March 4, 2005

Page 1

Volume 48, Issue7

Undocumented residents dare to DREAM By Amanda Gelender Staff Writer

The future looks bright for children of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.; that is, if the DREAM Act passes in the U.S. Congress. Senate Resolution 1545 and House Resolution 1684 is the “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors” (DREAM) Act; a bipartisan sponsored piece of legislation currently pending in the Congress. The DREAM Act would do two things: delete section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (a federal provision that prohibits states from determining their own definitions of “residents” in terms of granting state education benefits, including in-state tuition), and allow long-term student immigrants of “good moral standing” to apply for legal citizenship. Currently, immigration status stems from the parents, and children of undocumented immigrants are unable to gain legal residency. The DREAM Act allows certain immigrant minors to get conditional, sixyear legal status. Among the list of immigrants who are ineligible are crimi-

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2005

nals, and people who are security threats. The immigrants would qualify once they receive high school/college degrees or GEDs (general equivalency diplomas). To lift the conditional status and receive lawful status, immigrants must keep good moral standing, avoid long trips abroad, and during the six-year conditional period either complete 910 hours of voluntary community service, study in higher education for at least two years, or serve military duty for at least two years. This would affect many of the 50,000-65,000 children of undocumented immigrants who have been in the US. for more than five years and graduate from high schools in the U.S. every year (according to the National Immigration Law Center). Supporters of the bill argue that children of undocumented immigrants had no choice about their citizenship status, and therefore it’s only fair to give them the mechanism to gain legitimate status and in turn the opportunities available to students with legal residency. Supporters also cite fiscal benefits from the DREAM Act, including a decrease in school drop-out rates (which would

DREAM: Page 8

Castro Valley, CA 94546

Sean Ryan / Photo Editor

Seniors Christina Rae and Robert Pagan get down and funky at the Decades Dates Dance on February 25th.

Faculty speculates altering final schedule By Katie Parr Staff Writer

The CVHS administration is considering changing next year’s schedule so that the first semester ends before winter break. Principal Debbie Coco spearheaded the idea and brought it to the rest of the administrators, who are currently discussing the proposal. “I’m looking to de-stress the lives of the students and faculty,” she said. She believes that moving finals to the week before winter break will “calm down the campus and make it a safer place.” Coco based some of her reasoning on an article by C.W. Nevius in the San Francisco Chronicle. Nevius’ article explores the causes and effects of stressed-out students. According to the article, many good students cheat and lie to appear more successful. Altering the finals schedule could be a solution

to this problem. “The idea of a realistic interlude, with no vacation projects due and no finals looming, could be just the break that students need,” Nevius claims. While many staff members embrace the idea, others worry about the problems the change could entail. The most controversial issue is the two-week difference in length between the first and second semesters. “I like it the way it is now,” said social studies teacher Sarah Burke. “As a teacher of single semesterlong classes, I’m worried that the spring semester is going to be a lot longer than the fall semester. And I don’t like the idea of having to come back earlier in August.” Science teacher Dr. Bill Southam doesn’t see the time difference as a problem. “Some teachers are concerned about the imbalance of time, but

I usually find I can never get as much done second semester. All the testing distracts the students.” According to Coco, STAR and AP testing each take a week from the second semester, and the Exit Exam takes another two days. She recognized that students receive instruction during these periods, but “it’s not the same quality of instruction, so the two semesters will even out.” Many students would rather relax during break than have to worry about homework or impending finals. “It’s the best idea the administration has come up with yet,” said junior Peter Bayuk. “I’d rather have finals earlier because after vacation, no one can remember anything. You have to re-learn everything when you come back.” Southam agreed. “It’s a good idea because it lets us finish up before break,” he said. “Then we’ll have some time to relax.”

Assistant Principal Mark Autrey. Rooms 906, 907 and 908 will be moved to the back of the gym. The area now contains two basketball courts which are outside of the locker rooms. However, the basketball area will be removed for the portables. The school will provide more basketball hoops for the other side of the blacktop in place of those removed. Classrooms 909-912 will not move for now. But by 2006-2007, school officials hope to have a practice gym in the place of those rooms. Students with classes in the 900 hall will move to various places including the 300 hall which will now be open as a result of offices

moving back to the 800 hall. “I don’t like the idea of being crammed into the 300 hall but it’s nice that we’ll have better 900 hall rooms. So, I’m okay with it as long as they don’t delay too long,” said junior Anisha Thomas. Some students feel the change is unnecessary. “Why should we build a 900 hall when the portables are perfectly fine? It’s a waste of money. That money should be spent on buying other things such as new textbooks. Look at the Pre-Calculus books—they’re falling apart,” said sophomore Cynthia Chor. The relocation of classrooms will be difficult, but most students

900 classrooms move to 300 hall

By Flora Tsang Staff Writer

Randy Eisenberg / Opinion Editor

Junior Ashlee Gillette along with others sing at the Pops concert on Saturday, Feb. 19. See page 4 for story.

Classrooms in the 900 hall will be moved while the offices in the 300 hall will return to their original location in the 800 hall during the last week of March while students are on spring break. The portables all face different futures. For now, 901-905 will be unused but later on, they will be either demolished or put away. By the year 2006, school officials hope to have a two-story building in place of those rooms. “The new 900 hall will look like a motel with balconies and stairways outside. There will be an elevator, which is required,” said

MOVE: Page 8


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March 4, 2005 by The Castro Valley High School Olympian - Issuu