First Day of School Special

Newtonite ◆ Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 • Volume 93

Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460

Superintendent acknowledges his mistakes Maxwell Kozlov Over the course of the summer, news sources revealed that parts of superintendent David Fleishman’s commencement address at this year’s high school graduations closely matched passages from a commencement speech given by governor Deval Patrick.

In light of these events, the Newtonite sat down with Fleishman for his response to his violation of a value—academic integrity—by which all students must abide: Q: Many Newton residents found your first statement to the public frustratingly unapologetic. The second statement you released, however, has a much more apologetic tone. Did something change in your attitude towards your plagiarism?

A: The first statement was just an acknowledgement of what happened, and not a statement to the community. The second release was a statement to the community that spelled out my mistakes.

Q: What are your thoughts regarding your actions?

A: It was a serious mistake; I should have credited Governor Deval Patrick. I regret and apologize for my actions. I failed to lead by example.

Q: How have you prepared for speeches in the past?

A: Usually I spend much more time on speeches, start early, talk to people about my ideas, and put it all together. I did none of those things for this speech. It was a big, costly mistake. Contrary to by

Robin Donohoe

Face off: Juniors Robbie Ranta and Trevor Martinez-Tobin scrimmage at football practice Friday, Aug. 22 in Dickinson Memorial Stadium.

School board chair Matt Hills defends committee’s actions Maxwell Kozlov Throughout July, the School Committee met in executive session, meetings closed to the public, to discuss superintendent David Fleishman’s plagiarism after hearing allegations against him in late June.

Prior to any acknowledgement

by Fleishman or the School Committee, The Lion’s Roar, one of South’s newspapers, released an article July 23 detailing Fleishman’s plagiarism.

The Newtonite sat down with School Committee chair Matt Hills to address concerns about the school board’s process.

Q: How do you approach a situation like this?

A: Any time you’re dealing with charges or allegations, you have to go through the same process: look at the facts and assess them. Looking at the facts means looking at the context, which is always different.

Q: Do you think Fleishman’s punishment fit his crime?

A: I’m not going to use the word crime. I think the punishment was entirely appropriate given what the situation was.

Not every transgression deserves capital punishment and not every transgression deserves to be overlooked. And this was neither overlooked nor capital punishment.

Q: How would you respond to critics that say a harsher punishment would be more appropriate?

A: I’m glad to know that there are some number of people out there who think a week’s pay is insignificant. That’s news to many people who work.

I have heard from people that think a harsher punishment by

would have been more appropriate and I have heard that a much lighter punishment would have been more appropriate.

I feel like this was just life. At the end of the day, we are a school board. It’s up to us to look at all the facts of the situation in a way that many people can’t do and use our own judgment as to what’s appropriate. I understand that any decision we make, some people will agree, some people will think it’s too harsh, and some people will think it’s too light. I’m very comfortable that our decision was the right decision.

Q: What message does it send that the situation was handled with money? Could students therefore “pay” their way out of plagiarism?

A: This is not an analogous situation. Fleishman is an employee. He made a mistake. He was fined for a certain portion of his salary. A student may get a warning. A student may get a zero. No, a student is not able to “pay” their way out of it any more than an employee is able to get a lower grade on a paper.

Remember that this is while they’re working for a week. Not being suspended for a week and not coming to work. They’re coming to work, and they’re not getting paid for the week.

Q: What lesson should students take away from this?

A: Be careful and spend time on everything you do. Don’t make the mistake Dr. Fleishman made.

Q: I’ve heard students say that considering what occurred, they should get a “free pass” on plagiarizing. How would you respond?

A: (laughing) Nice try . . . but

there are no “free passes.” Dr. Fleishman did not get a free pass and students will not either. David had a serious punishment for a serious mistake. Simply declaring that one is now entitled to a free pass bears no relationship to what actually happened.

The answer is the rules are still in effect for everyone.

Q: Do you think his plagiarism was intentional or unintentional?

A: My assessment is that it was completely unintentional. We got a range of opinions on whether this was just sloppy or plagiarism.

Q: Would it have been released without The Lion Roar’s exposé?

A: Executive sessions to discuss a personnel issue should remain confidential, other than the requirement of the law to make minutes publically available.

However, from the very beginning, we completely understood that this was going to be public.

It wasn’t even the slightest notion that this could be kept confidential nor was there any conversation we had to keep it quiet.

When I was first made aware of the issue by a teacher, the teacher made clear that a number of people at South: parents, teachers, and other people in the South community, knew about it and were talking about it. Too many people knew about it and that was just a fact for us, so we went about our process in executive session, examining the issues, determining how we were going to respond, and dealing with this issue like we would with any other personnel issue. We had almost entirely finished our deliberations before the Lion’s Roar article came out.

my other speeches, I did this one really quickly, and I did not collaborate with others. However, I received no gain from it; it was just a foolish mistake.

Q: What can students take away from this?

A: The lesson here is to be as careful with speeches as writing.

You have to credit your work.

I made my whole ordeal and punishment public so everyone could learn a lesson. I believe in accountability, and I was held accountable.

Q: How does your plagiarism compare to student plagiarism?

A: If students plagiarize, it’s to get a better grade on their transcript. I had no advantage to plagiarizing; it was hasty and sloppy what I did. Plagiarism means getting an advantage. I didn’t get a pass, so the students won’t either. Trust me, no one wants to go through what I’ve been going through.

Q: Do you think your punishment fit your crime? What message does it sends to students that your punishment was money?

A: A dock of pay is a serious consequence for employees.

It sends a message, because I actually work for the money, as opposed to a sports player who might go on vacation and still get paid.

Q: Do you think you would have had a different punishment if your plagiarism had been clearly intentional?

A: I don’t think the School Committee thought about it as intentional or unintentional when they decided my punishment.

School pilots SFA’s new ‘No Homework’ policy Emily Moss Between meeting new teachers, exploring new subject areas, and attempting to navigate complicated new schedules, high school students often find themselves overwhelmed at the beginning of the school year.

In an effort to reduce student stress levels, this school will be piloting a new policy during first semester which gives students one homework-free date per term. The policy is based on a bill the Student Faculty Administration (SFA) voted on last year.

In the pilot, students will have one homework-free Wednesday in term one and one homeworkfree weekend in term two.

If fully approved, one homework-free Wednesday and one weekend will be instituted during terms three and four, respectively.

The bill was proposed last year by juniors Benjamin Cole, Jonathan Halpern, and Sophia Ly, who were a part of the SFA, and was inspired by a similar policy implemented at South by

during the 2011-2012 school year.

According to Ly, SFA members will reconvene at the end of the semester-and principal Jennifer Price will make a final decision regarding whether to pass the bill or not. The bill is meant as a “goodwill gesture” to students but is not meant to fully solve the problem of student stress, according to English teacher Kate Shaughnessy, an SFA member.

“One of the things I like about the proposal is that it opened up a lot of conversations,” said Shaughnessy, adding that the bill has prompted members of the school community to discuss whether there should be limits on the number of honors and AP classes that students take or whether the school should eliminate the weighted GPA. In addition to preventing students from receiving homework on specific weekends and Wednesdays, the bill discourages teachers from grading during these periods so that everyone can have a break.

See inside for blurbs on new teachers, a feature on the marijuana dispensary opening in Newtonville, and articles on the search for a viable student social area at this school.

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opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

School board breaches trust Whether or not superintendent David Fleishman’s plagiarism was unintentional, as he claims it to be, it still runs counter to this school’s standards of academic integrity.

editorial However, what is most worrisome in this situation is not Fleishman’s actions; it is the response of the Newton School Committee.

In the statement released after Fleishman’s plagiarism was revealed, the committee said it first became aware of the issue June 27, nearly a month before The Lion’s Roar made the issue public.

It is unclear if the committee had had any intention of revealing Fleishman’s transgression.

According to the bylaws of the School Committee, the content of committee meetings must be made public 48 hours before they start. School Committee

chair Matt Hills has admitted that the three committee meetings where Fleishman’s plagiarism was discussed were mislabeled as meetings to discuss collective bargaining.

While perhaps meeting its legal obligations, The Newtonite is still disappointed in the School Committee for its lack of transparency in this instance.

Regardless of any mislabeling, the School Committee should have made a point to announce to the public right away that such a serious mistake had occurred within their school district.

The Newtonite hopes and expects the School Committee to lead with honesty and transparency, and that they will do so from now on.

The School Committee may not have meant harm when they kept Fleishman’s plagiarism secret; however, it damages the integrity of the committee that Fleishman’s transgressions were kept in the dark.

Robin Donohoe

Chasing victory: Team members run after freshman Natasha Milet-Carty at field hockey tryouts Friday, Aug. 22 on the Walnut Street field.

‘Thug image’ stigma causes violence, inequality Peter Diamond There is an undeniable racial achievement gap in this school.

Honors and AP classes almost all have a white majority, and despite its core value of diversity and programs dedicated to closing this gap, this school, like any other, is impacted by prejudices held against students of color.

Newton exists in the backdrop of Boston’s de facto segregation. The Metropolitan Council of Educational Opportunity (METCO), founded in 1966, sends students of color from the inner city to the Newton Public Schools, but the program has often been met with violent pushback. As recently as the 1990s, public displays of animosity have occurred on this school’s Main Street against METCO students.

Much of the prejudice against students of color comes from by

an image of white formality, or the idea that treats types of dress and speech from white culture as the norm. Many of this school’s most successful students reflect white formality, which makes us susceptible to the idea that blacks who reject that norm (students who speak in standard black vernacular or who dress in a traditionally black urban fashion) are somehow threatening, or “thugs.”

column The standards and stigmas of white formality and the “thug image” may be at the heart of racial violence nationwide, such as that in Ferguson.

Almost 2,000 miles away, racial violence has reached a climax unlike any Newton has seen. On Saturday, Aug. 9 at 12:01 p.m., police officer Darren

Newtonite The Newtonite, founded in 1922, is the news source of Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460.

Editors in chief — Leah Budson, Connor Vasu Managing editors — Jacob Gurvis, Maxwell Kozlov, Jonny Levenfeld News editors — Sophie King, Emily Moss Sports editors — Adam Rabinowitz, MacKenzie Silvia Arts editors — Maya Abou-Rizk, Jessica Tharaud Features editors — Isabel Joyce, Elena Schwartz Opinion editor — Peter Diamond Freelance editors — Nicky Kaufman, David Kwartler, Andrew Mannix, Jacob Sims Speyer Talk of the Tiger editor — Maya Metser Blogs editor ­­— Doug Abrams

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The Newtonite staff does all its reporting and photography to post content daily to its website, theNewtonite.com. Student editors make all content choices.

The Newtonite serves as a designated forum for student opinion.

Readers are invited to submit guest articles and letters to the editor. Letters should be put in the Newtonite box in the main office or emailed to thenewtonite@gmail.com. The Newtonite reserves the right to edit all letters.

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Wilson of Ferguson, Missouri shot 18-year-old Michael Brown to death. Like the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2011, the Ferguson incident looks like another case of an epidemic of excessive force used by people in positions of authority against young black men.

In discussing Ferguson, Newton students should focus on the issue of racial violence in general, not the images that certain media have used in portraying Brown. What Brown may or may not have done before the shooting does not reflect the underlying problem (some testimonies argue that Brown had robbed a convenience store earlier that day, or that, although unarmed, he assaulted Wilson). Those images should not distract from the fact that six gunshots against an unarmed teenager from 20 feet away is

excessive force.

Sources including the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and National Review Online have accentuated a “threatening” image (threatening by a standard of white formality) in their portrayal of the victim, as well as his alleged petty theft, as if to suggest that Brown somehow deserved to die.

Due to this, when discussing Ferguson in the classroom, Newton students must acknowledge that the idea of a “thug image” is rooted in racism. The connection of standard black vernacular or hooded sweatshirts to threats and violence is rooted in a racial prejudice that has already taken too many lives.

Cities with white majorities like Newton can get away with creating these dehumanizing biases and allowing them to

impact existing power structures. Here in Newton, white privilege may not have as much to do with police brutality as it does in Ferguson (though I am not one to say it does not), but it has plenty to do with academic achievement and the way that students are viewed by their peers and teachers.

All over the country, prejudice subjects people of color to varying degrees of disadvantage, and regardless of the location, privileged whites have the power to end cycles of oppression. In Ferguson, that means ending police violence and human rights violations.

At this school, that means stopping our biases from letting us underestimate and undermine students’ potential, thus making real progress toward closing the achievement gap.

School lacks tolerance for non-liberal viewpoints, ideas Dear Editor, I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts about the political climate at Newton North. I would first like to argue that Newton North is, in fact, very narrow minded in its acceptance of differing political views.

letter to the editor I believe it is accepting of all liberal political views, but the buck pretty much stops there.

When I first arrived at Newton North in September 2012, I had just come from the pretty conservative state of Arkansas, so I was used to hearing very different things. At North, everyone appeared to be as they claimed: “open-minded” and “accepting.”

But, later, I found out this was because I had just decided to go with the flow and just kind of “absorb” whatever their politics

were in an effort to “fit in.”

In hindsight, I probably should have just been honest. As I spent more time at North and started forming my own ideas and opinions on American political issues, people would often become flippant or even hostile towards my libertarian-leaning political views. It was very annoying and hypocritical that these very people preached acceptance and open-mindedness and yet shut down whatever views opposed their own.

For example, a classmate and I were once debating whether private gun ownership has a place in America, and the issue of whether or not the second amendment actually does guarantee the right to private firearm ownership. Specifically, in this debate, we had gotten into the specifics of the extent of what the second amendment protects and guarantees. In an effort to solidify and prove my case that the amendment protects pri-

vate firearm ownership, I cited a 2008 Supreme Court case. I cited this ruling, expecting my classmate to rebut with a disagreement and an explanation of why, in their opinion, the court was wrong. Instead I got a response of: “Well, this was the same Supreme Court that upheld ‘separate but equal’ and guess what, it’s been statistically proven that Democrats are smarter than Republicans, so your argument is wrong.”

I was absolutely appalled at the response because everything she stated was incorrect.

That kind of outburst is exactly what is wrong with our political system and is leading to polarization and the hindering of any political process in this country.

The same bipartisan conflict is present at this school and can be avoided with a higher tolerance for political minorities and independent political thinkers, such as myself.

—Patrick Serven ’14

news

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

New faculty provide experience and enthusiasm This September, North welcomes 23 new fulltime faculty to the school.

Compiled by Leah Budson, Maxwell Kozlov, Jonny Levenfold, Adam Rabinowitz, Jacob Sims Speyer, and Connor Vasu

Jamie Bal

Tessa Bridge

Background: Bal graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s degrees in history and social studies education. She student taught at this school last year.

Excited about . . . “meeting new file photo students and faculty, as well as reconnecting with some old ones.”

Fun Fact(s): Bal loves crafting. She builds theatre sets, creates props, and makes jewelry.

Background: Bridge received a bachelor’s in psychology from Reed College and a master’s in child development and urban and environmental policy and planning file photo from Tufts University.

Excited about . . . “joining a great community.”

Fun Fact(s): Bridge is a cyclist and bikes to and from school every day from Somerville.

History teacher

Scheduler and Data Manager

Nancy DeCoteau

Sheila Eghbali

Background: DeCoteau received a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in school counseling from the University of Connecticut.

Excited about . . . “becoming part of file photo this great community.”

Fun Fact(s): DeCoteau went dog sledding on a glacier in Alaska.

Background: Eghbali received a master’s in nutritional biology from the University of California-Davis.

Excited about . . . “the focus on professional development for the file photo faculty.”

Fun Fact(s): Eghbali teaches Iranian dance and directs a performing group in the area.

Anna George

Steven Gianquitti

Ali Greenbaum

Background: George received a bachelor’s from Hamilton College and a master’s from Simmons College.

Excited about . . . “teaching in file photo what seems like a great community.”

Fun Fact(s): George played high school and college volleyball and still plays recreationally today.

Background: Gianquitti earned a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of New Hampshire.

Excited about . . . “the wealth of diversity and vast amount of resources at this school.”

Fun Fact(s): Gianquitti ran a marathon over the summer.

Background: Greenbaum received a bachelor’s in biopsychology at Syracuse University, a bachelor’s in French at Hunter College, and a master’s in adolescent education at Mercy College. file photo Excited about . . . “meeting my new students.”

Fun Fact(s): Greenbaum likes running and reading.

Justin Evans

Science teacher

School Counselor

English teacher

Workforce Development

Italian teacher

Background: Evans received honors in teaching French and Italian from Swansea University and a master’s from Boston University.

Excited about . . . “working with the other faculty and meeting the students.”

Fun Fact(s): Evans likes seeing live music.

file photo

Physics teacher

file photo

Star Lew

Aniela Liesman

Background: Leichter received a bachelor’s in psychology from Harvard Extension and a master’s in clinical mental health counseling from Lesley College. file photo Excited about . . . “working in a full capacity with such a wonderful group of students and staff.”

Fun Fact(s): Leichter grew up in the most southwesterly city in the continental United States.

Background: Lew received a bachelor’s in English from Beijing University of Science and Technology and a master’s in communications from Emerson College. file photo Excited about . . . “coming to a much bigger district with a more diverse student and faculty population.”

Fun Fact(s): Lew likes to garden and scrapbook, and also is very interested in cars.

Background: Liesman received a bachelor’s in political science from University of California-Irvine, and a master’s in teaching with a certification in history and special education at Simmons College. file photo Excited about . . . “the transition into my new role.”

Fun Fact(s): Liesman will bring “SoCal slang” to the school.

Patrick Manning

Kate McCarthy

Adam Peloquin

Background: Manning received a bachelor’s in child development from Tufts University and a master’s in counseling psychology from Lesley College.

Excited about . . . “the dedicated file photo staff and students that I’ll get to work with.”

Fun Fact(s): Manning has lived in Japan, Vancouver and San Francisco.

Background: McCarthy received a bachelor’s in psychology from UMass Amherst and a master’s in school psychology from Tufts.

Excited about . . . “the opportunity to file photo work in a school system that offers extensive services for all students.”

Fun Fact(s): McCarthy was an All-American springboard diver.

Background: Peloquin earned his bachelor’s in industrial engineering and operations research from UMass Amherst.

Excited about . . .“working in a file photo school with such dedicated students and faculty.”

Fun Fact(s): Peloquin likes to fish, bike, and telemark ski.

Lisa Reed

Max Roberts

Isabelle Ronfard

Background: Reed received a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in social work from Boston College.

Excited about . . . “being a part of the building and meeting all the students.”

Fun Fact(s): Reed likes to cook and read cookbooks.

Background: Roberts earned a bachelor’s in sociology at Brandeis University and received his teaching license in history through the Newton Teacher Residency.

Excited about . . . “working in a file photo comprehensive school.”

Fun Fact(s): Roberts is a big Red Sox and Cardinals fan and plays in a softball league.

Background: Ronfard earned a nursing degree and bachelor’s in public health from the University of Lille and a master’s in French literature and culture from Boston College.

Excited about . . . “finding ways to engage with students daily.”

Fun Fact(s): Ronfard is a tango dancer.

Dana Shulsinger

Claire Stadolnik

Wendy Thibodeau

Background: Shulsinger completed her bachelor’s degree at Boston University and is currently finishing her master’s degree in social work at Boston College.

Excited about . . . “working with a file photo diverse student population.”

Fun Fact(s): Shulsinger is fluent in Hebrew.

Background: Stadolnik received a bachelor’s in psychology from Stonehill College and a master’s in severe special education from Bridgewater State University. file photo Excited about . . . “working with the new school community.”

Fun Fact(s): Stadolnik has coached track at Oak Hill and South.

Background: Thibodeau received a degree in continuing education from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Excited about . . . “working here because North is so open.” file photo Fun Fact(s): Thibodeau is a certified fishing, swiming, archery, and paddle instructor. She enjoys volunteering at her local animal shelter and painting.

Colleen Virgil

Maddy Wendt

Keith Whelan

Background: Virgil earned a bachelor’s in math and education, and a master’s in curriculum and instruction through the University of Connecticut.

Excited about . . . “being a part of file photo the school community” Fun Fact(s): Virgil enjoys reading, cooking, baking, and photography.

Background: Wendt received her bachelor’s in political science and psychology from Williams College and her master’s in secondary education from Smith College.

Excited about . . . “being at such a big school with such a diverse stufile photo dent body.”

Fun Fact(s): Wendt coaches cross-country skiing for the Cambridge Sports Union.

Background: Whelan earned his bachelor’s in communications at Framingham State University and his master’s in education at American International College.

Excited about . . . “attending some file photo sports games and theatrical productions.”

Fun Fact(s): Whelan roots for the Boston Celtics.

Shani Leichter

Chinese teacher

School Counselor

Guidance Counselor

METCO counselor

History teacher

file photo

Special Education teacher

Math teacher

Special Education department head

Special Education teacher

History Teacher

Special Education teacher

Engineering and Math teacher

French teacher

file photo

Graphics teacher

Math Teacher

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

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features

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Marijuana, just down the street Douglas Abrams Standing on an especially quiet block in Newtonville, 697 Washington Street has never been the center of attention.

There are four business spaces inside of it; three are occupied by wellness businesses and one is vacant. But the building’s anonymity is about to change.

The vacant space, a 945 squarefoot room, is about to be transformed into a medical marijuana dispensary—one of the first in Massachusetts.

And although city officials claim the dispensary, named Garden Remedies, will have little impact on Newtonville, the new business—and the patients and security measures that come with it—raises concerns that the face of Washington Street, and its surrounding community, will be changed forever. by

Public debate

“Have you seen the size of 697 Washington Street? Absolutely tiny,” said Jessica Bessonette, the owner of East West Massage Therapy, which is located in 709 Washington Street, two buildings down from the dispensary. “In no way is this an appropriate place to set up an office like this.”

Wil Chilin, the owner of Supreme Cleaners, which is also located in 709 Washington Street, also has qualms about the new dispensary. “My only concern is the type of clients that will be drawn to the medical facility.

We are used to a type of client–– moms with children, business people––and I just don’t want them to feel intimidated to go around Washington Street if people are hanging out outside,” he said.

Business owners are not the only ones with reservations.

“The location is problematic,” said Donna Beers, president of the Massachusetts chapter of the International Nurses Society on Addictions. She worries that the location of the dispensary–– largely because of its proximity to this school––could make it easier for students to obtain marijuana, even though it complies with a city ordinance that requires medical marijuana dispensaries to be located at least 500 feet away from any school, child care facility, or house of worship.

She cited the state’s laws concerning medical marijuana as the root of potential problems.

When legislators passed the state law legalizing the sale of medical marijuana on Jan. 1, 2012, they set the amount of medical marijuana that patients can receive from dispensaries at 10 ounces per 60 days, four or five times higher than the limit

Staff photo

in most other states. In Colorado, for example, a state that has become a national focal point for the sale of medical and commercial marijuana, patients can only get two ounces at one time.

New Hampshire, too, has a limit of two ounces. Indeed, Massachusetts has the third highest limit in the country, surpassed only by Oregon and Washington at 24 ounces.

“It is crucial to note just how much marijuana 10 ounces is,” said Beers. “Ten ounces per 60 days translates to 12 blunts a day. In my experience, patients in even the most horrific pain don’t go through more than one blunt a day.” It is also worthwhile to note how much 10 ounces is worth. Assuming that patients could sell excess marijuana for roughly the current street rates, at which one gram sells for about $20, 10 ounces could sell for $5,670, said one senior, who has been regularly purchasing recreational marijuana since sophomore year. “And this is not your momma’s marijuana,” added Beers, “this is high quality, potent, genetically engineered marijuana.”

Another source of her worry is that patients can get a medical marijuana certificate from an outside doctor they have never met, making it too easy for patients to obtain medical marijuana, she said. She worries that this law, in conjunction with the 10 ounce regulation, might lead to a stream of illegal marijuana sales.

Richard Comenzo, manager of the Holistic Center in Boston, begs to differ. The Holistic Center he co-runs with doctor Thomas Wong helps patients obtain medical marijuana certificates by connecting them with doctors. Comenzo, having been a defense attorney for more than 25 years, has ample experience with Massachusetts state regulations. “I don’t think that the certificate law in Massachusetts is the least bit problematic,” he said. “It’s not like doctors just prescribe medical marijuana on a whim. This is a careful and highly regulated process.”

According to Comenzo, patients that are addicted to opi-

ates or have mental disabilities are highly scrutinized when they apply for a certificate. Thirty to 40 percent of addicted patients are denied a prescription, he said, and patients with mental disabilities—often bipolarity and posttraumatic stress disorder—are asked to get confirmation from their primary practitioner before they are given certificates. “These patients are extremely rare,” said Comenzo.

Oversight continues even after patients get their medical marijuana. “Patients must renew their prescription at least once a year, and doctors have the ability to adjust how much marijuana a patient gets as time goes on,” said Comenzo.

He added that although the 10 ounce limit seems excessive, it is there because many patients use tinctures: medicinal concoctions such as oils or balms that are made with high amounts of marijuana. “Most patients are not even prescribed the full 10 ounces.”

Yet, Beers still fears what could happen. “When patients sell, who are they going to sell to? Students. This dispensary puts readily accessible pot in the reach of minors.” Beers continued, her voice rising higher and cracking with concern: “The location of this dispensary demonstrates a lack of attention to consequences on the part of legislators and city planners. It’s irresponsible.”

Legislative process

Even though there is dissent over the facility, the process leading to selection was exhaustive, to say the least.

Voters decided to legalize the sale of medical marijuana in Massachusetts in a 2012 referendum, with 63 percent approval. The following year, legislators imposed statewide laws to regulate marijuana sale.

Newton went even further and imposed zoning ordinances, restricting dispensaries to commercial corridors and instituting the 500 foot rule—some of the strictest regulations in the state.

After laying this framework, lawmakers reviewed applica-

tions from 182 companies and groups wanting to open dispensaries around Massachusetts in a two-phase selection process. Twenty-one applicants were rejected in the first phase.

Only 101 applicants continued on to phase two, where they were evaluated based on corporate background, business experience, suitability, financial condition, location, staffing, and operations program. Once Garden Remedies received the preliminary approval, they held public community meetings to share their plans with the public and to answer any questions from Newton residents.

The view from North

Principal Jennifer Price also thinks that the dispensary will not impact the status quo, although she did acknowledge that if “students are able to somehow gain access to mari-

juana through the dispensary,”–– as Beers purports––“then it will be a real problem.”

“Everything that I have read about it seems to point to strict rules and making sure our students do not gain access,” she said. “If it is run in a very strict manner, I think it should have no impact on our school, other than mixed messages.”

The impact of this dispensary is yet to be felt, so there is no way to know with certainty whether or not the dispensary will increase student drug use.

In other states, where medical marijuana has been legal for several years, there is still no consensus. In 2012, PBS news reported that officials at some Colorado high schools felt that their schools were “under siege” by nearby medical marijuana dispensaries.

This year, an array of scientific studies claimed that there is no correlation between medical marijuana dispensaries and teen drug use. Yet, the Surgeon General’s 1982 warning against marijuana, which deems it a “major public health problem,” still stands. The federal government still avidly pursues an antimarijuana policy. The only real truth about medical marijuana and 697 Washington Street is that there is no consensus.

Newton residents can only wait and see to discover the affects the dispensary will have on our community.

Student voices: How do you think the dispensary will affect North?

Senior Laura Schlossman: “I really don’t see how this could impact the school.

I may be naive, but teenagers will do what they want, and I don’t think a dispensary will change that.”

Senior Alexander Wei: “I do think it will have an impact on North, but not a huge impact. Still I think the presence of weed in our school is large enough that an added dispensary would not have a significant effect on school life.”

Junior Nick Johnson: “I don’t think we’ll see [an increase in] kids that are stoned walking around North. It will benefit those who need it for medical purposes but that’s about it.”

Junior Lauren Moriarty: “I think it will be a lot easier for students to have access to drugs, and also maybe there will be an increase in dealing.”

Sophomore Gabe Jasper: “I honestly don’t think any student will come up with a way to get pot from a medicinal dispensary. This isn’t a TV show. Yeah there’s a lot of pot smoking at North, but no I don’t think there’s going to be any correlation of data regarding increase or decrease of pot smoking at North and this dispensary opening up.”

Sophomore Alicia Wright: “I don’t think it will make much of a difference. People are going to smoke no matter what, with or without the dispensary. Honestly, it’s probably a good thing—this way you know the weed is safe and not drugged.”

Freshman Jake Mahoony: “I think that it will impact North because people who smoke marijuana will go there, it could also tempt people who haven’t started smoking to start.”

Marijuana Dispensary n St.

to Washing

Cabot Elementary School

Newton North High School Newton

laws prohibit

marijuana dispensaries within a

500

foot

radius from any school.

Maria Trias

Staff photo

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Finding a home in the new North Article by Nicky Kaufman, Leah Budson, and Connor Vasu.

Design by Maria Trias.

Silence in the Library

on? ni

“Main Street was the place to be,” said Jeremy Marks ’12. “If my friends and I got out of class early, we’d hang out on Main Street. If we didn’t want to eat in the cafeteria, we’d eat with everyone on Main Street.”

According to both Vignone and English teacher Peter Goddard, students and faculty communicated to the architects of the new building the need for a Main Street-type area in the new school, only to be disappointed when administrators did not allow students to eat in the hallways and refused to let benches and chairs be placed there.

“I felt like it would be wonderful if the Main Street culture remained the same in

Tucked away in a corner of the cafeteria said no. We’ve tried to create new hangout beside the College and Career Center, five areas, such as in the cafeteria, and anyone upperclassmen huddle around a TV playing can see that they aren’t anywhere near to what Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Nearby, a foosball [they were at the old school].” table and air hockey game lie unused next In fact, the vast majority of students have to empty bar stools and tables. The Student never heard of the Student Union, according Union, intended by the administration and Stu- to a Newtonite poll. dent Faculty Administration to be a prominent Even among teachers, this area is not social area, is instead almost well-known. English teacher use the Stu always deserted.

Nick Grant said, “There’s a stuu de yo Principal Jennifer Price dent hangout in the cafeteria? o n d explained, “The SFA has That’s news to me.” worked hard to create In fact, senior Alex a hang out space for Klavens, an SFA member, students in the Stuadmits that the Student dent Union. We truly Union is “still a work in hope students use it progress” that is used as such.” mostly by underHistory teacher classmen. Thereand former Student fore, he said that, Fa c u l t y A d m i n i s for students, the tration head Gregory library is “the Drake also referenced only real onthe Student Union as being campus option.” a potential student hangout.

Upperclass“I know that they put in stools men seem relucand other things to make it a tant to visit an area place where kids could be,” he where they were required said. to stay before earning offHistory and social sciences teacher Ty campus privileges, as freshmen and sophoVignone said he helped lead major pushes mores must remain in the cafeteria during to create a student center in the new school, cancelled classes. including the creation of the Student Union.

“I’m not a freshman anymore,” said senior “We asked if we could put benches in the Lucas Radouch. “Why would I want to go back hallway and the administration said no. We to the cafeteria and get hounded by campus tried to allow kids to eat out there, and they aides while playing Mario Kart?”

tU

gone.”

In the old building, Main Street was a hallway spanning the length of the school that served as a popular student hangout during lunches and throughout the day.

Principal Jennifer Price said that this building has a new “vibe,” which has made Main Street less necessary.

“I think this school doesn’t flow the same,” Price said, commenting on how the old Main Street had student lockers up and down it and had much more traffic than any area in the new school.

“I used to know where to find my students based on their carved out spots on Main Street,” said science teacher Jodie Cohen.

The Student Union

oft en

d f o r?

in the way the school library operates. School libraries used to be warehouses of books and information. The difference in a learning commons is it’s centered around people.

“The Library Learning Commons is focused on knowledge creation, rather than knowledge storage.”

This change would ideally result in a higher noise level tolerance, but seeing as many students are not discussing schoolwork, the librarians have begun to crack down on students who are being unproductive.

Senior Ryan Kiel-Zabel noted, “The librarians are really strict sometimes. Kids get in trouble all the time for talking, laughing, and just hanging out.”

However, despite student complaints, Tate said that she is just following school rules. She explained that the administration put forth “rules for not just the library, but the whole school,” which prohibit various student activities, such as eating food outside the cafeteria.

Tate said that these rules are not always fol-

lowed in the library.

Beals housemaster Michelle Stauss condones students being in the library during free blocks as long as they “maintain a volume level that is conducive for various types of school work.”

However, Tate said she feels that as the area has become a primary student hangout, she has often noticed students discussing nonschool related subjects. “Although we want this to be a learning environment, and I am happy to see kids enjoying the space, too often I overhear loud kids discussing non-academic stuff such as their most recent party and how drunk they got last weekend. As a librarian, I don’t want to hear that,” she said.

Junior Eric Chen, interviewed last year as a sophomore, said he agrees with Tate. “There are often noisy and distracting juniors and seniors in the library,” he said, pointing out that these students often group together and take up many tables, making it difficult for underclassmen to find places to work.

Senior Danielle deBairos echoed Chen’s sentiment, saying, “on occasion, there are very large loud groups in the library which can be disruptive, so I do understand the librarians trying to quiet down some students.”

However, deBairos also said that “the library should be used as an area to relax and hang out with friends” in addition to studying.

Furthermore, although she acknowledged the sanitation issues with having food in the library, she said sometimes there is no other option. “There have been many times when I needed to use a computer during lunch and had to wait until the end of the day to eat.”

Nonetheless, librarian Erin Dalbec said that students eating food in the library has become a major issue. She confirmed rumors of rodents in the library dating back to February or March of last school year.

Despite this reality, many students, like Goodman, still find that the library is one of the only places they can go to relax with their friends. “All the people I want to hang out with are in there and I’m out here,” says Goodman, while standing outside the library still clutching his lunch. “I get what they’re mad about, it’s understandable, but it’s bad for me. Honestly, where am I supposed to go?”

Ho w

yo u

use

What do

ib r a r y s the l ho k n ul i th

be

When the new high school opened its doors in 2010, students were introduced to a $197.5 million state-of-the art building, complete with new athletic facilities, an auto shop, and interactive whiteboards in most classrooms.

“It was so shiny and new, I felt like I was entering a set for a TV show,” said senior Ryan Kiel-Zabel.

However, through new rules and regulations, the new school lacked what was an iconic fixture in the old building.

“Main Street disappeared,” said history and social sciences teacher Ty Vignone, who has worked at this school for almost 50 years. “What was such a focal point of the old school’s culture was suddenly

as a Library Learning Commons rather than just a library, however, was a conscious one.

The space was intended to be more collaborative, while still committed to schoolwork and not socializing.

Former librarian and English teacher Kevin McGrath, who was involved in the design of the Library Learning Commons, said, “The name change was meant to reflect the changes

d

It is D-block on a Monday and the Library Learning Commons is bustling with activity.

Some students are chatting about the weekend while others are frantically finishing Gblock’s homework. Computer Lab A is filled with a freshman history class hearing about all the resources the library has to offer and outside it juniors are quizzing each other for the next biology test.

A few scattered students sit trying to sneak in a couple bites of food before lunch block, despite the signs clearly prohibiting food in the library.

Senior Jack Goodman was one of these students, but he was kicked out of the library once again; this time for eating his lunch.

“This feels a little ridiculous. I mean, I get that it’s a library, but I just want to eat and hang out with my friends,” he said.

After four years in the new school, a trend has emerged in student conversations surrounding the use of the library and the rest of the building. Because of the lack of a viable hang out spot and the recent enforcement of a rule banning food outside the cafeteria, students are struggling to find places where they are allowed to simply relax with their friends.

When asked about the existence of a social area, principal Jennifer Price said, “Kids now go to the library, or the cafeteria, to hang out.”

In some ways, students have adopted the library as their own by using it as a space to relax while not doing work. However, not all librarians and administrators are on board with this shift.

Price said that students should be allowed to hang out there, “as long as they are quiet and respectful of the fact that many of their classmates need a space to work.”

As for allowing food in the library, Price clarified, “It is not designed to be a space to eat. We would never install a carpet in an eating space in a school.”

The library of the old building was larger and less of a social area than the library in this school, according to librarian Annette Tate. This influx of students looking to socialize is not necessarily a good thing, she said, considering how it disrupts students who are trying to get work done.

The decision to label this school’s library

The Old Main Street the new school,” said Goddard. “I loved it, it was like a fun barnyard where everyone was.”

Over four years later, the hallway that runs from the front doors to Beals house, the area Vignone designates as where the new Main Street was intended to be, remains devoid of students and teachers most of the time.

The administration played a role in the failure of Main Street at the new school, according Goddard, Vignone, and some students.

“Suddenly there were new rules implemented, such as, ‘No eating in the halls,’ which later evolved into, ‘No sitting in the halls between class,’” said Marks of his

experience in the new school, in which he spent two years. “I felt I was walking through a hospital instead of a high school,” he said.

However, Barry housemaster Aaron Sanders said the administration wanted to create a school with its “own culture and personality,” and that the creation of a Main Street was less of a focus.

Furthermore, head custodian Tim Keefe said he feels that students in the old school did not keep Main Street clean.

“I’m not just talking about kids leaving trash around, we were dealing with serious stuff, like students leaving graffiti all over the walls,” he said. This made Keefe’s job increasingly difficult.

Where do we go now?

In all the student interviews conducted for this article, the resounding message was that no one knows where to go. With the Student Union not providing a viable hang out spot and librarians more strictly enforcing rules in the library, many students are finding themselves searching for a spot to socialize and eat lunch.

The expectation that students will only eat in the cafeteria is unrealistic, and school policy does not reflect this reality. According to a poll conducted by the Newtonite, only 48 percent of students eat in the cafeteria. Instead, 20 percent eat in Newtonville and 20 percent eat in extracurricular spaces, such as the art and theatre wings. The other 12 percent eat in the hallway, the library, or the Tiger’s Loft.

Although students leaving the cafeteria with food are often told to turn around, students bringing food to school or finding an alternate route to leave the cafeteria receive little trouble from teachers for eating lunch in spaces such as the art, graphics, and theatre wings. In fact, many extracurricular teachers encourage a community where food is allowed.

Graphics teacher Jon Paul Conopka said, “I’ve seen students who had no friends to sit with in the cafeteria make friends in the back of our room during lunch and then start going to the cafeteria with the

History teacher Brian Goeselt agreed that students struggled with cleanliness, saying that trash was “a huge problem,” and that Main Street “generally looked disgusting after lunch.”

Because of the way students treated the old Main Street, Keefe said he feels the elimination of it in this school is “absolutely fine,” and although students do not have as many hangout options, he feels that by not having so many students concentrated in one hallway, they now treat this school with more respect.

Goeselt also sees the benefits of a clean Main Street. “A clean Main Street sends a message that this is a safe and civil environment for learning,” he said.

people they met. If having lunch here makes a student’s day just a little better, then I’m okay with it.”

Even the administration encourages eating food in rooms when it buys munchkins for classrooms during anti-bullying days. Homerooms and classes alike regularly have “breakfast days” where students or teachers bring in food.

head custodian Tim Keefe “The old school had major issues with students being dirty and leaving trash around. Now we have this brand new beautiful school with great facilities, and I’d hate to see it mistreated by students.”

In addition, some students will have meetings with a teacher during lunch, and although the teacher often allows them to bring food, housemasters and campus aides will prevent them from leaving the cafeteria with something to eat.

However, head custodian Tim Keefe said the no-food policy is important to keeping the school clean. “The old school had major issues with students being dirty and leaving trash around. Now we have this brand new beautiful school with great facilities, and I’d hate to

Despite saying that the new hangout areas in this school don’t compare to the old school, Vignone remains optimistic for the creation of a Main Street-type area.

He said that as the school develops, its culture will also develop, which will lead to kids being more comfortable in creating a Main Street by themselves. “This school echoes culture and acceptance. These kids are resilient and I would find it hard to believe that [they] wouldn’t make their own hangout.”

Goddard also was enthusiastic about the idea of a Main Street-type area in this school, saying that the architectural changes in the new school could allow for changes in Main Street’s appearance.

see it mistreated by students.”

Restricting food outside the cafeteria is both extremely difficult to regulate and limits students in their ability to find a home in the school, which is something the school encourages.

Senior Lucy Beizer said the graphics community “has gotten very close because of the amount of time people spend in the [graphics] rooms.” Beizer said she benefitted from eating in the graphics room instead of the cafeteria and even made new friends.

The fact that students who bring lunch to school are not prevented from eating in extracurricular spaces makes the administrations’ policy inconsistent and ineffective.

Junior Ellie Strayer, who often eats lunch in the theatre area, said that, “The annoying cafeteria patrol, who obviously feel they are fixing the mice problem, have a flawed plan that is probably not putting a dent into the mice inhabitants.”

Strayer noted that in the midst of a stressful school day, she is thankful for “being able to eat in peaceful, uninterrupted areas with friends away from the chaotic cafeteria.”

Disagreements about policies regarding a social area continue to delay a solution. However, it is clear that teachers, students, and administrators want the same thing—a clean, comfortable space for students to pass time in.

“In the old school they used to have these trees for every house up and down Main Street, but they were always kept trimmed and short because the ceilings were so low. Could you imagine how big those trees would be on the new Main Street?” he mused.

Vignone stressed that the creation of a Main Street must come from this school’s students.

“The last kids to go to the old building and know what Main Street is like have graduated,” Vignone said. “That means that it is now up to the current students to create their own culture. You need to see them asserting themselves and saying, ‘This is my school too.’”

8 â—† Newtonite, Newton North

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Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

First Term Crossword Teachers’ Picks: Allegra Atkinson Favorite part of the summer: Atkinson enjoyed spending time with her dog Wrigley and going to the beach with her sister.

Favorite movies: Forrest Gump Good Will Hunting Sense and Sensibility Favorite bands/artists: Dispatch Nine Days The Beatles Favorite books: The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas Favorite place to go in Newtonville?

The Paint Bar

Across

2. This class is new to the fine and performing arts department this school year.

5. What you’re holding right now.

6. A mural of this musical group is on the wall outside the

carpentry room.

7. The author of this year’s One School One Book.

8. Many students park on this street.

9. The house closest to the Perch.

Down

1. The house closest to the Theatre Entrance.

3. The vice principal.

4. Our mascot’s name.

9. The senior house.

10. Aronson is the housemaster for this house.

High School Bucket List 50. Actually read a One School One Book.

49. Try every flavor of cupcake at Bread and Chocolate.

48. Go to the big musical.

47. Skip class to go to one of the on campus presentations you’ve always wanted to see.

46. Go to cheer on one of the sports teams that usually doesn’t get fans.

45. Go to a Spontaneous Generation performance.

44. Go to a school dance that isn’t prom or Jprom.

43. Bring a waffle iron and batter to homeroom breakfast.

42. Hack someone’s Facebook in the Library Learning Commons.

41. Go without social media for a weekend.

40. Try the most disgustinglooking food from the cafeteria.

39. Find the only remaining black board in the school.

38. Come to school in costume and pretend it’s for a team spirit day.

37. Wake and bake (we’re talking about cookies, here.)

36. Give up your computer in the library to someone who is actually trying to work.

35. Go back and visit your middle school teachers.

34. Make a Burn Book.

33. Crash the teachers’ free ice cream day at the Tiger’s Loft.

32. Actually do a set of IDs. 31. Eat outside on a sunny day.

30. Find a way onto the roof.

29. Sleep at school overnight.

28. Run down Main Street naked.

27. Actually memorize the schedule.

26. Get pizza delivered to a

Anthrax Primus Favorite books: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Favorite place to go in Newtonville: Bread and Chocolate

Michael Fieleke

Favorite part of the summer: Seeing the Illuminated Forest outside Montreal, offering a teen meditation retreat at the Greater Boston Zen Center, and spending time with family and friends playing tennis.

Favorite movies: Shadowlands Groundhog Day Lost in Translation The Darjeeling Limited Matthew Favorite bands/artists: Anderson Bruce Springsteen (The Rising) Favorite part of the summer: Radiohead Celebrating his first anni- Favorite books: versary at a B&B in Boothbay Practicing Wisdom by the Harbor.

Dalai Lama Favorite movies: Farewell to Arms by Ernest The Princess Bride Hemingway The Big Lebowski Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Ghostbusters Salinger Pulp Fiction Sula by Toni Morrison Favorite bands/artists: Favorite place to go in NewPhish tonville: Lamb of God George Howell Coffee

Back to School Word Search

classroom.

25. Get photographed for Humans of Newton North.

24. Go to IHOP at 1 a.m.

23. Prompose to someone.

22. Tell a teacher how much their class meant to you.

21. Have a marathon of all your favorite childhood movies.

20. Fail an assignment or test.

19. Learn how to do your own laundry.

18. Buy someone coffee without them asking you for it.

17. Friend at least one teacher on Facebook (and have them accept).

16. Change all the backgrounds on the library computers.

15. Go to the senior physics phloat races.

14. Make a time capsule.

13. Skinny dip in the pool.

12. Use a smart board to watch a movie with your friends.

11. Finally get into the Tiger’s Loft for lunch.

10. Finish your junior thesis (on a topic you really love).

9. Play on the Wii in the cafeteria.

8. Kidnap South’s mascot.

7. Have your own senior skip day.

6. Go with the Sixth Man to an away game.

5. Write something on the field after it snows.

4. Go back and visit your elementary school teachers.

3. Get on a first-name basis with a teacher.

2. Read a Newtonite issue cover to cover.

1. Graduate!

Words: Baseball Barbecue Beach Camp Fireworks

Ice cream Internship Lemonade Relaxation Roadtrip

Sandals Sandcastle Sleep S’mores Sunscreen

Swimming Travel Vacation Work World Cup

Note: Words may appear vertically, horizontally, diagonally, forwards, or backwards.

Page compiled by Leah Budson

10 â—† Newtonite, Newton North

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Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

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Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

Journalism

Gr

Photography

ap

Staff photographers shoot two to four assignments a month. Common assignments are taking pictures of sports games and theatre productions. We supply the cameras. If you know Photoshop or are interested in learning, staff photographers can edit pictures as well.

To get involved, email thenewtonite@gmail. com. All experience levels are welcome!

s

g

tos AND

ic

Wr

n iti

Pho

h

JO IN TH E NE WTON ITE !

Newton North, Newtonite â—† 11

Graphics & Drawing

si

Technology Advertising Want to learn how a business is financed? The Newtonite operates primarily through selling advertisements and managing our own money. Advertising staff members sell two to four ads a month.

Like coding or innovating? As a primarily online publication, the appearance and functions of our website are of the utmost importance. Help develop a Newtonite app, work on choosing and creating new features for online, and keep the website up and running.

Public Relations Love social media? Have ideas for increasing readership? Help post on Twitter and Facebook about articles, produce our weekly newsletter, and get this school’s community involved in the Newtonite.

Technol o nd g y sa

Blogs staff write short, informal articles, posted either once a week or every other week. They are centered around a specific topic, such as music or cooking. Writing a blog for the Newtonite is a way to discuss something you care about in a less formal setting, with pieces that can be as short as a few paragraphs. Often, blogs are written by two or more students, so feel free to call up your friends and talk about collaborating on a blog.

Bu

es

Blogs

Enjoy making cartoons, drawings, or computer graphics? Designers add the pictures that help tell the story.

n

Staff writers write two to four articles a month in a section of their choice. Sections like news and sports include more concise, informational writing, whereas arts, features, and opinion sections allow for more creativity and individual voice.

Becoming a staff writer is an easy way to get involved in journalism at this school. You get to write about what interests you, whether that is sports, theatre, or student government. As a staff writer, your writing can be published for all the community to see!

map

12 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014

A Tour Of Newton North SOA

Simulated Outdoor Area

Career & Tech. Ed.

Gym

Theatre Entrance

Band

Pool

Cafeteria

Film Nurse Lecture Plowshares Hall

Main Office

Beals

Tiger’s Loft

Chorus

Little Theatre

1

Graphics Photo ART

Riley Tiger Drive

Greengineering

Auditorium

Design

TV Production

Observation Deck Fitness Center

The Perch

Language Lab

2

World Languages

theNewtonite

Adams

Barry Library Learning Commons

Stadium Theatre

Athletics

English & History Business

Book room

Walnut Street EDCO

3

Math & Science

ELL

Computer Lab

Greenhouse

Peer Tutoring

4

Computer Lab

Map by Maria Trias

Check us out online at:

t he

Newtonite.com