PAGE 2 PAGE 4 PAGE 12 PUBLIC VS. PROS AND CHS ALUM PRIVATE CONS OF SCOUTS SCHOOLS TENURE FOR MLB NEWS NEWS SPORTS the Carmel Sandpiper A CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PUBLICATION VOLUME XXXV APRIL 2017 www.thesandpiper.org MOCK TRIAL FIRST IN STATE Science course offering sparks tension between board and teachers BY BECCA GOREN The implementation of the new mandated Next Generation Science Standards in the 2017-18 school year would leave CHS without any sections of Physics in the 2017-18 school year, but after the voiced con- cerns of many students and parents, the CUSD Board of Education decided to create a single section of Hon- ors Physics to accommodate eight incoming sopho- mores, despite the recommendations of the CHS sci- ence department. photo by LEIGH CAMBRA “I suppose the issue is that we [at the science de- The Carmel High mock trial team won the final trial at the 2017 State Championships in Riverside, California, partment] feel our specialty is teaching science to stu- March 26, taking first place in the state for the first time in Monterey County history. CHS seniors Anna Gumberg dents,” one CHS science teacher says, “and we know and Mindy Morgan were named as Outstanding Defense Attorneys. The team will go on to represent California how to provide the resources they need to succeed in in the National Mock Trial Finals in Hartford, Connecticut, in mid-May. (More on mock trial on page 4). (Pic- the sciences. We hoped that the community and board tured from left to right, back row) teacher coach Joe McCarty, Alex Poletti, Mindy Morgan, Julia Sudol, Joyce would have realized that.” Doherty, Kevin Kamm, Sofia Chang, Megan Kou, Madeleine Fontenay, TJ Sullinger, Melissa Pavloff, teacher Last summer, CHS resolved to implement NGSS coach Bill Schrier. (front row) Rachael Schroeder, Anna Gumberg, Sara Phillips, Teejan Saddy, Becca Goren. starting in the 2017-18 school year, which will result in a change in the science course sequence at CHS, in- verting the current order in which students take science classes. Physics will become a junior-level course, and Big Sur’s bridge demolition creates Chemistry will become a sophomore-level course, the opposite of the current system. The plan was to not offer a Physics course in the 2017-18 school year to problems for CHS students accommodate the transition. The plan changed when a handful of affected students and their parents came BY ANNALISE KRUEGER there are a total of 26 CHS students who normally live south of the bridge, which was damaged beyond repair forward. After many harsh winter months of torrential down- due to heavy rains in January and February, thus lead- One such parent is Lisa Talley Dean, mother of pour and raging storms, Big Sur is left in shambles: ing to its demolition on March 17. Eighteen of these Grace Dean, a current CHS freshman. a bridge demolished due to its decrepit state, the con- students are now living with host families north of the “As next year was planned to be the only gap year stant threat and existence of landslides and damaged, bridge and all around Monterey County. in many years when Physics was not offered,” Lisa unpassable roads. Among the 450 currently trapped, One of these refugees is freshman William Gafill, Dean says, “it unfairly impacts the current freshman as reported by KSBW, between the now-nonexistent who normally lives south of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, class, a number of whom are passionate about science Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge to the north and the landslides but was luckily able to evacuate with his mother to a and wish to take the class.” to the south, eight Carmel High School students have friend’s home in Monterey, before access across the Grace adds on that, although she and her peers just regained access to buses that will transport them PHYSICS COURSE to school. BIG SUR According to CHS assistant principal Tom Parry, CONT. ON 8 CONT. ON 2 Teen Consumption of Prescription Medication and vaping rising Read more on pages 10 and 11 The Carmel Sandpiper investigates teen usage of vaping and presciption medication as well as dangerous side-effects of both, frequently little known to adolescents. 2 NEWS www.thesandpiper.org APRIL 2017 CHS NEWS The tenure controversy: Teachers examine pros and cons of security BY JOYCE DOHERTY Schrier explains. THE SANDPIPER However, from a teacher standpoint, tenure serves “Who else has the requirement to regularly assess a purpose on a more personal level as well. Principal STAFF people as teachers do?” Carmel High School social Rick Lopez, who has been a principal at CHS for eight studies teacher Bill Schrier asks. “There is a constant years, recalls that before going into teaching, he was a and frequent need to grade people in a way that really construction worker and could be fired at any time. Editors-in-chief: Anna Gumberg, Melissa matters. So wouldn’t you want those people to have in- “Although I didn’t get into teaching because of Pavloff dependence, or rather them be subject to pressure of tenure,” Lopez says, “having that job security was a re- outside influence?” lief as opposed to my time as a construction worker.” Layout Editor: Becca Goren The independence and protection from outside In some states, tenure has been abolished, and Cali- influence that tenure provides teachers is the single fornia moved to do away with tenure in 2012 in the Ver- Online Editor: Jessica DiLullo strongest argument, according to Schrier. In California, gara case in which nine public school students filed a Copy Editors: Ellie Alto, Jessica DiLullo, teachers in public schools must be evaluated during lawsuit to strike it down due to students being attached Becca Goren, Anna Gumberg, Annalise their first two years to ineffective teachers. Krueger, Ryan Lin, Alex Poletti, Connor and can then receive While the court did find Suess tenure, which is ulti- tenure unconstitutional, mately job protection. the case went on ap- Staff Reporters: Grace Davis, Parinda Teachers themselves peal and tenure stayed Desai, Joyce Doherty, Ellah Foster, Asha have differing and op- in place. Johnston, Grace Liang, Archer Michaels, posing views on the According to the Preston Miglaw, Evan Patel, Hailey Rowe, matter, developing New York Times, these Claire Taagen, Carter Whitaker, Kylie Yeat- into a greater contro- students were backed man versy. by the organization Stu- Faculty Adviser: Mike Palshaw “If you ask any dents Matter, whose at- teacher on this cam- torney argued that the The views expressed in The Carmel Sand- pus, all of them can “dance of the lemons,” piper are solely those of authors and are agree that some- in which ineffective not intended to be viewed as those of the one has asked them teachers were shuffled Carmel Unified School District adminis- to change a grade,” from school to school tration, the Carmel High School adminis- Schrier says. “Tenure and ended up in com- tration or the adviser. protects teachers from munities with dispro- pressure of powerful portionately large num- parents or the admin- bers of poor and minor- WANT TO SEND US A LETTER? istration.” graphic by JOYCE DOHERTY ity students. One of the Similarly, math students explained that teacher Juan Gomez, who has been teaching for 13 teachers were wearing students out and constantly tell- The Sandpiper staff welcomes contribu- tions from the student body in the form of years, explains that each teacher has roughly 150 stu- ing them that they would never amount to anything. letters to the editor to sandpiper@carme- dents which constitutes 300 parents, each with a unique While ineffective or simply bad teachers may be in lunified.org. The Carmel Sandpiper staff view on how to raise their children since teachers are any school district, most administrators are not happy reserves the right to edit all letters for essentially raising the students at a certain level of in- with the tenure system. According to a news survey of clarity, length, libel and taste. teraction. more than 500 California school principals, 69 percent “When serving an entire classroom of students, to said they were dissatisfied with the tenure system of Carmel High School, P.O. Box 222780 have one disagreement on one day with one student, California and only 11 percent were satisfied. At least Carmel, CA 93922 and have that be the reason why I am no longer able to at CHS, Lopez does not find tenure to be an issue and 831-624-1821, ext. 3723 serve the other students,” Gomez says, “it seems like it sees it in a positive light. [email protected] isn’t the right way to go about business.” “I support tenure at CHS because it is an actual All public school teachers must belong to the process in our system,” says Lopez, who participates in teacher union or pay fees. At CUSD all of the teachers the hiring, evaluating and deciding whether a teacher belong to the Association of Carmel Teachers, accord- stays. “With this job protection, teachers can teach in a ADVERTISE IN THE SANDPIPER! ing to Schrier, ACT’s president. positive environment and feel comfortable in the class- “Our purposes are to represent the teachers of room so they can effectively teach to our students.” To run an advertisement in The Carmel CUSD in contract negotiations, speak on behalf of the In a 2015 online questionnaire answered by more Sandpiper, contact us at teachers of the district, to help resolve problems, to pro- than 500 public school teachers, 81 percent agreed that mote professionalism and ethical conduct among our [email protected] members and to advocate for those things we believe TENURE will best allow us to teach the students of the district,” CONT.