2017/18
Writing Pieces
Girls' Tennis
September 2017
The girls tennis team has started off their league season with a victory over Mills High School, providing the team with confidence.
Outside of matches, the team focuses on the importance of team chemistry.
“Our chemistry is good,” coach Bill Smith said. “We have many seniors contributing to the team, from the daily cheer to practice itself, so everyone wants to play more.”
Senior Nicole Malik echoes this notion.
“The team is cool because we have skilled players in addition to beginners, and we can cater to both types of players,” Malik said. “Even as a beginner, they have a chance to get better and play against players who are a higher level than them.”
“Coach is helpful, and the group is great,” freshman Elisabeth Weimar, who is excited to be on the team, said, “especially the upperclassmen who are very motivating.”
Due to the strong confidence in the team, exhibited by individual skills during matches and exemplary teamwork during practice, the team has set their aims high.
“We have our league playoffs marked in the schedule,” Coach Smith said, confident in the team playing to that caliber.
C building boys' restroom falls victim to vandalism
October 2017
The C building boys restroom has been sporadically closed for maintenance over the past few months due to repeated vandalism, according to Principal Paul Belzer.
However, as repairs were carried out, the reason for the closure was never officially announced to students, leaving students speculating about the cause.
“There is a consensus among male students in thinking that the locking was caused by people Juuling (using e-cigarette-like devices) in the restroom,” said junior Junha Park. “I think all boys at school have seen people Juuling in that restroom.”
Although the increased vandalism frequency in the C building restroom may be correlated with it being a “hotspot” for Juuling, the closure of the restrooms was not a punitive or preventive measure against Juuling.
“The bathroom was never closed because of one ongoing issue,” said Belzer. “It may have seemed like a continuous lockdown because once something was repaired, another gets vandalized.”
Examples of such defacement include, but are not limited to, broken door handles and broken soap dispensers. There was also graffiti - particularly scratches and carvings - which warranted a repainting of the bathroom door and a ‘wet paint’ sign, which furthered delayed the restroom’s usability.
The seemingly endless cycle of defacement and repair is very hard on the maintenance staff.
“The custodial staff already have full time jobs,” said Belzer. “so the need to fix the bathroom on top of their original jobs is an extra load.”
Belzer also applied the New York broken window theory to the current situation; if the school permits vandalism and other illegal activity in the bathroom, then vandalism and more serious crimes will gradually become an undesirable and irreversible aspect of BHS.
“This is why the bathroom needs to be continuously fixed,” concluded Belzer.
Since the C building accounts for one third of the restrooms on the Burlingame High School main campus, the restriction has presented many inconveniences to male students.
“It’s a major inconvenience when the closest bathroom is the C building, but you have to run all the way to the A building or F building,” said Park.
For this reason, some students call for a permanent solution.
“We need to find a solution to prevent vandalism, not just keep patching the restroom up,” said Park.
“Students need have respect for the community when using the facility and technology,” Belzer said. “We need to respect the the learning environment. We wouldn’t have to lock it if there was no vandalism.”
The 4th Amendment is permeable in schools
November 2017
Despite belief that students’ privacy at school is protected by the 4th Amendment, students at school have few to no rights guaranteed by the 4th Amendment according to state, district and school policy.
“There is confusion among the students about their rights. They think that their backpacks can’t be searched because it is a personal belonging, but their locker can be checked because it is school property,” senior Caitlyn Rusley said.
Even among the students, “some people say that they can, and some people say that they can’t” senior Katie Caulfield said.
The San Mateo Union High School District policy states that “school officials may search any individual student, his/her property, or district property under his/her control when there is a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover evidence that he/she is violating the law, …[or]other rules.”
The United States Bill of Rights declares the “right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” However in the 1985 New Jersey v. T.L.O. case, the United States Supreme Court decided that schools are subject to a lower standard of the 4th Amendment that would only require “reasonable suspicion” and not a written warrant to start a search or seizure.
In the Supreme Court case, a student was seen smoking in the bathroom, and was consequently brought to the administrative office, where her purse and bags were searched by administrators. The Supreme Court ruled the search constitutional because there was “probable cause” and “reasonable suspicion,” albeit there was no specific written warrant.
In other words, anything on district property can be searched by district employees. A car parked on Carolan Avenue, however, cannot be searched by the district, but it can be searched by Burlingame police given reasonable suspicion.
Although there is no exact constitutional definition of “reasonable suspicion,” Dean of Students Fred Wolfgramm lays out some clear boundaries.
“Any student who leaves campus should expect to be searched when they come back. Its protocol,” said Wolfgramm, referencing the Student Code of Conduct. “Also, any student engaging in suspicions activity, for example grouping in a bathroom stall, should expect to be searched.”
Contrary to popular belief, “reasonable suspicion” is enough to override a student who does not consent to a search.
A student who is to be searched would be brought to the administrative offices, put through due process, and searched by two or more district employees. When there is probable cause, the school acts in the name of parents, but the school will call the parent as soon as possible.
“After all, it all revolves around safety and security,” Wolfgramm said.
The law of conservation of problems
December 2017
In the field of science, there is a fundamental law called the law of conservation. Though there are many variations of this law, for instance, conservation of energy and conservation of mass, their central idea is the same: things (in this case energy and mass) cannot be created or destroyed within a system. For example, in a lightbulb, electric current excites electrons, which change orbital levels, thus emitting light. In this case, energy was not created nor destroyed, just converted from electrical energy to light energy.
But I believe that this law of conservation also applies to problems in reality. Problems cannot be created nor destroyed. They merely change forms or are transferred from one person to another.
One example of a major problem simply changing form and ownership is the process of college applications. The original problem is the large amounts of human labor needed to process thousands and thousands of applicants. In response, a numbers-based system of standardized tests were put in place. Although branding a number to each student is convenient for admissions offices, it places a handicap on all students, all of whom have nonstandardized skills in one form another. These are things that can’t be measured, like maturity, worldliness, personality or basic living skills like cooking. The problem of inefficiency was solved with standardized testing, but it resulted in the devaluing of the human part of the student. Whether or not this tradeoff was worthwhile is open to debate, but the point is that it happened and it clearly exemplifies the law.
Additionally, this rule can give people an idea of the magnitude of a problem. Let’s say you drop your pencil. That could be labeled as a problem, since you are no longer in direct possession of your pencil. But then, you bend over and pick it up easily. Problem solved. In this case, there is a small transfer of problems when your muscles deform to pick up the pencil. But this is negligible, taking only a small amount of your energy. Therefore, the problem of a dropped pencil is minute. With the law of conservation of problems in mind, we can clearly differentiate huge problems from small problems. So when you think of the “problems” in your life, what really is a problem, and what really is not?
Specifics aside, the law can help us understand the reality and magnitude of problems and the essence of problem solving on all scales. It states that problems never really go away from the world. Thus, in reality, “problem solving” is not the act of completely eliminating problems. Instead, effective “problem solving” is actually “problem neutralization;” something along the lines of mitigating the problem via dilution among the people or changing the problem to a more recognizable form. With that in mind, people can use this rule to evaluate and weigh the consequences of their choices. When you “solve” a problem, you should keep in mind to whom or to where you are passing the problem on to.
Cryptocurreny bitcoin simplified
February 2018
Of the many cryptocurrencies, currencies that are based on computer generated encryption, Bitcoin is the quickest growing and most popular, leaving some wondering about the function and legitimacy of it.
Bitcoin was introduced in 2009 by a mysterious computer programmer with the alias Satoshi Nakamoto. Since then, the currency has seen an explosive but volatile exponential growth, from one bitcoin valued at $0.06 in 2009 to one bitcoin costing $9,000 in 2018.
Like traditional forms of currency, Bitcoin can be traded and exchanged, and is “minted” through “Bitcoin mining.” The simplified explanation for this process is that computers, programmed by their users, compete for solving “blocks,” which are hundreds of pending Bitcoin transactions. The first computer to solve a block is awarded a sum of Bitcoin. Then, its solution is added to the “blockchain,” a centralized chain of transaction histories known to all computers on the Bitcoin network.
Thus, Bitcoin is almost impossible to rob, because the deed would involve rewriting the blockchain, which would mean the robber would have to control more than half of the global Bitcoin network.
Some businesses, like Expedia and Microsoft, already accept Bitcoin as a form of currency.
“It seems like everyone who is that the forefront of technology, like most of the Silicon Valley, has been drawn towards bitcoin,” said Matthew McDermott, an AP Government and Economics teacher. “So there obviously is a market for non-conforming and decentralized online currency.”
A major quirk of Bitcoin, unlike the Dollar or Euro, is that it does not have a central regulating agency. Since there is no Bitcoin bank, there is no “middle man” in Bitcoin exchanges. Bitcoin can be transferred from person to person without tax or fees, regardless of borders or whereabouts, almost instantaneously. However, the lack of a governing body also gives Bitcoin is volatile nature. Since there is no agency to monitor the currency, Bitcoin fluctuates rather wildly and unpredictably. For instance, from December 2017 to January 2018, Bitcoin crashed from $19,000 to $12,000.
“Compared to the stock market, there is not much people behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin or ethereum,” said junior Ryan Cheng, who follows cryptocurrencies closely due to his blockchain-based business. “There is a massive interest in the stock market, but Bitcoin doesn’t have that, which gives Bitcoin its volatile nature. The lack of government regulation also makes it even worse.”
McDermott also shared his skepticism.
“I know a friend who had 25,000% returns [on bitcoin], which is just too much,” he said. “It feels like a bubble, and it does not suggest long term stability. I know there is a huge role for online currencies, but I’m just not sure that Bitcoin is the one. Usually the first doesn't win, the replications and improvements that come after the first one wins.”
The dilemma of angry American boys and guns
April 2018
There is something seriously flawed with the cult of American masculinity, and the problem has never been more evident than within the American mass shooting epidemic.
According to statistics from Statista, between 1982 and February 2018, there have been roughly ninety-seven deadly mass shootings in the United States. Ninety-four of these atrocities were carried out by males. The unproportionally high percentage of male mass murderers cannot be mere coincidence. As much as this could be labeled a sexist claim, the numbers do not lie; there exists an issue with American men.
“We, through societal pressures, norms and expectations, have put unfair pressure on our boys, with clear directives to what it means to be a man,” health teacher Nicole Carter said. “And if they stray from these norms, they are not supported by our culture. That might be why we as health teachers see more girls seeking help than boys.”
As much as our society tries to destigmatize seeking mental health, the stigma is still a problem.
“There is a stigma against male students seeking mental help, which leads to boys internalizing everything and trying to cope with things on their own without communicating their frustration or confusion,” health teacher Laurie Hudelson said.
It is no surprise then that America’s mass shooters share alarming but sadly expectable circumstances: estrangement, isolation, mistrust of society and angst.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, were reported to have been bullied and left out in their high school community. Similarly, Nikolas Cruz, the perpetrator of the more recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was also reported to be a “loner” and abusive to classmates. Between 1999 and 2018, there was no drastic legislative gun reform. And the profiles of male shooters have not changed either.
In contrast, the few female shooters have different reasons, which include comparatively uncommon mental disorders, like schizophrenia. The recent shooting at the YouTube headquarters only goes to show that female shooters, unlike male shooters, do not kill to vent frustration at society as a whole.
American males, in a general sense, are becoming lost in the matrix of supposed masculinity. They are expected to be emotionless (or at least to hide their emotions), and to be “tough.” They are shamed and, even worse, ashamed, when they fail to meet these expectations. In history, the “cult of domesticity” severely limited women’s opportunities. But now, the “cult of masculinity” causes male frustration to fester into anger and violence.
“It is socially acceptable for girls to say that they feel weak, while boys are not given that voice, so boys tend to channel their feelings through anger,” Carter said. “Boys really are not angry, they just use anger as a way of expressing, since it’s the only way they can express themselves while still being respected as a man. When they express through anger, it’s easy to express through violence.”
When frustration is forbidden to come out of their mouths, the frustration will come out by other angry means: alcoholism, domestic violence, suicide, and gun barrels. These are all things in which men top statistics worldwide, guns or no guns.
Thus, there is something fundamentally askew with the culture of American masculinity, so neither government policy nor protests and walkouts can right it. It is the unfortunate truth; only a major shift - possibly an opening of the male emotional mind - in the way masculinity is seen will be able to set America’s future back on track.
“We have got to change the messages that boys are hearing,” Carter said. “There are some societal norms that seriously need to change. We are making some steps in the right direction, but I’m still concerned, seeing what’s taking place. We still have a long way to go, especially with how men are portrayed in movies and media.”
Hudelson also suggested possible long term solutions.
“This conversation has to begin as early as elementary or pre-school,” Hudelson said. “Boys should learn the basic idea of ‘use your words and not your actions.’”
Carter also shared a possible course of action.
“I suggest we need to educate females on supporting men,” she said. “Females equal have responsibility of supporting males, just as males have the responsibility of supporting females.”
In the modern day, there has already been a slow and steady shift in stance on gay rights and women’s rights, among other monumental societal revolutions. A shift in stance on American masculinity should not be too difficult. Only then might Americans begin to see a decrease in mass shootings, as well as other tragedies attributed to men like suicide and domestic violence.
What to do with America’s guns is a begging question. But before we can answer that, we need to understand America’s misguided boys.
Students injured by bathroom doors
May 2018
Satire
The cause of an increased number of students injuries has been traced to the doors of the F-building bathrooms.
“The F-building bathroom door is really heavy.” junior Wayne Bruce said. “The F-building bathroom is like pushing a boulder up a hill. I actively avoid going to the F-building bathroom. I even force myself to go into the shady, juul infested C-building bathroom, just so I can avoid straining my body with the F-building door.”
An experiment conducted independently by the Burlingame B showed that an average classroom door requires approximately five pounds of force to keep open. However, the F-building bathroom door exceeded the reading range of the Burlingame B’s force meter.
The heavy door has not only taken a toll on the students’ physical health, it also has diminished the number of able-bodied students on the school sports teams.
“I’ve lost about half of my athletes,” the school cricket coach Adam Keynes said. “I’ve told my remaining athletes to avoid the F-building bathroom as a result. If they don’t want to get injured, they should go to the C or A-building bathrooms.”
Many students have followed Keynes's advice, but the influx of students in the other bathrooms fas lead to other health problems, including minor concussions as a result of students being hit in the head by doors.
“I was in the C-building bathroom, and it was extremely crowded,” Jane Ayer said. “I was standing next to the door waiting in line, and I put my head down so I could blow my Juul vapor into my shirt so that I wouldn’t give others lung cancer. But while the top of my head was exposed, someone burst through the door, and my head was smacked by the opening door.”
Ayer was sent to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed with a minor concussion.
“The concussion actually made me forget about juuling,” said Ayer.
