to view a digit version of our February edition

The Official Student Newspaper of Oakland Technical High Issue 6: February 2015 www.oaklandtechscribe.com
Teachers Press For
New Contract
By Ethan Smith
Teachers around the district have decided to “work to
rule,” or work the minimum
number of hours required
by their contract, to demonstrate their discontent with
the current contract negotiations with Oakland Unified
School District. According to
the district spokesman Troy
Flint there are 14 school sites
working to rule around the
district.
Currently, teachers at
Oakland Tech have chosen
not to work to rule. Tania
Kappner, a Social Studies
teacher at Tech, explained
that teachers at Tech are
protesting for a fair contract
using different approaches,
such as leaving together on
Fridays and picketing in
front of the school. However, Kappner also said, “we’re
discussing the possibilities.”
Working to rule still seems to
be a possibility—as Kappner
noted, “It’s not ruled out.”
If teachers at Tech were
to work to rule, the effects
would be felt universally.
Teachers would only work
the required seven hours that
the current extended contract dictates arriving at 8:30
am and leaveing at 3:30 pm.
Without a doubt, this would
cause numerous problems
for students, papers would
take longer to be graded, and
tutoring would disappear.
Furthermore, clubs would
need to hold impromptu
meetings in other places. If
anything, this shows how
vital a role teachers play both
on and off the clock, keeping
school running smoothly.
The negotiations are
currently going slowly,
and teachers are becoming
increasingly discontented
with OUSD’s handling of the
proceedings. Among other
Photo by Sierra Warrick
demands, such as strict caps
Tech
Students
Take
a
Stand
Against
Fracking
in
Climate
Change
Rally
on class sizes for special education caseloads, teachers are 8,000 join in Oakland march to convince Jerry Brown to impose a ban on fracking in California
calling for higher pay.
The Oakland Education
Association asserts that
“Oakland teachers are the
lowest paid teachers in Alameda County.” Currently, the
By Trevor Harrision
teachers are asking for a pay
Imagine coming to school
high schools in Oakland might:
School, for its “Intensive Supincrease of 12 percent and
one day and to find that half the McClymonds, Castlemont, and port Schools Initiative” based on
the ability to keep their beneteachers have been replaced, the
Fremont. Many Tech students
their low enrollment, low test
fits. Both sides seem to hope
principal is gone, and Tech has
have joined in angry protests
scores and parents’ complaints.
that the OEA and OUSD will
been broken up into a collecagainst the proposed changes.
So far the district has not laid
be able to find a solution.
tion of small charter schools.
The conflict dates back to 2013
out any details of its plans. This
Flint said that the 14 schools
This is exactly the future that
when the School Board chose
has led to rumors and specuthat are currently working
many fear for at five Oakland
the three high schools and
lation. For example, Oakland
to rule are “14 schools too
schools. Tech does not face
two other schools, Brookfield
schools superintendent, Antwan
many.”
this upheaval, but three other
Elementary and Frick Middle
Wilson, wrote in December that
(Reorganization continues on page 8)
Students and Teachers Protest
School Reorganization
Students Get Voice In Solving Equity Issues
By John Oberholzer
to build a culture of collaboOn Wednesday, February
ration and to create an expe18, almost 70 Tech students
rience of one unified Oakland
spent the day in a Youth Lead- Tech High School.” The agenership Forum. Organized by
da included discussions about
the Meaningful Student and
leadership and the role of stuFamily Engagement Departdent leaders as well as smaller
ment, Oakland Kids First and
group conversations about
members of REAL HARD, the
Tech’s “Equity Challenges.”
forum was an opportunity to
The students that participated
engage students in leadership in the Youth Forum gave their
and collect their input on
input primarily on two major
some of the issues facing Tech. issues: “Increasing the EnrollThe students spent the day at
ment of Under-Represented
Studio One in workshops and
Students in Linked Learning
discussions about improving
Academy Pathways” and
the Oakland Tech community.
“Increasing the Classroom
The two major goals of the
Engagement of All Students.”
Youth Forum were described
Students were randomly split
as “ensuring student leaders
into two groups focused on
have agency and voice in iden- these topics and spent most of
tifying root causes of Oakland
the day exploring challenges
Tech’s equity challenges, and
and brainstorming specific
that students can provide
solutions.
input on solutions for school
The first equity challenge
improvement” and “unifying of linked learning academy
the student leaders on campus pathways is the disparity of
Peek INSIDE
New Track Coach
and Students Against
Fracking: Pg. 2
Vaccines,and U.S.
Intervention in Iraq:
Pg. 3
Counseling and Boost
Oakland:Pg. 4
Girls Who Code, and
Black History Month
Dance and New Music
Department head: Pg. 5
Photo Courtesy of Cara Johnson
Students lead forum to discuss how to improve Tech
enrollment between different
challenge is the difference in
groups. Particularly unthe classroom quality of acadder-represented are english
emies versus general educalanguage learners, special edtion and special education.
ucation students, foster youth,
Students in the enrollment
African Americans, Latinos,
group examined different
Pacific Islanders and Arab
challenges that under-represtudents. The second equity
sented groups face and possi(Youth Forum continues on page 8)
True Burger, Binge
Watchers and Black
Women: Pg. 6
Opportunities for
Oakland, Ask Alice and
Honor Roll : Pg. 7
PAG E 2
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
News
New Coaches Breathe Life intoTrack Team
Photo by Joseph Harmon
By Joseph Harmon
The sprinters fly forward
across the track, feet hit the
ground faster and faster, arms
pump while their bodies
remain practically motionless.
That’s right:Track and Field is
in its pre-season, and it’s time
for all interested Tech runners
to join.
The team has all new
leadership this year: Three
well-qualified coaches who are
ready to lead the group to a
win. The sprinting coach, Dan
Stone, who works his runners
hard with practices that vary
from fast interval drills to
runs around the bleachers, to
pulling tires.
“Being a good sprinter is
about having the correct technique and the coordination,
strength and conditioning to
execute it,” coach Stone says.
“Much of our training will be
about getting stronger, which
will in turn make people faster, and hopefully win us some
trips to the state meet in June.”
Coach Will Brown is also
helping with sprints, as well
as coaching field events like
throws (shot put, javelin, dis-
cus) and jumps (long jump,
high jump and triple jump).
David Murphy, the
distance coach, is enjoying
his second season at Tech,
ever since his start in the
middle of the cross-country
season. To those who ran
cross-country in the fall,
Murphy says that “track
is the perfect spring sport
for cross-country runners
looking to make significant
improvements in their running.”
Distance runner and
sophomore Sophie Schafer
agrees, remarking that “you
can track your improvement
and see results. You can feel
yourself get faster.”
New runners don’t need
to have previous experience.
The team is open to any Tech
student looking improve, and
have fun.“The kind of athlete I
want on the track team,” Murphy says, “is someone who
is driven and determined regardless of how much or how
little talent they have.” Stone
adds, “There is a spot on our
team for anyone who wants to
work hard and get better. You
March 4-6- Ski Trip
March 9 - PTSA Meeting
March 11- Minimum Day
March 14 - 2015 Auction
March 17- Oakland Tech Jazz
Band Performance at Yoshi’s
March 18- minimum Day
March 23- African American
Student Action Planners
Sports
Calendar
really do get out exactly what
you put into training.”
“The practice is good...vigorous but worth it,” says Addi
Harper, a sophomore sprinter.
“I do feel stronger.”
Runners meet on the track
after school. Sprinters have
practice from 4-6 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and
Friday. Distance runners have
practice from 3:45-5:30 pm on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday.
Anyone interested is
encouraged to come check it
out! Wear running shorts and
good shoes, and bring a water
bottle.
“No matter what level of
runner you are,” Sophie Schafer reminds the potential new
runners, “there’s always a race
you can run.”
Tech Students Take Stand Against Fracking
Photo by Sierra Warrick
By Sierra Warrick
On Feb. 7, the people of
California spoke out against
fracking. Their message: Governor Brown needs to ban
fracking in California. Their
method of communication: a
massive demonstration, 8,000
people strong, in the heart of
downtown Oakland.
The march began at Frank
Ogawa Plaza and ended at
Lake Merritt, near Laney
College. From the very beginning, it was clear that this
was a strong yet civil protest. Demonstrators clad in
blue—symbolic of the fresh
water they hoped to save—
and carried signs that ranged
from a modest cardboard to a
twenty-foot extreme filled the
streets.
This was exactly the outcome toward which Oakland
Tech senior Dagmawi Fasil
had expressed concern, commenting, “I support protests
for any cause, and our Constitution guarantees the right
for groups to express their
freedom of speech. I don’t
support, however, blocking
highways and creating chaos.
It doesn’t help the cause and
it hurts families who aren’t
involved.”
The bystanders who did
happen to witness the event
did not appear to mind the
disturbance. Cars honked
to show their support and
people crowded on upper
story balconies cheered as the
marchers passed by.
There were people from
all regions of California at
the march, from San Diego to
Sacramento, and their message was not a difficult sell as
far as their Oakland audience
was concerned. Ban a dangerous, invasive and polluting
method of obtaining fossil
fuels within our state? The
resounding response of Oakland passersby: Of course!
“Brown needs to take
action against fracking.” Tech
senior Annelise Eeckman
said. “It’s got so much potential to seriously harm our
planet.”
At the end of the march,
protesters gathered on the
grassy shoulder of Lake Merritt to listen to performances
and speeches by event leaders. Several indigenous people’s groups sang prayers and
two speakers from an Oakland-based minority rights
group performed pieces of
slam poetry. The entire end-
Dates to
Remember
February 28-Lacrosse Boys
Varsity Vs. Stockton Spartains
12 pm
March 1-Lacrosse Boys Varsity Vs. South Valley Chiefs
12 pm
Lacrosse Girls Vs. Morgan
Hill Clovers
1:30 pm
March 7-Lacrosse Girls at
Napa Force
9 am
March 8-Lacrosse Boys Varsity at Skyline
12 pm
March 15-Lacrosse Boys
Varsity Vs. Woodcreek
12 pm
March 21 Lacrosse Girls at
Alameda Lacrosse
10 am
FROM THE WEB
Last month, we asked
readers in an online poll:
What are you doing to save
water for the drought?
ing ceremony was powered
by a stationary biking station
to one side of the stage, and
audience members took turns
pumping clean energy into
the speaker system so that
all could hear. The crowd
seemed to almost vibrate with
respect and camaraderie even
as it began to rain.
The protest, which was
legally sanctioned by the
City of Oakland, ultimately
brought
together a very large group
of people for the purpose of
sending a clear message. Now
it simply remains to be seen
whether Governor Brown
will heed the call.
Oakland Tech is already
leading the way with cleaner
energy via the construction of
a new solar panel system, but
much remains to be done.The
chant of the marchers still
rings in the air: “We are the
people. The mighty, mighty
people.”
57% said: Shorter showers
14% said: Nothing
21% said: Not watering garden/
lawn
14% said: Other
Visit
oaklandtechscribe.com
now to vote in our latest poll:
Should California ban
fracking?
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
News
PAG E 3
Tech Vulnerable to Measles Outbreak
By Molly Hetherwick
Every year, changes in seasons shepherd in a whole host
of new things: For the coming
spring, that means cheerful daffodils, more rain showers, and
earlier sunrises. But the real
sign that spring has sprung is
the appearance of allergies and
illnesses that sweep through
communities in waves.
Schools, as well as other
places that have high rates of
exposure to any number of foreign bodies, are hubs of disease
during these high-risk seasons.
The sustained health of the general population becomes much
more difficult to maintain as
germs hop from one location to
the next faster than you can say,
“bless you.”
The recent flare-up of the
long-dormant measles virus has
caused uproar of great proportions in the medical world, as
the resurgence of measles stems
from large groups of unvaccinated citizens.
The lack of vaccination in
the public stems mainy from a
“study” that claimed “vaccines,
of all kinds, are commonly
administered incorrectly and
can cause autism in young children.” Such a shocking claim
creates a fearful bias against
vaccines in favor of “protecting” children from developing
autism. Of course, this pseudo-research has been debunked
many times over, even revealing
that the data was partially fabricated. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the
World Health Organization,
the American Academy of
Pediatrics and Autism Speaks
among countless other health
and autism authorities all agree
that vaccines have absolutely
no relationship with autism.
Despite this, large enclaves of
“I feel like it’s really
irresponsible to put
your own personal beliefs before the health
of the entire population. It’s definitely a
huge health risk.”
-Blanca Seiter
families have sprung up, adhering to this misguided belief and
refusing vaccines.
Since the discovery of measles at Disneyland, there have
been 154 reported cases in the
United States, with 128 from
California. With a rise in cases
comes a rise in controversy.
“I am totally in favor of
vaccines,” affirms Tech junior
Nick Pingitore. “I think people
should be required to have vaccinations for the sake of public
health, but I think the debate
going on right now about this
is very narrow.” He adds, “Most
debates end at ‘people should
be vaccinated.’ But to what
extent? Should it be just measles or ones not specifically
required, like the HPV shot?”
Tech Junior Troy Uysal
says, “I think that vaccines
are ways to help people stay
healthy and avoid disease. It’s
fine if you want to either use
them or not, but be aware of
the opinions of those around
you.”
“The only thing I am concerned about is getting sick
from somebody else,” says
junior Blanca Seiter. “I feel
like it’s really irresponsible to
put your own personal beliefs
before the health of the entire
population. It’s definitely a
huge health risk.”
Much like Disneyland,
Oakland Tech would be the
perfect location for a virus to
spread. Tech’s two thousand
students, stuck in close quarters for seven hours a day, five
days a week, are prime for the
proliferation of such a pox.
Whether or not this becomes
as such is to be determined by
the students and their guardians.
A few excellent ways Tech
students can prevent the
spread of viruses this upcoming season is by washing their
hands frequently, drinking
lots of water, and staying extra
warm on those chilly mornings.
Picture Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Measles has made a reappearance in the Unites States and is
spreading quicly through unvaccinated people.
Should the U.S. Intervene to Stop Terror in Iraq?
By Nick Pingitore
Most students are too young
to remember a time when the
United States wasn’t militarily
involved in Middle Eastern
and Central Asian countries
such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
After a decade of conflict in
Iraq, President Obama promised peace and the end of what
seemed to many a pointless
and useless war.
However, within the last
year, the President seems to
have reconsidered his policy
and is now seeking Congress
approval for broader military
powers—known as Presidential War Powers–in Iraq in
order to combat what he says is
the growing threat of ISIS, the
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
This has powerful ramifications, especially for the
younger generation of Americans. Although this generation
is faced with the threat of an
unchecked terror organization;
but if the U.S. acts to strike at
terrorism, it is also this generation that will foot the bill, in
terms of both body count and
political fallout.
Many students have strong
opinions on this matter, ranging from support to worry
and skepticism. Oakland Tech
senior Omar Abdul-Rahim
contends that Obama’s search
for military powers, while
drastic, is a needed response.
“ISIS not only is responsible
for murdering thousands of
Shia and Kurdish citizens, but
for perpetuating the ongoing
negative stereotype that all
Muslims are violent jihadists.
In reality, Arab nations are
complex, cultured and powerful societies,” said Abdul-Rahim. He then added, “The
U.S. needs to step in and fill
gaps where other nations have
backed out.”
Other students, like junior
Zoram Mercado, are worried
that this could distract from issues at home. “I think the U.S.
has lots of problems it needs
to fix at home. Our economy
is just recently getting better. It
is better to stay in the U.S. and
solve issues here.”
Finally, others, such as
From Department of Defence, photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
President Obama is seeking Presedential War Powers to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria
confrontation, we should help
junior Molly Hetherwick, are
ident will use his powers of
but
only
those
who
ask
for
it.
”
worried that our help may be
war is still unclear, but he has
While the general conunwelcome in certain areas.
announced the possibility of a
sensus
of
the
Oakland
Tech
“It’s a very complex issue. Some
three-year campaign. As past
groups may want our help, but community, and the rest of the engagements have taught us,
others may view the U.S. as an nation for that matter, seems
however, these “campaigns”
varied,
Obama
has
decided
to
intrusive, unwanted power. In
rarely run on schedule.
act.
order to avoid another useless
To what extent the Pres-
PAG E 4
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
Features
When Budgets Are Cut, Counseling Suffers
By Alice Gold
The week of February
2nd-5th marked National
School Counseling week,
an annual event put on by
the American High School
Counselor’s Association
(ASCA). This is meant to celebrate high school counselors
and to inform the public
about what counselors do.
Nominated by the students
from their schools, 36 distinguished counselors were
invited to the White House to
meet with the First Lady and
to be honored as some of the
very best counselors of 2014.
It seems only fitting that at
this time of the year we look
at the counselors of Oakland
Tech and see how their jobs
make our lives as students
more successful and our futures more promising.
Counselors at Tech have
many responsibilities: they
schedule students in appropriate classes to help them
graduate and go to college;
They write seniors’ letters of
recommendation, they help
students at risk of not graduating recover missing credits; they help with summer
school enrollment; they plan
college information meetings; and have a host of other
responsibilities.
To add to the already
busy schedule of any counselor, the three Tech counselors for grades 10-12 each
have around 500 students,
and the 9th grade counselor,
Ms. Delgado, has even more.
The ASCA recommends that
every high school counselor
should not be responsible
for more than 250 students.
Counselor for 10-12th
graders with last names A-G,
Claire Mayer, has definitely
noticed the disproportionate amount of students to
counselors.
While she and the other counselors try to get to
know all of their students
over their three years working together, it can be difficult. But it can also be very
rewarding. Mayer describes
one of her favorite aspects of
her job as the “continuity of
students. I’m able to see them
grow and change over the
years.”
Mayer is optimistic about
National High School Counseling Week. “It’s a time for
people to realize just how
valuable counseling can be,”
she says. A good and present
counselor could be the catalyst for helping a student on
Photo by Aura Barrera
track for graduation to graduate, for helping a student
who has never thought about
college to become college
bound, and for helping a college bound student get into
their dream school.
As budget cuts sweep
through school districts,
counselors are some of the
first to be laid off. Seeing the
work of counselors as nonessential, many districts are
forcing the it onto adminis-
trators who already have their
own laundry lists of responsibilities.
The allocation of counselors’ responsibilities to administrators is particularly concerning because a counselor
should be someone a student
feels comfortable talking to,
which can be difficult when
it is the same person disciplining them. In OUSD, more
and more high schools have
been cutting counselors. Sky-
line high school only reinstated their counseling program
a few years ago.
Counseling is vital to the
educational success of high
school students, and events
like National School Counseling Week are pleasant
reminders to take a moment
and appreciate all of the the
hard work that counselors invest in the education of their
students.
Boost! Offers Students Chance to Give
by Emma Kantor
If you are looking to get
involved with community
service, Boost! might be the
program for you. Boost! provides an opportunity to mentor students in grades K-5 at
Lafayette Elementary School
in West Oakland. Since inception in 1997, the program has
supported over 1,800 students,
many of whom face challenges
such as unstable home lives.
Boost! provides these
young students with academic and social support to help
them succeed. The program
also develops healthy and positive attitudes towards learning
and strengthens self-esteem.
In addition to tutoring,
Boost! takes its students on
free, monthly field trips to
places like the Lawrence Hall
of Science to explore, and a
local church to help prepare
food for the hungry. According to the program’s website,
“these trips provide students
with opportunities to step out
of their neighborhood, often
for the first time, and expose
them to new experiences and
places.”
As for tutoring sessions,
the program has seen many
positive results as students
improve their academic skills
in reading, writing and math
as well as form relationships
with their mentors.
Each Boost! student is
matched with a volunteer and
spends one and a half hours a
week receiving one-on-one tutoring. The students thrive in
the one-on-one relationships,
connecting with their mentors
and becoming more motivated
to learn and eager to take on
new challenges.
At a tutoring session, the
mentor and the student start
by checking in with each
other and having a healthy
snack. They spend the next
20 minutes working on the
student’s homework together, focusing on the areas that
are most challenging. For
the next half hour, the tutor
chooses a specific academic area to work on, such as
reading books, telling time,
Photo by Rosa Gutierrez
working on multiplication, or
practicing writing skills. The
student then practices writing
for about 15 minutes, and the
remaining time is reserved for
games. The student chooses
any activity such as a board
game, a sport or computer
time. This last part of the
session is especially important
in allowing the student and
mentor time to bond.
Boost!’s long term goal is to
“instill in youth the self-efficacy to achieve their learning
goals, develop positive relationships and contribute to
their community.”
As a Boost! mentor , you
can play an important role
in achieving this goal while
becoming more connected to
your community in the process. Like an Oakland Tech
sophomore said, “Community
service is really great because
it feels good to help the community.” To apply to become a
mentor, go to Boost!’s website
at http://boostoakland.org/
volunteer. For questions, contact [email protected].
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
PAG E 5
Features
Dance Department Celebrates Black
History Month With Concert
Club Spotlight:
Girls Who Code
Photo by Antonio Calbo-Jackson
By Aura Barrera
Founded in 2012, Girls
Who Code is a national organization that seeks to promote
gender equality in computer
science. Now in its second
year, the Oakland Tech Girls
Who Code club seeks to
accomplish that vision and
help reach gender parity in
computing fields. If you show
up to a Girls Who Code meeting, you’ll find girls enjoying
themselves while bent intently over computers. The club
believes that exposing more
girls to computer science at a
young age will lead to more
women working in technology and engineering fields.
The club’s activities are to
accomidate students with a
range of experience in programming—from beginner
to advanced—to get a chance
to work on programming
elements. No experience is
necessary to join.The degree
of complexity increases as you
advance through the levels.
During the start of the
year, the club worked on basic
programing elements such
as variables, loops and conditional statements. This led
to more advanced work with
algorithms, and pretty soon
members were “programming
the language” for themselves.
Participants in the club
learn powerful ways to use
programming. For example,
in the Samsung App Challenge, members of Girls Who
Code groups across the country created apps to help their
schools or communities. One
group created Finding Fresh,
an app to help people who
live in cities get access to fresh
produce.
Girls Who Code also has
a real impact on girls’ lives.
Oakland Tech senior Deon
Oddone, who participated in
the summer Girls Who Code
program, says “Girls Who
Code opened a lot of networking doors and brought to
my attention a lot of realities
I wasn’t aware of. But it’s also
a personal experience. You
learn to connect with other
girls and support each other
in a world that doesn’t support a lot of women, although
that’s changing.”
Girls Who Code meets in
Room 4 every Wednesday
after school from 3:30-5:30. If
you are interested in getting
information about the club’s
showcase at the end of April,
or if you want to join the club
next year, please email gwc.
[email protected].
Photo by Emily Percy
By Anna Rosenfeld
On February 27th, Oakland
Tech’s Dance Department will
put on its first concert of the
year, called “What’s Going On?,”
a performance in honor of
Black History Month that will
center around past and present
issues that have affected the
black community.
Oakland Tech’s dance teacher, Ms. Travick, tells the audience that the show may seem
negative, but its purpose is to
shed light on various struggles
the black community has faced.
For example, one of the dances
will focus on police brutality.
However, there is a major
piece that will focus on how “we
are all one humanity,” ultimately
coming from one place, a dance
which is designed to emanate
unity.
tion perform than ever before.
The show will have a variety
When asked why he was
of types of dance, from African excited to dance in the upto modern to jazz. In total, there coming concert, Oakland Tech
will be about nine inspiring
senior Namari Kirven said, “I’m
pieces, each one telling a story.
looking forward to the energy
All of Ms. Travick’s classes will
and overall connection with
be represented in the show:
the dancers and the audience.
Beginning, Intermediate, and
It really encourages the dancers
Advanced.
to work a bit harder and really
Ms. Travick is excited to be
show the audience what Ms.
collaborating with the OakTravick’s dances are all about.”
land Tech Music Department’s
Other dance events will be
director, Ms. Jack. The Oakland held during Dance Week, April
Tech Jazz Band will be playing
27-May 1, when Ms. Travick
live music to accompany certain will bring in guest teachers and
dances. According to Ms. Traopen these classes up to the
vick, live music truly brings out whole Oakland Tech commuenergy and enthusiasm from
nity. The Dance Department’s
the dancers. In addition to live
biggest show of the year, the
jazz, there will also be drumSpring Concert, will be on May
ming for African dances.
15, 16 and 17.
In addition, Ms. Travick is
thrilled to have more students
from the Special Education sec-
New Teacher Saves the Day for Tech Music Department
By John Oberholzer
After former music teacher
James Byrd left Oakland Tech
two years ago, the future of
Tech’s music department was
uncertain. But days before the
2014-15 school year started,
veteran Oakland educator Helena Moss-Jack swooped in to
save the day.
Ms. Jack’s resume includes
over 20 years of teaching
music in Oakland, including
Castlemont and most recently Alliance Academy and
Elmhurst Community Prep
schools in East Oakland. She
is also the artistic director of
the Oakland Eastside All-Star
Ensemble and the founder of
Standing Ovation Performing
Arts, a nonprofit that brings
jazz education to East Oakland
youth. In the past year and a
half, she has already built a
remarkable music program at
Tech nearly from scratch.
Yet despite the offerings
of jazz, orchestra, guitar, and
piano classes, many Oakland
Tech students do not have
access to the music classes because of their academy schedules. Ms. Jack is not happy
with this. She says, “Music education cannot be allowed to
fall by the wayside in the rush
for specialized academy classes. It would be a disservice to
students’ holistic education to
choke their access to the arts.”
To accommodate students
that are restricted by the academy schedules, however, Ms.
Jack has expanded the music
department to include an
after-school program for any
student that is interested. This
means that Monday through
Thursday, Ms. Jack is staying
after school for two hours to
help students that take the
initiative to participate.
Already, the music department has made several
laudable appearances in
department performances
and assemblies. In addition,
music students are also given
opportunities like music competitions, professional-level
performance opportunities,
and assistance with college
application and matriculation.
Upcoming
events include the Black History Month “What’s Going On?”
show alongside the dance department on February 27 (see
“Black History Month Dance”
on page 5), and “It’s a Family
Affair” alongside the Oakland
Eastside All-Star Ensemble on
March 17 at Yoshi’s Jazz Club
Oakland. Tickets are $20 and
can be purchased from Ms.
Jack in the music room, A6.
PAG E 6
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
Features
New Joint Offers Fresh Burgers
By Joseph Cutler
TrueBurger is, in fact, a
true burger joint; walk in and
you are greeted by counters
with bar stools, the sound of
sizzling hamburgers, a voice
yelling out orders and a menu
full of classics: milkshakes,
fries and yep, you guessed it
burgers.
The TrueBurger was
opened on Grand Avenue in
2010 by two local cooks, Greg
Eng and Jason Low. This first
location was such a success
that Eng and Low decided to
open a second TrueBurger just
blocks away from Oakland
Tech at 4101 Broadway.
Due to fairly reasonable
prices (Burger $6 with tax,
Photo courtesy of CW
By Sophia Taylor
Each month, I will cover a
different show I think is worth
watching non-stop
An adaptation of Kass
Morgan’s young adult novel of
the same name, the CW’s The
Fries- $3) and fast service,
business has been booming
and a crowd of Oakland Tech
students flock to the restaurant for lunch every day.
In a way, the name describes the restaurant perfectly—a streamlined menu
centered around one dish: a
simple, high-quality burger.
Their burger, created from
all natural, pasture-raised beef
that is ground daily in the
restaurant, is pressed down on
the griddle to fry it on both
sides. Other menu items, such
as crispy fries and hand-spun
milkshakes, complement the
“TrueBurger.” In addition
to classic milkshake flavors
like vanilla and chocolate,
there is also a special flavor
every week. Oakland Tech
senior Maya Rapier says that
although they can be pricey,
TrueBurger’s milkshakes are
delicious,“specifically peanut
butter, chocolate, and Oreo,”
TrueBurger offers various
“mix-ins” as well such as
bananas, caramel sauce and
toasted marshmallows, as well.
So, if you’re in the mood
for a tasty new spot to eat that
doesn’t break the bank and
is close enough that you can
walk there, eat, and walk back
with plenty of time to spare,
check out TrueBurger the next
time you go out for lunch (But
keep in mind it’s closed on
Mondays).
Photo by Martina Starc
Binge Watchers: The 100
100 depicts a dystopian future
in which humans have been
living in space for hundreds of
years.
The 100 is set years after
nuclear warfare has destroyed
the Earth; the only survivors
are a group of individuals
who were stationed at space
stations prior to the violence.
These stations eventually form
“The Ark,” the living facility
of all survivors, maintained
by a strict set of rules and an
even stricter social hierarchy.
The show follows the journey
of “The 100,” a group of 100
juvenile prisoners sent down
to Earth as punishment for
their crimes. With the life-support resources of “The Ark”
exhausted, “The 100” are being
used to test whether Earth
could be habitable for humans
once again.
The series starts to resemble
William Golding’s Lord of the
Flies once the teenagers arrive
on Earth, free from any previous laws or regulations, and
must decide how to build their
new society in a world that no
one has lived on for decades.
The protagonist, Clarke (Eliza
Taylor), represents the side
that favors order and logic,
while others, notably Bellamy (Bob Morley) and Murphy (Richard Harmon), take
advantage of their newfound
freedom and wreak havoc.
The following is taken from
a scene in which Bellamy
attempts to persuade others
to remove the wristbands that
monitor their survival and
provide “The Ark” with information about Earth’s survivability. Clarke, tries to reason
with them about keeping the
wristbands on.
(Season 1, Episode 2: “Earth
Skills”)
Bellamy: “We’re stronger
than you think. Don’t listen to
her [Clarke]. She’s one of the
privileged. If they come down,
she’ll have it good. How many
of you can say the same? We
can take care of ourselves. That
wristband on your arm? It
makes you a prisoner. We are
not prisoners anymore! They
[the Ark] say they’ll forgive
your crimes. I say you’re not
criminals!”
Between the stellar performances of Taylor and the other
cast members and the show’s
truly original backstory, The
100 is well worth watching
(and the book is also great).
The first season can be found
on Netflix, while the second
season is airesWednesday
nights at 9/8c on CW.
Three Awesome African Americans You Haven’t Heard of
By E’Niyah Wilson
Black history is no mystery;
we study it everyday. Many
of us feel that way. Black
History Month is a time to
celebrate black culture, yet
African-American women are
not in the limelight as much as
men. And though many African-American men have made
excellent contributions to our
society, not enough attention
is given to African-American
women who have broken down
racial barriers throughout
history.
For that reason, here are
three badass black women
who have changed the way
this country exists without you
even knowing it.
1. Euphemia Lofton Hayes
(1890-1980)
In 1943, she became the first
African-American woman to
earn a PhD in mathematics.
She was born and raised in
Washington, D.C. Her father
was a well-known black dentist and her mother an active
Catholic Church member.
Hayes graduated from M.
Street High School and Miner
Normal School in 1909, and
attended Smith College to earn
her bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Later, she attended the
University of Chicago to earn
her master’s degree, went on to
found the Math Department at
what is now the University of
the District of Columbia. She
was a professor and the head
of the department for 30 years
prior to retirement.
2. Octavia E. Butler (19472006)
Butler was born in Pasadena, California. One of
science fiction’s most critically
acclaimed writers, Butler was
known for blending elements
of science fiction and African-American spiritualism
in her books. She was a shy
person and dyslexic, but this
did not stop her from pursuing her dream of becoming a
writer—a dream of hers since
age ten. She earned an associate degree from Pasadena City
College and joined the Clarion
Fiction Writers Workshop to
gain her chops. “Parable of the
Sower and Kindred” are two of
her most famous novels among
young adults today and are
even taught in schools around
the country.
3. Alexa Canady (1950- )
For those interested in
becoming doctors, this lady is
a role model. Born and raised
in Michigan, in 1981 Canady
became the first female Afri-
can-American neurosurgeon in the United
States. Her father,
who was a dentist,
and her mother, who
worked in education,
taught Canady the
value of learning.
With her parents’
influence, Canady
graduated from high
school with honors.
She studied zoology
at the University of
Michigan, and went
to medical school at
Yale University. After
graduation, she chose
to become a pediatric
neurosurgeon and,
in 1984, became the head of
neurosurgery at the Children’s
Hospital of Michigan, which
became recog
Illustration by Isabel Burgos
ized as one of the best in the
country. Canady received the
American Medical Women’s
Association President’s award
in 1993 for her work.
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
PAG E 7
Opinion
An Opportunity For Oakland
By Dagmawi Fasil
Poor conservative. This
is considered an oxymoron
in the realm of modern
politics, especially in Oakland—a city that prides itself
in pioneering liberal ideology. The city, however, has
failed to address some of the
root problems that impact
the daily lives of low-income
families.
These problems are instead used by politicians to
build platforms to get elected and, to them, are not actually examined or worthy of
being solved. In this article, I
plan to explain how some of
Oakland’s policies are failing
those it intended to help and
what type of policies will
actually give them.
Lowered taxes and increased business incentives
will begin to alleviate the
struggle of being poor in
Oakland while increasing
economic development for
those who need it.
Both individual and
business taxes are plaguing
Oakland’s inner city communities. Individual taxes
are not the fault of Oakland
government, but rather a
federal tax system which
favors the wealthy and politically connected. Wealthy
families get away with
paying a minimal amount of
taxes and leave the burden
on working-class families
who need their hard-earned
money the most. To make it
worse, sales tax only acts as
an additional hardship; a 9
percent income tax on poor
families inhibits their ability
to buy their daily necessities.
Furthermore, the City of
Oakland doesn’t make the
situation any better: It continues to increase parcel and
property taxes to discourage
homeownership in Oakland,
thus increasing the demand
for rental spaces and keeping
rent rates high.
It’s expensive being poor
in a city like Oakland, where
taxes and a lack of busi-
ness-friendly policies fail to
create vibrant communities
that facilitate local economic
growth.
After all this, the question
becomes: What can the city
of Oakland do to improve
the lives of low-income families? The answer: slash the
municipal tax rate in half,
reduce property taxes by at
least 30 percent and create
“tax-free” zones for businesses in low-income areas.
Right now, the sales tax is
actually 6.5 percent, but state
law makes local cities implement at least an additional
1 percent rate, and Oakland
currently holds an additional
rate of 2.5 percent, making
the total sales tax in Oakland 9 percent. Cutting our
additional tax rate in half,
making sales tax in Oakland
7.75 percent, would save
Oakland consumers millions
of dollars, and can increase
spending on local businesses
and put more money into
the pockets of low-income
families who need it
most.
Cutting property
taxes will incentivise
buying homes, which
helps families build
wealth and creates jobs
for the local economy
(two jobs are created for every house
bought). Finally, “taxfree zones” all across
East and West Oakland
will serve to benefit
these communities as
businesses will take root
and create jobs for the
people in the area that
currently lack any sort
of economic development.
Although tax revenue will decrease, if it
means that more people
in Oakland are employed, building wealth
and are given increased
economic opportunity,
then Oakland will be
better off.
Illustration by Isabel Burgos
Ask Alice: Safe Sex and Eating Disorders
By Annonmous
Dear Alice,
I recently started having
sex with my longtime partner
and I don’t know if I should
tell my parents or where I can
get birth control without being seen by people I know.
Answer: If you have been
with your partner for a long
time, chances are your parents
have a general idea about what
goes on in your relationship.
It’s completely your choice
whether or not you tell your
parents. That being said, it is
incredibly important that if
you are sexually active, you
know how to be safe. There
are many ways you can get
contraception without parents or friends finding out.
First, we have the amazing
Techniclinic at our school. If
you set up an appointment,
you can talk to someone and
get whatever you need confidentially. You may run into
someone you know, but unless
you say what you’re getting,
there’s no way anyone will find
out because of the confidentiality agreement. Other options
include talking to your doctor
or going to Planned Parenthood, both of which offer
contraception. Do whatever
works best for you and your
partner, but make sure you
find a way to be safe.
Dear Alice,
My friend has recently
confided in me that she thinks
she has an eating disorder, and
she told me not to tell anyone. I don’t know what to do
because I want to tell an adult
but I don’t want to lose her
trust.
Answer: Although it may
seem like losing your friend’s
trust is the absolute worst
thing that can happen in a
situation like this; it’s not. In
fact, an eating disorder can
lead to severe health hazards. Despite the fact that not
everyone’s case appears that
severe, it can be, especially
because eating disorders generally progress. (Although you
have an obligation to maintain
your friend’s trust, it’s more
important to help your friend
remain safe and healthy.) Getting your friend the help that
she needs is crucial. Although
telling someone may seem difficult, I promise it isn’t as bad
as you may think. Maybe you
can start by talking to your
friend and encouraging her
to get help at the Techniclinic, where everything remains
confidential. Or, you could
encourage your friend talk
to a trusted adult. Whatever
may be right for your friend,
leaving the subject untouched
is never the right way to go.
Questions? Worries? Fears?
Go to the Advice Column post
on oaklandtechscribe.com
and comment anonymously,
or email [email protected]
Is the Honor Roll Really An
Honor?
By Trevor Harrison
When I first saw that my grades
plastered to the hallway wall
last year I felt exposed and
embarrassed. The honor roll
is suppose to be a recognition
of student’s hard work and
achievements but to me it just
seems like a way to make prive
information public. Schools
generally operate under the
assumption that a student’s
grades are between them, their
parents and their teachers.
Grades are recorded online but
it takes an account with a password to view your grades and
there is absolutely no way to
see any other student’s grades.
Teachers and administrators
are not suppose to share the
personal records of students
with their classmates so how is
it fair that half of the student
body is forced to make their
grades public. The honor roll
allows you to see who’s grades
are higher than yours and who’s
are lower. It fosters a spirit of
competition and I suppose that
is the point. I just wish I was
asked before I was given a place
in the race.
Photo by Trevor Harrison
PAG E 8
F E B RUA RY 2 0 1 5
Students and Teachers Protest School Reorganization
(Continued from page 1)
the reorganization is “all about
putting additional resourses
into these schools and transforming them in a long term,
sustainable way.” But he gave
no specifics of the plan.
The initiative has enraged
many students, teachers and
community leaders who worry
that teachers will be fired and
that administration of the
schools will be turned over to
charter organizations. Charter
schools do not have to give
teachers the right to be represented by a union or accept
students with learning disabilities. However, the school district must approve the charter
of each charter school before
operation, meaning that any
actions charter schools take are
sanctioned by OUSD.
While the district has
opened up the floor for charter
organizations to submit proposals, district spokesman Troy
Flint says he thinks it unlikely
that any of the selected schools
will end up as charters. “We are
not going to accept any proposal that does not have a wide
base of community support.
We wouldn’t want to force a
charter down their throats
even if we think this is the
most compelling option.”
Photo by Trevor Harrison
Many Tech students and
teachers have appeared at
School board meetings to
protest the school reorganization. Some worry that the
disruptions in McClymonds,
Castlemont and Freemont
could encourage students at
those schools to flee to other
Oakland high schools, including already overpopulated
Oakland Tech.
Other Tech students and
teachers have gotten involved
“I have been to many
different high schools,
and no teachers have
cared about me as
much as they do at Fremont” -Daisy Romo
because they feel a duty to
fight against what they see as
a threat to public education.
Tania Kappner, a social studies
teacher at Tech, said at a school
board meeting in January that
“this community is standing
up today against this fake
restructuring plan and against
the opening up of the charter schools, which are more
segregated and are just private
interests.”
When asked why she had
gotten involved, Zoe Czekalla,
a Tech junior said “I think
we all have a right to public
education and I believe that I
can actually help fight [this]
and keep it from happening by
speaking at the board meetings. Hundreds of students and
teachers shouldn’t be displaced
like that.”
Some are also critical of the
plan because of the schools’
histories of frequent, unsuccessful reorganizations. McCylmonds, for example, was split
into three smaller schools in
2005 and reformed back into
one school in 2010.
But Troy Flint says this
restructuring will be differ-
ent because the district has
more resources to devote to
it. Wilson has cut the central
administrative office 8 percent
since he arrived and plans to
cut it another 10 percent. This
money, Flint says can be used
to provide more support for
schools like McClymonds.
Some students, at schools
chosen for reorganization,
reject the idea that there is anything wrong with the schools
in the first place. “I have been
to many different high schools,
and no teachers have cared
about me as much as they do at
Fremont,” said Daisy Romo, a
senior at Fremont High School
who spoke at the school board
meeting in January. “Teachers at Fremont are there for
you whenever you need them,
100%”
The initiative is currently
still in its planning stage and
the district is accepting detailed proposals for reorganizing each of the schools. District
officials have also carried out
multiple community outreach
meetings at each school.
The new school plans will
be introduced in the fall of
2016, and only then will it be
clear what the “Intensive Support Schools Initiative” means
for the future of Oakland public education.
Students Get Voice in Solving Equity Issues
(Continued from page 1)
ble actions that the school can
take to lessen the obstacles.
Students in the classroom engagement focus group looked
at ways to improve overall
classroom engagement and
thought about ways to heighten the learning experience of
all students. At the end of the
day, all of the students reconvened to share and record
their ideas.
The goal of the Youth
Leadership Forum and other
upcoming related events is
to include substantial student input in new policies,
including the school’s Site
Plan, which acts as a guide for
the school each year. Lukas
Brekke-Miesner, who works
with Oakland Kids First and
is the director of Oakland
Tech’s REAL HARD program,
believes that this contribution
Photo Courtesy of Cara Johnson
from students is crucial. In his
words, “No one is as much of
an expert about school as the
students. If we’re not listening
to them, we’re not serving
them.”
The information collected
from the Forum will make
its way to the district and
hopefully will become part of
policy at a higher level. When
asked if the event was a success, 11th grade REAL HARD
student and Forum Erin
Walker said that she believed
it was because “turnout was
great, and we were able to get
a lot of really great ideas. The
students were engaged and
they were really willing to put
their voice out there. No one
hid their opinion, which is
exactly what we aimed for.”
Many participants were
impressed by the level of
engagement and advanced
thinking of the student
leaders. It is a strange sight
to see the district investigating student opinion, but it is
almost certainly a good sign.
REAL HARD 12th grader and
Forum organizer Maya Rapier
said that “the forums are to
get input from the Oakland
Tech community apart from
the usual administrators and
other people in power. We
feel like average families and
students aren’t given an opportunity to speak about how
they feel about the school. We
want to be inclusive regarding
problems that are not only
very real but are also disproportionately affecting certain
segments of the student population.”
In addition to the Youth
Leadership Forum, a family
forum held last Tuesday, when
students and families came
to share their concerns and
ideas. Another is scheduled
for May 12. These events and
initiatives for community
THE SCRIBE
input are a novel and welcome
change. But what remains to
be seen, then, is how much
Oakland Tech and the OUSD
ultimately respect the products.
A monthly publication run entirely by the students of Oakland Technical High School, with the support of club sponsor Ms. Haugen. Special thanks
to the Oakland Tech PTSA and the Oakland Tech After-School Program for their continued generosity. Want a voice at Oakland Tech join the Scribe.
Meetings are mondays at lunch in room 106.
*Front page header drawing by Fiona Gregg / The Scribe
Staff Contributors to This Issue
2014-15 Editorial Board
Trevor Harrison, John Oberholzer, Ethan Smith, Joseph Harmon,Sierra Warrick
Editor-in-Chief: Trevor Harrison
Molly Hetherwick, Nick Pingitore, Alice Gold, Emma Kantor, Rosa Gutierrez
Managing Editor: John Oberholzer
Aura Barrera, Anna Rosenfeld, Emily Percy, Joseph Cutler, Martina Starc
News Editor: Nick Pingitore and Veronica Larkin
Sophia Taylor, E’Niyah Wilson, Isable Burgos, Dagmawi Fasil, Liana Ariel,
Features Editors: Sophia Taylor, Anna Rosenfeld and E’Niyah Wilson
Visuals Editors: Nadia Wohlfarth and Isabel Burgos
Chief Copy Editor: Molly Hetherwick