What’s Inside:
2 Arbizu assumes
THE December 9, 2024
new district role
5 Holiday gift
8 Korslund recieves AVCA award
guide
12 Year ‘wrapped’ 2024
URLINGAME B Issue 3 Vol 135
Burlingame High School, 1 Mangini Way, Burlingame, CA 94010
PHOTO BY CONNIE LU
Beyond red and blue
City bans electric micromobility in parks
Students explore the layers of identity and experience behind their political beliefs
BY CONNIE LU
Web Editor
GRAPHIC BY EMMA YU
BY JOELLE HUYSMANS
Design Editor
BY CONNIE LU
Web Editor
Every four years, the presidential election provides students with the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions about their nation’s future and explore their own political stances. Whether they lean left, right, or anywhere in between, their beliefs often intersect with external factors, including — but not limited to — identity, family, and community. In and out of the classroom, students like junior Syum Mehra find their political views welcomed and encouraged, as long
as they are well-versed in the topics they discuss. “[My teachers] have always valued my opinions, [and] my parents have always asked me how I feel about certain political topics. At least in my experience, my opinion has always been valued to a decent amount,” Mehra said. “But you won’t be taken as seriously if you don’t have that knowledge and evidence and substance behind what you are saying.” Mehra said he started developing his own political opinions over the summer, after noticing a surge of misinformation about the 2024 presidential campaigns circulating on social media platforms. Scrolling through his feed, Mehra re-
alized that he was consuming information that reinforced his current political beliefs at the expense of accuracy and neutrality. “On TikTok and Instagram, I saw a lot of political information being spread around but most of the time, it was hard to trust these sources because I didn’t know if they were always right,” Mehra said. “You have to verify by doing self-learning and outside research, which I did by watching videos and reading articles. From that, I started to form my own opinions.” Although originally a Democrat, Mehra supported See “POLITICAL,” page 4
On Nov. 6, City Ordinance No. 2031 went into effect, prohibiting the usage of electric bikes, scooters, skateboards, and other e-mobility devices in all city parks and recreation areas. The ordinance will add Chapter 13.56, “Electric Micromobility Devices,” into the Burlingame Municipal Code, marking the city’s first-ever regulation on e-mobility. While the ordinance is already active, the Burlingame Police Department (BPD) said they are currently prioritizing education over monetary enforcement during its initial implementation phase. “Typically, we’re contacting individuals on e-bikes and just providing [them] education of the new city ordinance,” BPD Investigations Division Lt. David Perna said. “Once we feel the word is sufficiently out, if riders continue to violate the ordinance, they could be issued a citation similar to a traffic citation.” The ordinance, originally proposed by the Parks and Recreation Department, arose from safety concerns tied to e-bikes’ capacity for high speeds. These concerns prompted action by the Burlingame City Council. Sustainability Program Manager Sigalle Michael thinks the city ordinance will help make parks safer. “I think it’ll be a positive impact, [make] people feel safe, and also [e-bikes] should be ridden on streets or [in] bike lanes and not in parks anyway, so I don’t think it’ll really have any disadvantages or limit people,” Michael said. Sophomore Nate Longaker, who rides his e-bike to school every day, said the city ordinance will not significantly affect his usage of e-bikes or transportation routes. “[The ordinance] doesn’t really change it that much just because I ride mostly on the street, and I’m not riding through parks. I can see some people doing that, but it’s better [to ride on the street],” Longaker said. “I’ve done it once or twice just because it gets me to my destination faster.” Although this ordinance may not significantly impact students like Longaker, Perna emphasized the importance of educating the public on previous laws regarding helmet usage, limited riding in business districts, double riding, and road rules for bicycles, skateboards, and scooters in general. Because e-bikes are a relatively new mode of transportation, the city is still working on developing new laws and regulations while also incorporating community feedback. “People speak up, and we [the city] try and react,” Michael said. “It shows that people can make a difference. If there’s something in the community that could be unsafe, [it’s important] that we’re reactive.”