Our Lady of the Elms High School • 1375 West Exchange St. Akron, OH 44313 • (330) 867-0880 • http://www.theelms.org/ • March 2013
Frontline combat positions now open to women soldiers by Michelle Chang ‘16 Women in the military were allowed to serve on most Navy ships, as combat pilots and in support jobs, including those in war zones. However, they have never been placed in direct combat roles, until now. On January 31st, 2013, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta removed the ban on women serving in combat roles. Panetta stated, “Women have become an important asset to the military and have already demonstrated their willingness to fight during the wars.” “It’s clear to all of us that women are contributing in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission of defending the nation,” Panetta said. Panetta had argued that women, who already make up fifteen percent of the force, are just as capable in combat as men. Morgan Furlan ‘13 agrees with Panetta and said, “I think that it’s good that women get equality on the battlefield because women can be just as brave and strong as men.” Panetta had also stated that not everyone can meet the qualifications to be a combat soldier but that everyone is en-
titled to the opportunity. This change would open thousands of front-line positions and command jobs to women. Some front-line military roles may open to women as soon as this year. However, arguments and debates over this issue have erupted throughout the media. General officers have argued mainly about the cons of women in combat and the major problems that would arise. A study regarding military personnel was taken by University of Connecticut. It showed that 56% of the women in “mixed gender units” ended up pregnant just prior or during their duty in Desert Storm. It also showed that 46% claimed that the pregnancies, “had a negative impact on unit readiness” and 59% said it had a “negative impact on morale.” Women often do not know they are pregnant, which may lead to serious health and safety concerns. Studies have also shown, women are often sexually abused and violated when they are held captive by male enemies. Another concern is that men in combat will react differently to seeing a female in danger because American culture historically teaches men
to protect women. Male soldiers would not trust a female soldier to perform tasks that they expect fellow soldiers to perform. Finally, the officials conclude with the question, “are women physically strong enough?” If women can’t meet the general standards, would it be fair to lower them simply because of their gender? According to a Marine Corps survey, 17% of Marines say they’d quit the military if women were allowed in combat roles. Western Society teacher, Mrs. Rufus said, “We are a more equal country and therefore, we have more of an opportunity for people to fulfill their potentials. This makes us a stronger nation. I feel sorry for other countries that don’t have that opportunity. I also don’t think all women would want to participate in combat, but the ones who desire so shouldn’t be held back.” Panetta’s decision gives the military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women.
Western states take the ‘high’ road
PAnthers, Welcome to the 21st century
by Renee Dollard ‘14 PAW (Panthers Achieve Wireless) is the new wireless system the Elms introduced this autumn. The main objective of PAW is to update the wireless infrastructure in order to create an open environment for wireless technology. This technology can be used to interact with other schools nationally and internationally, give virtual tours of historical places and allow students to work anywhere in the school. Skype can be used to converse with experts in a classroom or assembly no matter where they are. It also allows students to communicate with students from other parts of the globe. Students can now access the Internet from anywhere in the school by use of their own personal devices. This would allow students to access information online without having to go to the library, thus, making it easier for teachers to schedule in-class workdays. Despite the schools attempt to publicize the new wireless program, very few people actually know what PAW is. Although students are unaware of the PAW program, they do know of the school’s recently updated wireless system. General ignorance and confusion of this new program and how to use it has been found consistently throughout the school. Many students who bring their own devices to school don’t know how to access the wireless. “I think it’s nice if you know how to get on it,” Leah Limpach ‘15 said.
While some students embrace this new wireless program, others are deterred, due to the policies of BYOD. BOYD (Bring Your Own Device) is a result of the new wireless in the building. This allows students to bring their laptops, tablets, and smartphones to school to be used for learning purposes. In order for a student to use their devices, they must register them with Mr. Perez by using forms that had been distributed in homeroom. These forms ask for the Wi-Fi address of a student’s device, which angered many members of the student body. This is due to the possibility of the school viewing a student’s activity on their devices with their Wi-Fi address. Although some issues have been raised, many students feel the program is useful for the entire student body. “I think the PAW program will be really beneficial to the Elms School as a whole,” Anna Simko ’16 said. Many students frequently bring their computers to school and are able to use them for school projects. Others appreciate the extra freedom that comes with the new program. Molly Ryan ‘15 said “I think that it’s a good idea so far it has only benefited me. After registering my IP address, I have been able to do homework using my smart phone.” Overall, the new wireless system will continue to benefit the staff and students at the Elms, allowing them to learn in new ways with advanced technological resources.
Your Pop-Culture Joke of the Quarter: What does the Pope eat for breakfast?
The legalization of marijuana in the United States has been in the news over recent years. Marijuana’s presence in American society began in the 1930’s with the advent of the Jazz era. There was a large resurgence of marijuana use in the 1960’s due to the Vietnam War, and the easy accessibility to the drug. It was embraced by the counterculture, and has been integrated into the fabric of American culture since. In January 2013, the recreational use of marijuana became legal (depending on the definition of legal) in Colorado and Washington State. Over a dozen other states have decriminalized possession of the drug in small amounts, and Massachusetts recently became the 18th state to allow marijuana for medical purposes. Even though the federal law still bans both the sale and possession of marijuana, the government has found no need to enforce the federal law in states where marijuana is legalized. “It would not make sense for us to see a top priority as going after recreational users in states that have determined that it’s legal,” President Obama said. Proponents of legalization argue that marijuana is much safer to use than alcohol, pointing out the fact that it is virtually impossible to overdose on marijuana. Scientists generally agree that fewer than ten percent of marijuana smokers become dependent on the drug, compared with fifteen percent for alcohol, twenty-three percent for heroin and thirty-two percent for tobacco. Marijuana does contain carcinogens, including tar and other toxins similar to those found in tobacco, however, people generally do not smoke marijuana in the same amounts as cigarettes. Still, legalization takes health conscious consumers into murky territory. Even though marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, questions about its health effects remain. Foremost, this is not your parents’ pot. Today’s marijuana is much more potent. The mean concentration of THC, the psychoactive ingredient, in confiscated cannabis has more than doubled between the years of 1993 and 2008. Increased potency may be having unforeseen consequences. The human brain’s cannabinoid receptors are typically activated by naturally occurring chemicals in the body called endocannabinoids, which are similar to THC. There is a high density of cannabinoid receptors in parts of the brain that affect pleasure, memory and concentration. Some research suggests that these areas continue to be affected by marijuana use even after the “high” dissipates. “It’s much more potent marijuana, which may explain why we’ve seen a pretty dramatic increase in admission to emergency rooms and treatment programs for marijuana,” said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “When we hear, ‘Well, I smoked and nothing happened to me,’ we need to think about the context of when these people started to take it, how frequently they used and how active the marijuana was.” Those in favor of legalizing marijuana say the increase in potency has been exaggerated and that when users have more powerful pot, they adjust their consumption and actually smoke less. Marijuana is now legal in some form in eighteen states. In all probability, it will be legalized in all fifty states by the end of the decade.
Answer: Ex-Benedict!