The Chronicle, 6.6

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News: Creativity inspired by Pasta for Pennies competition

Chronicle Sports: Comet athletes shell out big bucks to improve performance

The William Mason High School

Volume 6

NEWS BRIEF

Parking pass applications available Parking pass applications for the 20092010 school year will be available through Edline on March 21. This new system of application will be open to all students with valid driver’s licenses, and passes will be given based on the computer date of each submission. Senior applications will be considered first, and in order of submission. Online submission will close on April 10. Payments will be made between May 11 and 29 in alphabetical order of last names. According to administration, there will be sufficient parking for all students wishing to drive to school. All questions about parking applications should be directed to Administrative Assistant Angela Engen in room B201.

March 20, 2009

t u o b a k l Let’s ta

SEX

TODAY

Free student film festival Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the Film Club will be hosting the No Frills Film Festival. This event gives students interested in filmmaking a chance to share a short production with others. Student-made short films (less than twenty minutes in length) will be shown on the large screen in the auditorium. Anyone is welcome to come to the event, and admission is free.

Last day for senior photo proofing Today is the last day for seniors to stop by A63 (Administrative Assistant Kathy Dean’s office) to proof the senior class composite -- the group photo taken at the fall pep assembly. Parents or students can stop by the office any time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to check the photo and for student name for proofing. If a student does not proof his or her photo, it will be left as is.

The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040

photo by Woody Goldsmith

Health teacher Gary Popovich faces the task of teaching sex education to freshmen, along with various other health and wellness topics. Here, he instructs his first bell students about the basics of first aid.

Woody Goldsmith | Staff Writer It happens to everyone: the “Talk,” the “Birds and the Bees,” the “Miracle of Life.” The students of Mason High School collectively let out an awkward groan at the notion of taking part in the sex education unit in health. The scene of explaining the “facts of life” to a group of mostly freshmen is a familiar one for MHS health teacher Gary Popovich. Popovich has the job of explaining a difficult topic to hundreds of freshmen a year. His responsibilities include informing students about the effects of STDs, the disadvantages of premarital sex and the process of childbirth. Popovich said that he does the most he can to prepare his students for the topics he is required to teach. He said that he gives permission slips the first day for participation in the unit and that he usually receives phone calls from parents after the permission slips are given with questions about subject matter and what specifically will be covered. He said he enjoys teaching the abstinence-based curriculum, and that he tries to keep current with its growth and the

evolution of the subject. Popovich also said he hopes to alleviate parents’ discomfort with the subject. “I don’t have a problem teaching the kids,” Popovich said. “It’s not the curriculum; it’s not hard. The material isn’t hard. But I think it’s necessary for us. Somebody has to do it, because a lot of parents, I think, are uncomfortable talking about it. I don’t want you guys to learn from the school bus or from places where I don’t think you’re getting the right message.” For the most part, Popovich said that it is not too uncomfortable to talk about sex with freshmen. However, he also said that there are certain times that are more awkward than others. “It is kind of awkward when I’m friends with some of the kids or when the kids know me,” Popovich said. “That’s the one thing about teaching and living here that I do know some of the kids’ parents pretty well and I socialize with the kids’ parents.” Popovich said that he thought it would be more uncomfortable for the students than for himself in this situation. See SEX on page 2

Issue 6

Punishment for sexting can be harsh Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief

Legal action against sexting, which can render convicted participants under 18 as felons and registered sex offenders, doesn’t always correspond to the severity of the crime, according to Mason High School Resource Officer Troy Nelson. A recent newsmaker around the country, sexting is defined by the act of “sending nude pictures via text message,” according to CNN.com. Nelson said that although it is a current topic of heated debate among lawyers and legislators, the only laws currently on the books that are relevant to sexting are child pornography laws. “Unfortunately, it does fall under those stipulations that are laid out by the law,” Nelson said. “One of [these laws] is called illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented materials.” Nelson said that the charge for sexting entails the creation or dissemination of such pornographic materials. Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel has established a set of guidelines in treating sexting cases, according to Nelson. The material must include an identifiable subject as well as full-frontal nudity. Due to situational factors, Nelson said that Hutzel opted to charge the two MHS students with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree, which could include up to 180 days in prison and a $1,000 fine. “The prosecutor really weighed the circumstances of the situation and elected not to charge them with illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented materials, basically because it’s a felony of the second degree,” Nelson said. “And with that, conviction would require registered sex offender registration for up to 15 years.” Although the severity of the consequences could provide a deterrent for minors engaging in sexting, Nelson said he thinks that the child pornography laws are unfitting to apply to the crime. “I’ll be the first to admit I agree that [the punishment doesn’t fit the crime],” Nelson said. “Legislators made those [laws] 50 to 70 years ago. And, I think everyone can agree it’s for that sick individual sitting in some backroom, trying to take pornography shots of a young child. And certainly, our laws haven’t kept up with the advent of cell phones.”


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