Tag Archives: Eli Bolus

Columns, Eli Bolus, Forum

Profiling in airports necessary for America safety

Leave a comment
By Eli Bolus
 
For as long as I can remember, going through airport security has taken longer for my family than most.
The last time I went through airport security it was one day before school started.  After I picked up my  bag and handed over the “dangerous” weapons I carried on my person like nail clippers and bottle of hand sanitizer,  I looked over to see Transportation Security Association agents searching a large Middle Eastern looking man for weapons or other illegal paraphernalia.  This man was my father. He is not the first to be “randomly” searched and he certainly will not be the last. My father, like many others that look Middle Eastern or have Middle Eastern names said the “random” searches got especially bad soon after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2011.  Flying was not an option just because of the looks people would give my father;  people universally feared him.

Over the last decade the hostility decreased, but it is definitely still there.  It takes the form of the random searches the T.S.A. performs on a regular basis.

Fifteen years ago my father’s name was just a name, but now it is a brand.  People know that a name with a Middle Eastern root is a warning that this man is dangerous.  T.S.A. agents know to search people with Middle Eastern names like my father because of what stereotypes lead them to believe.  Now my father’s name is more than just a name; it is a curse.

These searches do not bother my father in the least.  He, more than anyone, understands how important they really are.  It actually bothers him more when they search people like my 80-year-old grandma.  They are obviously no threat, so T.S.A. agents are only trying to avoid offending someone.  Acting like you are not profiling may be actually worse than profiling.

Regardless of a person’s “feelings,” safety needs to be our number one priority. This may mean adding an extra 20 minutes to our travel time, but this is for the overall safety of fellow Americans.  So if that means racially profiling must take place in airports among other places, then so be it.

Some would say profiling is ignorant and outdated, but there is no other way to ensure the safety of our country without some form of it.

[polldaddy poll=5526633]

Blake Dykes, Eli Bolus, News

Freshmen transition to high school life

1 Comment
By Anna Berry, Eli Bolus, and Blake Dykes
 
For most freshmen, the transition from middle school to high school can be a big change. From the number of people, classes, and halls, the first week can be full of different opinions.
 
“I expected to get lost a lot,” said freshman Colleen Bryan.
 
This can be the case for many others new to the larger high school. However, freshmen Josh Sauer said he had problems finding classes. After he learned where they were, he described it as “pretty easy, simple.” The first week, according to some freshmen, was different than they expected for several reasons.

“All the teachers were suppose to be hard and strict,” said Sauer.

Also, freshman Brayden Hoke thought high school was going to be tough but said it turned out to be easier than he thought.

One of the biggest changes for many freshmen is the teaching style of their teachers. Some freshmen have trouble studying for the harder tests.

“It’s harder to take notes because teachers do not explain much,” said freshman Kaelei Gnthulier.

Some freshmen also enjoy how the school rules are a little more lenient. “I like the dress code a lot better,” said Gnthulier.

“[I like that] people have grown up a little, and are not as concerned about what you wear and what you say,” freshman Jalyn Kowalski said.

Overall, freshmen tend to find their place in high school and begin to get the layout of the school down. Many have high hopes for the rest of the year.

“For the most part, I want the rest of my high school career to be similar to this week,” said freshman Liam Resener. “The best part about being a freshman is that you’re going to be a sophomore.”

News

Individuality aids at Montessori: Sean Harris

Leave a comment

By Eli Bolus

Sixth grader Sean Harris attends Community Montessori in New Albany Indiana, which he has been at since he began preschool nine years ago.

Charter schools are run by individuals or private corporations, similar to private schools, but they receive money from the state so they are government regulated to some extent. Community Montessori in New Albany is one of 12 such schools in the nation to offer high school diplomas.

In the mornings Harris said the students meet in what is called “group” where they talk about what they will do that day.
“I call my teachers by their first name, they don’t even tell you their last name is at the beginning of the year,” said Harris.
They do not have letter grades and Harris’s mother, Spring, said the curriculum is centralized around each child who is encouraged to learn at his or her own pace. The students even involved in developing their own curriculum but it is checked due to certain state standards to which they must adhere.
Harris said the disciplinary actions vary based on the offense.
“If you get in a fight you would still get suspended but if you talk out of turn in group you might have to go off alone and write a one-page essay on why you talked,” he said.
Gum chewing is allowed, but if you are caught leaving gum wrappers out three times your privilege is taken away. These disciplinary measures are not something you regularly see in a public school but they appear to work at Harris’s school.
Grades seven and up are even allowed to bring their iPods or iPads to class. When a student reaches seventh grade they receive a laptop that they must share with one other student. Sean said individuals are encouraged to get a grant to fund their own laptop.
After they graduate they may even keep the laptop they purchased. Spring also added the students must do an entrepreneur project where they develop a business model with a company, a business plan, and even a logo.
Harris said that he plans to go to college and he believes that Montessori is preparing him just fine.
“[Community Montessori] prepares kids better for real life,” said Spring.