Rachel Scott. Daniel Rohrbough. William David Sanders. Kyle Velasquez. Steven Curnow. Cassie Bernall. Isaiah Shoels. Matthew Kechter. Lauren Townsend. John Tomlin. Kelly Fleming. Daniel Mauser. Corey Depooter. Richard Castaldo. Lance Kirklin. Sean Graves. Michael Johnson. Mark Taylor. Anne-Marie Hochhalter. Brian Anderson. Patti Nielson. Stephanie Munson. Nicholas Foss. Joyce Jankowski. Adam Kyler. Kacey Johnson. Evan Todd. Makai Hall. Patrick Ireland. Daniel Steepleton. Kacey Ruegsegger. Lisa Kreutz. Valeen Schnurr. Mark Kintgen. Nicole Knowlen. Jeanna Park. Jennifer Doyle. Austin Eubanks. Araceli Tena. Stephanie Laster. Savana Knowles. Cody Chronister. Billy Railey. Brad Schindel. Dakota Baker. Kayla Rolland. Barry Grunow. John Locke. William Pennington. Stacy Smalls. Ramone Kimble. Darrel Johnson. John Kyles. Karla Leyva. Scott Marshall. Travis Gallegos. Melissa McNulty. Trevor Edwards. Ray Sarrateo. Heather Cruz. Barry Gibson. James Jackson. Tristin Salladay. and Matthew Heier. Anthony Sutin. Thomas Blackwell. Angela Dales. Joseph Johnson Jr. Andre Wilkins. Andrell Napper. Brother Damian Larson. Rev. Kenneth Reichert. Rev. Norbert Schappler. Rev. Philip Schuster. Iran Brown. Robin Rogers. Cheryl McGaffic. Barbara Monroe. Johnathan Williams. Michelle Brown. Trakeido Barracks. Eugene Sergo. Norman Wallace. Avi Dor. Susan Helper. Seth Bartell. Aaron Rollins. James Richardson. Michael Bennett. Chase Lussier. Thurlene Stillday. Alicia White. Neva Rogers. Derrick Brun. Chanelle Rosebear. Dewayne Lewis. Daryl Lussier. Neva Jane Wynkoop-Rogers. Alicia Alberta White. Thurlene Marie Stillday. Chanelle Star Rosebear. Chase Albert Lussier. Dewayne Michael Lewis. Derrick Brian Brun. Naomi Rose Ebersol. Marian Stoltzfus Fisher. Anna Mae Stoltzfus. Lena Zook Miller. Mary Liz Miller. Rosanna King. Rachel Ann Stoltzfus. Gary Seale. Ken Bruce. Jim Pierce. Joseph Monti. Alexander Rueda. Kenzie Mckeon. Ross Alameddine. Christopher James Bishop. Brian Bluhm. Ryan Clark. Austin Cloyd. Jocelyne Couture-Nowak. Kevin Granata. Matthew Gwaltney. Caitlin Hammaren. Jeremy Herbstritt. Rachael Elizabeth Hill. Emily Hilscher. Jarrett Lane. Matthew La Porte. Henry Lee. Liviu Librescu. G. V. Loganathan. Partahi Lumbantoruan. Lauren McCain. Daniel O’Neil. Juan Ortiz. Minal Panchal. Daniel Perez Cueva. Erin Nichole Peterson. Michael Pohle Jr.. Julia Pryde. Mary Karen Read. Reema Samaha. Waleed Mohamed Shaalan. Leslie Sherman. Maxine Turner. Nicole White. Karsheika Graves. Tanieshia-Deanna Butler. Stacey Kiser. Lawrence King. Joseph Peterson. Ryanne Mace. Julianna Gehant. Catalina Garcia. Gayle Dubowski. Catalina Garcia. Juliana Gehant. Ryanne Mace. Omero Mendez. Ryan McDonald. Ryan Henderson. Chavares Block. Martrevis Norman. Amanda Collette. Justin Cosby. Jessica Plaisance. Trevor Varinecz. Brent Randall. Trevor Varinecz. Greg Maye. Justin Doucet. Todd Brown. Gopi K. Podila. Maria Ragland Davis. 52-year-old Adriel D. Johnson. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera and Joseph G. Leahy. Stephanie Monticciolo. Brian Mulder. Reagan Webber and Matt Thieu. David Benke. Colton Tooley. Jose Daniel Cisneros. Zach Campbell. Samuel Hengel. Kna Vargas Ari. Dr. Vicki Kaspar. Curtis Case. Chance Jackson. Tremaine De Ante’ Paul. Catilyn Abercrombie. Charlotte Bacon. Daniel Barden. Rachel D’Avino. Olivia Engel. Josephine Gay. Dylan Hockley. Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung. Madeleine Hsu. Catherine Hubbard. Chase Kowalski. Jesse Lewis. Ana Marquez-Greene. James Mattioli. Grace McDonnell. Anne Marie Murphy. Emilie Parker. Jack Pinto. Noah Pozner. Caroline Previdi. Jessica Rekos. Avielle Richman. Lauren Rousseau. Mary Sherlach. Victoria Soto. Benjamin Wheeler. Allison Wyatt. Kristopher Smith. Bowe Cleveland. Ryan Heber. Greg Elsenrath. Taylor Cornett. Caitlin Cornett. Jackie Cornett. Tyrone Lawson. Jody Neal. Tacey Greene. Brandon Cooper. Jarrion Walker. Sean Collier. KJ Kersey. Divine Eatmon. Marcela Diaz-Franco. Margarita Gomez. Roderick Bobo. Michael Landsbury. Claire Davis. Andrew Boldt. Taylor Allen. Torrence “T.J.” Gamble. Paul Lee. Emilio Hoffman. Kristofer Hunter. Christopher Starks. Ron Lane Lucero Alcaraz. Treven Taylor Anspach. Rebecka Ann Carnes. Quinn Glen Cooper. Kim Saltmarsh Dietz. Lucas Eibel. Jason Dale Johnson. Lawrence Levine. Sarena Dawn Moore. Nicholas Piring. Nicholas Prato. Kyle Zeintek. Taylor Brantley. Najee Ali Baker. William Klug. Ashley Hasti. Cameron Smith. Cooper Caffrey. Brant Murray. Katherine Douchette. Jacob Hall. Logan Cole. Joshua Dukes. Karen Standley Lake High School | 9300 W 104th Avenue | Westminster, CO 80021 | USA |Gonzalez. Planet Earth | Milky Way Smith. Jonathan Martinez. Nolan Brandy. Janeera Sam Strahan. Volume 29 | Issue 4 Emma Nees. Jordyn Goldsmith. Gracie Jensen. Jessie Sanders. Alejandro May 2018 Hernandez. Casey Marquez. Francisco Fernandez. Jaelynne Willey. Desmond Barnes. Courtlin Arrington. Justin Roach. Alyssa Alhadeff. Scott Beigel. Martin Duque Anguiano. Nicholas Dworet. Aaron Feis. Jaime Guttenberg. Chris Hixon. Luke Hoyer. Cara Loughran. Gina Montalto. Joaquin Oliver. Alaina Petty. Meadow Pollack. Helena Ramsay. Alex Schachter.
the lake never again.
Who we are Editors-in-Chief | Jackson Kessel Aimee Yan
the lake the formalities Opinions or expressions made by students in this publication are not expressions of board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students. The Lake is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Standley Lake High School. The Lake is willing to accept and print any appropriate articles submitted by the students of SLHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to standleylakenewspaper@gmail.com.
2 May 2018 | Issue 4
Staff Editors | Ben Bird Grant Hoskins Erin Paik Mikey Pietroiacovo Staff Writers | Grace Johnson Kurtis Jones Christopher Luc Karsen Schmidt Elijah Sisneros Megan White Nyah Wynkoop Features | Jacob Baca Camille Guinet Kaitlyn Pierce Renee Robledo Riley Ruff Ray Shipe Claudia Semczuk Pauline Semczuk
social @thelakenewsmag facebook.com/standleylakenewspaper @thelakenewsmag thelakenewsmag
Cartoonist | Celeste Kong Adviser | Lynn Schwartz Website Editors | Tate Minch Jackson Valls Social Media Editors | Tate Minch Jackson Valls
FOR MORE STORIES thelakenewsmag.wordpress.com
Table of
CONTENTS The Good stuff
05 06 07 08 09 11 14
Letter from the Editor The student The aDMINISTRATOR The tEACHER The sECURITY OFFICER The LEGISLATOR Editorials 3
Standley Lake HS Golfing for Gators Scramble
$100 Player Fee before May 21
Includes green fee and cart, range balls and BBQ lunch buffet. $125 after May 21, $150 day of event
Register at www.standleylakeboosters.com $25 of each entry and mulligan sales support a SLHS sport or activity of your choosing!
$10,000 Cash Hole in One Contest Chance at a $50,000 Shoot Out Mulligan Sales Sponsorship Opportunities Contact Shannon Adams at slhs.boosters@gmail.com for info
Additional Opportunity to Support the Standley Lake Community
The Golf Ball Drop Fundraiser Go to the link on www.standleylakeboosters.com and buy a golf ball for $10. At 2:00 pm on the day of the scramble all balls will be dropped from a crane. $1,000 first prize for the ball closest to the target with other prizes awarded based on distance from the target. A great way to support a sport/activity/club!
4
To those who want to change the world, Our whole lives, we’ve been told that we are powerless. “You’re too young...” Yet we’re not too young to be shot in math class. “You don’t really understand politics...” Yet we find ourselves at the mercy of our politicians. “Kids can’t change the world...” But if the past few months have proven anything, our capacities to enact change and our unwillingness to forget should never be underestimated again. Events in Florida wracked our nation—events that left a profound impact here at Standley. We walked out to demand school safety. We listened to the story of a Columbine survivor and suddenly realized that the next school making headlines could be our own. We decided that our lives meant too much to be disregarded. Down here, in B-135, The Lake staff has been watching this all unfold, listening to people’s stories, thinking hard about how we could give a voice to the witnesses of tragedy and victims of fear. This issue, we chose to focus on the safety of our school, the students and the staff. This is by no means the first time we’ve addressed gun control, security, and the sheer force of students when they refuse to be silenced. However, the issue stills stands. “This will be the last time. We will never let this happen again. Our lives matter. Our safety is our number one priority.” These were the promises made after the Columbine massacre. These are the promises that have been made to us for the past 19 years. And these promises will continue to be made as long as we accept tragedy as inevitable. In the past, the Lake’s last issue typically covered stories about road trips and fun recipe ideas; articles that prompt us to live our lives fully. This issue, we’re focusing on ways to simply survive. Change is happening at the Lake, and new editors-in-chief are coming aboard: Aimee and Jack, otherwise known as AiJa. And we are not opposed to road trips or low-carb muffins, however, we are opposed to the waste of life that results when high schoolers are killed before they can graduate. We hope that this issue inspires you to unleash the potential that resides within us all to change the world. Utilize this superpower and don’t let go. As Jack’s momma once said, “You have as much power as you take. And you must use it.”
Be bold. be powerful. see you next year.
AiJa A.K.A. Aimee and jack, THE EDITORs-IN-CHIEF
5
the violence must The student The people closest to the violence speak out
A
school represents education, community, and culture. Hundreds of students travel the halls, each with unique backgrounds and experiences. Students attend school with the goal of learning and self-improvement, but also to create meaningful connections and friendships with those around them. In a place where students and teachers alike converge on a daily basis, the safety and sense of security for all those involved is of the utmost importance. Times have evolved and gun violence frequently captures the “Breaking News” segments on local TV. The issue of school safety has called to action those directly impacted on a day-to-day basis—students. For some, like Luis Molina-Barraza ‘20, violence in school isn’t an apparent threat. “[In school] I don’t feel like there’s any threat to me at all,” Molina-Barraza said.
to school safety are because then you can be more aware of what’s happening around you...[it allows] you [to] feel like you don’t have to be in fear all the time,” Kellogg said. Even if a specific school isn’t being immediately threatened, students may still feel as though they are unsafe. “[School violence is] always in the back of your mind when you enter school,” Renquist said. As a result of students speaking out for safe schools, this issue has catapulted toward the forefront of media across the United States, inciting a wide array of student-based movements dedicated to creating change. The March 14th walkouts and March for our Lives were both nationwide, youth-oriented events that brought together millions of like-minded participants. Students have been taking the reins on this initiative and hopes are high that the voice of young people will be heard on Capitol Hill. Different ways of making school a safer place have circulated on both a local level in the Jefferson County School District as well as on national level in the White House. While young people’s protests and walkouts gain national attention, the effects aren’t always instantaneous. However, students can make an immediate change by ensuring that school is a place of unity and community, rather than just a brick building filled with students.
However, the issue has become prevalent in the minds of many students. Standley Lake High School held the “See Something, Say Something” assembly on March 13th to highlight the importance of being aware of threats to school environments and to utilize young people’s capacity and ambition to prevent tragedy.
During Standley Lake’s March 14th walkout, Megan Aishman ‘19 gave an empowering speech demanding immediate change in a movement for students, by students.
This is the reality for students in schools across the United States, particularly those who have grown up with lockdown drills, like Taylor Renquist ‘20 and Zee Kellogg ‘20, whose middle school went on lockdown for over three hours due to a suspected gun on the premise. These occurrences shape the way students perceive these events and the action they are willing to take to prevent them.
Ben Bird | Renee Robledo | Riley Ruff
“It’s important to be informed about what the threats
6 May 2018 | Issue 4
“We should not be killing each other. We should not be afraid for our lives when we come to school. We need to change, we need to change something,” Aishman said. “And it needs to happen now.”
end, and this is how. The Administrator Is the administration as worried as the students?
N
early three months have passed since seventeen lives were lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. It’s been a little more than five years since 26 lives, 20 belonging to children between the age of six and seven, were lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. It’s been 19 years since 12 lives were lost at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. This year alone, there have already been twenty school shootings in which one or more students or teachers were injured or killed by gunfire. These events have provoked reactions from both students and teachers, pushing the issue of gun violence and school safety to the forefront of national news. Walkouts, protests, and recent events beg the question, how is the school administration reacting to this issue? Through the Innovation Grant, created under the Bush Foundation, a new position in the Jefferson County School District arose: The Director of Safe School Environments. This position will be filled by former Standley Lake High School principal Jeff Pierson. According to Pierson, his new position will be built from the ground up and is intended to bridge the gap between law enforcement and school administration on the matter of school safety. “My job now is to figure out, from the educational end and the law enforcement end, how do we work together? How do we become more proactive as opposed to reactive, as I think our reactions to school shootings and violence have been very reactive for the most part,” Pierson said.
However, in the wake of the ever-growing issue of gun violence in schools, is a new position within the district enough for students and parents to feel at ease? Regardless of whether or not it’s enough, this position is not the only way Jefferson County is planning to make improvements to its policies concerning the safety of its students. New cameras have been implemented in schools across Jeffco, and the monitoring of those cameras is now a priority, along with the strict regulation of who come in and out of Jeffco buildings. “One of the only ways to do that [reducing the upward trend in gun violence] is to start looking at mental health issues from a young age, and not just looking at them and providing them with medication, but giving students true tools to deal with it,” Pierson said. Pierson’s feelings reflect a shared fear amongst parents in light of the number of mass shootings in the recent years. “I’m horrified. I have a nine-year-old and a four-year-old that I send to school everyday. Everytime I hear about another tragedy, it hits me in the heart, because those could be my kids,” Pierson said. Pierson and the rest of the Jeffco school board are devoted to ensuring that events that can be prevented, are. “It sounds like Parkland could have been prevented in a lot of ways, and one of the parts of my job now is to make sure that our schools are more proactive and students know what to look out for,” Pierson said. The effectiveness of this new administrative position, and similar positions as well, likely won’t be seen for some time. Still, the creation of such a position is obvious evidence of school administrators attempting to protect their students and displaying a forward attitude towards a common goal. Whether these actions are enough to prevent gun violence remains to be seen. Tate Minch | Elijah Sisneros | Jackson Valls
7
Out of 35 teachers at standley lake high school -
The teacher Since when are school shootings a part of the lesson plan?
H
e was sounding the alarm. He was warning them to get down. He was dragging the students he couldn’t get to in time to safety.
“I support the idea for teachers to carry guns in the classroom.”
Then he got hit himself, and the loss of blood proved fatal.
71% Strongly disagree 23% disagree 6% Strongly agree
Although Columbine High School teacher Dave Sanders’ life ended over a decade ago, the chilling details of his story endures. Unfortunately, this heartbreaking experience is one of many. More than 208 school shootings have occurred since the horrific events at Columbine High School in 1999 and over 25 teachers have been either killed or wounded in desperate attempts to protect their students. Many teachers at Standley Lake, if the occasion arises, vow to do the same. “My love for my students is the same as these teachers that are sacrificing themselves, and it’s a strange position to be put in...but the reality of the world today is that these are kids that I might have to take a bullet for,” Ms. Taylor Hillberry, an art teacher at Standley Lake, said.
“Though I am unable to express my political views in a classroom setting, I support the walkouts that are taking place across the country.”
Since the Parkland shooting, the potential weight of a teacher’s responsibilities during a crisis are coming to the forefront. Despite increasing political tensions, however, teachers are required to withhold their personal views in the classroom; their roles are strictly to educate and promote self-discovery among students. With self confidence often bolstered by teachers, many teenagers are now taking initiative as activists.
3% disagree 26% agree 73% Strongly agree
“I think it’s now a generation of students that have been brought up through this world of school shootings that are taking a stand now, taking action, speaking out, and getting involved,” Hillberry said.
“I believe Standley Lake High School has adequate safety precautions.”
Teachers collectively support students who are engaging in the nationwide debate regarding safety.
3% Strongly disagree 27% disagree 64% agree 8% Strongly agree
April 20, 1999 Columbine High School 6 8 May 2018 | Issue 4
“It’s not about the teachers, it’s not about the administrators—it’s about the students,” Mr. Justin Pond, a social studies teacher at Standley Lake, said. While the power of students is massive, teachers still retain the ability to create change concerning certain policies. One of the many divisive topics delves into the prospect of teachers carrying weapons in the classroom. At Standley Lake High School, 71% of teachers are strongly against guns in school,
February 29, 2000 Buell Elementary School
December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School
The security officer
many believing it would be an unnecessary addition to the problem already at hand. “The presence of a gun increases the likelihood of gun violence 100%... I didn’t sign up to be a teacher to shoot guns. I signed up to be a teacher to make the world a better place and I don’t think you make a better place by shooting people,” Pond said. Opposed to allowing faculty to carry weapons, some teachers instead advocate for increased preparation for emergencies. Preventative measures include lock down drills and programs that allow students to alert the teachers or authorities of any concerns. Standley Lake, for example, utilizes Safe2Tell, allowing students to text or call in reports anonymously. “Some of the critique of Safe2Tell has been that, while the anonymity is good for if you’re afraid of the person you’re reporting on... for the reporter, there’s never any follow through or coping with the process of reporting,” Hillberry said. In attempts to ensure greater follow throughs, Standley Lake has instituted a new program: See Something, Say Something. Similar to Safe2Tell, the program is intended to allow students to take initiative in preventing incidents by contacting designated “teacher ambassadors” throughout the school and take a more personal approach to handling the issue. Others seek better prevention of violence through a change of the drills already implanted. “One thing we need to do is have a lockdown during passing period. We always have a lockdown when kids are in class, when they are settled, right? Some kids even know about them. Let’s have a drill in a real life situation... an unannounced lockdown, and see the scramble to get in,” Pond said. Attempts have been made to try to eliminate the possibility of yet another school shooting but, despite the best efforts and intentions from teachers and others, crises often prove to be unpredictable. “You can’t stop someone who’s intent on killing themselves and other people, but you can probably reduce the damage and so, if it’s even just a few lives—if it’s two lives versus ten lives—that’s worth it to me,” Mr. Scott Eichorn, a social studies teacher at Standley Lake, said. Safety procedures and precautions currently enacted, such as the alarmed doors; See Something, Say Something; and an on-campus resource officer are steps in the right direction, but the solution may be unattainable. However, preventing and protecting against school emergencies needs to remain a priority. The truth is that schools aren’t safe, teachers shouldn’t have to put themselves between a bullet and a student, and safety measures need to improve now, for both the teachers and the kids. Kurtis Jones | Jordan Mattox | Erin Paik Kaitlyn Pierce | Karsen Schmidt | Claudia Semczuk Pauline Semczuk| Emily Zimmer
October 1, 2015 Umpqua Community College
Small Capital, Colossal Problems for Jeffco
I
n an era of increasing polarization in politics, gun control has sparked debate in America among people across the political spectrum. Additionally, multiple school tragedies in the past two decades have proven school districts need to mend their safety standards. However, school safety has never been in the forefront of the discussion on guns before recent months. After 800,000 people marched onto the nation’s capital in the ‘March For Our Lives’ movement, and thousands of students left their classes during a national school walkout, public opinion has been swayed by the urgent need for safer learning environments. Mr. John McDonald, Executive Director of Security and Emergency Management for Jeffco Public Schools, has put an emphasis on safety in response to the recent events and the political landscape. However, this task has become much more difficult due to the poor apportioning of funding within the school district. “[The Jeffco security department] has gotten very little support from state legislators. They give us mandates—tell you what you have to do and give you no money to do it. They don’t give us grant money to move the dial on school safety,” McDonald said. Despite the lack of help from those in the government, Jeffco is still attempting to roll out new safety initiatives and even a newly created position, Director of Safe School Environments. As many know, Standley Lake High School’s now-former principal Jeff Pierson has taken that position. Also, the district is attempting to roll out an updated mental health support system to prevent other school tragedies. However, this initiative would cost thirteen million dollars and the Jeffco security budget is only three million dollars a year. Furthermore, McDonald is attempting to improve schools physically. Locks, bulletproof glass, and state-of-the-art video surveillance have been a primary focus recently. Unfortunately, the district is unable to make these improvements without funding. On the other hand, Jeffco uses a valuable education initiative during lockouts, which shockingly is not commonplace in other schools.
February 14, 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 9 6
“We do something no other school district in the country does— we go into the classroom and we engage during that lockdown drill and we give you strategies for success and survival,” McDonald said. Through McDonald’s perspective, school shootings are the threat of our time. Traditional school stricture on emergencies may be centered around crisis drills but should be accompanied by educating students on appropriate behavior and actions in lethal situations through the voice of a professional in the aftermath. Security drills for schools are not the ideal procedure for President Trump, and in response, the idea of weaponizing teachers in addition to giving them bonuses for firearm training has been floated in Washington and across the nation. On the right, the argument is that guns keep schools safe by allowing adults to take down active shooters before a SWAT team is called in. In contrast, Democrats argue that the idea would be ineffective and outlandish, resulting in precarious shoot-outs and minimal staff bonuses considering the amount of training necessary for gun certification. Many consider the idea simply ludicrous, as skilled school resource officers and highly trained officers respond quite hastily when duty calls. “We don’t ask cops to teach calculus, so the thought of asking a math teacher to go into a gunfight is a real struggle. If you’re a teacher and you hit someone besides the target, that’s hard to live with. [Emotional scenarios make it] hard to [determine] who the good guy is,” McDonald said. Armed staff may be one option, however, safety initiatives allowing a cohesive unit of cops to get to the school in under 90 seconds presents a safer and simpler option. Safe2Tell has risen up as a massive success, representing a much safer and more viable method to stop active shooters. Across the country, the program partners with law enforcement and school administrations to better protect students from assault, homicide, or suicide. And the program has been vital, especially in Colorado. In the 2017-’18 school year, 253 threats have been made toward Jeffco schools—with 95 to Columbine High School alone—due to the recent history of the shooting. McDonald has been an advocate of the Safe2Tell program and has touted the efficiency and effectiveness of it, especially due to the student-centric focus. In fact, 4 out of 5 times a student knows about the intended actions of a shooter before they happen. Safe2Tell is designed to allow students to report dangerous activity that they are aware of. A police report is filed almost immediately and the situation is taken extremely seriously. Schools must be a safe and secure environment in our society, and school security is the best way to do that at this point without legislative changes—whether that be funding or gun control. “I’ve taken two oaths in my life, and I’ve taken an internal oath for this job, and that’s just as important as another oath. There’s nothing more important than that duty to protect,” McDonald said. On this point, Jeffco security agrees with McDonald—the duty to protect has never been more important than today. Grant Hoskins | Riley Ruff | Ray Shipe | Nyah Wynkoop
10 6 May 2018 | Issue 4
400,000
The number of firearms stolen every year, according to a harvard/Northwestern survey
In the decade of 2001-2010, 50.2% of households in colorado had one or more guns.
eVERYDAY, ABOUT 96 AMERICANS ARE KILLED BY GUNS 62.6% of the students exposed to gun violence at school since 1999 were children of color people deemed a danger to society and patients involuntarily committed to mental institutions are among those who may not purchase firearms
The Legislator Cooperation in our community leads to cooperation in the government
S
tudents across the nation cannot create change alone. With the rising attention around violence in schools, legislators around the nation are being pressured mercilessly to find the right solution to the epidemic of gun violence.
The new bill overturns the 1996 Dickey Amendment, which prohibited the Colorado Center for Disease from using taxpayer money to fund research regarding the relationship between mental health problems and gun violence.
Standley Lake’s local governors, representatives, senators, and congressmen are obliged to act in interests of their constituents, students included.
With this amendment now revoked, further steps can be taken to forewarn of possible violence, further preventing student’s safety from being put at risk.
The desire to decrease gun violence and protect students transcends political parties and should be a uniting factor amongst politicians. However, differences surface when deciding where the solution lies and where to place blame; whether it’s guns themselves or mental illness.
Legislation at the state level effects Standley Lake’s local government, school board, and administration; similar bipartisan collaboration exists at both levels. Despite building layout, maintenance, and security being the responsibility of the district, small government still plays a significant role in school safety.
Congressman Ed Perlmutter, along with other politicians— in attempt to limit the availability and accessibility of guns—introduced the Safe Communities Act to the Senate. This new act would seals gaps in the current federal system’s process of obtaining firearms. However, as Congressman Perlmutter explained, in order for the act to pass, bipartisan cooperation is requisite.
Budgets are limited and security expenses are costly, obligating government interaction. In accordance with the Westminster city government, the Westminster Police Department has taken measures to keep schools safe by supplying training and funding to local schools. Cooperation between the schools and law enforcement is a huge step towards a more secure environment.
Controversy emerges, weakening the cooperation across the divide, as legal action is taken to limit, regulate, or ban guns. Many gun-owners, however, are afraid that new laws would violate their second amendment rights. Representative Diana Degette argues that banning all guns isn’t the answer.
“Funding for physical security improvements is up to the school district [which] is often underfunded. The Jefferson County School district does not pay for our SRO’s in the schools, yet we put them in the schools full time, ” Westminster mayor, Herb Atchison, said.
“Law-abiding citizens, including those who hunt and participate in firing range activities, have every right to own guns,” Degette said. Despite her defense of guns and gun-owners, Degette attempts to prevent violence whilst securing second amendment rights.
Without proper resources, it becomes difficult to make sure all buildings are up to date, let alone make needed improvements, government officials agree. This responsibility falls upon state legislation.
While some believe that the root of the issue is guns, others say that the handling of mental health is a leading cause of the problem. Perlmutter provided insight on a spending bill that would possibly help discover new information surrounding mental health which could significantly lessen the risk of gun violence in schools.
Representatives in government agree that the violence demands action. There is no simple solution to solve the issue of gun violence, and no measure that will please everyone. However, an imperfect solution is better than nothing at all, and strong legislation at all levels has the potential to prevent further tragedy. Jacob Baca | Ben Bird | Camille Guinet
“In order to promote gun safety, we need to be able to study gun violence and ways to prevent it. The recent spending bill that was just signed into law specifies that the CDC is not barred from researching gun violence under this amendment, and we think that’s a good step forward.”
11 6
Out of all children under 15 years old who were killed by guns, 87% are children from the United States
School shootings in 2018 alone:
*at time of printing
3% OF CITIZENS OWN 50% OF GUNS IN THE us 12 6 May 2018 | Issue 4
What are bump stocks? A “bump stock” is a plastic or metal attachment that is used to make a semi-automatic Gun shoot just as fast as an automatic gun. The recoil of the gun that is being fired will “bump” off of one’s shoulder, back into their finger, in order to make the gun shoot multiple times in a
matter of seconds. Bump stocks were removed from the shelves of many companies when it was found that the Las Vegas shooter used the device in the mass shooting on October 1st, 2018 over the Route 91 Harvest music festival.
According to NYPD firearm-discharge reports,
From 1999-2006
officers hit their targets 37% of the time at 7 yards or less.
ARMING TEACHERS
sOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE, NOT THIS. An opinion column:
BY Aimee yan
T
eachers in Colorado are already spread thin due to a lack of resources and inadequate pay. Asking them to carry weapons for the sake of protection—yet another added responsibility—isn’t included in the job description, and for good reason. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, advocates of training teachers to use firearms as a means of protection have come forward. Countless issues come to light concerning the efficacy of this radical idea, and as a student, I shiver at the thought of sitting in a classroom with a gun. My heart skips a beat and I clutch onto the arms of my desk every time I hear a door shut loudly or voices screaming in the hallway. In an era of lockdown drills that prepare us for active shooters entering what should be the safest places in the country, how is adding more guns to the equation going to make traumatized students feel safer? How can students be expected to focus on equations and dates knowing that one mistake, one misfired bullet, could end their lives? Jefferson County lacks sufficient funds to arm teachers with textbooks and laptops. Wasting resources training educators to carry weapons in the classroom, even those with a background in law enforcement or military, is a disservice to teachers who are already underpaid, overworked, underappreciated, and lack basic school supplies in the classroom. Another issue arises when looking at the disparities between suspension rates of black students with white students. The African American community has already endured a disproportionate amount of suffering due to gun violence, and arming teachers in an emotionally charged situation will only serve to exasperate this inequity. Regardless of original intentions, biases take far longer to check than earning certification to carry guns in schools. Placing this responsibility in the hands of teachers is a clever way of avoiding the real problem our generation faces: guns. What we must remember in asking our teachers to carry weapons is that we are not only asking them to protect us, we are also asking them to kill another student. We are pushing them into a corner where we demand that they take the life of a child they may have once taught, may still care about.
At longer distances, officers hit their targets 27% of the time.
Teachers want to teach. They have made countless sacrifices for the sake of their students, but asking for this one crosses the line. Our education system has abused teachers and failed students enough. Instruments of destruction don’t have a place amongst children or teachers in a school setting.
13 6
OPINIONS
Unity Or Conformity
The difference matters: where to draw the line
The difference between unity and conformity balances on a thread and it can be difficult to tell when that line has been crossed. Americans have a tendency to hold unity high up on a pedestal and to cut conformity down, but in reality, the definitions of these two words sometimes blur together: Unite (v.) 1. to put together to form a single unit. 2. to become one or as if one. Conform (v.) 1. to be similar or identical. 2. to be obedient or compliant.
Historically, people have united under causes that turned out to be pretty awful. For example, the Nazis began as a small, radical, and intolerant group. Originally unified, they quickly crossed into conformity and grew to include thousands under the name of Anti-Semitism and frankly, murder. Conversely, people have also united under righteous ideas: the United Nations, the Women’s March, or LGBTQ+ Pride parades. Due to the lack of a single figurehead in these groups and the generally positive, tolerant messages they advocate, they represent unity rather than conformity. In short, unity allows for diversity and conformity simply doesn’t. A common example of unity is the United States
14 May 2018 | Issue 4
of America, epitomized by the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, exuberant celebrations for Independence Day, and the constant presence of our national flag. Despite these things, fiery political debates, passionate protests, and violent tragedies are also widespread in the US, all of which diminish this often preached unity. Further, the question of when such proud declarations of values, usually dubbed unity, can twist into conformity is raised. At what point is
If unity implies being completely undivided, then no, we, as a school, are not really united. physical and mental safety of community members threatened? To put this issue in perspective for teenagers, thousands of students across the nation rallied in the recent walkout in an attempt to honor the lives lost at the Parkland shooting and as a secondary goal, bring awareness to the issues of
gun violence and school safety. Plenty of students within participating schools such as SLHS chose not to join in while some schools didn’t participate at all. We are part of a huge generation that if organized and clearly united can potentially create a lot of change. So while we—the US, the community, the student body—may not work together for any one thing, we also don’t blindly commit to one set of ideals. Neither uniting nor conforming are necessarily being in complete agreement with one another; having enough of the same morals and values to cooperate and stand together is unity but it’s surprisingly easy for that to turn into indoctrinated and universal acceptance of specific ideas, which is conformity. If unity implies being completely undivided, then no, we, as a school, are not really united. However, completely following any one movement falls more within conformity, exemplifying the gray zone of this issue. Ultimately, we are concerned about the individual and their safety, shown by the massive outpourings of compassion and respect for one another that exist. And I think that’s what makes us unified. | Kaitlyn Pierce
The root of the problem The tipping point of hate
Love. A simple noun that can mean so many things to so many different people. It’s a desire, a dream, a need. Love is undeniably everywhere. However minuscule the amount of feeling, an innate part of the human experience is to want to fulfill or experience love to the fullest extent. But what is the feeling of not possessing or receiving love? Hate. Hate can be found in the darkest corners of the human heart. “I hate him,” “I hate them,” “I hate myself.” Hate is something everyone seems to feel when faced with disagreement, controversy, or conflict—a word whose impacts are lasting when acted upon. 2018 has undoubtedly become consumed by such hatred, ranging from discrimination to violence to outrage. Article after article, screen after screen, the constant recurrences of “hate” have forced a feeling of numbness on society. Police brutality, mass shootings, school shootings— it’s a never ending cycle of violence and abuse, all acted upon by hate. But what if hate does not exist? In science, the transference of energy moves in only one direction. One can only lose heat, they can never gain “coldness”. After all, it’s invisi-
ble, intangible, nonexistent. Coldness is simply an absence of heat.
The science of temperature is undoubtedly different than human emotion, but it bears at least one parallel. If coldness is the absence of heat, hatred must be the absence of love. Therefore, the horrific events weren’t as transparent as they seemed. It was more than just
If Coldness is the absence of heat, Hatred must be the absence of love.
Such a scenario remains present on a smaller level as well. As high schoolers, bullying is all around us, and at some points, results in violence from a total loss of love. With all the debates about school safety circulating, there are little things we can do to prevent violence; ensuring safety in our schools is possible just by learning to love. A small act can have result into a huge impact, positively affecting not only the community, but also yourself. So, choose to do something. Compliment the classmate you sit next to, pick up the books someone dropped, always be open to conversation. You never know how close a person could be to breaking due to an easily preventable loss of love.
Though the absence of love may not be reversed immediately, or possibly ever, we can make an an unstable man driven by his loathing for those effort to attempt to restore the warmth in this worshipping a different god. It was more than a world. We have to at least try. terrorist group striking fear into the helpless because of his contempt for those with different Some people claim religion is the answer. Othexternal features. ers say it’s laughter. The truth is, though, life’s only true medicine is love. Each devastating, irreversible decision, is dominated by the absence of love.
A Staff Editorial 15
TO NEW BEGINNINGS