SteinmetzVolume 82, Number 2, October-November 2016 Star www.steinmetzstar.com Students protest uniforms By Ethan Miranda and Agape Alfaro his year, Steinmetz dropped a bomb with the new uniform policy that re- Tquires khaki pants and the green polo. It did not go well with students. Plain and simple, the students despise it and wish to be able to wear whatever they choose to wear. When 690 freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors were asked their preference in a Star survey distributed in October, only four percent said they liked the uniform. Photo by Vinnie Rivera Vinnie by Photo Students began protesting the new policy Jessy MartinezMeeting by photos during the first weeks of school, gathering sig- Isaiah Roman speaks at the Sept. 14 LSC meeting about students showing school spirit by wearing shirts other than the polo. He also spoke at the natures on a petition and speaking at the Local October and November LSC meetings. Ethan Miranda addresses students who took part in the Nov. 7 uniform boycott, organized on Facebook. School Council (LSC) meeting on Sept. 14. As the weeks went on, they continued voic- “We didn’t get our way,” sophomore An- ing their concerns directly to Principal Stephen gelique Ortiz said. “We settled for less.” Ngo and again at the October LSC meeting. “The no-uniform protest really failed us,” Finally, on Nov. 7 they organized a one-day sophomore Keyla Garcia said. “It just shows boycott, in which more than 100 students that the school doesn’t care for what we have to came to school out of uniform. say. There are so many reasons why we should They grouped on the front campus with get rid of the uniform.” the plan that they would all enter the school Students are against the uniform because together and go about the day as a normal it’s expensive and uncomfortable, the pants get school day, just out of uniform. dirty easily, it takes away from self-expression, The point of the protest was to get student Christian Perez speaks to Principal Stephen Ngo and LSC members Edeau Long Oden, Vanessa it was created without student voice and it’s voices out there loud and clear. Students felt Valentin, Cassandra Hernandez and Jose Quiles at the Sept. 14 LSC meeting. Christian gathered distracting for staff to enforce. like they weren’t being listened to. hundreds of signatures on a petition against the uniform during the first weeks of school. The reasons for the uniform, according Although Principal Stephen Ngo met with to parents on the LSC, are to keep students students on the day of the protest and other Other schools that had required uniforms, LSC student representative Crystal Roman safe, to save money on clothes, to cut down days, he has not backed off the policy. recently dropped them – Taft, North Grand, announced that “spirit Fridays” will begin on on inequality, to have appropriate dress and Mr. Ngo had allowed LSC members the Roosevelt, Foreman, Schurz, and Clemente. Jan. 13, 2017. to focus on academics. change the uniform requirements from last The Steinmetz LSC went the other direc- Many students said they were happy to See Pages 6-7 for more coverage, including: year’s policy, which offered more choice. Stu- tion this year by requiring khakis and a polo, have some relief. Others, like sophomore Jo- • Principal, LSC preseident interviews dents were allowed to wear any Steinmetz- a standard uniform of charter and Catholic seph Torres, asked, “Why not everyday?” • Area high school comparison chart related shirt or hoodie, with more choices of schools. “For students, the goal was to get rid of the • Star student survey results pants, including jeans. On Nov. 16, the LSC altered the policy uniforms for good, but what we got instead • Testimony at the LSC meetings Some area high schools have never required for “spirit Fridays,” in which the green polo was one ‘spirit day,’” sophomore Jose Sanchez • More student interviews a uniform – such as Prosser, Chicago Academy and khakis won’t be required, but students will said. “Wait, let me rephrase that for our fresh- • and Lane. need to wear some kind of Steinmetz shirt. men: That’s last year’s uniform.” Layoff of librarian hurts Coping with tragedy100 in Austin students and staff By Ronald Evans 85.71 81 By Mauricio Huerta iolence has had a major effect on71.43 residents of the Austin neighbor- fter librarian Bernie Eshoo was Vhood, located southeast from57.14 laid off this summer when Stein- Steinmetz. Ametz’ budget was cut $1.6 mil- Austin has one of the highest homicide42.86 lion, senior Adriana Cortes started an rates in Chicago, where there have been online petition to bring her back. 714 homicides this year. 28.57 26 Adriana said that without a librarian, Bernie Eshoo, Adriana Cortes Many students from the Austin neigh- the school isn’t doing all it can do for borhood have acquaintances or friends or14.29 6 4 5 2 students. family members that have been killed. They 0 0 0 “What a school thinks about its library is a stephen-ngo-help-bring-back-our-beloved- have to cope with tragedy as part of their Dunning Montclare Portage Logans Belmont Hermosa Humboldt Austin Park Square Cragin Park measure of what it feels about education,” the school-librarian). daily lives. Homicides in the past year petition states (https://www.change.org/p/ Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 8 in neighborhoods near Steinmetz http://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago/community, Nov. 29, 2016 In this issue News, 4-9, 12-14 Opinion, 2-3 Spirit Week/ Arts & Entertainment Sports, 16-20 Homecoming, 9 -11 14-16 Biology students connect with Hawaiian Day may be fun, but it’s Spirit days, pep rally, Homecom- Chance the Rapper was Fall sports wrap-up author at U. of Chicago field trip still cultural appropriation ing football game and dance magnificent 2 Star News No uniforms required at ‘trauma-informed’ school Steinmetz Movie shows hurting teens being Star Steinmetz College Prep High School valued and loved at school 3030 N. Mobile, Chicago IL 60641 In conjunction with PCC Wellness, Steinmetz showed the movie 773-534-3030, Star office (x) 25241 Paper Tigers on Oct. 20. The documentary looks at the effects of PAPER TIGERS Website: www.steinmetzstar.com adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and trauma in teens. One high school’s unlikely success story. “This is a growing health concern for all of us,” Principal Stephen Email: [email protected] Ngo said in an email to staff. He encouraged students to attend the screening. “More education and awareness is a first positive step in helping young people out who suffer from ACEs,” he said. The Steinmetz Staris a student publication of ACEs studies show that the more traumatic experiences people Steinmetz College Prep High School. Our goal experience as children – physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect, is to inform the Steinmetz community of news parental separation or divorce, and substance abuse, mental illness, affecting the students of our school. The opin- and incarceration in the family – the more likely they are to develop ions expressed in our articles are not necessarily diseases, abuse drugs and alcohol abuse, engage in unprotected sex those shared by the Star editors or Steinmetz and have a poor diet. “Absolutely riveting, profoundly important.” faculty and administration. -New York Times journalist and author, David Bornstein The movie focuses on one aspect of help for teens: a school with a caring staff. The movie website states the following: The Speech Rights of Student Journalists Against the harsh reality of truancy, poor grades, emotional pain, Act, signed into law on July 29, 2016, after and physical violence, answers begin to emerge. The answers do not the bill received the unanimous approval of the come easily. Nor can one simply deduce a one-size-fits-all solution to a Illinois House and Senate, “gives high school trauma-informed education. But there is no denying something both journalists heightened protection against school subtle and powerful at work between teacher and student alike: the quiet censorship above-and-beyond the protection persistence of love. (http://kpjrfilms.co/paper-tigers/about-the-film) provided by federal law. The law gives students A KPJR Films Production “PAPER TIGERS” Produced by JAMES REDFORD & KAREN PRITZKER Nearly 100 Steinmetz students attended the screening. Edited by JEN BRADWELL Music by TODD BOEKELHEIDE Co-Producer DANA SCHWARTZ the ability to speak without fear about issues Line Producer SHANNON STIRONE-NORWOOD Cinematography by TYLOR NORWOOD Directed by JAMES REDFORD Executive Producer KAREN PRITZKER In addition to receiving cousnseling and other services, the Copyright © 2014 KPRJ Films LLC all rights reserved of social and political concern in journalistic students at Lincoln High School, featured in the movie, were www.papertigersmovie.com publications, including issues involving policies encouraged to express themselves at school in art, music and in and events at their own schools.” (Student Press the way they dressed.• Law Center, Washington D.C.) Anyone in the Steinmetz community is welcome to send to the Star letters, corrections, Steinmetz Star Staff Opinion comments, and articles for possible publication. Content decisions are made by student editors. Co-editors-in-chief: Spirit Week gave us the chance to Agape Alfaro and Ronald Evans choose clothes that make us happy Photo editor: Steven Nunez By Elise Guillen were made by my teachers that being out Section editors and copy editors: Ryan Al- of uniform was distracting, but I felt it libone, Elise Guillen, David Lopez, Jamara s a junior, I’m halfway through had no effect on me and my peers.