Westhill’s News Magazine Glass Corridors Millenials: Are We Really That Bad? Pages 14-15 What’s Inside • Hallway Etiquette Pages 8,9 • When Teachers Went To High School Pages 12,13 • The Truth About School Lunches Page 5 Winter 2015 4501 Onondaga Blvd. GLASS CORRIDORS Westhill High School Internet Free Speech Rights Reach Supreme What’s New? By Nina Onoff Court On December 1st, the Supreme Court heard the 3 appeal of Anthony Elonis, marking the first time they’ve examined the limits of Online speech. El- onis, a 31 year-old man from Pennsylvania, served a three year prison sentence after writing disturbing posts on Face- book, including graphic descriptions of violence against his ex-wife. Elonis, however, claims that the posts were a way of venting to cope with recent issues in his life, saying, ‘‘I never intended to threaten anyone. This is for me. This is therapeutic.’’ In the past, the Supreme Court has opted that only “true threats” give reason to criminalize speech. The case raises the issue of how far the limits of free speech ac- tually extend. The Supreme Court’s decision has the power to potentially shape what people are allowed to say on the Internet, a territory that, for the most part, has remained unexplored until now. Elonis faces a four year prison sen- Update on Ebola NASA’s Latest Project Begins tence and the decision of his case is expected to be deliv- Although news of the Ebola outbreak has slowed in Testing ered around January or February of 2015. the media, health officials are still working hard to NASA’s new project, a spacecraft 1 combat the disease. The latest Ebola patient in the 2 called Orion, is scheduled to launch Protests Erupt In Mexico U.S., Dr. Martin Salia, died on November 17 at Oma- a test flight at 7:05 a.m. on December Mexico has been in a state of unrest following the disappearance of 43 college students on September ha’s bio-containment center. Since then, there have been no 4th. The spacecraft will not hold any human 26th, who went missing after attending a protest in Iguala. According to witnesses, the students disap- further reports of Ebola in the US, although health officials are passengers during the test flight, although the 4 peared after a confrontation with local police, where the students were allegedly seen being put into wary to declare the U.S. outbreak over just yet. So far, officials craft has the capability to carry four people cop cars. Burned human remains were discovered near the area where the students were last seen, and have appointed 35 hospitals around the country to care for Eb- for up to 21 days, or six people during short- forensics tests are currently being conducted to determine if they belong to the missing students. The official ola patients, including Bellevue Hospital Center in New York. er missions. During the test flight, Orion will explanation given for the students’ disappearance is that they were murdered by the Guerreros Unidos drug The Obama Administration continues to push for government ascend 3,600 miles into the air to orbit Earth cartel, who then burned and disposed of their bodies. The families of the victims, however, have stated that they support of the disease’s treatment, requesting a 6.2 billion twice before landing in the Pacific Ocean four will not accept this explanation until forensics can prove that the remains are truly from the missing students. dollar emergency funding plan for Ebola. Obama hopes for and a half hours later. While in orbit, the craft Since the incident, protesters have clashed with police, storming Mexico City’s National Palace and demanding Congress’ approval of the plan by December 11th, before gov- is expected to capture stunning photographs more action from President Enrique Pena Nieto. Many believe that the local police and government had a hand ernment funding is depleted. Although no treatments have yet of Earth. The project offers an exciting new in the murders, citing the Mexican police force’s history of working with gangs such as the Guerreros Unidos. been approved by the FDA, researchers at NIH have complet- possibility for scientists; the ability to ex- Protesters carry banners rife with accusations against the government, with signs reading “the state did it” de- ed an early-stage human trial for an Ebola vaccine. Clinical plore deep space. Orion is designed to travel manding the president resign and even burning effigies of Nieto in the streets. “The problem isn’t just the 43 trials of another possible vaccine are being conducted at the beyond the moon and even as far as Mars. students. It’s the thousands more that disappeared before them. We’ve ignored them for too long. We’re not go- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Early results are to be The first crew is not expected to be sent up on ing to be quiet any longer,” said a participant in one of the various marches being staged throughout the country. expected by the end of the year. Though the number of Ebola Orion until 2021, but the spacecraft will be cases has dropped in the U.S., the disease still poses a very far from empty during its test flight. Among Class Corridors Journalists: real threat to countries around the world. While some coun- the list of things that the spacecraft will carry tries have shown declining rates of infection, health officials are Cookie Monster’s cookie and Ernie’s rub- Nicole Awad Makayla Kanavy Daniel Phelan fear that there may still be flare-ups of the disease, especially ber ducky from the hit show Sesame Street, Cody Badman Noelani McAfee Cristin Rathbun Advisor: in countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, where a Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil from the Denver Meghan Burke Mae O’Neill Corey Smith new cases continue to be reported. According to the Center for Ms. Brown Science Museum, an Apollo 11 lunar space- Maura Felter Nina Onoff Madelyn Smith Disease Control, there have been a total of 7,989 deaths. suit, and a microchip containing the names of over a million people. Arlana Henneberry Alissa Peluso Mary Washburn Ciara Hoyne Photos Courtesy of Flickr News 2 3 Winter GLASS CORRIDORS Westhill High School Another student at the Uni- High School student body. versity of Virginia, Olivia Ortiz, So, while it may be easy to filed a sexual assault complaint to blame the Westhill administration the dean of students, Susan Art, in The for serving us healthy yet tasteless 2012. The dean responded by la- food, the real enemy is the United beling her complaint as a ‘dispute States Department of Agriculture between students’ and suggested Truth and New York State. that she seek informal mediation. This would involve the accuser and the accused meeting and attempting About $2.45 to discuss the incident calmly. Not One of only did Art go against the Office School of Civil Rights for the U.S. Depart- Westhill Photo by Flickr ment of Education’s 2011 order High to eliminate the mediation of rape LunchesBy Alissa Peluso Is Sexual Assault the New Normal? cases on college campuses, but she By Alissa Peluso also violated the Clery Act, which If you have recently fallen fat, bake sales are no longer per- School’s victim to paying $2.45 for a mea- mitted during the school day. So The mishandling of sexu- has retracted Sandra Rubin Erdely’s states that campuses must report all ger, borderline inedible lunch, you what does that mean for Westhill? Prize - al assault cases on college cam- article discussing Jackie’s alleged criminal activity. will have been consuming a lunch No more bake sales to raise funds puses across the United States has rape, one fact remains the same; Knowing that the University at Westhill High School. While it for FBLA, and the ever-cherished Winning become a chilling new normal. rape and sexual assault cases are of Virginia has violated numerous can be ineffectively argued that the crepe sale held by the French Club As a result, the Obama adminis- becoming the norm for students on laws almost invalidates the mean- administration is serving the stu- will now cease to exist. Luckily, the lunches: tration has began investigations college campuses and this fact must ing of fraternity suspension. The dent body said food as some sort USDA understands that eliminating on 86 universities nationwide, all be addressed. issue of sexual assault on college of torture method, there are new bake sales completely is not ideal; of which are accused of mishan- An article published by campuses goes beyond that of frat legal provisions responsible for the therefore they have allowed each dling sexual abuse cases. If it is CNN and written by former assis- boy party culture. Rape can occur changes in school lunches. state to grant up to thirty bake sales discovered that any of the univer- tant dean of students, John Foubart, anytime, anywhere, and if the dean The United States Depart- per year. Unfortunately for public sities under scrutiny are guilty of discusses his personal experiences of students is not willing to inflict ment of Agriculture has begun a pro- schools in New York, the state has mishandling past and/or future regarding the University of Virgin- real punishments among perpetra- gram titled Smart Snacks in School, not allowed any of the allotted ex- sexual assault cases, all federal ia and their lack of punishment for tors, then sexual assault becomes which enforces the exclusive sale of emptions.