Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2009)
2009 Forum 5 Cell phone ban at Clackamas sparks controversy D rake E dwards At Clackamas High School, the questionable decision to ban cell phones has been made. Students are not allowed to have cell phones on campus. If they are caught using their phone, it's confiscated, and the only way to retrieve it is to have the students parents actually come to the school for it. Now I don't know about you, but just reading that makes me a little angry. Sure it's not at our school, but what if it was? Can you imagine how many cell phones would be confiscated? I know some parents will most likely argue something like, "Well, I got through high school without a cell phone." Which, I have to admit is a very valid point, but in this day and age, it’s much more difficult to do things without staying in communication most of the day. Say if you were to suddenly need to stay after school, you can't take the bus, and you do not have a cell phone to use because you aren't allowed to have one at school. So you have to get in line to use a school phone, which could take away crucial time for calling your parents. Sure using cell phones during class isn't good, but in between classes is totally fine. If we call or text during class, we are taking class time for our personal interests. But during passing time, we aren't in a class. There's nothing that we are required to listen or pay attention to; Photo by Libby Kara it's a time for us to walk to class and talk to our friends. With this being our time, we should be able to use it as we see fit, even if it means using our phones. That is why I believe that a policy such as this should only be in effect in the actual classroom. A cell phone is only distracting if it's being used during class, not in between classes, during lunch or even after school. Did I forget to mention that they also ban MP3 players? So that means that you cannot listen to music anywhere in the school. Personally, listening to music helps me focus when I have an assignment in class. And my same theory applies to MP3 players as well as phones. We should be able to use it on our time, in between class, lunch and after school. You would expect that after being on this earth for 15-18 years, high school students would be treated like such, and not have to have things like their cell phones and MP3 players banned, like toys in elementary school. Sure, some people do abuse their phone and music privileges, but that doesn't mean that everyone should be punished. TM Located in the basement, through a series of storage rooms and locked doors lies the Vault. The Vault holds school records going back decades, including Amplifiers from as far back as 1921. Our editors have sorted through the papers to reprint past articles, bringing you an interesting view of life from students of another generation. "From the Vault" articles will appear in the corresponding section in which they were originally printed. Check each issue of the Amplifier to find more treasures from the vault. June 10,1986: And we're having fun with no money J ustin W right Do you own a stereo and a television? Can you ride a bike? Do you have access to a cookbook? Is there a laundromat nearby? Do you know anyone who lives in an apartment with a pool? Have you visited your doctor or dentist recently? Do you have a picnic basket, paper plates, paper towels, and a portable radio? Is your little black book unnervingly empty? Do you play a portable in strument, mime, or juggle? Are you affiliated with the Mafia, the Boy Scouts, or Leadership class? Can you drive a car? Can you write poetry or draw cartoons? Are your parents easy going? Do you have a large backyard? Do you have too much junk, but a large garage? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, read on and the ultimate truth about inexpensive entertainment will be revealed to you. If you've seen all the shows that cable has to offer, and your record/tape collection drones on and on with automatic pre dictability, try watching one while listening to the other. It matters not which you listen to. Mind blowing at first, but after a while you may eliminate one of the elements in lieu of a more down to earth wave length. Like whale calls. One of West Linn's many hot spots is its winding and end less roads. Take out that dusty ten-speed and head off with only a vague destination. The miniature trees of Wilsonville are delightful in the evenings and early mornings. Or try counting all the signs that say you're enter ing West Linn. I didn't notice any leaving West Linn signs, so after three or four hours of wander ing through the rugged terrain I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. I kept saying, "There's the sign post up ahead... Welcome to West Linn... again." A cookbook can be a useful friend when the cooking sup plies are low, and the tolerance for variety is high. Try mixing cultures. My personal favorites are Szechwan Swedish Meat balls, Huevos foo young, Pasta Suzette, and refried shishkabobs. A local laundromat can be come an amusement park for a night. You must hire a look-out to spot patrolling cops and you should wear a helmet. Relatively in expensive. You don't have to know any one who lives in the apartments where you swim, but it could help if you forget your towel. Stay casual and nondescript. The next time you go for your six month check-up, bring a backpack and arrive early. There are all kinds of free things that they would love you to take. Stickers, brochures, business cards, even old magazines (only take the weekly public actions). When you get home you should have all the mak ings of a collage ready. Good for a rainy day's play, or useful as a child occupier while baby sitting. Instead of party hopping, you can easily go barbecue or picnic hopping and run no risk of arrest. It looks very convincing when you arrive at the park with only a basket full of only paper towels, cups, and plates. From there you can "rest for a minute" before resuming your search for your companions who told you to meet them. imm Hi f a il_______________ continued on page 6 "You have the right to have your cell phone but just not have it out in class." -Robert Guzman, senior What would you do if there was a cell phone ban on campus? "I would be displeased but I would accept it." —Devin Hero, junior "I’d still bring it." —Jonny Castle, sophomore "I would keep it in my locker for emergencies." —Bailey Middleton, freshman ________All photos by Alex Houston
