Vol. 57 No. 05 The Beachcomberwww.bcomber.org Beachwood High School 25100 Fairmount Boulevard Beachwood, Ohio May 27, 2016 In Age of Trump, Minority Students Vulnerable to Harassment “I looked at all my friends and the number of people who support me and respect me; I started focusing on the positive, which gave me more confidence,” Senior Aya Ali said. “Not only that, but my hijab is a constant reminder to me of who I am, no matter what anyone else says.” Photo by Bradford Douglas. course in which xenopho- minder to me of who I am, stated. anti-gay hate speech, that By Dalia Zullig bic language has become no matter what anyone Additionally, the speech does not lose its Online Editor-in-Chief increasingly acceptable. In else says.” Southern Poverty Law constitutional protection Inside This Issue... Ali’s case, she spoke back Ali felt that the stu- Center reported that more just because it is insulting Senior Aya Ali is a on social media to those dents who were talking than two thirds out of or offensive,” he wrote in Muslim-American whose who target her for her eth- about her did not know approximately 2,000 K-12 an email. “For speech to family is from Lebanon. nic origins and religious her as a person, and that teachers surveyed have lose its protection, it must She chooses to wear a beliefs. they hated her because of reported a rise in Mus- be threatening or harass- hijab headscarf. First, in late Feb., Ali’s her religion. lim and black students’ ing -- something that In a public school with friends told her they heard But in the age of Don- concerns with the rise of actually inflicts significant few recognizably Arab prejudiced comments ald Trump, where does Republican presidential discomfort that makes students, she stands out other students were mak- political speech end and candidate Donald Trump. a targeted recipient feel from the crowd. ing about her. hate speech begin? One-third of the 2,000 unsafe.” “I’m the only girl who “I was called a terrorist,” According to an April teachers surveyed have “Political speech is of wears the hijab in the Ali said. “When I heard 13 report from the South- seen a rise in anti-Muslim course the most highly PG 5 entire building,” she said. that certain people in my ern Poverty Law Center and anti-immigration protected category of “It’s the most obvious sign school were talking behind (SPLC), ‘The Trump Effect’ sentiment. speech, and there is no EntrovationCLE that I am a Muslim. It is my back about my hijab has been on the rise na- According to Frank Lo- hard-and-fast line where very obvious that people and my race in general, I tionwide, so much so that Monte, Executive Director ‘political speech’ ends are intimidated by me.” was upset.” many immigrant students of the Student Press Law and ‘hate speech’ begins,” In Feb. and March, both “However, I looked at fear being deported. Center (another organiza- LoMonte added. “Call- Ali and sophomore Elena all my friends, and the “Teachers have noted tion with the acronym ing for a ban on Muslims Torres were the subjects of number of people who an increase in bullying, ha- SPLC), not all hateful entering America for hateful language, targeting support me and respect rassment and intimidation language can be defined as purposes of preventing them for their religious, me; I started focusing on of students whose races, hate speech. terrorism is pretty clearly cultural or ethnic identi- the positive, which gave religions or nationalities “The Supreme Court has political speech that has ties. me more confidence,” she have been the verbal tar- told us numerous times, These incidents echo added. “Not only that, but gets of candidates on the including in the case of the See ‘Trump Effect’ the national political dis- my hijab is a constant re- campaign trail,” the report Westboro Baptist Church’s pg. 7 PG 11 Diversify the curriculum Stadium and Auditorium to Be Finished For Fall By Alex Cala with additional report- row and the stage, and a excited. ing by Nam Nguyen and large, retractable screen “I’m happy about the Harsajan Gill According to Cleveland. lights..there has been a lot com, the auditorium proj- of talk about it, and now Superintendent Dr. Bob ect was estimated at $3.5 there is proof that it is Hardis addressed students million. actually happening,” junior in the gym on Tuesday The second topic, more Ryan Marks said. May 16 to provide an up- anticipated by many stu- According to Athletic Di- date on renovations to the dents, was the renovations rector Ryan Peters, commu- PG 13 auditorium and football to the sports facilities. nity support for the project stadium. Hardis announced that has been very positive, and The following day the the stadium renovation he expressed appreciation Learner district had scheduled the would mean that finally, to the City for waiving tens groundbreaking for the Beachwood would be join- of thousands of dollars in stadium renovation. ing its CVC compatriots in permitting fees. “The timeline on this having a football field with Hardis also addressed project has been incredibly turf and lights, allowing the multi-sport capa- fast,” Hardis said. “If the the football team to play bilities of the renovated weather holds up, we will night games for the first football field. have a brand new stadium time. “This is a field that can [in time for the new school According to The support football, track, Superintendent Dr. Bob Hardis presented to the student year].” Cleveland Jewish News, boys and girls soccer, la- body on the auditorium and stadium renovations. Photo by But first Hardis spoke the LED lights will be crosse and cross country,” Dar’Jon Bentley. about the auditorium mounted on 90-foot poles he said. renovation. and will be designed to According to The Jew- The reception from stu- Peters shares some of Displaying a photo minimize light pollution. ish News, Hardis told the dents was very positive. these feelings. PG 15 of the auditorium in its Bison athletics sup- School Board in January “The renovations of the “This is one of the Baseball at district finals current state, Hardis porters have been push- that the stadium cost athletic facilities are going most exciting times as an mentioned some of the ing for stadium lights could be as much as 4.8 to offer a new frontier for athletic director, to [join] advantages of the renova- for many years, and have million. On May 16, he our athletics program,” other schools in having tions, including a bigger historically met resistance. told students the bids had junior Matthew Aubourg lights in our stadium,” he space between the front So many students are come well under budget. added. said. News THE BEACHCOMBER 2 Once Again, Students and Staff Grapple With New State Tests The new AIR assessments were the third state tests in three years for Ohio English and math teachers. By Samantha Shaffer cism, the PARCC tests were tested subjects are practicing Staff Writer scrapped after one year and the skills and knowledge for AIR assessments are now be- the respective exams.” ing used in all core subject In most classes, test areas. preparation is integrated Last month all freshmen As of Spring 2016, the into classes throughout the and sophomores as well as Classes of 2018 and 2019 school year. some juniors and seniors will will have to take the AIR As- “I look at how to design take Ohio’s end-of-course as- sessments as a graduation questions for the ninth grad- sessments produced by the requirement. Instead of five ers throughout the year,” American Institutes for Re- main subject tests, students Matthews said. “When I search (AIR). will take assessments accord- teach [Jon Krakauer’s] Into The tests will cover Lan- ing to the specific classes in Thin Air, a lot of the formats guage Arts 1 & 2, Algebra 1, which they are enrolled. For I use for my quizzes are simi- Geometry, Biology, Physical example, instead of taking lar questions to the way they Science, American History a general ninth grade sci- have it formatted for these and American Government. ence test, freshman biology tests.” “The AIR assessments al- students will take a biology- Butler and other teachers low us to measure the effec- specific test. have had to adjust their cur- Photo by Bradford Douglas. Infographic by Jinle Zhu, from Ohio School Report Card Data. tiveness of our curriculum in The students will receive riculum in order to suit the specific subjects,” Principal a certain number of gradua- new assessments. Dr. Ed Klein said. “Analyzing tion points for each test they “The biggest change has School District Ranked Third- the curriculum, the tests and pass. come in spending more time the results encourages us, as “In general, students on content to attempt to professionals, to refine how graduating in 2018 or later achieve mastery. This has Highest Performing in Ohio we instruct all of our stu- need 18 points to gradu- cut into curriculum and has dents.” ate, including a minimum forced many teachers to slow On the other hand, many of four points in English, down the pace,” Butler said. Additionally, BHS won the new ‘All A Award’ for BHS students and teachers four points in math, and six “This is a new test and I’m are skeptical about the value points in science and social not sure how to adjust [my earning A’s on every measure of the school report card.