2
THE UNION
PRO
Security guards are a necessity; school rules need to be enforced The necessity of security guards curences on the incompetence of at MHS is well known through the security guards but don’t seem to unfights, drug use, and vandalism that derstand the difficulty in preventing often occur on campus. The expec- them from taking place. I wouldn’t tation people have of security guard imagine it is that easy to catch word is for them to appropriately respond of something that is intentionally beto acts that go against the ing kept out of their knowlschool rules. Many believe edge. And I think they have that security guards fail done a decent job at ending to meet these standards the fights between stuand that they are often dents once they happen. not present to alleviate Maybe it’s just me, but the danger of situations in the few times I’m nearing which they may be needed. the border of the campus, Contrarily, I believe that I was stopped by a securithere is an underapprecity guard and had to show a ation for what the security pass I got from my teacher. guards offer to MHS. This sort of thing has even SUHAS Admittedly, there have happened to one of my SHEKAR been some things that I friends who has only has feel the security guards four classes. He frequently can do better. It never made sense to has to show his schedule to the secume that they locked the L-building rity guards to be allowed off campus. restrooms during lunch. I understand I understand that these experiences that they want to reduce the amount might not match those of everyone of students who use that bathroom to else, and I am willing to agree that smoke weed or another drug, but this there have likely been instances is not the best solution since it is done where there were no security guards at the inconvenience of the majority present to prevent someone from of students who have no ill-intent. wandering off campus. Fortunately, this problem has since The presence of security guards is been solved, and the L-building bath- needed so that school rules can be enrooms are open during lunch. forced. While there are some choices I also feel like the process of tardy they made that I disagreed with, the sweeps is flawed since there have majority of the decisions made by been instances where they have been security guards are generally agreeissued to people before the final bell able. And though the current state even rings, which has resulted in me of affairs involving security guards is sprinting to class when I shouldn’t not perfect, I feel that many of the imhave to be. Since tardy sweeps seldom provements that need to be made are occur, this hasn’t been much of prob- not too far out of reach. Ultimately, lem for the past several months. I hope that by next year, the student Fights are another common con- body will have a more positive percern. People often fault these oc- spective on security guards.
CON
MHS security without authority; lacks power to effectively direct Let’s face it: the MHS campus tween students almost every other would not make the top five tourist week. Security guards aren’t at fault spots of any magazine. Students can in this case, but it is still concerning be proud to have smelly trees every that it had taken the administration spring season, an overpopulated an entire semester to curb the numstudent body, and mediocre cafeteria ber of fights on campus. lunches. MHS is a public school, so it Probably the largest concern for should at least be held accountable to the school is students not attending public standards. But one of the most their classes, or leaving school enpressing issues I have seen thus far is tirely. If this is a school, then these the quality of our campus security. students should be in class! I’m not The main purpose of having secu- sure what is more ludicrous: that sturity guards is to at least protect stu- dents know they can leave class and dents from outside threats, which school campus any time they’d like, they have successfully done so far. or that security guards don’t seem to However, there is blame to be shared care if students go to classes at all. by both them and the school adminThis doesn’t mean that the security istration for not solving guards are at fault. Rather, numerous security issues the MHS administration that have plagued our responsible for directing campus throughout the security measures and entire year. addressing these issues Such issues range from effectively. Another issue students being late to class is that security does not or not showing up at all, to seem have the authority to more nefarious activities question students and give such as smoking cannabis out detentions or referin the school restrooms. rals. What is the purpose Students have also enof having security guards DAVID gaged in fights almost with the responsibility of NGO every other week during protecting students and most of the first semester. surveying for threats, but Security had previously addressed without the power to at least make the cannabis issue by locking some of students go to their classrooms? the restrooms during lunchtime for It is a great concern that our cammost of the winter season. Though. pus has issues without any clear dithe pungent odor of cannabis often rective to solve them. Maybe the sepermeates throughout the L build- curity guards need better training or ing restroom stalls, and security’s a larger salary, or the administration response is to deny access to the re- needs to give them more authority strooms for the rest of the day. There and better directions. Maybe student has been no preemptive measure to behavior is the underpinning probsolve this problem. lem. But it is ludicrous to think that It is a plus towards the security our campus security is fine the way it guards and administration for the is. If a public school should have any decline in school fights. In the first standards, then we need to get our semester, there used to be fights be- act together.
OPINIONS
MAY 2017
MHS E-TECH proves unsuccessful & unnecessary As the world becomes increasingly shaped and structured by technological advances, careers in engineering and technology are becoming more valuable with California schools such as Stanford and UC Berkeley leading the national rankings for STEM majors. As a school located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, it would only make sense for Milpitas High to have programs preparing students for careers in these fields. Currently, MHS is home to the Engineering and Technology Academy, also known as E-Tech. But why are almost none of the E-Tech seniors going to UC Berkeley or similar engineering powerhouses? Virtually none of the E-Tech seniors are going to be attending top engineering programs compared to their peers. In fact, students in the academy are actively encouraged to work towards attending community colleges instead of preparing for the numerous four-year engineering programs that the UC and CSU systems offer. As a student that has been trapped in the academy for three years, I can personally vouch for the fact that the course does not live up to the promise that is in the school course catalogs. One of the fundamental shortcomings of E-Tech is the lack of a strong
curriculum. Unfortunately, Milpi- students were lured into the academy tas High’s E-Tech fails to prepare only to find that the academy does not students for a career in engineering prepare its students for a career in the by implementing a curriculum that engineering or STEM fields. Freshcontains no math or scimen are caught unawares ence. Students are tasked after the academy prewith building projects sentations, bound by the and useless designs and three year contracts, and forced to spend an unnecare effectively trapped essary amount of time on in the academy. The rebusy work such as “design cruitment process can be briefs” and “research sumsimply classified as a baitmaries.” While it is true and-switch. that the research and deMoreover,academy stusign process is important, dents have expressed conthe lack of care for quality cern over a lack of trained ERIC of work produced in the enfaculty. Unfortunately, YU gineering academy renders with the resignation of student projects ultimately former experienced enmoot and poor in quality. gineering teacher Scott However, the flawed curriculum is Keller, the academy has yet to regain only one of the academy’s problems: another teacher with a comparable many students in the academy are level of industry experience. seemingly uninterested and forced However, these weaknesses can be into joining. The academy has re- easily resolved, and Milpitas High quired students to remain enrolled in can work towards having a competent the program for three years, instating and useful pre-engineering program a long and intentionally tedious pro- for Trojans aspiring to be engineers. cess to opt out. This forces students Given that the school is located in the to allocate an entire period in their center of Silicon Valley, the school schedule to the academy and makes has the responsibility and ability to it increasingly difficult to sign up for hire competent engineers to give stuAP courses that would be of value to dents a head start on their college edan aspiring engineer. Many academy ucations and future vocations.
Lack of leadership and order is killing our school
MHS and the school district should An issue that also affects the school be very disappointed in themselves. and its functionality is the ineffiFor a few years now the school has ciency of the security guards around faced an increasing amount of disorcampus to prevent students from ganization from the administration getting out of line. This year it seems as well as decreasing attention from students can leave campus during the Milpitas School Board lunch without anybody of Education. stopping them. What does a dying school Normally it is the duty look like? It looks like a of the security guards place where the authorities to prevent people from have little power over the going off campus during student body and where school hours, but they are the disorganization of the not always stationed at administration results in the borders during lunch. decreasing quality in the I have seen security educational environment guards around the central of the school. parts of campus like the L HENRY This description is what building , but almost nevXIONG MHS seems to be leading er near the borders of the up to in recent times. A macampus. jor issue the school needs The security guards are to address is the high turnover of becoming inefficient in keeping stuprincipals throughout recent years. dents from crossing out of line. New Three principals will have left within guards are common and some guards four school years. When leadership don’t stay long enough to know the transitions with every new principal, school adequately. If security guards it becomes increasingly difficult to stay longer, they will be able to esfocus on different issues the school tablish a better connection with the is facing because every principal can student body and know what to look have differing views. This makes leadout for at different periods of the day. ership and organization in the adminAnother issue is that the current istration a difficult issue. administrators are out of touch with
the student body. We have five administrators on the campus, and three people in the administration have less than a year of experience as administrators working here at MHS. When students were asked if they recognized administrators during a previously conducted survey, I was surprised to see that many students do not recognize the current administrators. Another point that needs to be addressed are emergency drills that are conducted by the school. This year had almost no drills at all, except for a recent fire drill that was conducted in late April. In stark comparison, last year had many drills. We should have drills more commonly. This way, students can be more prepared in case of a real emergency that could happen at any moment. If these issues are neglected, they will keep building up until they are too much for the school and the school district to handle. MHS needs to get its act together with good organization and consistent leadership in the future otherwise the school might face trouble from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the agency that granted MHS its accreditation.
MHS table traditions an unnecessary waste of time Early in the morning, the MHS campus is lit with the blue and dim haze of the sky as suddenly a few figures flit across campus. They are students layered in hoodies and ripped jeans, trying to make it in time to reach their goal—the bright blue and gold tables that litter select areas of MHS. The students stealthily place locks around the table of their choice so that by the time the bell rings signaling the beginning of a new school year, all the tables are “claimed” without a single one left for the poor souls that arrived too late. Yes, the infamous table games will take place before the start of the next school year so that those who want to enjoy lunch at the “cool tables” are going to have to fight for them. There are just not enough tables at MHS that every student can have that kind of luxury. Instead, they have to resort to things like sitting on the concrete, benches, laying picnic blankets on the ground, or staying in a classroom of their choice. The graduating seniors who are reading this may feel a wave of relief since they will not have to struggle to get the perfect table
again. However, for the rest of MHS That makes me wonder, how many students, this tradition will likely not tables would MHS need to buy to aschange. But why not? suage the table needs of the students? It seems silly to find these tables If the school bought, say 20 more taso enticing when half of bles, that would mean that the school year is filled 20 groups of students will with rain and wind. Being get to enjoy that luxury. inside a toasty classroom But it seems to me that it sounds nicer than being might take even more than outside in the cold. But 20 tables. California weather is not Adding just a few more that bad, I guess so that would make a huge differcan be overlooked. After ence. This way, students all, the senior tables for would not feel pressured example are like perfect to place locks on tables movie theater seats. Anyearly in the morning. When ANANYA thing that happens, the seI walk around school, most DONAPATI nior tables are there to see of the groups that I see are it all. People can socialize laughing and smiling, even within their group and mingle with if they’re sitting on the ground. But others. These are viable reasons as to on the other side of the coin, I know why people see the need to fight for of groups that have been trying for a the perfect table. table for a long time but there are not But all these extremities such as enough tables. I encourage MHS to getting to school hours early just to consider purchasing just a few more place a lock on a table, when an adtables. But, with all my points made, ministrator might even cut it, does it is clear that tables are not a high not sound right. MHS should be able priority, but they should be taken to provide an adequate number of tainto consideration regarding MHS bles for the large campus population. campus life.