August 2022

A Blind Brook High School Student Publication

Issue #1 September 2022

Clarifying the Record: An Interview with Mr. Bianculli

By Anna Baker- Butler

The recent contested election for the Blind Brook Board of Education sparked a lot of conversation in the community, both within and outside the halls of BBHS. On May 17, the candidates’ campaigns came to a close with the election of Samantha Smith and Richard Buzin to the open BOE seats. Yet, while one might have expected Smith’s and Buzin’s landslide win over Naomi Riley to end discussion of the campaigns, that was not to be. The next day, on May 18, Riley created a post in the Rye Brook Residents Facebook group that attributed several controversial statements to longtime math teacher and Blind Brook Federation of Teachers union President, Nicholas Bianculli. Focus recently sat down with Mr. Bianculli to discuss Riley’s post and some of the issues raised in the BOE campaigns.

Bianculli explained that

he had reached out to Riley before the election in his capacity as union President, to correct factually inaccurate statements she had made during her campaign regarding Blind Brook’s alleged lack of curriculum, to discuss important concerns she had raised, and try to identify common ground. Bianculli stated that he was puzzled and dismayed that Riley had taken their private conversation--he emphasized that their discussion was not an interview--and disclosed it in a public Facebook post without his knowledge. His disappointment was exacerbated by her post’s misleading and simplistic portrayal of his comments, because she presented them without the necessary context and nuance.

As a result, the comments Riley attributed to Bianculli appear to be absolute, black-and-white accusations of Blind Brook students, parents, faculty, and administra-

tors, when, he explained, they were in actuality no such thing.

For example, when asked about Riley’s statement that Bianculli “readily acknowledged that teachers have been ‘lowering their standards’ in recent years, particularly since Covid,” Bianculli explained that it was Riley who raised the idea that standards had been lowered, and he had countered by explaining that teachers were meeting students where they are--whether academically, socially, emotionally, or in terms of executive functioning. If students post-Covid need remediation that they didn’t need preCovid, then teachers would have to adjust their expectations to get students to the place they needed to be. Bianculli emphasized the need to understand whether, to the extent learning loss exists postCovid, the problems are specific to Blind Brook, or whether they

Notes From Our Editors-in-Chief:

are problems faced by districts everywhere. Bianculli explained that it was no one’s fault that student achievement was “frozen” in many ways between March 2020 and September 2021, and it isn’t just a Blind Brook problem. It is critical to understand the nature of any problems or learning loss, Bianculli explained, because that informs the kind of solutions that should be considered. He reiterated that learning loss due to Covid was certainly not unique to Blind Brook, and it is unfair for anyone to imply otherwise. continued on page 5

Interviews

New Board of Ed members!, pages 5,6 Clarifying the Record: An Interview with Mr. Bianculli, pages 1,5

I had the privilege to be Editor-in-Chief of FOCUS for the 2021-2022 school year. I had many ideas to grow and enhance the paper, and worked very hard along with a great team of writers and editors, as well as with support from our faculty advisor Mr. Soto, to implement them.

My experience as Editor-in Chief showed me that we can take ideas and actually make them into something. We doubled the frequency of published editions. We enhanced our social media presence; previously FOCUS would only post once prior to a new issue, during my tenure as Editor-in-Chief I am proud that we used social media to post several times a week about local news important to the Blind Brook community. In addition, we used social media to promote our published editions to the wider Rye Brook community.

I believe that the most significant change we as a paper implemented during my time as Editor-in-Chief, was to expand the frequency and thoroughness of our interviews. Whether we were interviewing a teacher, an administrator, a politician, a member of the Board of Education or even a student, these first-person accounts were all vital to conveying the details of the story. As a paper based within the high school we are provided with the unique privilege of having access to the individuals who impact each and every article topic. What makes FOCUS special is that we have the “inside” look at what is happening at Blind Brook High School, no other newspaper has that. This is the type of local, detailed journalism FOCUS and all high school newspapers need to emphasize, this is what will keep them alive and strong.

I want to warmly welcome Anna Baker-Butler as the 2022-2023 Editor-in-Chief of FOCUS. My advice to Anna, and all the present and future members of the FOCUS team, is to always push the boundaries and pursue those interviews!

Journalists, especially high school journalists, need to explore to the limit to find the truth and reveal the amazing, important stories that exist within the walls of BBHS, this is what will continue to make FOCUS, and all high school papers, relevant and vital reading. -Joshua Rosenblut I’m Anna Baker-Butler and I am thrilled to be the incoming Focus Editor in Chief! I have many ideas and plans to broaden Focus’s reach and enhance its value to the Blind Brook/BBHS community. We live in a time where news is not always reliable, facts are treated as malleable, and free press is under assault. I want Focus to be a resource for everyone, and a valued and trusted source of fact-based news and thoughtful opinion. I invite anyone to reach out to me with ideas for what you want to see in Focus. My email address is anbutler@blindbrook.org.- Anna Baker-Butler

Features

NBA playoffs and more!

Features..............................2-3 News................................4 Interviews.........................5-6 Viewpoints.........................7

Editor-in-Chief Anna Baker- Butler 1

Health and Science

By Zoey Possick

The Spread and Impact of Monkeypox

As people continue to combat the spread of coronavirus, a new infection has taken the world by surprise: Monkeypox. The infection is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, originally discovered in 1958 when outbreaks of a pox-like disease emerged in colonies of monkeys kept for research. Human cases were first reported in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, during the smallpox eradication campaign. It wasn’t until 2003 that Monkeypox made its way to the US and was discovered to be linked to African rodents, leaving dozens infected. The virus is much more common in West and Central Africa, however current cases have reached as many as 265 across Europe. In recent weeks, the U.S. has also seen a rise in cases with at least nine definitive ones already.

Monkeypox is known to spread through international travel and imported animals. However, recent cases have also seen a connection to intimate contact between males. However, officials urge Americans against stigmatizing gay men as the carriers, as the disease is not only transmitted in this way; in fact, it can spread

through any skin-to-skin contact or even through contaminated bed sheets and linens. Coronavirus, in contrast, is known to be an airborne virus which is therefore much more difficult to contain.

Healthcare professionals are working with contact-tracing methods in attempts to maintain the spread of Monkeypox. Overall, Monkeypox is of low risk to the public as it is difficult to transmit and can be treated with vaccines and antivirals.

The severity of Monkeypox cases is largely dependent on the initial health of the individual, the method of exposure, and the strain of the virus. Upon infection, the incubation period can last from seven to fourteen days.

The prodromal period, or time of initial contraction, includes symptoms ranging from discomfort to fever or flu-like symptoms.

Monkeypox differs from smallpox in the development of lymphadenopathy, or swollen lymph nodes.

The disease then progresses in four stages: the macular, papular, vesicular, and pustular stages.

The macular stage is defined by a rash that spreads across the body within the first twenty four hours of contraction. The papular stage,

occurring around the third day of the rash, consists of raised lesions which then become filled with clear fluid in the vesicular stage, and eventually pus in the pustules stage. These lesions become sharply raised and rounded in the final stage. The lesions will eventually dissipate with time and proper treatment of the disease. However, it is important to note that as the lesions scab over, the patient is still contagious and should remain in a contained place until they have been cleared by their doctor.

Health officials strongly encourage those who have been exposed or who have observed any of these symptoms to speak to their doctors immediately and alert anyone with whom they have been in

close contact. The spread of coronavirus has enabled health professionals to be much better equipped to handle health problems such as this new virus, and has encouraged most countries to increase their surveillance on the disease.

The Expansion of Westchester Airport

By Jordana Esterow

Westchester County Airport was created shortly after World War II ended and was used as a small local airport. Since then, it has grown to become the third largest airport in New York. But airport expansion can be a double-edged sword, and this growth has come with air pollution, noise, and risks to a nearby reservoir, which is the main water source for many people in New York.

On April 6th, there was an announcement that the County would be going forward with its master plan for the Westches-

ster Airport. Then, on May 4th, the Westchester County Executive George Latimer publicized the details for this plan. The plan for the airport is to improve an 80-yearold terminal. The reasoning for this is to fulfill FAA requirements for airports that receive federal funding, and take advantage of the opportunity to bring in different and new carriers. Additionally, the goal is to expand the routes so that they can go farther. The original plan of expansion was to begin in February 2020, but due to the pandemic, this was put off until a later date.

Another reason for expanding the airport is to prevent private flights from becoming more frequent. They already make up around 85% of the flights at the airport. Due to federal laws, there are different limits regarding timing of flights, volume, and flight paths of the aircraft. There is a voluntary curfew from midnight to 6:30 AM at Westchester County Airport, which gets violated on average about ten times per night, even though this curfew has been set for decades. Not every change is about expansion: one aspect of airport operations being limited is the airport capacity, due to environmental factors.

Continued on page 6

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Sports

By Jacob Moore

An Overview of the 2022 NBA Playoffs

Historically, the NBA playoffs have been nothing short of exciting, and this year is no different.

It is yet another series of superstar performances, deep triples, poster dunks, and beautiful emotion.

The NBA playoffs bring out the purest form of basketball seen all season. As the finals rage on, consider each team’s journey to the finals. The Golden State Warriors, the team of the West coast, look to take home their fourth championship title in eight years. The Boston Celtics, representing the East coast, the NBA’s original dynasty, look to take home their eighteenth NBA title, tying them with the Lakers for most titles in the NBA. While the Warriors are finally back in the finals, it wasn’t without a hard fight. In round one, the Warriors took on the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets, which hold the MVP in Nikola Jokic, were riddled with injuries, and so the Warriors got the gentlemen sweep, winning four consecutive games out of five. Jordan Poole was a standout player, exceeding expectations in his first playoff series ever. The Dallas Mavericks took on the Utah Jazz, and crushed their will, winning in six games.

Luka Doncic, like always, was the

standout in that series. The Phoenix Suns, former Western Conference Champions, took on the New Orleans Pelicans, who were fresh out of the Play-In Tournament. They did better than most expected, but were no match for the one-seed, as the Suns won in six. Lastly, the Memphis Grizzlies took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves had some big leads, but were not able to close them out, giving the Grizzlies a series win in six. In the second round, the Mavericks took on the top-seeded Suns. Most expected the Suns to win this series, and when the Suns went up two to nothing, everyone thought the series was over. But the Mavericks proved that it is never over when you have Luka Doncic on your team, as the Mavericks rallied to a Game 7, and then crushed the Suns at their own court in the finale, allowing the Mavericks to move to the Western Conference Finals.

The Warriors took on the Grizzlies in an ugly and gritty series. Each team fought with resilience. In the end, as Ja Morant suffered an injury late in game 3, the Warriors were able to close it out at home in 6. The Mavericks faced the Warriors in the Western Conference

Finals. While the Mavericks were able to handle the Suns, they were no match for the Warriors. The Warriors once again got the gentlemen sweep, winning in 5. The Warriors were on to the Finals.

The East was as intense, if not more, than the West. In round one, the one-seed Miami Heat took on the Atlanta Hawks, a Play-In team. Trae Young of the Hawks could not replicate the postseason success that he had seen the year prior as the Heat won in 5. The Boston Celtics took on the Brooklyn Nets. What was thought to be an intense and close series was the farthest thing from it, with the Celtics sweeping. This is actually the only sweep of the entire playoffs this year. The Milwaukee Bucks took on the Chicago Bulls. The former champions went on to beat the Bulls in 5. The Philadelphia 76ers took on the Toronto Raptors, and while the Raptors had their will, the 76ers took care of business and won in 6.

Onto the second round, starting off with the Miami Heat taking on the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were without their star player Joel Embiid for the first two games, giving Miami a two-nothing lead. The Sixers

Focus Staff

Editor-In-Chief: Anna Baker-Butler Operations Managers: Zoey Possick and Rachel Horn Multimedia Directors: Jordana Esterow and Charlotte Zelin Webmaster: Natalia Terentiev

could not rally back upon Embiid’s return, as the Heat won in 6. The Bucks and Celtics had a tense series. Back and forth, both teams split evenly in the first 6 games, leading to a game 7. The reigning champs could not rally harder than the Celtics, as the Celtics beat the Bucks in 7. The Eastern Conference Finals was yet another close and gritty series, as the Heat and Celtics both matched up well against each other.

A couple of injuries to key players on both sides and some outstanding performances from Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler led this series to 7.

Game 7 went down to the wire, and a missed Jimmy Butler three sealed the Heat’s fate. The Celtics won in 7, and moved on to the Finals.

At the time of writing this, the Finals are tied one-one. The Celtics stole Game 1 on the road, in a tremendous fourth quarter comeback. The Warriors then rallied back, blowing them out in Game 2. It’s going to be a close series, and it’s anyone’s championship. Will the Warriors continue the dynasty, or will the Celtics bring glory back to Boston?

Who will hold the Larry O’Brien trophy in the NBA’s 75th season? We will find out in the coming weeks.

Writers

Jordana Esterow Andrew Margolis Abby Meron Jacob Moore Sofia Padilla Anna Vnenchak Abby Zahl

Social Media Manger: Melina Kohilakis Editors Features: Ben Messafi, Politics: Kunjal Kothari, Arts and Entertainment: Sydney Anmuth, Health ands Science: Emily Tian, News: Abbie Goldstein, Viewpoints: Hailey Mallah, Sports: Joshua Rosenblut 3

Arts and Entertainment

By Andrew Margolis

A once harmless game has now ignited outrage. Previously enjoyed by high schools across the country, Senior Assassin has provoked extreme controversy regarding its morality and school suitability. But what exactly is Senior Assassin? It is a game in which seniors pay an entrance fee to participate and then are assigned a target (another senior) who must be “eliminated” by a water gun. After the first wave of targets are eliminated, seniors still standing are assigned new targets who they must eliminate. This process is rinsed and repeated until only one person is standing,

The Game that Caused Calamity and that individual receives a cash prize for being the sole survivor.

This game is undoubtedly credited with promoting an interactive and fun environment in which seniors can enjoy their final moments together before college, but some feel that it has been taken too far. Given the plague of gun violence, manifested most recently in the shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas, many people are concerned about the roles of guns in our culture.

Although the game uses water guns to eliminate other players, they are guns nonetheless. Of course, water guns are not

harmful, but they can still be easily mistaken as real firearms. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that students play Senior Assassin in all types of locations, including on private property belonging to other individuals and organizations. For example, according to Blind Brook High School’s principal Jennifer Chirles, seniors “shot” a fellow student at KTI Religious School, on synagogue property.

She then explained, “Given the events in Buffalo and Texas, having a ‘shooting’ game is tone deaf,

in poor taste, and is very disappointing.” Chirles then demanded that the game be stopped immediately. While there are those who consider the ban of a water gun game futile and unnecessary, others believe that it was in every sense justified. Individuals in the latter category believe that people must take more care in their actions and respect those in crisis so that we, as a community, can prevent horrific events from causing more pain.

Politics

By Kunjal Kothari

Gun Enforcment Laws in New York

Recently, New York has been working diligently to pass new legislation addressing gun violence and disputes. In early June, Governor Kathy Hochul signed ten new bills that the New York Senate and Assembly passed to tighten laws around gun purchases following the recent mass shootings.

At the Albany legislative session, legislators’ primary objective was to raise the minimum age of acquiring a semi-automatic rifle to 21. New York won’t be the first state to do so; other states including California, Hawaii, Florida,

Illinois, Vermont, and Washington have also taken similar steps. Prior to the legislation, in New York, to possess a long gun, an individual must be of at least 16 years of age.

Preventative measures have also been taken to assist law enforcement in examining evidence from firearms used in a crime, or ballistics investigations.

This law includes a requirement to microstamp every bullet shot out of new guns purchased. The state has also passed legislation that would deny citizens from purchasing bullet-resistant vests.

The U.S. Supreme Court may release a ruling on whether to overturn the New York Concealed Carry Law. This law states that one must submit a reasoning for self-protection in order to acquire a permit. Numerous court observers also expect the Supreme Court to overturn a law that limits the ability for people to carry a gun outside their house. New York is also expanding the “red flag” law to increase the list of people who can file for extreme risk protection orders.

This will allow the state to temporarily take away arms from people who pose a danger to themselves or others. As we move forward, we can expect gun laws in New York to continuously get stricter.

Continued on page 7

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Features

Clarifying the Record: An Interview with Mr. Bianculli

By Anna Baker- Butler Continued from page 1

Likewise, Riley’s Facebook post attributed to Bianculli the statement that “[s]tudents at all levels have stopped studying and handing in homework.” Asked about this, Bianculli rejected the “absolute nature of that comment” as “pretty ridiculous.” In his classes, he acknowledged that he has seen more students failing to hand in homework post-Covid than pre-Covid, which has forced him to try to figure out why this problem is occurring, and reevaluate the extent to which the homework he assigns was necessary and appropriate. Post-Covid there are maturity and skill gaps, resulting from learning loss during remote learning, and he characterized this as an “everywhere issue” that he knows teachers in other disciplines face. While he appreciates Riley bringing this issue to the forefront of discussion, he cautions against taking a generalization and turning it into an absolute statement, when there are a lot of contextual aspects to consider. Indeed, he recognizes that some students thrived during remote learning because certain anxiety-inducing aspects of school, such as social stress,

were removed. Again, he emphasizes that this isn’t a question of Blind Brook failing to step up, this is a problem all districts face, and it isn’t helpful to try to place blame on the BOE, faculty, or administrators. Nevertheless, Blind Brook--like every district--needs to address the issue, and he appreciates Riley bringing attention to it.

Riley’s Facebook post also claimed that Bianculli “says the parents of Blind Brook students just want their kids to get A’s and so the teachers have accommodated that desire with significant grade inflation.” Bianculli makes the point that all parents want their children to excel in school. However, he says that he did not state or imply that parents only want their kids to get A’s without doing the work to earn those grades. He believes there has been pressure on teachers to inflate grades, and that this was a problem that predated Covid. Over the years there have been conversations about grade inflation with various BBHS administrations, but he is aware of only informal conversations with the current BBHS administration. Bianculli believes that there needs to be a frank dis-

cussion among the various stakeholders about what grades really mean, before there can be a conversation about grade inflation.

Bianculli emphasized the need for broader, more nuanced conversation among Blind Brook stakeholders about the various issues, and the importance of getting all stakeholders to work together, collaboratively, to have the difficult, honest conversations that are necessary to meet the challenges that the district faces. Finger-pointing and blaming will never yield constructive solutions, he noted more than once. Bianculli also applauded the BOE for hiring Dr. Michael Curtin, the new Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, because he believes it is critical for someone to have “a birds eye view” of curriculum and to be able to help teachers understand what the needs are and help articulate best practices. Bianculli is optimistic that Dr. Curtin will be the right person for the task.

Asked what message he would like to leave Blind Brook students and parents as the school year comes to a close, Bianculli said “We’ve all been through a lot. This has not been easy for anybody. And we all need to take a deep breath, we all need to take a step back and say, ‘where are we, collectively… what have we done well, what do

we need to improve, and where do we go from here?’” He reiterated that the education of Blind Brook students is a partnership and it requires us all to be collaborative, honest with each other, and respectful of one another. If we can’t engage with each other respectfully, understand each other’s positions, and if we are at each other’s throats, blaming each other, then we can’t find common ground, and we won’t grow. Have some empathy for each other, he urged.

As we look ahead to a new school year and a post-Covid era, this seems like good advice for the whole Blind Brook community.

Buzin and Smith elected for the Two Open Board of Ed Spots

By Sofia Padilla, interview conducted by Ben Messafi In the May 17th Board of Education election, there were three candidates, Naomi Schaefer Riley, Richard Buzin, and Samantha Smith. Richard Buzin has served on the school board before and has stepped in to help Blind Brook on multiple accounts since he replaced Tina Steinberg in the summer of 2021 when she relocated out of Rye Brook. Samantha Smith, who grew up in Rye Brook and also has children who attend Blind Brook, was the only candidate in this election with an educational background.

Smith entered the campaign with plans to restore community, trust in the school board, and combat an array of ongoing problems in the district. The third candidate, Naomi Schaefer Riley, a journalist and commentator, also has children in the school district.

Richard Buzin and Samantha Smith ended up securing the

two open seats in a landslide election result. Both Smith and Buzin received around 900 votes each, while Riley had 297 votes. Despite losing the election, Riley is committed to staying involved with Blind Brook in the future.

With Smith and Buzin as the two new Board members, there will be a future of project-based learning and real-life scenarios in the classroom for an immersive experience for all students. Both Smith and Buzin plan to be representatives for a long time at Blind Brook, which is a change from some recent Board members, who left their positions earlier than expected for different reasons. They both profess to be dedicated to our school system and are looking forward to their future in making our school the best it can be.

As incoming Board of Ed members, both Dr. Buzin and Mrs. Smith were interviewed regarding

their hopes for the future of BBHS, and potential ways to increase connections between students and board of education members.

continued on page 6

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Interviews

Buzin and Smith elected for the Two Open Board of Ed Spots Q: As BBHS Students, what should we expect from you as a Board of Ed representative?

Buzin: “While it was quite some time ago that my kids graduated, the trials and tribulations of high school have not changed that greatly, and I have come to appreciate the great preparation the high school gives to our students for the next chapters in their lives. You can expect me to use this perspective as a BOE member to enhance our high schoolers’ experience where they excel, and improve those areas where we may be deficient.”

Smith: “I plan on being involved and attending many school activities/sports/events. I am going to encourage the community to come to the board meetings and to get involved with the district.

I believe if we are all involved our community will be stronger.”

Q: What new changes would you like to see happen in BBHS? Buzin: “I would like to see more offerings for students who may not wish to follow the traditional four-

Continued from page 5

year college career path. Opportunity for students who might want to pursue a trade, or even their own entrepreneurial business, is not currently available. Partnering with BOCES or other school districts to open up those opportunities would be a great advancement in our high school offerings” Smith: “I think the new hire of the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum will be a great addition for our district. There is a lot of work being put into the strategic planning and curriculum and I expect a lot of great things moving forward.”

time with the students! I urge our high school students to come and participate at BOE meetings!”

Smith: “I think by having a presence at school events the board can increase communication and involvement at all levels. As a parent of a child entering high school next year I plan on participating in as much as I can and I will encourage all board members to do the same.”

Both Buzin and Smith see communication with students as the best way to improve BBHS and create the changes that students want to see at school. The Board of Ed can be contacted through their emails that are posted on the Blind Brook website.

Q: Communication between students and the board has always been something this district has lacked, what ideas do you have to fix this and engage more with students?

Buzin: “Other than specific educational presentations, I have rarely seen any students attend BOE meetings over my ten years on the Board--meetings that are open to all. The Board does send our representatives to Senate and Congress meetings regularly and thoroughly enjoy our

The Expansion of Westchester Airport continued from page 4

People have been very split on the question of airport expansion. Some locals believe that expansion is necessary, while others oppose it because it

will be disruptive and harder on people who provide transportation to and from the airport. Residents that live close to the Westchester County Airport are also concerned about the noise; the planes in the area already are so loud and frequent. Will this make it worse?

The airport has 1,485 employees that work full-time and has $735 million in economic activities. Latimer has explained that there are two sides to this and that the expansion will affect all of Westchester County greatly. As he stated in WestFair Online, “Everybody may not use it but some people work there and some people may fly out of there for personal reasons, some people may work for corporations that use the airport, as well as those people who live around the airport. We need to hear all the voices.” Latimer emphasizes that he is working to en-

gage as many citizens as possible.

Latimer is calling on residents, business communities, different environmental groups, community organizations, and others to join in and help with the process for this new plan. He is also allowing for people in Connecticut to engage in discussion and ideas proposed regarding the master plan.

Along with that, Latimer disclosed that there would be a meeting with county officials from Greenwich to review the expansion of the airport.

Finally, he stated that there will be at least one virtual meeting scheduled. Latimer is strongly encouraging people to support the expansion of Westchester County airport.

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Viewpoints

Should Schools get Rid of Standardized Testing?

By Abby Meron

In recent years we have seen an escalating debate over standardized testing in schools, with pros and cons on both sides. Standardized testing on one hand can be very beneficial in identifying problems in schools or districts. On the other hand, standardized testing has proved to be a poor indicator of an individual’s future success, and can prevent students from accessing important opportunities.

This article will highlight the many points on both sides of the debate.

No, Standardized testing should not be abolished. As noted above, these tests have been very helpful to school districts around the country because they help indicate problems within the school and show analytical progress. Such testing can enable students to see what they fully know and gaugue areas for improvement. Standard-

ized tests also enhance an individual teacher’s ability to evaluate students. They show what particular areas a student is strong in, versus ones they are not. This in turn will allow teachers to adjust their methods to focus on educating students based on what was difficult in the past. Lastly, standardized testing means objective evaluation from outside sources instead of teachers. While common classroom problems, like favoritism, can be reflected in tests designed by teachers, standardized testing lets the student escape from that bias.

Yes, standardized testing should be abolished. Testing can be a sensitive subject for some students. In some ways, standardized testing evaluates student knowledge. However, standardized testing ignores the reality that many students struggle with test taking

Gun Enforcment Laws in New York Continued from page 4

Security-related changes have been administered not only at the state level, but also at the county and school district level. For example, the Office of the County Executive and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety told Blind Brook, “The Westchester County Police recently organized the first in a series of information and training seminars that brought School Resource Officers and school administrators together from all across Westchester to collaborate on best practices to keep schools, students and staff safe. The County Police are also available to assist any school community, if needed, with a physical security assessment of its buildings and grounds.” Additionally, West-

chester County is “recommending improvements to doors, windows, and other possible points of entry to a school building.”

Likewise, the Principal of the Blind Brook High School, Dr. Chirles, stated that “the administrative team works collaboratively with the security consultant Altaris… to develop building safety plans which are reviewed annually.” The school has a Building Emergency Response Team and a District Emergency Response Team. Additionally, they “also continually review… safety and security measures after each drill or event (fire, lockout, lockdown, shelter in place, stay in place).”

skills, which is not a reflection of their academic success or overall intellectual abilities. Students often

situations? Test scores unfairly give more privileged students, and students with better test taking

make silly mistakes and get nervous which can affect their performance on standardized tests. Even if they studied, those test scores become the only measure that reflects the student’s effort and knowledge of the subject. Tests like the SAT can determine where those students can go to college, and they are touted as predicting a test taker’s success in life. Yet, this has repeatedly been proven wrong. Many people who scored low on standardized tests are very successful, so why do we need these tests to tell us if we will fail or succeed? Another problem is that standardized tests ignore that not all schools prepare their students for standardized tests to the same degree. If one school district has fewer resources and students have a harder time learning, as a result, the students might not be fully prepared to take these tests. Is it fair that economically disadvantaged students have to compete with other students in more privileged situations? Test scores unfairly give more privileged

skills more opportunities in life.

This is an unfair way to judge a person’s potential to be successful, as well as an inaccurate representation of learning. Many students end up memorizing facts for a test, and don't even recall most of the information a few months later.

School should be about preparing students for the real world, setting them up to have many opportunities in life, and giving them the tools to take full advantage of those opportunities. The way I see it, despite the slim benefits, standardized testing largely limits access to opportunity, and is not conducive to true learning. A test should not be the determining factor in whether a student can attain success. After all, an individual is multifaceted and complex, and any method of evaluating that individual’s academic merit and potential should be equally nuanced.

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