Pony Express | April 2018 by Pioneer Pony Express

hard to beat in the world of track and field

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Mr. Mustang Making Its Mark

›› The male pageant proved to be a

success as contestants as they show off their talents

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Skywalker is Music to Mustangs’ Ears

Photo Courtesy of Scott Krinjin

›› Underclassmen are proving to be

Photo by Natalie Sarsfield

Photo by Peyton Irick

Preparing for Future Leaps and Hurdles

›› Chamber Orchestra was given the opportunity to play at George Lucas’ studio

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THE PONY EXPRESS Volume 58, Issue 7

Nguyen the News Katie Nguyen

Editor-in-Chief

April 23, 2018

Campus Debates the Vaping Problem

Staff, students and parents divided on solutions on growing e-cigarette issue By Lauryn Luescher Editor in Chief With bathrooms housing five to a stall and students with their sleeves to their mouths in classrooms, Pioneer’s vaping problem has gotten to the point where Leadership is involving administration, staff, and parents to try and inform everyone about the issue. While nicotine usage for students is illegal just as marijuana and alcohol, the consequences are different. On March 22, Assistant Principal of Discipline Tim Gavello collaborated with his colleagues around the district, finalizing the punishments for getting caught vaping. All first time offenders will have an in-house suspension along with three mandatory drug counseling sessions with addiction prevention counselor Rey Cedeno. The second offense for vaping is a two or three day out-of-school suspension depending on behavior history. Marijuana and alcohol are both automatic out-of-school suspensions. Gavello said the reason for having different consequences for vaping had to do with the drugs being different substances. “We are treating them differently because vaping is nicotine like smoking cigarettes and marijuana is marijuana,” Gavello said. “We consider that more of a bigger offense for marijuana compared to nicotine.” During the staff presentation held by Leadership students on March 22, Leadership student Leo Michels, 11, told teachers that the administration purposely wasn’t suspending students just in an effort to keep the suspension rates down. This frustrated many teachers at the meeting and even when Spanish teacher Lisa Vitale learned that Michels statement was apparently mistaken she felt that an on campus suspension is too lenient considering that nicotine is illegal. “Imagine if a teacher were to be caught vaping in class. Do you really think we’d just be sat down and questioned about our emotional needs or sitting in another room on campus not doing anything? I’d expect to be fired,” Vitale said. “I think adults are facing a morality issue on how to discipline children.” Michels was part of the presentation to the staff and he feels that their needs to be a

Photo byLauryn Luescher

During spring break, I was given the opportunity along with seven other journalism students to attend Press On! the Spring National High School Journalism Convention hosted by the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association in San Francisco. Throughout this whole experience, I was surrounded by a diverse group of inspiring journalists who allowed me to expand my perspective as an editor and writer. One of the classes I attended stood out to me the most. “Covering a Tragic Event in Your Publication.” Certified Journalism Educator and Yearbook adviser at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Sarah Lerner spoke about how to balance between respecting the victims and accurately depicting a story during a tragedy. As I write this on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School and National School Walkout, I am baffled that a 17-year-old student was shot at Forest High School on this same day. How can this happen? It is such a shame that we cannot move forward in society. I remember when I first heard about the Parkland shooting. It was only February and this was the 13th school shooting. I remember staring at my laptop in disbelief about how there was yet again another shooting and nothing was happening. During her speech, Lerner pointed out something that I would have never considered. Yes the yearbook would still be filled with the regular events that happened in their high school lives, but they needed to make sure that they would have to tell their story. They wanted to to make sure that something like this cannot happen again and that’s why it was important to tell it the right way. Going forward, my hope is that nobody will have to ever endure what they had to experience. The way they handled the press and media throughout this event was poised and inspiring. Taking this devastating news and setting a platform to encourage people everywhere to make a change is really what journalism is about.

Pioneer High School's Student Newspaper

On Thursday April 5, the Leadership class presents to parents about the dangers of vaping with drug counselor Rey Cedeno. different way to tackle students caught vaping other than suspension. “I think the juul addiction is a real addiction,” Michels said. “There should be an alternate route to punish people instead of just suspension because some people have serious addiction problems.” Luiza Albuquerque, 10, was suspended for using alcohol, also an addictive substance, during the Gunderson rally on Feb. 16 with no warning or mandatory counseling sessions and she feels that treating alcohol and vaping differently is unfair. “If you get caught you should get suspended and if that means that they are suspending three people a week or more, too bad, don’t juul,” Albuquerque said. “I do know a lot of people that do that stuff and if they got caught and were suspended they would stop.” During the meeting there was support for the students on the panel, however some parents felt that Pioneer was not taking enough action to stop the problem. One mother, who didn’t want to be identified, was upset about the lack of problem solving. “The awareness is there we need to take more solid steps to stop this we can’t just keep talking about this and say ‘awareness.’ We need get on it and take steps. If you want

parents to volunteer once a week, (to stay) by the bathrooms, let us know we will do it. Don’t come to parents and say be aware of it and take care of your kids. We are doing it, it’s just too strong the availability of those substances out there is out of our hands.” While voicing her concern, she also blamed the student panel for not reporting what they see and letting students get away with vaping during school hours. During the parent meeting an anonymous question was brought up asking the student panel if they would report their friends and Keith Hertzberg, 12, said it would be difficult for him to but that he wants to solve the problem by giving more presentations so make people aware. “Instead of reporting my friends, I want to solve the problem not by targeting them, but by teaching them,” Hertzberg said. Martha Mata, 11, believes that the only way to stop the vaping problem is by reporting those at school so that they can receive support. “If you were their friend you would make sure they are safe. Even if you think not reporting them is helping them is not supporting them, it really is,” Mata said. “You are supporting their health and well being of others on campus.”

Reviewing the Winners of the 2018 ASB Elections

Associated Student Body cabinet for the next year prepares to focus on updating school necessities By Siya Bedi and Emily Dao Design Editors ASB elections took place on April 5 and 6 with campaigning taking place throughout this month. Leo Michels, 11, who ran for ASB President, claimed victory. He is currently the junior class president and has worked on many projects including class T-shirts and the homecoming floats. In the following school year, he hopes to increase the school spirit and also work on campus beautification by adding murals and flowers.

“If we look around campus we see dead trees, some bushes and a brick wall which is ugly,” Michaels said. “What I want to do is I want to make our school look better because I think if our school looks better, it reflects upon our school spirit.” Competing against Michels for the same positions was Jay Laborin, 11. He had previously been sophomore class president and the captain of the water polo team for two years. This year, he made great progress in starting a boys lacrosse team on campus. His plan for next year was to work on the school spirit by introducing different activities that focus on inclusiveness. “I think spirit can come from different

levels; it doesn’t have to be all rallies,” Laborin said. “One of my ideas this year, which unfortunately didn’t go through, was having a movie on the football field. That doesn’t get you the normal spirit that you think of like “Go Big Blue” but it gets you a family camaraderie feeling.” The ASB vice president for next year is Trevor Paez, 11, and he would like to work along with Michels to get assigned parking spaces for students. Macy Valdez, 11, ran unopposed for activities director and she believes that it is important to hear the voices of the student body and build connections with them in order to have improvements in school

spirit. “I feel like as the next senior class, we need to be more united as a whole and if we can set a good example for our freshmen next year, they will be set up for the rest of their years at Pioneer and I feel that’s really important not only spiritually (for school spirit) but for involvement in the school,” Valdez said. “If we’re involved, they’re more likely to be involved.” Both Katelyn Kidder and Hadi Siddiqui 11, ran unopposed for the position of Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. They look forward to the arrival of the next school year and the opportunities that it brings for them.

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

News

Not Enough One Year Since John Hayden’s Arrest Substitutes Resource teacher is awaiting sentencing after going through several hearings The shortage has taken a toll, which hinders teachers’ responsibilities By Emily Nguyen Staff Writer Students are now more familiar with the pool of substitutes who frequent Pioneer; however teachers are not as lucky. Sick days for our staff are few and forthcoming. The Writing Performance Assessment is an essay that students must write multiple times during the school year and on March 20, the district’s sophomore English teachers met to grade them. However, due to substitute shortages, some district teachers were forced to the grading sessions. English teacher Kathleen Quint was one of at least two teachers asked not to attend and has concerns for her colleagues who are asked to substitute last minute because of the shortage. “I was requested to not attend by a district supervisor who shared concern that there would not be enough substitute teachers” Quint said. “I missed out on the conversations about professional lesson giving.” Leland High School English teacher Erin Cahill, was also forced to miss the grading as a result of the shortage. “We teachers are the first line of defense when someone cancels a sub job, if we do cover a class, we are not compensated with time,”Cahill said. “It makes me feel unappreciated as a working professional when someone cannot be bothered to pay loving individuals who sub enough money in this ridiculous Silicon Valley real estate market.” The absence of this experience inhibits teachers’ improvements; not only that, but this issue continues to grow as no viable solution has been attained and the district continues to struggle to pay substitutes. “Teachers have the only profession where calling in sick, or leaving our classroom, is more work and effort than actually being there,” Cahill said. “Writing sub plans takes hours for someone else to merely press buttons and deliver instruction in our absence. This is why some teachers continue to come to work sick, knowing that ‘calling in sick’ can be a two-hour process, just to sit on your couch in your comfies and sniffle your nose.”

WE HELP FUND THE PONY EXPRESS! We are the Pioneer High School Education Foundation and we raise funds for: • • • •

Student Service Learning NHS Banquet/Scholarships Classroom technology Academic programs

ATTENTION PARENTS: We meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month in the Media Center and we’d love to have you join us as we support PHS students in their academic endeavors. We are searching for parents to help raise funds in support of technology and educational needs of the school. Visit us online and make your donation today using your credit card. It’s fast and easy. Go to www.pioneerhigh.org and select the Education Foundation link. Questions? Email us today at educationfoundationphs@gmail.com PHSEF is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization

By Annika Dahlberg and Andrea Winters News Editor

It has been almost a year since the arrest of a teacher shocked the Pioneer community. Former Pioneer teacher John Hayden first appeared in court on June 20 to face charges related to child pornography and sexual abuse, and has since admitted guilt to both charges, according to Clarissa Hamilton from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. On April 20, 2017, Hayden was arrested on two felonies: one count of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14 and one count of possessing and controlling matter depicting children under the age of 18 engaging in or simulating sexual conduct. According to

documents obtained by the Pony Express, the investigation involved Hayden’s contact with a former student from his time in the Oak Grove School District. Hayden was arrested after an officer of the Australian Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force Argos team traced inappropriate photos of children posted on an anonymous Russian photo-sharing website to Hayden. The email was linked to a YouTube account under Hayden’s name where they identified his car through a video and tracked him down by his license plate number. Hayden’s car was located in the back parking lot of Pioneer where authorities arrested him in his classroom him during sixth period. They questioned him in the office and with Hayden’s cooperation, accessed his phone to find more

incriminating content, including photographs of a young girl engaged in sexual activity with an adult. There was also a photo featuring a Pioneer cheer uniform, although the head or face of the person wearing it was not shown. According to the arrest report, during questioning, Hayden said “my life just ended,” and admitted to storing child pornography on his phone. Their findings led Detective Nicholas Jourdenais to obtain a search warrant that allowed deputies to access his home and seize 14 electronic devices, including USB drives that were hidden in a compartment in his closet. Hayden was scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, but due to the absence of a psychiatric report that would decide whether he would go to jail or get probation, the hearing was postponed until June 7.

New Incentives Meant to Foster Growth Past Year scores dip to an all-time low since implementation of the SBAC By Everett Bang Chief Copy Editor Test scores for the Smarter Balanced Assessment System reached an all-time low since they began publishing results in the 2014-2015 school year. Failure to meet standards in English rose by 13 percent and by 9 percent in math from last year. To motivate the class of 2019, Assistant Principal of Instruction Emily Burton and the other administrators offered possible incentives such as a Disneyland trip if 60 percent met math standards and 80 percent reached English standards. Individuals would possibly receive grade boosts in respective subjects if they were at standards. Currently, the SBAC serves as a way to rank schools in California. Math teacher Zohreh Moaven encouraged students in all of her classes to take the test seriously. “The SBAC, at the moment, may not

affect your record or your grade, but when your school is ranked and you are applying to colleges and they see that Pioneer High School is ranked low. They’re not going to have a serious view of our students,” Moaven said. Naomi Liu, 11, tried her best regardless, but saw that the incentives did not motivate some of her peers. “When they realized that the incentives weren’t probably what they thought they were, people kind of dialed back and maybe just didn’t try as hard as they could’ve or didn’t take it seriously,” Liu said. The administration went to biology classes to encourage juniors to try their best so they could properly pinpoint a starting point to improve scores. “Our first battle is getting accurate data and then once we have accurate data then we can plan even better around where it is

that students’ skills are deficient,” Burton said. “It’s hard to plan off a test where we see that students who are in an Honors English class and they’re not meeting standard.” Although the administration has increased efforts to improve scores, Moaven wants to push the importance of the test as soon as possible to create an environment for success and rapport, rather than relying on incentives. “It’s an important test and we should be preparing for it. It shouldn’t be one week or two weeks before the SBAC, we should do that from the beginning,” Moaven said. “It doesn’t sound good when we say, ‘Do this because I’m going to give you this.’ That sounds like a bribe.” This year’s SBAC scores will be coming out over the summer and it is still undetermined whether the class of 2019 will receive their trip to Disneyland.

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Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Sports

Skating and Scoring Into the Future

Photo Courtesy of Jacob Klarke

The ice hockey team has ended their season and looks forward to the next

Pioneer’s ice hockey team poses after their win against Archbishop Mitty High School in the last regular season game at SAP Center in Downtown San José.

By Natsumi Hirano Staff Writer The ice hockey team finished their inaugural season and looks forward to a growing their program in preparation for next year’s team. They carried a roster of 18 players, but only 15 played full-time. They made it to the second round of playoffs and would like to improve upon that next year. The team was not able to

practice much together on the ice due to their own club team commitments, which resulted in a lack of connection between the players. Michael Thompson, 10, thought that the season’s later success was due to the team bonding during games instead of practice. “We would have done better if we could have played with each other more in practices but overall, we did pretty well,” Thompson said. Justin Sternad, 12, reflects on the season and

wants to see the team grow into its full potential even though he will not be there next year. “I just expected everyone to go out and have fun,” Sternad said. “I knew that a lot of the kids were first timers, so I didn’t think we won as much as our coach would have liked, but I just wanted us to have fun and bond.” Coach Jeff Shiverdaker sees this team as a great beginning to a new program and the players exceeded his expectations as the season progressed. “We were very proud of the team,” Shiverdaker said. “Even though we lost most of our games, the kids stayed positive, had fun and got better as a team which culminated into fantastic performances in playoffs.” Although the team may not be experienced as the other teams in the league, head coach Steve Neverve sees them as hard working and with a drive to win and do better. “What we had was ‘want.’ Our kids wanted to compete,” Neverve said. “They wanted to get better and be competitive.” Shiverdaker hopes the success of this team garnered enough attention to fill the spots for next year. “We have six seniors graduating, we are hoping to be able to continue to build the program, but right now, we don’t know what that will look like,” Shiverdaker said.

Student Takes It Into His Own Hands Jay Laborin starts the initiative to organize a possible new boys lacrosse team By Andrea Winters Sports Editor

He started in middle school and transferred high schools twice to stay around the sport. “When I first found lacrosse I was playing three other sports and quit them all to have more time for lacrosse,” Ungari said. “I would have needed to have more time and reach out to lacrosse companies to see if we could have gotten a sponsorship on helmets, which are the most expensive and important piece of equipment you need. Nevertheless, I still wanted to be a part of the Pioneer lacrosse scene so I offered to help coach the girls’ team.” Meetings for the boys lacrosse team will take place through the end of the school year and the team should be officially established by the 2018-2019 school year. For more information on the status of the team and how to join, email Jay Laborin at laborinj@gmail.com.

Andrea Winters

Sports Editor The Colin Kaepernick debate has been going on forever. The former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers was once their star athlete, but since protesting during the national anthem, he’s had a target on his back. While he was still playing, Kaepernick was hailed for his actions, but as soon as he opted out of his contract with the 49ers, opinions of him changed. No one picked him up. He had decent stats that many teams could have benefitted from, but they passed him up and tried their luck in the draft. Teams drafted inexperienced rookies over the star quarterback that took Alex Smith’s spot from right under his nose. He was in talks with teams like the Baltimore Ravens who passed him up for a washed out Robert Griffin III and the Seattle Seahawks who instead re-signed backup Austin Davis. The Seahawks are still claiming to be considering Kaepernick, however; their hesitancy is clearly stemming from his protests. There is no other reason to choose Davis over Kaepernick. Davis, in his seventh season and fourth team in the NFL, has thrown 236 completions for 2,548 yards compared to Kaepernick’s 1,011 completions for 12,271 yards in six seasons with the same team. The two quarterbacks are incomparable. There is no way the Seahawks chose Davis because he was better. They chose him because he doesn’t kneel. The debate has shifted to ask if it is fair to exile Kaepernick from the NFL because of his political activism. You see it in other sports all of the time, but it only seems to be a problem for the NFL.

Athlete of the Month Photo by Millen Memary

Lacrosse has been a one-sided sport since it was added to the Pioneer Athletics program. Jay Laborin, 11, came to Pioneer hoping to play the sport he loved, but found it was only offered for girls. After two years of missing lacrosse, Laborin decided his junior year would be the last year he would go without getting out on the field. After confirming with Athletic Director Joe Berticevich, Laborin surveyed the school to gauge interest and was surprised by how many other boys shared his interest. Laborin was in sixth grade when he was first introduced to the sport by his neighbor. Since then, he had his mind set to play. “I always wanted to start a team but I just

really didn’t know how and then I finally asked around and that’s how it all started,” Laborin said. In order to even propose the team, Laborin had to round up a minimum of 40 signatures, but surpassed that and made it to 70. “If we can have a team that student-athletes can be part of, but can be sustainable, then I’m all for it,” Berticevich said. “If only 10 people show up, that’s not good. We will see how serious (students) are about doing this.” Ben Perea, 11, signed Laborin’s petition and sees the benefits this team could add to the school beyond the athletics. “I’ve been wanting to play for a long time, but I couldn’t really find a team to play for,” Perea said. Class of 2012 graduate Brett Ungari wished he could have played when he was a student.

Sideline Report

Preparing for Future Leaps and Hurdles Underclassmen are proving to be hard to beat in the world of track and field

By Sara Sangari Staff Writer Underclassmen are getting a jump start on the competition even though they are new to the world of track and field. Track and field freshmen and sophomores have stepped up to compete for placements taking spots that would usually go to upperclassmen. Juniors and seniors are often guaranteed the top places due to their experience, but this team has some underclassmen vying for those spots. New head coach Cassandra Valenzuela has implemented an enjoyable atmosphere for the athletes, while still challenging them. Valenzuela sees the potential that the underclassmen have to set the stage for the coming years. “We have quite a few underclassmen on varsity. Some of the underclassmen on JV could even be on varsity, but they benefit from scoring points and winning at a lower level so I keep them there,” Valenzuela said. “Although we are losing some really strong seniors, knowing that we have such a strong freshman and sophomore base is awesome.” In the last few meets, Norlando Gamez, 10, and Ethan Barrall, 9, have held first and second place for the 100 meter event. Ethan Barrall, 9, joined the track team

By Dani Chang Staff Writer

On March 8, runners from Pioneer and James Lick High School sprint in a running event during their away meet. Photo by Peyton Irick this year and currently stands at sixth place in BVALs overall. He is already thinking about his future on the team and has set high goals for himself. “I think this year as a freshman on varsity will prepare me for the future because I will get to know the coaches and athletes,” Barrall said. “As an athlete, I just want to practice hard, keep my teammates motivated and perform well. I hope to become a captain by my senior year.” Performing through his second year

on varsity, Norlando Gamez, 10, sees how much Valenzuela’s guidance has helped the team. “She works us hard. I feel like she’s working us harder than we did before and it’s showing improvement,” Gamez said. “We have been killing the competition.” Sprinting towards the finish line, underclassmen prepare for their next few years on track and field and aim to outstand their abilities. Their last meet is on Thursday, April 26 with the location to be announced.

Playing for the varsity softball team since her freshman year, Sydney Solis, 11, has made a lasting impact on her team’s success throughout the years. Starting out with recreational softball at 8-years-old, Solis moved to competitive softball at age 11, eventually playing for the high school team that she knows and loves today. With 24 runs, 66 hits, and five home runs throughout her years in high school, Solis has made a name for herself in the softball world. Softball coach Ed Barclay described Solis as an outstanding player that has stood out since her freshman year. “When things get hard, that’s when she starts to rise above. She doesn’t give up, she keeps trying, she keeps working at it, until she can achieve it,” Barclay said. Despite the rough season, Solis hopes to continue instilling a positive mindset of never giving up in her teammates. “As a team we just need to always seek the play ahead instead of the play now. If you make a mistake then just shake it off and don’t let it get to your head,” Solis said. As a new wave of young players enter the team, Solis hopes to continue lending her strength to her teammates, motivating them to give it their all.

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Features

Education PHS News Masters The Green Screen New broadcasting brings more informed students through new forms of media Equality Event involves high school girls being taught about options in STEM careers By Natalie Sarsfield Staff Writer Inspiring young women to follow their passions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is an important aspect of balancing the gender gap in the modern era. On March 17, a conference for female high school students was hosted at San José State University by the Society of Women Engineers. The event was based on gender imbalance in STEM and consisted of guest speakers and hands-on experiences. AP Physics, Honors Physics and PreCalculus teacher Colleen McDonough, recommended that her female students attend. “What’s important is that each woman feels that she has opportunity to choose to be anything she wants,” McDonough said. “There should be no barriers based on gender. Each and every student should follow their passion at all costs.” AP Physics student Tara Miller, 11, gladly attended the conference. “My experience was very eye opening,” Miller said. “I always knew I wanted to do something in the STEM field but I wasn’t sure what my options were. It was interesting to be exposed to different types of engineering opportunities.” Accelerated Algebra 2 and Geometry teacher Shannon Prager thinks that a lack of representation is at the heart of the divide between men and women in STEM. “Young women aren’t as exposed to the possibility of going into a STEM career,” Prager said. “I think that’s where the focus needs to be to change things in the future.” McDonough felt overshadowed by men following the same career paths while attending University of California, Berkeley, as women often face discrimination from peers and professors. “I would walk into class late and sit down in the front row and the professor would say ‘Excuse me, this is a physics class’ and I would say ‘Excuse me, I know’,” McDonough said. “The assumption was that I was in the wrong place purely based on my gender. (The solution) starts with education. Women are just as capable as men.”

Upcoming Events

Pioneer’s first year having the video broadcast with lead anchors, all seniors, Cash Johnson,12, Jack Johnson,12, and Halliona Bacon,12 film a segment for the PHS News. Photo by Brianna Hamilton

By Brianna Hamilton Staff Writer From green screen to website, PHS News is delivering more engaging announcements for student and staff to watch. At the beginning of November, a handful of select students came together to make announcements more effective and entertaining by creating weekly videos for students in fourth period. The program, consisting of all seniors, has three main anchors, Cash Johnson, Halliona Bacon, and Jeffery Plaza, as well as Jack Johnson and Kerissa Deeds in the sports section. The program is overseen by leadership teachers, Michelle Mayhew and Amy Hernandez as well as, Multimedia teacher Kevin Krail, and Drama teacher Ashley

Coleman. In past years, the announcements were delivered in person by Leadership students. “It became very clear to me that the news was not effectively being reported whether it was live announcements or the audio speaker,” Hernandez said. “We saw another school doing the news broadcast and found a way to modify to bring it back to us.” PHS News is able to have students participate that are not just in leadership, extending student ability to get involved helping the campus and better encompassing students with a stage presence in front of a camera. “What’s cool about PHS News is that it’s a student run program with oversight from teachers,” Jack Johnson said. “It’s structured as if our ideas matter.”

For the next year of broadcasters, they will have to learn how to edit and further develop their program on their own without oversight from past broadcasters. “I think it is better that we will be gone because it gives a whole new thought process, a whole new artistic direction for what PHS News should be,” Cash Johnson said. As the program continues to develop, Hernandez wants to expand the program to include on site broadcasters on sporting events to include in the PHS News. “It has been successful in sharing information in a creative way and getting more students involved outside of leadership. Our program is growing,” Hernandez said. The tryouts for next year’s writers, editors, and broadcasters were on April 17 conducted by the program’s advisors.

THEN THEN AND AND NOWS NOWS

April 28 Junior/Senior Prom @Corinthian Grand Ballroom 7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

On sale for $10 in Room P6 during break, lunch and after until Friday, April 27 Pay by: - Cash - Webstore - Check to PHS Yearbook Club *Email: - Photos (We can scan as well) - Names to Yearbook.Pioneer@gmail.com

$10

May 28 Memorial Day No School May 14-15 Blood Drive @Mini Gym May 18 Senior Sunset @Football Field

*Ads must include at least 1 senior

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Features

Reducing Prom Prices and Improving Experiences Leadership class decreases the cost of tickets by removing the option of serving dinner at the venue By Jesse Soto Staff Writer Prom has always been an expensive highlight for high school students, however leadership has taken this weight off the upperclassmen shoulders. This year, the Leadership class reduced the price for one ticket from $100 to $70 since dinner won’t be served at prom, saving students money. Leadership teacher Michelle Mayhew oversees and approves all the planning that leadership does for prom and wanted this

year’s prom price to be more equitable for students. “We are trying to get more people to be able to attend prom,” Mayhew said. “We definitely believe that prom is more of a classic part of high school and we are trying to make it more affordable for more students to be able to attend.” Michelle Ayala, 12, was in charge of planning prom and did not want money to be a factor in students decision to attend prom. “Last year, people were concerned about the prices,” Ayala said. “Prom is already

expensive when it comes to buying your outfits and we wanted to have a wider gap for more students to attend.” Dylan Dougherty, 11, approves of the idea of the dinner being removed which allows him to spend more money on clothes and friends. “I think overall it’s a good thing because it will be less money,” Dougherty said. “You have better options with cheaper tickets because you can spend more money on clothes and go out with friends for dinner instead.” Desti Huynh, 12, is attending this

year’s prom and doesn’t think that the lowered prices of tickets will make much of a difference in making the event cheaper. Huynh believes that with this extra money saved, students will use it on fancier clothes or dinners. “It was lowered a bit but not that much,” Huynh said. “ I think the overall cost of prom will be a lot more expensive since people will go out to fancier places and buy fancier dresses.” Prom is held on April 28 at the Corinthian Grand Ballroom with tickets being sold in the attendance office.

High Schools Coming Together for Pride Festival

Gender Sexuality Alliances across the South Bay area plan an event to support LGBTQ+ youth By Melody Beam Entertainment Editor

as well. “Folks are really helping with things like outreach, decorative tasks, entertainment, who they wanna see present, and making judgement calls,” Keel said. “So really I want the young people to have as much ownership on the event as possible.” Gunderson, Leland, Silver Creek, Menlo Atherton and Monta Vista High Schools are lending a hand in this process. GSA stands for either Gay-Straight Alliance or GenderSexuality Alliance at many schools. “I think it’s important for young people to be the voice of this event this event because if we were to create a space for young people to express themselves and find support,” GSA Adviser Danni McConnell said. “It’s being run by people who don’t necessarily understand what young people are going through, then it’s hard for young people to see themselves in that event.” South Bay Pride taking place on Saturday May 12 at 950 West Julian Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., admission is free.

Photo by Andrea Winters

Clubs focused on gender and sexuality issues from around the Bay Area are coming together to put together an event for the community and local allies. The LGBTQ Youth Space, located in Downtown San Jose, is reaching out to young people around the are on Saturday, May 12, at 950 West Julian Street from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. for an afternoon full of resources and activities for the community. Outreach Manager Adrienne Keel is a key source of assistance for this event, giving instruction so everyone is on the same page while helping to facilitate coordination and communication. “My plans for South Bay pride are to create a space for young people to meet people and figure out what they want out of the festival and do my best to have that all come to fruition,” Keel said. South Bay Pride will be offering resources

during the event, with involvement from group such as the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Community Center, Planned Parenthood, and possibly a clinic that can legally change your name. “The idea of being able to provide those services that I appreciated growing up was really meaningful to me,” Keel said. “This job means that we can ensure that people have one space in our community that feel supported and affirmed in.” The South Bay Pride festival attracted 250 people last year and Kian Spainhower, 11, hopes to expand this number while giving them more resources that they can access while at the event. “We’re just trying to fit the needs of South Bay youth who happen to be LGBT or allies and they can have resources or come and meet new people that are LGBT,” Spainhower said. Ever since January 2018, selected representatives from GSAs around the Bay Area have been joining in on the preparation

The South Bay Pride Youth Pride Festival informational poster posted around schools, stores, and places around town.

“Mustang” Candidates Strut Their School Spirit

Male pageant proves to be a success as contestants walk the stage to show off their go big blue pride By Katie Nguyen, Emily Nguyen and Raya Carrillo Staff Writers

Photo by Natalie Sarsfield

Eleven Mustangs took the stage to show off their Pioneer pride and various talents to compete for the title of Mr. Mustang. The anticipated pageant was held on April 18 consisting of a question-and-answer segment where the contestants strutted down the runway sporting suits provided by Formal Headquarters, a spirit wear section in which the competitors showed off their go big blue pride, and a talent portion that displayed their expertise in skills such as singing and acting. Thanks to the tireless work of the staff and students from leadership, there was a full house of approximately 200 people with tickets selling for only $1. Leadership made $250 overall, barely breaking even. The money gained from the event was precalculated, lowering the price of the prom tickets. Leadership teacher Amy Hernandez believes that the key to successful school events are unifying the different groups within the school. “It’s something that brings people together. It’s an event where staff come and judge, and students come and participate,” Hernandez said. “What we’re excited about this year is that all four grade levels have students participating.” Leadership student Michelle Ayala, 12, took initiative to put on the event and felt that advertising through social media helped bring in a big crowd. Last year, Mr. Mustang was cancelled due to lack of participation so this year there was a big turn around.

On April 18, Jeffrey Plaza, 12, kneels to accept the crown and award as the winner of Mr. Mustang. “Planning Mr. Mustang was a huge process from making the application, getting enough contestants, and planning a great turnout for the day of the event,” Ayala said. “Countless hours were spent on working with the contestants after school, during school, and the during break.” Contestant Kyle Kitagawa, 10, was awarded Mr. Congeniality with a total of 39 votes in his favor. Kitagawa felt fortunate to represent his class and was thankful for all the support he received at the pageant.

“I gained some new friends and a new found confidence in doing anything in front of a crowd of people,” Kitagawa said. “This was my first real performance so I was very nervous about it, but I calmed down after I knew that it was okay to act funny because people were enjoying it.” Winner Jeffery Plaza, 12, was proud that he was able to be a role model and make a good impression on the school. “Mr. Mustang embodies Pioneer spirit by bringing some fun and laughter to our

school,” Plaza said. “It’s a good way for everyone to gather and laugh and enjoy themselves. I like to think that this is what we’re about.” The prize for winning Mr. Congeniality was a single free prom ticket and Mr. Mustang was rewarded with two tickets. With all of the talents displayed at the event, both contestants demonstrated what it took to take the crown. In all good fun, all the competitors put on a fantastic show and set the bar high for the future Mr. Mustangs.

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Entertainment Melody’s Mind

Musicians From Famous Bands Unite Band members from established bands come together for a new project

Melody Beam

Entertainmemt Editor

When I was little, there was a place that easily made a day become special. Toys R Us was that place. Even if you didn’t buy anything it was always fun to look at all the new toys and let your imagination run wild. Toys R Us has recently filed for bankruptcy, liquidizing all 800 stores in the US due to their rising debt, but also the strong competition of larger companies. There are no stores that aim exclusively to children anymore. Department stores like Walmart or Target are becoming the main source for decent but basic toys. I feel like I can speak for most people when I say that going to Target or Walmart as kid wasn’t as exciting as going to Toys R Us since there could have been grocery shopping involved when going to a department store. The same thing applies to online shopping as it will also become more expensive due to shipping costs, forcing people to buy services like Amazon Prime. The local Toys R Us on Blossom Hill holds many memories, just being in the store brings back childhood giddiness. It will heartbreaking to see it go, but with the way the world is changing rapidly, it was always expected to happen. Toys R Us stores around the country are closing one by one, so if you have gift cards it might be smart to use them now. Billionaires and companies are rapidly trying to save the store through extreme bids, but no amount seems enough for Toy R Us.

Songs That Make You Dance By Isabel Epstein 1. Supernova House of Lions Supernova 2. Let It Happen Tame Impala Currents 3. Carried Away Passion Pit Gossamer

5. Undercover Martyn Two Door Cinema Club Tourist History 6. Freaking Out the Neighborhood Mac DeMarco 2 7.Are You What You Want to Be? Foster The People Supermodel 8. Under Cover of Darkness The Strokes Angles

By Melody Beam Entertainment Editor Both coming from famous bands, ex-bassist from Panic! At The Disco, Dallon Weekes, and ex-drummer Ryan Seaman from Falling in Reverse have made their mark in music with only three songs released. Their new band, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, has become one of those bands

that attract attention using cryptic behavior and offputting lyrics, priding themselves in being mysterious and unpredictable. On April 13, the band performed in San Francisco at Rickshaw Stop for their mini tour with Saint Phnx, a pop band all the way from Scotland. Claire Mulkerrian, 12, from San Mateo High School attended the show with high hopes. “I’m hoping to see a great musician who is a

Skywalker is Music to Mustangs’ Ears Chamber Orchestra is given an opportunity to play at George Lucas’ studio By Emily Guerra Staff Writer The Chamber Orchestra travelled to “Star Wars” director George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch, where they professionally recorded music and were welcomed into the Lucas home theatre. On Saturday, March 24, Pioneer High School and Castillero Middle School drove to the ranch, located in Marin County. Orchestra teacher Scott Krijnen and his professional ties to sound designer Jeremy Bauker led to the invitation for Chamber Orchestra to use their recording studio. Students were welcomed to work with Judy Kirschner, a Grammy-winning recording engineer that takes them through the process of professional recording.

“It’s sort of overwhelming for the eyes, especially for the young’uns, because it’s big, it’s professional, and it’s a different feel than walking into (the band) room every day,” Krijnen said. Often music correlates with current events, and The March for Our Lives was coincidentally the same date as the orchestra trip. “Fittingly, we played March of the Resistance. We also played Shostakovich, a piece written in a way that showed Dmitri Shostakovich’s frustration with Stalin, so it was fitting that it all worked on March 24, and all those events coincided,” Krijnen said. Because Krijnen is also the Orchestra teacher at Castillero, he brought their Chamber Orchestra, resulting in students like Edmund Allen, 10, experiencing the

ranch for the second time. “This time I was concertmaster. I matured, and I appreciate it more, because it’s a rare experience. I don’t think I’ll ever go back there again,” Allen said. Renee Bossier, 9, was presented with insight to one of many lifestyles that she would not be given insight to otherwise. “For some kids, they’re not going to go into music as their profession, but they get to experience being in a professional setting, in any case,” Bossier said. “If they are going to go into music, they get to have a professional setting that pertains to what they want to do. That’s a really good experience.” On May 16, head to the PAC to see Orchestra’s next concert for free from 7 to 9 p.m.

Pirates of the Caribbean Ride in Debate

Disney replaces sexist auction scene causing controversy about the attraction By Isabel Epstein Staff Writer Whenever Disneyland decides to make changes to beloved attractions, an uproar of opposing thoughts and opinions rise from the masses. For over 50 years, the Pirates of the Caribbean ride depicted women being sold in a bride auction. During June 2017, it was announced that the ride would endure some alterations and reopen with a much less sexist scene of townsfolk preparing to surrender their valuables to a female pirate. “Disneyland is supposed to be for little kids and it’s important to represent women as not a possession because I think that spreads negativity and it shapes the way girls view themselves,” Feminism club President Jessica Zhao, 10, said. What may have been suitable to the time period back then, has become rather misogynistic and has been raising eyebrows throughout recent years. Some people believe that erasing history will end up doing more harm to our societies’ future. “When it comes to how far we’ve fought for equality, I think that needs to be shown and talked about because a lot of times we take for granted what we have now,” History

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Photo by Caitlyn Dehn

4. Electric Feel MGMT Oracular Spectacular

The newly formed band I Don’t Know How But They Found Me played at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco on April 13th. Photo by Lauryn Luescher

great performer perform really well,” Mulkerrian said. “I’m a musician myself and so I already know I’m going to get quality music here. I’m interested to see how he performs.” Their uniqueness shows greatly in their choice of aesthetics, using elements from the 70’s and 80’s synth pop mixed with pop rock. “It’s a different idea base,” Mulkerrian said. “This (the band) is supposed to be based on 70’s tv show tapes that have been lost in recordings that Dallon found in a recording studio.” The intimacy of this small concert might short lived due to their rising popularity. Appreciation for this band has been clear through the steady increase in Instagram followers and also peaking number seven on Itunes top 100 alternative music charts. Superfan Juliet Bernal, 12, from Concord also attended the show, attracted to the fact that these two musicians have their own solo group. “I feel like it’s such a big opportunity just to be able to come because they come from such big bands and now it’s so much cooler to be in a small venue,” Bernal said. The release date of this album is uncertain, as is the rest of their vague personas, but it should be expected soon according to Weekes during the concert. The three singles, “Modern Day Cain”, “Choke”, and “Nobody Likes the Opening Band” are available to listen to on Youtube and their website, idkhow.com.

On March 28, Redd, the redhead female pirate, auctions off the goods of the townspeople to them that is seen during the ride. teacher Lillian Luu said. “If we’re not learning from our history and not pushing for our times to be updated then we’re not making a better society.” The Pirates of the Caribbean was the last ride Walt Disney had worked on before his death. Hardcore fans who grew up with the attractions feel like a part of their childhood is being erased when attractions are altered and

feel that Disney’s legacy is slowly fading. “(The change) is not how Walt envisioned it and that’s how the time was when the whole ride was built so I think it should stay true to how the time was,” Jessica Street, 11, said. The attraction will start undergoing construction starting April 23 at the Disneyland Park in Anaheim, as well as the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida.

Opinion

Broadway Stars Are Taking a Stand The Right to Choose Emily Nguyen

Staff Writer On March 19, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt released the music video for their song “Found/Tonight” where they crafted a mashup of the songs “For Forever” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Story of Tonight” from the musical “Hamilton.” Two of my favorite musicals coming together to create a song, I am all for it. However, I was confused when I reached the end of the video. There was a screen fading to black and, an almost ominous phrase came on to

screen of my phone. “For the kids.” I then looked in the description of the video and discovered that a portion of the proceeds would be going to the March For Our Lives Initiative, along with a link to the site to donate. I learned that Miranda and Platt were supporting the thousands of students fighting for stricter gun laws. My view on gun control is simple; yes, go on and protect yourself, it is a right all Americans have, however I believe that these laws must be stricter so that guns do not fall into irresponsible hands. I was ecstatic that my role models were taking a stand and doing a part in support of this movement. After listening to the song multiple times I shared it with everyone I knew and then ended up in conversations of “It’s probably a marketing ploy” or “It doesn’t even matter.” This does matter. On the first day of the video release, one million people viewed the video. The message is getting across. In the performance video of the song at the

Washington D.C. march, Miranda spoke on the duo’s participation. “We’re here to support these incredible students who have created a tipping point in our country. They’re leading the way and we’re here to have their back and support them,” Miranda said. As a student, I know we do not have much voice. No matter what we do or say, our lives are in the hands of adults and government. We already know adults do not always listen. No matter what they do or say, they do not listen. But that does not mean we are going to stop. I put my faith into this song. I put my faith into Miranda and Platt. I may not have a voice or any influence, but they do. Their communities do. With more and more adults standing up for us, the students, maybe then our voices will be carried over the crowds and into the ears of the people making the rules. No matter how small my voice may be, the collective voices of thousands integrated with voices of influence will make change. I’ve had enough.

The Queen Doesn’t Deserve Her Crown Natalie Sarsfield

Staff Writer The famed “Queen of Pop” Beyoncé has a reputation of being a role model for women, especially those of color, everywhere and the female singer of our generation. Everyone is so caught up in this reputation that they refuse to face the facts; she’s overrated and too hyped up. For all the Beyhive members out there, I’ll start off easy. Let’s begin with the 2018 release of “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran as a duet

with Beyoncé. Of course, her fan base went crazy, completely ignoring the beauty of the original song as a solo. Anyone with the slightest bit of a music background or even just a good ear can tell that their voices don’t work together and soft indie music is not the right genre for Beyoncé. Beyoncé is traditionally a pop singer with songs like “7/11” and “Partition” which are quite different from Sheeran’s style. Just because it was Beyoncé on the new edition doesn’t mean it’s better than the original version. I also don’t understand why a woman as powerful and influential as herself would stay with someone who cheated on her. We all know Beyoncé could do way better than Jay-Z, even if he never cheated on her. Someone who serves as such a role model for young girls shouldn’t make it seem like being disrespected by your significant other is acceptable. While I will admit she is an icon who

is inspirational for women and people of color, the constant highlighting of her every moment takes from others. She may have taken the time to show black stories in her music video for the popular song “Formation” released during Black History Month but did we simply forget the life-changing roles of Lupita Nyong’o or interpretive art of Frida Kahlo? What about the three NASA female scientists who changed history as shown in Hidden Figures (2016)? To each their own as far as music tastes go but people cannot ignore the fact that the Beyoncé is an overrated figure in social media and just because a song features her doesn’t make that a great song and her personal decisions shouldn’t be idolized like she is. No one can deny that Beyoncé is a music legend of our generation but we can’t ignore how her heavy influence and fanbase is sometimes deeply misguided.

Annika Dahlberg

News Editor

Recently, a new section of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Division of Conscience and Religious Freedom, sent a ripple of worry through both women and the LGBT+ community, fearing this new division could allow health care services to receive public funds to deny certain services. Contraception, abortions, in vitro fertilization, HIV testing and treatment, hormone therapy, gender-confirmation surgery, and mental health care, all seen as areas of controversy within different factions of Christianity, could be denied to patients due to their doctors moral preferences. People fear that if a healthcare professional is able to deny a person services based on their religious preferences, safety and personal choice is compromised. I respect the right to believe anything you choose, but I shouldn’t have to sacrifice my well-being because someone else’s beliefs intrude on my health and safety. It is a personal choice that should not be forced upon me or anyone else. Two years ago, Mississippi state legislature passed the Religious Liberty Accommodations Act, an act protecting religious beliefs by allowing people to deny certain requests based on their individual morals. It allows organizations to make decisions based on their “religious beliefs and moral conviction free from discrimination charges.” It’s an act like this that lets churches bypass the law. Wheaton College refused to comply with the affordable care act being that it covers contraception. And everyday, I watch the people I love pretend to be someone they aren’t because some old book allegedly provides justification in choosing religion over their children. I do not understand where their priorities lie. Isn’t the idea of an all-accepting god meant to encourage all to be accepting? To be clear, I am not against religion. Religion is a personal choice, a decision made by a person, but it should never be forced or used to inflict harm or pain upon anyone. Everyone deserves the ability to live their life how they choose. If you love your god or gods, by all means, worship them. But if you won’t let a girl love another girl, you have stolen the basic right you get every day: a right to choose. Religions should stay out of law and in the hearts of the people who associate with them.

Jefferson Award for Public Service Have you done outstanding service that impacts your community? If you think so, you can qualify for the Jefferson Award for Public Service! How to apply: Submit a slip of paper with your name on it to Mr. Burrell in room P4 and you will be contacted. Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

Opinion

No Haze Around Vaping Solutions The Pony Express Editorial Board While students have been vaping all year, the issue has taken on a new prominence after Leadership took on this discussion through their presentations to administration, staff and parents. Once this was deemed as a problem, Leadership took initiative and held meetings with the intent of making the Pioneer community aware of the problem. The problem is not awareness. We are fully aware as we see it in the bathrooms, classrooms and around campus. Understanding the difference between a wax pen and a juul is not the heart of the problem. We need to focus on how to stop the problem, a problem that involves damage to the brain, heart and lungs as well as cancerous tumor development, according to the Center on Addiction. As a student body, us included, we have this

sense that we should be concerned about the issue but we don’t actually want to do anything about it. The real way to stop the problem is reporting our friends. We all have this fear that goes back to kindergarten that we cannot snitch on our classmates. But if you want them to stop for their own health and safety, you need to report them. This is the only way to stop their addictions so they can get help. We have a drug counselor on campus, but only for those that have been reported. We need to hold them accountable and give them consequences for their actions. That is the first option. The other side to this is to stop acting like we care about the actions of others and let them vape until they face serious health issues. If we stop acting like we want to stop the problem then we can continue to ignore those vaping during school hours. As a student body we need to pick one because what we are doing now simply isn’t working. Students are getting away with vaping during

school, and even when the few that are caught vaping right in front of the cameras are given consequences they are not even close to a valid punishment. A first offense is an on-campus suspension which for many students is more of a reward than a punishment. Getting to hang out in the office all day instead of sitting through all your classes does not makes you want to stop vaping it encourages it, half of these students are getting out of class to go to the bathroom and vape anyway. However, if you are caught drinking even after school hours at a rally or dance you are automatically given an off-campus suspension. These are our classmates changing their lives by vaping and it is up to us to choose how we want to handle it. The administration and teachers can only do so much, because we are the ones that see it everyday. So choose, do you want to sit back and watch your classmates vape and face the consequences or do you want to do something about it?

Elections Promise Empty Promises Lauryn Luescher

Editor-in-Chief It’s time again for the Pioneer’s annual popularity contest to begin. The election season for both ASB as well as class officers is right around the corner and as a student body we need to keep in mind what these candidates will actually do for the school and student body instead of falling into the empty promises of each candidate. Year after year candidates create these

campaigns based around why they are best fit for the position and what they are going to do for students. However, while all of these promises are enticing, after the election students are left in the dark and never see anything come out of these elections. As seniors we are still waiting on that assigned senior parking promised last year in Class President Danny Woo’s speech or even going back to ASB president Jack Tran who promised that we would have cleaner well stocked bathrooms. Throughout his years in office the bathrooms were still out of soap and toilet paper. So as a student body what are our votes based on? Funny campaign video that take up all of class but tell us nothing that helps us make our decision. Or is the the gym walls covered in slogans and pictures attacking the other candidates. The candidates in school wide elections are all the members of Leadership competing head to head for who is going to get to check

the student government box on their college applications. Elections are extremely exclusive to this one group of students that I do not necessarily think best represents our student population or it’s needs. While the election is open to all students it is not well advertised outside of Leadership class time leaving many interested students unsure on how to even get involved in the process. This year while the candidates for student body may not change the way they campaign, I encourage student to choose candidates that accurately represent the students needs. Let’s elect someone that will make a difference on our campus and advocate for their classmates. Let’s ignore the slogans and gimicks and ask start asking our candidates what they are going to do and more importantly, how they are going to do it. We all complain about the flaws of Pioneer High School and electing someone that will consider student input is the first step to making a difference on campus.

Ending Altogether in One Harmony Ricky Covey

Guest Columnist On March 19, my entire world changed. That day I was home sick with a very bad stomach flu, and when I woke up, I went on twitter to find a tweet from Fifth Harmony, one of my favorite bands. It read that they will be going on an indefinite hiatus in order to pursue solo careers, after six years of being one of the most successful bands on “The X Factor.” I first thought, “No, this is just a joke” and fell back asleep, hoping it was a bad dream. It wasn’t, then

my heart shattered. Ever since middle school, I have been looked at as that kid who has a crazy unhealthy obsession with Fifth Harmony, specifically with ex-member Camila Cabello and current member Ally Brooke Hernandez. Not only was I looked that way by some of my classmates, but in other activities, such as Boy Scouts, where a scout called them, and I quote, “The gayest band ever.” I ignored that scout at all costs. Though never outly said, I could see it in their eyes that they saw me as the kid who liked the all girl band because it has pretty members. I don’t know who saw me that way or who doesn’t, but let me say this. That is simply false. Those 5 (now 4) girls changed my entire life, and helped me through some tough times, specifically sophomore year. I had someone very near to my heart be diagnosed with cancer (they are now in

remission), and having the sophomore project did not help me with that dark time. But I knew that in my very own pocket, that I could just go to YouTube and they’d be there in the playlist I had made for those hard times. When I met them in person twice, each time they made me realize that I am a strong, and tough guy, even when all I want to do is drop to the ground and cry. Each of the songs they release gives me something to turn my crap of a day into a better one. Not only are they my favorite band, but they are motivators Now that they’re going on a hiatus, I don’t have any new music to add to the playlist. The message for this column. How about the next time you see someone who seems to have an obsession with something, you actually ask them why they love that thing so much, instead of making them feel they shouldn’t share their interests freely.

Letter to the Editor Annalise Martelino Junior I have always thought Pioneer as a place of cultural diversity and full of differing viewpoints, each essential to the character of our campus. But with the walkout ultimately resulting in disrespect and as a way to “cut class”, I can feel nothing but disappointment in this student body. If this is how we treat political movements, with disrespect, how will we treat political movements in the future that could possibly change the course of our history? How will we treat future Women’s

March Days or pro/anti-choice marches? How will we treat the presidential campaigns in the future? By being at one simple walkout commemorating the deaths of Parkland’s seventeen to simply “cut class” is disrespectful and quite frankly disgusting. I believe that was a way to mock the lives these victims could have lived, as well as the efforts by the Progressive Student Union to organize this event. The majority of the Parkland victims were fourteen years old. Those kids didn’t have the privilege of experiencing love or of pursuing their passion or of simply living the rest of their

Pony Express - Volume 58, Issue 7

lives like they should have. We have that opportunity, we’re still breathing. Those kids don’t; those kids are now six feet under. Furthermore, walkouts are not an excuse to “cut class”; they are stands made by people who truly believe in a cause and are willing to take a risk to see that cause through. If we can’t take our own opinions seriously now, how will we treat our opinions when they truly start to impact this nation? This student body needs to shape up or face the consequences of our inconsideration. Pioneer needs to understand that respect is a right, not a privilege nor a selective choice.

Letter to the Editor By Peter Glasser I read with interest your newspaper’s coverage of recent gun violence and especially the question as to whether arming teachers is a potential solution to oncampus threats. In respectfully disagreeing with my colleagues quoted in the article, I call your attention to a decade-long study by the RAND Center on Quality Policing, which concluded that fully-trained New York City police officers have only a 30% accuracy rate when shooting their weapons in the line of duty, a rate that falls to 18% when an alleged criminal is shooting back. If New York City police only muster an 18% accuracy rate in active shooter situations, I can’t even hazard a guess as to how low the rate would be for panic-stricken, non- or nominally-trained teachers, or even teachers who deem themselves to be experienced with firearms. In addition to perpetuating the tragic, persistent myth in American culture that one can effectively fight violence with more violence, simple mathematics tells me that arming teachers is a recipe for a bloodbath.

The Pony Express wants to hear from you. Send us your thoughts, comments, criticism or praise, and we’ll potentially print it here. Letters should be exclusive to the Pioneer Pony Express and preferably 150-200 words. Contact the Pioneer Pony Express at ponyexpresseditors@gmail.com. Anonymous letters will not be considered for print.