If this change is put into action, then students will not get out of school until 4:15 pm. This would put working students at a disadvantage. Students with jobs would lose more than an hour of valuable time that they could use to work. This means that they would spend more time at their jobs and less time on their homework. Consequently, students with jobs could have higher stress levels, and they could potentially sleep more during class. Not only will working students face difficulties, but students in extracurricular activities will as well. With this time change, after school practices will start later, which will leave a burden on parents who have to pick their children up afterwards. This is a difficult situation for parents because most do not get off of work until 6:30. Also, students will not have enough time to do their homework after practice. For instance, band currently practices from 3:30 to 6:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If school ends at 4:15, then those students will potentially practice until 7:30 or later. Furthermore, the district is debating changing the A-B schedule, making students take all eight classes, for 45 minutes each, everyday. This proposal would put a strain on students because they would have to do all of their homework for every class in one night. In the end, having extra time to sleep in the morning will not help students because they will stay up later to finish all of their homework.

Granted, not all students work or participate in extracurricular activities, and some would prefer extra time to sleep in the morning. According to the American Psychological Association, adolescents need about 9.2 hours of sleep each night, compared with the 7.5 to 8 hours that adults need. By changing school’s starting time, students may focus and learn better with more sleep. On top of this, Assistant Principal, Reginia Crane said that the school district would save about $7 million per year by changing school’s start time. Ultimately, the change is good for the district’s budget, but not for it’s students.

Honestly, time is the most important aspect that students possess, which is why the district needs to keep the current bell schedule. The school board needs to consider how this proposal would affect the student population, and not worry solely on saving money.

According to a speech made by President Obama on Sept. 23, as many as a quarter of America’s students are not finishing high school. On top of this, America has fallen to 16th in the proportion of young people with a college degree, even though 60 percent of new jobs in the coming decade will require more than a high school diploma. Many students are giving up on working towards a higher education because they cannot handle the stress that comes with taking college classes. This is because, in high school, students get used to taking tests that mimic their multiple-choice reviews; therefore, some cannot handle the pressures of a more demanding education.  Presumably, in some parents’ mind, it is the teacher’s fault that their child is failing, but the reality is that the problem stems from the student’s unwillingness to learn. President Obama stressed in his speech that  parents cannot just blame teachers and schools if they are not instilling commitment and dedication to learning in their kids, and this is rightfully so. If parents cared more about their child’s education, then they would stop complaining and try to work with their child and his teachers to fix the issue.

Over the years, problems have occured with the TAKS test and the No Child Left Behind policy. Many students were once allowed to test and retest the TAKS, and many schools were forced to lower their standards so that all students could pass such exams because of No Child Left Behind. Thankfully, both of these issues are going to receive major reforms in the coming years. Educational leaders have finally realised the mistakes in the TAKS test; therefore, the test has been redesigned as the STARR test, and will test all subject knowledge of a desired course. In the case of  No Child Left Behind, President Obama has stated that it will receive reforms to follow the principles upheld in the Race to the Top program, which will presumably give states more flexibility to meet higher demands in education. More precisely, states, schools, and teachers will have the opportunity to come up with innovative ways to give students the skills they need to compete for future jobs. However, educational leaders cannot expect this reform to solve all problems. Many students will continue to fail despite the government’s best efforts because they simply do not have the drive to succeed.

Students need to stop relying on the educational system’s policies and teachers to take care of all of their problems. They need to realize that they will fail without hard work on their own part. Without this, they will not have the ability to solve their own problems later in life.

Richardson ISD recently decided to allow students to use their cell phones during lunch and passing periods. The district needs to follow Richardson’s example.

Many students in RISD received referrals from using their cell phones in the hallways and at lunch. So, to combat the issue, their district decided to allow cell phone use outside of the classroom and outside of class instructional time.

This district, however, seems to have problems with this policy; students can not even use their phones at lunch. There is nothing wrong with using a phone as long as students do not use it in class. A student could use his phone to study for a test at lunch, or call a parent if an emergency occurs. Yet, if a student has his or her phone out during lunch, it will get taken up by an AP. Once this happens, the student is forced to pay a $15 fee to get it back. This policy is pricey and ridiculous. The school should not have the right to take students’ phones and sell them back for profit. This is just a scheme that the school uses to make money.

However, the district does not want to allow students to use cell phones at all. They argue that students will use phones in class, and that this will cause classroom disruptions. Although this would distract students in class, it does not mean that it would distract anyone in the cafeteria.

In the case of the cell phone fee, administrator, Jeff Pollard says that the money goes to Crime Stoppers to help pay students who give tips. Despite this benefit, everything here seems to have a fee; from IDs ($5), Saturday school ($10), and of course cell phones ($15). The school should not use students’ personal property as a source of income. Instead, they should consider giving students’ phones back at the end of the school day; without a fee.

The district should follow RISD’s example; allow cell phone use at lunch and in the hallways between classes.

Crash!

It is the sound that students will hear unless the district decides to redo the parking lots, finally making it safe to drive in.

The parking lots here and at Ben Barber are horrible. There are three exits out of this parking lot, and only one out of Ben Barber’s parking lot. Too many kids try to get out at the same time, and many times these attempts almost turn into accidents.

At Ben Barber, an attempt to leave the parking lot fast and without traffic is almost impossible. In fact, it is even worse than last year because of the construction on the new performing arts center. Now, not only do students leave at 2:30, but construction workers leave as well. This has caused a major back-up of people trying to get into a single lane. On top of this, every time someone tries to turn out of the parking lot and into that lane, they can never get out because other drivers won’t let them in. This issue can only get worse, especially when the performing arts center opens. Despite having more places to park, the traffic issue will still remain, especially with a single exit.

The exits out of the school’s parking lot are also bad. If students try to leave from the parking lot near the tennis courts, they have to make sure that they get out fast before the buses leave. With only three exits, all of them congested with cars, there is nowhere to get out quickly. However, the worst place to get out of the parking lot is the side entrance to the school. That intersection is very dangerous. When sitting at the stop sign, cars enter the campus without having to stop. This is a serious problem because there is a blind spot around the fence there; when someone tries to turn, a car may rush down the side entrance and turn at the same time, and then a collision can occur.

The school has a fourth exit, but it is almost always kept closed. The school should open that exit so that traffic will speed up. Even though administrators say that opening the gate would be a safety issue, it really is not. The real safety issue is the sheer number of young, sometimes reckless student drivers and the lack of safe places to exit the parking lot.  Also, the school needs to turn the intersection at the side entrance into a four-way stop. And at Ben Barber, they need to create more exits so that students can get out more easily and efficiently.

The district needs to consider the safety of its student drivers, without more exits the two schools can only continue to have problems.

Hello sunshine!

Although the sun provides humanity with light and warmth, it is safe to say that the sun has given a little too much of its gift this year. In fact, many people would rather say goodbye to the dreadful sun, and hello to the cooling rain.

The temperatures here have been absolutely unbearable. On July 3, the first day of over 100 degree heat hit the region. Since then, the state has suffered 65 days of temperatures over 100 degrees and severe drought.

From band kids, to football players and everyday people- many are tired of suffering with this miserable weather. On Aug. 1, several sports teams began their summer training. This month alone received 27 days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. Yet, even though temperatures were staggering, players were, and are, still required to attend practice. Many band kids spent this past month practicing from 7 am to 11 am in the heat. The directors and coaches of these various organizations should not make those kids practice out there, even now. To save these poor athletes from the heat, the weather should show them mercy and bring rain.

Despite the negativity surrounding the sun’s presence, many people do still enjoy its benefits. A lot of people participate in activities that require the sun. This includes everyone from photographers who want to capture natural light, and environmentalists who use solar power. Granted, they do not prefer the heat either, but they do prefer the sun over rain.

Still, the sun needs to take a little vacation from the sky, and let the clouds take over. Thankfully, there is a miniscule hope for rain this weekend. Meteorologists predict that the region will have a ten to twenty percent chance of receiving rain. So a word to all those photographers who want more sun- please, take a picture of the rain.

-Paisley Sanders

As predicted, Republicans made great strides in the House of Representatives.  In this area, voters elected Joe Barton, an incumbent Republican, as a House Representative. The last time so many House seats changed parties was 1948. Republicans needed 218 seats for a majority. They managed to win 239 seats. In the Senate, the GOP also improved. Although falling short of a majority, they did gain six senatorial seats. The election outcomes were partly because of disappointment with the Democrats’ results in Congress. Nearly 62 percent of voters expressed that the economy was their main concern, according to CNN.com. Health care and immigration were also issues surrounding the election.

The result of this GOP landslide is a divided Congress, in which the Senate and House are controlled by different parties. Due to differences in policy, the next few years of Congress proceedings will be very interesting. Americans went to the polls and voted. Now the nation will see how Republicans can handle their new found power and work along with Democrats to achieve positive change.

     Perry is an incumbent who is predicted to win by a 7.6 percent margin, according to ElectionProjection.com. Of course, Bill White is also a strong candidate. A former mayor of Houston, he has had a chance to show people his governing skills. It will be completely up to voters to decide who wins this close gubernatorial race. Economic issues will play a large part in the election. With Texas just crawling out of the pit of a recession, job creation, taxes, business growth will be key economic issues. Rick Perry suggests people should vote for him because he has helped Texas create jobs. Since 2003, 1 million new jobs have been added in Texas. Perry has also supported property tax reductions and tax decreases for small businesses. This is true, and should be considered.

     However, one can not rule out Bill White. Bill White, a former businessman, has plans to improve the job market in Texas as well. If elected, he aims to attract new businesses, help small businesses grow, and improve job training. As a Houston mayor he helped the region add many new jobs. Bill White also believes that Texas can make better use of tax dollars.Both Perry and White have a lot to offer to Texas. It is all up to voters to be informed and decide who the best candidate is.

     Voters will also elect U.S. Representatives. In Texas, there are 32 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs. Voters in this area will vote for a House representative for District 6. The candidates are Joe Barton (R) and David Cozad (D).  Depending on which candidates voters around the nation choose for Congress, there could be a power shift from Democrats to Republicans. In the House of Representatives, 435 seats are up for reelection nationwide. Political analysts predict that Republicans will end up with at least 214 seats and Democrats will get 178 seats in the House of Representatives, according to RealClearPolitics.com. Just 218 seats are needed for a majority. In the Senate, a power shift in favor of Republicans could also happen, depending upon the outcome of a few states’ elections. However, Texans will not vote for Senators because our current senators’ terms are not up.

     Economic problems are part of the reason for the possible power shift. Many people are not satisfied with the solutions the Democrats in Congress have come up with and are willing to give the GOP a try.This upcoming election is extremely exciting. It will determine a lot about how the nation is run for the next few years. Lots of people just complain when the election outcome isn’t what they wanted. Instead of complaining, you should vote. Every vote counts, so head to the polls.

If a few small groups of comrades pause for a few brief seconds to discuss the weather, there would be no problem. After all, the hallways are pretty wide. Unfortunately, the copious width of our school’s passageways does not compensate for the oblivious groups of nine, who feel the sudden urge to halt, and expect the entire world to do the same. Neither does it accommodate the groups of 15 who feel the need to stop and discuss the latest episode of a pointless reality show. A student, eager to get to his or her respective class, should never have to navigate through a human labyrinth. But then again, hallways are shared spaces, and who am I to question the rights my fellow colleagues seem to believe they are indebted with?

Nevertheless, when I have one minute to rush to my 4th block class, I don’t want to be delayed by a great wall of numbskulls. The hallways should be characterized by constant motion, not the stagnation so often experienced.

The bottom line: no one group of students owns the hallways. You don’t own the hallways, so you aren’t entitled to behave as if you do. A hallway is not a pavilion, a playground, or the cafeteria. If your posse has the need to block the hallway to joke about how awful someone’s hair looks, resist it. If you want to form a large group of 20 to compare shoes in the cafeteria, be my guest. Just remember: you may think the hallway belongs to you, but it doesn’t. The sooner you accept that fact, the better for everyone.