March Issue

THE BURLINGAME B theburlingameb.org

March 5, 2018

WHAT’S INSIDE?

2

Read about the Jumpstart program and who is eligible for it.

3

Hear from staff reporter Ben Neuman on the newest sensation, Fortnite.

4

Learn about LimeBike and other bike share programs.

7

See Darrion Chen’s latest cartoon on gun control.

8

Get updated on all of the spring sports this season.

Your guide to Period 1 Passing

Schedule 8:00 am to 9:15 am 9:15 am to 9:25 am

1st Career session 9:25 am to 9:50 am

Passing

9:50 am to 9:55 am

2nd Career session 9:55 am to 10:20 am

Break Period 3 Lunch Period 5 Period 7

10:20 am to 10:30 am 10:35 am to 11:55 am 11:55 am to 12:25 pm 12:30 pm to 1:50 pm 1:55 pm to 3:15 pm

Chris Coleman hired as new head track coach for 2018 season PHOTO BY CADEN THUN

BY CADEN THUN

Staff Reporter

BHS career day

Over 60 speakers presenting for students Tuesday, March 6 is Burlingame’s first career day. There are over 60 speakers from various industries and professions who will give students a glimpse of what their profession is like.

“We’ve had service opportunities and job opportunities but not a career day,” college and career counselor Carrie Herman said.

Students registered online to chose their top choices for the two, 20 minute sessions.

They will be given their assigned speakers during fifth period today, March 5.

Herman

and

Dhyne, both career and college counselors, planned and organized the day. Laura Huff, Amy Johnstone and Amy Dohemann of the Parents’ Group helped recruit speakers and did a lot of the behind-the-scenes work.

“The BHS staff ’s connections to business leaders also helped bring in a variety of speakers,” Herman said.

In addition, Mariya Shatsky of the Burlingame Rotary Club was a big contributor in attaining industry speakers.

“It’s a great day of learning for students,” Herman added.

Jonathan

Iron Panthers qualify for March 8 U.S. West Super Regionals

BY JAMES LOWDON

Senior Reporter

For the first time ever, the First Tech Challenge (FTC) division of the Burlingame Robotics team has qualified for the U.S. West Super Regionals.

Also known as Team 7316, the FTC team for the Iron Panthers advanced to Super Regionals, a group of competitions held in four different regions of the U.S. From Super Regionals, teams can advance to World Championships representing the U.S. against other countries. Like the qualification process for Super Regionals, teams can qualify based on their placement and awards received.

The Iron Panthers originally did not place high enough to qualify for Super Regionals. However, the team won the third place Inspire Award at the Northern California Championship tournament, which guaranteed qualification for the Iron Panthers to represent Norcal and compete in Spokane, Washington.

The Inspire Award is given to teams who act as role models for other teams. Essentially, the award is given to teams that are

well rounded, display good leadership, a well-constructed robot and professionalism.

“Norcal regionals have about 56 teams, and those teams come from 162 teams, and so, by making it to the Super Regionals in Spokane, Washington, I would say that we are ranked one of the best in Norcal,” junior and FTC lead Connie Nong said..

At Super Regionals on March 8-11, the Burlingame Iron Panthers will compete along with nine other teams. This competition marks an important milestone for Burlingame robotics.

“It’s the first time in our robotics [team’s history] that a team has gone to a higher competition on merit,” Nong said.

Their qualification has followed this year’s trend for the Iron Panthers. The FTC team has already experienced major success.

With two back-to-back tournaments wins, and their tying of the NorCal points record at one tournament, the team looks to maintain their current success. “[Super Regionals is] a big step towards our future robotics team being more successful,” said freshman FTC member Hubert Chen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IRON PANTHERS

Chris Coleman was recently hired as track and field’s new head coach, replacing Daniel Haas, who resigned at the end of last season after head coaching for six years.

Though this will be Coleman’s first year as BHS’ head coach, he has been a member of the track program’s coaching staff for six years, coaching sprinting and hurdling.

As a track athlete in high school and college, Coleman was a high jumper and hurdler, setting the freshman 400 meter hurdling record at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Coleman’s personal experience as a student-athlete has given him plenty of insight on how to best coach high-schoolers.

“The main thing that Chris brings to the table is his understanding of the student-athlete as they progress through high school, from freshman to senior and all that journey creates for them,” distance coach Steve O’brien said.

That understanding of the student-athlete has already resulted in a noticeable change in the atmosphere of practices.

“It feels way more laid back,” said sophomore hurdler Cooper Glavin. “Last year there were a ton of harsh rules on attendance that Chris has seemed to tone down this year.”

Under Haas, track and field developed a reputation as one of the most serious sports at Burlingame. Four unexcused absences would result in immediate dismissal from the team, and last year, only the top three athletes participating in each event were allowed to attend meets. Many, including Glavin, felt that some of Haas’ policies were unnecessarily strict.

“Coach Haas made a lot of changes to how the track team was being run and a lot of people didn’t like that,” Glavin said. “He implemented a rule where there would only be three BHS runners in every meet, which no other schools did.”

Coleman hopes to maintain the level of intensity that was present at Haas’ practices, but he plans on being more lenient with regards to attendance than Haas was.

“I am probably a lot more stringent in the workouts because of how I was trained,” Coleman said. “I am not as stringent with some of the attendance requirements. I am a little bit more flexible for kids that either work or have tutoring or have different things like that.”

Additionally, Coleman intends to abolish the rule limiting the number of athletes per event eligible for meet participation.

“Any kid that does the appropriate workouts and that we think is in the appropriate shape or capability to run a certain event will get to run that event,” he said. “I am not going to cap how many kids can run an event.”

Coleman is making these changes because they align with his values and priorities as a coach. Though he will do his best to make the track program as successful as possible, his ultimate objective is to ensure that his athletes enjoy running.

“I am not concerned with winning an event or running a certain time or anything like that,” he said. “My main goal is to make sure that kids love to run, that they can improve and they can get better and show progress.”

Issue 6 Vol. 114

Team 7316 celebrates after earning the Inspire Award, the deciding factor for its qualification to compete in Spokane, Wash. as part of the U.S. West Super Regionals.

Features

2

March 5, 2018

College Board reveals wide gender gap in certain AP courses

BY ALLIE KENNEDY

Staff Reporter

In the most recent “AP Report to the Nation,” data released by the College Board revealed that many Advanced Placement courses across the country are dominated by one particular gender. Although this report analyzed AP tests taken by the Class of 2013, data from Burlingame High School’s 2018 spring semester shows that some AP courses on campus are still overwhelmingly taken by one gender.

Across the United States, almost 2.10 million female students from the Class of 2013 took at least one AP test, while only 1.75 million male students did the same, meaning 46 percent of test takers were male. In comparison, 615 students at Burlingame High School are taking one or more AP classes this semester, and 300 students, or 49 percent, are male. The average Burlingame student taking at least one AP course this semester is enrolled in 2.2 AP classes, which

is consistent for both male and female students.

Over half of the AP classes at Burlingame High School are taken by more female students than male students. The most dramatic example on campus is AP Studio Art-2D, where the 6 person class is composed entirely of female students. Similarly, the AP Report revealed that only 26 percent of AP Studio Art-2D test-takes are male.

Additionally, in two of the most popular AP courses, AP English Language and AP English Literature, male students are underrepresented. The report also indicated that, for both AP Language and AP Literature, male students made up only 37 percent of all students taking the exam, while in Burlingame, 38 percent of AP Language students and 29 percent of AP Literature students are male.

“Certainly in education there is a lot of talk about how, throughout honors and AP classes and even into college, there has been an increasing stratification between males who choose to take

that path and females who choose to take that path. It’s something that I think in education we are concerned about and want to pay attention to,” AP Literature teacher Amy Farley said. “I want any student who is interested in liter-

“throughout honors and AP classes ... there has been an increasing stratification between males ... and females.

Amy Farley ature, who is interested in having complicated discussions, in pushing themselves as a writer and a thinker to feel like they are capable of success in class, and to me that is a desire that is not gender specific.”

Nationally, female students

were most severely underrepresented among test-takers in the AP Computer Science exam. The report revealed that only 19 percent of students taking the test were female, and three states saw no female students take the AP Computer Science exam at all.

The state with the most balanced male-to-female ratio was Tennessee, but, even there, only 29 percent of test-takers were female.

The nationwide trends are similar to Burlingame where only 36 percent of all students enrolled in AP Computer Science for the spring semester are female.

However, AP Computer Science is not the AP course on campus with the lowest percentage of female students. That title goes to AP Calculus BC, where this year only 34 percent of students enrolled are female. In this case, the national statistics are actually more balanced than the data from Burlingame. The AP Report stated that 41 percent of students taking the AP Calculus BC exam were female. Both national data

and Burlingame High School data for AP Calculus BC stand in stark contrast to statistics from AP Calculus AB, a slower-paced calculus course. The AP Calculus AB classes on campus are 55 percent female, as opposed to AP Calculus BC’s 34 percent. Nationally, female students make up 49 percent of students taking the AP Calculus AB test.

Since AP classes at Burlingame have open enrollment, meaning any student who has completed the prerequisites could elect to take an AP course, students should wonder why female and male students are still choosing to take different courses.

“Traditionally, men are supposed to be better at math and women are supposed to be better at more creative things,” junior Abigail Nix said. “Maybe, even though people don’t outright say that anymore, the stereotype could still be in the back of our minds.”

Gender makeup of AP classes at Burlingame High School 2018 GRAPHICS BY ALLIE KENNEDY

Jumpstart provides alternative education to district students

BY CHARLIE CHAPMAN

Managing Editor

In its third year, the district Jumpstart program continues to offer an alternative path to students who have struggled in a traditional school environment. Jumpstart intends to guide students to graduation and assists them in receiving college credits from community college and possibly a four year institution.

The Jumpstart program is an online curriculum that allows students to receive credit for traditional A-G courses on their own schedule. The program currently consists of 25 juniors and seniors from different schools across the district and is expecting the transfer of four more.

THE BURLINGAME B STAFF

The distinguishing characteristic of the Jumpstart program is that it requires students to also take classes at the College of San Mateo. While students are only required to attend one class at CSM many students are enrolled in two or three, according to Carolyn Mendez, the Independent Studies and Jumpstart Coordinator for the district.

The program “allows students to double-dip, taking classes to fulfill requirements while also taking CSM courses that give them college credit,” Mendez said.

Jumpstart students complete coursework online at their own pace but do have to attend advisory sessions with Mendez two to three times a week. The program maintains structure and oversight

Teacher Adviser: Melissa Murphy

through these advisory sessions and frequent communication between students, advisors and parents through weekly progress reports.

Students who fail to maintain attendance or progress in the curriculum are often transferred to Peninsula in order to take traditional classes to make-up credits.

The Jumpstart program is part of the SMUHSD sector of programs that allow students with extra flexibility and freedom in their studies. After students transfer to Jumpstart they do not take classes at their school of origin, but they can still take advantage of school events and programs such as dances and sports. Along with Jumpstart, Middle College and the independent studies program also

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provide educational opportunities to district students.

Middle college, which is based at the College of San Mateo, includes high school courses taught in a traditional classroom setting while “independent studies is not teacher directed and primarily used as a bandaid for students who can’t work with a regular schedule,” Mendez said.

The Jumpstart program utilizes the same online curriculum used by independent studies but also gives students the opportunity to take community college classes.

“The program is ideal for students that are proactive and self-motivated [and] want a modified schedule,” Mendez said.

The path to the Jumpstart program begins at the traditional high

schools within the district. Counselors at individual schools identify students who they think would be more successful in the Jumpstart program. Approval for the transfer to the program is then given

by Don Scatena, the Director of Student Services for the district, who oversees the program. Upon approval of the transfer, online classes are selected and provided to the advisor and student.

While Mendez stands behind the success of the program, its short existence has made it difficult to understand the long term outcomes of its programs.

“Since it has only been around for three years we haven’t seen that many kids go all the way through the program,” she said.

Policy Statement:

The Burlingame B is a student-run newspaper with the sole purpose of providing an open forum for student expression. Anything printed represents the opinion of the writer, but not necessarily that of the The Burlingame B staff, the administration or faculty of Burlingame High School, or any person affiliated with the San Mateo Union High School District. The Burlingame B does not discriminate against race, political orientation, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Although The Burlingame B will never refuse to publish guest submission based on the aforementioned factors, we reserve the right to edit or not publish them.

Letters to the Editor: Disagree with the writers? Bring your letters to the room A120 or email them to <theburlingameb@gmail.com>. Letters may be considered for publication. The Burlingame B reserves the right to edit for clarity, length and accuracy. We welcome all comments.

Student Life

March 5, 2018

3

Greek mythology goes modern: drama program prepares for spring play

BY MOYA LIU

Staff Reporter

As March approaches, the theater program is preparing to present their annual spring play, “The Iliad, the Odyssey and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less.”

After completing a successful run of the fall musical “My Favorite Year” in October, the drama department is moving forward and tackling a new production.

The play is a comedic spoof of all that is classically Greek. It was written by Jay Hopkins and John Hunter as a comedy of mythical proportions in two acts.

The production presents all the gods, goddesses, lovers and heroes of Greek mythology, in addition to all of Homer’s classic stories of the Iliad and Odyssey.

According to the theatre department, “On a simple stage, with the clock ticking in front of everyone’s eyes, the cast speeds through ALL of Greek Mythology. Its funny, updated, and made easy to understand.”

The time limit of this play is considered the main challenge for the cast.

“I have never been in a play with a time limit before, and it is a really cool experience. It is a lot of pressure, but I think it will make the play more entertaining and it is a challenge for the actors,” freshman Ruby Lawrence said.

Another challenge for the actors is to differentiate between characters, “since there are about 120 characters in the show and

The rise of Fortnite

BY BEN NEUMAN

Staff Reporter Ever since its release just over five months ago, Fortnite Battle Royale has been dominating the video game world. The online third person shooter game has already attracted 45 million players.

Epic Games, Fortnite’s developer describes the game simply as “one giant map. A battle bus. Fortnite building skills and destructible environments combined with intense PvP combat. The last one standing wins.” Most people can get the jist of the game with only a short explanation.

The fact that the basic outline of the game can be described in such a short paragraph demonstrates the game’s simplicity, attributing to Fortnite’s popularity.

Other than a few strategic tips and facts about the weapons, the whole game can be summed up in fewer than 50 words.

“You work towards the goal of winning but then once you reach that goal you can keep going, it never gets boring,” sophomore Manny Appel said.

The lack of an ending keeps pulling players in to the game.

Even though one can win a spe-

cific round, there is no way to beat the game, so to speak, because there are always ways to improve.

For example, people continue playing after a win to work for more kills in a game or challenge themselves by only using certain weapons. Every game ends up being different, depending on one’s luck and location on the map, so the gameplay never gets old to gamers. The constant improvisation prevents gamers from losing interest.

Another appealing factor about the game is the sense of achievement one gets when they win.

Sophomore Ethan Gardner describes the feeling of winning as “moist as heck.” In other words, the experience is exhilarating.

This sensation, similar to doing well on a test or running a personal record mile time, is a feeling players desperately try to earn. People spend hours upon hours to get the sense of self achievement that comes along with winning, and once they have won, they yearn to do it again.

The commotion caused by the relatively new game, Fortnite, has been rising significantly over the past months and shows no sign of slowing soon.

only 14 actors,” senior Lola McManus said.

Nevertheless, the actors are excited to share the comedic aspect of this production to the audience via their performance.

“I’m most excited for the audience to see how fun and funny this show is,” said sophomore Piper Supplee. “The cast has so much fun doing it and I think that translates on stage.”

“The cast has so

much fun doing it, and I think that translates on stage.”

Piper Supplee The actors also enjoyed the laughter they have shared while playing their roles.

“I play Zeus, the King of the Gods and I’m most excited about doing all of the gags that I have as a character,” said Christopher Xue, who was a member of the pit orchestra in past musical productions and played Pache in “Letters to Sala.”

The members of the panther theater will perform “The Iliad, the Odyssey and all of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less” on March 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., and March 11 at 2 p.m. Tickets to the play can be purchased online for $5 for students and $15 for adults. For more information, visit bhspanthertheater.com.

FIRST 100 DAYS OF FORTNITE

125,795,212 TOTAL WINS

5,686,564,003 GLIDERS DEPLOYED

31,628,287,976 PIECES BUILT

573,349,974,226 SHOTS FIRED

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These scooters have a maximum of 37 mph, and they have a sleek design. According to the Limebike website, the scooters have been successful in certain areas in the Bay Area, so they could be introduced to Burlingame in the near future. “[The electric scooters] are going to be so much fun, since scooters are really fun,” sophomore Jeremy Woods said.

Despite the fact that it costs a little more to use than E-limbikes, some think that it is worth it.

“The price for electric Limebikes are a little bit more than regular Limebikes, but I think it is still worth it since they are much more fun to ride,” sophomore Katerina Rally said.

Limebikes and E-Limebikes have been enjoyable to people in Burlingame so far, but electric scooters may be coming to Burlingame soon. The electric scooters and E-Limebikes are two new creative ways to get around Burlingame. Since their release, normal Limebikes and Electric Limebikes have taken off, and has taken public transportation to the next level.

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Smart Bike LimeBikes • Bay Bikes

Smart Hub

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Zagstar • Ford GoBike • Swell Bicycles

Bikes are located with an app

Racks must be installed around the city

Bikes can be parked anywhere

Bikes must be returned to a hub/rack

Bikes are locked when rider is finished

Some cities must purchase the racks

Occasionally, bikes are collected and brought back to a central location

Bikes are locked into the rack until payment is made for a ride

L i m e B i ke Z a g st ar

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BY TYLER IDEMA • STAFF REPORTER

In June 2017, Limebike introduced, well, Limebikes to the world. These bikes featured a basket in the front, eight gears and a light in front to help riders at night. They are fun to ride and a great way to get to work. But Limebike is not done expanding their fleet. What’s new is the addition of electric Limebikes and electric scooters. E Limebikes provide battery assistance to give bikers a smoother ride. The Lime-S (scooter) was created to have a more economical approach to transportation. The scooter is $1 to unlock and $0.10 per minute to ride.

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LimeBike additions cement its place in Burlingame Community

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Want to join the Burlingame B? Applications and more information are under News on schoolloop. Apply by March 6!

Dennis J. Murphy

Your Peninsula Neighbor 415.310.7956 | dennis@dennisjmurphy.com dennisjmurphy.com

March 5, 2018

March 5, 2018

Letter to the Editor Dear Editorial Board of the Burlingame B,

First off, I would like to thank you for writing the article about our school’s next steps after the incident with racist chants aimed toward Mills High School and its basketball team. I appreciate your efforts to bring into light the situation that occurred at this Quad game.

When I first found out that some of the students in my Burlingame community had shouted these racist chants, I was extremely upset. As an Asian American, the thought of these racial acts offended me. But what disturbed me even more than these blatant acts of racism was some students’ reactions to these chants.

In my classes, I would hear many students talking about what had happened at this basketball game. I heard remarks like, “It’s funny,” and “It’s not racist if it was just a joke.” Some of my peers dismissed the racist nature of these chants that clearly stereotyped the Asian population.

Even more troubling is that these acts of racism were not a one-time occurrence. In my four years of high school, I have often heard racist “jokes” and stereotypes being tossed around casually in conversations, not just about Asians but many other ethnic groups.

Racism is a large problem that affects our campus, and we need to confront it. Without confronting this issue head-on, many students are left in a situation in which they feel neglected and excluded from a community.

A lack of community is what causes a lack of school spirit. It is the actual exclusion of certain groups of students that causes students to be less involved in the Burlingame community, rather than the other way around. The larger issue revolving around the racist chants aimed toward Mills is not the lack of school spirit. Rather, it is the fact that we, as students, do not outright admit that we are not entirely inclusive of all groups of students. As much as we would like to pride ourselves as an in-

Opinion

clusive community, we could do a better job of addressing sensitive topics such as race and gender.

I spoke to staff members like Ms. Wade, Ms. Liberatore, and Mr. Belzer after the Mills Quad game. I discussed with them the importance of acknowledging the amount of racism that happens on our campus, especially the racism that comes in the form of microaggressions. More specifically, I proposed the idea of opening up a student forum or club that would discuss the racial problems that affect our community. I feel strongly about this because every voice in our community needs to be heard, and we need to hear individual perspectives on how even seemingly small actions--such as joking about someone’s ethnic and cultural background in a stereotyping manner--- can truly impact the way someone views our community as a whole.

Don’t get me wrong; I’ve definitely met amazing people here at BHS who have beyond inspired me. But I’ll admit that there is an attitude floating amongst the general BHS student body that this school is immune from racism because of the area we live in.

Increasing school spirit won’t fix the larger problem of denial of racism on our campus. But opening up the discussion and learning different individual perspectives will allow us to empathize with others who are struggling to express their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. People need to realize that racism manifests in many different forms around our campus. And while this conversation won’t completely solve our problems as a school, it will provide us the first steps to strengthening the BHS community.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for any concerns or questions.

Sincerely, Vivian Yuen

My generation: the revolutionaries

BY JILLY ROLNICK

Copy Editor My generation grew up hearing about the Columbine shooting. We watched first-graders bury their best friends after Sandy Hook. But following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. that left 17 dead, we’ve decided we’ve had enough.

Things must change.

In an unprecedented awakening, high schoolers are leading the rallying cry to revise gun control laws. Passionate and articulate students from MSD have inspired students all over the nation to unite and demand change. Like other communities, Burlingame High School is also feeding off the Parkland momentum. Senior Claire Beswick is part of a district-wide group helping organize a San Mateo March for Our Lives event.

“As students, we have so much more power than we are led to believe,” Beswick said.

But why stop at gun control?

We should harness this newfound strength into action on a whole host of prominent issues that affect young people, from bullying to DACA kids to bettering mental health care. These are problems that directly affect us and our futures. We have found our voice and we must use it to send a compelling message to our peers, politicians and anyone else who will listen.

As a political force, teens have been overlooked for too long because we lack organization and a vote. But soon we will be voters and anyone who wants our support is going to have to earn it-with meaningful changes. And now we are organized, too.

The Parkland students have provided us with an effective roadmap. They have sparked a nationwide movement by bringing the gun control issue beyond the typical grassroots campaigns to a national platform. Through social media hashtags such as #NeverAgain, these students are reaching an immeasurable audience and wielding an immense power never seen by citizens too young to vote.

This movement is more than a social media war. The Parkland survivors are already storming Capitol Hill and the Florida state house to call for change, meeting with politicians, relaying their message through major media outlets and organizing their own press releases. They are shaping public opinion on gun control more efficiently than any politician or paid lobbyist.

The results speak for themselves. According to a CNN poll, support for stricter gun control has jumped from 52% to 70% since the Parkland shooting. More than 20 businesses have severed ties with the NRA, including United Airlines and the Best Western hotel chain, and Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods have pledged to no longer sell assault rifles and to raise the minimum age for gun buyers to 21. We are having an impact and we are just getting started.

We can’t let this political energy fizzle away like it has in the past.

We must continue to pressure politicians who are too worried about their pride and status in office to instigate real change. We need to show them that gun control is an issue that most Americans are behind. The loudest or most pow-

erful interest groups shouldn’t dictate the safety of the country.

Change will be a slow process.

Legislative victories will be incremental. But every bit of progress is a necessary step to ensuring our security and to shaping a future where politicians will listen to our concerns. This is not an impossible goal.

On March 24, high schoolers across the country will take part in the March for Our Lives to call for school safety and gun control.

This event has been endorsed by a myriad of celebrities, including Oprah and the Clooneys. That event follows a March 14 walkout coordinated by the the organizers of the Women’s March. Another walkout is scheduled for April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

We are the change, we are the future, and we are the revolutionaries.

The realities behind mixing alcohol and hook-up culture “Less than one-third of sexual assaults get reported, and only three percent of rapists spend a day in jail.”

BY CLAIRE HUNT

Staff Reporter One in four girls and one in 20 boys are sexually abused before they turn 18, with alcohol and drugs playing a factor in many cases.

“Almost every female can tell you a story about that, whether they’ve been made to feel uncomfortable or worse,” history teacher Peter Medine said. “And I think the big shocking thing, for me as the guy, is just how common it really is.”

Teenagers are learning new social codes regarding consent and the acceptance of sex under the influence.

“At parties you’re never really going to be like ‘Hey can I kiss you?’ Instead you just start doing stuff,” junior Rachel Way said.

“And I think it can get to a point where you should be asking ‘Hey do you want to do this?’ instead of just making a move, because a lot of people aren’t going to say anything.”

At our school, the accepted reality is that continuous, sober consent is not always achievable.

Because alcohol impairs judgement, hooking up while drunk can create dangerous settings that escalate quickly.

“And the next thing I know, we were kissing, and then he had his hand on my leg,” a junior girl said. “ I wanted to go back to the rest of the party and he was like ‘no don’t leave’ and I said, ‘Why? I want to go… this isn’t right.’

And then I was hiding, because all my friends were drunk too, and all my friends were making out with people and getting high, and I was trying to avoid him because I was getting really scared at that point.”

Our widespread acceptance of hooking up at parties leads to emotional and sexual trauma. The feeling that one gets knowing their entire life could be changed, their integrity could be ruined, their sense of safety could be forever altered, is strong

What do we stand for?

BY DARRION CHEN

Senior Reporter

7

enough to call for action.

Not only does our culture allow these situations to occur in the first place, but we have social obstacles keeping victims from reporting their experiences. When less than one-third of sexual assaults get reported, and only three percent of rapists spend a day in jail, society breeds a stigma against reporting sexual crimes. Students have felt this pressure to keep quiet when faced with sexual violations.

“I didn’t want to make a scene, because if you make a scene, if you call for help at a party, you would get a target on yourself as a girl, because there’s a stigma already, like, oh my God, she’s a slut,” the junior said. “So even if you are calling for help, people are still going to sh*t on you.”

While the discussion of sexual assault being brought up is crucial to tackling this social dilemma, we need to encourage legal precedent that will support people’s willingness to report abuse. Many assaults go unreported because of ineffective and insensitive handling of these situations and social pressures to keep quiet about such topics.

“Until we start having the courts hold people accountable, all the talking and teaching and all of that is not supported by the legal aspect,” health teacher Nicole Carter said. “They need to start handling their weight.

And once they start holding people accountable, then I think you’ll start to see more people report, because they’ll feel supported.”

Consent is black and white, not shades of grey. While it is never the victim’s fault, students should try to stay safe, know their own limits, and be in control of their situation.

“If you’re going to go out and go to a party and be under the influence, have someone that will take care of you, because a lot of things can happen and you never know,” senior Erick Munoz said.

Sports

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Boys’ lacrosse

Girls’ lacrosse

Swimming

BY PRISCILLA JIN

BY MAGGIE MURDOFF

BY JILLY ROLNICK

Business Manager

Editor-in-Chief

Copy Editor

March 5, 2018

PHOTO BY JILLY ROLNICK

PHOTO BY MAGGIE MURDOFF

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Senior Peter Habelt cradles the ball in the game against Girls’ varsity lacrosse has officially kicked off, having Menlo on Feb. 22. Their next home game is Friday, played Woodside Friday, March 2 as their first official March 9 at 8:30 p.m. against Scared Heart Cathedral. game of the season. The Panthers will face St. Francis in their next home game on Friday, March 9 at 5:30 p.m.

The swim team welcomed college and career advisor and J.V. boys’ water polo coach Jonathan Dhyne to join Ben Chung as a co-varsity coach. Support the team in its first meet against Carlmont at home on March 9.

Badminton

Boys’ golf

Track and Field

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Junior Alan Zhen plays in a mixed doubles game. The Junior Niklas Kedefors participates in a sprint exercise badminton team will play their first away game against at the beginning of practice. The next track meet will be Mills High School on Tuesday, March 6 at 5 p.m. held on March 21 at Burlingame.

Coach of the boys golf team, Michael Zozos, teaches sophomore Brennan McDonald the correct swing position. Their next game is on March 6 against Menlo-Atherton at 3 p.m. at Sharon Heights CC.

Boys’ tennis

Baseball

Softball

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Senior Cale Goodman, the No. 1 singles player last year, Following a pickle between second base, senior Sauvan returns a ball during a match at home on Feb. 27. Their Brown rounds third at a home game on Feb. 27 against next home game is March 6 against Woodside.

San Mateo. They have another home game against Serra High School on March 9.

Junior Kailey Latin pitches in a game last year. After playing Aragon on March 1, Burlingame is set to play Carlmont on Tuesday, March 6 at home .