Philadelphia, PA Vol. 4, Issue 1 An Independent Student Production of Franklin Learning Center
November 14, 2019
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Teacher Flight
FLC’s teachers are leaving. Can we keep them here?
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1 in 7 FLC teachers leave the school each year· Tiffany Rodriguez / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Trump impeachment inquiry continues FLC alumnus to be signed as pro boxer Hannah Biaggi News Editor President Donald Trump is under fire for allegedly violating part of the constitution, resulting in a formal impeachment inquiry in the US House of Representatives. His economic affairs with foreign nations, most recently Ukraine, have led congress to question whether the president has broken the law. When a president is in the process of
Leaking pipe sprays students
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being impeached, it means that criminal charges have been brought against them, and it’s the job of the House of Representatives to vote on whether the person in power should remain in office or not. If the members of the house vote to impeach Trump, then a trial will begin in the Senate. This process has only happened four times throughout American History, making this one the fifth. According to US History teacher Louis Fantini, “this is a very big deal because Continue reading on page 5
Parents: the voice we need
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Donte Cheatham Staff Writer Success is not instantaneous, sometimes those who wish to obtain it through years of hard work often start on a weak note. They can gain their true strengths. This is a key lesson 19-year-old Aanjhrue Williams learned throughout his journey in boxing. An alumnus of the FLC class of 2018, Williams has earned a great reputation for his fighting skills. He has been honing his skills for years at the Rock Minis-
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tries Gym, a church and boxing gym under the EL on Kensington and Somerset street. Established in 2003, rock ministries provides young boxers like Williams with not only the opportunity to build up an impressive style and work ethic, but also serves as a launchpad for his upcoming career as a professional boxer. Boxing since he was 12, the now 19-year-old Williams has fought a total of 52 fights, winning 37 of them. He is about to go pro for his team at the
What’s up with Joker?
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A place for memes in the classroom?
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School selection process kicks off at FLC Jordan Jones Opinion Editor
On Friday, September 20th, Franklin Learning Center hosted the 2019 kickoff for the School District of Philadelphia’s high school selection process. Superintendent Dr. William Hite and FLC Principal Nicole Lee gathered in the main lobby to officially open the process by which students across the city apply to K-12 district schools. FLC’s cover band, Universal Language, began the kickoff with a rendition of “Just the Two of Us.” The group has performed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. FLC’s music major is one of eight majors of study at the school, which Principal Lee noted as she explained the school’s unique place in the magnet school landscape: “[It is] one of those best kept secrets in Philadelphia. We welcome children from all over the world to com-
plete their high school career in our city.” Lee next introduced Dr. Hite, who explained that the school selection process “is an annual process where students in grades K through 12 can select schools that best fit their academic interests, career goals and learning styles. Each year, students have the opportunity to select up to five schools including special admission, citywide admission schools, and neighborhood high schools. We have a variety of unique academic programs,” he continued. “We know that learning isn’t necessarily one size fits all.” Near the end of the kickoff, Dr. Hite shifted his attention to FLC, specifically. The diversity that makes FLC’s school community stand out, he said, “represents the population in the city.” Dr. Hite also mentioned that when he thinks of FLC, “opportunity and access” come to mind. “People choose FLC because it’s a gem.”
School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Dr. William Hite addresses students, staff, and reporters at Franklin Learning Center on September. 20. · Tiffany Rodriguez / STAFF
Franklin Learning Center Principal Nicole Lee welcomes the community to the School District of Philadelphia’s School Selection Kickoff on September 20. · Colin Chrestay / FOR THE FLASH FLC
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El proceso de selección de escuela comienza en FLC Zulymar Rios Español Editor
El viernes, 20 de Septiembre, Franklin Learning Center fue anfitrión del comienzo de la selección escolar 2020 para el distrito escolar de Filadelfia. El superintendente Dr. William Hite y la directora de FLC Nicole Lee se reunieron en el vestíbulo principal para oficialmente comenzar el proceso, en el cual estudiantes de la ciudad de Filadelfia tienen la oportunidad de aplicar a cualquier escuela entre los grados del pre kinder a el duodécimo grado. La Banda de covers de FLC fue la encargada de comenzar la celebración con la interpretación del tema “Just The Two of Us.” El grupo se a presentado en Pennsylvania, Nueva Jersey y Nueva York. El departamento de música es uno de los ocho programas que ofrece FLC, y fue comentado por la Directora Lee como ”una maravilla escondida en el distrito de Filadelfia. Aceptamos a estudiantes de toda la ciudad para que
terminen su carrera de preparatoria acá.” Lee después nos introdujo a el Dr. Hite, el cual explicó que el proceso de selección escolar es “un proceso que pasa anualmente, en el cual estudiantes pueden escoger una escuela que llena sus interéses académicamente, estilo de aprendizaje y metas académicas. Todos los años los estudiantes tienen la opción de seleccionar cinco escuelas de Admisión especial, escuelas de vecindarios y escuelas de admisión de toda la ciudad. Tenemos una gran selección de programas académicos,” dijo Hite. “Sabemos que el aprendizaje no es precisamente igual para todos.” Acercándose al final de este evento el Dr. Hite se dirigió específicamente sobre FLC. La diversidad de estudiantes en FLC que sobresale, según Hite, “representa la diversidad que hay en la ciudad entera.” Hite también mencionó que cuando piensa en FLC, lo primero que le viene a la mente son las palabras “oportunidad y acceso.” “Todos escogen a FLC porque es una joya “
Universal Language, Franklin Learning Center’s cover band, performs at the School Selection Kickoff on September 20. · Tiffany Rodriguez / STAFF
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Travel club sees sights, plans for Japan Hannah Biaggi News Editor
Every summer, FLC students have the opportunity to venture out of the
United States and explore the world. In June 2020, students are welcome to join for a trip to Japan--the first trip to an Asian country from the FLC Travel Club. According to FLC history teacher and Travel Club adviser Thomas Magliaro, participating in the travel club “gives
The FLC travel club visits the Eiffel Tower · Thomas Magliaro / COURTESY
students the opportunity to not only travel with other countries, but to hang out with other students from across the United States. Also, we see a lot of different sites to the countries we visit, not just one. We are constantly on the move and students always have a great time.” The trips, scheduled through EF Tours, allow for interactions with students from other schools. The FLC club has traveled internationally with GAMP in the past and plans to do so again. “The trips are super educational and filled with cultural exposure,” says Magliaro. “We do see the main sites of many of the areas we go to, but also [we] are given the opportunity to see the under-the-radar things.” In the past, students have been able to see first-hand how thoroughly prepared these trips were. This is the sixth trip and past trips have been to Italy and Greece, Costa Rica, France, Switzerland and Germany, back to Costa Rica, England, Ireland and Wales. Next year, there will be a trip to Panama. Kristina Jones (FLC ’20), one of ten students who went on the previous trip to England, Ireland and Wales, said, “I would say that the trip was pretty organized. Everything had been planned out already, so when we got there we went straight into the tour. At the beginning of each day, our group leaders told us about the different activities and tours we would be doing throughout the day and at what time, so we knew exactly what we were going to be doing that day and how to prepare for it. I had a great time going on the trip.” Traveling while in high school can be more than entertaining. It can be transformative. Magliaro says, “Globe trotting in high school gives you the chance to take yourself outside of your comfort zone and learn to socialize both in different languages and amongst people you aren’t familiar with.” Many students and teachers don’t get the chance to explore different countries and interact with the residents living there. However, one FLC
teacher has already been to Japan. “I have been to Japan two times to three of the islands of Japan: Honshu, Okinawa, and Hokkaido,” said Christina Whitt, an art teacher at FLC who has traveled to the country before. “I love Japan. I have been to 36 countries and Japan is easily one of my favorite countries. It has both modern elements and old, historic and religious points of interest. It is perhaps one of the safest countries I have ever visited with low crime and a level of respectful behavior uncommon in other parts of the world.” There are many things that students will be able to do while in Japan such as tour Tokyo, explore the Imperial Palace Plaza, visit many different shrines and museums (including one of Yokohama’s famous noodle museums), taste traditional Hiroshima cuisine, enjoy some free time, and explore on your own. They will be flying over and then using the bullet train, which reaches almost 200 MPH. The trip is nine days long. “Crowds, organization, cleanliness, vending machines for everything under the sun, beautiful old temples and shrines, bullet trains, extensive public transit, manga and anime everywhere, different foods that you may not be used to, crazy fashion trends—expect the unexpected,” said Whitt. Not only will students have that to look forward to, but this summer will be an extra special time for the people in Japan. Magliaro said, “Going to Japan is also one in a lifetime, especially since the Olympics will be in Tokyo while we are there. It’s very rare that anyone is in a city where the Olympics are being held, so this is truly once in a lifetime.” I do think we will miss the actual Olympic games by a few weeks, but I’m hopeful we can tour some of the facilities! Students who are interested in traveling to Japan should see Magliaro in room 100. “Take every opportunity to see the world,” Whitt encouraged. “Travel helps shape the person you are and will alter the way you see the world, other people, and culture. Go for it! You will not regret it!”
Leaking pipe sprays FLC students with mystery liquid Jordan Jones Opinion Editor
On Tuesday, October 29, a black liquid started raining down from a pipe near the ceiling of FLC’s second floor in stairwell B. Shortly after, students reported a strong smell of oil following the sudden shower. History teacher Doree Kendricks, whose classroom is located next to the
site of the leak, rushed to the office to report the incident. Student Paladin Jenkins (‘21) witnessed the beginning of the mess. “I was walking to class and all of a sudden, just black sludge started falling from the ceiling,” she said. Some students were directly under the leak as it began to drip down, while others walked into it before realizing what was happening. An announcement declared stairwell B off limits until after clean up.
The overflow was likely caused by a build-up of clay, paint, and other materials from the art rooms’ sinks on the third floor. “There is a thing called a clay trap on the bottom of each sink, which is supposed to be cleaned out every couple of months I think,” says Art teacher Hee Young Kim, “but they don’t really get cleaned out very often.” Kim’s colleague, Art teacher Christina Xiao Whitt, has known about the sink issues and has been waiting for
the district to send plumbers for a while. “I requested “Can you clean the sink trap?” a million times. They never did,” she said. “Both of ours got backed up and it backed up into the pipes and then that’s why there was a flood down there.” After school was dismissed, FLC janitors spent the afternoon cleaning up. The stairwell is now operational. “But if they fixed it in the beginning,” says Whitt, “they wouldn’t have had that problem.”
Students in Ms. Kendricks’ African-American History class were displaced due to black sludge pouring from a pipe in the B stairwell during the school day on October 29. Maintence workers acted quickly to clean up the mess. ·Deja Dawkins/ STAFF
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Students and parents of Ben Franklin-SLA rally at 440 Hannah Biaggi News Editor
On Monday, October 7, the School District of Philadelphia held a meeting at 440
N. Broad St. where over 150 students, parents, and staff from across the district came together to protest the hazardous building conditions at Ben Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy (SLA). More than a month ago, the district
Protesters gather outside of 440 N. Broad Street for the Rally for Safe Schools on Monday, October 7. · Deja Dawkins / STAFF
Hundreds of protesters gather ahead of a district-planned meeting for the Ben Franklin and SLA communities. · Deja Dawkins / STAFF
was forced to remove both students and staff from these schools due to reports of asbestos exposure in the shared building. The schools have been locked out of their building as the district works to come up with a long-term solution. Having to go to school in these environments is undermining our educational needs and it will backfire in the future,” explained Jeramie Miller, a junior at Ben Franklin. “We are supposed to be the next lineage of successors in the world. Why [aren’t] we taking priority over saving money and cutting corners?” At the meeting, Superintendent William Hite proposed the idea that students and staff be moved to Strawberry Mansion and/or South Philadelphia high schools through December. However, Hite’s suggestion wasn’t received well. Kristen Carter, a parent of an SLA student, said “I’m hoping that they have a viable solution and that they have a place for my son to go.” Some other options were to relocate the schools to unoccupied charter school buildings—Eastern University Charter, Charter High School of Architecture and Design(CHAD), the former Delaware Valley Charter—or even the 440 building where
district administrators have their offices. The school district eventually decided to send Ben Franklin students to Khepera Charter and SLA students to Rodeph Shalom and 440 N. Broad Street, where they remain in classes today. Despite the presence of multiple relocation options, none of the proposed options were met with universal support. Some attendees were concerned that Ben Franklin and SLA weren’t the only schools in the district with existing hazards in the building. “The truth is, almost all schools in the district have asbestos in them,” said a freshman at SLA, who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s just these specific schools are getting noticed and addressed, and that’s a problem.” Jessica Way, a member of the Caucus of Working Educators and a Medical Assisting teacher at Franklin Learning Center, attended the rally and the town hall to support teachers at Ben Franklin and SLA. “Their working conditions are the same in a ton of schools across the district,” she said. “Whatever accommodations are made for Ben Franklin and SLA, we want those same accommodations made for all of our schools that are struggling with asbestos and lead.”
A protester displays a poster with a message about the unsafe and toxic environment at Ben Franklin High School and SLA at 440 N. Broad street on October 7th. · Deja Dawkins/STAFF
Election results might mean better education
Hannah Biaggi News Editor
It seems as though education was the real winner in Philadelphia with public education proponents such as Mayor Jim Kenney, Helen Gym, and Kendra Brooks winning the 2019 Municipal General Election. The most surprising winner of the election was third party candidate Kendra Brooks. According to Philadelphia law, 2 of the 7 city council seats must be given to a minority party and since the 1950’s those seats were always won by republicans. However, one of those seats were won by Kendra Brooks, the first Independent to be elected in City Council. Brooks is a member of the Working Families Party -a progressive grassroots political party whose goal is to transform America by building a multiracial movement of working people. She is also a Philly school parent who, as an education activist, has been arguing on behalf of the Philly public schools for a long time now. FLC teacher Jessica Way spends her
free time working for change in education. “It’s interesting for an education activist to feel like someone else who has been involved in education activism is actively working now in city council,” she said. Brooks had campaign help from Democrats Helen Gym and Elizabeth Warren despite not being a Democrat herself. She will have a partner in Gym, who was just re-elected to city council. Gym is currently fighting for equal living and educational opportunities across the communities of Philadelphia. Six other At-Large city council members were chosen for the election. Leading with majority of the votes was Helen Gym, followed by Democrats Isaiah Thomas, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Derek S. Green, Allan Domb and Republican David Oh. District Council member Darell Clarke, current City Council President, was re-elected for District 5, the district that FLC is located in. As expected, Democrat Jim Kenney remains as Mayor of Philadelphia, defeating Republican Billy Ciancaglini with 81% of the votes. Kenney made no attempt at a campaign against Ciancaglini knowing
that no mayor of Philadelphia has ever lost when running for a second term. As a powerful proponent in education, in his re-election speech he says, “ I won’t stop
fighting for every Philadelphian so they can live in a safe and clean neighborhood with access to quality schools for their children.”
Student Jahiem Brumfield voted in the 2019 Municipal General Election on November 5. ·Tiffany Rodriguez / STAFF
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Trump impeachment inquiry continues in the House continued from page 1
very few people throughout the course of American history have been alive during an impeachment proceeding.” The specific charges that Trump is now facing are related to reports of him withholding government money, $391 million to be exact, and using it to pay Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden. These allegations, if true, would show that the president violated the Emoluments Clause of the US constitution, which states “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Over the course of Donald Trump’s presidency, many speculations have been made of him illegally working with foreign nations. Trump was suspected of working with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential campaign and in January of 2019, he was accused of instructing his
lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie under oath about other involvements with Russia. On September 24, 2019, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. The outcome of the potential impeachment of President Trump is still uncertain but hopefully all will be resolved soon, especially with the 2020 presidential elections coming up. “If this impeachment proceedings go forward,” Fantini continues, “It can potentially serve as a very real, check or limitation on what that executive power looks like.”
An impeachment inquiry has been launched against President of the United States Donald Trump. Congress is investigating the July 25th phone call between Trump and President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. · Samiah Smith / ILLUSTRATION
FLC students walk out to join national climate strike
Natali Chacon Kindred Brix Jamira Pugh Contributing Reporters
Approximately half of the student body at Franklin Learning Center High School walked out of their classes at 11AM on September 20th, joining a worldwide protest against climate change. Those who participated in the climate strike marched past Spring Garden Station and came together with thousands of students from around the city for a rally at City Hall. “We want our voices to be heard,” said Justine Chan, an FLC junior who participated in the walk out. She continues by saying the climate has an “effect on our world and will affect us soon.” The strike at City Hall was organized by Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT), along with several other groups, to demand that those in power will fight for change. Philadelphia was just one of more than 4,000 strikes planned in 139 countries according to the Cable News Network (CNN). EQAT board member Eileen Flanagan said, “I think school walkouts are brilliant because they show how people from all around the environment come together to protest climate change.” Monae Carpenter, a junior at
Dobbins High School also participated in the rally at City Hall. “I think school walkouts are interesting and informative,” she said. “They express how people want change in their environment and lives.” Philadelphia students who walked out did so despite consequences from the school district. They were assigned a class cut for each period they missed. According to FLC Assistant Principal Anthony Wilson, “The School District of Philadelphia told our school and all the other schools that the climate change walk was not an accepted excused absence from school.” Wilson disagrees with the school district’s decision, though, and says it would have made more sense for students who walked out to be marked excused. “I wish they would have, [but] they didn’t,” he said. Despite the consequences. He then estimates that “well over half of our students left the building that day”. Whether or not those students who walked out actually went to protest is up for debate. Doree Kendricks, an African American History teacher at FLC, explained, “Some students, unfortunately, just want to ride the bandwagon and take that opportunity to leave. But they’re not really protesting.” However, students like Phedora Jean-Phillipe, an FLC senior, didn’t leave school at all. She is one of the many who thought the walkout wasn’t going to do anything impactful.
Protesters march on JFK Boulevard toward City Hall on September 20 to protest the ongoing battle with climate change. · Justine Chan / STAFF
“This matter is out of our hands,” she said. “I feel like no matter how much we protest, it won’t really do anything, because there are big companies that are profiting off of putting all this stuff into the air, and I don’t think they’re going to stop.” Noel Rodriguez, an FLC junior, didn’t walk out either. “It’s more important to be in class,” he said. “I would have just gone home.” Hemant Mishra, an Algebra and
Calculus teacher at FLC, is “not in favor of people going home”. Even so, he agrees that the issue is important: “Climate change is worth walking out for— people really need to think about it.” Wilson concluded by addressing those who walked out and took their unexcused absence, “Students who are the future of our country in the world sometimes have a better grasp on what needs to be done for their future than we do.”
Students participate in a nation-wide walk out for climate change on September 20. · Justine Chan / STAFF
Students come together on September 20 to protest about climate change in front of City Hall. · Justine Chan / STAFF
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E D I T O R I A L Independent Student Newspaper of Franklin Learning Center 616 N. 15th Street Philadelphia, PA 19130
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Hannah Woodruff Associate Editor Yailine Soto Ombudsman Gabrielle Smith News Editor Hannah Biaggi Opinion Editor Jordan Jones A&E Editor Kyle Thiede A student practices the violin in the Instrumental and Vocal room on October 3rd. Students frequent room 400, despite obvious water damage to the walls. High amounts of damaged lead paint have been reported at Franklin Learning Center · Tiffany Rodriguez / STAFF
FLC’s teachers are leaving. Can we keep them here?
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The Flash FLC Editorial Board
ince the day the class of 2020 was accepted to FLC, 25 teachers have left the school. In more than three years, students have had 25 teachers who were new to the school. Let’s take this back six years: starting from 2013, a total of 39 FLC staff have stepped down from their teaching jobs here— nearly 1 in 7 FLC teachers leaves each year. After seeing these numbers, it’s only natural to pose the obvious question: why are FLC’s teachers leaving? Every year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) records that more than 250,000 teachers leave the profession nationally, while 250,000 more shift to different schools. The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is no stranger to this wave of teacher turnover, which has often left parents and students scrambling for answers, and schools seeking stability. Without question, FLC is a part of this statistic. Similar to other professions, a teacher’s decision to continue working in their field comes from various contributing factors that are both life and work-related. A major national survey conducted by the NCES in 2018 shows that the teacher retention is influenced by a wide range of issues including personal callings, compensation, challenges with preparation, a lack of administrative support, and unstable working conditions.
as to why teachers might leave, those aspects of working conditions should not be the only ones taken into consideration. The physical environment that our educators work in—such as classrooms or offices— are yet another influence behind their decision to stay or leave. What this means is that the building itself may be a problem. For several years, the conditions in Philadelphia schools have been a pressing concern. The action that needs to be taken against this issue is decades overdue, yet students and staff enter these ancient infrastructures every weekday for 10 consecutive months. In the beginning of this school year, Benjamin Franklin High School and Science Leadership Academy (SLA) caught the attention of the general public after the students and faculty were forced out of their shared building due to damaged asbestos that was disturbed during building renovations. The overwhelming evidence of this hazard riled up parents, teachers, and students who were concerned the building
was posing a major public health risk. As of now, students and staff of both schools have been moved to alternative sites. From asbestos to lead, this city’s schools are clearly in need of remediation to rid these threats for the sake of students and staff. Our schools are being held together by temporary fixes plastered on what could lead to permanent damage. As one of the oldest school buildings in Philadelphia, FLC has historically been exposed to potential health hazards all around. When this school was first built in 1909, the asbestos installation took over the manufacturing industry and its popularity kept it soaring until the 1970s. As useful as it was, the downsides to asbestos usage surfaced as workers began developing diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and several other conditions from the exposure. Although this fibrous material is now prohibited from use since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a ban in 1989, a 2015-16 study showed damaged asbestos in 80 percent of SDP schools. One of those schools was Franklin Learning Center.
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et’sdig a little deeper into that last motive: often times when working conditions are listed as a driving force behind teachers quitting, it alludes to school culture and colleague relationships. While these are valid reasons
SOURCE: The Inquirer Toxic City Report. · Angel Cruz / STAFF
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ere at FLC, everyone in the building may very well be subjected to the unfortunate remains of asbestos. Based on the district’s 2015-2016 inspection, the school has materials that can likely devastate students and teachers with health problems linked to asbestos. The findings showed that the materials included anything from lab tables, electrical panels, and pipe insulation. Regulations set by the EPA require that schools be inspected for asbestos on an annual basis. If damaged asbestos is found, the schools must eliminate or reduce exposure risk by removing the asbestos or covering it up so that it cannot
En Español Editor Zulymar Rios Photography Editor Tiffany Rodriguez Video Editor Deja Dawkins Layout Editor Markist Williams Design Editor Angel Cruz Director of Marketing Jerrin Baez Social Media Editor Sophia Cisse Faculty Adviser Colin Chrestay WHYY Adviser Brianna Spause Advertising All advertisers are subject to approval by The Flash FLC. We reserve the right to refuse advertisements. The deadline to reserve advertising space in The Flash FLC is at least one week prior to publication. Online advertisements can be placed as requested. Payment should be made in cash. Please note: first-time advertisers must prepay. Policies The Flash will be guided in the publication of all material by a concern for the truth, for human decency, and for human betterment, remembering that the test of good journalism is the measure of its public service. The Flash will strive to provide a comprehensive and intelligent account of events in a meaningful context. The Flash will strive to be a leader of student opinion through its editorials. The Flash will be a public forum for promoting change and for the exchange of comment and criticism through its letter to the editor and Opinion pages. A full list of policies and procedures can be found at theflashflc.org/constitution Memberships The Flash is a member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Reader Involvement The Flash encourages readers to contribute through letters, guest columns, and story ideas. Suggestions will be considered for future publication. Letters should not exceed 300 words in length. Distribution Press run is 750 copies. Copies are provided free of charge to students, faculty, and staff.
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get into the air. Over the years, the SDP has periodically removed asbestos from FLC and other schools, but their visits have only showed slow progress on an urgent matter. The Flash FLC requested an updated report from school administration detailing efforts to remediate building hazards including asbestos, lead paint, and lead contamination in the water. 440 did not respond to our request for an interview. According to paperwork provided by Principal Nicole Lee, no remediation efforts have been made since the original report.
Chipped paint is seen above a food preperation table in the FLC cafeteria. · Tiffany Rodriguez / STAFF
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t doesn’t get any better with the fight against lead, either. Exposure to lead can have serious consequences for the health of adults and children. In adults, lead poisoning can result in risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage. For pregnant women, it reduces the fetus’ growth and can possibly lead to premature birth. Even if small amounts of lead are consumed or inhaled, lead poisoning will eventually occur when the build-up in the body peaks. Once inside the body, there is not one function or system that lead will not essentially target. It’ll move onto soft tissues like the liver and lungs, will recirculate in the person’s blood, and even alter how signals are passed within the brain. However, lead-based paint does not present a health hazard as long as the paint is not chipping, flaking, crushed or sanded into dust. Unfortunately, FLC has all of the above. Compared to the reports for lead in the area’s schools, FLC stands alone in numbers. While Parkway Center City has 16 reports, Masterman has 13, and Ben Franklin has just 1, this school has a whopping 129 findings for flaking or otherwise damaged lead paint according to the district-wide maintenance reports in 2017. Some areas have been addressed in the past two years by district paint crews, but students and teachers are still walking by and into rooms full of flaking paint and damaged plaster five days a week.
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ast, but definitely not least, the issue with mold is the icing on the cake. Mold is a type of fungus present almost everywhere, including the air. Normal amounts of mold in the environment do not pose a substantial health risk to healthy people with regular immune system function. However, there are people that are more sensitive to the effects of mold. Considering their time spent inside the building, teachers are more likely to become exposed to mold through skin contact, food, and inhalation. For the percentage of them who are sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. Breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks for those with respiratory issues. Former biology teacher Catherine Khella explains that although she didn’t have any personal health conditions related to the building, she did experience an incident of her own.
E D I T O R I A L “I had an allergic reaction to something in the classroom space,” Khella recalled. “My throat closed up after school hours.” Khella also went on to explain that while the buildings conditions were not the main reason that some teachers left, they were a cause for concern for their safety while at work. FLC art teacher Christina Whitt agreed, saying, “I think that there are a number of teachers who’ve already left who left for other reasons as well, but I’m sure [the building conditions] played a role. I think that there are a lot of teachers currently who are definitely questioning whether they want to stay here anymore. I know that there are a lot of people [who] are questioning, should I stay here? Is this really worth my health? Is this really worth the aggravation?” A teaching profession comes with toppling pressure as it is, especially since teachers have a hand in shaping a child’s future through his or her education. It’s not an easy task to wake up every morning to prepare lessons and stand in front of a class of 30, repeating the same lessons two or more times throughout the day. Why add more to their plate with hazards that could jeopardize their health and career? Schools often stress the idea of making schools a safe haven for children to learn in and be the best version of themselves. But a school that is toxic to teachers is toxic to students, too. There is no point in preaching this principle if teachers are excluded from it. Do your children deserve to come home and tell you that another one of their teachers left? Do your colleagues deserve to risk their health trying to educate your students, too? Do we deserve a school that makes our teachers sick?
ress has been slow, but it can be sped up The students of FLC are tired of their with the help of parents and guardians. teachers leaving. The teachers are tired of Yim notes the pow- being ignored. The teachers are tired of puter and necessity of parents’ voices. ting their health at risk just to do their jobs. “Parents should In order to put know what condi- “Students, parents, everybody— a stop to this istion our building sue, parents can everybody—needs to press on raise awareness is in because their children are in it the city, the state, and the school and advocate for all day for severteachers at district to deal with this issue the al years,” she said. FLC. Students in the school.” Yim has also can get their parsaid that if the ents involved to school does not help create a big-FLC Principal Nicole Lee make changes soon, ger voice. Teachshe will consider ers can press the leaving FLC. She expressed that leaving is school district to make changagainst her personal feelings towards the es to the problems that FLC faces. school, but she stressed that she’ll put her If a teacher’s job is to teach, you would safety first like others before her have done. assume that they’ll get the best conditions to work in. This is a utopia far from what arents: the teachers of FLC need your most of FLC teachers are experiencing. help. The voices of FLC’s parents are Principal Nicole Lee advised peoneeded to protect our teachers. We ple to advocate for what they believe in. need your help to make their voices heard. “Do I think that conditions someWe need your help so our teachers can stay. times worry people? I absolutely believe Students: we need your help, too. We that. What I also believe is that their need your help to inform your parents about voices coming out more and more about what’s happening. We need the school dis- this is pressing the school district to do trict to listen to our teachers’ complaints. more,” said Lee. “Students, parents, evThe reports need to be publicized. Teach- erybody---everybody---needs to press ers and staff need to be notified. Teachers on the city, the state, and the school discomplaints need to be heard, not ignored. trict to deal with this issue in the school.”
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ur teachers’ need to be heard is yet another issue that hasn’t been tackled. The issues present in this school aren’t something a teacher takes a quick glance at and then proceeds with their day. Several teachers have reported the concerning conditions they’ve been assigned to work in, but despite their efforts to notify the maintenance crew, hardly anyone answers their concerns in a timely and appropriate manner. Kim Musallam, a world history and social science teacher, expressed that the negligence and patch-up jobs just aren’t cutting it. To her, FLC needs and deserves much more. “I would like the school to be tested,” Musallam stated, “and I would like for people that are certified to come in and remove the things that aren’t supposed to be here. If we have asbestos, it needs to be removed properly. If there’s lead paint, it can’t just be painted over. It has to be removed properly.” A teacher’s job is to teach. That’s the baseline on which they were hired. Nowhere in the qualifications does it mention having to take building matters into their own hands and patch up the flaking paint in their classroom or cover a heater that emits dust onto the desks and tables. If teachers are unable to work with the toxic space they’re given, then that’s not just a personal issue—it becomes everyone’s issue. Whitt has also reported issues in her classroom. One in particular was of a “six foot by four foot patch of mold behind a really old machine” in her classroom. But even after she told the school, it took time for them to inspect the problem. Not only that, but when they came to “fix it”, they just painted over the issue and went on about their day. Additionally, other teachers also share the worry about the school’s conditions. Hee Young Yim, another art teacher at FLC, has reported many building issues to the school district. She admits that prog-
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SOURCE: School District of Philadelphia public statements and The Inquirer’s reporting between August 30 - October 10. · Yailine Soto and Angel Cruz / STAFF
Opinion
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Parents: The Missing Voice We Need Jordan Jones Opinion Editor
Recently the school district of Philadelphia paid a visit to SLA-Ben Franklin to conduct a series of tests for asbestos. SLA and Ben Franklin were able to receive these tests because of their parents’ part in the active protest. Jason Todd, a teacher from SLA, mentioned, “It takes a coordinated effort on the part of like students and teachers and family members really like all the school stakeholders to work together.” While there are other actions that schools can take in order to get the same treatment, getting the parents involved is the most effective. Convincing our guardians to be involved is vital because the school district has shown that they will only listen to them, seeing as they didn’t take action until after the parents at SLA-Ben Franklin started protesting. Many FLC students wonder what it’s going to take for us to get the help that we need when it comes to prevalent issues. The answer is simple: tell your parents about what’s going on. Parents need to be informed and ready to take action. We already know that the students and teachers are fighting, but where are the parents’ share of advocating? Angelique Torres, a parent of an SLA student, said, “My advice to parents facing similar issues is to never stop asking questions. Advocate relentlessly for your children. Request or demand facts from the school and the district.” A crucial piece of the puzzle that’s miss-
ing from FLC is parent involvement. The students at FLC should be informing their parents and their parents should be worried for their children. While it is not only the parents fault since they wouldn’t know about any of this unless they are told, it would be more beneficial for all parties if they held more interest in their child’s life. Torres also added on, “Asking questions and listening to your child or student is the best advice I could give a parent and caregiver.” Students shouldn’t be the only connection between their parents and the school. Parents should be asking ques-
tions instead of waiting until something happens or until their child decides to speak up. In order for our school to get the help we need, our parents must have our backs. The school district will only listen if we get our parents involved. To the parents of FLC students, start talking about this. Post about it. Complain about it. Write emails. Make phone calls. Visit the School District building. Do whatever it takes to make your voice heard. Your children’s safety is on the line right now and it’s not worth the risk to sit by and do nothing.
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Meetings
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 - 4:30 in room 202 Protesters gather in front of the 440 building on October 7 with a petition signed by over 3,300 teachers, staff and community members to protest the conditions of their students school. · Deja Dawkins / STAFF
Pop culture and education: a place for memes in the classroom? Jalen Stokes Staff Writer
The first time I learned something from a meme was when I was in Middle School. It was a meme about the Mitochondria being the powerhouse of the cell. I had no idea what that was, I didn’t take biology until two years later. So I looked it up, and ended up learning the entire cell through similar memes. Strangely, with that information, I was able to pass my
final science PSSA. Last year, the insanely viral meme “Surgery On a Grape” provided a similar type of lesson to the public. Not everyone knows about Da vinci Surgery Systems, a minimally invasive surgery assisting robot. However, when the meme became viral around late 2018, surgery to that
Pepe graduates · Paladin Jenkins / ILLUSTRATION
kind of detail was now common knowledge amongst younger viewers. But it doesn’t just stop there. Any meme with a fact on a template can be educational. History memes, memes about real world events, and memes about discoveries can provide information to the public. Or at least, gets people interested enough to do their own research and learn something. I’ve seen this happen again and again, from various memes on a wide variety of topics. There are some who get all the information on a topic from memes exclusively, and there are others who see unknown information, and want to know more. But in both cases, aren’t memes the cause of them learning something new? According to Improve Short Term Memory With Laughter, a 2016 study by surgical Oncologist Mark Reeves, laughing decreases the stress hormone, Cortisol, and short-term memory improves as a result. If someone’s mem-
ory benefits from laughing at a meme for a short duration, then they can retain the information being presented. And that allows more memes to be made or shared with that same fact, like wildfire. Although this little theory of mine sounded probable, I had to ask people what they thought as well. In a small survey of 40 people aged 14-23, they were asked who often they learn something new from memes. 17.5 percent of people answered 0-30 percent of the time, 45 percent answered 40-70 percent of the time, and 37.5 percent answered 80-100 percent of new information learned comes from memes. As crazy as it sounds, it’s not far fetched. It’s not like people in this age group are getting their news or drama from NBC or Ellen. They are getting information from where they’re most familiar with. This specific audience uses memes the most, so it makes sense. Now the question arrives, should schools like FLC use memes as general education, like they do in social settings? Why not? Maybe not the classroom memes certain teachers will put around the classroom, or a textbook full of only memes. But maybe, with moderation, memes can be shown to students that are both entertaining and educational. An FLC meme page that actually posts informational memes? If not, memes causing education will still be an interesting perk. Just look at how we learn from them now!
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Entertainment
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Franklin Learning Center Does Halloween Right
On October 31st FLC students, teachers and staff show off their spooky and creative costumes and festive apparel to celebrate and get into the spirit of Halloween. These awesome costumes from people at Franklin Learning Center definitely deserve some full sized candy bars ¡ Michael Williams, Tiffany Rodriguez, Sophia Cisse / FOR THE FLASH FLC
Entertainment
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It: Chapter 2 fails to keep viewers on edge for 3 hours Kyle Thiede A&E Editor & Jordan Moore Staff Writer
It: Chapter Two is a film based on the later half of Stephen King’s infamous novel It. Unlike the original source material, the film does an inadequate job of capturing the thrilling essence that many fans have come to love with King’s work. Right off the bat, viewers can recognize the excessive changes made in the characters’ personality and storyline. While some traits that define the characters shine through, the movie often rushed or forgot their key elements entirely. For example, in the novel, lead character Beverly Marsh deals with her abusive husband Tom Rogan following her to
Derry, a town King created in his fictional topography of Maine, and attempting to kill her and the other members of the Losers’ Club. Although Tom was written out to be an abuser and sadist in the novel, he never crossed the many, many lines he did in this film. The filmmakers emphasized so heavily on the idea of their abusive marriage that it got to a point where they derailed from the original plot, especially considering how he’s just a minor villain. The science-fiction elements in the film were skewed, while the ones fans adored were mostly overlooked. When the Losers’ Club discovered the creator of the universe, which was a giant turtle whose shell is earth, it’s alluded that Pennywise is from space. This scene was an addition to the storyline that doesn’t really fit in and eliminates all the unique quirks King spun into the book. In fact, this might be one of the worst cases of editing in a movie this year. Transi-
tions were executed in a way where it gave the viewers a headache and tried too hard to be creative. If the movie isn’t over-edited, it’s simply sloppy and repetitive. There were even moments in the film where it felt as if some takes were missing. Characters arrive at locations with no explanations and the focus fell on subplots too often. A movie that’s almost three hours long should not feel like an hour of fluff, but that’s exactly what happened here. Not to mention, the tone of this film was an absolute mess. Having Bill Hader as an actor in the film doesn’t help at all; being the comedian he is, he spends a lot of his time telling jokes but his sense of humor doesn’t exactly fit in a movie where children get eaten alive by a monster clown. He’s not the only actor who does this, unfortunately. The cast constantly told corny jokes, which ruined the overall feel of the movie and led to more laughter than
screams in the audience. Keep in mind that this is a horror film, not an SNL episode. Speaking of horror, this movie relies on the lowest common denominator, being plagued with jump scares rather than actually inducing fear. With this movie, we know exactly what we’re expecting. There’s a clear formula that the filmmakers stuck to, and it wore out quickly. That’s not to say I wasn’t scared at all---some of the jumpscares may get to viewers---but this movie lacked the feeling of being on the edge like the first It movie did. Horror, ironically, is abysmal in this horror movie. While the acting, cinematography, and soundtrack did the film a solid by saving it from mass critique, none of that makes up for the glaring flaws etched to this movie. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of the book, a fan, good movies, or horror, It: Chapter Two is not worth the $10 ticket you’ll be paying.
topic. During the beginning of the special, he does an “impression” of the audience, mocking their outrage expressed on the internet when an offensive joke or tweet resurfaces in the public eye. Although people now have a stronger voice than ever when it comes to fighting back against offensive content, Dave did not settle at poking fun at the people and their outrage. This, of course, did not stop the critics from strongly disagreeing with Chapelle’s approach to these issues. “Sticks and Stones” even holds a 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critical reviews. While the critiques from these networks may seem completely opposed to the new show, it also happens to hold a 99% rating among audience reviews. Just like most topics in the media, there is a clear divide. Following this revelation, there has been conversation on what comedians can and cannot make fun of, how they should approach certain issues, and when the appropriate time to do so. “People should know what they’re getting into when they see the name ‘Dave Chappelle’”, explains FLC senior and viewer Clifton Savage.
Many groups of different people can be offended by many things. Chapelle’s jokes, for the most part, has a string of truth in it. There is no way around not offending anyone and unless Chappelle chooses to be silent—a route he will not take any time soon—this is a reception he will receive and take advantage of. In addition to his sense of humor, Chappelle straddles the line by adding a more personal aspect to the topics that he talks about. When talking about the opioid crisis, he compares it to the struggles of in-
ner-city communities and what they had to deal with during the crack epidemic of the 80s and he had to purchased a gun to scare off junkies near his home. While this kind of humor may not translate well on paper, the way Chapelle delivers the story makes it more light-hearted and personal. He reveals that the reason he makes offensive jokes about different communities he may not be apart of is because he relates to them. His reasoning comes into play during one of the special’s most notable moments, when he goes into detail about the relationship between the various movements with the LGBTQ+ community, referring to them as “The Alphabet People”. It is a topic people are careful with when discussing, especially for a straight person like Chappelle. To put it shortly, Sticks and Stones reminds audiences to put outrage on hold for a while and think. It’s not promised that all of his jokes will land or receive laughs, depending on what each viewer finds and doesn’t find funny. But sometimes dealing with the discomfort of a joke can take one out of their comfort zone.
Dave Chappelle breaks silence with “Sticks & Stones” Donte Cheatham Staff Writer
In late August of 2019, comedian Dave Chappelle added a new stand-up special called Sticks & Stones to his recent string of content for Netflix. The special addresses hot button issues dominating today’s political climate such as drugs, guns, and even homophobia. Throughout his career, Chappelle has been celebrated for his envelope-pushing brand of humor. His comedy show Chappelle’s Show is considered to be an iconic classic among both audiences and critics, and his stand up specials around this time like “Killin’ Them Softly” and “For What it’s Worth” received positive reviews from critics. The thing about the timing of Sticks & Stones and his other Netflix specials versus his previously mentioned shows is that Chapelle is now in the era of Twitter and other social media platforms. People today have the opportunity to express their opinions on a wide range of topics whenever and wherever, whether it’s in celebration or “cancelation”. Such an era is one that comedians like Chapelle have to operate in. Chapelle is usually at his best when he dives into the uneasiness of the chosen
Paladin Jenkins / ILLUSTRATION
New Joker adaptation plays with viewers’ brains
Kyle Thiede A&E Editor Michael Grinnan Staff Writer
Director Todd Phillips presents his take on the most notorious villain in comic book history in his newest film Joker. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as Joker, the character is placed in the fictional Gotham City, which is a parallel of 1970s New York. The movie tackles themes such as class warfare and mental illness. The movie is well shot, perfectly acted, and is overall a well made film. However, if this is the case, why has this movie caused so much trouble? Currently, there is a divide about the Joker. Currently on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a 69 percent rating by critics, and an 89 percent by critics reviews. When asked, senior at FLC Isiah Charity said about the movie, “I thought the movie was great, despite the somewhat weak ending.” So what’s the issue? Hilario Rodrigez says “because it’s main focus is minorities and majorities, whether the mentally ill
are treated evenly or the poor are.” That right there sums up most of it. The movie clearly takes inspiration from 1970s New York. According to “The Disaster Center,” violent crimes such as rape and murder, had increased by the thousands from the previous decade, and the Joker film embraces this. You see a man traverse through the slums of Gotham, which are as much of a character as the main character is. In addition to this, during the 1970s, the mentally ill were extremely mistreated. According to “The History of Inhumane Mental Health Treatments,” many institutions were shut down. This is actually an event that happens in the movie. Throughout the movie, we are asked to sympathize with a man who embraces his insanities and is rewarded by the chaos he himself creates. However this movie never tries to justify the horrible actions he indulges in. It’s very disturbing, however it knows what it’s doing. It willingly chooses to make your skin crawl. However, it’s obvious that this might not translate well with audiences. Aside from the previously mentioned themes that can come off as unceasing, there’s much more to the controversy. In
2012, the infamous mass shooting comDespite everything that’s been dismitted by James Holmes took the lives of cussed, behind the disturbing movie, twelve innocent people. The shooting took hold a beautiful film made by talented place at a midnight screening of “The Dark people that makes its viewers question Knight Rises,” and the killer famously said the world they reside in. Rather than “I am the Joker,” while committing this hei- playing with your heart, the movie denous crime. The families of the victims of cides to play with the viewer’s brain. this shooting even sent director Todd Phillips letters regarding the filmIndeed there has been time to heal since the shooting, but especially with the themes of mental illness and the fact that it’s still in the same decade of the shooting, it’s no wonder there’s been a negative reaction. As a matter of fact, according to ScreenGeek, cosplaying was actually banned for certain theater chains. Many fans feel that this is controversy is simply undeserved. To paraphrase both Hilario Rodriguez and Isiah Charity, once you step away from the news and the media, the film is nothing less than spectacular. Joshua Ramirez / ILLUSTRATION
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Sports
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Fall Sports Highlights from Franklin Learning Center
Fall was an exciting time for FLC sports. Franklin Learning Center’s athletes represent the Bobcats with their hard work and dedication. Some of the sports that were underway this season were Cross Country, Volleyball and Boy’s Soccer. Hannah Woodruff, Sophia Cisse, Brian Kelly, Lizbeth Castillo, Jaydalyn Osler / FOR THE FLASH FLC
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Sports
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FLC alumni to be signed as pro boxer
FLC Alum, Aanjhrue Williams warms up at Rock Ministers on October 10. · Justine Chan / STAFF him earn his 37 wins. Williams discovcontinued from page 1 ered the Rock around the same time he Rock and has been working towards started boxing. With an affinity for workgetting publicity from his pro debut. ing out and exercising, Williams easily Williams’ humble begin- took to during training in his early days. Williams reminisced on the past, saynings started as him trying to protect himself in a new environment. ing, “When it came to gym class and play“I grew up with six brothers, so my five ing sports with my friends, I was one of the older brothers—I’m number six—always more energetic people, so whenever it came to the training I enjoyed it.” Williams fell in love with the sport of boxing when he first started sparing at his gym with weak results, and in spite of his rocky start, he continued pushing until he mastered his craft. “It was something.” He confessed, “I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely sometold me, ‘Oh, you’re gonna get bullied when thing that kept me in the sport and I you go to middle school’,” Williams said. ended up becoming a lot better at it.” Going into boxing, Williams adWhat started as a need to learn how to fight became a skill that would lat- mits he was timider compared to today. “I used to be a counter-puncher go on to define Williams during his middle and high school days. er. I would lay back and fight off the “I ended up falling in love with the energy someone gave me,” he said. Like most boxers who are hungry sport. So I kept going ever since and I haven’t stopped since the fifth grade,” he added. for becoming a master of their craft, he Being influenced by boxing giants had plenty of motivating factors that such as Roy Jones with his amazing foot- make his rise as a boxer something work and Pernell Whitaker’s brilliant de- worth seeing through until the end. “I already have so much time, that fense, Williams slowly but surely grew into the professional style which helped if I stop now, then all my time invest-
“Patience is everything, especially when it comes to learning a new move, sparring a different style, or studying a defense technique.” -Aanjhrue Williams
FLC Alum, Aanjhrue Williams was recently signed as Pro Boxer · Justine Chan / STAFF ed is a waste,” Williams said. “I’m go“Boxing is not overnight, it’s a craft.” ing to take this sport as far as I can.” Williams said “Nobody has ever learned His motivation and hard work eventually the sport overnight. People will learn it paid off to the point that his timidness went faster than others, but you have to be paextinct and he now takes control of his fights. “ tient because your style might take a little “Today I am more so the facilitator... longer to develop than someone else’s style.” what I want to do in the ring, that’s what Especially when it comes down I’m going to do,” he stated, “if I want to to this tough sport, Williams stresses start using my jab, or if I want to brawl, I “Patience is everything, especially when can pretty much manipulate the other fighter and get him to fight my style.” In the upcoming future, Williams is planning on taking his talents beyond the Rock to becoming a world champ. “As a pro fighter, I need a world title, of course... then after that, I’ll pursue the other belts to become the undisputed champ.” He also has his eyes on going pro for his weight class (126-122 LB) and to obtain a world title. “I know for sure that FLC Alumni, Aanjhrue Williams, tests his jabs and power when I get the platform punches on a wall mounted boxing bag at Rock Ministries that I’m gonna get, I Boxing Gym on October 10th · Sandraliz Flores / STAFF have a lot of messages to relay and a lot of influences amongst the community that it comes to learning a new move, or sparring I have to pursue,” explained Williams. a different style, or studying a defense techFor young aspiring boxers out there who nique,” Williams said. “Boxing comes with wants to move up the ranks in the sport, patience. The experience will give you everyWilliams says, “definitely stay patient” thing that you’ll need if you take your time.”
Boxer and FLC Alumni, Aanjhrue Williams, (right) spars at Rock Ministries Boxing Gym on October 10. · Sandraliz Flores / STAFF