Issue 10 of 2008-2009 Mt. Carmel SUN

www.mcsun.org INSIDE

MT. CARMEL

TEENS AND MONEY

SUN

OPINIONS: SHOULD STUDENTS HAVE TO PAY TO GET INTO SPORTING EVENTS? TWO WRITERS SHARE THEIR OPINION ON THIS TOPIC. PAGE A7 ENTERTAINMENT: MC HAS TALENT! READ ABOUT THE TOP THREE FINISHERS IN MC’S GOT TALENT. LEARN ABOUT THEIR TALENTS AND HOW THEY BEGAN. PAGE B4

SUN SPREAD: MONEY ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FROM TEENS. PICK UP SOME TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE. PAGES A4 & A5

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009 VOL. 36 NO. 10 | MT. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL, SAN DIEGO, CA 92129

Dream & Believe transforms Airbands into magical night ADITI PAI STAFF WRITER

DANIEL THAN | PHOTOGRAPHER

Erwin Ingua (12), Jojo Zapata (12), and the other members of Dream and Believe celebrate after the judges announced the winners of Airbands 2009 on April 25. Dream and Believe came in first, followed by Avatar: The Last Airbander and SD Way. The winning Airband Dream and Believe featured illusions, magic tricks, and upbeat songs while showing the journey of an audience member of a magic show, Zapata, trying to follow in the footsteps of a magician, Nick Shelton (12). The senior class uses airbands as a main fundraiser, raising over $5,000 this year.

>>LOOK ONLINE AT MCSUN.ORG FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM AIRBANDS 2009 CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS

With five minutes till 7 p.m., barely any empty seats remained in MC’s PAC. Loud, upbeat music echoed around the room while colorful posters lined the walls. From attendance to performance, most felt MC’s Airbands was a success.

“I thought there were more people this time than last,” ASB advisor Sanford Carvajal said. “We told the performers they could watch for free so I came to count the empty seats just before we let them in and there were 120 seats left.”

MC’s Airbands reputation slowly grows with the years and this year especially, it exceeded expectations.

The exhibitions groups that perform serve as one of the main attractions of Airbands. The performers use this fundraiser as a way to perform for an audience and practice publicly. Compared to last year, a significantly higher number of groups showed up. The fundraiser not only earned a good amount of money for the senior class, a little over $5,000, but it served as a contest for the dancing population of MC. Avatar: The Last Airbander, a performance based off of a popular children’s television show won second while SD Way, themed off of Scooby Doo took third.

Dream and Believe, led by senior Matt Magallanes, won the contest with a storyline centering around an eager audience member, senior Jojo Zapata, trying to create illusions similar to that of the magician on stage, senior Nick Shelton. With an upbeat song selection and a couple magic tricks of their own, this group wowed their way to first. Their flawless performance scored them a win only as a result o f long hard work prior to the competition.

“We had extremely intense practices from about three to nine every day for a month before the competition,” Shelton said. “We reused props from other events and certain people were assigned to make and paint them.”

The obstacles in their way appeared only at the very last minute.

“So we ordered specific costumes and had everything set,” Shelton said. “At the last minute everything went wrong. At ten the night before we went to Walmart and Target to fix all the problems and make costumes for everyone.”

They also finished their mix and the set late that night clocking in around one hour of sleep before the big day.

To keep them performing at their best, the leader Magallanes rounded them up before they went on stage. “[Matt] gave us a motivational speech before we went on,” Shelton said. “Everyone was nervous but we put our nerves aside and performed.”

DEL NORTE UPDATE

Board proposes more job cuts; New school struggles to meet sophomore class enrollment teachers vote to lower salaries KELLY FAN STAFF WRITER

KATELYN CUTTS NEWS EDITOR

peers, there are still jobs on the line.

“At the same time, I remain troubled by the fact that some of our colleagues remain In response to the on going threat of significantly affected by the layoffs and our PUSD employees being laid off, multiple educational program offerings and support organizations within the district voted for a remain reduced,” Phillips said in an email.

2.7 percent salary rollback.

Besides the salary rollback, the Board, “This proactive action of mutual in an unanimous decision, voted to cut jobs. sacrifice and commitment by our staff With the recent vote, there is no specific and Board will save almost $4.5 million in numbers of who is getting cut. jobs for district employees and maintain a However, the principal Dr. Tom McCoy higher level of instruction and support for is preparing for which ever jobs are cut. our students,” PUSD Superintendent Don “Once we find out which individual Phillips said in a recent email. employees are affected, we will have to divide According to Phillips, the California up their work among remaining employees S c h o o l or discontinue Employees the service they Association were providing,” rollback will save McCoy said. over $800,000, Although and the Poway the country is Federation of in an economic MC FACULTY MEMBERS MAY Teachers rollback hardship, LOSE THEIR JOBS will bring back McCoy hopes $3 million in things will turn positions.

In around in the NON-TEACHING JOBS WILL BE addition to the near future.

CUT THROUGHOUT PUSD salary cut, $4 “This is million is devoted certainly a very PERCENT OF ALL TEACHERS’ from categorical difficult time, SALARIES WILL BE CUT NEXT budget funding budget-wise, and YEAR flexibility.

I sincerely hope Although things improve MILLION DOLLARS WILL GO people are taking over the next TOWARDS “BUYING BACK” great steps to two years,” TEACHERS’ JOBS save their fellow McCoy said.

BUDGET: BY THE NUMBERS

11

127 2.7 7.8

Inside the SUN:

Section A:

News..........2

A new high school will be joining the ranks of MC, Westview, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway. This fifth and last addition to the Poway Unified circle will officially open to students in the fall of 2009.

The opening of Del Norte has given rise to a number of difficult complications. Del Norte will be opening with only a sophomore and freshman class, and the district has set a minimum student quota required for the school to open: about 270 students for each class.

The number of students needed should not only be enough to fill regular classes, but AP classes and electives as well.

“They want to be able to give students choices, but they also need a certain number of students to support all that,” Assistant Principal Ron Garrett said.

While the district has had no trouble signing up incoming freshmen, it has been a different case for sophomores.

“Eighth graders tend to be more open minded about choosing their high schools,” Garrett said. “They want to go where their friends go. Ninth graders, on the other hand, like where they are and want to stay there.”

While incoming freshmen have been enrolling to the point where a waiting list has been created and enrollment has been closed to outof-boundary students, there has been a much smaller number of interested sophomores.

Despite having about 40 students short of the intended quota of sophomores, Garrett believes the school will open nonetheless. “[I think] the district would really like to open despite [the issue with] the sophomore

Sun Spread..........4

Opinions..........6

class,” he said.

Still, there are many incentives that will attract new students. The school will be featuring new technologies and a different scheduling system.

“The school is being called ‘state of the art’,” Garrett said. “The entire school will also be wirelessly networked.”

Del Norte will also be opening in a trimester schedule, and school will start roughly 45 minutes later than MC. Another alluring incentive is the fact that incoming sophomores would get to be upperclassmen for three years in a row, as well as the fact that Del Norte will be opening with some

varsity and junior varsity sports.

Del Norte will also be offering many distinct, new courses, most notably Mandarin.

There is also a possibility of a shuttle system between Del Norte and MC, potentially allowing students from both schools to share classes.

However, Garret believes there are larger issues at hand.

“The shuttle service is not a ‘front burner’ issue right now. There are funding issues and scheduling issues that have yet to be resolved,” he said.

In any case, plans for the opening of Del Norte are coming together, and the school will become a great support to MC in the future.

AMANDA STINTSMAN | PHOTOGRAPHER

Del Norte High School is set to open at the beginning of next school year. While the freshman class is filled, the sophomore class is underenrolled by about 40 students.

According to Vice Principal Ron Garrett, the school is still planning to open, despite the lack of sophomores currently enrolled.

Section B: Sports..........1

Entertainment..........4

Features...........6

News

A2

Mt. Carmel SUN

May 1, 2009

Billy Watson moves on to State for Faculty cracks down on theft in debate; proud of accomplishment locker room; stresses prevention SHAYON SAID STAFF WRITER

MATTHEW GELLER STAFF WRITER

Sophomore Billy Watson advanced into the State Tournament at Culver City High School after placing in the top three at the State Qualification Congress Debates.

Over 1050 students representing 163 schools around California qualified for the tournament, and only two of them were from PUSD. “I was the only one from MC who qualified; this was a big deal.” Watson said. “My first reaction was to laugh.

So I did.”

The actual environment, however, proved somewhat more intimidating after arriving at the high school.

“One reason is that I felt like such a dork, standing by myself in a crowd of 700 people and not knowing a single one,” he said. “But then I made friends later, so that feeling went away.”

However, Watson also believes his qualification proved his success in debate.

“I didn’t go into State Quals thinking that I ‘deserved’ a spot at States,” he said. “I did my best, and I guess my best was good enough.”

All in all, Watson believes that his greatest achievement in Debate wasn’t the State tournament, but what he experienced and learned from it.

“It’s made me realize that there are kids out there who get up thinking about debate, go to sleep thinking about debate, and dream about debate; and that these kids are the ones who win at States,” Watson said. “You can’t go into States and think, like I did, that your natural ability will see PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLY WATSON you through.”

Billy Watson (10) poses with his certificate he He ended up receiving seven resolutions to research. received for qualifying for State. The tournament At the tournament, Watson made it through the first three was held at Culver City High School. Watson placed rounds; unfortunately, he didn’t progress into the semiin the top three at State Qualification Congress finals.

Debates. At State, Watson made it past the first “I didn’t make the cut to semis,” Watson said. “But three rounds. Although he didn’t continue on, it was considering that this was my first year of debate and first a great accomplishment for his first year of debate. time at states, I’m not disappointed.”

Sophomore Jason Smith came back to his locker one day to find his black wrestling shorts gone.

“My locker was locked, and I guess someone did something to pick it,” he said.

Smith should count himself lucky that it was only his shorts.

A recent wave of thefts in the PE locker rooms targeted iPods and cell phones worth hundreds of dollars apiece.

According to Assistant Principal Katie Salo, up to 10 iPods and cell phones were stolen shortly before spring break.

“This is an issue we deal with annually,” Salo said.

Salo also mentioned that thieves target non-Verizon phones in particular, since they have an SIM card which can be taken out.

The phone is then resold. Thieves also target iPods and their more expensive cousins, the iTouch.

This wave of thefts, Salo thinks, may have been organized at some level.

However, there remains a degree of randomness to thefts that indicate that many have been opportunistic as well.

Assistant principal Greg Magno emphasized the importance of caution in locker rooms.

“The biggest thing is actually getting kids to put things in their locker,” Magno said.

The faculty has orchestrated several roundups of backpacks carelessly left out in the PE locker rooms. According to Magno, most items stolen were “out of backpacks--backpacks that got left out.”

The MC staff has made a concerted effort at increasing locker room security.

Assistant principals, campus supervisors, and the police officer assigned to MC are involved in the effort.

Although reluctant to reveal details, Salo said that administrators had pinpointed times when items were being stolen, and placed security accordingly.

Salo said that several thieves, mainly boys, have been caught.

Understanding why the thefts have been committed is a high priority for the administration.

“We try to address the root of the problem, not just the problem,” Salo said.

Of course, Salo mentioned, the easiest way to put a stop to thefts in locker rooms is to leave expensive items such as cell phones and iPods at home.

She also seemed resigned that this would not happen.

Still, Salo was upbeat and confident in the administration’s ability to deal with the thefts.

“We want to assure the students that this is something we are concerned about,” Salo said. She also stressed that the faculty is united in its response.

“We’re all on the same page,” she said.

COMING SOON TO MT. CARMEL ....

AP TESTS MAY 4 through 15

LES MISERABLES IN CONCERT MAY 15 and 16 7 p.m. in the PAC

RELAY FOR LIFE MAY 16 and 17 Hilltop Park

CAREER FAIR MAY 19

Summer school cancelled due to decrease in available money KATELYN CUTTS NEWS EDITOR With the economy in a slump, schools are starting to eliminate programs and positions in order to protect others.

“Summer school was cancelled because the money available to run summer school can now be used to lower class sizes and employ teachers during the regular school year,” the principal, Dr. Tom McCoy, said.

For students who were planning to take summer school, there are multiple options to receive their credits.

“Students should see their counselor,” McCoy said. “There are still classes in Poway Adult School and community colleges that can be taken for low or no cost. Some of these courses are online.”

For those who are taking a class that takes up an entire period, the new schedule will hopefully help them so summer school is not necessary.

“In our new trimester system, students taking band or other multiyear activity classes will be able to take what they need during the regular school year,” McCoy said.

Unfortunately, those who are behind in credits will have to look beyond the new schedule to catch up.

“Students needing additional credits beyond 75 a year can be connected with Adult School or Community College courses,” McCoy said.

Although summer school has been cancelled, the multiple opportunities for students have helped make it easier on them. The additional money will help MC cope with the economic times.

Mt. Carmel SUN

News May 1, 2009

A3

Drama Club takes spring break trip to Choir hits a positive note in Anaheim competition; earns superior ratings London; experiences British culture MELISSA ROADMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MELISSA ROADMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After a 16 hour flight, eight members of MC’s Drama Club stepped off the plane in London.

The club arranged this five day trip over spring break in order to see three shows and tour different parts of London. “[We went] to visit famous sites in London, see theatre shows that we could not normally see in the US, and experience a new culture outside of America,” senior Anna Frost said.

According to Frost, the three plays they were able to attend were all amazing.

“We saw ‘39 Steps,’ a spoof of the Alfred Hitchcock film, which was hilarious!” she said. “‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Billy Elliot’ were amazing musicals as well.”

Other than seeing plays, those who went on the trip also toured famous parts of London.

“The shows and Westminster Abbey stand out the most though,” Frost said.

“Westminster was beautiful and there’s so much history there.”

Other places they visited include St. Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace, House of Parliament and Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the National Art Museum.

They were also able to take a tour of the Old Globe Theatre and go to the Tower of London.

“The crown jewels are [at the Tower of London],” Frost said. “[They were] so amazing.”

The Classical Ensemble and Bel Canto choir travelled up to Anaheim for the Heritage Music Festival on April 17.

With a superior rating, the Classical Ensemble tied for first place. The Bel Canto choir won their division and tied for first place in the top choir competition.

The Classical Ensemble performed three songs for competition including “Tambourines,” “Dieu Qu’il la Fait,” and “Fiddler of Dooney.”

The Bel Canto sang “Tota pulchra,” “Exaudi! Laudate!,” and “Nigra Sum.” According to junior Brian Stoops, the location of the competition added to the performance.

“I think the performance went really well,” he

said. “The church we sang in produced rich, resonant sound. [It was] kind of unique.”

The Heritage Music Festival is an annual event the choir competes in each year.

“The Heritage Music Festival is huge, and many choirs, bands, and orchestras always compete,” Stoops said. “I’m not exactly sure how many schools were there. All I know is that there was a lot.”

The festival attracts schools from all over North America.

“There were schools from places like Canada and Connecticut,” Stoops said. “So compared, we had a really short journey.”

The festival was held at the Disneyland Resort, and as an added bonus, the members of choir who attended were able go to Disneyland Park for a day.

P.Q. prepares for annual Cinco de Mayo fiesta; Key Club to help with booths, games MACKENZIE LANCE SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA FROST

Dylan Gervais (10), Nelson Muhn (10), Shayda Abidi (10), Bridget Plouman (11), Samantha Webb (12), Anna Frost (12), Jamie Harpenau (12), and Diane Jones were all able to visit the historic Old Globe Theater in London during their trip over spring break.

One hundred fifty vendors.

Fifteen thousand people.

Three entertainment stages.

Fourteenth annual Fiesta de Penasquitos.

On May 3, a section of Carmel Mountain Road will be shut off in order to accommodate the annual Cinco De Mayo fair.

Since 1995, the fair has been a major source of income for the Rancho Penasquitos Town Council.

The Council earns money from the booths that rent out space on the road and from a portion of the ticket sales. This money is put back into the community to positively impact Penasquitos.

This year the normally cramped fair will be

divided into several zones, to cater to the public’s interest. These zones will include family fun, community zone, adventure zone, and the carnival zone.

Key club members will be working in booths to help the town council earn money.

“Like most of our events for Key Club, we are helping out the event coordinator,” junior Aileen Generoso said. “We will help work in the booths and run some of the games. We pretty much just help out wherever the event coordinator tells us to.”

With the Key Club’s help the fiesta should go off without a hitch.

On Sunday, thousands of San Diegans will experience the “People, Parks and Pride” of Penasquitos.

A4

Sun Spread

Mt. Carmel SUN

Mt. Carmel SUN

May 1, 2009

A5

Broke like a joke 8 Ways

Why are teens always broke?

To save some green

2 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ Kylie Baranowski

Buffalo Exchange

Looking to bring in a few extra dollars? Do you have old clothes that are in good condition?

Buffalo Exchange, in Hillcrest or Pacific Beach, is the perfect place to unload some old clothes for a little extra cash.

The buyers sort through your old clothes and various accessories and assess how much they are work.

Another great feature of the store is that it is the perfect place to shop for some unique items.

They even have a good selection of mainstream clothes cheaper than in stores.

Get a reusable bottle A reusable water bottle is a great investment.

If you go to a vending machine or convenience store daily, and pay upwards of $1.50 for a simple bottle of water, you are throwing away money.

There’s also the added bonus of knowing that you are not producing waste that will sit in a landfill for generations to come.

Swiss company SIGG makes some unique water bottles. But if you are looking for something simpler, chain stores like Old Navy and Target have them in stock.

Use your library!

This one should be obvious, but libraries are often an underused resource in our community.

Surprisingly, our local libraries aren’t just a place for books any more. They are also home to a respectable collection of CDs and DVDs. Best of all it’s free. You can’t argue with that price.

Retail Me Not

If buying clothes online is your thing, Retail Me Not will be your new favorite website.

This site is a collection of coupon codes for many online shopping hot spots.

Even with shipping costs, this site can get you a great deal, sometimes even significantly cheaper than in stores.

Cheap entertainment This one is simple but often forgotten. When going out to see a movie, try to hit a matinee showing to save a few dollars.

Also don’t forget your student ID; it can save you a few bucks too.

Keep an eye out for free movie screenings.

This can happen a lot at local rec centers.

If you can, hit up UltraStar Cinemas on Tuesdays, when many movies are discounted to only $5.50.

Try to bring your own snacks with you. Prices have gotten ridiculous. Five-fifty for a bottle of water? I don’t think so.

Half.com

Love to read? It can be an expensive habit.

Books often sit neglected on a shelf after just one use.

Half.com offers a great alternative to using books as dust-collectors. You can find a great selection of gently used books for surprisingly low prices. Just don’t forget to factor in shipping costs.

Or better yet….

Learn to cook

Two words: ramen noodles.

But if you’re craving something a little more natural than that, try learning to cook the things you enjoy from restaurants.

If you love Jamba Juice, look up the recipes online and break out your blender. I found the Strawberries Wild recipe on Recipezaar.com and it turned out tasting just like the real thing.

This habit can save you countless dollars every month.

Topsecretrecipies.com is a great website to learn how to cook foods from your favorite restaurants in your own kitchen.

Craigslist.com

Before you rush out to buy anything new, be sure to hit up Craigslist.com to see if anyone is offering what you want for free.

At press time some of the ‘fabulous’ items in the free section of the website were: an oldschool Little Mermaid poster, horse manure, a ping pong table, a used red brick, a hot tub, and a love seat.

The items may be quirky, but you never know what you may find. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Now Hiring: Businesses for Sundevils in search of jobs M���’�, B����� ‘R U�, P��� U� S���, H��� D���� B��� W������ S������ I�����

DANIEL THAN | PHOTOGRAPHER

Teens these days are constantly broke and because of their busy schedules, they are often forced to tap into the bank of dad.

“I don’t have a job because my schedule is constantly changing and I’m busy with volleyball, which is year round,” junior Victoria Low said.

Most teens spend a majority of their money on entertainment and the price of entertainment these days doesn’t come cheap.

It costs on average over $10 for a movie ticket and when you add in the price of going to dinner, your night out ends up being around $20, not including the price of gas.

Another popular thing to spend money on is clothes. The cost of clothes eats into every teen’s budget, no matter where you shop.

“I’m not really sure where all my money goes,” Low said. “Most of it goes towards having fun.”

“I also spend a lot on shopping, friends, food, and movies. It all takes a hit on my bank account,” Low said.

Junior Jacquelyn Gentes has the same problem.

“I don’t have time for a job since I have swim year round,” Gentes said. “When I do have cash, I spend it so fast, honestly it just disappears. I definitely don’t save it, most of the time I don’t even remember spending it. I use it to go out with friends, shop, and buy food.”

Most teen’s parents only pay for the things they need, so some teens save their money for a rainy day.

“My parents pay for my necessities and occasionally a ticket to a football game,” freshman Taylor Tso said.

Freshman Kaitlyn Cardenas chooses to save her money.

“When I get large amounts of money I put most of it in my bank account,” Cardenas said.

“I put half of the money I get from birthdays and holidays in the bank,” Tso said.

Many teens are always broke due to their busy schedules, which makes many of them unable to have a job. The price of movie tickets, dinner, and other forms of entertainment also contributes to teens always being broke. Money problems can be solved by saving money when it’s possible, looking for sales when shopping, and using coupons to pay for meals and movie tickets.

Sara Shantz

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL THAN | PHOTOGRAPHER

An MC senior poses with his empty wallet, representing the common stereotype that teenagers have a meager cash supply.

Quick tips for money managment SAVINGS

As hopefully everyone knows, saving money is a good idea. How much you save and the way you handle your savings account play a major role in determining financial success.

Adults are generally recommended to save about 10% of their yearly income, but teens should shoot for more. We don’t have to worry about making mortgage payments, car payments, or any of the other massive number of bills that they have to be concerned about, so in theory, we should be able to save more of our money.

College is a major drain on anyone’s bank account too, so having cash saved up for its everyday expenses or just for a rainy day is going to prove useful.

However, be careful not to treat a savings account like that of a checking account. Dipping into it for emergencies is fine, but really, a sale at the mall doesn’t count.

INVESTMENTS

I would not recommend fiddling around with the stock market unless you truly know what you are doing.

That being said, many seniors should be able to get some good practice in with the stock market simulation coming up in AP Gov. For those who are interested in investing their money but would rather play it safe, government bonds or physical assets like gold and silver can be good ways to go.

Buying a bond is basically loaning the government money.

When someone sells a bond, they get their initial investment back plus whatever interest it accumulated.

Gold and silver have also done extremely well over the past ten years, with silver going from a low of $4 an ounce to a high in 2008 of over $20. Although prices have cooled off since then, some experts are expecting them to skyrocket.

JOBS

It’s going to be difficult to effectively manage your money if your only source of income is the occasional pity handout from a parent. This is where having a job or actually working enough hours comes in.

Summer offers the perfect opportunity to make money, and without summer school this year,

there really isn’t a legitimate excuse not to.

Even though there are still jobs out there for teens, it can be tough to find a good one. Less than 25% of job openings are even posted anywhere, so if you really need one, ask around.

For those creative or ambitious enough, there is always the option of creating your own business.

It’s hard work, but you get to decide on your own hours and don’t have to deal with a nagging boss.

HANDLING MONEY

If nothing else, the most important thing to do with money is to just have a plan for it. It takes less than ten minutes to sit down and create a monthly budget of how much you want to allow yourself to spend on certain things versus save, but those ten minutes can potentially save you a ridiculous sum of money.

Also, set goals for yourself and then work out a plan to actually reach them.

Erica Byerley

Opinions

A6

Mt. Carmel SUN

May 1, 2009

Glued to a screen

Hall refutes letter to the editor concerning religious tolerance LAUREN HALL STAFF WRITER

Paresh Dave

Bailing out the district At first, 2.7% seems paltry.

However, attached to the term “pay cut” it equates to $250 monthly out of English teacher Bob Pacilio’s wallet. He and his wife earn a combined six-figure income, but they have a son attending UC Berkeley and a daughter who will be an MC senior next fall.

With two tuitions to pay, Pacilio needs every penny, which is why he joined 64 other MC teachers in voting against a 2.7% pay cut for the next two years. As a whole though, district teachers approved the cut.

Initially, Pacilio’s decision makes complete sense. Who would take a pay cut when the proposed salaries top out at $86,234 for the most tenured and educated?

But, in declining to accept the cut, he and his fellow dissenters would have cost 55 teachers their jobs if a majority of district teachers had agreed with them.

Common practice usually calls for people to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others. Pacilio determined that keeping his paycheck the same and having larger class sizes would be a better option than saving colleagues.

On the track, junior Erin Menefee understands what taking one for the team means. She plays lacrosse, but also runs track.

On multiple occasions this year, coaches have called upon her to run multiple races, shouldering a load heavier than anyone else, so that the team could be ensured a victory. She gave up her body to boost her teammates.

But now let’s say Tom Brady wanted to take the Chargers to a new level and was willing to sign here for cheap. He’d take a huge pay cut to make himself affordable. In doing so, he devalues the quarterback position.

The most talented quarterback in the league playing for a below average salary makes it hard for above average quarterbacks to justify even average salaries. This is why district teachers shouldn’t have supported the cut.

There’s no problem with an unprecedented move like taking a pay cut for the first time. Teachers who showed compassion by voting to essentially save their peers’ jobs deserve praise. But Pacilio’s vote shouldn’t be held against him. After all, he taught some of the teachers whose jobs were jeopardized.

He was right to vote against the cut because precedents are meant to move a group forward.

The things we remember: the Declaration of Independence, Rosa Parks’ bus incident, and lo and behold, trimesters, were all meant to be progressive. These groundbreaking events improved life for a large population.

By approving the cut, teachers said that they can be counted on to bail out school districts. As the precedent for such a move has been set, how far will the cuts go?

Employees at companies like FedEx took lower wages this year to save their co-workers in exchange for the company’s promise that when the economy healed everything would go back to normal. A few months later, FedEx fired those workers anyway.

We do great and innovative things because we want to advance.

There was a negative sign attached to that 2.7%. That’s not a direction Pacilio sought to travel nor one society should move toward.

For more perspectives and info on the pay cut... visit MCSUN.org.

CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST

News stories, reality never ‘good’ anymore; where has the love gone?

VANDANA BHAIRI STAFF WRITER When I turn on the TV to the news channel, the main headlines revolve around murders and bombings. Throw in kidnappings, and you’ve hit the trifecta; then there’s the occasional “good” news (which doesn’t happen often nowadays).

In other words, for every piece of good news, there are many bad things happening in the world.

Although we have been taught to see the good in everything and not focus on the bad, at this point in time, it is hard to. This sudden string of violent acts on Mother Earth leaves many, including me, wondering where the “love” has gone.

And where has it gone?

Honestly, there is no answer. It’s not as if something zapped down and took the “love” out of thin air.

Love itself hasn’t disappeared, but we never see it. We throw it aside as if it’s a piece of garbage.

A couple years ago, at sixth grade orientation, I learned that it is easier to bring someone down than it is to cheer them up.

In simpler terms, it is easier to be nasty to someone than it is to go out of the way for them and be kind. That’s where the problem starts.

Lately, the only person most seem to love is ourselves—me, myself, and I. We are oftentimes so selfabsorbed in our own worlds that we seem to neglect whether or not we are hurting others.

It could be as minor as spreading rumors about someone, or as brutal as kidnapping someone for ransom, paying no attention to the devastating impact it has on many.

Recently on campus, there have been many thefts in locker rooms. Students have been losing cell phones and iPods, causing them inconvenience and devastation.

But why do people steal?

Oftentimes, the stolen items end up

on E-Bay or Craigslist. The people that steal would rather cause trouble for those who have lost valuable items rather than be low on cash.

Philosopher John Locke believed that all men were born good and inhabited these evil traits as we grow up. On the contrary, Thomas Hobbes believed the opposite of Locke, that all men are born evil.

Although Hobbes’ theory seems to seep into our society, I still dream for a world that follows Locke’s beliefs.

The sudden chaos has led many artists to sing about the turmoil. One group is the Black Eyed Peas with their song “Where is the Love?”

“People killin’, people dyin’ Children hurt and you hear them cryin’. Can you practice what you preach? And would you turn the other cheek?

“Father, Father, Father help us, Send some guidance from above ‘Cause people got me, got me questionin’, Where is the love?”

People who have the passion to put their faith in any belief that has good intentions should be respected.

In our previous issue, there was Bird also stated that tolerance a letter to the editor in response to is not mentioned in the Bible and my previous article about religious although the word is not directly used toleration. in the Christian Bible it is inferred Mike Bird responded to my throughout. article, and I would like to clear up In the New Testament, it reads “... any misconceptions that may be made we saw one casting out devils in thy about what was meant by my article. name; and we forbade him because he What I meant by tolerance is followeth not with us. understanding that everyone has their And Jesus said unto him, Forbid own way of thinking and their right to him not: for he that is not against us is believe whatever they want. for us,” Luke 9: 49-50.

This means giving them the space This shows how the Christian Bible to practice these beliefs, and the respect does push tolerance as a way of being to not insult their like Jesus. As long right of religion to as one’s beliefs are their face. not morally wrong It means not and do not harm passing judgment other people, other By being educated about someone’s in other religions, you are beliefs should be beliefs before really tolerated. not doing a disservice knowing anything And a to your own, but merely about it. c o m m o n By being broadening your capacity misconception educated in other to fully accept your own.” that many make religions, you are not about those who doing a disservice push for tolerance to your own, but is that they are not merely broadening religious, which your capacity to fully is not necessarily accept your own. true.

What I meant in my article is Just because one believes that unlike what Bird assumed: tolerance there can be multiple religions in the does not mean agreeing with everyone world, and people can still make it to else’s beliefs. heaven with their own beliefs, that does That would contradict the very not mean that they are not strongly idea of having different religions. religious.

Questioning the credibility is an It means that they are to understand attempt to show the greatness of one people’s cultures and accept them. religion over another.

We just need to be open minded This does not necessarily help enough to realize that everyone is raised anyone or convince anyone to change differently and lives with a different their beliefs, but rather angers them. culture.

“

Trimesters prove efficient; provide quicker credit fulfillment SARA SHANTZ STAFF WRITER

The new trimester system saved my life.

I play school volleyball, club volleyball, do personal training, write for the Mount Carmel SUN, and go to school. I barely have time to breathe, let alone re-take Algebra 3.

I thought that I would have to miss my end-of-the-year volleyball tournament and let my whole team down, but with the new trimester system, I can re-take Algebra 3 the first trimester.

The trimester system offers many opportunities that the semester system didn’t offer.

The semester system didn’t give students the chance to take many electives.

With the trimester system, students can take up to 5 classes per trimester and a total of fifteen classes per year, opposed to the mere twelve in the semester system.

There are many benefits to having the option of taking 15 classes.

MC will no longer be offering summer school due to the budget crisis.

This means that students who are behind on credits would have to take summer school or night school at a community college, which may be hard on some students’ families

financially.

The trimester system will allow for students to catch up on credits without falling behind even further or costing their parents money.

With one less class and more opportunities to take easier elective classes, students won’t be burdened with so much homework and therefore less tutorial time will be needed.

The trimester system doesn’t have lab days. Lab day classes are twice as long as normal classes and teachers often lose the attention of their students after about an hour or so.

By having no lab days, students will be more attentive in class.

The trimester system is also going to help the teachers.

Teachers will only have to teach four classes, leaving them room to have a seventy minute prep period per day.

Because the teachers will only be teaching four classes, as opposed to the five classes in the semester system, teachers will have less grading to do and fewer students to worry about.

This will improve the quality of the teaching and create less crowed tutorials.

Teachers and departments will also be able to create more elective, remediation, or acceleration classes.

Next year will be different, but in a good way. The new trimester system is sure to improve things at MC. CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST

C o o k i e J a r

BY CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST

Opinions

Mt. Carmel SUN

A7

May 1, 2009

Should students have to pay to attend MC sports events?

YES

LAURA SLUSSER STAFF WRITER

Imagine MC with half of the pride it has now. All of those CIF championship flags are gone. There’s a big blank spot on the bulletin board where all of the sports matches used to be announced. All the jerseys and t-shirts for athletics have disappeared.

The sports section in this newspaper has shrunk by half because so many sports have run out of funding.

School spirit has impaled itself on our mascot’s pitchfork.

This is what it would be like if students didn’t have to pay to get into football games, along with other sports events.

“If the game was free, there wouldn’t be a game anymore,” Sanford Carvajal, who serves as both coach and ASB director, said.

A couple of bucks may seem like it’s going down the drain whenever you go to a football game, but that drain leads to an under-funded sports program.

“It costs a lot of money to put on an athletics program,” Carvajal said. “[If students weren’t charged] …you wouldn’t be able to pay for supervision, custodians, and all the things that go into it.”

For a football game, you need all of the equipment: the pads, the helmets, all the gear for everyone on the team. Referees add on extra cost too. With the budget crisis as it is, not to mention the more widespread hard economic times all the players have to face while fund-raising, free football games are not an option. And that’s just one of the many sports that needs funding.

“If students weren’t charged…

I don’t know if we’d have to cancel sports or if those individual sports teams would have to fund-raise even more money than they are already,” Carvajal said.

Although there are some sports that can afford not to charge students, this is not without reason.

“There are a lot of sports where [spectators] don’t pay because the game starts early, or it would be hard to actually [charge them] because with a baseball game you could stand up on the hill and watch,” Carvajal said. “So I know there are only a couple of sports that I know where they charge.”

There are also more subtle, psychological reasons why students should pay for sports events. People don’t value things they get for free.

An example was where a group of community service volunteers in Salt Lake City collected blankets to give to homeless people around Christmas time so they could stay warm. The day after, blankets littered the streets—in gutters, hanging on trees, discarded carelessly everywhere. The blankets were free, and consequently, they lost their value. The same thing is true with tickets for games.

If students don’t have to pay for the tickets, the games will lose their importance and value. It’s a psychological phenomenon that the average person should judge the value of something by its price.

Once students stop having to pay for it, it will seem less like an exciting event and more like something to do instead of any better ideas.

Think about your three or four most prized possessions. Now think of how many of them you got for nothing.

I rest my case.

PARESH DAVE WEB EDITOR

CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST

61%

27%

12%

Yes

No

Unsure *238 STUDENTS POLLED

Sundevil Perspective

NO

If you win, they will come, the old adage goes. But until this year, MC’s football team had not accumulated many wins.

And this year, while girls basketball went deep into the playoffs, the boys basketball team offered little to cheer for.

Basketball and football charge for admission to their games, and bring in revenues that support the entire athletic program.

However, high school sports should allow students to watch their games for free.

As exciting as high school athletics can get, students cannot be easily motivated to cheer on teams when they have to pay to enter.

The athletic department had to pay $30,000 this school year just for officials.

Meanwhile, ticket sales collected

by ASB, represented about 75% of the athletic department’s revenues. Allowing students to enter for free would create a huge deficit, but ways exist to limit the damage.

First, the district must relax some policies concerning advertising at athletic events.

As the teacher at Rancho Bernardo High who advertised on his tests learned, getting the district to lower its red tape is hard. But dire times call for dire measures.

Advertising in public schools is completely reasonable. The district should stop signing exclusive contracts and raise money every way it can without resorting to asking students for money.

If groups and individuals are will-

ing to advertise on tests, surely they are more than willing to promote their interests at athletic events with large audiences.

Second, teams can continue charging parents, but they should offer tickets as part of the payments to play at the beginning of the season. The teams could increase these fees and offer season ticket packs to parents.

Adults who do not purchase this package would be charged a higher price at the gate.

Finally, the school could offer an ASB sticker for a one-time fee. With a sticker on their ID cards, students would be able to purchase tickets to games as well as ASB events for drastically discounted prices. ASB could offer other perks such as free T-shirts or early lunch privileges to sticker holders. Spirit and attendance at events would be high, and revenue would be guaranteed in this case.

Students have to pay for almost everything else they do.

By removing entrance fees for games, students will be encouraged to attend.

With state funding sparse, it is a tough time to ask the athletic department to change its policies and lose a sizable portion of its revenues. But when the economic situation improves, the free entrance idea should be considered.

In the meantime, the football and basketball teams should adopt the following policy: when teams start going south, so should the ticket prices. Free tickets amount to an attractive incentive. Cheap ones at least offer some attraction.

If you win they will come. If you lose, but make it cheap ($1), they still might come.

Should students have to pay to attend MC sports events?

MATT COFFELT | PHOTO EDITOR

Freshman

Sophomore

Teacher

Ashley Furniss

Ryan Berg

Ellie Shamshiri

James Lafferty

“Yes, I think they should, because it would be good for the sports program.”

“No, I don’t think so, because if a lot of people want to go and one person can’t pay, then someone else has to pay or they don’t go.”

“Yes, I think that if it goes towards the sports programs, then it’s a legitimate reason to charge.”

“Absolutely not. They should have certain privileges for being on MC campus. Parents and others should pay.”

Zachary Barnes

“No, because we should be able to support our teammates and fellow peers without paying money.”

Senior

Junior

MT. CARMEL SUN Mt. Carmel High School 9550 Carmel Mtn. Rd. San Diego CA 92129 (858)484-1180 ext. 3211 rmercurio@powayusd.com http://www.mcsun.org

Our mission is to provide the MC community with an informative, accurate and respectful student-run publication.

The SUN seeks to stimulate the discussion of issues in order to promote a more aware student body. Whether informing, voicing opinion, or entertaining, the sun strives for standards of balance and good taste.

Melissa Roadman Editor-in-chief Rick Mercurio Advisor Catherine Jaravata Assistant Advisor Craig Racicot Photo Advisor

The Mt. Carmel SUN is the official newspaper of Mt. Carmel High School, published by its Journalism 2 students. The views expressed in the SUN do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Mt. Carmel High School administration or PUSD Board of Education.

Unsigned editorials reflect the beliefs of the SUN editorial board.

The SUN is a student open forum, and all final content decisions are made by its student editors. Letters to the Editor are welcome and should be signed. For advertising rates and information please call, email, or write the SUN at the address above.

Editors Katelyn Cutts News Kylie Baranowski Center Rachel Martin Opinions Mackenzie Lance Sports Kevin Lage Entertainment Kaveri Gyanendra Features Paresh Dave Web Cathy McDermott Copy Matt Coffelt Photo Staff Writers Vandana Bhairi Nicole Bustamante Erica Byerley Sarah Carrigan Melanie Dickinson Kelly Fan Matthew Geller Lauren Hall Cordell Hunter Abby Mansour Karen Michel Aditi Pai Vincent Pham Shayon Said Sara Shantz Laura Slusser Dennis Sun Jordan Ugalde Sean Williams Staff Photographers Ana Alvarez Mary Carmen Gonzalez Allison Rogers Amanda Stintsman Daniel Than Kyle Covey Artist Christian Jun Business Managers Alison Ashworth Megan Ashworth

Thumbs

Find a date for the date. Then get low at Loew’s.

- Paresh Dave

They painted more student spots in the parking lot. No more hiking to school.

-Melissa Roadman

Summer weather is kicking in. Remember to wear your mid-thigh shorts and thick strapped tanks in the 90 degree weather.

-Nicole Bustamante

AP tests are around the corner.

I guess it’s time to pull out that textbook...

- Matthew Geller

Bring in this ad for 10% off your corsage or boutonniere

Opinions

A8

Legalization

Mt. Carmel SUN

May 1, 2009

Should marijuana be legalized?

Yes CORDELL HUNTER STAFF WRITER

As the bodies from the Tijuana drug wars begin to pile up (last time I checked it was about 843 in 2008), so do the questions about legalizing marijuana.

A few weeks ago, when Obama held a forum, where he answered questions submitted by the public, many of his replies took a high-minded approach to our nation’s problems. Literally.

Of the 93,000 people who responded, many were obsessed with decriminalizing marijuana. As it would have been political suicide to have responded in any other way, the president’s answer was a firm “no.” The fact still remains that the economy is tanking and legalizing marijuana might just be the stimulus we need.

Pot alone is California’s largest cash crop with $12+ billion in revenue. That said, a 10% pot tax would yield 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS in state income PER YEAR. That’s a lot of money that could be well spent fixing the country’s budget problems, as well as school issues like teacher layoffs and class sizes. Yes, the tabloids would have a field day and there are moral issues with running a country on money made from drugs, but that’s something we do already with tobacco and alcohol taxes.

For the doubters out there, there is a precedent for this. During the great depression, the government realized that legalizing and taxing alcohol would provide extra money to help deal with the economic crisis. They lifted the ban and sure enough, an entire new industry was created, resulting in hundreds of new jobs and a big economic boost. However, revenue from pot goes beyond just simple taxation. The U.S is by far the country with the most criminals. Almost half of the arrests made are marijuana related and the government spends about $150 billion a year on prisoners. With legalization, no new detainees from potrelated crimes would be added and those currently in jail would be released, resulting in billions that could be used to save the economy.

Obviously, marijuana can be abused, but so can alco-

hol, and drinking is legal. Why spend billions of dollars keeping marijuana illegal when legalizing and taxing it will provide the state with more money.

Legalizing marijuana would also positively affect the lives of patients with deadly diseases.

Pot relieves pain and stimulates hunger, allowing those with terminal illnesses to feel calm and those undergoing chemotherapy to eat. The benefits to legalization far outweigh all objections people could bring against it. We asked for change, here it is; on a golden, I mean green, platter.

VINCENT PHAM STAFF WRITER

No

tion.

Want to die?

Didn’t think so.

Anyone who cares at all for humanity’s sake would be strongly against legalizing marijuana. We all know the saying that drugs kill.

Cigarettes are already legal and now some people have the tenacity to want marijuana to spread around our na-

CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST

What’s next, cocaine? Heroin? LSD? Legalizing marijuana would just open the door and create a domino effect for people wanting other drugs to come into the market. Therefore, more legal issues would arise, not subside.

Supporters of legalizing marijuana say that smoking marijuana is a “victimless” crime. That’s a lie. If you take into consideration all the problems that may occur while a user is under the influence, marijuana puts everyone in jeopardy.

According to marijuana-addiction.info, reaction time while driving is reduced by 41% after smoking just one joint. It is reduced by 62% after smoking the second joint.

The hazards of marijuana are clearly evident.

Driving under the influence, rape, and robbery are just some issues that may occur due to a user’s lapse of judgment.

Marijuana has been tied to depression, brain damage, and lung cancer.

In addition, the secondhand effects of marijuana would be detrimental to everyone around the marijuana user.

Marijuana-addiction.info also states that marijuana is a major drug affecting our youth. Among 12th graders, nearly 50% have tried marijuana at least once, and 24% are current users.

If marijuana is legalized, it will just be another danger lurking into the hands of even more children. Tons of teens (and even younger) have already gotten their hands on marijuana, and the number is sure to increase if we make it legal.

Supporters also argue that legalizing marijuana would just free up police and court systems, saving millions in resources such as judges, prosecutors, and juries so they can tackle “more important” issues.

So apparently the issue of our health and well-being just isn’t that important anymore. Basically, they’re saying that we should sacrifice our health just to save a little money. Sound reasonable? Not a chance.

Should capital punishment be allowed in California?

SHAYON SAID STAFF WRITER

Yes

The ancient Babylonian Code of Hammurabi introduced the idea of “an eye for an eye” into civil society. It worked back then, and use of capital punishment makes it appropriate in modern society too. Many believe that though the death penalty is given to those who have caused the death of another, it is wrong because it is an act of vengeance.

However, capital punishment can’t be considered revenge because it is solely used to enforce consequences for one’s own actions, and to endorse personal responsibility, otherwise defined by our Constitution as justice.

It’s true that imposing death on one who has killed doesn’t bring back those they killed, but sending murderers to jail for the rest of their life doesn’t revive those they killed either.

Some also believe the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. Conversely, previous practice of capital punishment proves that it is only used for the right reasons and crimes. The FBI took a survey of the perilous crimes in 2006 and found that there were nearly a million potentially life-taking cases including murder, manslaughter, rapes, and aggravated assaults.

However, of all the lives those million criminals took, only 53 of them received the death penalty. The point being that it is only enforced for the most immoral of crimes, those which involved cruel and unusual crimes committed.

As long as the murderer lives, there is always a chance he will strike again. For example, Kenneth McDuff was convicted of the 1966 shooting deaths of three children. Unfortunately, the death penalty was overruled, and he was given life without parole. However, local prisons were overflowing and state officials were under fire from judiciary officials, resulting in McDuff ’s release onto an unsuspecting citizenry. After release, he went on to kill 14 more people. Of course, if he were given the death penalty, those 14 people might still be alive today.

If you were to ban the death penalty you wouldn’t be stopping criminal killing, you would be assisting it because you give criminals more opportunities to attack, which also you a part of the blame. That’s why it must be legalized in states that don’t allow it and remain legal in states that do; so that we don’t have to see someone like Kenneth MacDuff again, and so that you aren’t left with the blame.

Billy Watson

RACHEL MARTIN OPINIONS EDITOR

Sophomore

“It’s less of a burden to taxpayers if we permit it, and it makes prison systems more effective and quick.”

Janet Loundo Junior

“The government can’t decide what is right and wrong. If killing is wrong, then the government has no right to kill. An eye for an eye is not a justification.”

No

Barbaric and uncivilized are the perfect words to describe the institution of capital punishment in our society. There are many reasons why our government officials should repeal the death penalty in California.

First and foremost, the death penalty is immoral. It is wrong for the state officials to kill people as a governmental function.

Experts in the field know that the death penalty is not a deterrent in our society. It does not convince criminals to rethink going through with their crime.

A man who is determined to commit murder will most likely not be thinking about how he will be given the death penalty before he shoots his gun. Most criminals will not think about the consequences of their actions. Therefore, our society is no safer with capital punishment in our law.

The death penalty is also expensive. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, California currently has 670 inmates on death row. That means our state is paying $63.3 million each year. This figure is even higher than the cost to keep an inmate in prison for life without the

possibility of parole.

Another thing that many people overlook when considering the pros and cons of the death penalty is the discrimination seen in the system.

African Americans constitute 35% of the people on death row, while they only account for 12% of the US population. Not only that, but an astounding number of inmates were on death row for the murder of a white man. Almost none were being sentenced for the death of a black man.

In addition, the death penalty is irrevocable.

Once imposed, there’s no bringing someone back.

The development of DNA technology in recent years has exonerated numerous defendants on whom the death penalty had previously been imposed.

Capital punishment is also a state decision.

This means that where you live will determine whether on not you are sentenced to death. This is not fair.

In the end, capital punishment simply does not benefit our society. This nation was not built on the idea of “an eye for an eye.”

Although our judicial system is great, is does have its faults, and these faults are reason enough to abolish the death penalty in California.

Should we go to greater lengths to keep illegal immigrants out of the US?

Yes

JORDAN UGLADE STAFF WRITER Immigrants who come to America through illegal means and do not properly register as United States citizens are a fact of life, especially in San Diego where we live less than 15 miles from the Mexican border.

But those immigrants are illegal for a reason, and their existence in America has many detrimental side effects for American citizens.

Immigrants who came here without registering as citizens use up many of our government’s resources, such as our schools and our health care, without paying the corresponding taxes to earn those resources.

Our parents and those among us who are employed should not have to pay to provide for people who are illegally draining our resources.

And when foreign workers leave their country with no intention of returning, it’s just as bad.

If workers are no longer creating a profit in their own economy, their home country will be left with a worse economy and more

people will want to leave their homes for better opportunities in other countries.

Illegal immigrants take jobs and opportunities that could and should be going to legal citizens.

Americans are forced to compete with illegal aliens who are sometimes willing to work for less than minimum wage.

According to the website Immigration Counters, there are over 22 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., over $250 million has been sent to Latin America since 2001, and the cost of Social Services for illegal aliens since 1996 has been over $390 billion.

With that large of an amount of immigrants using our resources and taking money from our economy, there is justification for strong consequences for illegal immigration.

In fact, if there are really that many illegal immigrants on American soil, then we should probably strengthen immigration laws.

Foreigners should still be able to dream the American Dream, but that dream should not become a reality at the expense of legal American citizens.

No

Oscar Rios Sophomore

“I think our economy is already bad enough, and illegal immigrants worsen it by taking jobs others need.

They are also spending tax payers’ money, which is unfair for people that live here legally.”

Alex Wright Senior

“The big question isn’t really about enforcing laws on illegal immigrants. The big question is what to do with the illegal immigrants that are already here.”

LAURA SLUSSER STAFF WRITER Armed IRS agents swarmed into a bakery in Austin, Texas, arresting five illegal immigrants working there. Four were deported immediately without a hearing. They paid taxes to social security and Medicaid without receiving any benefits. They weren’t criminals. They weren’t taking advantage of the system. They were productive members of society. Like many illegal immigrants, they were benefiting the US. The truth is, illegal immigrants help the US. Firstly, to work, illegal immigrants must have fictional social security numbers. As a result their incomes are taxed although 84% of illegal immigrants never file a return. This creates a surplus of $50 billion going to social security funds from people who don’t receive any money back for health care or benefits. According to Dave Nalle of Blogcritics magazine, an illegal immigrant contributes $80,000 more to the government than he or she consumes in services, taking services provided into account.

“Fictional social security numbers” will scare some readers, so before you write an angry letter to the editor, let me explain. These illegal immigrants

don’t use these fake social security numbers to steal money. They only use these numbers so businesses can employ them.

Also, illegal immigrants lower commodity prices for the US. Many people assume this is because they work for lower wages, taking jobs from Americans, but studies show this is not the case.

Illegal immigrants take jobs that would otherwise go unfilled. Natives don’t want these jobs anyway.

This is what lowers commodity prices.

Also according to Nalle, the stereotype of illegal immigrants being criminals is not accurate.

When compared by age, illegal immigrants and American citizens have roughly the same crime and incarceration rates. Also, the vast majority of illegal immigrants stay in US for a short period of time to work, then go back to return to their families.

Roughly half go back to Mexico after a year or less, Blogcritics states.

Stricter immigration laws will hurt the US. Deporting 12 million people we can’t even identify isn’t an option. These immigrants benefit us, and the government has far better places that money can go.

America was created to welcome undocumented immigrants. Now is the time for a change in policy.

If we can’t do that, we’re not America anymore.