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evarmore
Ravenscroft School
Ravenscroft School Day of Cycle 10:10 11:10
1 Morning Meeting Break Tutorial
2 Tutorial Break Advisory
7409 Falls of Neuse Road
3 Break Tutorial Community Time/Clubs
4 Morning Meeting Break Tutorial
5 6 7 Break Break Morning Meeting Lead From Here Tutorial Break Community Time/Clubs Tutorial
May 2015 8 Tutorial Break Advisory
Configuring community time in the new schedule Brett Haensel
Staff Writer
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he addition of community time and a tutorial into the middle of the 20152016 schedule has raised questions about what the time periods will include. Head of Upper School Peter Bogue said in the new eight-day schedule rotation, community time, tutorial, and break will occupy three time blocks everyday in the 10:1011:10 time period. Throughout the eight-day rotation, community time will include a mix of advisory meetings, Lead From Here lessons, full-school meetings (replacing the current Morning Meetings), and club meetings. Unlike this year, Upper School students will not head follow the same
Monday, Wednesday Friday pattern because Morning Meetings, both advisory and full-school, will no longer meet on the same day every week as they do now. Instead, meetings will occur based on the new eight-day schedule rotation. Full-school meetings will still meet in Jones’ Theatre and will take place twice per rotation. Bogue mentioned that the community time schedule block “will be flexible” and subject to change based on the needs of the faculty and students. He also said that there will be less Lead From Here lessons next year and instead may be replaced with “advisory checkups” (much like the current Wednesday morning advisory time). Clubs will be given the opportunity to meet during this time though they can still meet during lunch or after school if club leaders
choose to do so. The tutorial time block added into the new schedule will be a completely free period for students to see their teachers with questions, get work done, or even just hang out and relax with friends. Students will not be required to attend any tutorial and are permitted to go to the library to work or hang out in Rhonda’s Cafe if they wish. The mid-day tutorial block in the new schedule will work as the current tutorial system works with each teacher being assigned a specific room to hold tutorial. This block of time was included into the new schedule for the benefit of students. The hope, according to Bogue, is it will allow time for students and teachers to build relationships with each other as well as give students time to complete
work and receive help. Overall, the hourwilling and able to assist their peers with long period will be mainly “free” outside on a public document to be shared with evof advisory and full-school meetings, and eryone. Erikson hopes every NHS member up to the student to spend wisely. would be willing to give up one study hall In addition to the every eight days community time and tutoin order to serve “It’s an opportunity for our the community. rial, each student will also have a mandatory study best and brightest students to Any stuhall. Bogue and Michael give back to the community and dent would be Erikson, Math Instructor, able to attend the provide scholarship and ser- study hall seshave been collaborating on a new idea that will in- vice.” sions and receive - Michael Erikson help without even corporate National Honors Math Instructor & having to sign up. Society (NHS) members National Honors Society Advisor Erikson as tutors. As a part of the views service component of The this brand new NHS, Erikson and Bogue are hoping to ininitiative as an “opportunity for our best stitute a new study hall program that would and brightest students to give back to the include NHS members. community and provide scholarship and As a part of the new program, NHS service.” members will list subjects that they are
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CENSORED
First Amendment woes equal student newspaper lows Emi Myers E
Editor
ditor in chiefs of high school newspapers in the area, including The Nevarmore, reported being systematically censored during their tenure as leaders of their publications. Censorship, as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court Case Farmers Educational & Coop. Union v. WDAY Inc., “connotes any examination of thought or expression in order to prevent publication of ‘objectionable’ material.” While First Amendment rights protect free speech, free speech in schools has posed a legal question since the Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court case in 1969. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of freedom of expression in this case and Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas famously said, neither students nor teachers “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of expression or speech at the schoolhouse gate,” according to the United States Courts website. The 1988 Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court Case reduced the First Amendment rights of high school journalists by deciding that “public schools do not have to allow student speech if it is inconsistent with the schools’ educational mission” according to the United States Courts website. More specifically, this case said that schools could censor when the content could be seen to be “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.” Examples include material that is considered
by administration to be: biased or prejudiced, unsuitable for immature audiences, ungrammatical, or material that would “associate the school with anything other than neutrality on matters of political controversy.” Ravenscroft’s Nevarmore and Durham Academy’s The Green and White do not legally receive any of the protections provided by
An additional unsigned editorial was censored in the March 2015 issue giving the editors opinions on SPEAK because it was said to be racially insensitive and “bigoted.” Even with constitutional protections, public school newspapers are systematically censored. “Everything we publish (even the Crossword!) is submitted to our principal Thomas Humble. He has the ‘final say’ on whether or not the material of the article is appropriate for publication,” “Schools who over censor said Marin Goodwin, ‘15 newspapers threaten to diminish and editor in chief of Raleigh the purpose of the school Charter High School’s student newspaper, The Flame. newspaper.” Goodwin said, “We are - Marin Goodwin required to make ALL changes Editor in chief of Raleigh Charter suggested by our principle- in High School’ s The Flame fact they aren’t really suggestions but rather requirements the Tinker standard because they in order to publish the content of the are private institutions in which article.” there is no constitutional recourse. With respect to the necessary If a student is enrolled at a review of each publication, Thomprivate school, he or she does not as Humble, Raleigh Charter High have First Amendment rights be- School’s principal said “I rarely do cause the school is not considered not approve articles. And, on quesa branch of the government in con- tionable articles, I typically consult trast with its public school coun- with the teacher of the newspaper terparts at which students are sup- class about my not approving.” posed to be awarded these rights. Connor Choate, ‘15 and editor The Nevarmore has been de- in chief of Leesville’s High School’s nied publication of an article con- student newspaper, The Mycenaen, cerning serving fried chicken and reported having “multiple articles collard greens during Black History completely censored from the paper.” Month, an unsigned editorial on the One such example is a recent, Lead From Here program, and the un-bylined editorial which criticized retraction of a quote because it was the display of Confederate flags. The deemed inflammatory and untimely administration of Leesville High while many students were upset School determined that it could have that the administration was heavily offended someone. involved in their personal lives. At Raleigh Charter, Goodwin
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was also completely censored on an High School in Baltimore, Maryland article about the movie, Project X en- has been completely censored from his titled “Project X or Project Sex” on publication three times in the 2014-15 the grounds that it “might have con- academic year. vinced students to watch the movie Waldman’s censored articles or take part in recreational Ecstasy,” covered the forced departure of the Goodwin said. school’s principal, a teacher who reHumble declined to comment signed halfway through the academic on the specific reasons for censoring year due to frustrations with the adGoodwin’s article but said “I do not ministration, and drug trafficking in approve articles that describe, sug- the school. gest, or imply unsafe or illegal be“When our principal left, many haviors. If an article comments on the students had no idea who was even speed of a vehicle, I would strike that running the school, and that’s just not sentence.” right. There are flaws in the education In addition, The Flame was de- system and I tried bringing light to nied publication of articles regarding them, but I couldn’t because of censorteen pregnancy, marijuana, and teen ship.” depression because the administration In the case of the article about “felt that the material was too sensi- the teacher’s resignation, Waldman tive for the student body or may have said Acting Principal Joy O’Brienoffend someone,” Goodwin said. Krack believed that the article was liStudents at private schools who belous. Waldman further specified that lack the protection of the First Amendment do not necessarily disagree with censorship “I do not approve articles that measures. describe, suggest, or imply unsafe or “I think what we have at our school is a happy me- illegal behaviors. If an article dium of a free press and strict comments on the speed of a vehicle, censorship - we can write I would strike that sentence.” about anything we want as - Thomas Humble long as we aren’t being offenPrincipal, Raleigh Charter High School sive, which I think is what all big news companies should strive for,” said Justin Chang, ‘15, one of three coeditors in chief of the article was, in fact, not libelous acDurham Academy’s student newspa- cording to legal precedent. per, The Green and White. Administrative censorship goes The censorship of student pub- far beyond the removal of quotes or lications is not limited to schools in barring the publication of an article. the Raleigh/Durham area. It happens “Schools who over censor nation-wide. newspapers threaten to diminish the Dan Waldman, ‘15 and editor purpose of the school newspaper,” said in chief of The Pipeline at Pikesville Goodwin.
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