On Dec. 28, 2009, Gov. Ted Strickland signed Ohio House Bill 19, also known as “The Tina Croucher Act.” Under this law, school districts in Ohio must adopt policies and health education curriculum to combat and prevent teen dating violence.

The law was named after the daughter of Jim and Elsa Croucher of Monroe, Ohio. On Dec. 22, 1992, 18-year-old Tina Croucher was shot and killed by her abusive ex-boyfriend. “Early on, we realized that something was different about this young man, but we couldn’t put our finger on it,” said Tina’s mother, Elsa Croucher. “One time, she had a big bruise on her face. When we inquired, she said it was caused from a football hitting her, and we believed her.”

Croucher said Tina and her ex-boyfriend had dated off and on for about a year and a half. “At Tina’s funeral visitations, we had several parents and grandparents telling us that their child or grandchild had been in a similar situation,” Croucher said.

A new beginning

Four years after their daughter was murdered, the Crouchers decided to use the circumstance they were in to make a difference. “My husband, Jim, and I finally realized that we needed to take control of our situation and turn our negative into a positive,” said Croucher. “We met with a group of leaders in the Middletown area who brainstormed, and we all came up with Citizens Against Domestic Violence.”

CADV is a non-profit organization designed to educate teens about the perils of domestic violence. The Crouchers and other CADV representatives speak to students at schools all across Ohio about teen dating violence and how to prevent it.

But now that The Tina Croucher Act has passed, the Crouchers will no longer have to fight the battle against teen dating violence on their own. “Now every teenager in the state of Ohio will be taught how to have a relationship and also the perils of an abusive relationship,” said Croucher.

Taking action

Along with all the other school districts in Ohio, the Kettering City School District will be adopting policies to address and prevent dating violence. “Overall, it’s a good direction to go with our curriculum,” said Fairmont High School Principal Dan Von Handorf. “There are certain areas kids need to be educated in as they go through their teen years.”

Students seem to think that the new requirement is a good idea as well. “I don’t think it’s going to hurt,” said senior Holly Carey. “It will make teens more aware that they deserve to be treated with respect.”

Senior Trevor Morris had a similar view, but doesn’t believe this type of education is for everyone. “It’s not a bad idea. I don’t think it should be mandatory, but if it’s not, people won’t take classes on it.”

Since the law was only recently passed, school districts are just beginning to figure out how to meet its requirements. “We’re still in initial planning,” said Von Handorf. “We will be working with health teachers and Health Department Chair Tim Cogan to see how the bill’s requirements can be meshed with current curriculum.” Currently, only freshmen at Fairmont are required to take a health class. Because of this, the Academic Council will be looking for other opportunities for those in grades 10 through 12 to meet the dating violence education requirement.

The law also requires that school faculty be trained on teen dating violence prevention. “Counselors are already trained in this area,” said Von Handorf. “The only plan we have right now is to train health teachers, so they can educate students on the subject.”

 A tough issue

Although some students think the new law is a good thing, they agree that not all students will respond in the same way. “It could go both ways,” said Morris. “Some will embrace it; others will think it’s a terrible idea.”

Carey has a similar, yet somewhat more optimistic view. “I think they’ll appreciate it; if not now, then later.”

Von Handorf believes there are reasons some students may not respond in a positive way when the subject is addressed. “Some students may struggle if they have dealt with relationship abuse personally,” he said. “But I think our kids are mature and responsible enough to realize it’s a serious issue.”

No matter what a teen’s opinion is on the issue of dating violence being addressed in school, Croucher believes it is crucial to a student’s education. “The young people need to be taught the issues of dating abuse since some of them have no clue what dating abuse entails,” she said.

The ugly truth

Teen dating violence is not solely limited to females as many may assume. Both boys and girls of varying race and socioeconomic backgrounds fall victim to teen dating abuse. According to the Teen Victim Project conducted by the National Center for Victims of Crime, girls are more likely to yell, threaten to hurt themselves, pinch, slap, scratch or kick, but boys injure girls more severely and frequently. The rate of teens experiencing dating violence varies from occasionally to daily.

The statistics are ugly:

• About one in three high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship. (U.S. Bureau of Justice Special Report on Intimate Partner Violence, May 2000)

• 57 percent of teens said they knew someone who had been physically, sexually or verbally abusive in dating relationships. (Teen Research Unlimited, 2005)

• In a Bureau of Justice Statistics Press Release, a reported 22 percent of all homicides against females ages 16-19 were committed by intimate partners between 1993 and 1999.

• 33 percent of teens have actually witnessed an event of dating violence taking place. (Empower Program, sponsored by Liz Claiborne Inc. and conducted by Knowledge Networks, Social Control, Verbal Abuse and Violence Among Teenagers, 2000)

Morris is among those who have witnessed relationship violence, both verbal and physical. “It’s normally outside of school and there are not a lot of people around,” he said. He also believes that verbal abuse is most common. “You don’t see a lot of physical abuse, but you always hear couples yelling at each other.”

Carey agrees that verbal abuse is more common than physical. “If there is physical abuse, it’s likely there is verbal and emotional abuse going on, too.”

Both Carey and Morris believe relationship abuse is not common at Fairmont, but they still believe it’s happening. “I don’t ever see it,” said Carey. “But it’s obviously something that does go on; it kind of goes under the radar.”

In fact, only 33 percent of teens who have been in abusive relationships have ever told anyone about the abuse being inflicted on them, according to the TRU study. “If a teen knows someone who is being abused, it is their obligation to go to an adult who can help,” said Croucher. “All counselors, pastors, etc., have a Teen Hotline or web site.”

On the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center website, 81 percent of parents surveyed believe that teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it is. “Teen dating violence has been going on for a while,” said Carey. “People are just finally speaking out against it and taking action to prevent it.”

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, violent relationships experienced during adolescence can lead victims to abusive relationships in their adult years. These victims are also at a higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and suicide.

Hope for the future

Von Handorf hopes that The Tina Croucher Act will raise students’ level of awareness. “I know our teachers at Fairmont will do a good job communicating this serious issue that some students will confront in life,” he said. “By adding this to the curriculum, it gives students tools to use if they are ever in a dangerous situation. I hope it helps our kids make good choices.”

Croucher and her husband Jim are elated that their dream of 14 years has finally come to pass, and every student in Ohio will now be educated on teen dating violence. The biggest piece of advice Croucher can give on dating and relationships is this: “Don’t get in too deep too fast. That is one of the first signs of an abuser. Watch for the control issues.”

A U.S. Department of Education report in 2004 suggested that as many as 10 percent of the country’s public school students experience some type of improper sexual attention from school employees. Some of those incidents may involve a simple misunderstanding, while others result from a blurring of the line between what is appropriate and what is not. The last and most feared category involves adults who willfully decide to violate societal norms.

Unfortunately in this country, it’s not unusual to see a headline or hear a TV report about a teacher or coach who is under investigation for inappropriate – or sometimes even criminal – behavior involving students. It makes some wonder if these things are happening more often, or if they’re just reported more often.

Fairmont High School Principal Dan Von Handorf isn’t sure which is the case, but he is sure of one thing. “Society is definitely more sensitive to these cases,” he said. “You hear a lot more stories from the media.”

Students need to know adults care

Student-staff relationships can be a difficult issue because many teachers, counselors and coaches are encouraged to interact with their students. East Unit Guidance Counselor Dave Elliott sees a lot of positive in good relationships with students. “Students are more likely to produce high quality work if the teacher is someone who cares about them,” he said. “Students know almost immediately if a teacher cares about them.”

As a guidance counselor, he also believes that students have to know they can speak confidentially to him or another staff member. “Students sometimes need to vent,” he said. “No one is a perfect parent. When I didn’t communicate well as a parent, I was happy if they had someone at school.”

Sometimes faculty members can play life-changing roles in a student’s life. Elliott has dealt with many tough situations. “Sometimes we are given the opportunity to play critical roles. We dare not take advantage of that trust,” he said. “It is important to step away from our own life and focus on the needs of the student.”

Elliott definitely agrees there is a negative side if teachers breach the trust they are given. “There are far more positives than negatives, but the negatives get the publicity,” he said.

Does technology play a role?

Casual observers as well as those studying the problem of inappropriate teacher-student relationships often cite technology as a contributing factor. Emails, texts and Facebook didn’t pose problems for generations because those things just didn’t exist.

“There are great uses of technology, but there is always a negative side,” Von Handorf said, adding that he feels advances in technology have widened an already-gray area between students and teachers.

Fairmont math teacher Laura Jacobs sees both the positive and negative sides of technology. She said she feels comfortable answering students’ questions through emails, but she feels texting is – in some circumstances – a little over the limit. “For me, giving out your cell phone number to students should be the exception, not the rule,” she said.

However, Jacobs turns to that exception when dealing with after-school activities. As assistant coach of the tennis teams, she says she lets her concern for safety guide her. “I always make sure all my tennis players have my cell phone number,” she said.

Some students also see a benefit in being able to text their teachers. “When I was in peer mediation, we would text our adviser when we visited other schools,” said senior David Byrley. “We wouldn’t get in trouble because she’d always know where we were. It helps with organization.”

Von Handorf said he clearly sees a positive side to technology. “Teachers can use web pages to spread information, and club advisers can communicate through texting to let people know information quickly,” he said.

Byrley agrees texting can be useful, but he thinks limits on face-to-face contact outside of school are important. “There shouldn’t be any one-on-one time away from the classroom,” he said.

On the other hand, senior Joseph Yahna doesn’t see any need for students to be texting teachers or vice versa. “I just don’t see why it would be necessary. If you have questions, they can probably be handled inside of school,” he said.

Math teacher Scott Mitter says students sometimes text him questions about math. “Texting is less intimidating than calling when you are asking a question,” he said.

Von Handorf mentioned some teachers have brought up the idea of district-purchased cell phones that could be used by club advisers to talk to their students. This way, teachers wouldn’t have to give their personal numbers to students, but they could still stay in contact with them about school-related activities.

What would be the difference? “Some teachers were concerned about receiving a text that was inappropriate and getting in trouble for it,” Von Handorf said.

Will you be my ‘friend’?

Texting isn’t the only technology being questioned by those concerned with student-teacher relationships. With the steady rise of Facebook and other social networking websites, some question whether such “friendships” between students and teachers are appropriate.

(A note to non-Facebook users:  In this popular social network, a person can make his or her profile page “private” to anyone who is not listed as a “friend.”  Two people must agree to be “friends” in order to see each other’s page contents or to communicate with each other through the site.)

Several Fairmont teachers have Facebook pages, and some of them are “friends” with their students.  Byrley said he is friends with at least one teacher through Facebook, but he said he doesn’t communicate to her through it. “I’m OK with teachers being on Facebook, but it’s bad when teachers mention things on Facebook during school.”

Yahna sees no need for teachers to be on Facebook at all. He said he would be reluctant to add any teacher to his list of Facebook friends.           

Mitter, however, is friends with many of his students, past and present. “I have nothing to hide. I don’t put anything on my Facebook that I wouldn’t want the public to see,” he said.

Professionalism is the key

How can inappropriate communications between students and staff be stopped? Some critics say that a stricter hiring process for teachers would eliminate some of the problems. Like police officers, teachers could be subjected to psychological or polygraph testing before being hired. But that would be a very time-consuming and expensive task to hang on school districts that are already scrambling for operating money.

Von Handorf emphasizes the importance of teachers being professional when it comes to their relationships with students. He feels that Fairmont teachers do a good job of this, although even Fairmont has felt the sting of poor judgment in this area. English teacher Jeff Mauch was removed from the classroom last fall for sending inappropriate emails to some female students, according to the Dayton Daily News. The newspaper quoted Superintendent James Schoenlein, who said the district’s investigation revealed Mauch didn’t break any criminal laws and did not have sexual contact with a student.

Von Handorf feels any communication that makes a student or teacher uncomfortable is inappropriate. “Communication should deal directly with curriculum,” he said. He also said if a student would feel uncomfortable telling their parents something a teacher said, then it is most likely inappropriate.

If boundaries are crossed, VonHandorf says the teacher or student should address it. “If a student feels a boundary is crossed, he or she needs to talk to their unit principal. We take these incidents very seriously and a full investigation would follow,” he said.

But Elliott hopes teachers and students can still maintain close – but appropriate – relationships. “Every student needs someone once in a while,” he said. “Working with young people has kept me enthusiastic. The relationships with students make my job worth doing.”

Matt’s view

In modern-day America, many people are pondering this question: which is more important, privacy or safety? Should a certain degree of privacy be given up to the government in order for them to protect us from potential harm?

The Patriot Act, passed in 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, makes it easier for the government to search citizens’ e-mail and phone records, as well as their medical and financial records. And now, in the wake of a failed terrorism attack last December, many airports across the country – and the world – are considering the installation of full-body scanners. These scanners could help detect explosives and therefore prevent potential acts of terrorism, but the images produced by the scanners are a bit more revealing than previous technology allowed, and that has some people feeling nervous.

I think privacy is important to an extent. However, I think some people exaggerate its importance. I don’t particularly want someone reading over my e-mails or examining my phone records under a microscope without my knowledge, but to be honest, I think that’s just a knee-jerk reaction. I don’t have anything to hide. Anyone reading through my e-mails would most likely just come away bored. But as a society and as a culture, we’ve developed this idea that we’re owed this meaningless and knee-jerk sense of privacy. And in my opinion, this is the same type of privacy that people are worried about losing to full-body scanners at airports.

The images produced by the scanners aren’t going to be flashed up on a screen for everyone in line behind you to see. In fact, they aren’t even shown to the attendant operating the scanner. Only one set of eyes is going to see the images, and there’s an incredibly low likelihood that this same set of eyes is ever going to encounter you in person.

So what’s the big deal? Someone you don’t know and most likely will never meet is going to see a computer processed image – not a photograph – of your body. Yeah, it’s a computer processed image of your naked body, but again, so what? Bodies are natural.  We’ve all got bodies. If you’re honestly so concerned about a single stranger seeing a processed image of your naked body (which will disappear from their computer screen and be erased from existence within a matter of seconds) that you’re willing to sacrifice not only your personal safety but the safety of others in order to “protect your privacy,” then I’d say a re-evaluation of your priorities is in order. This isn’t George Orwell’s Thought Police in action – this is a simple, painless and minor inconvenience at the very most.

Personally, I’m all for the full-body scanners. Sure, they might be a drag to have to go through. It might mean I have to spend a few more minutes going through security before boarding a plane, and in an airport, a few minutes can seem like a few lifetimes.  And, yeah, I will probably feel that knee-jerk reaction of my privacy being “invaded” as I step through the scanner. But in the end, I’m absolutely fine feeling uncomfortable for a moment if it means that the lives of innocent people could be saved.

Paqui’s view

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.” This quote essentially summarizes the issue revolving around this debate today: should the government be able to implement full-body scanners, which produce naked images of passengers, in airports and then force average citizens to go through them before being able to fly on a plane?

My personal opinion is no. It’s a violation of everything America stands upon: liberty, freedom and the Constitution, the supreme law of the land. Now many people argue these new full-body scanners are a necessity in airports, but these people clearly forget about the already-heavy security that the airport forces a flyer to undergo. To put average flyers under further scrutiny is repugnant to everything we believe in as Americans. Let me explain.

To begin with, Americans have never been a strain of people to forfeit civil liberties for the mere reason to maybe stay safe. Looking all the way back to the 1920s, we let Ku Klux Klan members march down streets, knowing we may find someone lynched in the morning. In the ‘60s, the Supreme Court gave criminals the right to stay silent in Miranda v. Arizona, even though that meant they might end up back on the street. In the ‘70s, the Supreme Court ruled in New York Times Co. v. U.S. that the New York Times could publish the Pentagon Papers, although they may have posed a threat to national security. The list goes on and on.

The truth is that in this new dawning decade, there is always going to a possibility of a terrorist attack. The government will never be able to terminate the threat entirely. The more it tries, the more security we’ll have to go through, the more civil liberties we’ll forfeit and the more George Orwell’s 1984 becomes a reality. We cannot let that happen.

And now, going back to Ben Franklin’s quote: “The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.” In this case, we must put our foot down and stop government tyranny; those people who are willing to lie down and give up their rights just for the possibility of being secure should think again about what they’re doing.

Our body is our most prized possession, and a sense of privacy is one of the most sacred Americans have. In effect, that’s the defining line between the United States and other countries. In the U.S., the people own their bodies; in other countries the government does. The people were granted the right to use birth control in Griswold v. Connecticut and later the right to get an abortion in Roe v. Wade; both of these cases personify the greater concept of American freedom. We are our own person and have control over our body. Once the government gets to look at us naked, then we have to start worrying.

Proponents of these new full-body scanners fail to realize that other less intrusive scanners are being used in airports across the country. Security can clearly be obtained through other non-obtrusive means. In fact, the Christmas Day bomber, the terrorist who precipitated this wave of security in the first place, was on a watch list. His own father reported him as a terrorist! This is no issue of inadequate security; it’s a case of official incompetence.

The Bill of Rights protects American rights, containing some of the most sacred of those civil liberties: freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to counsel among others. One of those is also privacy granted in the Fourth Amendment’s protection from unreasonable searches and seizures and later interpreted in the Fourteenth Amendment.

Although, as Fairmont AP Government and Politics teacher Scott Byer was quoted in my story as saying, there are exceptions to the Fourth Amendment’s protections, these are only few in number called administrative searches. However, administrative searches can only go so far – they were never intended to give the government absolute control over the citizens and allow them to trample over their rights. Clearly now, administrative searches have exceeded their Constitutional limits. Seeing naked images (or outlines, as some people point out, trying to justify their choice to use them) of the average citizen is not going to prevent a terrorist attack; although I can possibly justify forcing the people on the watch lists to go through full-body scanners on the basis that there’s probable cause to search them.

However, when the government starts placing everyone under one blanket and forces the average flyer, who poses no imminent threat to the country, to go through these full-body scanners, then this country is no longer the arsenal of democracy; rather it’s the hotbed of paranoia.

Now I want to make one thing very, very clear. I love this country and don’t want to see anything happen to it or the citizens of this great nation. Terrorism is one of the greatest evils the world has ever seen, and we should take reasonable and Constitutional measures to protect ourselves from the terrorists who are out to destroy us. But part of what makes America so great is that, in the process, we don’t trample on other people’s rights. In the past we have been known to come down hard on terrorists (as well we should – they’re enemies of the country), but we have to draw the line somewhere. By putting our foot down now we have a chance to preserve the American ideal of democracy and force the government to take a step back. Search those who pose a threat and put others through the regular security measures. This is the Constitutional way of doing things – the American way of doing things.

Anything that comes from Manchester Orchestra automatically gets put on a pedestal for me. Between the grungy, dirty guitar tones to the aggressive, passionate vocals, this band has won my heart. With the release of their sophomore album Mean Everything to Nothing, Manchester Orchestra unleashed a beautiful, 4 song demo to accompany the album when purchased at a record store. Needless to say, I got my hands on Fourteen Years of Excellence – and I haven’t stopped listening since.

Manchester Orchestra’s lead singer and lyricist, Andy Hull, is the main force behind Fourteen Years of Excellence. His lyrics are captivating and vulnerable. The emotions in his voice are best heard in Anne Louise, when he sings, “And I hope that you’ll remember me in heaven / God I hope you don’t remember that in heaven / God I hope that they’ll allow me into heaven / Look what I’ve become.”

Hull has been blessed with the gift of lyricism. Not only does he write all of the lyrics for Manchester Orchestra, he also has a side project called Right Away, Great Captain where he creates an acoustic driven storyline. Right Away, Great Captain is a three album saga from the perspective of a 17^th century sailor who catches his wife in an act of betrayal with his very own brother. Though Fourteen Years of Excellence is a Manchester Orchestra release, the music and lyrics are more up the alley of a Right Away, Great Captain song.

My favorite of the record is It’s Okay with Me, which possesses the perfect mixture of hopeful music with solemn lyrics. Hull’s inspiration, which heavily comes from his ‘Christian upbringing’, is the questioning, the faith and the suffering that comes along with a belief in God. In It’s Okay with Me, Hull pleads, “I am a man that does not have a way / Millions of oceans can show me you say … and I still wait around to see if they’ll let me go / through heaven’s doors, alone.” Also, in Do You Really Like Being Alone, Hull furthers his confusion when he says, “And the Lord made me confront my past / We asked each other to explain the mess / I believed with enough good I’d mend / But any good I had was always simply tepid / And I tried hard to sing like they did / With my arms raised in the air I was praising / You said that when we died it would send / But maybe even Jesus knew that I was faking.” Hull is vulnerable and he lays it all out on the table for the listeners and that’s one of the best parts about the Manchester Orchestra experience.

With this being said, I have nothing bad to say about Fourteen Years of Excellence. The alternative, more laid back version of the single Shake It Out provides a nice change of pace on the record. Although the lyrics can seem dark, they are deep and extremely inspiring. If you are a fan of Manchester Orchestra, you need to get your hands on this short album. If you have never had a Manchester Orchestra experience, I recommend starting with Mean Everything to Nothing; however this is a great alternative.

Haiti is located on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country is about the size of Massachusetts. Port-au-Prince, the main city affected by the earthquake, had a population of 704,776 according to the 2003 census, similar to the number of people in Columbus, Ohio. But that was before Jan. 12, 2010, when the small country was the site of one of the most devastating disasters in recent times. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake killed 150,000 to 200,000 people in the country and injured 194,000.

To put this in perspective, 1,836 people were killed in Hurricane Katrina, 2,976 were killed on 9/11 and 227,898 perished in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

World brings relief to Haiti

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, with 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line (living on less than $2 a day) and 54 percent living in abject poverty (less than $1). The CIA World Factbook, the source of these statistics, adds:  “The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.”

Several organizations are supporting the earthquake relief effort in this devastated country. Among these groups are the American Red Cross, the Mercy Corps, the World Health Organization and many groups locally.

For instance, the First Day Federal Credit Union branch located inside Fairmont High School collected money to donate to the victims of the earthquake on Feb. 3, and the Red Cross has collected money at Fairmont as well. Fairmont Activities Director Jenny Borchers said the Activities Office collected around $650 through the pep rally for Haiti. Although this may not seem like a lot, any little bit could mean survival for someone in Haiti, and Borchers is proud of the donations. “I would like to thank Fairmont students for supporting the pep rally for Haiti, because it went to a very worthwhile cause,” she said.

Donating can be as simple as texting. You can donate $5 to singer/songwriter Wyclef Jean’s charity Yéle Haiti by texting YELE to 501501, or $10 to the American Red Cross by texting HAITI to 90999. Yéle Haiti alone donated more than 52,000 hot meals and 2 million gallons of filtered water to communities in and around Port-au-Prince within the first few weeks of operation and has collected $1.5 million total.

These are two of the reputable charities, but be wary of other “text to donate” services, as some have seen the earthquake as a chance to make a quick buck off of others’ good intentions.

Haiti has been rocked to its core, but with lots of aid and help, many feel the nation and its people might rebound from this better off than they were. “I think there is a definite silver lining to the tragedy,” said Fairmont senior Kayleigh Roenker. “Haiti was really bad off before, and at least now they have the world spotlight to get help and come out of it ahead.”

Haiti remains in peril

However, this help needs to happen quickly, especially with hurricane season approaching. With many Haitians living in tents or on tarps, the need could not be more pressing for some sort of stable living environment. “I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse,” said Jean, who is Haitian-born. “The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”

But many also warn that uncoordinated relief efforts can create problems in this battered country. Stories surfacing from Haiti show how some people who appear to have good intentions can cause major problems.

For example, 10 Baptist missionaries from Idaho were arrested for trying to smuggle 33 Haitian children across the border to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic – even though some of the children were not, in fact, orphans at all. The missionaries were recently released, with the condition that they must return for questioning if needed. “We came here simply to help these children,” the group’s spokesperson, Laura Silsby, said in an interview with ABCnews.com. “We were just trying to do the right thing.”

The illegal removal of children out of the country has even put legitimate adoptions on hold. Officials are worried that human trafficking could happen such as it did after the tsunami in Southeast Asia back in 2004. Some estimates have as many as 1.2 children being trafficked each year for slave labor or the sex trade, and a natural disaster always seems to attract the underbelly of society.

Time Magazine reported that UNICEF, Save the Children and the Red Cross are all working to protect Haitian children from exploitation. “Traffickers fish in pools of vulnerability, and we’ve rarely if ever seen one like this,” a UNICEF official in Haiti told the magazine.

“It’s horrible that some use the unfortunate events to their advantage, but it does happen and Haiti needs to look out for it,” said Roenker.

Many are hopeful that Haiti will get help that it needs to bounce back, but if that isn’t the case, some warn of a dark tomorrow.  

As the former prime minister of Haiti, Michelle Pierre-Louis, said in an interview with CNN: “If Haiti does not see how to get out of poverty, how to get out of disease, how to get out this situation that the people are living in, we are going to be trouble for the whole world.”

I am normally a pretty trendy kid. I usually try to follow the latest fads and hysteria; however, I have not been impressed by several of the latest pop culture crazes, particularly the Owl City, Jersey Shore and Kid Cudi movements. As only an occasional listener to rap music, I do appreciate the creativity of the lyrics as well as the production of the beats. Nevertheless, it’s a rare occasion when I find a rapper that I actually appreciate and enjoy. With this being said, I finally gave Kid Cudi a chance, and against all my prior judgment, I found Man on the Moon: The End of Day to be a pleasurable journey.

Surprisingly, Kid Cudi’s lyrics are very metaphorical, emotional and heartfelt. In Pursuit of Happiness, he reflects on the death of his father when he says, “I’m super paranoid, like a 6th sense. Since my father died, I ain’t been right since.” Cudi’s father died when he was 11 years old from cancer and it has deeply affected his personality and his music. The struggles of Cudi’s life have put him in extreme emotional positions, where he writes, “It’s close to go and trying some coke. And a happy ending would be slitting my throat.” Cudi is real and he is not ashamed of his upbringing (he’s originally from Cleveland), his addiction to drugs and his emotional instability. The hip-hop scene needs more artists who put down their guard and become real people with real life problems.

The theme of Man on the Moon: The End of the World is based on a call to society to be more creative. However, the creativity that Cudi is pushing happens to be heavily based on marijuana influence. The entire album centers on his addiction to marijuana and in the song Pursuit of Happiness, Cudi brags, “[I] crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit.” The main inspiration of his songs come from the dreams he has while stoned, Cudi said in a recent interview. Just when I thought I liked Kid Cudi, I lost an immense amount of respect for him. It turned out that he was, indeed, just like all the other rappers of today.

On a separate note, the actual music on Man on the Moon: The End of Day is very unique to a typical rapper of this generation. While the majority of rap beats today blend together, Cudi collaborates with electro-rock duo Ratatat to produce several of his beats (Alive and Pursuit of Happiness). Other noteworthy songs on the album include the single Day ‘n’ Nite, Heart of a Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music) and Sky Might Fall, which is produced by label mate Kanye West.

Nevertheless, this album, like any other rap album, becomes repetitive and has its flaws. A large majority of the songs sound the same and Cudi’s voice – though unique – gets old halfway through the album. Man on the Moon: The End of the World is not something I’d be listening to over and over again. Although Cudi is new and fresh and unique, he still supports the basic principles of most rappers through the theme of marijuana influence. However, I will admit it. Kid Cudi is one of the better rap artists in the scene today.

For years, seniors across the country, especially second-semester seniors, have been prone to slacking off and procrastinating instead of doing the work necessary for school. This dreadful disease is called senioritis.

The suffix “itis” refers to inflammation, meaning senioritis refers to the irritation and tenderness of the senior. Symptoms include arriving late to class and shirking off work due to how numb the students are.

Math teacher Janet Johnson has seen the symptoms of senioritis in her AP Calculus AB class. “Most of my seniors do nothing, and they make class so that others can’t even learn. And they whine about everything we do,” she said.

On the other hand, East Unit Guidance Counselor Cheryl Abraham thinks the problem is students being sick of school in general and not just senior year. “It’s kind of an attitude that kids bring with them since freshman year, and it might get worse during senior year. You’re supposed to want to come here and be a student, and some kids can’t accept that,” she said.

What’s the point in trying?

This disease has been occurring for hundreds of years. Some seniors feel entitled to an easy year due to their long list of academic achievements and the stress that high school has brought on them. Other seniors who never cared or tried feel as if it’s pointless to still be here if they know they still won’t do a thing.

Once students have their lives after high school planned, whether it’s getting accepted to college or getting a good start on a career, is there really any reason to keep trying?

Senior Kari Cramer thinks she’s done her time and now it should be over. “I’ve already been accepted to college, so I don’t want to try anymore. Plus I’ve been in school 11 years, and I think I deserve one year of rest before it’s over and I have to start at a new school,” she said.

However, taking one year of rest could be dangerous for any senior continuing on to college. “When kids are just shutting down and taking the year off, you become unprepared for the next step. You have four years of college left and nothing really changes except you’re independent,” Abraham said.

Senior year is both fun and stressful

Senioritis is a pandemic, infecting every student it can get its hands on, but there have to be some brave people out there still doing homework, studying, and showing up to class every day. Senior Brandon O’Malley is the only upperclassman at Fairmont to have seven periods of Advanced Placement classes. Surely he must find a way to resist the temptation of slacking off … or can he?

“Some would say that it is impossible to slack off while taking hard classes senior year,” he said. “I have found a way.”

O’Malley thinks there isn’t much of a reason to continue working hard. “This is supposed to be one of the best years, if not the best year, of our lives. I’m not going to give up having a social life and having fun to worry about my grades. School is stressful enough as it is,” he said.

In addition to high school, other stressors for seniors can include work, college and career choices, relationships and extracurricular activities.

Cramer believes the anxiety this year is far greater than previous years. “Graduation is just looming over my head, and even though I’m ready for that magical date of June 3, the whole college thing is also still always there and still always stressing me out,” she said.

Senioritis seems to repeat itself with every new class of seniors; however, it seems to be growing worse and worse every year. “Ten years ago, I didn’t have this much trouble motivating my students. And they generally tried a lot harder than the seniors I have this year,” Johnson said.

Johnson thinks she tries her hardest to motivate her sluggish seniors, but in the end she can’t do that much. “A teacher’s only recourse in trying to stop senioritis is just to have the students’ worry about grades and college, and most of my students this year don’t seem to care,” she said.

Maybe they should care at least a little, since colleges do sometimes repeal admittance for high school seniors who have stopped working. “Most seniors get away with slacking because they put on a somewhat decent show and colleges expect a little drop,” Abraham said. “But there’s a reason all colleges require a final transcript, and they want to make sure you’re going to be successful. For instance, OSU actively watches to make sure your grades don’t drop completely.”

What’s the solution?

For years, teachers and administrators have been searching for a cure. Administrators and experts have suggested a “senior schedule” with either college PSEO classes or studying abroad. Utah Sen. Chris Buttars has proposed eliminating senior year entirely and argues there’s no reason for it because students who are going on to higher education want to advance to college early and will be in school anyway.

The program Wise Individual Senior Experience has been helping promising students get internships in order to stimulate seniors and their quest for knowledge. Yet, WISE is only for select schools and there aren’t many other programs out there like this.

Abraham knows that school isn’t for everyone, but she thinks that while they’re at Fairmont, they should make the most of it. “It’s not a perfect system, but it’s the only one we have. And really if you can succeed in school, you’re going to succeed in life. Any college you want to go to or job you want will think that way,” she said.

Cramer believes there’s nothing in the world that could stop her suffering from this seemingly incurable disease. “I’ve tried to just sit down and work, I’ve tried taking manageable breaks, but nothing works,” she said. “It’s basically impossible to not be a lazy senior. I haven’t met anyone who isn’t.”           

Even though O’Malley is an admitted procrastinator, he has some tips for seniors to stop dragging their feet. “If I was really looking to do better in school, things that have helped me in the past have worked really well. For instance, making a calendar of all your events and school, and prioritizing the work and activities that are most important to you and your grade,” he said. “And a big thing for now, remember you’re almost done and that once you leave, it’s almost assured you’re going to miss it.”

“I think it’s really awesome,” said senior Amanda Turner. “The modern feel makes kids want to come to the library.”

Senior Allie Dyer agrees with Turner. “I really like how open it is and I love the seating arrangements,” she said.

Those are exactly the kind of reactions project manager Debbie LeValley was hoping for when the library and FIC closed for renovations last fall. “We want to create a welcoming community where students want to be,” LeValley, director of technology for the district, said back in October.

LeValley said the total project cost was around $400,000, but the Kettering Health Network contributed $200,000.

The library was long overdue for a facelift. LeValley noted it hadn’t been updated since it was built, although a dozen computers had been added over the years. The old library was showing its age, with outdated books, tired shelves, poor lighting, and worn and dingy-looking carpet and paint. It didn’t exactly beckon visitors.

The new Library Media Center features new furniture, shelves, lights, carpet and paint, but the changes go far beyond appearances. The committee that planned the renovation also wanted to make sure that today’s students had access to the technology and resources they need to do research and fulfill assignments.

Additional technology and meeting spaces

From new computers to Smart Boards and even a flat-panel TV, the library has clearly entered the 21^st century. That’s a big deal since today’s teens grew up with technology and they expect to be able to use technology at school.

Before the renovation, the library only had 12 computers and now it boasts a total of 65. Those come in the form of both PCs and laptops. Some of the computers are relatively stationary in the library, while others reside on carts. One cart features 15 laptops and a second cart contains 24 laptops. Each cart also contains a printer, which makes it easier to print papers on the go. “Now people who don’t have computers or printers at their house can use ours,” said Library Media Specialist Jillian Kelsey.

In addition to the computers, the library now also features three Smart Boards, which are located in two of the three new conference rooms. This arrangement allows teachers to take classes into a conference room, where they can use the Smart Board and/or laptops for lessons or to work on projects.

Groups of all sorts can also use the rooms to hold meetings. “The new conference rooms are a great add-on for USB because it will make our meetings more isolated,” said senior Holly Carey.

Another cool feature in the conference rooms are sensors that turn on the lights when someone enters the room and turns them off when they leave.

Finally, the new library features a 50-inch flat-panel TV on the east wall. “It will scroll CNN and the ‘Good Morning Fairmont’ Friday announcements,” said Kelsey.

More resources, longer hours

In addition to the new look and boost in technology, the committee planning the renovations wanted to be sure the library would be an excellent place for students and staff to find resources and do research.

Kelsey said 1,400 new books were added to the FHS library. “The new books are awesome,” said Turner. “There are so many different books here, from Kate Bryan to Steven King.”    

If students can’t find the books they want or research material they need, the library staff wants to know about it. “We plan to continue adding to the library collection of books, materials, and online resources,” LeValley said.

Now that the resources are there, the staff wants to make sure students can take advantage of it. Beginning March 1, the library will be open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. “This will help students with their projects and homework if they can’t do research at home,” said senior Liz Shine.

Firebirds are happy campers

Kettering Superintendent Dr. James Schoenlein thinks the new Library Media Center will attract people. “Before the renovation not many people came in, but now that it’s nice, I believe it will bring students to the library,” he said.

Members of Fairmont’s a capella group Eleventh Hour liked the new digs so much, they decided to take their new group pictures in the library. “The library is really well designed and it makes Fairmont look better altogether,” said senior Kendall Young, an Eleventh Hour member.

Many other seniors love the library, so much so that they’re upset that renovations came so late for them. “I’m so bummed that I only have four months left to enjoy this beautiful library,” said senior Liz Shine.

Senior Allie Angerer agrees. “Since I’m leaving soon, I want to do my homework and spend a lot of time in the library so I can enjoy it,” said Angerer.

Retired Art Photo teacher Thom Meyer also praised the new library. “It’s fantastic. I wish they had this years ago,” said Meyer, who added that the center has a cyber café feeling. “It’s nice to have Internet access and multiple work spaces. Everything was blended very well and they did a marvelous job on the renovation.”

Kelsey is pleased with the results and happy to see Fairmont students and staff so enthused about the new facility.

“The new library is beautiful and there is a lot of new technology,” said Kelsey. “I think people will love it.”

For the past several months, I have been searching for a new band to listen to. I wanted something different that few people listen to; I wanted a band that would actually sound like how I truly felt. When I found House Party by Right Side of the Tree, I knew I had found my band.

Right Side of the Tree (RST) has a different sound to it, and as soon as I heard the song Drunk on a Tuesday – Uncut, I fell in love with them. It is by far their best song and may be one of the greatest acoustic songs I have heard in years; this song speaks to me and gives me a great vibe. As far as singles go, this acoustic song is one of the few out there that I can put on repeat and relax to the melody.

The songs Welcome 2 Life and Live it Up are two great songs that show that RST isn’t just a one-hit wonder, and also that they can be diverse. It balances out their best song well, by showing a different side to them. These songs definitely help you to get pumped up and put you in a great mood.

As far as the other songs on the album go, most of the songs are hit or miss. For instance, Party Like Robots is, for lack of a better word, stupid. The lyrics are dreary and dull and the beat is too simple to enjoy. Not to mention, the song is meaningless and actually gets on my nerves.

The only problem with House Party is that every song reminds me of every other song. I would have liked the album to have been a little more varied. Now obviously, if you are at a house party, this is the perfect CD to blast through your stereo. But for those of us who like to listen to music in our cars or just to relax to, the album leaves a lot to be desired.

I wouldn’t say the album is worth the 10 dollars you’d have to spend for every song, but if you get on iTunes or any mp3 downloading site and get some of RST’s best tracks for around three dollars, you’ll find a fresh sound that you will definitely enjoy. RST could possibly be one of the best bands I’ve ever heard, but their lack of consistency shows that they aren’t there yet. Hopefully, in the future, they’ll find their niche and not try to stretch their reach and produce “party” songs.

For years, guys have sagged their pants for fashion. Some people like the look while others hate it, and theories abound as to why the saggy pants trend has staying power. Some guys believe it’s fashionable, some think they look tough or cool, and other guys just want to express themselves.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” said English teacher Tricia Taylor. “And when you consider the origins of the fashion, I feel it’s offensive.” She’s referring, of course, to the theory that the phenomenon started in prison as a way for an inmate to show he was “available.”

Fashion or accident?

Some guys don’t consider saggy pants a fashion; they think of it as something that just happens. “My pants are either too big or they don’t have a drawstring to keep them up,” said senior Sam Francis.

Junior Brent Bay has a similar opinion. “Guys are just too lazy to pull them up when they fall down,” said Bay.

Although the saggy pants trend continues, some guys just don’t like this fad. “When your pants are sagged all the way down, you look like a fool,” said junior Tim Trummer.

Junior Victor Scarpelli wonders why young men have decided to sag their pants. “Maybe guys just wear colored boxers and they want people to see them,” he said.

Adults are annoyed; girls have mixed feelings

Since many teachers and administrators don’t like this trend, they also don’t understand why it’s so popular. “It seems like it would be a pain to hold your pants up when you walk, or to pull them up every other step,” said Fairmont teacher and coach Andy Aracri.

West Unit Principal Mike Nienaber also doesn’t understand it. “I think they’re trying to make a fashion statement that’s different, but they’re just copying someone else they’ve seen,” he said.

Other teachers who don’t like this look make sure their students are aware of the situation. “If their pants are well below their waist and their butt hangs out, then I ask them to pull up their pants,” said Taylor.

The girls at Fairmont have mixed feelings about this fad. Junior Sarah Moore doesn’t like the idea of guys sagging their pants. “I think it’s annoying and it makes guys look trashy,” she said.

Other girls look at this trend from another perspective. “I like it when their boxers show a little on the top, but I think it looks bad when their pants are past their butt,” said junior Libby Ganz-Sarto.

However, some guys argue with Ganz-sarto’s logic. “I sag my pants to show off my cute little butt for all the honeys out there,” said junior Chase Loges.     

Normally, guys are the culprits behind this saggy fashion, but a few girls are to blame as well. “It’s the same thing,” said East Unit Principal Hank Jackoby. “I don’t want to see underwear, bottom line.”

Are you judged by your pants?

Francis and senior Rob Shoemaker agree that sagging their pants is very comfortable. Even though comfort could be important, Central Unit Principal Andrew White believes it isn’t appropriate for the school and work environment. “It doesn’t fit our school’s handbook,” said White.

White disapproves of this fashion in the work environment, but also in his own life. “From a conservative standpoint,” he said, “I think it’s just disrespectful.”

Besides being disrespectful, Jackoby believes saggy pants set people up to be judged. “When people look professional, other people will think better things,” he said. When someone looks unprofessional, Jackoby believes it may give others the impression that the person is not as trustworthy as someone who looks sharp.

Whether good or bad, right or wrong, judging plays a role in teens’ lives every day. “People assume how you act based on how you look,” said Jackoby. “It’s not right, but that’s the way it is.”