DHS at Odds Withdep Tersection

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage Paid Darien, Conn. Permit No. 43 Darien High School 80High School Lane Darien, CT 06820 Courts: Students cannot grade other students' papers .ByMike Sullivan Rights and Privacy Act, when they al rights to a student, which allows the stu all federal funding to an institution, News Editor lowed other students to grade her dent to see his or her educational which violates FERPA. These harsh pen Privacy in our classrooms is some children's assignments. Ms. Falvo filed records, seek amendment to those alties associated with FERPA are why thing that students take for granted a class-action lawsuit against the school records, the right to consent disclosure the ruling is such a landmark decision. these days. Many of us don't think district in October of 1998. The lawsuit ofhis or her records, and the right to file The problem for some people is that about it when peers edit or grade our was turned down on both counts in 1998, a compliant with the Department ofEdu the decision is too broad and affects too papers. Many of us share our grades in however the Court of Appeals over cation. In short, it means that the educa many aspects of school life, such as the hallways, in attempts to determine our turned the lower courts' decision on the tional records of a student must be kept posting of honor rolls, and displays of how we rank in our group of friends. second count of the case. As the Court confidential. Although this law has been student work in hallways. But how will However these kinds of actions could ofAppeals said in its decision, "we con in place for nearly 26 years, this is the the decision affect DHS? When in be considered a violation ofour privacy. clude that although the Fourteenth first time that it has been applied to indi formed, junior Brian Kelly responded, Last year the 10th U.S. Circuit Court Amendment does not preclude the grad vidual grades in classes. This new deci "Are you serious, I think public humilia of Appeals in Denver made a landmark ing practice, FERPA does." This deci sion means that peer grading violates a tion is a part of public education, it pre ruling on this matter. In the case ofFalvo sion sets the precedent that grading by student's rights unless parental permis pares you for real life." v. Owasso Independent School District, other students in class is a violation of sion is first given. The ruling also pro Science teacher Mr. Dumais is well Kristja J. Falvo a mother of three chil the privacy rights of students. hibits student aides from recording versed in policies concerning student dren argued that the Owasso school dis The privacy rights are given to stu grades and teachers from posting grades. privacy, he posts the grades of his stu trict in Owasso, OK had violated both dents in the Family Education Rights The penalties for violating FERPA are dents on a password-protected database her children's fourteenth amendment and Privacy ActorFERPA. FERPAwas harsh. When Congress passed the act at his website. The Darien Board of Ed privacy rights and Family Education passed by Congress in 1974, and grants in 1974 it only gave one remedy to viola is asking for parental permission before tions ofFERPA, the secretary ofeduca he posts his new website. "I guess that Architects Avoiding Problems tion has the power to terminate any and See Courts on Page 4 .ByMeghan Moore crete parking lot. The cutTent layout of Staf!Writer the parking lot limits the amount ofpark If you have ever been in the inter ing spaces. Instead, he said, "The ar section during passing time, the cafete chitects are avoiding having a huge mall ria during lunch, or the parking lot after like parking lot and they are trying to the bell rings at 2:20 P.M., you know create a village green parking lot." Park about the crowding problems. The cur ing spaces will be diagonally placed rent building only makes these crowed around the playing fields with an.addi locations worse but the architects for tionallot near the gymnasium. the new high school are familiar with the The parking lot will also have addi existing problems and plan to avoid them tional parking spaces, extending from its with the new high school. cutTent 380 spots to 506 spots. With the Currently, the intersection is made growing student body, the 506 spots up ofa meeting place at which four wings planned for the new high school will only come together in a T-shape, with very guarantee spots for faculty, seniors, and sharp comers. This layout only con select juniors. tributes to the problem, making the in The cafeteria is currently located tersection significantly smaller. See Construction on Page 4 On the other hand, plans for the in tersection in the new high school will increase the amount of space in the in Recycling: DHS at odds withDEP tersection. "The architects have been .By Patrick Fulton recyclables, the fault exists initially with every day, and the library's daily news instructed to make the corners round Staf!Writer the school itself, for no recycling pro papers end up in the garbage as well. which will make the intersection larger Though it is Connecticut State law gram has ever been enforced in DHS. According to the Connecticut De and will create a small rotunda," Mr. Hall for all public schools to recycle, recy While a meeting ofschool officials con partment of Environmental Protection, said. cling at DHS is virtually nonexistent. To cerning recycling was held in Septem or the DEP, DHS should have twice as The existing parking lot always stirs an outsider, it would appear that DHS ber, nothing has come of it. New bins many dumpsters as it currently has. up complaints from the students and fac recycles as much as the next school. specifically marked for cans and bottles Glass, cans, cardboard, newspapers, and ulty. The layout of the parking lot pro Blue recycling bins are set up in every in the cafeteria were promised, but no white office paper are all mandatory duces traffic jams in the morning and in classroom, bins for bottles and cans sit bins were ever ordered. Apart from this recyclables under the Connecticut Man the afternoon. There are currently not in the cafeteria, and the school has two empty promise, no mention ofrecycling datory Recycling Act introduced Janu enough parking spaces so that every dumpsters: one for cardboard and one has surfaced this year. ary 1", 1991, and DHS recycles none of senior and junior can drive to school but for trash. This, however, is merely an The problem is more serious than these. In recent months, the DEP has making the parking lot bigger to accom illusion. The dumpsters and bins all you may think. Teachers and staff of taken notice of our school's lack of re modate all juniors is not a priority with contain mixed trash and recyclables, and the school copy approximately 4,000 cycling, and the school has so far fol the new high school. none ofit is sent to a recycling center. sheets of white office paper a day, and lowed none of the DEP's suggestions. Mr. Hall noted that the architects While many are quick to point fin none of it is recycled. Every student's Darien High School cannot stay in are trying to get away from a large con- gers at the students for mixing trash and can or bottle from lunch goes in the trash See Recycling on Page 4 .'~'\<': ·__ Te;.';· This Issue ~ In ..a _ .. ..; ., . Inside News InSide Entertainment Inside Feature Inside Sports aJentin " Toy College Football: How good is it? e9 See Pa e 12 o inio February 2001 2 E AD School's Snow Day Policy put Students in Danger Despite heavy snowfall and danger the other schools in Fairfield county ried parents. The ride home was a long, ous driving conditions, on Monday, were closed and the conditions outside and dangerous one. For the cars with February 5th, superintendent Darrell were only getting worse. The snow was two-wheel drive, the ride home was a Lund left Darien public schools open, piled up on the students and faculty's constant effort not to go flying off the causing numerous complaints from stu cars and the roads were already in a dan road. For faculty the ride home was in dents, parents, and teachers. gerous state. some cases as long as four hours. There were at least seven car acci It was not until 2:05 that students Though no one was severely injured, dents involving students, many ofwhich were dismissed and by then the condi the chances ofit happening were great, were within a half of mile from school. tions were a serious threat to the stu and many accidents still occurred. For some of the teachers, the ride home dents and faculty's safety. Mr. Hall On a positive note, Darrell Lund took as long as four hours. Concerned proudly announced our school as being made it so that students and faculty parents called the school numerous the only one in Fairfield county still open didn't have to make up any classes or times throughout the snowstorm, urg while many were infuriated by that. school days. However, his decision of ing the school to close early. With the sound ofthe bell, students not closing the schools was an unwise OCIA: DITOR Throughout the day the snow fell and faculty rushed to their snow cov one which jeopardized the safety of all Ed Briganti at a rapid pace, and at 12: 15, the last time ered cars, waited around in the snow for the students and faculty in Darien.

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