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February, 2012
Black History Month By: Tyler White Staff Writer
Black History Month is an important and memorable time of year. What originally started out as Negro History Week in 1926, changed to become the Black History Month we now celebrate in the month of February. Many African Americans have fought and protested for their rights and freedoms without discrimination. There are many important figures in the black history timeline. Rosa Parks was one of the many. She started the Boycott Act when she refused to give up her seat to a white person. She alone led many people to protest against the bus rules. Another very important leader would be Martin Luther King Junior who fought against segregation and was against violence. His words inspired many African Americans to also fight against segregation. “Black History Month is a time to be thankful for who you are and not the color of your skin,” sophomore Ramon Scarpino stated. “I feel Martin Luther King made one of the biggest impacts on African American history because he helped resolve segregation problems without violence.” Another very important figure is Thurgood Marshall. Marshall was denied admission to the University of Maryland Law School due to his skin color. Marshall was a Supreme Court Justice Lawyer who fought the case of Brown vs. Education for neglecting a young African American to their university. He wrote over 150 decisions including support for the rights of immigrants, limiting government intrusion in cases involving illegal search and seizure, double jeopardy, and right to privacy issues. Many people take these historians and their hard work for granted. They fought against those who were racist and turned them down just for the way they were born. Black History Month is a way to remind people about all of the brave things African Americans did to help shape America today. Source: chnm.gmu.edu
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Standardized testing: Is it really standard?
By: Jill Gunzenhauser Staff Writer February 7th and 8th holds the annual test, ITEDS. Thomas Jefferson High School students as well as other students around the country, dread the onslaught of the socalled “standardized testing.” The relevance of what students are tested on, has been debated for years as the students complain about the difficulty of the questions that appear on the test. They all wonder if the tests even contain material that will be used later in life. The question arises for students of, how standard are standardized tests? “We don’t even learn half of the stuff they put on the tests,” said senior Ashley Arnold. Some people argue that the tests can be effective if used properly. According to cta. org, properly is defined as using the tests to prove whether students are succeeding or not. They also believe that the tests have more benefits than they do harmful attributes. “Standardized testing provides students with better feedback about their own level of knowledge and skills,” said Colette Kemmering from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also ex-
plained the importance of teacher accountability. “Standardized testing motivates teachers to work harder and more effectively,” (astro.temple.edu). Professors and students from Michigan State University highlighted four main problems with the standardized testing we use now. These four issues include teacher evaluation, school funding, learning disabilities, and struggles with testtaking altogether (msu.edu). Schools put a lot of intense pressure on students to do well because the scores that students achieve do not only effect the students. Teachers are evaluated by the scores their students receive. “With the consequences of low performance on tests, lower salary and competency tests for example, it's no wonder that teachers feel like they are forced to do something about the scores,” this was the outcome of a 1990 study done by Haas, Haladyna, and Nolen. The school’s funding can also be effected by the scores. If students do poorly, funding for that school can decrease. Does this make sense, though? Schools that do poorly should receive more money for better supplies so that they have
the resources versity into acto improve. count. Too many That is what of today's tests school staff are written so members that only white, believe. middle-class, “Often English-speaktimes, after ing Americans getting test can succeed.” results, we Standardized spend more testing also intime punishcludes the SAT ing schools and ACT which and students can affect stuthat don't dents who are do well (by on their way federally to college. The taking over scores of the the school, re- Photo taken by Miranda Gibb. SAT and ACT moving resources, etc) instead directly effect their chances of of spending that time help- making it into a college. This ing those students and schools puts pressure on students, esimprove,” said Dennis Fox. pecially seniors, because it Students have a lot go- can make or break their future. ing against them in the tests “I was sure that I did reas well. Students who do not ally bad, but I actually got a have English as a primary lan- decent score. I felt so much guage, need help reading the better after that,” said Arnold. tests, or have other learning Because of the issues that disabilities are under the same the ITEDs provoke, students category as other students will always dread them, teachwho do not have these issues. ers will always hope for high Haladyna and Nathan also scores, and school adminisproved that the tests can be trators will push for excelvery difficult for a wide-range lence. So with the 2011-2012 of students. “One of the biggest test approaching, students will faults of standardized tests is be sent off with a hearty good that they often do not take di- luck, and fingers crossed.
Iowa Court grants students free press
By: Kaylinn Taggart Editor in Chief Censorship in schools has been a big debate for many years. Due to the Iowa Court of Appeals’ rule on November 9th, 2011 in the case “Lange vs. Dierks and Allamakee Community School District,” students in Iowa and six other states have more freedom to write what they want compared to students in other states. “I think that generally high school journalists have always had quite a bit of freedom based on previous court cases. I think they should operate like other journalists and be free from censorship,” Principal Mrs. Lisa Dale stated. The new case restricts what the court case “Hazelwood vs Kuhlmeier” originally had set as student journalism guidelines.
In the Hazelwood case, an administrator deleted two pages of two articles that discussed a student’s pregnancy and the impact of divorce on students within the school. The pregnant students, who were only given initials in the article, might be identified and seemed inappropriate for younger students. The divorce article was deleted because of the student’s complaints about their father’s conduct and the principal felt that parents should be able to have a say and respond to being published. In the Hazelwood case, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the school saying that the principal acted reasonably in censoring the articles from the paper. In Lange vs. Dierks and Allamakee Community, Dierks and the administration said that the
people within their district were offended by the article and tried to restrict what was published. The students had created a fake newspaper for April Fools day discussing cheerleaders on steroids and a chemistry teacher running a meth lab. The edition came with a disclaimer to say that none of the information in it was true. The Supreme Court in this case ruled that “The content in the publications did not encourage the conduct specified in [Iowa Code] section 280.22(2)(c)”. These articles differ from the pre-Novmeber 2011 law, which stated that the First Amendment does not automatically apply to journalism students as it would professionals and other adults, the school paper cannot be seen as a “forum for public expression”,
and educators can have editorial control over style and content of student speech in school activities. These freedoms are important to journalism students because it gives them the basic freedoms that the First Amendment grants them. The school district cannot restrict what articles the newspaper, yearbook, or broadcast staffs produce as long as they submit to the guidelines above. “I know student journalists aren’t the same as professionals, but we should all protect freedom of the press whether it’s students or newspapers, magazines etc.,” Principal Dale said. “It’s a basic constitutional freedom that is what helps protect our Democratic society, so it’s very important.” See “Free press cont.” on page 2 for the rest of the story!
Valentine’s Day: As pointless as a broken pencil
By: Ciera Simbro Staff Writer February 14. Valentine’s Day. Ugh. Everywhere you look there is someone planning their evening or telling other people their plans. Happy couples parade around giving each other chocolates, flowers, and cutesy little stuffed animals to prove their “love” for each other.
There is an over abundance of PDA (public displays of affection), and everything is obnoxiously pink. It’s sickening. Valentine’s Day is a completely pointless “holiday” that originated in Rome as the festival of Lupercalia. Women would put their name in an urn to be picked by a man who would then become their spouse for that year. Today, it
is celebrated for the purpose of giving candy companies and flower shops our money. Until the mid 1890’s Americans still gave home-made sentimental cards, but then candy companies realised that they could make a profit and started producing sweets specifically for the holiday. It also creates the sense that one has to be in a relationship to be happy; something that is
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completely not true. There are plenty of happy, single people. Some may argue that Valentine’s Day does have a point; to show the one you love how much you appreciate them. If someone genuinely cared about another person, they would not express it only once a year, it would be an ongoing thing. While doing something Valentines-esque every day, would
get old and expensive fast, it is still important to do something more than once a year. Valentine’s Day is a complete waste of time and money, celebrated strictly for the benefit of candy producers. So, have a Happy Unimaginative, Consumerist-Orientated, Entirely-Arbitrary, Manipulative and Shallow Interpretation of Romance Day!
T.J. Alum pens book about SEAL Team 6 By: Jon Leu From the Nonpareil
As a student at Thomas Jefferson in Council Bluffs, Jon Narmi took – and enjoyed – a creative writing class. He enjoyed it enough to give some thought to a career as a writer. But he also thought about earning a living, and making a living won out. The would-be writer who opted for a more realistic and financially secure path went on to a successful career in financial planning after earning an undergraduate business degree at the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in business administration at Creighton University. But that high-school seed, the urge to write, remained. In the years then decades that followed, Narmi said, the writing seed sputtered from time to time in the form of personal essays; more often as business writing that he attempted to give a personal and interesting, reader-friendly flair. The seed blossomed to maturity last year. Narmi sat down at his computer on Feb. 8 and pecked out the opening sentences of what was to become his fictional “SEAL Team 6: bin Laden and Beyond.” The first draft of the book was completed April 22, before anyone knew much about “SEAL Team 6” and days before the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks of 9/11 was shot and
Free press cont.
Iowa is not the only state to have limited what the Hazelwood case originally stated. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Oregon have also limited the effects of Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier.
Iowa Code summary
1. Students in public schools have the right to freedom of speech, which includes the “right to expression in official school publications”. 2. Students cannot express, publish, or distribute materials that are obscene, libelous or slanderous. They also shall not encourage students to commit unlawful acts, violate lawful school regulations, and cannot disrupt the operation of the school. 3. “There shall be no prior restraint of material prepared for official school publications except when the material violates this section.” 4. Student editors can assign and edit the news, editorial, and feature content of their publications, under the limitations of this section, but it needs to be supervised by the Journalism advisor(s).
killed by a member of the real Seal Team 6. That first draft did not mention the death of bin Laden. “We were in New York City on May 1, staying in a hotel on Times Square, when bin Laden was taken out,” Narmi said. “Times Square started filling up. Photo of Jon Narmi taken by Jon Leu There were a lot of young peo- It is a story as much about straple chanting ‘USA’ and ‘USA tegic political decisions as No. 1.’ Fire House No. 4, which it is about military actions.” was wiped out in the 9/11 attack Narmi said he believes was there. It was really cool.” the book, which is now be When Narmi returned ing reviewed by screenwritto Council Bluffs, he blend- ers, will hit home with readed bin Laden’s death into ers because of events currently the book’s early chapters. unfolding in the Middle East. Fiction and current events “What was once thought unare intertwined in the book that thinkable is now possible, and no centers on Gregory “Geno” action or consequence is as remote Genelli, the leader of SEAL Team as it may have seemed just a few 6. After the death of bin Laden, short months ago,” he said. “Our Genelli and Team 6 are assigned respect for the brave men and to a mission that involves secur- women who fight each and every ing the release of the U.S. Sec- day to keep our country safe grows retary of State from a splinter stronger when reading of the misterror group in Saudi Arabia. sions and their toll on people.” Narmi called the book “an All of Narmi’s royalties from exciting read for an audience the book – over $3,000 so far beyond those who have an af- – are being donated to The finity for military action books.” Wounded Warrior Project and “The novel has an appeal The Navy SEAL Foundation. for those who also have an inter- And, having survived what est in world politics and strate- the financial planner turned gies because the body and flow writer termed a “very stressof the book extend well beyond ful” editing process, he’s the military actions involved. thinking about a followup.
Editorial: SOPA and PIPA Many people look to the Internet for information, music, and entertainment. But two new acts c a l l e d S O PA ( S t o p Online Piracy Act) and P I PA (Protect Internet Privacy Act) that the government are currently trying to pass can change this. These bills are trying to censor our Internet so that we cannot copy right and steal others’ work or music. We believe that these would be unfair bills and could affect many people who sing a song, post a blog, or just say something that could be considered “copy right”. Anyone one who uses F a c e b o o k , Yo u T u b e , or a search engine would be affected. The government would have the ability to sue these sites and search engines or even shut them down. Anyone who puts a download of a song or a video on the Internet can be sued or put in jail. One user
Sports and religion combining? By: Kelly Espinoza Contributer
Do you pray before a game of any kind of sport? Many people all around the world have their own traditions and religion that they like to add into sports they play. They are either professionals or students of high schools. Javier Hernandez, a famous Mexican soccer player who plays for the Manchester United and the Mexican National team, admits that his faith is very important while playing a game. “I always pray in the field before a game, it’s an important routine, but it’s not a superstition,” said Hernandez. He also asks God for everything to go well for his team and the rivals, so that no one can get injured during a game or has to end their career. Many people did not think Hernandez would make it far in a sports career due to his young age. Despite the odds, Hernandez was motivated to keep going. With his family encouraging him, he succeeded in becoming one of the most valuable players for both Mexico and Europe.
At 20 years of age, Hernandez made his debut for Mexico in September 2009, in a match against Colombia. He also represented in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which earned him a gold medal and special recognitions for his hard work. Students from Thomas Jefferson High School that are fans of Hernandez believe that he is a great player and support his religious routines. “There is no doubt that Hernandez is a great player,” said freshman Rolando Carabajal. “I have seen some games of his on T.V. God sure has helped because he is a fantastic soccer player.” Carabajal also prays on the field before playing a game. “I make the sign of the cross and pray before the game because it gives me luck and I like to feel that God is with me throughout the game,” Carabajal said. Sophomore, Humberto Luna, thinks the same as well. “I like to make the sign of the cross and dedicate the game to my family and God right before the game starts,” Luna said.
In Texas, there was a Supreme Court case that made a lot of controversy: Everson vs. Board of Education. In an important football game, a teacher said a prayer over the intercom, it was supposed to help the football players and give them luck. The school officials did not agree with that act, so they took it to court. The students and teachers who participated in the act lost the case, due to separation of religion and school (church and state). Remember, when someone testifies in court they are suppose to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God,” even if the person is not Christian. They are obliged to put their right hand on the Bible to be able to testify. Do you agree that people should not be able to represent their religion in public, even if the government does? It seems that people are okay with the fact of mixing religion and sports together. Many professionals and high school students use religion and luck for protection. The government uses it in many things: in court, or in money; most dollar bills say, “In God we trust”.
could potentially get a site shut down by one copy righted post, blog, or video. We f e e l t h a t t h i s could have an effect on more than music and entertainment. We t h i n k t h a t t h i s would change the way we use the Internet t o d a y, s u c h a s , s e a r c h engines and informational sites that cont r i b u t e t o t e a c h e r ’s w a y ’s o f t e a c h i n g . If passed, these acts would cause the shut down of important websites and send innocent people, who did not intend on copy righting, to jail or cause them to be sued for a blog or lyrics they have posted. This bill is currently postponed, do to the seven million online petitioners, but people can still help insure that this will not pass by writing to congress. Information found on: vimeo.com w w w. c b s n e w s . c o m news.cnet.com americancensorship. org
Signal bulletin:
-Less than 90 yearbooks need to be sold for Mr. Lindquist to shave his head into a mohawk and dye it orange! -Valentine cards sponsered by FEA are on sale for $2.00 until February 8. Meet in C216 to design your card from 3 - 4 P.M. Delivery will be February 14 during 5th hour. -People interested in Individual speech team need to talk to Mrs. Bev Hall in room C216. -You can sign up for spring sports in the Main Office. -Is pizza a vegetable? Take our poll at bit. ly./TJHSJournalism Snoball has been postponed until February 11.
Seniors’ corner
College Visits: *2/14 Iowa State University- 2nd period
*2/15 Iowa Central Community College- 4th period *2/19 Upper Iowa- 2nd period
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