2021-2022 Issue 7

the

LANCER

Volume VII, Issue 7 » April 27, 2022 » Thousand Oaks High School » 2323 N. Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 » www.tohsthelancer.org » thelancer.tohs@gmail.com » Circulation 1,900

BASED Social media algorithms raise questions about online radicalization. pg. 7

ROCK N’ ROLL CULTURE

CARS AND COINS

BORN THIS WAY

The Lancer dives into the troubled history of drugs within the rock n’ roll industry. pg. 11

Students across campus share a variety of unique collections. pg. 18

Anti-LGBT+ bills sweeping the country sparks discussion among students.

GRAPHIC » FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER

pg. 26

02

NEWS

Hits and Misses

STAFF EDITORIAL

Testing Trouble

What’s Up and Down with The Lancer Hit: Boys Varsity Volleyball won the league title and are moving onto CIF. Another attempt at playoffs for TOHS.

Miss: Billionaire Elon Musk has just bought Twitter for 44 billion dollars. Did he do it solely so he could post whatever he wants?

Hit: Juniors and Sophomores in the Center are done with their presentations, now time for the dreaded AP tests.

GRAPHIC » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

Should colleges require standardized test scores from applicants?

EDITORIAL BOARD

7

yes

15

no

Recently many colleges have been getting rid of their requirement for applicants to submit standardized test scores. The University of California system in particular is against standardized tests and has discussed other ways to determine whether students are qualified for admission.

These tests should not be a big admission factor as they are not an accurate measure of knowledge and potential success in college.

The two standardized tests, the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the American College Test, both are now solely made of multiple-choice questions. The SAT got rid of the writing section and the ACT still has an optional one that is not taken by most students. One’s admission chances should not be based on how well they do on a random multiple-choice test.

Additionally, these tests are not equitable as some people can afford to pay for tutors or other study materials while others cannot. According to a 2015 analysis from the Insider High Ed, the lowest SAT scores came from students belonging to families that have an annual income of less than $20,000. On the other hand, the highest average test scores came from students belonging to families that have an annual income higher than $200,000.

Getting a good score does not mean the person is smart. The hours spent studying and the better preparation students have, the higher score they will get on the test so the students who can afford the best preparation will most likely score better.

Also, people can cheat on these tests by paying someone else to take it for them or by looking over at someone else’s paper. College Reality Check estimat-

ed that 2,000 students cheat on the SAT every year.

According to research from Common App when colleges like Providence College, Bates College, Mount Holyoke College and other institutions went test-optional they noticed a greater diversification of applicants. Potential applicants with lower test scores or who could not afford to pay for tutoring or to take the ACT or SAT test were then more likely to apply to these test-optional schools, thinking they now had a better chance of getting in.

It is not like colleges are short on aspects of the application they can review and need standardized tests to assess whether students should be admitted.

They can look at much more equitable aspects of the application such as essays. On top of that students also have extracurriculars, GPAs, etc. that could be looked at.

Test scores are only a measure of a singular test of intelligence that does not show real knowledge. Many of it is just about memorization, being a good test taker, or how much they studied. Success in school is very broad and students should not be penalized if they simply are not good test-takers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the majority of colleges did go test-optional. Now, slowly they are announcing whether they will be keeping that policy or not in the coming years. If these universities stay test-optional, students with good test scores still may be at a slight advantage since the scores are still looked at.

The current trend is to get rid of these tests all together which seems like the best idea in order to promote equal opportunities for all applicants.

THE LANCER STAFF 2021-2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kendall Fleming NEWS Jimena Carbajal Madeline Convy Nathan Yang Ella Wauchope OPINION Boden Adema Jake Crandall Griffin Lester Finley Swanson

ENTERTAINMENT Riley Keeler Rocco Olivo Momo Sonada

IN-FOCUS Miles Cleary Nazo Niazi Molly Norton Abigail Tripp-Bullough

FEATURES Brooklyn Bonilla Karla Garcia Sara Guy Bella Moreno SPORTS Alex Aguilar Becca Glaubke Chase Patterson Hayden Mckinney WEBSITE EDITORS Dylan Cockerill

BUSINESS MANAGERS Remington Beaudoin Grace Williams PHOTOGRAPHERS Dylan Cockerill Tyler Lappin ADVISER Tasha Beaudoin

Miss: Many upperclassmen are preparing for prom, but the fear of underclassmen being brought as dates is concerning.

Hit: Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated as the first woman of color to serve on the Supreme Court.

Miss: Those who somehow got Olivia Rodrigo tickets are now disappointed with her insanely short concert.

Hit: After a lot of back and forth regarding mask rules for passengers on airplanes, most airlines have finally decided they are optional.

The Lancer is the official school publication of Thousand Oaks High School, created and produced by students in Advanced Journalism. This publication as well as additional stories can be found online at tohsthelancer. org. The Lancer reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication.

Guest editorials and “Letters to the Editor” are welcome, but must be signed and are subject to editing for length, libel, obscenity and grammar. They can be sent to thelancer.tohs@gmail.com.

The Lancer is a member of the Journalism Education Association (JEA), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: www.tohsthelancer.org

OFF-CAMPUS PASS

The Easter Bunny legend began in

In 2020,

77% of American adults celebrated Easter

Germany

In 1953, it took 27

More than 1.5

Easter is celebrated on the

million Cadbury Creme Eggs are produced every day

03

hours to make one Peep The holiday was named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre

Sunday after the full moon following March 21st

EASTER BUNNY “Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life” —Janine di Giovanni The UK’s first chocolate egg was produced in Bristol in 1873 Easter and Halloween compete for the highest candy sales

16 Billion Jelly Beans Are Made in the U.S. Annually

The act of

The world’s largest Easter egg weighs in at

painting

Good Friday is recognized as

eggs originates from a Ukrainian tradition Easter clothes used to be considered

good luck

5000lbs

a holiday in only 12 states

Easter is a Christian holiday, It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jesus was crucified on a Friday and rose three days later on Sunday Around

https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/10-fun-facts-about-easter-you-probably-didnt-know/ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/easter-ideas/g5064/easter-facts/ https://www.countryliving.com/life/kids-pets/g35291105/easter-facts/ https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g3323/easter-interesting-facts/ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g39375663/top-easter-facts/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=arb_ga_ whm_d_bm_g39375663&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3IqSBhCoARIsAMBkTb3sdwRAfUUAfHyqwaSprYG47BzH2K1hmsiPWsyjR95cowHvR-gBRH8aAickEALw_wcB

In 2007, Florida Held the Largest Easter Egg Hunt Ever

90 million

chocolate bunnies are sold for Easter PHOTO » SIVA T » UNSPLASH

04

NEWS

ALL PHOTOS » JON FLEMING » WITH PERMISSION

NEW VENTURE FAIR BRAINSTORMING—(Below) Junior, Pascal Hubner and his team prepare for their presentation by working on their powerpoints during class hours.

JIMENA CARBAJAL

Staff Writer

The Thousand Oaks High School EThOS program was originally designed for students who were interested in pursuing classes with a focus on entrepreneurship. Every year seniors are asked to create innovative products and compete in an annual Virtual Enterprise among other schools in southern California. This year, TOHS is taking it further by participating in California Lutheran University’s New Venture Fair for the first time. A program at our local university designed to allow students to create their own business and pitch a physical model, while competing with five other neighboring schools, for the best product.

Along with college students who are studying business at CLU, the high school students are given the opportunity to pitch their businesses to judges, with the possibility of winning cash prizes if their products are placed in the top ten.

At the start of the semester, students were asked to begin brainstorming. From logos and commer-

Thousand Oaks High School EThOS students are heading over to CLU for the New Venture Fair to share their innovative startup projects within a competitive environment.

cials to physical products, after going through the beginning process of finalizing their ideas, their next step was to pitch their products to EThOS teachers Ryan Thompson and Sabrina Chase.

“I hope the students win and get a taste for what it’s like to compete against college students and feel good that they can actually beat them,” Chase said.

Originally, the annual virtual enterprise was only an opportunity for seniors to compete with other high school students. The New Venture Fair allows for both seniors and juniors to experience collaborating with other students in the district and present their startup company to judges for not only a chance to win money, but also experience.

Junior, Pascal Hubner and his team were one of the first teams to be confirmed to present in the fair. His product consists of a software that makes searching for the perfect show or movie much easier for consumers of streaming services.

“It’s an app that you download which searches for shows based on the criteria that you input. It also allows you to create user profiles and show you rec-

ommendations based on multiple streaming habits,” Hubner said.

The team wanted to focus on accessibility. With the consumption of streaming services at an all time, a software that gives ease to those using the platforms is what seemed most marketable to Hubner’s team.

Several other teams have been approved to move on to the next round in preparation for the in-person exposition on May 4th.

“This event is going to consist of a bigger pool since the one for virtual enterprise is more of a focus on individual financial, marketing, and salesmanship aspects. While the virtual enterprise has months of preparation, the CLU event has a quick turn around from product creation to pitch to competition.”

With the year closing out, seniors are given the final opportunity to showcase the knowledge they’ve acquired throughout participation in the EThOS program and rising seniors are given a taste of what will ensue next year for them.

NEWS

05

Machine Madness The Metal Shop class received new machines from Haas Automations to further their capabilities.

GRINDING—(Top) A Frejoth metal machine is poised at the ready to work on metal-working

NATHAN YANG

PHOTO » DYLAN COCKERILL » THE LANCER

Staff Writer

The Metal Shop class recently obtained two Haas Automation Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machines through a grant last November to further the potential of students. Haas Automation is the largest machine tool builder in the western world with more than 215,000 of their CNC machines being utilized for job shops, manufacturers, and contract engineering firms for nearly every industry.

“CNC machine tools are considered ‘mother machines,’ because they play a role, at some point, in the production of nearly every other product. They are the machines that make the machines that make everything else. Every item in our lives – whether it’s our homes, cell phones, food, clothing, vehicles, or consumer products – there is no more than 2 or 3 degrees of separation from a machine tool.” Director and Global Localization and Senior Content Editor Scott Rathburn said.

Haas also supplies machines to high schools, junior high schools, community colleges, technical training institutions, vocational training facilities, and universities.

The machines are created in a 1.1-million-squarefoot facility located in Southern California and are then distributed through more than 170 Haas Factory

Outlets in more than 60 countries.

“Haas Vertical machine centers in the VF Series are the most popular machines that we build,” Managing Director of Haas Asia Jacky Zhang said.

The machines may cost anywhere from US$25,995 for the TM-0 Toolroom Mill to $799,995 for the HDC-3-5AX 5-Axis Double-Column Mill. To be more specific on the VF Series, VF-2SS and VF-4SS VMCs have base prices of $69,995 and $88,995 respectively but typically have another $20,000 added on in extra options.

Abel Magana, the metal shop teacher, doesn’t intend to use the machines straight away as they remove hands-on learning.

“The machines are able to cut away any type of material and are designed for making signs, plaques, and different types of engravings.” Magana said, “These machines have the capability to use a programming language to do all the cutting so instead of the students coming in and using a hammer and chisel, what happens is they program it to move and turn to different places and as it turns it cuts it so there is no more handson class learning.”

By utilizing the machines at the end, the students will have a deeper understanding of the work that the Haas machines accomplish after having done all the labor themselves.

06

OPINION

... That’s Debatable Should Students Receive Homework over Breaks?

YES

Some districts around the United States have put a ban on homework over breaks, including our district, CVUSD.

Students shouldn’t receive homework over breaks

Students should receive homework over breaks.

GRIFFIN LESTER

Staff Writer

There has been an uproar recently about schools giving homework over breaks and how it can affect their mental health and free time, but I believe that is an unfair statement. Before we jump to assumptions, I think that as long as homework is minimal, work over the break it is fair.

We all want our free time over break, but homework doesn’t have to overshadow that, and can even be beneficial to students.

As long as schools give minimal homework over a break seems fine because it will help them remember the information that they learned and retain the information for later. It can help the students grasp the concept easier and be able to understand it better.

Instead of seeing homework over the break as a chore, it can actually be an opportunity to strengthen grades and the understanding of material. . It would be even better if the work is a reinforcement activity or a review just so it can help them remember the work they failed to do or the work they just did not understand in the first place.

Kids need to understand that homework over breaks helps them remember and ultimately do better in school. When they get back they will be more prepared for assignments or tests during the week as the information will stay fresh in their brains. The goal of having homework over break is to help the student be able to study more and as previously said should be able to help the student maintain good grades on assignments and texts.

Teachers are not trying to be mean, they are trying to help you after the break so you won’t forget any of the concepts and be able to stay with the class. The point of homework over break is not to punish, the goal is to help you comprehend the work better so it can be fresh in your brain for after the break. And I just think that students should be able to understand all of there work post break so they can continue thrive and be able to get good grades.

NO

Utah, Connecticut, Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Nebraska and California all have schools or districts that have banned or limited homework all together

71% of adults believe homework is a important part of learning

The average homework time is 6.8 hours a week

High Schools Teachers are recommended to give up to 2 hours of homework per day

The percentage of U.S students with no homework has increased from 22% to 27% in recent years

The US National Education Association recommends no more than ten minutes of homework per grade level, per night.

SOURCES » legalbeagle.com latimes.com www.brookings.edu thebirdfeed.org conejousd.org

High School students get an average of 6.8 hours of homework per week Kindergarteners can be assigned up to 20 minutes of homework a day according to the U.S National Education Association

A study by Duke University shows that excessive amounts of homework is extremely counterproductive throughout all grades

BODEN ADEMA

Staff Writer

A few years ago the school district implemented a rule that is supposed to ban teachers giving homework over breaks but not many teachers are abiding by this rule. Although many districts can implement varying rules regarding homework distribution there is no federal law against giving any amount of homework for any grade. According to the federal government, teachers can give an hour worth of homework to any grade level, even kindergarteners.

Many teachers have avoided this rule by making their homework due on the day after the break in the afternoon, so it isn’t counted as homework over the break although many students will have to work on it over break to be able to finish it on time. Many TO teachers ignore these rules and assign homework over breaks whether it be a written assignment or an online assignment. Homework in the week for all students already causes a detrimental amount of stress but homework over break can cause the same stress for students. Homework over breaks often conflicts with students’ plans that could relieve stress that has been built up over the week. According to a study by Stanford University 56 percent of students consider homework their primary source of stress. CVUSD and other Districts specifically implement breaks so that it gives students the optimal amount of rest and breaks from the week.

Although the district believes it has the best interest of students by including these breaks, it is hypocritical that the district does not enforce that students get the proper rest by not enforcing that teachers followed rules regarding homework. In 1901 California passed a law banning all homework for school kids kindergarten through eight grade and also imposed limits of homework high school students could receive. If teachers would truly ban homework for 9 grades more than 100 years ago, it is insulting to students that teachers will not be willing to budge to enforce students are able to enjoy a homework free break.

OPINION

07

Age of Radicalization The internet is open to every idea, including harmful ones, and with social media culture and algorithms online radicalization is increasingly prevalent.

JAKE CRANDALL

Incel - “involuntary celebate” Red pilled - reference to “The Matrix”, believing the idea that men are the most oppressed group in society Thoughtcrime/Wrongthink: saying or thinking things believed to go against prevailing social values Cuck: references someone who believed to be weak and is seen to bow down to women Chad - derogatory name for men who are successful with women Stacey: female chad Femoids: derogatory term for females, used as a way of saying females are not human Alpha: a man who has success with women and life, used in a spiteful way.

Soyboy: refers to the fact that soymilk contains plant estrogen, used when calling a man feminine in an insulting way Normie: used when talking about a conventionally normal person

GRAPHIC » FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER

Staff Writer

As society becomes more and more reliant on technology, online social media and advertisements have become much more prevalent. As such, this provides a wonderful new way to spread all sorts of propaganda and influential media into vulnerable, and impressionable teens.

TikTok’s algorithm, in particular, has been critiqued for the way it takes almost complete control in what a user sees because of its format of a scrolling “for you” page rather than a selection of choices. Most apps, like Instagram or Youtube, curate your feed to your viewing habits as well as what’s trending. TikTok’s algorithm on the other hand, is seen as particularly good at “reading” you by the types of content you spend time on, and the format of a scrolling page where such intensely personalized content is essentially fed to you makes it highly addictive.

With TikTok being one of the most popular social media platforms amongst teenagers, concerns have been rising surrounding the way ideas are intensified by the algorithm. Extremist research group Institute for Strategic Dialogue took this to the test, analyzing 1030 videos posted on TikTok. It was revealed that 312 (30%) of the videos watched contained support and propaganda for white supremacy ideologies. Along with this, 246 (24%) promoted terrorist ideologies such as nazism, with 26 attempting to deny the Holocaust, and 30 videos were found promoting the Christchurch shooter, Brenton Tarrant.

Tiktok’s algorithm sorts through words, themes, and hashtags which sets it up for the viewer to come across increasingly radical content. One study by Media Matters observed transphobia as a sort of gateway to more overtly dangerous content. It found that just by engaging with anti-trans content, “a user could feasibly download the app at breakfast and be fed overtly white supremacist and neo-Nazi content before lunch.” As such the chance of the viewer becoming radicalized to these beliefs becomes a major threat.

Twitter is less popular than Tiktok, but is still common amongst teenagers. The site may appear to take a strict stance on harmful ideologies, but in reality, popular accounts often go unpunished.

Twitter’s report system is mainly automated, according to their terms of services, and artificial intelligence to determine if a report being sent is valid. This can be seen through the wide array of users who should be banned, but suffer no consequences.

One popular account that represents this lick of regulation, is political cartoonist Stonetoss. This account has amassed over 218,000 followers, spreading their alt-right beliefs to the masses with no penalty issued by the site. From reading only 20 of their works, their lightest messages include: Jewish people are in

control of every manner of American society, pedophilia is the result of gay people, and Mexicans are the downfall of America.

Because the account has over 500,000 followers, many impressionable teens have discovered it. Adding to this, the account uses a simplistic cartoon art style which allows any age to be attracted to it, but more importantly, it uses memes. In early 2021, an image was spread using one of their comics as a template for a meme referencing the game Among Us. This gained high traction, and as such, Stonetoss rose in popularity after it. He kept this newfound fame by referencing the meme in other comics, whilst keeping the extremist ideological messages in it. Because the ideas are being promoted in a mainstream way, why has the site not taken action?

Although less used by the teenage youth, the site 4Chan. The site is an open forum where users can discuss similar interests on subreddits and boards, being known for its complete user anonymity and extreme content. On both, incels are rampant.

An incel, in short, this is a man who hates women, blaming them for their lack of dating success. At first, incel’s used to be a small group rarely recognized, but as people focus more and more online, the amount of them rises. According to data analyzed by The Guardian, people killed by individuals considered to be incels numbers are between 40 to 50, the largest being the 2018 Toronto van attack which left 10 dead and 16 injured. ““...wishing to speak to Sgt 4Chan.... The Incel Rebellion has already begun!” declared the terrorist on a Facebook post post before committing the attack According to the New York Times, previously, the perpetrator frequently spent time on incel chat forums, mainly on Reddit and 4Chan. The time spent on these echo-chambers helped solidify their world beliefs of misogyny, prompting them to commit their acts of terrorism. This violent hate crime demonstrates the ongoing threat that online radicalization can pose to society.

Research suggests teenagers are particularly vulnerable to misinformation and radicalization because they have trouble assessing credibility and have no media literacy teaching. Most adults certainly have these issues as well, but because teenagers are the most active generation on social media these issues have the largest impact on us.

Radicalization is being taken to new lengths, and society is going to start seeing the consequences soon. Although free speech is a thin line to cross, the ongoing threat of radicalized terrorists emerging, and the media that produces it either through lack of care or auto generated programs, is something that needs to be carefully analyzed; and if worse comes to worse, stopped completely.

97

88

% of teens use a social media platform

% of youth in the US use the internet

1 billion active TikTok users

08

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ENTERTAINMENT

09

RERUNS OR REBOOTS? With popular shows getting older and streaming services becoming the new cable, television broadcasting companies have resorted to producing reboots of various classics in order to regain viewership.

ROCCO OLIVO

Staff Writer

Since COVID-19 began, more and more people started resorting to streaming services and ditching cable. This resulted in older shows getting canceled. Big shows that have been on the air for years canceled super quick due to COVID regulations. And after a while, most of the shows producers and networks flipped over to streaming services. Not only did most of the shows get saved by this strategy but it also got some shows to get reboots. But some of them got reboots nobody wanted, or asked for. Students answered a survey to share their opinions on if rebooting shows is a good idea or not.

The fall of cable started in 2013 and has only gotten worse with time. This started after people’s favorite shows were being put onto streaming services, and were no longer watchable on regular television. This was a major thing for the streaming services because they were now getting more and more views with these new shows being put on. Itr would also save them from being canceled due to lack of views on cable television.

Although cable television isn’t completely gone it is still on a very fast and inevitable decline. In research done by TheStreet.com a website dedicated to financial literacy. They show that by 2024, 35% of households are expected to cancel their cable subscriptions and just rely on streaming services.

What comes with this new wave of streaming services is the possibility of one of your favorite classic

shows being rebooted for an entire new generation.

This also comes with the possibility that the show is completely different and is no longer watchable.

This seems to be the only problem people have with streaming services. But now streaming services are the new normal. People have been canceling their cable for money reasons and just for the ability to watch other stuff on TV. Not only is the price more convenient but the content on most streaming services is very expandable and easy to watch.

The new “Twilight Zone” Reboot was released in 2019 and it was quickly canceled in 2020 due to lack of views. The show tried following in the steps of its predecessor and sadly failed.

“It felt pretty boring, and not as eerie as the original,” Sophomore Liam DePrisco said.

To compare, The 2019 revamp of the show currently stands at 67% on the Rotten Tomatoes score, while also having a 5.8/10 rating on IMDB. The original Twilight Zone show stands at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and has a 9/10 on IMDB. Another show that has caught the eyes of many teens is the reboot of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Bel Air takes a new approach at the original shows angle and goes for a more “realistic” interpretation of the show. Diving into heavier subject matter such as racism and bullying, and how it affects the main characters.

With the original “Fresh Prince of Bel

Air” standing at a high 88% on rotten tomatoes, its new reboot “Bel Air” has a lower 66%. Not a complete flop but also pretty low for its original. “Bel Air” also has a lower IMDB score than “The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air.” With “Bel Air” standing at 6.3/10 and “The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air” standing at 8/10.

“It didn’t feel like the original, which isn’t always a bad thing. But in this case it was. The story didn’t feel right,” Sophomore Sophia Vicente said.

Based on student and critic opinions, TV show reboots are unnecessary and shouldn’t be done.

Lancer Reboot Picks Anne with an E (from Ingrid Slattum, 12) Community (from Miya Stafford, 12) The Office (from Alan Ko, 12) Gilligan’s Island (from Maddy Geisler, 9) Pretty Little Liars (from Bailey Glass, 11) Veronica Mars (from Thaen Anand, 11) Laverne and Shirley (from Laine Beaudoin, 12)

FRESHER PRINCE—(Above) The cast of the reboot of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air is pictured at the premiere of their new show.

PHOTO » AMY SUSSMAN » GETTY IMAGES

GRAPHIC » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

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Fanning pla e about this “The Girl F ying Michel rom Plainv le Carter.

Although th ille ‘’ stars e true crim Elle e drama is sand Oaks popular on High S Hulu, studen “Carole Bas chool are also fans o ts at Thouf the docuse kin [from T ri freshman R iger King] yan Shafiei is my favori es genre. said, “becau te true crim e case, se of its po pularity on tik tok.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

11

SD R R

PHOTO » AXEL KOESTER » ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

“Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll” is a longtime rock ‘n roll legacy. How does this phenomenon carry into the future of rock ‘n roll?

MOMO SONODA

PHOTO » TAYLOR HAWKINS » INSTAGRAM

PHOTO » NINA WESTERVELT » NEW YORK TIMES

Staff Writer

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is littered with tragic deaths. Over the years, the untimely and devastating passings of young stars have become synonymous with the genre. From the suicide of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain in 1994 to the more recent death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, fans of rock ‘n roll have had their fair share of heartbreaks.

“It makes me sad to think about the impact [Taylor Hawkins’] death had on the music community – especially Dave Grohl who also had to deal with [Kurt] Cobain’s death,” junior Sarah Guerette said.

Since his death on Mar. 25, Foo Fighters fans continue to mourn the loss of talented and compassionate drummer Taylor Hawkins. For Thousand Oaks High School students, the Foo Fighters have been an integral part of their childhood with 63.6% of students stating that they grew up with their music. Though an official cause of death has not yet been released, it is suspected that drugs played a part in his passing due to official reports showing that he had ten drugs in his system, including antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and opioids.

It is undeniable that in the public eye, drugs and rock have become a package deal.

“Death among artists and celebrities associated with substance abuse or deviant behaviours is common,” sophomore Serena Segal said.

While not exclusive to celebrities (from the ancient Greeks using drugs to trigger revelatory oracles to the use of micro-dosing in Silicon Valley), alcohol and drug consumption have become ingrained into the creative processes of artists, especially in rock ‘n roll.

Hedonism and the glorification of alcohol and drugs in the music industry have pushed a narrative that even the artists themselves cannot escape: substance abuse is in the job description. Many figures in rock ‘n roll who have escaped this misconception have stated that going into the industry, they felt that drugs and alcohol were necessary to express their creativity and to create top quality music.

This phenomenon of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll (referred to as SDRR) has become so widespread that behavioural scientists took it upon themselves to research the correlation between rock ‘n roll and sex and drugs. The Penn State researchers found a correlation between heavy metal music and increased amounts of sex and drug use. However, as a smaller-scale study, the results are relatively underdeveloped, though the results did align with other similar studies. While the study attempted to create new theories of why this link exists, the preexisting reasoning seems to suffice in

3 out of 11 Thousand Oaks High School students answered that rock ‘n roll culture encourages drug use. explaining this unbreakable bond.

Celebrity culture creates vulnerabilities in artists that make them more susceptible to substance abuse.

“Drugs might be one of the few escapes,” freshman McKenna Rochon said.

The perils of being famous, both within their own world in the music industry and outside from the public, can create an environment where a musician feels pressured to engage in drug and alcohol consumption as a coping mechanism or as a creative catalyst.

“Kurt got high…deliberately, as a self-destructive protest,” friend of Cobain’s, Michael Azerrad, regarding Cobain’s use of heroin, said.

Though drugs have not lost their grip on the classic genre, the link has weakened over the years. This is partly due to the work of groups like Music Support.

Music Support is a charity based in the United Kingdom, dedicated to mental health and addiction in the industry. In 2021, in collaboration with the Tour Production Group, an association of live music touring professionals, Music Support created a series of workshops for addiction and recovery training. Since the workshops began, Music Support has trained over 100 individuals and has doubled the number of sessions available. These workshops opened a path for many musicians to pursue sobriety and have helped the music industry self-evaluate the destructive narratives that plague rock ‘n roll. Hopefully, the phrase “Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll” will soon just be a phrase, not the reality for the genre.

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IN-FOCUS

THE COST OF SENIORITY Senior Year is arguably the most expensive year of high school. There are many things that go into the expenses from things like yearbooks to the costs of school events and event outfits.

MILES CLEARY

Staff Writer

The senior year of high school is considered one of the Those events are strictly for the ASB class that comes most expensive years for high school students. Senior up with those prices after figuring out how much the year expenses can range from things like class rings resources the class needs will cost. to prom and graduation. These small things may seem One of the costs to attend dances would be the cost of inexpensive but can easily add up into the thousands. One tickets depending on if a person has an ASB card or not. of the big expenses of senior year are SATs and ACTs. Others would include buying a new outfit for each dance, Not only are the tests expensive but test prep classes can getting hair and makeup done, going out to eat before the range from prices of $300 to $5,000. College application dance, and transportation. Some of the expenses of gradufees can also range from $50 to $1,000. ation are basics such as cap and gown as well as tickets.

Many of the school events that seniors go to are paid However a senior can request two free tickets and borrow for by the expenses of the students going to the events. a cap and gown.

“The district works with several vendors from DJ and Some students believe that some activities are overEntertainment to Security,” Activities Secretary Jody Bepriced especially for those who could not afford to go to non said, “Homecoming, for example, was around 13,000 these events or have siblings that end up coming with including all of the above.” them.

Some students feel that these expenses are justified “Personally as a person who has a twin brother, because they are put into the funds that make these events doubling the cost, even with an ASB sticker possible while others feel that the school could provide adds up very quickly” senior Sydney Uliasz free activities for seniors. said.

When it comes to ASBs role in these events they do not make the prices for the larger events like prom or homecoming.

Senior Gear: $15-20 “The school sends admission prices to ASB to advertise to the Prom Tickets: $75-115 rest of the school.

They also look at all the expenses for the DJ, decThere orations, have been cases snacks, and where seniors could not afford to set up as well go because of the expenses, but the school has financial as finding the aid for those who cannot afford to go to these events.

Cap and Gown: best outputs to However, there are requirements that must be met such as up to $115 meet the budget of good attendance and good grades. the school. AddiThe most expensive event to go to is prom because tionally, for many of students tend to spend more on this dance as it is their our fundraising events last high school dance with their friends. Students are such as, talent shows, pressured to go to these school events because it is their valentine grams, candy leis, last year of high school and they feel that they owe it to ect.” senior Sarah Guyen, ASB the class of 2020 that they go out and participate in the Vice President said. events that the class before were not able to attend.

Grad Nite Tickets: $225-260

GRAPHICS» NAZO NIAZI » THE LANCER PHOTO » MOLLY NORTON » THE LANCER

IN-FOCUS

13

FREE FUN—(All) While many

, events cost money for seniors ra offe rise sun ior sen and es ralli s way for them to make memorie without a cost.

PHOTOS» TOHSCLASSOF22 INSTAGRAM» THE LANCER GRAPHIC» KENDALL FLEMING» THE LANCER

14

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16

FEATURES

A Team of Connection Four decades ago the Latino Connections Club was funded and began to provide opportunity to Thousand Oaks high school. The club to this day helps students learn, make connections for college, and meet new people. The club supports students in various ways and welcomes all.

LATINO CONNECTIONS CLUB— (Top) After listening to a guest speaker, the Latino Connections Club proudly pose together for a full group photo.

NOCHE DE RODEO—(Left and Right) On April 1st, the Latino Connections Club hosted a rodeo themed dance for Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, and Westlake students.

ALL PHOTOS » SARA GUY » THE LANCER

SARA GUY

Staff Writer

Our school harbors many different kinds of clubs. The clubs help students get extra credit, make new friends, and find true aspirations.

One of the clubs at our school is the Latino Connections Club. This club has put on various dances, taken field trips to college campuses, and built the foundation for a place where people can feel welcome and comfortable. During lunch on Wednesdays, they come together to discuss and partake in various activities.

This club was originally founded in 1982 and has been around for 40 years with the full intent to connect students to Latino culture.

Learning about the music, food, and family values will not only connect the students to the Latino culture, but it will also connect the culture to our school.

“The purpose is to promote the culture, to include students to the school, and to bring non

Latino students into the club,” Club Advisor, Sandra Martinez said.

Culture is an important part of any community and the Latino Connections Club allows us to better our understanding of each other’s backgrounds. The process of enjoying culture can inflict change when finding identity. The Latino Connections Club has also helped students grow up and develop helpful life skills.

The club helps students understand what it means to be a leader. Taking part in planning a dance or an event can teach the important values of productivity and independence. Showing students true examples of hard work gives them a mental picture of what work it takes to get into colleges. The Latino Connections Club has helped senior students get into colleges that they didn’t even have any knowledge of until they joined the club.

“I think this has helped me and so many other students really become leaders,” Senior and Club President, Frida Moreno said.

Students continuously are enlightened as they join the Latino Connections Club and as they learn to claim their inner leadership skills.

The club plays a huge role in the progression of the students that join in academic ways and in social ways. Students that are quiet in the beginning learn to speak out and take charge of their own identities. Building an environment where these students can come and contribute to a project to help the school can start a new mindset of independence and work. The work ethic and productivity shown from the members of this club shows students how to achieve their goals and how to build their own sense of identity.

“I see the growth from 9th grade to 12th

grade,” Martinez said.

Embarking on new opportunities and spporting self growth are part of the key principles placed within the Latino Connections Club.

The club provides not only academic opportunity, but also knowledge to help take advantage of it. Guest speakers from all kinds of career paths come to speak to the Latino Connection Club students on what they did to get where they are and what our students need to do. Receiving advice from speakers gives these students knowledge on what achieving their goals looks like from an educational perspective.

“What made me want to join would be the opportunities and the help that I was able to get to help me with my future,” Club member and Senior, Jacky Orozco said.

The Club helps students take hold of their own futures. Honing skills for life is the goal.

FEATURES

OFF CAMPUS FUN BROOKELYN BONILLA

Staff Writer

Juniors and Seniors are offered the oppurtunity to go off campus after fifth period. These students pursue this fun chance by going to food chains around town and spending time with their friends.

“During lunch I tend to go back to my house and make my own lunch, or I go to my friends house before I have to go to baseball. On some occasions I go to the baseball fields early and practice before my other teammates show up”.

-Senior Jackson Morrow

“During lunch you are able to feel free for a little while before going back to your next class or classes. If you don’t feel like having school food you can go wherever you want to get food or even just relax at the park.”

- Junior Adam Weinstein

Where do you go off campus “It changes everyday”-Junior Elle Baker “It is a good mental break”-Junior Indigo Jacobs “I go for my everyday pink drink”- Junior Anya Spiers “I usually go see my dog”- Junior Danica Nelson PHOTO » BROOKELYN BONILLA» THE LANCER

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18

FEATURES

CAMPUS COLLECTORS Students on campus have a variety of proud collections, ranging from crystals to toys and gagets. Three students share their favorite and unique collections with The Lancer.

ISABELLA MORENO Hot Wheels, first introduced in 1968, became collectors items almost immediately after their release. From the original dark blue Custom Camaro to the recent 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel, there are over 800 models and 11,000 variations. Junior Paytonne Evans is one of many who has been collecting Hot Wheels all her life and with just over 100 cars in her collection, she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.

“My favorite [car] is

Features Editor the blue Mini Cooper S Challenge,” Evans said. “I used to go to Ralph’s to find them [Hot Wheels] but they don’t have them anymore so I’m trying to find a new place to buy them.”

Now you can find Hot Wheels in places like Target, Walmart and even Barnes & Noble. Uncommon Hot Wheels can often be found in local hobby stores and sometimes, in rarer occasions, thrift stores.

TINY RACERS—(Top) Paytonne Evans shows off her favorite Hot Wheels. (Left) Snapshot of sporty blue Mini Cooper S Challenge.

Tiny and cute creatures called Calico Critters were first introduced in Japan in 1985. They were distributed around the world, along with clothes and miniature houses with furniture. Gaining popularity within the past decade, they have become a popular collectors item in the US. Senior Remy Fortney has been collecting Calico Critters for only a year and a half and has already grown a collection of 40 figurines.

“I like having collections

because it feels like a constant scavenger hunt.

Whenever I’m out it’s always fun to see if a store has something that I could add to one of my collections,” Calico Critters can be found in hobby stores or chains like Barnes & Noble. “...My collection is nostalgic because I’ve always wanted Calico Critters as a kid but never got them.

Now that I make my own money, I can waste it on whatever I want even if it’s a toy.”

Coin collecting traces back to ancient times, often dubbed as “the hobby of kings.” The oldest coin today dates back to about 2,700 years ago and was found in Efesos, an ancient Hellenic city that was once a rich trading center. Despite this hobby being so old, it is still very much alive today.

“I inherited a lot of my coins from my mother’s side of the family, which has always been a very clustered family,” Junior Aran Denis said. He has been collecting coins and other various items for

a few years. “My favorite coin is an old silver dollar from 1880…” Denis said.

Along with his abundant coin collection, he also has a proud collection of crystals and different kinds of dice, such as his favorite “coppery hollow metal [dice] set with dragons on it.”

Coin collectors are a perfect example of those that take pride in something valuable in historical context. Even if the coins have gone down in value over time, they never lose their significance in the history books.

NOT YOUR ORDINARY CHANGE—(Left) One of Aran Denis’s favorite members of his coin collection, 1881 silder dollar. (Bottom) Aran Denis takes a picture with his silver dollar and fancy collectable dice.

CUTE CALICOS— (Far Left) Remy Fortney poses holding two adorible and dressed up figurines.

(Left) Beloved, fuzzy Calico Critter mouse dressed in a springy outfit.

SOURCE» NUMISMATICS SOURCE» ABOUT CALICO CRITTERS SOURCE» HOT WHEELS PHOTOS » ISABELLA MORENO » THE LANCER

BILLA PORT

I would name the boat Sabrina because Sabrina Carpenter (artist) is just magnificent.

GABE MORENO

If you owned a boat what would you name it?

EDITH JUAREZ

FEATURES

19

What’s your favorite thing you own and why?

My favorite thing I own is my special cat “Benito” who purposely bangs his head on everything when he’s mad or wants attention.

If you could go on a road trip with any Disney character who would it be and where would you go?

I would go on a road trip with Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” so she can take me to her absolutely adorable dad.

EVERY LANCER HAS A STORY Every Lancer Has a Story is a reoccurring feature in the Lancer about students who are selected on campus at different times and places. Each student is asked a different question about their unique life experiences.

To meet a person named Bob just to see if they would be bored or not or what they think about.

ADAM CHOLODY

Features Writer

GINO RANGEL

What is one thing on your bucket list and why is it there?

EMILY FLORES

KARLA GARCIA

What’s the funniest pick up line someone has ever used on you?

A girl once told me “ are you a sea lion because i see you lyin’ in my bed” it was a wonderful pick up line in my opinion.

If your life was a movie, what celebrity would play you and why?

Tom Holland (actor) would play me because he is tall and handsome just like me.

PHOTO » KARLA GARCIA » THE LANCER

20

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FEATURES

Erin Kaufman FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH Senior Erin Kaufman was nominated as the featured artist of the month by her orchestra teacher Mr. Roberts. Kaufman began playing the violin in fourth grade with prior experience of playing the piano since she was four years old. Even becoming a student conductor, Kaufman, a member of the chamber orchestra, plans to minor in music while at Vassar College.

ON STAGE—(Right) Erin Kaufman, senior and principle second violinist, performing Rhosymedre by John Edwards and Ralph Vaughan at the winter concert.

LANCER LEGENDS KENDALL FLEMING

Editor in Chief

Senior on the Thousand Oaks High School pole vault team, Kyr Goyette was awarded athlete of the month of March. They began pole vault in 8th grade and have participated in the sport throughout high school. Goyette still plans to participate while attending University of Pittsburgh as a medical student in the BS/MD program.

FLYING HIGH— HIGH (Left) Senior Kyr Goyette taking their turn at pole vault during the TOHS invitational.

FEATURED ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

KYR GOYETTE PHOTOS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER PHOTOS » ERIN KAUFMAN & KYR GOYETTE» WITH PERMISSION

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22

SPORTS

SPORTS ROUND UP SPORTS SCORES

B

OYS GOLF Overall Record » 5-5 Star Player » Matthew Fisher Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Westlake

Q&A: HOW DID THE 2021-22 VOLLEYBALL SEASON GO? WITH HEAD COACH SETH BURNHAM

BECCA GLAUBKE

Staff Writer

THE LANCER: What is something the team did

G B

IRLS SWIMMING Overall Record » 1-1 Star Player »Jillian Strong Best Match » Thousand Oaks vs Royal

OYS VOLLEYBALL Overall Record » 11-1 Star Players » Tyler Linville, Ben Greenberg Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Newbury Park

G B

IRLS SAND VOLLEYBALL Overall Record » 1-2 Star Player » Kayla Murdoch Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Agoura

well this season and what is something they struggled with?

Burnham: My team has done an amazing job blocking. Our team is a very strong group that seems to out-block our opponents in every single match that we play. In fact, our senior middle blocker Ben Greenberg has already broken 3 school records for blocking, and is on pace to break possibly break 2-3 more.

The main thing we have struggle with is just consistency.

We have had a few matches where it looks like we can have an easy win over a team, and then we lose some close sets, and have to go all the way to the 5th set to win the match.

THE LANCER: Who do you consider the star athlete of your team that people should keep an eye on? Why? Burnham: That’s a tough one, because our team is not a one-man or two-man show, in fact we are very balanced. Tyler Linville is leading our team in kills right now, Ben Greenberg is leading in blocks, Oliver Herron is leading in aces and is close behind the others in kills and blocks. Our setter Alex Torreblanca is having a great season, as is our libero Braden Gonzales who is leading in digs, who is by far the best libero in our league, and probably the entire county as well. And on top of that, Joseph Edington, Matthew Snyder and Zach Rupp our other starters, are also playing very well right now.

THE LANCER: What is your favorite moment or highlight of the season? Why? Burnham: That’s another tough one, because there have been a bunch of great moments so far. One would be our come-back win over San Marcos, where we dropped the first two sets, and came all the way back to win in 5. That was really exciting.

The other moment would be the win we had over Calabasas in their gym, because every set was so close.

THE LANCER: What was the team’s best-played game and what made it their best game?

Burnham: I think our win over Newbury Park, because we had very few mistakes, and ended up crushing them in the last set, and it’s always fun to beat your rival.

OYS BASEBALL Overall Record » 8-8 Star Player » Peyton Miller Best Game » Thousand Oaks vs Saugus

TAKES A LEAP — Junior Tyler Linville spikes the ball to the other team, scoring a point

PHOTO » DYLAN COCKERILL » THE LANCER

SPORTS

1

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2

3 GAME ON— (1) Standing on the mound senior Peyton Miller prepares the release. (2) Running onto third base on his way to home, senior Cade Barry foucuses on the next steps. (3) Up to bat, IDK anticipates the ball. (4) Kneeling in solidarity, the rest of the team watches the catcher.

TAKING Shoes Baseball ends the season having to adjust their team after losing multiple star players the year before.

HAYDEN MCKINNEY

Sports Editor

With the Thousand Oaks High School Boys Baseball Team finishing the regular season with fourteen wins and eleven losses, they have officially made it into CIF. The team has a talented roster, all the while having a strong team bond that has developed throughout the season.

“We have been improving every day and coming closer as a team,” Senior Dylan Jackson said.

At the start of the season, the team started with a mediocre record of about three wins and four losses, although they managed to turn it around completely.

This season, the team has an experienced lineup with most players having started the sport at a young age.

“I started playing baseball when I was four years old and never looked back,” Senior Peyton Miller said, “It helped me experience winning and losing, along with being exposed to pressure situations, which has ultimately set me up for success in my Highschool Baseball career.”

The team has multiple Division One commits, which has certainly surprised many, mainly because all of the team’s previous superstars had moved on to college and even Major League Baseball.

Despite the void that was left when the many Division One prospects went off to college, the

to

team has managed to meet their goals of having a shot at winning a marmonte league title.

“After I commit, I want to bring one more Marmonte League Title with the team we now have,” Senior Brady Francisco said.

While the team’s talent has taken them far this season, it was ultimately their new head coach that had solidified their position in CIF. In their previous season, they had made it through their division to win CIF with Stillwell as an assistant coach. Now with Coach Stillwell running the team, the team had been looking to win their division.

In spite of the team’s odds at winning it all, they unfortunately fell short of making it farther through their league. In a two game series, the team lost the battle against Newbury Park on April 28. In the first game, Thousand Oaks prevailed over Newbury Park with a score of four to three. However, in their latest game, Newbury Park returned the favor by beating them with a score of five to one. Although before this series, the team had been moving through teams such as Oaks Christian, Chatsworth, and Westlake High School.

Although the team may have failed to reclaim their CIF title, they still exceeded numerous expectations with the help of a still-talented roster, and an exceptional head coach leading the charge.

FILL 4

ALL PHOTOS » ALAN KO & GARETT DUNN » LANCER

24

SPORTS

Off the Court, Into the Sand The Varsity Sand Volleyball team finished their season with a record of 4-3, unable to place high enough in the Marmonte league to play in what would have been their last tournament.

ALEX AGUILAR

Staff Writer

The Girls Volleyball season ended in October with a standing of 13-9, The team didn’t stop however. They still had to practice, because of Sand Volleyball starting up in February. The Sand Volleyball season started on Saturday, Feb. 12, playing another game at Westlake High School, on Saturday, April 2, resulting in a loss. Although the team had started off rough for their season, the team still set their priorities to placing high enough for the tournament at the end of their season.

“We are trying to get 3rd place so we can get into the CIF tournament, and now we have done the same sets of drills and exercises to be faster and better.” Junior Kayleigh May said.

With a new season on the way, the team was focusing on practicing especially with the month-long absence that broke up their seasons, but given the absence the team had started to get back into a rhythm, continuing practice and setting goals to work towards. In addition to their weekly practice, the team also had tiresome weekends, with three games back to back on selected Saturdays, with the added bonus of a calm and casual setting to relax them during the games.

“I go to practice with the mindset of playing and to get better, and to prepare for games, but I don’t play in the sand volleyball games,” Junior Kailani Hoang said.

With the sand volleyball season underway, the team was aiming to improve their skills and finish with a solid record. Even with the pressure, the team had managed to keep cool during the games, due to the serene location of a beach and playing in the sand. The team notes that the sand volleyball season had been less stressful because of how the beaches felt compared to a court, and the less strict setting of the games. Even with most of the team preferring indoor volleyball, the team is still attached to the fun and relaxing atmosphere of the sand volleyball season.

“I’d prefer the indoor season, but the sand season just feels more relaxed and friendly than indoor volleyball.”

Sophomore Mia Paculan Said.

At the beginning of the year, the volleyball team had started their season, with the addition of a few new members joining varsity. These new players had to adapt to learning the rules of sand, how different the court feels, and playing with only two people on their side of the court versus the typical six in indoor volleyball. The sand volleyball coach is different from the indoor coach so new players also had to get used to his more independent coaching style.

“It’s actually my first year in varsity so it’s a new coach for me, a new style, but every practice feels different because we practice the same things but he gives us new drills, and things to work on” Junior Kailani Hoang said.

Although the team had gone through a good standard volleyball season at the beginning of the year, they had been struggling a little during the beginning of the sand season. The team had been able to somewhat rebound with three consecutive wins at their tournament in Ventura back on Saturday, April 9.

They ended with a respectable record of 4-3 even though they were hoping to do bettter.

With only one graduating senior on the team, they should have another solid season next year and not struggle too much from losing seniors as many teams do. The girls hope to continue to improve their volleyball skills as indoor season is fast approaching again in the fall.

Luckily the rotating sand and indoor seasons allow them to play volleyball year round, ensuring that they will stay sharp and keep the team as connected as possible to prepare for upcoming seasons.

(Left) Senior Kayla Murdoch bump sets her partner Junior Kayleigh May. (Top) Murdoch looks toward the ball ready to recieve it from her opponents. (Bottom) Murdoch jumps and pokes the ball over the net, winning the point.

ALL PHOTOS » CHARLEY CRISPIN » WITH PERMISSION

SPORTS

25

To TheTop The young roster of the Thousand Oaks stunt team shows promise despite the lack of experience.

CHASE PATTERSON

Staff Writer

Throughout all of stunt, intricate moves are the name of the game. For the Thousand Oaks Lancers, having a young team has proved to have unique challenges. With only 3 seniors on the team, the seniority issue can be problematic for these teams.

However, this does not seem to be a problem for the Lancers. Although there are only a few seniors, that sets up these members to act as role models and veterans for the younger team members. Part of being a role model for them is guiding these members on how stunt works and how to do their best in each match.

“I enjoy learning from the upperclassmen and getting to stunt with them and pick up on what I can do better” Sophomore Back Spot Fallon Leopold said.

On some teams upperclassmen may antagonize underclassmen but that does not seem to be the atmosphere for stunt.

“The upperclassmen do not treat us any differently,” sophomore Ava Farciana said.

Within Stunt, there are generally four positions. Flyers are the members of the stunt team that get thrown up in the air. Main Bases and Side Bases generally do the same thing, that being the ones who balance the Flyers once they are in the air. Finally, Back Spots are responsible for boosting the Flyer into the air and safely getting the Flyer down from the stunt.

Many people on the team also do sideline cheer in the fall. It gives them a chance to keep their skills sharp all year round and even prepare for the upcoming years in the sport for the younger members. Stunts takes sideline cheer to another level as they go to competitions and usually practice harder more acrobatic heavy moves. With that connection, most of the members of stunt originated from sideline cheer.

“I did sideline cheer last year and stunt seemed really fun so I decided to try it,” Sophomore Macey Gormley said.

Win-Loss Record

5-1 HIGH FLYING — (Left) Sophomore Flyer Katrina Humphrey being held during a crucial stunt in a win against Agoura.

OPINION

MOLLY NORTON FINLEY SWANSON

Infocus Editor Opinion Editor

Recently, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed GB 1557 into law. As AP News describes, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill “forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.” For older students, the discussion must be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate.”

DeSantis stated that LGBT+ topics were “inappropriate” for children and “not something that’s appropriate for any place, but especially not in Florida.”

Proponents argue that LGBT+ topics should be up to the parents to discuss, and aren’t appropriate topics for youth to hear about in the classroom.

Activists point out that although LGBT+ education is good, there isn’t much curriculum being taught.

Florida teacher Paula Stephens explains that there isn’t any LGBT+ curriculum for these grades, and students are much more interested in snack time. While this bill has no real teaching impact, teachers worry its vague language will prevent discussion about families.

“It makes me wonder,” Stephens said, “when I talk about families in my classroom, am I going to be violating this law because the children were having discussions about what their family looks like?”

Other teachers argue that although they aren’t teaching LGBT+ subjects in a curriculum-based manner, teaching kids to care about themselves is important.

“So yeah, I’m not teaching kids how to be gay in my classroom,” Florida teacher Clinton McCracken said, “but I’ll tell you what I am doing. I am trying with all my power to teach kids to be OK with who they are.”

The only LGBT+ mentions come mostly in students speaking about families or in reading books such as in Theresa Thorn’s “It Feels Good to be Yourself ”, a “sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity [that] will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others”, recently discussed in Florida.

Some Florida teachers have sent letters to parents mocking the bill’s absurd double standard between ‘normal’ gender and heterosexuality and transgender people and queerness. They say that to be in accordance with the policy they will only refer to students by they/ them pronouns to avoid reference to gender in the classroom and remove all books featuring “mother, father, husband, or wife as these are gender identities that also may allude to sexual orientation.”

“Needless to say,” the letter reads, “All books which refer to a character as “he” or “she” will also be re-

moved from the classroom.”

Still, many people, including 32.2% of students, agreed that the bill should have been passed or were unsure about their position.

The effects of this bill aren’t just occurring in Florida, but the worry can be felt across the country, even in our own community of Thousand Oaks.

“You are pushing an agenda on children,” said Senior Alan Smith, “these are children that are easily led. Let them and their parents figure [LGBT+ subjects] out.”

With the bill not actually changing much in terms of what is being taught, much of the conflict surrounding it focuses on ideas of LGBT+ existence and children as a whole.

“Representation is important. Real people are not topics that should be silenced,” junior Noya Drori said.

Supporters of the bill like Junior Tucker Freid argue that it is actually anti-grooming and not anti-LGBT+, as the nickname suggests.

“The bill never actually said the words “Don’t say Gay,” Freid said, “It’s more of an “Anti-Groomer” bill because it prohibits teachers from talking about sexual orientation to children, and pushing sexual content on them.”

The bill, however, does specifically address gender identity and sexual orientation. Although cisgender (non-transgender) and heterosexual people also have genders and sexual orientations, the terms are usually used in reference to LGBT+ people because cis-heterosexuality is the default. In discussions of these bills by people like Gov. DeSantis, it’s clear they are focused solely on LGBT+ people in this context.

In an example of the “transgender ideology” and “indoctrination” happening in schools, Gov. DeSantis stands at a press conference in front of a sign reading “Protect Children, Support Parents”. In his hands, a poster lined in red and the words “FOUND IN FLORIDA” has a photo of “The Genderbread Person,” a cartoon gingerbread with four areas labeled identity, expression, sex and attraction. “[It’s a] teaching tool for breaking the big concept of gender down into bite-sized, digestible pieces,” the Genderbread website reads.

There is nothing about the diagram that is sexual or inappropriate in nature- at most the word “sex” refers to a person’s sex assigned at birth.

“You can’t groom someone to be gay, you’re born gay,” talk show host Andy Cohen said, “Newsflash: the real world has… people of all different gender identities…You’re not going to erase us. I just wonder how many children and families need to suffer before

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our politicians figure that out.”

Even in our own state, where no bills like this have yet been passed, over half of LGBT+ students reported being “worried” to “very concerned” about the bills sweeping the country. Even though the bill won’t change much in terms of what is actually being taught in the classroom, the message is harmful: queerness is inappropriate.

“The passing of the bill would prevent kids who identify as LGBTQ to feel comfortable in their learning environment and feel ashamed of their own identity…” said Senior Erin Kaufman, “[This] negative image would shadow the LGBTQ community and push any progress that the community [has] made regarding freedom of identity and individuality back several years.”

For many, the idea of LGBT+ education represents a world where figuring out their identity, as well as their peers’ understanding of that identity, would have been a lot easier. But a large focus of the bill focuses on parents.

As stated in the bill, it is “[the] fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding upbringing & control of their children”. Only last year, our own district faced the same subject when adopting a new health curriculum to comply with the Healthy Youth Act. Several parent callers and other community members called in spreading baseless misinformation about the curriculum.

“Parents, watch out,” one caller said, “X-rated teachings of every sex position imaginable, including how to do each one.”

One student expressed how learning these topics in school provides an environment where the information being taught can be safely and accurately.

“Learning about different types of people you face in the real world like gay and transgender people at an early age seems like a positive thing since you will have to learn about them eventually,” said junior Dylan Laurent, “so why not learn about them in a safe environment like school instead of on the internet.”

Aside from the bill in Florida, there is a plethora of anti-LGBT+, especially anti-trans, bills sprouting across the country.

LGBT+ activists, however, have been rapidly fighting back. Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have filed multiple lawsuits that can be read about on their respective websites.

Although these bills reflect concerning outlooks, these discussions open reflection on misinformation and greater conversations about LGBT+ rights.

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