News: Special education department develops familial relationships
Chronicle Sports: Athletes still motivated after being cut
The William Mason High School
Mud Slingers
Volume 7
NEWS BRIEF
MHS Prom date age limit established Mason students attending prom this year cannot have a guest over the age of 21. According to Student Activities Director Lorri Fox-Allen, this is the first year that an age limit will be in effect. “[The administration] decided to be in line with what [other schools] were doing,” Fox-Allen said. “Also keeping [Mason’s] students safe [is a priority]. As [Mason gets] bigger, [Mason has] to be more securityminded.” Lakota East and West High Schools have an age limit of 21 and under for prom guests, as does Kings High School, though Lebanon High School does not. Fox-Allen said there is a new guest form for students to fill out available on Edline. “All guests need to attach a copy of their driver’s license or school identification card so that when [he or she] check[s] in, not only will [the administration] check our student’s IDs, but [they will] also be checking to make sure who the guest is,” Fox-Allen said.
April 23, 2010
Issue 7
Intense political contention obscures facts on new health care proposal Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief Glenn Beck has deemed it Obama’s “Marxist dream bill,” on his website. The New York Times’ Economic Columnist David Leonhardt saluted “the federal government’s biggest attack on economic inequality” in over 30 years. The passage of a comprehensive health reform bill in the House of Representatives on March 21 has been accompanied by intensely partisan debate that has left many Mason High School students confused, according to senior Rohit Rao. Rao said that rumors and opinions from both sides of the political spectrum have fueled the turmoil that has ensued in the nation as well as his personal uncertainty about
person who will comment, ‘There are some flaws here.’ And that makes sense, too.” Junior Zach Zaerr, who generally identifies himself as a Republican, said that while he opposes the bill’s approach to health care reform, he has a positive view of some aspects of the legislation. Zaerr said, however, that he has felt cheated by the strictly party-line methodology that has defined the debate. “I feel like [politicians] haven’t really paid so much attention to the bill itself, more just the idea of the bill,” Zaerr said. “The Democrats are all gung-ho about passing health care reform, even if it’s things that the constituents or they themselves don’t really believe in or agree with. And the Republicans are just like,
‘Oh, we can’t pass health care; it’s bad.’ Really, [legislators] just try to keep their jobs. They should be consulting with the constituents: that’s kind of their whole job.” A self-described moderate, Rao said that he has also felt frustrated with the inability of some politicians and citizens to compromise. Beyond this, Rao said he has perceived a general misunderstanding of the ways that Congress often works behind closed doors. “I think I’ve been [in support of] reform, mainly because it seems like something that needs to be done,” Rao said. “But, I do believe that there are people who have points that there are things that are wrong. People are wishing for perfection, and it’s kind of weird
TODAY
“Go green” with Earth Day celebration today The Go Green Club, in partnership with the City of Mason, will be hosting an Earth Day celebration today in the small commons and in the bus circle from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is no admission charge and there will be games, food and a battle of the bands.
Earth Day poetry contest at Pine Hill Park today The Mason High School chapter of BuildOn, a national non-profit community service organization, is hosting a free Earth Day poetry reading contest for all ages beginning at 5:00 p.m. today at Pine Hill Park. Participants can share their Earth Day-themed poems in front of peers and will be judged by Mason teachers. Prizes will be awarded to the winning poems in designated age groups.
The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040
the bill. “I read editorials in the newspaper, and [sometimes] it’s some liberal commentator who has a really good point,” Rao said. “They say, ‘We need health care. The system is ridiculous. We’ve got to fix it.’ I think that makes sense. And then there will be some conservative cartoon by Ajay Agrawal
how naïve they are. When you hear these deals being struck in Congress, people are so shocked. It’s like, ‘You don’t know this happens all the time?’” AP Government teacher Maria Mueller said she has also noticed politicians’ blatant avoidance of reaching an ideological middle ground. see MUDSLINGING on page 2