Month: October 2020

Categories
Opinion

The Need To Settle For Biden

Photo Credit: Katherine Krinsky

The upcoming presidential election is on everyone’s minds. The fate of the United States and the next four years rests on the outcomes of November 3, 2020, and the fear surrounding those same results is ever so present. 

The two leading candidates and their running mates are President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, and Vice President Joe Biden with his VP nominee Senator Kamala Harris. These options have left many voters unhappy with their choices. Many Democrats were hoping for a nominee other than Biden, perhaps Bernie Sanders or someone else more left-leaning with seemingly simple qualities like zero sexual assault allegations. 

But after months of debates, Biden was the front-runner for the Democratic party, and, despite many’s unwillingness to do so, voting for him over Trump is vitally important.

As seen in the 2016 election, when millions of Americans chose not to vote due to dissatisfaction with both Hillary Clinton and Trump, not voting is simply not an option. Yes, voting for someone like Biden, who has numerous shortfalls, is less than ideal. However, another four years with Trump as the nation’s leader will be far, far worse.

We currently have a president who fails to adequately address so many issues plaguing our country: racial injustices, the current COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change, to name a few. 

Since the outbreak in March, President Trump has eloquently shown how unfit he is for the position — if he had not proven that already. By failing to consider the lives of the American people and the potential repercussions of barely dealing with the virus, his poor judgement has lost over 200,000 American lives.

Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic is just one of many ways he has corrupted the presidency. Despite this, still not everyone is convinced that Biden should receive their vote. 

The former Vice President does not have much going for him, but he is almost angelic when compared to Trump. Aside from having basic human decency and empathy, Biden has actual plans in regards to the coronavirus, healthcare, the climate crisis, etc. He also believes that science is real, a concept which many would consider to be common sense before our current president. 

While many Democrats are struggling with the concept of voting for a man they dislike so much, those who recognize that hardship have taken it into account and created the Settle for Biden movement — with the purpose of getting voters to just that: settle. 

As the first page of their website says, “Settle for Biden is a grassroots group of former Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders supporters who recognize Joe Biden’s flaws but know that our nation will not survive four more years of Donald Trump.” 

Taking the negative aspects in account, this campaign focuses on the comparison between Biden and Trump rather than just Biden’s few redeeming qualities. Realizing that voters are already unenthusiastic about their presidential candidate choices, the organization centers its outreach around the detrimentality of the possibility of another four years under Trump. 

Their belief that, “Donald Trump is an existential threat to the future of our people, our nation, and our planet” is supported by our president’s constantly displayed immaturity, irresponsibility, and overall inability to effectively run the U.S. 

Voting has never been more necessary. While a vote for Biden is unpleasant and unnerving, choosing to not vote is a vote towards Trump, who, for the sake of our country, cannot be reelected. 

Categories
Opinion

The Detriments to Defunding Planned Parenthood

Photo Credit: Hector Yabes

Many people hear “Planned Parenthood” and automatically associate this organization with providing abortions. This connotation has led to pro-life movement against the non-profit that hopes to defund them simply in order to prevent a safe and accessable abortion option. 

The debate over abortion rights in The United States is not a new one. Pro-choice views were instated into the federal government by Roe V. Wade, a case confirmed in 1973. This decision permits women to get abortions without excessive goverment restraint, a service that Planned Parenthood provides among many others. 

The current pro-life rhetoric within the Trump Administration has progressed into the campaign to defund Planned Parenthood in an attempt to place restaints on women’s reproductive rights and restrict abortions. 

Despite being arguably best known for abortion servies, the nonprofit also offers many other types of healthcare in an accessible manner. They provide birth control, contraceptives, emergency contraception (also known as the morning-after pill), general health care, and services for HIV, STDs, pregnancy, along with directed help for men, women, and LGBTQ+ patients. 

These various services are incredibly important for many people, especially those who have limited access to healthcare. Planned Parenthood’s public options are especially important for patients who struggle with covering insurance and other costs.

By defunding this organization, public health options will be taken away from the many people who have no other access to healthcare and from those who simply cannot afford it from other places. 

The method of “defunding” Planned Parenthood as a pro-life catalyst to prevent abortion services is simply immoral. Anti-abortion views are already lacking openmindedness, empathy, and compassion, and the desire to restrict accessible healthcare in order to halt womens’ abilities to make choices about their own bodies and lives is unprincipled. 

Womens’ rights to make their own health decisions have always been under attack, but the Trump Administration’s strong pro-life beliefs have encouraged a rise in anti-abortion beliefs and legislature. This plan to defund Planned Parenthood might come from a mainly pro-life place, but the repercussions of this proposition will be detrimental for many people in countless ways.

Categories
Features

Meet Ms. Andrea Egan, CKM’s New Principal

Photo Credit: Andrea Egan

Mrs. Andrea Egan is C.K. McClatchy’s new principal. She joined the CKM Lions this summer from California Middle School, CKM’s neighbor. Principal Egan grew up in Livermore, California, located in the bay area and attended Granada High School. During her high school career, she was a swimmer, the ASB Activities Director, and a member of the California Scholarship Federation. 

After graduating, she enrolled in Sacramento State University, “Stingers up!… I entered Sac State under the major of art, and I changed my major right away to graphic design. I thought that that would be a more marketable job opportunity for me, and still be art related,” Egan said.

She finished her degree at Sacramento State in ‘99, with a Bachelor’s in graphic design and a minor in English literature. She concluded her time at Sacramento State in ‘02 after earning a multiple subject teaching credential, secondary credential in Art and English, and a Masters degree in Curriculum Instruction and Art Emphasis. 

Her career at Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) began in the year ‘00,“I interviewed at Sutter, and the principal at the time, Greg Purcell, who’s kind of a famous principal in our district… had hired me and I taught English and Art initially. I also taught the journalism class there, and …leadership at Sutter.”  

She left Sutter in ‘09 to fulfill the principal position at Phoebe Hearst Elementary. After five years she was asked by the superintendent at the time, Jonathan Raymond, to be the interim principal at California Middle School. In the spring of ‘15, Egan was named the permanent principal at California Middle School. 

When asked what she would miss most from California Middle school, Egan replied, “I think the students of course, I’m hoping I’ll get to see some of them at McClatchy, so that’s kind of a silver lining of coming from Cal to McClatchy it’s the same neighborhood. And the staff… I got to know them really well, and the community we built.” 

Assuming a principal’s role at Sacramento’s largest high school presents a myriad of challenges for any administrator, but Egan commented that she is ready to take on the task, “I’ve never really shyed away from a challenge, I’ve lived in Sac since ‘95, and I’ve always been intrigued by the beautiful campus. Then working next door at Cal I would hear a lot about students’ experiences at CKM… I think I’m up for the task. I want to make CKM the best school in the district for students.” 

Egan is looking forward to instituting important communication and outreach programs for McClatchy families. She hopes to be a resource for students and help guide the community through the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also hinted at some renovations taking place on campus: walls are being repainted, landscaping is being done, and slowly but surely McClatchy is receiving a well deserved face lift. 

As school’s across America are being forced to finally confront the racial inequalities that have been cemented in the education system, it is a tense time to be any school administrator. Paired with the lingering effects of the racist science fair project that received national attention three years ago; the McClatchy community must constantly grapple with racial inequities and work towards increased safety for marginalized communities on campus.

When asked about long term plans, Egan most definitely envisions to work on race relations at McClatchy , “… how those programs [HISP, LPPA etc.] support or compound those issues, [and] what voice do students have on particular issues…It’s gonna be a challenge, but I think once all the clubs get organized… I would definitely like to be a part of BSU, Brown Issues, Pacific Islander club, and being a presence in meetings if they welcome me. Once I have a better understanding of what all those concerns are, we’ll go from there on what improvements can be made,” she said. 

It is difficult for most students to get to know their teachers and new administration via distance learning. Principal Egan wants students to know that she is open to emails and any questions people may have adding that, “…I want students to know I’m here for them and that if they want to let me know something or have a question they can email me directly, and when we are back in person they can right up to me. We may not always agree, but I am very open to student feedback and resolve the issues they have. I want to be accessible to students.”

Categories
News

McClatchy’s Virtual Club Rush

Photo Credit: Katherine Krinsky

Club rush at CK McClatchy High School started for the 2020 school year. For the event, CK McClatchy High School posted multiple links on their school website. These links take you to pages that include information about clubs, how to join and when meetings take place.

Because of Covid-19, the only way to participate in clubs this year is to do so virtually.  One of the links on the school website is called the “virtual quad.”  There, you can watch one to five minute videos about each of the clubs CK McClatchy has to offer.  Each of the videos contain club members talking about what students can do in their club.

Without the ability to talk to students in person, clubs had to find new ways to get students interested in joining.  For example, the Model United Nations decided to portray America, China, Germany and New Zealand’s reactions to Covid-19 in a small skit.

The clubs that are participating in club rush this year include: SAT club, Queer- Straight Alliance, Poetry Club, Murder Club, Model United Nations, MESA, Mathletes, Life Skills, Key Club, Japanes Origami Club, Girls who Code, Girls Across the Globe, German Club, Feminist Coalition, Eco Club, Drama Club, Debate Club, California Scholarship Federation, Black Student Union, Australian Mathematics Competition, Asian Pacific Islander Student Association and Academic Decathalon.

Students can see when these clubs meet by clicking another link on the school website that sends students to the club meeting schedules.

Students can sign up for these clubs by clicking on the google form listed by the school website.  On this form students should type out their names, email addresses and what clubs they’re interested in joining.

Once students show interest in a club by submitting a google form, club members will reach out through email. 

This year, club meetings will happen through Zoom (the same way as online classes).  Zoom information will be given to students who have shown interest in a club through the Remind app.  

In an effort to show club rush from a club leader’s perspective, Model United Nations president, Harper Johnston (‘22) was interviewed.  

When asked what the biggest struggle was when it came to recruiting new members this year, Johnston said, “Not everyone knows about the club rush, so we had to make our video creative to pull people in.”

The Model United Nations video showed different students portraying a previously researched country’s reaction to Covid-19. They did this by acting as these countries in a small skit.  

While they tried to make their video creative, Johnston is still finding other ways to bring students into the club, saying, “I’ve convinced some of my friends to join. But I also had to reach out to other people that I knew were into politics.”

When Johnston was asked what part of Model United Nations will be affected most by Covid-19, Johnston replied, “I think the most important part is debating. Small online debates won’t be too bad, but larger scale conferences will be real funky.” 

Black Student Union public relations person and secretary, Devin Freeman was also interviewed. “The purpose of BSU is to unify the black community at McClatchy and to help each other counteract the overt and covert racism experienced by the black student body,” Devin says.

Just like Model UN, BSU would typically recruit members through club rush at school. Because of the virus, BSU had to participate in the virtual club rush. Devin says that, “The biggest    struggle came with just making people aware of our club.  Some members of our club are normally reeled in by the flashy behavior we tend to go all out on at club rush. However, this year, club rush was much less anticipated”.  

Getting the word out seems to be the biggest struggle for clubs this year. The virtual club rush can only recruit so many members. 

Even with the virus spreading around, clubs like Model United Nations and Black Student Union have found ways around it. Club rush is still going on, and many clubs are still accepting new members. Covid-19 hasn’t stopped CK McClatchy Senior Highschool’s clubs from continuing on.