November
4
Furlough days bring celebration, shorter school weeks
n
C hrisann K im _______________
It's w hat many students
dream of: to start summer
sooner than planned. With
nine school days officially
cut from this year, that
dream has come true.
W hile m ost rejoice for
this wondrous event, the
reductions have serious
effects on the teachers and
staff.
Nine student days have
been cut from the 2010-2011
school year and most of
these days are either before
or after holiday w eekends
and seasonal breaks. These
days include Nov. 12, Jan.
14, Feb. 22, Mar. 18, M ay
27, Jun. 1 3 -1 6 (these days
w ill be cut if no snow days
are used). For teachers and
staff, 15 days were cut. All
of the previously planned
three-day w eekends have
Nine days cut from the year
means nine days w orth of
learning cut from teachers'
curriculums. Rearranging
and rethinking the plan
for each class is expected,
however it's more difficult
than it looks. Their pay is
also reduced accordingly.
"We don't have a choice.
The alternatives are limited
to solve the predicam ent that
we are currently in. I haven't
decided on w hat should be
included in my curriculum
or not," M ario M cKennon,
English teacher, said.
To step in the shoes of
a hardworking teacher is
brave enough, but think
about how m uch w ork
teachers have to put in
just to replan their entire
curriculum.
Students com plain about
their daily school lives;
Students rush out from the school after the last bell rings. Nine student
days were cut from the 2010-2011 year, making summer come sooner
than planned. Teachers' curriculums were also shortened due to the
cutbacks of 15 teacher and staff days.
been turned into four-day
w eekends due to the cut
days.
It's typical for any average
student to be excited about
a shorter school year, but
teachers and staff have it
hard. Obviously, the idea
of cutting school days is a
bad one for the teachers.
Issues arise when profanity is used in school, online
IN Y
1ÂRRY
It used to be if you said H-E-
double-hockey sticks around
your parents, you would get
soap in your mouth regardless
of age. But nowadays, kids as
young as seven start swearing
with their friends and parents
■JTfSy do Hof!Wig abttit it.
Should kids really be raised
this way?
According to studies,
students at school swear
sometimes (enter gasp from
audience). Yes, I know, it's true.
I personally don't swear, but
almost all of my friends do. I
don't really mind. What I do
mind is when people drop
an f-bomb every other word.
I remember in my first week
of middle school,. I heard one
of the eighth graders say the
f-word three times in one
sentence. Now I'm not even
surprised when it happens.
Recently, South Albany
High School began suspending
kids who swear. According
to oregonlive.com, the
punishment is based on how
horrible the swear word is.
For example, a certain French
word that begins with "F" will
buy you an automatic in-school
suspension. I'm not saying we
should suspend anybody, but
swearing isn't impressive.
Facebook, the leading social
network site, is always creating
some sort of controversy.
Whether it be about privacy
settings or hindering students
from doing their schoolwork,
Facebook is one the of the
most controversial sites on
the internet. But what about
kids swearing on Facebook? It
seems that they wouldn't say
those words in school, but once
they get online, they throw out
special words. That's why they
don't "friend" their moms on
Facebook.
Swearing on Facebook or
any other place on the internet
West Linn High School, 5464 West À Street, West Linn, OR 97068
• (503) 673-7843 -fax: (503)657-8710 •
wlhs-amplifier@wlhs.wlwv.kl2.or.us
The Amplifier is published approximately every four weeks by the West
Linn High School Advanced Journalism class. Opinions expressed in
commentaries and editorials represent only those of the writer, and are
not necessarily the opinions of West Linn High School, its administration,
faculty, staff, or student body.
Editors-in-Chief:
Staff Reporters:
Alison Fieldhouse,
Jennifer Sitton
Clara Altemus, Emily Art, Max
Blumenthal, Michele Bondy,
Elise Brown, Austin
Cummins, Patrick Douglas,
Derek Fieldhouse, Joshua Kim,
Jack Lammers, Kaitlyn Lath-
rop, Madison Leek,
Danny McGarry, Emily Reed,
Eta Santoro, Alex Sisca
Business Manager:
Jack hammers
Section Editors:
News: Alison Fieldhouse,
Jennifer Sitton
Forum: Emily McDonald
Features: Mary Earp
Sports: Ty Clarke, Sean Pebler
Entertainment: Chrisann Kim
Photo Editor: Alex Houston
Photo Essay: Clara Altemus
Photographers:
Mary Earp, Alex Houston,
Rachael Woolley
Adviser: Ann Breyne
‘ »vhiie chckng Campe m
i
%
*X.
Hev mun!
mm ¡¡¡¡¡¡ili
1—
yea1 today i got \
me:
so
at that pjjrty last nigh'
man what thf was with
you and that
'
mm.
i
A._ w .: í W||! í A|::. So was t i j it
on my own door when I got
home
Photo by Alex Houston
A chat occurs between two students on one of the many online
social networks. The WLHS student handbook addresses the issue
of profanity by defining it as "language or behavior that interrupts
the educational work of the school."
shouldn't be any different. It's
like saying "Oh, I can swear
in the dining room, but once I
get to the living room, I can’t
swear."
"Certain emotions in a
person struggle to be expressed
verbally. Sometimes these
emotions come out in swear
words," Michael Johnson,
senior, said. "It doesn't have to
be expressed that way."
"I swear. I think it's bad
when it's every five seconds,
but if you really mean it, then
I think it's okay," Hansol Lee,
freshman, said.
Look, I know people like to
swear, I understand that. But
if there's no reason to swear,
why do it? Using appropriate
words makes you look politer
(girls like that, guys) and more
professional (jobs like that,
guys and girls). Plus, your
mom will be proud of you.
having to wake up at 6
a.m. and endure six one-
hour classes. Before they
even start complaining,
they should consider that
teachers wake up earlier
than 6 a.m. and they teach
multiple times a day and
sometimes, different classes
every day. Glenn Krake
teaches English 10, English
11 and Yearbook; all of
w hich take place in different
porches and during different
times of the day.
I complain about my life,
too, but at least now I know
how much work and trouble
teachers have to go through
due to the cutbacks and the
budget cuts; teachers lose a
half a month worth of pay.
"I think we kind of have
to do it, but for the students
we get out earlier. But I also
sym pathize w ith teachers; I
feel bad that they're getting
cut," Holly Ashby, senior,
said.
Education is a valuable
thing and not every child in
the world can afford it. I feel
like the nine days cut from
this year is cutting nine days
of valuable knowledge— it
is, in fact. It's nice to have a
few days off from the year
to sleep in and m eet with
friends, but I'd like to attend
school to actually learn a
thing or two.
It's not the school's fault
for losing a large amount
of money. Hopefully, the
district, the State and the
country will devise a plan
to deal w ith the economic
crisis we're currently in
and solve the problem as to
how to com pensate for the
nine im portant school days
lost from the year. Students
aren't necessarily powerless;
they have the ability to
speak up about this issue.
Teachers have this ability
too, but for now, sticking
to apples on desks and
everyday hom ew ork will
have to suffice.
Alex's ASB
Hello West Linn High School,
we are currently a few days
away from our Thanksgiving
break and I am sure that you
guys can hardly wait.
Fd like to thank everyone
who came to the Black Out game
against Lake Oswego back in
October. We almost won and
the atmosphere and school spirit
really shined, making every
student there proud to be a Lion!
I would also like to thank
everyone on behalf of the ASB
for supporting breast cancer
awareness during Pink Week by
buying a pink bracelet to support
the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
We made over $400 from selling
the pink bracelets alone, good
job West Linn!
Powder Tuff was also a suc
cess this year. If any of the guys
reading this want to win fame
and achieve everlasting glory
next year, signups will be the
same next year.
Right now, the canned food
drive is currently in progress. We
really need to get more canned
food to the school, help out fami
lies in need this Thanksgiving!
One last thing, Mr. WLHS
signups opened last month
and we have narrowed down
the twelve men that will be
participating: Drake and War
ner Edwards, Jason Francis,
Terry Rothgeb, Jefferson Chan
dler, Revy Nicholson, Andrew
Brown, Andrew Daniels, Thom
as Ward, Micah Wiard, Preston
Rattle and me! The 12 seniors
will be competing for the title of
Mr. WLHS. Their winnings will
go to a charity of their choice.
Come see them perform on Dec.
11 in the auditorium.