Opinion

TIME FOR A BRITNEY BLACKOUT

By Alex Rodriguez

So when did bubble gum pink begin to look so sour? Anyone who’s anyone knows about the tittle-tattle that surrounds Miss Britney Spears’ ever-shocking lifestyle: front paging tabloids, headlining newspapers, and effectively teasing Entertainment Tonight.  It is safe to say that Spears has not exactly had her choice of luck this year.

Think back for a moment: Young adults today can barely remember Spears’ cutesy, schoolgirl persona. She emerged into the public eye as an adorable Mouseketeer alongside fellow pop icons Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.

Although few will admit it, more than a few Hi-Tides still have that dusty copy of Baby One More Time tucked away under kindergarten school pictures.  The album art is simple – Britney looking up at the camera in front of a pink background. Back then, she was still fresh to the public eye, completely virgin in every sense and virtually malleable into anything her fans wanted.

A year later, she had already begun her tread up a long and intimidating stretch for the top. Although she had already released an album, Spears began her ongoing ‘I’m-going-to-get-this-one-way-or-another’ plan.

Unfortunately, the only thing that identifies Spears now is a bald head, a few trips to rehab, and some embarrassingly dysfunctional skimpy micro minis.  Do not forget the Starbuck’s Mocha Frap, always by her side – so much for the plan.

On a sympathetic note, the unfortunate girl did go through two awkward divorces and a bit of baby-mama-drama.  The public seems to think that Britney’s fame can insulate her from the consequences of her actions, but clearly, it cannot.  Sometimes, for our own sake, we wish that it would. 

Turn on the radio and all that is on is “Gimme More"  - remixed with a tearful plea to “Leave Britney alone!” Open up a magazine or newspaper and read about her custody issues and what K-Fed was doing in Miami the night before at Mansion. Eavesdrop on any celebrity gossiper and check to see if Brit wore underwear that day. When will it stop?

It is one thing to report the happenings of a public figure, but it is a different matter when all the world does is eat, breathe, and sleep Britney. The media has transformed society’s collective consciousness into Britney World.  Why not just wear tight red polyester bodysuits and live on the Mars scene from the “Oops, I Did it Again” video?  One song and dance is as good as another.   

Wouldn’t it be better if everyone left Britney alone?  The world just might be able to survive without her – for a little while, at least.  Otherwise, it might be better just to ask her to wear underwear on her head (just to prove she actually owns them), and always wear a sign that says, “Oops, I did it again.”  Hopefully by then, she will have sanitized the driver’s seat.

A POSITIVE OUTLET FOR BEACH HIGH GRAFFITI

Real artwork or vandalism depends on the context.

By Maria Guzman

Graffiti is often seen in a negative light, but a student graffiti mural promoting school pride might improve the art form’s image at Miami Beach Senior High. Graffiti requires skill, hard work and patience, and can be a great way of self expression. If done with permission in appropriate places, it can be a true work of art.

Graffiti is seen everywhere around the school in desks, walls and bathroom stalls. In this context, it is understandable that adults hardly ever view it as art. This type of graffiti is considered vandalism, and rightfully so. This is where the idea of a student graffiti mural comes in. The mural would combine Beach High school spirit with the talent of its students -- by allowing them to graffiti an encouraging message in a school sanctioned location.

“A student mural can be a great thing,” said Principal Rosann Sidener. “You have to be careful because there’s a line between graffiti and vandalism.” Sidener stressed the distinction between sanctioned graffiti art and vandals’ tags. “A planned mural that has artwork is not vandalism,” she said. “It can be … very good for the school, but you have to be careful that … the kids don’t misunderstand where the line is between a planned mural and individuals going out and putting their tags around the school.”

Teachers seem to share this opinion. “Graffiti is a form of self expression,” said History teacher Kevin Simon. “But to put it on a public building without people’s permission is really not fair.”

Not all students think a graffiti themed mural is a good idea. Ryan Quinones, a freshman, says “It is actually a creative idea, but it wouldn’t help support the school’s image” Notwithstanding graffiti’s image problem, not all students think it is pure vandalism. Freshman Nina Montoya said, “I consider it more of an art,” and that she disapproves only, “if it is profanity.”

Graffiti artwork is a skill that takes forever to learn, according to one graffiti artist on campus. The fact that some people use it to vandalize property should not ruin graffiti for others. A mural would make the building seem more appealing and relevant, providing a creative outlet to students who might otherwise vandalize school property. Most importantly, the mural would show that art comes in more than one form.

FALLING SCHOOL GRADE SETS OFF FCAT DEBATE

By Josh Dermer and Alessia Pizzorni

Changes to the FCAT test format have coincided with a drop in Miami Beach Senior High School’s state assessment from a ‘C’ to a ‘D’. The recent decline in student achievement and the addition of a graded Science portion have reignited an old debate about the proper role of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, and students and teachers find themselves caught in the middle.

Before the school year started, retired Florida State University Professor John Hansen met with Beach High faculty and administration to discuss possible causes for the low school grade. Hansen promotes a computer program called SnapShot, which he developed to track student performance on standardized tests.

“The students didn’t score as well last year as they did the previous year,” said Hansen. “We don’t deal with right or wrong questions. We deal with how we did this year to how we did last year, so that we can look for ways to continue improvement.” Miami-Dade County Public Schools recently purchased Hansen’s software.

Under former Governor Jeb Bush’s A+ Plan, the results from the FCAT generate a grade for each school. A point system is used to determine the grade, where one point is given for each percentage of students who make a year’s worth of growth or maintain a level 3, 4 or 5. “These grades communicate to the public how well a school is performing relative to state standards,” according to a packet distributed by the Florida Department of Education. The higher the school grade, the greater the funding given to the school.

Robert Schaeffer, the public education director for Fair Test, points out that the FCAT is used to determine far more than student performance, including grade promotion and retention, high school graduation, school ratings and rewards, and teacher bonuses. According to Schaeffer, “the FCAT is probably the most misused test in the country.”

Science, a subject recently added to the FCAT exam, was a major contributor to Beach High’s low grade overall. While the Science portion of the test had been given in previous years, 2007 was the first year these results counted towards the school’s state assessment. According to Hansen, Miami Beach Senior high scored in the bottom 25th percentile in both Math and Science.

“The D this year is an embarrassment to the school” said Hansen. He advised that teachers help students at all achievement levels.

The pressure is felt most intensely by Intensive Reading and Math teachers. Activities Director Marysol Rivero, who also teaches Intensive Reading, said, “The FCAT has gotten out of control. It is intimidating for students, teachers and parents.” Rivero believes that students should be compared to other schools, but that much of the problem lies within the early years of learning. “Without the five basic components of reading – phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and phonological awareness – the student does not have a chance.”

According to Schaeffer, whose organization promotes fair and open testing, “the makers of the FCAT test say that you should never use a test as the sole factor to make high stakes decisions about students, teachers, and schools.” Schaeffer argues that this is exactly how the FCAT is being used.

Freshman Amanda Epstein believes that “a person’s intelligence or capability doesn’t depend on a score on a test.” According to Epstein, no matter how many subjects the FCAT assesses, any one test is, “just a very lazy way of determining people’s strengths.”