Accident Turned Fatal

16 year old, Ralph Yarl shot at wrong house by a “fearful” resident

by Addison Bell reporter

Doorbell Leads to shots

Sixteen-year-old Ralph Yarl intended to pick up his younger siblings but ended up at the wrong house with a shot to the head.

On what seemed like a normal evening, Yarl made his way to Northeast 115th Street expecting to pick up his twin younger brothers. What he didn't know was he had the wrong address. With his brothers just one block away, he wound up on the doorstep of eighty-four-year-old, Andrew Lester. It was then that the white homeowner pulled out his .32 caliber handgun and shot through the glass door striking Yarl in the forehead. One more shot went off as Yarl hit the ground, wounding his right arm. Yarl managed to escape, running to a nearby neighbor who called the police. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Two Sides to every story

When interviewed by the police Lester claimed he saw a black male “pulling on the exterior storm door handle,” and concluded that Yarl was trying to break in. Reports say Yarl explained he never touched the handle but he only rang the doorbell. No words had been exchanged between the two. Lester was originally taken into custody for 24 hours but was released on bond. Lester is currently charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

Under The Law

The Stand Your Ground Law states: A person may use physical force upon another person when he reasonably believes such force to be necessary to defend himself. The Stand Your Ground Law has been quite the debate among the citizens of Missouri with Republicans in high support and Democrats opposing the law. But why does this matter? Lester's defense says he thought he was in harm's way, therefore he lawfully used physical force. Yarl's attorneys will counter this with the fact that Yarl said he did nothing to make the homeowner believe he was in danger. Senior Deborah Kelecha sides with Yarl, claiming the house was never in danger.

“It's not even an opinion, it's true the house was never in any danger, the kid didn't have any intentions. I think taking the time to figure that out is significantly important,” Kelecha said.

Missouri's Castle Doctrine also plays a factor in the case. The Castle Doctrine states: If a person believes there is a risk of death or serious physical injury, that person can use deadly force to defend themselves without breaking the law. Similar to the Stand Your Ground Law, there are exceptions and it can be a complicated boundary. Ultimately it will be up to the jury to take both these laws into account and decide Lester’s ultimate fate. Senior Kyler Gibbens acknowledges the laws Missouri has put into place.

“Tough situation obviously [Lester] shouldn't have. Legally he can. It’s his property. Doesn't mean he should,” Gibbens said.

Sparking Outrage

The case is sparking debates all across America. Was race a factor?

Citizens argue that Yarl was a defenseless child and was armed with nothing other than the color of his skin. Others say Lester had the right to protect his home. There has been a national outcry for justice including viral social media posts, high school students staging walkouts, sports teams playing in his name, and activists protesting for a higher charge. Kelecha feels as though this case was racially motivated but thinks people's efforts in getting justice for Yarl can be improved upon.

“I think pushing the narrative of how good and how wholesome a person he is is kind of not as productive as people think it is because racism is bad regardless of who the racism is directed at,” Kelecha said.

This isn't the first time we have seen a controversial and heartbreaking incident play out in the media. Kelecha thinks the outroar is necessary yet shouldn't be something we forgive and forget.

“I just think it's too common. This happens all the time. There are always such surges of protests and Instagram posts when things like this happen. They happen all the time. I just think a good consistency in terms of coverage and caring for people would be really valuable,” Kelecha said.

Stand your ground law by US jurisdiction

Stand your ground by statute

Stand your ground by judicial decision

Duty to retreat except in ones home

Duty to retreat except in ones home or workplace

Middle ground approach

Final Season is Stress Season

Finals

Put To Much Unneeded Stress On Students

by Dalton Roberts reporter

The last quarter of the year is a stressful time for students. This is due to finals and homework. Teachers can give students big finals that can make or break their grade but they also cram a lot of work in a few weeks. This causes a lot of stress on students who are pressured.

Students shouldn’t get the study guide for the final after the final lesson. This makes them go to find information from the start of the class year and students don’t always keep papers from over 2 months ago due to it causing too much space.

“All the same classes should be on the same schedule,” Hannah Buran said.

This is true for the start of the year but near the end it could vary. This means that students in different classes could know more than others before the finals. This would also mean that teachers need to cram other students more.

Teachers instead should give students the study guide at the start of the class year. This is so students can plug in accurate information when they get it. It will also lessen the amount of work around finals. This will also help keep classes on track throughout the year with knowing where they are in the study guide.

Another reason students stress about grades is because for all classes the grade system is different. Some classes tests could be more meaningful than homework so it won’t have as much of an impact on grades. While other classes homework could be more meaningful and could have a bigger impact on the grade.

Students could have a test and get 100 percent but go from an 89 to 91 but if they get a 70 they could go from an 89 down to a 75 in that class. This leaves students confused and wondering why their grade got so low from one test even if they did good on others.

To avoid issues and students not knowing why their grade won’t go up even after doing a good amount of homework, teachers should tell students how much homework and tests weigh on their grades at the start of the year. This will let students know what their priori- ties should be at the start of the year to get a better grade.

Students have a lot of stress to deal with over the school year and it all piles up near the end of the year. Chronic stress can cause both physical and psychological effects. It can cause stomach problems, chest pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, and even affect sleep.

The pressure students have on them during finals can be a lot for them. This is due to needing to juggle 7 different classes that have huge impacts in a short amount of time. Some might say that it prepares students for the real world.

“Sometimes [teachers] don’t realize how much other work you have in your other classes,” Mrs. Buran said.

This shows how in a bubble teachers can put themselves in or they don’t see how much stress students are in. This is unhealthy if students get 7 assignments a night especially with extracurricular activities and jobs.

Some ways to help with stress during finals week can vary from eating to getting outside and exercising. This will help calm your mood and can decrease stress levels. Doing things that decrease your stress levels can also help you do better for finals. For tips on how to decrease stress look to the chart on the right.

The way the district helps both students and teachers have a break during finals is by splitting up odd hour finals for half days. This gives students a rest while it gives teachers more time to grade.

“The current finals schedule has been in place for many years. Finals are stressful for our students and we try to break those up a little bit with some time to prepare for the next one,” Dr. Longenecker said.

“[Teachers are not] purposely giving extra work to stress kids out. They are just trying to fit everything in at the end,” Mrs. Buran said.

This is due to the fact that teachers need to meet a curriculum. There is no penalty for not completing it but they might get in trouble with their assistant principal.

Students have a lot on their plate already and it could affect their effectiveness during finals. When students get a lot of work it makes their head spin and they could get classes confused and lost. With stress and the amount of work students need to work on at the end of the year.

“You could argue that it teaches them time management and real life skills, because they have to juggle all their finals. If they plan on going to college, they definitely need to learn that now,” Mrs. Buran said.

This is true for students who are going to college but everyone has a different path after high school. This is also untrue if students have to get piled on with a bunch of work because not many jobs would put a lot of paperwork on you either.

While teachers will give a lot of work there are others who give less realizing that there is a lot of work for students. This gives students a breath to work on less while finishing more.

“I think that y’all are already stressed enough and so I try not to pile everything on,” Mrs. Buran said. This helps when a student has a teacher who recognizes that students get a lot of work because they will help their students by not piling up on work.

Over the school year teachers should check how much work students are getting, as well as giving students the final study guide at the start of the year. This will help students juggle extracurricular activities, school, and work.

1. Take a break and get active

Exercise is a natural form of antidepressant. It releases endorphins that help promote a positive mood, increases focus and helps reduce stress. Pick a physical activity you enjoy.

2. Make meals a priority

Increasing evidence suggests that the gut and brain are connected and that eating can affect your mood. Don’t skip meals, Try to eat a balanced diet at each meal.

3. Get some fresh air and sunlight.

Nature captures our attention and can calm our nerves. If you don’t have much time in your schedule to get outside. As you walk, take your time, move slowly, breathe deeply and observe your surroundings.

4. Prioritize your goals and take them one at a time

Focusing on everything you have to accomplish before finals week can be overwhelming. Instead, break down big projects or test preparation activities into bite-sized to-do items. Write them down in a list and check them off as you go.

This will help you reach your goals and boost your confidence as you conquer your list one item at a time.