BAITLINE ISSUE 2
THE GRUELING PLIGHT FOR SUFFRAGE Numbers: A take on gun violence today
The Untold Story of Claudette Colvin FEBRUARYÂ 2020
Publication Policy The Baitline Newspaper is the official student news publication of Coral Reef Senior High School, and is written, designed, and published entirely by its staff members. Baitline is an established public forum, and welcomes a wide variety of pieces with the ultimate goal of informing students about news, events, and happenings both inside and outside the Coral Reef campus. Through its articles and issues, Baitline hopes to create a more educated student population that is more overtly open to discussing current events and analyzing a variety of points of view. As the producer of a scholastic publication, Baitline abides by the guidelines presented by the National Scholastic Press Association Code of Ethics for scholastic journalists and advisers. According to the policies of the Miami-Dade County Public School System, media produced by students is not subject to mandatory review by school administrators or district personnel. Thus, all Baitline content is the product of views and opinions held by student staff members only, and is in no way a reflection of overall school views or beliefs. The student editorial board and corresponding student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication. Baitline gladly welcomes reader questions, comments, or feedback. Letters to the editor may be submitted to Ms. Woolley-Larrea’s mailbox, delivered personally to room 226, or emailed to baitline@coralreefhigh.org with the subject line "Letter to the Editor." Letters to editor should not exceed 300 words, must be signed, and must include writer's address and phone number for verification. Baitline reserves the right to publish any letter sent.
Baitline
Coral Reef Senior High School Student News
CONTENTS 5 Numbers Anonymous
8 The Grueling Plight for Suffrage Ana Brito
4 Editor's Note 13 The True Meaning of Black History Month Jianna Martinez
11 The Untold Story of Claudette Colvin Sana Motorwala
Jessica Wilde shares how to overcome writer's block. Story on p. 20
14 What it Means to be a Martyr Isabella Delgado 15 Affirmative Action: is it reverse discrimination or reversing discrimination? Linda Cao 17 The Bell Heard Around the County Orlando Garcia 19 The Silent Teachers: A Spotlight on After School Care Programs Veronica Sanjurjo & Lina Olivieira 22 We’re not in Nicaragua Anymore…. Genesis Fajardo 23 Latinx: Americanization at its Finest Sophia Salamanca 25 Student Opinion: Juan Guaidó Should Not be Welcomed With Open Arms Eric Parrilla 27 Grief at the Reef Katherine Mesa BAITLINE NEWSPAPER | 2
Baitline Editors-in-Chief Ana Aguilar Mariana Bravo Staff Supervisor Mrs. Stephanie Woolley-Larrea
Copy Editor Creative Writing Editors Politics and Opinion Editors Cuda Corner Editor Staff Writers
Sofia Ventura Nathalie Acosta Isabel Yip Samantha Perez Sarah Bautista Dahlia Fabregat Oriana Bellucci Ana Brito Linda Cao Aisha Chebbi Ibtesam Dames Isabella Delgado John Dotson Genesis Fajardo Luis Garcia-Sarabia Orlando Garcia Rachelys Jorrin Kiran Komanduri Isabella LaPlant Jianna Martinez Sana Motorwala Lina Oliveira Isabella Saldarriaga Daniel Salup Veronoca Sanjurjo
CORAL REEF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 10101 SW 152nd CT +1-305-232-2044 | baitline@coralreefhigh.org
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EDITORS' NOTE We, the shapers of culture... It was our goal, as we took on the task of putting together this issue, to host a party. We hope that, as you lose yourself in the following pages, you experience the same sense of celebration in which we submerged ourselves while assembling each piece, spread, and image. February has given us the opportunity to blatantly commemorate culture, to take in a variety of timeless perspectives, and to affront the realities of a society abound with diversity. We have been lucky enough to celebrate the bravery of our people, the roots of our ancestors, and the identities of those around us today. Through good and bad, it is the courage of neighbors, friends, and strangers that has pushed us through, and that will continue to do so for years to come. As you read, we hope you remember the past and its pejoratives, and that you use them to illuminate the hopes of our present and future. - Ana Aguilar & Mariana Bravo Editors-in-Chief
Ana Aguilar
Mariana Bravo
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NUMBERS ANONYMOUS
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"AT NIGHT, FEAR BECAME AN INSUFFERABLE COMPANION THAT HUGGED ME TIGHT AS I LAY WIDE-AWAKE IN MY BED."
I turned it off; the television’s light blinked once before collapsing to blackness. I gazed into the inky darkness before settling the remote down. I can still remember the Parkland shooting within Florida - my home state. Many died; even those who survived such traumatic events continued to walk on this earth with the weight of the tragedy still heavy on their shoulders. I envision myself in their shoes, bearing the burden they are forced to carry day after day.
As every second chipped from the present, adventurers from each residing generation creeped out from their towns and out in the hazardous open. Daily, these daredevils bottled new visions before retreating back to their domiciles, where they stored them away for the new day. Every building has its own story to offer. And somewhere, amidst the multicolored blur of shelters stood a house with the color of marigold: my home.
That night, my parents talked in hushed whispers on the latest bout of violence: “Oh, the guns! The death!”
Turning the doorknob, I stepped into the living room, where I stood drawn to the TV: “Fifty killed in Christchurch mosque shootings.”
They stopped. A moment of silence. Then, they began anew on a discussion of tomorrow’s breakfast, ignoring the subject, just like they had with the Parkland shooting. A feeling of deja vu, I merely observed. These intervals emphasize how slowly but surely these grim incidents settle into the daily humdrum of the outside world. The same loop of heavy grief and nonstop prayings and empty promises to change cycles over and over. All the while, heavy sorrow hangs densely like dewdrops in the rising sun of another new day.
Chicagoland Mental Health
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"Vigil Honoring Victims of Gun Violence," Daniel Baxter, February 20, 2018
My parents never recognized how I sat muted at the dining table during every discussion on the violence. With my hands, I would count the amount of seconds they spent dwelling on each recent act of violence before moving on: one, two, three . . . My mind could not blame them for the short moment of attention: with my friends, I, a high school student just like the Parkland students, spoke of none of the details the day after- an incident I vividly recalled. The day after February 14, 2018, an elephant stood in our rooms. Everyone knew of it, and not one talked of it. The silence I gave clarified the peace of mind that I struggled to grasp from reality. Silently, I am drowning in a pool of dazed anxiety and tension of the next attack as my soul cries for action, pleading for the cycle’s end. May 08, 2018 . . . BAITLINE NEWSPAPER |
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I do not remember a world where these worries ceased to exist. At night, fear became an insufferable companion that hugged me tight as I lay wideawake in my bed. It invaded my home, the very place where my mind holds many fond memories of- where I am supposed to feel sheltered and secure under its roof. However, I grew used to the looming dread. Like an invasive species, I barely noticed its presence in my daily adventures, even as it nibbled away the bright positivity of America’s futuremy future in a cultural melting pot. November 15, 2019. Another day, another discussion, another dinner at the round table. My parents sat, shooting each other flitting glances filled with muted concerns as they conversed in hushed whispers. Thoughts
and prayers. Each duration counted shorter than the next.Twiddling my thumbs, fingers, and pinkies, I witnessed the light of their eyes dying, fading faster than those who have long been gone from the senseless actions of others. I can feel my own sense of restlessness spiraling down; I knew then it was time to leave the table, departing this never ending cycle of desensitization, just as others before me had done. As I stroll outside, my voice carries the tales of my home, but when other houses’ bards leave the earth, no one else will remain to recount the adventures of the homes out on the street, leaving only emptiness- the dead of silence.
THE GRUELING PLIGHT FOR SUFFRAGE
Ana Brito
Black History Month is a triumphant celebration of the stories of black America, often underappreciated and overlooked, and of the role African Americans and African Carribbeans have held in shaping the United States into the vibrant, diverse nation it is today. Every year, a designated theme is chosen to embody a certain aspect of the African American experience, and as
the
centennial
of
the
19th
amendment and the one-hundredand-fiftieth anniversary of the 15th amendment draw near, it is no mere coincidence that this year’s theme is “African Americans and the Vote.” For African Americans, the journey to the ballot was a tumultuous one, full of perpetual setbacks, misfortunes, and difficulties;
yet,
they
remained
undeterred, resolute in the face of oppression
and
centuries
later,
celebrate
the
adversity. in
order
success
of
Now,
to
truly
African
Americans and the strides they have taken to gain equality, one must look back and reflect upon the arduous journey that had to be undertaken by those before them. In the aftermath of the Civil War, the United States government found itself facing the cries for suffrage of millions of African Americans freshly freed from slavery.
AP File Photo. Atlanta, Georgia , 30 Mar. 1963. African Americans protest the subversion of the right to vote in front of an open casket holding the “dead” 15th amendment.
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Men and women alike yearned for the full rights
lynchings and violent threats, ultimately led to a
citizenship entailed, particularly for the sacred
decline in their civil participation.
right to vote and represent oneself in the democracy they had helped create. As famous
Moreover,
abolitionist Frederick Douglass stated, “Slavery is
complete victory for all African Americans. It
the
15th
amendment
was
not
a
not abolished until the black man has the ballot.”
extended suffrage to all men, but left women,
Suffrage was the one true path to complete
particularly black women, ignored. As a result,
freedom, the only way to establish equality once
many suffragists, like Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
and for all
turned to racist notions of inferiority and deemed
Ana Brito
the black man to be less than the white woman, Hearing the cries of the masses, Congress ratified
and hence undeserving of the vote. Eventually, the
the 14th amendment in 1868, granting citizenship
Woman’s Suffrage Movement took ahold of the
to all persons “born or naturalized” in the United
nation, and nearly a century later, the 19th
States, including former slaves. Moreover, in order
amendment
to gain readmission to the Union, Southern states
discrimination on the basis of sex. But as these
were forced to pass revised state constitutions
discussions and arguments overcame the nation,
that guaranteed suffrage to all men, both black
black women were often disregarded completely,
and
leading
white.
In
1870,
Congress
applied
this
to
was
a
passed,
women’s
outlawing
suffrage
voting
movement
extended suffrage on a federal scale by passing
dominated by the experiences and narratives of
the 15th amendment, which guaranteed voting
white women only. While African American
rights to all men regardless of “race, color, or
women, such as Sojourner Truth, valiantly fought
previous condition of servitude.” Soon, black
for the same right, they would not be able to
people began voting in great amounts, with a
exercise it to the same extent until decades later.
total of 700,000 black men registering to vote within a year. This led to a surge in the number of
This all ultimately changed with the rise of the
African
offices,
Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. With the
ranging from local mayoral positions to federal
passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, African
congressional spots. That same year, Hiram Revels
Americans were able to surpass the legal hurdles
became the first African American elected to the
that impeded them from exercising their right to
Senate, taking the vacant seat of Confederate
vote
leader
African
Achieving this monumental piece of legislation
American men served in Congress and around
was not easy by any means, and activists such as
2,000 served in elected local, state, and federal
Martin
positions during this period of Reconstruction.
mistreatment, and violence. Nonetheless, this act
Offices once held by men desperate to keep the
provided African American voters the ability to
chains of slavery bound around the oppressed
challenge unjust laws that restricted their access
were being won by African Americans.
to the ballot.
Americans
Jefferson
holding
Davis.
In
political
total,
16
guaranteed
Luther
by
King
the
Jr,
15th
faced
amendment.
discrimination,
But even with all this advancement, challenges However, as the period of Reconstruction
to voting still plague African Americans in the
came to an end, the black vote became
modern era. Throughout the country, voter-ID laws
increasingly suppressed. States turned to “legal”
have become more frequent, requiring voters to
methods of ensuring that African Americans
present a form of government-issued ID at voting
would be unable to vote, such as literacy tests
stations. Many studies have concluded that people
and poll taxes. As Jim Crow Laws legalized racial
of color are much more likely to be unable to
segregation, they further contributed to the
meet this requirement. According to the Atlantic,
marginalization of the black community.There
9% of African Americans reported that they were
was also a rise in white supremacist groups,
told they lacked “the proper identification” to vote
particularly the Ku Klux Klan, who terrorized
in the 2016 presidential elections. This covert form
African American communities and sought to
of voter disenfranchisement, whether intentional
repress them in all aspects of daily life. ncreased
or unintentional, prevents many minorities from
intimidation of black voters, such as
representing themselves democratically.
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Black History Month is a time in which one should praise the accomplishments of the past; however, it is also a time to focus on securing and maintaining equality in the present and future. We must honor how much African Americans have sacrificed in order to obtain the right to vote and make their voices heard in the past and safeguard this liberty from those who wish to subvert it in the present. - Ana Brito BAITLINE NEWSPAPERÂ | Â 10
THE UNTOLD S T O R Y
O F
C L A U D E T T E
C O L V I N
SANA MOTORWALA
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A young teenage girl sits on a segregated bus in
The NAACP, which is an acronym for the National
1955. In her head, thoughts of powerful leaders in
Association for the Advancement of Colored People,
black history cloud her thoughts, invoking a spirit of
have been operating since 1909 to secure equality in
black pride, and frustration at the injustice that
every aspect for all minorities. Rosa Parks had
these people had to face. So when a white woman
worked as the secretary for the NAACP, where she
asked her to give up her seat, the girl channeled the
eventually got close to Colvin. The NAACP wanted
bravery of Harriet Tubman to face the woman and
to orchestrate the same protest that Colvin had
bravely say “no.” This was 15-year-old Claudette
done with Rosa Parks, as they did not want Colvin to
Colvin in March of 1955, protesting racial segregation
be the face of the movement. According to NPR,
on Montgomery buses nine months before Rosa
Colvin described Parks as having the right image for
Parks did. Few know of the story of Claudette Colvin,
people to associate her with the middle class, as
and even fewer know about the integral role that
well as being an adult that could lead the
Colvin
movement, as the NAACP believed that teenagers
played
in
catalyzing
the
Civil
Rights
Movement in the 50s.
were unreliable. As a result, in December of 1955, Rosa Parks made national headlines for refusing to
In 1955, the segregationist policies held by the
stand up for a white passenger, effectively starting
Montgomery bus system dictated that the bus
the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and essentially
driver had the authority to assign seats. Thus, when
spearheading the Civil Rights Movement.
a white woman had asked that Colvin and her friends must give up their seats for her to sit down,
The acts of defiance demonstrated by Colvin and
the bus driver enforced her demands. While Colvin’s
Rosa Parks’s willingness to sacrifice herself for the
friends all reluctantly accepted defeat, Colvin held
cause of the NAACP initiated a movement that
her head high and refused. The events that
would change America forever. Due to the bravery
transpired on that day in March of 1955 included
of both of these women, America moved away from
Colvin’s arrest and subsequent incarceration for
is racist segregationist policy and began the fight for
refusal to follow the authority of the bus driver. In a
racial equality. Even if America is far from achieving
BBC Interview, Colvin details what it was like being
complete equality, the Civil Rights Movement is the
taken away by police officers. She mentions how she
reason that we are closer to equality than we ever
was “manhandled” off the bus and placed into a
have been. Despite the story of Colvin being lesser-
police car in handcuffs. Even though Colvin was the
known in comparison to Rosa Parks, we must
first to do what she did, her story only made local
remember
headlines, never reaching the same level of success
Montgomery bus who channeled the power of black
as Rosa Parks’s protest did.
history leaders to become one of the first figures to
the
black
teenage
girl
on
the
protest the segregationist policies of Montgomery So how did Rosa Parks become the face of the
and become the secret spark behind Civil Rights.
movement against segregation? At the time of Colvin’s arrest, the NAACP in Alabama caught wind of Colvin's act of bravery.
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The True Meaning of Black History Month JIANNA MARTINEZ Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, George Washington Carver. These are some of the names being emphasized this month across primary schools for the purposes of commemorating Black History Month. Black History becomes widespread through special exhibits in museums, serving as a remembrance of the history of a people that deserves recognition. Black History Month almost seems as a way to equalize racially in order to make up for the times when “separate but equal” was being proclaimed throughout the streets in the 1960’s, only to further emphasize the inequality faced by the black community. Surely, we would make an effort to remember the past that seemed undermined at the time, it’s Black History Month. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?
Photos originally published online at sf.funcheap.com
Although this is true, where is the notice towards the growing police brutality in the U.S? Where is the growing awareness towards the injustices committed by our own justice system? The system meant to serve as a defender in morality and justice. The system meant to put forward a solution to the fact that 23% of police victims are black despite the fact that black people only make up 13% of the population. The system meant to assure that no one should have to fear a force meant for their protection, yet overtly failing in the process. The prevalence of inequality can even be seen through environmental injustices, where the citizens of Flint, Michigan, which contains a large population of African Americans, still can’t gain access to clean water. The community here has still not received sufficient assistance from the government in five years, displaying the powerful presence of environmental racism in the U.S today. As the mayor of Flint, Weaver, states, “Race was a factor in the authorities’ slow and misleading response.” It is with this fact that demands of those who are privileged to be the voice of those who don’t have one. Inequalities facing black communities are present, ranging from societal injustices to economic and environmental injustices as well, further emphasizing the true extent these injustices have on the black population.
"Present issues demand defiance... "
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Yes, of course it is necessary to remember the important past of black inspirational figures that shaped history in a manner that was so unknown then. However, instead of viewing it as a way to compensate for the losses black communities faced in the past, we must work to place attention to the losses in the present-day that have still not been compensated for. Black History Month is so much more than only remembering the powerful defiance displayed through Rosa Parks that one day, but more so in becoming aware of present issues of police brutality, high murder rates of the black LGBTQ community, and more. Present issues that demand defiance from those who are able to lend a voice in place of victims who still remain without one. Present issues that stand in memory of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice and countless others.
What it Means to be a Martyr Courageous and strong-willed, a martyr is an individual who sacrifices their life and willingly suffers rather than renounce a certain belief or principle they value deeply. Today’s society is largely the product of the contribution of various martyrs throughout history. From Joan of Arc who fiercely led France to victory against England in the 15th century, to Mahatma Gandhi who preached the importance of civil disobedience as a means of gaining Indian autonomy from Britain in the 19th century, all the way to Martin Luther King who valiantly fought for the equal rights of African Americans in the 20th century, martyrs are trailblazers that pave the way for advancement in society and spark the fires of necessary change in the heart of mankind. Long and hard fought, the plight of African Americans in a nation teeming with inequality and injustice is one that still continues today over half a decade after the commencement of the Civil Rights Movement. Though it can be said that there is still more work to be done in ensuring absolute equality for African Americans in our society, we have indeed come a long way from the hatefilled days of the past. The harsh truth is that the prevalent attitudes in our society in regards to acceptance and equality for people of all races were not always what they are today. Just over 200 years ago, fugitive slaves were forced to use the Underground Railroad to escape and break free from the chains of slavery and oppression. One hundred eighty years ago, oppressed Nat Turner led a slave revolt in Virginia that was brutally crushed by militiamen. One hundred sixty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court classified African American human beings as nothing more than just mere property in the Dred Scott v. Sanford case. One hundred fifty years ago, African Americans could not vote nor did they have equal protection under the law as all citizens of the United States of America did. One hundred years ago, African Americans were disenfranchised and discriminated against through Jim Crow laws, literacy tests, and poll taxes. Sixty years ago, prior to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Case, AfricanAmerican children were forced to attend schools inferior to those of their white counterparts.
Isabella Delgado
Sixty years ago, African Americans could not sit in the same place as a white person without being harassed, ridiculed and humiliated. Fifty-seven years ago, on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream Speech” and sparked a revolution that would redefine African American civil rights and forever change the United States of America. The Civil Rights Movement was a movement for social justice and equality led by African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. Although there were many notable individuals who honorably contributed to the advancement of the Civil Rights Movement, there is one man that stands out for his unbreakable resilience and brave leadership. This man is Martin Luther King Jr. A Baptist minister and social rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. spearheaded the Civil Rights Movement as he organized peaceful protests, delivered powerful speeches, and inspired other African American individuals in society to fight for their rights through civil disobedience. Dr. King observed and experienced firsthand the segregation plaguing America at the time. He did not sit idly by, but instead decided to do something about segregation. His imprisonment after peacefully protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama outraged many who became further empowered in their fight for equality. His “Letter from Birmingham Jail” justified his nonviolent tactics and emphasized the urgent nature of the need for change in society. His “I Have a Dream Speech” echoed in the ears of all individuals in American society, and its relevance has withstood the test of time. His assassination on April 4, 1968 devastated proponents of a better America all throughout the nation, but in his wake Dr. King left behind a legacy that remains untainted. With these actions, Martin Luther King Jr. was able to successfully unite individuals in the undying fight for equality. He united individuals under an anthem of equality that triumphed throughout the nation, and for this Dr. King will forever be remembered and celebrated. A person who stands up for what they believe in.A person who refuses to tremble in the face of adversity. A person who refuses to back down when their principles are challenged. A person who speaks up when everyone else chooses to remain silent. A person who dies for a greater good. That is a martyr. That is Martin Luther King Jr. BAITLINE NEWSPAPER | 14
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS IT REVERSE DISCRIMINATION OR REVERSING DISCRIMINATION? Linda Cao
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It’s the beginning of 2020, and that usually leads to the typical “new year, new me.” Likewise, the new year welcomes a new challenge: college applications. A majority of college application deadlines are set in early January. In light of the Harvard University lawsuit and the Lori Loughlin scandal, the term “affirmative action” has become a sensitive issue.
What is affirmative action?
According to Merriam-Webster, affirmative action refers to “the effort to promote the rights or progress of other disadvantaged persons.” Likewise, Oxford Dictionary defines it as “ the practice of favoring individuals belonging to groups known to have been discriminated against previously.” People tend to focus on the words “promote the rights” or “ favoring individuals” when it comes to affirmative action. In other words, those who are against affirmative action perceive the policy as a racial, ethnic, or gender quota, leaving the vast majority of applicants at a disadvantage. However, the keywords that should be considered are actually “disadvantaged” and “discriminated.” The purpose of affirmative action is to establish a state of equity, not equality. In other words, Affirmative Action intends to level the playing field for college applicants. It is supposed to provide an advantage to the disadvantaged. Thus, the controversy does not surround Affirmative Action, but whether the policy is instituted as instructed. Critics vs. Supporters
The critics of affirmative action claim that their disdain for the policy is caused by the idea of “reverse discrimination.” Peter W. Cookson Jr., senior researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, states that the policy has the tendency to place the White and Asian population at a disadvantage in regards to college admission. To them, affirmative action is an attempt to provide more opportunities to underrepresented minorities and is outdated in current society. On the other hand, supporters claim that universities should be encouraged to establish diversity on their campuses, and that exposure to various cultures and backgrounds is a healthy learning environment and fosters creativity from the student body. More importantly, they emphasize that the race gap continues to be prevalent in elite universities. Supporters of affirmative action argue that to say the policy is unnecessary would be an insult to those individuals that continue to suffer from such discrimination. A Compromise
It is imperative to balance the playing field, especially for something as significant as college. To give someone an advantage is not always leaving the other party at a disadvantage: it is simply balancing the other side of the scale.
In University of California v. Bakke, the Supreme Court ruled that the university’s use of racial quotas was unconstitutional. Although race is certainly a factor the leaves a plethora of applicants at a disadvantage, which is caused by a more significant factor: money. In what way is money the determining factor? Economic advantage plays an undeniable role in college admission. From SAT and ACT tutoring to million-dollar-valued college counselors, there is a blatant disadvantage among those who cannot afford such luxuries. Individuals that are part of the lower class tend to be located in neighborhoods with less economic funding. With low quality teachers and resources, this environment exacerbates the inequality of the playing field. This disparity has become increasingly significant in light of recent headlines. Lori Laughlin and other affluent individuals were exposed for bribing university sports coaches to admit their children into sports teams, and thus into universities. Forbes has reported that Laughlin spent over $500,000 to bribe the University of South Carolina. Evidently, the general population considered such actions to be immoral. But such actions are only punished because they are illegal. Rich individuals could donate a building worth millions to a university and guarantee their child’s admission -- immoral but legal. Nevertheless, legal or illegal, both situations illustrate the immense advantage the upper class has over the middle and lower classes. A Comparison Moreover, individuals who originate from unfortunate backgrounds and have strived for similar success as their fellow contemporary applicants showcase qualities -- perseverance, critical thinking, and responsibility -- that provide them with a greater opportunity to succeed in their respective university, and society. All races have experienced a different history, implying that this inequity and discrimination has ingrained itself into the system. Such discrimination should be taken into consideration, but it should not be used to fulfill implicit racial quotas. If equality is what universities truly aspire to achieve, then the applicant’s economic background should be considered as an essential factor in addition to their racial background.
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l l e B e h T d n u o r A Heard y t n u o C The ORLANDO GARCIA
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As the clock strikes 7:00 A.M., students continue to pile into Coral Reef Senior High School, looking to sit down with their friends, get breakfast, or start walking towards where their first class is. This will continue until the bell at 7:20 A.M. when students should be settled in their classes, ready to begin the school day. However, with the recent discussions on the bell schedule in MiamiDade County, this could all change. Currently, the bell schedule for high schoolers in Miami-Dade County goes from 7:20 A.M. to 2:20 P.M. from Monday to Friday. This means that most high schoolers wake up between 5 and 6 A.M. in order to get ready to make it to school on time, depending on how far away they live. This is an early time, to say the least, but it has been this way for a long time and it’s safe to say that most students have gotten used to it. What’s more important to talk about is the ending time of the school bell schedule. At its current time of 2:20 P.M., most students are able to participate in after school activities, such asclubs and sports. Students get ample time to enjoy their clubs, participate in activities with their fellow members, or get to practice for their respective sports, all while still having enough time to get home and do any assignments that they have. After all of this is done, most students will then have a somewhat reasonable amount of time to sleep before the next day. If the bell schedule is changed, it will be altered in a way that makes the school day start and end later. Currently, the consideration is that high school students would start the school day at 9, and end around 4. This is due to the fact that the county has been looking into the effects of sleeping habits on developing children, and how the school day affects those habits.
The belief is that if the school day begins later, students will be able to sleep more and develop better. However, there are some things that must be considered, since they will be severely affected by the change that is being suggested. For one, the activities mentioned previously, namely clubs and sports, would be much more difficult to organize and participate in since they would run into the later part of the day. Clubs normally last an hour, maybe an hour and a half, resulting in those students leaving school between 5 and 5:30 P.M., a time that coincides with rush hour. This would cause students to arrive at their homes much later, especially for those that live farther away. Sports would be a much more difficult discussion. Most sports have practices that last at least 2 hours, and these practices don’t often begin immediately after school. This means that some students may be staying at school until 6 or even 7 P.M., then having to go through difficult traffic in order to reach their homes. The times may even be later for students that don’t have their own means of transportation and have to rely on their parents or guardians, who may not be as easily available around that time. Overall, the change in the bell schedule is a hotly debated topic. In the coming weeks, all of the effects of the possible change must be considered before any decision is made. Hopefully, the benefits will outweigh the negatives, but we’ll have to wait and see in order to determine this. For now, continue to stay informed through the Coral Reef website, your very own Cuda Baitline, and the MDCPS website. In the meantime, the bell will keep on being heard from 7:20 to 2:20 throughout all high schools in Miami-Dade, ensuring that students are on time.
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T H E
S I L E N T
S P O T L I G H T C A R E
C O - O P : BAITLINE NEWSPAPER |
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O N
T E A C H E R S : A F T E R
A
S C H O O L
P R O G R A M S
V E R O N I C A S A N J U R J O L I N A O L I V E I R A
The bell rings. Students burst through the doors, eager to escape the grasp of overbearing teachers and return to the warmth and comfort of home. Climbing into cars and buses, they storm away without leaving a trace behind. To most, this is what the first few minutes after the school bell rings look like. But, to some, the day is not over yet. To some, time after school means walking into an assigned room with their peers and working on their homework. To some, it is the most productive part of their day. Across the country, after-school child care programs have become more and more prominent. According to the Afterschool Alliance, the “overall participation in afterschool programs has increased by nearly 60 percent from 2004 to 2014, with nearly 4 million more children in afterschool programs today.” For years, the importance of child care has been portrayed through the political sphere, as Republicans and Democrats quarreled over how to ensure that children’s’ best interest is put first. Nevertheless, the impact that after school care has had on families is undeniable. Since its rise, parents have flocked to reliable enrichment programs to ensure that no time is wasted in their child’s education. In a typical after school care program, students are given time to work on their homework in a communal environment. According to a national evaluation on after school care programs, “over 40% of students [involved have] improved their reading and math grades.” However, school care is not one size fits all. Programs can be found both in schools and in community organizations such as the YMCA. In addition, while some focus on providing a calm and conducive environment for homework, others focus on encouraging extracurricular activities such as basketball, art, and dance.
For example, when asked about what responsibilities he has in the after school care program, a camp counselor at a local Miami elementary school explained that he “coach[es] basketball on the side” whenever the physical education coach could not make it. This showcases the versatility of after school care programs, making clear why they have taken such a prominent place in the lives of students across the country. While researching aftercare programs we decided to look into a specific program at an elementary school in Miami, Florida, where we have personal experiences. We conducted several interviews with the people that work there, including counselors and tutors. The program splits the kids into different classrooms with a camp counselor. One of the counselors explained, “So basically my job consists of… helping the kids complete their homework, giving them a positive environment… I give them… activities to complete like arts and crafts [and] we'll do things like [go to a] computer lab and give them experiences outside of the classroom… so it's a lot more like fun and laid-back. We just kind of get to know each other, engage with one another and make the best of it.” The camp environment is not as rigorous as normal school hours are. he kids are allowed to learn on their own terms, at their own pace. Often the kids that stay after school have to stay because their parents work late, but they don’t feel neglected or alone since they are surrounded by friends and kept busy at the after-school care camps. The camps are meant to give parents more freedom in their schedules while giving children an opportunity to do homework. The kids also learn to collaborate and help each other with their work. According to the counselors, “when they're together, they work with one another which is a big thing because whatever one doesn't know,
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the other one does and then vice versa so it kind of helps them get through their homework faster as well as ensuring that they get it done ultimately before they go home.” This school even includes free tutoring services for kids who need extra help their parents cannot offer them. The counselors play an important role in “[making] sure every student that's done with their homework is helping somebody else with their homework or doing I-ready which is the virtual work.” The same counselor states, “it's very rare to see a kid here just goofing around hanging out, not doing anything. I try not to let that happen.” However, after school care programs are not perfect. Often it is difficult to discipline the children. Because the counselors are not trained professionals, they become easily impatient and do not always know how to deal with children that can be problematic. The children learn to take advantage of the counselors and skip their homework. They act out since they are, after all, kids with energy to expend. According to the counselors, “sometimes they get out of hand because they want to like do something different considering they've been in school all day.” The programs often lack organization. These conclusions have been drawn from observations of people who have visited the school or previously been a student. While the programs are not perfect, the counselors are doing what they can with the limited experience they have. Most of them work to pay for school and do not see this as long term: one is studying education to become a teacher, another goes to the fireacademy.
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But they put in the effort and care about the kids, which overshadows the downsides. One of the counselors finalizes her interview saying, “we try to make the best of it.” Throughout this process, it has become quite clear why after school care programs have become so common. Children are curious and determined to do well and overcome hurdles. They ask when they are confused and they help when others are in need. After school care programs give them a place to not only excel scholastically but also indulge in their childhood curiosities and form bonds with their peers. Observing and interacting with these bright young minds makes one thing clear: children are our future. It is our job to ensure that they become the best version of themselves by creating stimulating and encouraging environments in which they can thrive. While after school care is a step in the right direction, more organization and better resources are needed before they can make the desired impact.
We’re not in Nicaragua Anymore….
Genesis Fajardo
The aroma of burned wood from the jungle and residue of caramel dust from the unpaved roads sound unpleasant to the outsider, but to me they are the tokens that remind me of home; now these characteristics that once went unnoticed, as they were woven into my daily routine like the seams of my sweater, are the only thing that can transport me back to Nicaragua without a passport. My mami and papi decided to move to the U.S when I was just six years old for reasons that I did not understand at the time. Upon my arrival to this foreign country, I knew that everything was going to be different. It first started off with our house. In Nicaragua, we had a finca with beautiful mountains overlooking our sugar cane fields. I always believed that the mountains were God’s physical representation of angels that protected my family and I as we slept. Their pointed tips acting as spears against any aerial dangers. Their vast bases that stretched almost infinitely barricaded my home, away from any menaces that hid in the terrain. Serene yet intimidating, those terrestrial mountains were my guardian angels. Leaving that safe haven was the hardest part for me. I no longer have mountains in my backyard, but instead a busy street swamped with traffic that provides no sense of security. Rather than peering outside my window to see one of God’s masterpieces, I see man’s construction cover the natural land from left to right. Neon orange vests and reflective details blinded my vision the more I stared at them. It was during those seconds of blindness that I allowed my imagination to paint the angelic mountains outside my window, hoping it would transport me back home, even if it was for only a moment.
Not to mention, mami’s and papi’s lives changed as much as mine. I didn’t see mami dress up in her usual pencil skirts and button-down tops anymore for work. Instead, I saw her come home with a makeshift cleaning cart and her hair tied up. I used to think she was just playing dress up. Just like a superhero, disguising her true identity with her apron and yellow rubber gloves, the windex bottle became her laser gun and the plunger was her sword. She was invincible to the enemy of filth. However, as I grew, her outfits seemed all the less extraordinary, yet the hero beneath the layers of linen remained. papi does not smile as much as he used to either. He always comes home with his neon orange vest covered in dust. I loved to play with his white helmet as if it made me bullet proof. Whenever I put it on, papi would hoist me onto his shoulders, transforming me into the giant of the beanstalk. His legs became mine as we stepped over the towns of Lego’s beneath us. Even with his aching back, sweaty forehead, and bad knees, papi would do anything and everything in his power to make me smile. Even before we moved to the U.S, I knew that it would be a life-altering experience. Back home, the U.S was painted as the land with an infinite amount of opportunities for growth and success. However, the true beauty of a nation, in my opinion, lies beneath its architecture and latest technology, and relies wholly on the people. In Nicaragua, the simplicity of a friendly gathering to have sopa de res (beef stew) would bring joy to the entire cuadra (block). The joy from one’s ability to dance with chicheros (traditional Nicaraguan music) to typical music would radiate two towns over. That’s the true meaning of home: sense of community. Even though my house resides in America, my home will forever lie in the land of mountains and volcanoes.
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BY: SOPHIA SALAMANCA
LL A A TT II N N X X
In the recent decade, American Pop Culture has seen the rise of cultural pride andethnic identity in the media. With movements promoting the sporting of natural hair, to the popularization of big lips and gold hoops, America has adopted onceoppressed minorities’ trends as their own. Although this beautiful movement that is pro-cultural melange has opened the minds of millions and has normalized the concept of diverse beauty in the mainstream, the altering of foreign culture to fit into the American mold of “inclusive” has stripped many of these subjects of its ethnic value. This leads to thequestion: what is the “Latinx Community’ and should that term replace “the Latino Community”? About five years ago, the American mainstream media adopted the use of “Latinx,” a movement that aimed to encapsulate all Latino individuals by removing the gendered ending to the word. This movement gained its traction mostly on Twitter, where it was widely supported by its inclusion of all Latino-identifying individuals, not just women, "Latinas," or men, "Latinos," but the full spectrum of genders or those who identify as non-binary.
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This was a brilliant attempt at intersecting gender expression and cultural identity, something that was difficult to approach considering the limited representation of LGBT Latino personalities in the media. The Latinx movement, however, came up short in one of these areas. The fact of the matter is that the word “Latinx” is the Americanization of a whole ethnic group, stripping the Spanish word entirely of its cultural roots and etymology. In the Spanish language, nouns are gendered, giving either a masculine or feminine denotation to all places, persons, or things. In Spanish, one would say “la comunidad Latina,” with the word “Latino” being feminine, because it agrees with the feminine gender of the word for “community.” In English, since gender-neutral or gender-ambiguous nouns are made masculine, “Latino” is used, agreeing with the defaultmasculine noun “community.” Seeing—then—that the term “Latino Community” already encompasses all Latino individuals: men, women, non-binary Latinos, and people of all genders alike.
In analyzing its use and effectiveness, it seems that the term “Latinx” is used increasingly among non-Latino individuals in their attempt at political correctness and at bumping up the “woke” factor of their tweets. Although their efforts are appreciated and respected, it is ultimately the richness of the Hispanic culture that is being taken from Latino-Americans, who already face the Americanization of so much of our heritage. Latinos, with a culture so different from that of this country, have faced hundreds of years of discrimination. Through the assimilation—both forced and voluntary—abuse, social degradation, and humiliation of Latinos throughout history in the U.S., pride in our culture has been held in the use of the Spanish word for our community: Latino. We feel proud to identify ourselves with a word from our language. When dress, customs, and land are taken from us, what we still have is our sense of identity—control in how we label ourselves. Once described by Gilbert Guerra and Gilbert Orbea as a “blatant form of linguistic imperialism,” the term ‘Latinx’ does not only mock the Spanish language in its complete disregard for its grammar, but it is glaringly ignorant to the billions of Latinos in
in history who have been wronged by one global superpower or another. The covert and possibly unintentional disrespect associated with the term ‘Latinx’ in its attempt to describe the Latino Community laughs in the face of cultural identity and pride. This, however, is in respect to the detriments caused by the use of ‘Latinx’ to describethe Latino Community as a whole. The personal sentiment to identify oneself as Latinx must be respected, and it is within every individual’s rights to identify with labels, if any, that feel comfortable in respect to their culture and gender without the questioning of others. Thus, the next time you tweet about the “power of the Latinx Community,” explore the implications of this Americanization of the Spanish language and of the Latino Community as a whole. The Latino Community in America increasingly aims to promote the intersectionality of human rights, including feminism, LGBT rights, and racial equality. However, the guilt-tripping of Latinos into using ‘Latinx’ to promote the “Woke Era of Inclusivity” does nothing but continue to silence Latino voices in America.
A A M M EE R R II CC A A N N II ZZ A A TT II O O N N
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STUDENT OPINION: JUAN GUAIDÓ SHOULD NOT BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS Disclaimer: All opinion pieces are the product of individual student beliefs and not reflections of the newspaper or school as a whole.
ERIC PARRILLA “All the options are on the table and under the table also. We will take all necessary actions — all responsible actions. (Miami Herald)” These are the words of “interim president of [The Bolivarian Republic of] Venezuela”
Juan
Guaidó.
Juan
Guaidó
addressed those words to a crowd of Venezuelan expats in the Miami Airport Convention Center on February 1st to cap his world-wide tour meeting state officials of different
countries
including
Canada,
Colombia, United Kingdom, France, and recently The United States. Juan Guaidó was greeted with open arms by Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the rally including Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL 26 th District), Donna Shalala (D-FL 27th District), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL 25th District), and Rick Scott (R-FL) who all believe vehemently that the financial and humanitarian crisis can all be solved by imposing sanctions on Venezuela so
that
President
Nicolas
Maduro’s
government is forced out. But it seems now that Guaidó is in a situation where even sanctions might not even be sufficient to force out the Maduro government. The sanctions
currently
damage
the
export
earnings of Venezuela significantly, which receives 98% of export earnings from oil.
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Prior to the prohibition of U.S. buying of Venezuelan petroleum in June of 2019, 40
danger, he himself called for the military to rise
percent of the country’s daily production of oil
up against the Venezuelan government in late
went
April and ended in abject failure. Juan Guaidó
to
the
United
States
(U.S.
Energy has
hopping to different countries and meeting their
vocally supported the sanctions placed on
state officials shows that these countries think
Venezuela by the United States and European
that he is some legitimate head of state that can
countries even though a Venezuelan data
represent
tracker, Datanalisis, surveyed Venezuelans and
government and when it is clear that neither is
found that 57 percent of them were opposed to
the case for Guaidó.
Information
Association).
Juan
Guaidó
the
Venezuelan
people
and
U.S. economic sanctions. Guaidó finds himself in a pickle with his key
Nicolas Maduro’s reelection in 2018 is rightly
support
criticized for blocking certain candidates from
supporters and alliance due to his lack of
running for president such as major opposition
actually bringing down Maduro so he chooses to
figure Leopoldo Lopez. Though there is not
go where he pleases and attempting to get at
much more criticism that can be rightly made
whatever action necessary to put himself in a
since there has been a lack of concrete evidence
position of power when barely anyone knew him
proving
actually
in Venezuela prior to his announcement in
tampered with the vote count of the election.
January 2019. This isn’t to say Nicolas Maduro is
Juan Guaidó took the opportunity in January of
a great leader if anything his leadership and the
2019 to become the interim president of
close circle around him have been the chief
Venezuela when Europe and the United States
makers of destruction in their country for their
and other Latin -American countries were
mismanagement and corruption after the oil
the
Maduro
government
contesting the results of the 2018 election. The “interim president of Venezuela” Juan Guaidó is not an interim president despite what Univision or CNN or Telemundo or NBC or CBS or all other mainstream media outlets like to put on the bottom of the screen when featuring the man. Article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution states that the vice president of Venezuela must take over when the president leaves office during his/her tenure, not an interim president. The fact that Guaidó’s own words in his speech to the Venezuelan expats indicate that he’s at least willing to tolerate military takeover of the Venezuelan government is dangerous and such a scenario would be disastrous and immensely
draining
in
Venezuela
among
his
price drop of 2014 which negatively impacted Venezuela’s economy. But Juan Guaidó ought to not be travelling around from country to country acting as some “interim president” and a representative of all the Venezuelan people when he isn’t, and every passing day makes that assertion ever truer. Miami or more broadly the United States does not have to go down this path of sanctions and disregard for democratic elections and escalation of tensions. Instead we can work towards an agreement that addresses what the Maduro government does wrong and what needs alteration and we don’t need Guaidó to make our mind up.
bloody. It is not even his own words that speak potential
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GRIEF AT THE REEF KATHERINE MESA
“DO WE REALLY CARE SO LITTLE ABOUT THE EARTH ON WHICH WE LIVE THAT WE DON’T WANT TO PROTECT ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WONDERS FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR BEHAVIOUR?” SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH BAITLINE NEWSPAPER |
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The rainforests of the sea are under attack, and some mainstream sunscreens are the hidden killer. The chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate are the main culprits. Many sunscreen brands add these chemicals with the misconception that they are “necessary in helping prevent skin cancer” (one of the most common types of cancer in the U.S.), but they may be doing more harm than good. Popular sunscreen brands like Coppertone, Neutrogena, and Aveeno are blamed for this irreversible crime on our oceans. According to National Geographic, 14,000 tons of sunscreen are washed into the oceans yearly; in fact, 80% of coral reefs in the Caribbean were lost within the last 50 years. If sunscreen leads to coral bleaching (the progressive killing of coral reefs), then why is nothing being done? Well, the Florida Senate is actually doing the complete opposite: they are blocking cities from banning these harmful sunscreens! Supporters of this new law claim that people’s health is more critical than decimating the few Coral Reefs that are left Protection against harmful rays is of utmost importance, but this can be accomplished without the use of oxybenzone and octinoxate. In fact, many brands like the popular Sun Bum do not contain these two chemicals, and advertise to be “Reef Friendly”, and fal within the regulations set by the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), the American Cancer Society and is FDA approved. With the support of its government, Hawaii was the first state to pass a bill to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate; it will go into effect January 1st, 2021. Yet, if the Florida bill becomes law, places like Key West, whose sunscreen ban is planned to go into effect January 2021, will become nullified. We cannot allow coral reefs to become extinct, as they provide nearly half of the Earth’s oxygen and are essential to the Ocean’s thriving ecosystems. As a school with Coral Reef in its name, we should all take action to support the ban of detrimental sunscreens, and help save our oceans. BAITLINE NEWSPAPER | 28
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