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Banned Books: Why They Matter

By Lily Milholm, Staff Writer

For the past thirty-two years, schools, libraries, and bookstores have banned books that they feel are unsuitable. Since 1983, over 11,300 books have been banned or challenged. Parents, teachers, administrators, or religious groups find these many literary works offensive because they explore a  number of “taboo” subjects: sex, profanity, violence, race, religion, and politics.When a person feels uncomfortable that a certain literary work is available to the public, he or she writes to the library or school in which they found the book, requesting its removal. This book is now challenged.

Picture via bookriot.com
Picture via bookriot.com

Classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Great Gatsby, and The Lord of the Flies are banned from libraries and book stores all over the world. And why? Because they discuss “inappropriate” material. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn contains racially explicit descriptions and is considered “trash and suitable only for slums.” How dare Twain point out the hypocrisy of the white man dehumanizing the black man! The Great Gatsby was banned at a South Carolina Baptist College for sex references and “vulgar” language. Sex can not be discussed in the audience of those who have not experienced it, as it might inspire curiosity, and we mustn’t have any of that.   The Lord of the Flies was banned from libraries nationwide for the animalistic traits displayed by the boys because heaven forbid we godly humans are reminded that we are, in fact, animals.

In all seriousness, books like these matter. It’s not important that they display intense scenes and it doesn’t matter that they are unsuitable for children under a certain age.   Stylistically, authors use the many aspects of literature (diction, symbolism, imagery, characterization, etc.) to convey issues that they feel are important. Issues that they feel need to be discussed publicly.  Graphic scenes can be very useful. Often times, they advocate truth that might otherwise not be addressed.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn created a new era of literature. Mark Twain wrote with a certain honesty that is not mirrored in many other novels of the time. The racial remarks used are intentional. They remind us of a time when black slaves were dehumanized by the white world. They humble us and stress the importance of equality. Yes, The Lord of the Flies is an intense read, but it discusses substantial matter that is important to explore. Often times, we forget that somewhere, buried deep under advanced technology and social norms, we are primal beings. The Great Gatsby tells of a time post-World War I and pre-stock market crash. People blindly enjoyed themselves, and indulged in premarital sex and day-drinking. It was a time of naivety, but proved to be a socially revolutionary time, as so many standards changed.

By sheltering the people from the vulgar language, bloody scenes, sex, religious or political viewpoints in these works of literature, these parents, teachers, administrators, or religious groups shelter them from real issues in the real world. Writers discuss issues they feel are important. Readers absorb their work and are able to gain knowledge and form opinions and beliefs. They see the beautiful sentences so delicately and deliberately put together, or they envision the intense scenes,  and are able to perceive a concept in a way that they otherwise wouldn’t have.  Literature is purposeful art. No one has the right to limit the people’s exposure.

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ALCS 2014

By Carolanne Boughton, Staff writer

Major League Baseball’s American League Championship Series opened Friday, October 10  with the Kansas City Royals visiting the Orioles in Baltimore in Game 1. The Royals scored first, with four runs in the top of the 3rd inning. The Orioles struggled to gain a lead in the game, however by the 6th inning the game was tied 5-5. The game remained tied and the teams went to extra innings. In the 10th inning, Alex Gordon hit a solo homerun and Mike Moustakas collected to RBI’s as the Royals built an 8-5 lead. The Orioles mustered up a single run in the bottom of the 10th and fell short of the win. The final score was 8-6, with the Kansas City Royals dominating throughout.

Game 2 of the series was set in Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Once again, the Orioles struggled throughout the game and never obtained a lead. They had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning. Against Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera, the Orioles loaded the bases with one out after an error off of Herrera, a walk, and a single by Nelson Cruz. Nick Markakis, on third base, decided not to run home off of Cruz’s single because of the Gold Glove left fielder Alex Gordon standing ready to throw a stike at home plate. Steve Pearce flied out to shallow left and J.J. Hardy lifted a ball to right to end the inning. Tough relief pitching kept the Orioles scoreless for the game’s last four inning. Shortstop Alcides Escobar drove in pinch-runner Terrence Gore with a double in the top of the 9th, giving the Royals the go-ahead run. The Royals secured another run in the inning, making the final score 6-4, Royals.

The Royals won Game 3, 2-1, securing a 3-0 lead over the Orioles. They now stand one game away from their first trip to the World Series Championship in almost three decades. Third baseman Mike Moustakas was the star of the game. In the 4th inning, he made a spectacular catch off of a line drive hit by the Orioles’ Steve Pearce.  Two innings later,  Moustakas tumbled over the railing and into the seats while snagging the ball of an Adam Jones pop-up. The Royals have an outstanding outfield, with an array of Gold Glove winners.  But their Gold Glove winners aren’t the only weapons that the Royals have used to win seven straight postseason games, the Royals also have one of the best bullpens in the game. The Royals also have great baserunning and know how to clinch hit.

With their Game 4 2-1 win, the Royals clinched their spot  in the World Series Championship for the first time in 28 years. The Royals clinched at home in front of 40,468 fans sporting their blue jerseys. The Royals collected two runs in the 1st inning with an infield single, a hit by pitch, a sacrifice bunt and a fielder’s choice. The Orioles’ only run came off of a solo shot off the bat of Ryan Flaherty. The Royals’ Lorenzo Cain was the series’ MVP because of his outstanding defensive work and overall consistency throughout the postseason. The Royals are moving on to the World Series with confidence and steaming hot players. They will prove to be a tough match against the winner of the NLCS.

 

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Married on the Job

Marriage can be a beautiful and special bond between two people. The bond between those people is a magical and passionate experience. A great romance can spark between the partners, creating an everlasting love, making the partners feel more connected.Usually the more time they spend together, the deeper they fall in love and the closer they become. But how close is too close? Who would devote themselves to one person so completely; twenty-four hours, five days a week?

“Most couples don’t eat every single meal together, drive to and from work together, and work  across the halls,” said Mrs. Wong.

However here a C.K. McClatchy we have three couples who have been putting themselves through this for years, you can sort of think of them as the power couples of McClatchy, and they are: Mrs. and Mr. Hankin, Mrs. Jablonski and Mr. Tagg, and Mrs. and Mr. Wong. So do they find it difficult working along side their spouse or does it actually strengthen their relationship?

Many teachers here each at McClatchy vary in their teaching styles- no two teachers are exactly alike in the way they teach. This may not be a problem among your average teachers, but for our married teachers this may stir up problems in their relationship. In the first few years of Mr. Tagg and Mrs. Jablonskis’ teaching careers, Mr. Tagg found this to be a problem. Apparently his AP students complained about his teaching to his wife, which created friction. But after eleven years of marriage and four years of working together they both stated that since their world views and teaching methods aren’t that radically different there’s really no conflict between the two, especially since they teach different subjects.

Mr. Wong stated about his wife, “We have very different teaching methods, but it doesn’t create any problems. She is very enthusiastic and free wheeling and I’m more lecture based, but both teaching styles are still effective.”

Mrs. Wong told a story similar to Mr. Tagg’s, about how her and Mr. Wong switched HISP sophomores halfway through the year for about ten years. And she said her students complained to her because they’re were afraid of having Mr. Wong.

She had to tell her students, “Guys I’m married to him, stop saying that.”

She reassured them that they would be fine. Which they would, speaking from personal experience- having had Mr. Wong as a teacher he may seem intimidating but he’s really not that scary.

Both Mrs. and Mr. Wong said they have very different personalities, but after twenty-seven years of being married and twenty-six years of working together, that old saying must be right, opposites do attract.

As many people at McClatchy know, Mrs. Wong is the HISP director and teacher for the program and Mr. Wong is also a HISP teacher. So in a sense, she’s not only his colleague and wife, but also his boss, and if there were any complaints about Mr. Wong, Mrs. Wong would be the one to address those issues with him.

Mrs. Wong admits, “It is sometimes awkward giving him suggestions, but it doesn’t create problems, I have to treat him like the other eleven HISP teachers, and I do, so it’s not an issue.”

Mr. Wong responded by saying that he does listen to the suggestions, but it depends on the stitution if he actually makes a change.

Usually when adults come home from work they let go of what happened and unwind. But this isn’t the case when both you and your spouse are teachers at the same school.

Mr. Wong hates when work takes over his home life, he said “She’s always on her laptop, but I understand as a dedicated teacher, my wife’s dedication.”

They both said they enjoy working together for reasons like this. They understand what the other one is going through because they both teach at the same school, which they believe strengthens their relationship.

Mrs. Jablonski and Mr. Tagg both agreed that they do talk about work a lot at home, but they don’t really talk about the work aspect. They mostly talk about students. Imagine, your teachers coming home and talking about how you failed that test or that dumb comment you made in class.  However they both stated that they like sharing students, not so they can complain about them, but so they can share funny stories of things that happen in class.

Sometimes it’s perfectly healthy to get some individual alone time. And our power couples love their alone time. Mr. Wong has his golf, Mr. Tagg has his band and Mrs. Jablonski and Mrs. Wong said they like travelling alone or with some friends.

“She encourages me to golf because I think she gets annoyed with me,” said Mr. Wong jokingly.

One thing that the power couples agreed on is that if they had the choice to continue working together or to work separately, they would all chose to continue working together. They agreed that working together makes them closer and strengthens their relationship.

 

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Hallway Etiquette: It Matters

By Lily Milholm, Staff writer

Hell is a place on earth. It’s known as passing period at C.K. McClatchy.

Everyone talks about freshman being the most obviously inexperienced, but that exact inexperience is mirrored in sophomores, juniors and seniors as well. Age doesn’t matter in the hallways of a high school. One’s consideration of hallway etiquette is the only importance.

There is no system. And the unorganized chaos that takes place in the seven minutes between classes is traumatizing.

Every high schooler walks at their preferred speed with no regard to any of the surrounding people. Fast-walkers spaz their ways down the hall, bumping into lockers and trashcans and other students, never apologizing and constantly scowling. Slow-walkers laugh with their friends, totally oblivious to the masses of people behind them trying not to trip over their heels.

No one applies the rules of the road to the hallways of a high school. People walk in the same direction on both sides of the hall. This lack of lane establishment results in a monstrous mess. Kids spew racial slurs and hypocritically hate, as they are simultaneously doing exactly what everyone else is doing.

Giant groups of friends stop in the middle of the hallway, somehow not understanding that this is not the custom, nor is it in any way logical or considerate of their fellow students. Kids shout at their friends, whether there is six inches or ten feet separation between them.

Couples walk arm-in-arm or hand-in-hand, refusing to adapt to their surroundings. So unwilling to untangle from each other, they force everyone else to navigate their way around. They frolic and laugh without care. They plaster themselves to each other in one prolonged hallway kiss. More blockage is added to the already hectic scene.

Trash cans are knocked over. People are thrown against lockers. Doors swing back on their hinges against students walking in the same direction. Paper is thrown. Food is thrown. Writing utensils are thrown. Feet are trampled. Books are dropped. Feelings are hurt. Assignments are hurriedly finished.

And the worst of all the many extremes is that nobody cares. No one cares that their oblivion causes problems. No one cares that their particular hallway manners put others in bad moods. Everyone exists solely in their own world. All unlikable teenage traits are displayed in the high school hallway. Everyone is selfish, loud, moody, irritating, unhygienic,

There really is no possible solution to the very apparent issue of the lack of hallway etiquette. No one is going to suddenly become aware, and no one is willing to adjust so as to avoid the madness and make high school passing period a better place.

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Chicago International Scare

By Shradha Singh, Staff writer

How is it that just one man with a lighter is able to delay flights all across the country? This is the question that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently pressed to answer after this exact incident occurred in the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center on September 26, 2014. What resulted was a huge aviation mess that delayed or canceled flights all over the nation, including right here at Sacramento International Airport.

On September 26, a contract employee for the FAA, Brian Howard, walked into the Chicago air traffic control tower, and set fire to the key center. This immediately affected two nearby airports, Midway International Airport in Aurora, Illinois, and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. The latter airport is the world’s second-largest airport, and the disruption of its normal schedule created a domino effect which delayed flights all across the United States. This included three flights at Sac International, two of which were supposed to depart for the crippled airports.

As reported by CNN, the fire forced air traffic controllers to transfer flight data manually rather than by computer. It also damaged the telecom line that allows flight plans to be conveyed from the airlines directly to the control center. Instead, airlines had to fax flight plans to the tower, and with so much manual data to be managed, two controllers were needed for each position. Eventually the FAA had to bring in extra technicians in order to effectively handle the situation.

Police report Howard’s actions occurred as part of an apparent suicide attempt. According to an affidavit, first responders arrived at the tower to find smoke and a trail of blood that led to Howard in possession of two knives and a lighter, and seemingly in the process of trying to cut his own throat. Paramedics took the knife and sent a resistant Howard to a hospital in Aurora for treatment. He now faces a charge of one count of destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities, which, if he is convicted, could ultimately lead to a sentence of twenty years in prison.

Though authorities managed to get the major airports affected up and running from only sixty percent to very near full capacity within a span of two weeks, critics still expressed concern about how this one incident was able to wreak so much havoc. Technicians have defended themselves, saying that although they are prepared for this sort of situation, the process to restore the system to its original state is not instantaneous. Luke Drake, vice president of Region 1 of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, also said that the response to the sabotage was a “tremendous success.”

Still, that does not erase the fact that numerous previous aviation and airline mishaps and safety issues have occurred in the United States in a relatively short period of time. In August of this year, a passenger, 53-year-old Eric Slighton, was able to pose as an airport security officer at San Francisco International without raising suspicion. Just a few months earlier in April, a 15-year-old, Yahya Abdi, was able to climb over the fence at an airport in San Jose, find his way into a plane’s landing gear, and staying in there, travel all the way to Maui, with no one finding out until after the flight was over. Though these incidents are admittedly nothing like the events of this past September, the increasing number of individuals able to get past airport, airline, and aviation security is becoming an alarming trend in the United States, one the FAA and its related counterparts need to be able to stop soon, in order to keep travelers safe, secure, and unconcerned about the status of their flight.

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Football Fanatics

By Kathryn Riley

Football is back, McClatchy. For three days a week, the NFL is in action, capturing the hearts of Americans with showdowns between their favorite teams.  But the real games aren’t the only football sweeping the nation. A recent trend in the sports world is fantasy football, and many teachers here have taken a special interest in the fun. For 4 years now, some of the teachers  at CKM have taken part in their own fantasy league. The fantasy enthusiasts include Mr. Starace, Mr. Maxwell, and Mr. Griffin. Now, along with grading papers and making lesson plans, these teachers have to engage in head to head battles for football supremacy.

Here’s how fantasy football works: those who are a part of a league draft players including a defense, a few wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, a kicker, and a quarterback. The selected players of one fantasy team go against selected players of another fantasy team.  As the NFL games go on, the football players get awarded a certain number of  fantasy points based on their performance. Each “team’s” point total at the end of the week determines the winner of the fantasy league matchup.

But drafting may be tricky for some people. Mr. Starace’s top draft picks? “Calvin Johnson and Demarco Murray,” says the history teacher. And his picks seem to being doing well. Mr. Starace is currently 2-0 in the league and feels his chances of winning are “70%.” Mr. Maxwell won last year, but this year, Mr. Starace is looking for his first win. He does have an advantage, revealing that he has been playing fantasy football for 15 years. Playing for that long has definitely taught him a thing or two. His advice for aspiring fantasy players: “Do not only draft players from your favorite team. Pay attention.”

It may be too early to tell who will win this year, but (fantasy) football fever is definitely catching on at C.K. McClatchy.