sit well with many ciso later sued for an infraction of his students. According to many, dress right to privacy. The case’s jury sided codes create a double standard bewith the school. tween male and female students.

Consistently, California courts have Another instance of freedom given school administrations a lot of of expression comes with a stujurisdiction with regards to student dent’s ability to express their searches. That being said, it is safe for religion while at school. There a student to assume have been court that, while their cases concerned belongings are not with the religious entirely free rein for activity in public schools to search, Readers should recschools, such as they should not ognize that California Santa Fe Indeassume that their has enacted legislapendent School privacy is absolute, District v. Jane tion that generally particularly with reDoe, a case that gards to items that provides its public found school-led could be considered school students more prayers before dangerous or disrup- rights than students basketball games tive. unconstitutional.

Vernonia School in the rest of the Yet religious and District v. Acton nation. political activity concerned a high cannot be forbidschool athlete who den outright from protested the Vernonia school district’s taking place on the gounds of mandatory drug testing. The student American public schools. In the claimed that the random testing was court case West Side Community a violation of his right against unrea- School v. Mergens, the Supreme sonable search and seizure. The court Court ruled that if a school alruled in favor of the district, saying that lows clubs to be chartered, they during school hours, public schools have to allow clubs of all relihave greater control over their stu- gions and political ideologies. dents, something that depends largely When a school has governon how the school sees fit to deal with ment-given permission to ban an a situation. activity, it is usually because the activity has been deemed to be creatA student athlete be What About Freedom of ingcan an tests environment that is “unsafe subject to random drug and for the majority of Speech? without violation ofdistracting” their Fourth Ammendment rights. Such is the basis for the students.

The freedom of speech and many of the restrictions that stuexpression is the right that has dents have at a public school; in garnered perhaps the most atten- the eyes of the government, they’re tion. Tinker v. Des Moines was a meant to protect the students and landmark case in deciding what the environment that they learn in. rights students have at school; the ­­—Alexandra Milkey court decided that students’ right STAFF WRITER to freedom of speech cannot be

March 31, 2015

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Charter School Disputes in the Los Altos School District

C

harter schools have been in- by using unconventional educational creasing in number through- methods. out the United States over the last Proponents of charter schools say that two decades. They are unique in they allow for competition and innovathat they receive public funding but tion. They assert that the freedom to exfunction completely separately from periment with new teaching methods lets their school districts. According to parents choose the best schools, encourthe U.S. Department of Education, aging better educational methods. the charter school system has grown Indeed, studies generally back up the in enrollment by a factor of six since conclusion that charter schools have 1999. A charter school is operated improved results. A study conducted by a private organization, but gov- by Stanford University looked at 41 erned by a document known as a urban areas and found that, on balcharter. In return for meeting certain ance, charter schools have significantly targets and improved learnaccountabiling outcomes in ity require- Charter schools receive both reading and ments, charmath compared ters schools public funding but functo traditional are exempt tion completely separately public schools in from many from their school districts. the region. legal requireH o w e v e r, ments; in According to the U.S. Decharters also Califor nia partment of Education, they have their costs, and many have grown in enrollment by helping only a other states, subset of stuthis includes a factor of six since 1999. dents and pothe requiretentially draining ment to allow teachers to unionize. funds needed for the rest.

According to the Department of Some assert that charter schools Education, the charters are subject admit students selectively, using into renewal every three to five years. terviews, tests or referrals to screen Charter schools were first legal- out students who could drag down ized in the 1990s; Minnesota was the standardized test scores. For instance, first state to allow them, followed by a study conducted by Arizona State California in 1992. They are most University found that charter schools common in large cities, where char- contribute to racial segregation. ter schools aim to improve on low “Our findings suggest that charters educational outcomes from district currently isolate students by race and schools in underserved urban areas class,” the study said. “This analysis of

recent data finds that charter schools are more racially isolated than traditional public schools in virtually every state and large metropolitan area in the nation.”

In addition, the cost of supporting charter schools is a major financial drain on some districts. In Philadelphia, for example, the credit agency Moody’s found that charter schools are straining the district’s finances.

Funding over 80 charter schools costs the district more than 20 percent of its budget, and has begun to force the closure of district schools to pay for the charters.

The Los Altos community has had its own controversy over charter schools, centered on Bullis Charter School. Bullis is a part of the Los Altos School District (LASD), situated on the Egan Junior High and Blach Intermediate School campuses.

Bullis was founded 10 years ago, when parents reacted to the closing of Bullis-Purissima elementary school in Los Altos Hills by seeking to found a charter school in its place.

Since its founding, Bullis has been rocked by controversy. On one side, proponents emphasize its innovative teaching methods and programs including Individual Learning Plans, foreign language offerings and a unit known as the Fabrication Laboratory, or “Fab Lab,” that allows students to work with design tools.

On the other hand, many have alleged that Bullis functions as a private school funded by the district. A

Bloomberg headline about Bullis from 2011 stated that “Taxpayers get Billed for Kids of Millionaires.”

“Bullis is a boutique charter school,” Los Altos education consultant Nancy Gill said in the article.

“It could bring a whole new level of inequality to public education.”

Over the years, proponents and critics of Bullis have repeatedly found themselves in court over its facilities allocation. Proposition 39, passed by California voters in 2000, requires that charter schools have access to facilities that are “reasonably equivalent” to those of other district schools. Charter school advocates frequently argue in court that current facilities do not meet the law’s requirement, while opponents indict Bullis’ model as bad for students and the community.

According to the Los Altos Town Crier, litigation over facilities has dragged on for years, even reaching the California Supreme Court, which in January 2012 ruled for Bullis on one of many claims and counterclaims over the facilities issue. Both sides spent large amounts on legal fees, with Bullis at one point in 2009-2010 spending $1.3 million for a single lawsuit.

The lawsuits became rallying points for school administrators and charter schools statewide, with organizations including the Association of California School Administrators filing amicus curiae briefs in the ongoing suits. Particularly controversial The Talon | 19

March 31, 2015

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and eliminate it completely by 2019.

“Like any agreement, you have to work through some bumps, but I see an opportunity for the charter school and Los Altos School District is the charter school’s geographic bias, to demonstrate that they can work which gives preference to Los Altos Hills together,” LASD Superintendent Jeff Baier said. “I think [the agreestudents in the enrollment process.

For the time being, however, both ment] provides an opportunity to begin to mend a pretty difficult resides have set lationship and aside their disbuild trust.” agreements in With the order to cooperpassage of the ate on issues of I see an opportunity for agreement, both mutual concern. the charter school and sides turned their In July 2014, the Los Altos School District attention to the district and Bullis signed a five-year to demonstrate that they passage of Measure N, a $150 agreement to set- can work together. million school tle all pending lit— LASD Superintendent Jeff Baier bond that they igation and prohope could fund vide a framework the purchase of a new school site. for future cooperation.

A harrowing election saw Measure Under the agreement, Bullis agreed to cap its enrollment at 900 students N within a dozen votes of failing or and remain on two campuses, but its passing throughout the counting proallotted space on those campuses will cess, but it secured a safe margin. With be increased. Bullis also agrees to re- the passage of the bond, the district is duce its geographical bias over time currently scouting to buy a 10th school

site. If the location is feasible, the 10th site could become a permanent location for Bullis Charter School, and provide a more permanent resolution.

“The goal of the [LASD school] board is to get 10 sites for 10 schools,” Baier said. “With the settlement

agreement we have an opportunity to create a more permanent solution to this problem that’s embroiled the community for a decade.” ­­—Spencer Dembner, Anneliese Gallagher STAFF WRITERS

PHOTOS BY CARL FAUST

Portable classrooms at Bullis Charter School’s campus at Egan Junior High School

ZACH COHEN

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March 31, 2015

A Three-W

FEATURES

Individuals

Comm

Above left: A little girl stares at the camera during a 2013 Cops that Care event. Above middle: Volunteers gather during the Thanksgiving season to help Below left: The Mountain View Police Department puts up caution tape in advance of President Barack Obama’s visit to Mountain View on May 9, 2014 second from right: One of the department’s K-9 dogs, Zeus, sits in on a meeting. Below right: Sgt. Saul Jaeger and Public Information Officer Shino Tana

How the Mountain View Police Department is us

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here are few entities that provoke more disparate sentiments than law enforcement and for good reason. Well-publicized incidents of unwarranted use of force and institutionalized racism have contributed to the growing polarization of police and citizen. Negative police-community relations have become a national epidemic born out of a variety of factors, and it affects every community differently. The Mountain View Police Department (MVPD) is reaching into the realm of social media to address this.

The Social Media Conduit

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ight here in our community, the MVPD wants to change that, and is using social media to do so in the spirit of the Silicon Valley.

For the past two to three years, the department has been building up an extensive social media network through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and a department blog, all with the goal of conveying interesting information to the public in a timely fashion and encouraging community dialogue. The woman behind the keyboard is Public Information Officer Shino Tanaka.

Tanaka writes her own content, serving as a kind of reporter within the po-

22 | The Talon

lice department by talking to personnel bers who took just a few minutes out about recent activities and engaging in of their day to pass along the message online discussions with the community. on their profiles or to ask for more She sees this openness primarily as a details. Concerned residents were reway to help bridge the communication lieved when the teen was found, and gap between law enforcement and the Tanaka replied personally to nearly community it serves. every single comment, even respond“Historicaling to those writly, if you look ten in Spanish back on what in Spanish. “It law enforcement took many peohas done … we While we may not see ple and counties don’t do a great eye to eye on everything, to get the word job of talking to so long as you know out, and we appeople,” Tanaka preciate all of said. “The way where we are coming the calls and we go about from and we can articuinfor mation,” talking to them late that to you consisone of Tanaka’s is not the way comments said. that people want tently and clearly, that’s “Hug your little to be spoken to. a huge win for us. ones tightly for [However], it us, and always — Public Information Officer Shino know that we are doesn’t mean Tanaka that we don’t here to help you, care, or that what anytime.” we’re doing isn’t legitimate.”

Even more comprehensive inforThe department’s Facebook page mation is distributed through the is updated several times a day, with MVPD’s personal blog, which is used anything from Amber Alerts to as a platform for sharing public serweather reminders to pictures of the vice announcements, breaking news department’s popular canine, Zeus. and occasional human interest stories The recent disappearance of a local about officers. The constant online 17-year-old prompted a sizeable comcommunicament stream and racked up nearly tion 350 shares by community mem-

creates a level of transparency that has been traditionally absent in the world of law enforcement until recently, and it is one that the MVPD takes pride in maintaining.

In the world of policing, Tanaka sees this push for transparency as a dramatic cultural shift in combating law enforcement’s negative connotation.

“We want to be seen as professional, fair and always with the public’s best interests in mind,” Tanaka said.

“While we may not see eye to eye on everything, so long as you know where we are coming from and [that] we can articulate that to you consistently and clearly, that’s a huge win for us.”

A Divide in Sentiment

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owever, among certain populations, the emphasis on “petty” infractions can contribute to a contentious view of the police when citizens feel that they are targeted for trivial violations.

Junior Andreas Godderis cites being tailgated by an officer for several minutes despite not having made any traffic violations.

“Those were definitely the scariest five minutes of my life, as the officer was just sitting right on [my tail] while I had committed no

March 31, 2015

Way Street

munity

FEATURES

Law Enforcement

PHOTOS COURTESY MOUNTAIN VIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT

p pack food baskets for families in need. Above right: Retired police Chief Scott S.G. Vermeer was named the 2014 Challenge Team “Champion for Youth.”

4. Below second from left: Officers pose with heart-shaped cookies on Valentine’s Day in 2014. Below middle: A traffic cop patrols while on duty. Below aka pose for the camera.

sing social media to change community relations serious crime,” Andreas said. “While it’s legal for him to drive anywhere he wants, the fear that he put me through makes me never want to [go through] that again. I feel like in general, the Mountain View and Los Altos police departments will stop, punish or detain you for small, insignificant reasons. In return, that causes teens to do everything they can to avoid the police and often the way in which they do this is more dangerous to both the teenager and the public.”

Many of these negative feelings toward the police are associated with a natural desire to get somewhere just a bit faster or turn up music at a party just a bit louder; others are rooted in a deeper resentment that stems from historical actions of law enforcement.

“For me, as a black person, you don’t call the police unless it’s a [situation] where it’s something you absolutely have to do,” senior Kiyoshi Taylor said. “When I hear ‘police’ in general, I don’t really think of someone who is there to help someone, but someone who is kind of a nuisance.”

Kiyoshi reports instances of being “tailed” by the MVPD while driving or walking his dog in his own neighborhood, incidents that he believes were the result of racial profiling. He feels that being a

“token” minority in the Mountain rightfully so.”

View-Los Altos community (AfriCompared to places like Ferguson, can-Americans make up just 3 percent Oakland and New York City, police and 0.5 percent of the Mountain View relationships with the community in and Los Altos populations, respective- this area are relatively positive. Howly) makes him a target for a dispropor- ever, the department understands tionate amount that there is more of attention work left to do. from law en“We realize that forcement. we aren’t perfect Still, the de- I don’t feel as if the and that we can partment holds police have been intealways do a better that on the grated into the commujob,” Tanaka said. whole, they feel “[Social media] is that they are nity to the extent that a great tool to keep respected and they claim they are, us in check. You valued by most although I fully support can always rely on community your community members, a sen- their efforts and would to let you know timent support- like to see an eventual when you’re not ed by most of something.” integration of the police doing their day-to-day T h a t t h e force into our local com- MVPD’s depth of interactions.

“Our com- munity. outreach is still a munity likes us,” work in progress is — junior Andreas Godderis a sentiment shared Sgt. Saul Jaeger said. “When we by students as well. drive around, “I haven’t really people wave at us with most of their felt their presence in the community fingers. That doesn’t happen in other other than on the authoritative stage,” places. They hate the cops and some- Andreas said. “I don’t feel as if the t i m e s police have been integrated into the community to the extent that they

claim they are, although I fully support their efforts and would like to see an eventual integration of the police force into our local community.”

Jaeger and Tanaka have described maintaining a safe community as a three-way street, with law enforcement, individuals and the community as a group working together instead of against each other to solve problems.

“Open dialogue, solid communication, common understanding and transparency are the keys to positive community interaction,” Jaeger said.

“Beyond the schools, we also serve the residents, business community and people that come here to ‘play.’ The efforts made to those communities may not be visible to the school community. I highly encourage everyone to check out our social media channels …

[They have] really allowed us to pull the curtain back a little and let people see and meet the officers and staff they normally wouldn’t have access to.” ­­—David Wu, Amelia Baum

WEB MANAGING EDITOR, IN-DEPTH EDITOR This spread continues online. To read more articles, visit lahstalon.org

The Talon | 23

FEATURES

. . . . . .

Cars, Coffee& Donuts (Or Maybe Not) ......

A group of men called the Donut Derelicts chats about cars and the good old times over breakfast at the Main Street Cafe on Saturday morning. The Donut Derelicts are car aficionados who gather every week to discuss their prized cars and old stories.

PHOTOS BY GINA KERMODE

24 | The Talon

Above: A member of the Donut Derelicts shows off his Ford Anglia to passerbys. Above left: A teal 1936 Ford Coupe. Above center: A red 1933 Pierce Arrow.

Above: The back of a tan 1947 Ford Woody. Right: A light blue 1956 Ford Thunderbird.

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March 31, 2015

What Los Altos car aficionados do on Saturday mornings

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very Saturday concept spread. Though tinkering morning around with cars is often regarded as a lone9 a.m., the back ly hobby, the group made it a much of the Main more social event. Car aficionados Street Cafe in across the country started replicating downtown Los the informal group gathering in their Altos fills with an own towns and meeting on Saturday eclectic mix of vintage and classic mornings at their local donut or cofcars: a pale blue 1956 Thunderbird fee shops. convertible, a Ford Woody Wagon, a The Los Altos Donut Derelicts red 1933 Pierce Arrow from the early formed nearly 15 years ago by Gary 1900s and a 1924 Model T Coupe. Anderson when he suggested it to The cars change several car lovevery week, but ers at the anthe people—the nual car festival owners of these Before the show, all my downtown. He c a r s — t h ey ’re buddies from the Donut coordinated always there. with the Main Step inside the Derelicts come over and Street Cafe back door of say, ‘Osgood, you’ve owner to have a the coffee shop table in the back got three rusty bolts up and you’ll find a reserved for the group of about front, you’d better get Donut Derelicts 20 men in their those rusty bolts off!’ every Saturday mid-50s to 80s morning. After

— Dick Osgood seated around breakfast, they a long table, head out to the sipping coffee and swapping stories parking lot where they mill around from the “good old days.” These talking about their cars, often popmen are brought together by their ping hoods and car doors to show mutual love of cars, and they make curious locals who happen to be up the group known as the Donut walking by.

Derelicts.

I decided to play that curious local The original Donut Derelicts first for a few weeks to see what I could started in 1986 when a group of uncover. I made regular visits to the friends with a common interest in cafe on Saturday mornings and often cars began meeting every Saturday spent an hour or two crisscrossing morning for a few hours at a donut the back lot, admiring cars, sitting in shop in Huntington Beach, Southern cars, flipping through historical reCalifornia. When someone came cords of cars, but most importantly, in and asked what their group was collecting stories. Here’s what some called, they realized they didn’t ac- of them had to say: tually have a formal name for their Karl Swartz, 54, says some of his weekly meetings. On the spot, they favorite memories with his Morgan decided to call themselves the Donut +4 are the days he spent in it with Derelicts. Although they no longer his daughter. eat donuts, the name stuck and the “I’ve done a couple of drives

FEATURES

where my daughter was my navi- er with lots of things on our cars.”

And then there are equally hapgator,” Karl says. “She was in first grade and I was afraid the map with py memories these guys and their the instructions was going to blow cars share with strangers.

Rich Lange, 72, and his wife out of the car [while I was driving in a concourse], and I’m like, ‘Wait offer their 1933 red Pierce Arrow a minute, can you read this?’ So she sedan as a sort of limo service for brides on their wedding days. became the navigator.”

“We take brides to the church on His daughter, now age 13, hasn’t been on any other concourse drives occasion,” Rich says. “The brides with him since she was in first grade, in their white dresses look good getbut he and his daughter still enjoy ting out of this car.”

As part of the deal, Rich and driving around in the car together.

One of their favorite outings is to his wife also dress up in 1930s-era drive up to Windy Hill to go hik- clothing they’ve researched and ing, after which they drive to Alice’s bought to match the age and style Restaurant and get milkshakes. In of the car.

Word of their little gig gets fact, they’ve made that trip so often around locally, and friends, friends that they have the route memorized. of friends or Dick Osgood, even strang80, says he also ers ask them really enjoys his to drive their car, a pale blue Obviously, it’s fun bedaughters after Thunderbird, ing part of a couple’s they’ve seen a when he is able picture of the to share it and memory of starting their car online. create memories married life.

“Obviously,

— Rich Lange with others. it’s fun being Dick is part part of a couof the International Thunderbird Club, so he ple’s memory of starting their marregisters his car in the annual na- ried life,” Rich says.

These, of course, are just a few tional conventions where it’s entered into a concourse, analyzed for of the stories that can be discovauthenticity by judges and awarded ered within the group. There are so medals. Before the competition, many more to be told, so if you’re Dick extends an open invitation to walking by the Main Street Cafe all his friends to come over at their on a Saturday morning, stop and leisure and critique his car to help listen to the stories of the Donut Derelicts; they’re just waiting for him prep it for the competition. “[Before the show], people are an eager audience. over all the time,” Dick says. “All my ­­— Olivia Jerram STAFF WRITER buddies from the Donut Derelicts come over and say, ‘Osgood, you’ve To read an exclusive feature got three rusty bolts up in front, on a Donut Derelicts member, visit lahstalon.org you’d better get those rusty bolts off!’ The group here helps each oth-

The Talon | 25

March 31, 2015

FEATURES

From Bulaway there is no e

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While we may not see eye to eye on everything, so long as you know where we are coming from and we can articulate that to you consistently and clearly, that’s a huge win for us.

— Public Information Officer Shino Tanaka

26 || The The Talon Talon 26

n first impression, sent off to boarding school in a Biology and Algebra town far away from where his II teacher Freedom parents lived so he could receive Cheteni’s most strik- the best education possible. It was ing features are his warm smile during Cheteni’s time in boarding and easygoing manner. However, school that he was selected for a Cheteni’s true distinguishing quality prestigious honor at the age of 15; is his deep passion for social justice, he was chosen as a “Nelson Manbrought on by a series of adversities dela Scholar.”

Nelson Mandela Scholars were and unique life experiences.

Cheteni was born in Bulawayo, picked on the basis of academRhodesia. His father belonged to ic achievement and leadership the Shona tribe and his mother potential, with members of parliament and to the South school officials African Taminvolved in il/Zulu Tribe. the decision.

After Rhodewas sia gained its Her entire life, my grand- Cheteni independence mother had been dream- chosen for this honor in part from Britain ing for a day when the because he has and became a deep connecZimbabwe, an people would be free tion to Mandeinter-tribal con- from genocide and war. flict erupted be- So she did name me with la: his mother and Mandela tween the Zulu and the Shona the intention that my life belonged to the same tribe. tribe. Based on would be a contribution As a scholar, orders from the for others to be free.

Cheteni had Zimbabwean president Rob— biology and Algebra II teacher Free- the honor of dom Cheteni meeting Manert Mugabe, dela six times leaders of the and hearing Shona tribe sent guerilla war soldiers to wipe out the Zulu, and him speak once a year on a variit was ultimately no longer safe ety of issues.

“He was an ordinary man with for Cheteni’s mother. While she was fleeing from southern Zimba- such calmness and such a presbwe to northern Zimbabwe with ence, and yet, he was up to realCheteni’s grandmother to escape ly extraordinary things,” Cheteni genocide, she went into early labor said. “There was this mystery with Cheteni. Despite being born about him that every word that he three months premature, he beat spoke created and moved anyone who was in his presence. He spoke the odds and survived.

“The following day [after I was as a call to action. [He believed] born] my grandmother came to it is our responsibility to humanity see me,” Cheteni said. “She held and the world to be ... a platform me and she looked me in the eyes for transformation of the world.”

The lessons Cheteni learned and according to my grandmother, she saw freedom as a possibility. from Mandela inspired in him a And she [told my mother], “His concern for humanity and shaped name is Freedom.” And Freedom his outlook on education and the really is the only English word that world for years to come. my grandmother ever knew. Her entire life, she had been dreaming “You Should Be for a day when the people [would Glad You’re Passing be] free [from genocide and war.] the Class” heteni had his fair share So she did name me with the inof struggle with war and tention that my life would be a contribution for others to be free.” racism while growing up in ZimAs Cheteni grew older, he was babwe and spending a significant

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March 31, 2015

yo to Los Altos, easy walk to Freedom

FEATURES

amount of time in South Africa. passing the class.’”

He remembers that when he was a This conversation shocked Cheteteenager in 1997, his mother tried ni. He fought successfully to get his to buy a piece of land in South Af- grade changed but was left scarred rica, her homeland. This decision by the depth of the racism he saw not was met with outrage. just in the university, but throughout “[The area where we bought parts of the U.S. as well. the property] was a white area,” Cheteni said. “There were threats Parabolas on Rocks of violence and it wasn’t safe even fter attending NMSU, Chete[though it was 1997], after apartni moved to California, where heid. So we had to sell back the he decided to pursue his teaching property, because even though po- credential at California State Univerlitically, yes, South Africa had won sity-Chico. His university was locatthe struggle against apartheid, a ed near a Native American Reservalot of people still struggled with tion, and he decided to open a tribal the whole concept of equality.” school, Ipakanni, that addressed the Eventually, because of growing needs of Native American children. turmoil between Cheteni’s family He wanted to help increase the numand the president of Zimbabwe, it ber of Native American students became unsafe for Cheteni to even graduating from high school. Howremain in the country. He came ever, teaching the Native American to the United States, where he at- children required Cheteni to get cretended Colorado College, a small ative with his curriculum. liberal arts school, and received a “For my math class, we would degree in neuroscience. go down the ancient trails,” CheteAfter Colorado College, Chete- ni said. “We looked at ... the rocks ni attended New Mexico State [and] where you could see how they University curved. They (NMSU) where could make he pursued a parabolas on degree in public I have not seen a school the rocks.” health and comCheteni feels in which its students munity health that it was his education with have such a passion for experiences a specific focus humanity. I consider my growing up in on U.S. border Zimbabwe that health. Here, he role to be that of a guide, allowed him to came face to face where I am able to have connect with with the ugly the students look bethese Native face of instituAmerican chiltionalized racism yond what they know. dren on such for the first time — biology and Algebra II teacher Free- a personal levin the U.S. dom Cheteni el. This is why “I do rememhe was able ber in one parto help five ticular class we took a test in ep- children become the first from the idemiology, and I got a C on that Maidu tribe to graduate high school. test,” Cheteni said. “I noticed that “I do have a very soft heart for the the other students [had gotten] native child because I see a lot of me A’s with the same responses. So I in what the Native American people talked to the professor about it ... have gone through,” Cheteni said. and she [said], ‘Well, don’t wor- “[I noticed] that most Native Ameriry, you still passed the test. I go can children were not willing to go to to Senegal and West Africa every school because they considered that year because I do research on the ‘the white man’s education’ and they Dengue virus, and I take blood didn’t want to be brainwashed. samples from [the African] people So by being there, I was able to there and I pay them with sugar. be that neutral source and say, So you should be glad that you are ‘It’s not how it looks like, here is

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what’s possible.’ There is a need to accept what is, but there is also a need to move forward.”

The school, Ipakanni, continues to flourish. Graduates of the school who are tribal members themselves now teach other young students the curriculum, creating a continuity that allows the school to succeed.

its] students have such a passion for humanity,” Cheteni said. “I consider my role to be that of a guide, where I am able to have the students look beyond what they know.”

Despite growing up in a place so different from our community, Cheteni still finds he is able to connect his love for teaching and children to his past in Zimbabwe, and his experiences with Mandela.

“Nelson ManThe Los dela believed in Altos children, that they High Every single day when are the future,” School Cheteni said.

I wake up, the first Chapter “And he saw posquestion I ask myself is, sibilities of a more f t e r m ov i n g ‘What future am I going peaceful world away from the to create today?’ I see through young tribal school and people. And so, in each of my students teaching at other by working with underprivileged the possibility of a free students, I am schools in the world, a peaceful world, only just touching San Francisco the future. For me, area, Cheteni de- a transformative world, every single day cided to make a a generous world and a when I wake up, rather dramatic world where everyone is the first question move. He came I ask myself is, from teaching at empowered.

‘What future am a poor, inner-city, — biology and Algebra II teacher Free- I going to create largely Filipino dom Cheteni today?’ I see in school, to teacheach of my stuing at Los Altos dents the possibilHigh School because he wanted to ity of a free world, a peaceful world, experience what it is like to teach at a a transformative world, a generous school that has so many resources for world and a world where everyone is its students. He is continually inspired empowered.” by what he sees. ­­—Sitara Sriram SENIOR WRITER “I have not seen a school [in which

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PHOTOS BY ELVIS LI

The Talon | 27

Biology and Algebra II teacher Freedom Cheteni explains a math concept to his Algebra II class.

March 31, 2015

The

Technology behind Sports

SPORTS

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hile athletic ability and have a coach.”

The basketball program is not the hard work are still crucial for success, technology only sport looking for technological imhas come to the forefront of training in provements. The football team is lookits ability to help athletes grow and gain ing forward to possibly adding a drone new skills. This year, both the basket- to its practice arsenal. Drones have ball and football teams are considering become more prevalent in football in bringing expensive technologies onto recent years because of their ability to the court and field in order to boost capture video from unique perspectives.

Ever since the team has started manuplayer performances.

The basketball team hopes to bol- ally recording its games and practices, ster shooting percentages by poten- the players have noticed an immediate tially introducing the Noah Basketball change in their playing style.

“Having a video of us helps us see shooting system, which calculates the arc of a shooter and the distance that our mistakes because we see them the ball goes through the hoop, by set- from a different perspective, rather ting up a camera. The machine gives than when we are in the heat of the moment,” junior constant feedback Edgar Morales said. over a speaker to the Only time will tell shooter for immedithe impact of these ate changes. Using Both the basketball prospective pieces this machine allows of technology on basketball players and football teams the sports teams and to hone their skills are considering how much they will without a coach bringing expensive be able to aid and watching their every improve. However, move. The system is technologies onto as with any kind of based on proof that the court and field in conflicts are there is a certain order to boost player change, prone to arise. Many angle, 45 degrees, athletes, experts and and distance, 13 performances. fans alike argue that inches, necessary to new technologies increase the chances have shaped certain that a shot is made.

Though much of technology sports, such as golf, into an unrepresentoday is cheaper than it used to tative display of an athlete’s actual skill. be, the Noah Basketball shooting Advancements in golf club technology system costs around $5,000. The and ball design allow golfers to hit much team hopes to purchase the system farther and more accurately than they through fundraising and the help of would with less expensive, older equipment. This also allows well funded the athletic boosters.

“The immediate players can get athletes to increase their ability beyond better over a quicker period of time those who spent the time and effort by understanding their shooting mo- getting better but do not have access to tion and be able to adjust that more expense accounts.

No longer is the competition of quickly,” varsity boys basketball head coach Bob McFarlane said. “And they sports focused on pure athleticism, can work on their own and not have to but instead is a constant race for

GRAPHIC BY BONAV DUPRAT AND NOY ANISMAN

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better equipment. With each season, it seems some gadget or piece of equipment creates a new baseline for athletic competition. In other words, if you don’t have the equipment, you are likely to be behind the competition from the start.

From a high school training perspective, there is debate over how fair it is for certain schools to afford and benefit from the newest technologies while others don’t. Funding already has an impact on how a school can perform and depending on this impact we may have to consider the way that teams are divided. Divisions in the future may need to be broken up by funding and access to equipment rather than by size, in order to level the playing field.

Such restructuring at the high school level could also be implemented in colleges across the nation. The University of Oregon, whose football team plays each game in a brand new uniform and trains in the nicest of

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facilities competes against less funded programs. This team also happens to be continually dominant. The questions we are forced to ask are how much does the funding play into the success, what is the level of fairness.

While some claim that recent technological advances have created an unfair playing field, there is no denying the heightened success they bring to athletics and for that reason they are here to stay. The competitive drive behind athletics keeps athletes and sports programs to get their hands on the next thing allowing them to continue to improve. Society also accepts this and has set limits on previous technologies such as growth hormone drugs. Although, technology has yet to make such an impact it will continue influencing sports forcing people to think about how far is too far for technology. For now, this aspect of athletics continues on the rise and Los Altos refuses to be left behind. ­­—Chris Dadok, Jessica King STAFF WRITERS

Sophomore Adam Rosenbaum takes a shot while using the Noah System. The program shows the different arcs, assigning them colors based on the arc and depth of the ball. The system trains players to shoot at the ideal angle of 45 degrees and a depth of 13 inches.

The Talon | 29

March 31, 2015

SPORTS

Badminton Uncovered The best players need to have the stamina of a long-distance runner, the arm strength of a water polo player, the reflexes and hand-eye coordination of a martial artist and the grace of a dancer.

- senior Louis Hinnant

An in-depth look into this season’s badminton team.

PHOTOS BY BRANDON HONG GRAPHIC BY VANESSA MARK

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or those unfamiliar with the sport, the mention of badminton typically evokes images of leisurely (perhaps even clumsy) volleying and unhurried shuffling. It is, to many, a friendly contest played amid the backdrop of a family barbeque or a scenic outing.

Languid as it may seem in popular culture, badminton is the world’s fastest racket sport, with strokes exceeding 200 miles per hour. Anybody who’s taken a step on the court and played in a 30 | The Talon

competitive setting knows that the sport demands of athletes a unique combination of reflexes, stamina, strength and finesse.

“I chose to play badminton over other sports for one reason,” senior Louis Hinnant said. “It is perhaps one of the most comprehensive tests of an athlete’s skill. The best players need to have the stamina of a long-distance runner, the arm strength of a water polo player, the reflexes and hand-eye coordination of a martial artist and the grace of a dancer.”

The best badminton players send shuttlecocks hurtling, perform drops (soft hits that cause the shuttlecock to barely clear the net) and can hit into any corner of the court with impunity, all on a second’s whim.

A recent friendly challenge between Louis, one of the Bay Area’s top players, three of my friends and me yielded newfound respect for the sport and its demands. Each of us played Louis twice to full sets (21 points) for a total of eight sets. We were easily dispatched 168-1, de-

spite each of us having some familiarity with the sport. We never stood a chance. But perhaps it’s part of the miunderstood aspect surrounding badminton culture that we expected for anything else to happen.

“I think that the biggest frustration that I have about badminton is that people are quick to assume that it requires less skill or is less physical than other sports,” Louis said. “Badminton is as hard as any other sport– you need to be both conditioned and sharp to compete.”

March 31, 2015

Equal Parts Physicality and Reflexes

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fter playing a quick set, most will concede that badminton, as a highly technical sport, isn’t easy. But the flits and the flicks of the wrist are just part of the intricate game that calls on one’s athleticism. “[Badminton] requires quick reflexes and reactions,” senior Albert Li said. “As a result, we need to train our legs to be able to change directions quickly, run and constantly change directions for the four miles in the scope of a match.”

Badminton matches can last upward of 45 minutes. These 45 minutes are comprised of bursts of intense rallies that force players to run, lunge and jump. The strength and explosive power required to do so are underpinned as much by aerobic as mental endurance.

“You have to have mental strength and focus to keep good form throughout the match, especially toward the end,” Louis said.

“If your form gets sloppy, you lose the ability to address [an] opponent’s strategy and score.”

A typical practice regimen, therefore, will incorporate core work, muscular endurance, interval and plyometric training, traditional forms of conditioning such as running, and calisthenics and skill-based drills.

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An Overlooked Sport

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hile sports such as baseball, lacrosse, and track and field traditionally take center stage in the discussion of the spring season, few realize that the Bay Area is also a hotbed for badminton. Los Altos alone boasts some of the nation’s top players.

Albert (second in CCS singles last year) and Louis (third in CCS singles for the past two years) both have competitive experience outside of the high school season and have been integral parts of the school team for as long as they’ve played for Los Altos. Albert is currently ranked 18th in the nation in the U19 division and has played for the school team on and off for the past four years. Though Louis stopped playing competitively after entering high school, he too was consistently ranked nationally.

A third senior, Timothy Lam, who is currently ranked sixth in the nation and has chosen to play outside of the school exclusively, took the 2014 U19 Pan American Junior singles title, becoming the first U.S. player to do so in the last 12 years.

With all of this success, it is surprising that badminton is such an overlooked sport and may cause some to reconsider.

The Fire of the De Anza

he success of Louis and senior Albert Li led Los Altos to an undefeated season (120 in the El Camino League) last year for the first time in over four decades.

However, the Eagles are expecting much stiffer competition this year after moving up to the De Anza League, home of powerhouses such as Monta Vista and Lynbrook.

The Eagles enter the season having survived the departure of its senior class, retaining most of its talent going into this year.

The constituents of the team may be the same, but noticeably absent is former head coach Stefaan Lodge, who left his position to spend more time with his family. In his place is former JV coach Arthur Chi, entering his third year of coaching badminton.

The focus of the season, according to Chi, will be on developing the fundamentals of the sport.

“The game plan for the season is

to make everyone’s foundation stronger,” Chi said. “I aim to sharpen everyone’s competitive nature.”

The emphasis on fundamentals has given rise to a heavily skill-based training regimen that incorporates extensive drilling to improve form.

“This year, [Arthur] said that he wanted us to focus more on playing the game itself rather than spend time mostly doing pure conditioning,” junior Alex Tseng said.

Los Altos got an early taste of what the De Anza League has in store in its first two league games against Lynbrook and Gunn, which overpowered the Eagles 22-8 and 25-5, respectively.

“We’re going to have a harder time, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing–we get to experience challenges and use those experiences to become better players,” junior Helena Chi said. ­­—David Wu WEB MANAGING EDITOR

No. 1 Singles

SPORTS

Senior Albert Li I like playing badminton, because it is extremely mentally engaging [and it also] helps me be fit in general.

18TH IN THE NATION FOR U19

Freshman Alyssa Sun My favorite thing about the sport is that it’s rewarding to be able to win against good people and to learn lessons of perseverance.

No. 1 Doubles Junior Alex Tseng Sophomore Martin Mitchel

My favorite part about playing doubles with Alex is that we feed off of each other’s positive energy, when one of us starts to do well, we both play on a higher level.

— Martin Mitchel

Juniors Helena Chi, Stephanie Lee I really enjoy playing matches with her because we developed a good sense of communication ... she finds out why we win and that’s very helpful in terms of becoming better players.

— Helena Chi

No. 1 Mixed Doubles Senior Brandon Hong Junior Yuna Park

My favorite part about playing doubles is that you feel more confident on the court because you have a partner that you can trust.

— Yuna Park The Talon | 31

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