Every new school year there’s the one article published, normally by a senior, about the chaos that is the Senior Parking Lot. The points are always the same: The spaces are too small, the exiting process takes forever, and it fills up too quickly in the morning, etc., etc. Occasionally a Rebellion staff reporter may mention the handful of Juniors with out of control egos who think they deserve to park in the Senior Lot, despite the absence of a parking sticker. However, no one ever thinks to mention the other culprits contributing to the shortage of spots: substitute teachers, and other guests to the school.

  Every morning, the spots are completely filled, but if you look out into the front lot during 2^nd or 3^rd period, you’ll see several empty spaces. A guest may park there for those two periods, and then leave the school after, providing empty spaces in the front lot. However, to the seniors forced to park at OMF, or who receive reprimands for parking in the faculty lot, seeing empty spots during 2^nd or 3^rd period that weren’t there that morning only infuriates us.

   The general rule is for guests to the school to park in the Hazard parking lot, and for teachers and other faculty to park in their own lot. If substitute teachers are a part of the school faculty, doesn’t it make sense that they should park in the faculty lot?

  Every morning, there are at least 10 empty spaces in the very back behind the gymnasium. Teachers parked back there often take up two spots, but it doesn’t even matter due to the abundance of space. However, when a senior rolls in late and finds no empty spaces in his/her designated lot, is he/she allowed to park in one of those 10 spaces? Of course not! Such blasphemous actions might make too much sense.

   So that’s what I did. This was good because when 9th grade hit, I was actually trying and still getting crappy grades, that was until I did my first math project.
   When I started out my math project, I was so scared. But after looking at the careful and precise directions that the portfolio gave me, I realized that this would be easy so long as I followed the rubric like it was a road map that had absolutely no detours, exits or anything that could possibly make my project unique in any way, shape or form. This made me happy: thanks to the portfolio I didn’t have to make any choices at all—which really put things in perspective for me.

   People in general ultimately never really make any choices; the choices are already made for them by the governing super corporate powers that be. So I did the work just how it said on the rubric and got a good grade.

   I was happy and content with the grade and the work was completed. Overall, the only thing I feel that was accomplished was that following directions like an ant in colony sometimes can lead to a good grade, and eventually if I continue my pursuit of intensely following directions, someday I could be the first of my family to get a middle wage paying office job. Thanks to the portfolio, this idea is very pleasing to me.
   In tenth grade, I was required to do a persuasive speech to pass 10th grade English. I foolishly looked at this as an opportunity to communicate an idea that was largely unaccepted and somewhat foreign to my peers. The first time I did the speech, I had a variety of pictures, and sources that made my project highly unique in comparison to the rest of my class. Of course, because I incompetently failed to look at the rubric like it was the blueprint for a 20 million foot skyscraper, I got a D. But I realized that it was time to stop fooling around. I had to stop being a person, and start being what the school wanted me to be. I changed my topic to something far more rudimentary and lackluster and guess what? I got a B+.

   This was a big step for me to take as a student. Students truly are not required to analyze or create work of their own, it basically all comes down to how well you can paraphrase a sentence, which I previously failed to realize. By trying to put down my own thoughts and ideas I did not meet the expectations of the rubric and consequentially I received a poor grade. I learned that it is pointless to try and rock the boat for the boat needs no rocking.

   In many ways our lifestyle is quite perfect and our overlords are very appreciative of our subjugation towards them and that there is very little reason for us, the citizens of these United States to anger them in any way. The portfolio and this assignment allowed me to come to this realization.
   During the fall of this year, I decided that I would volunteer roughly 30 hours of my time to a near by animal shelter. At first I found that spending time at this cold, dreary boring animal shelter, where I wasn’t even allowed to touch the animals was very unappealing. My basic responsibilities included cleaning cages and picking up animal waste. After a while of doing this boring, repetitive work I realized this work is in a way a microcosm of my own life. Life is full of boring inadequacies, why should I ever strive to accomplish more than what is handed to me by my corporate rulers? The reason: there truly is no reason. Life consists of three major things: being born, working and death. I have been born, and now I have reached my second stage. Work. Working is in a way, life itself for many of us. Who seeks more, is not truly serving society. Why ask for a greater meaning when the true meaning has already been given to us. WORK.

   So as a result of this insight, I became far more content working in the boring, bland conditions that the animal shelter provided. In the end I didn’t even want to touch the animals and I realized that I never actually did want to touch the animals—

  it was just a silly fantasy brought on by not working to my fullest previously in life. Work is the course to happiness, and the portfolio and the animal shelter really hit that point home for me.
   Wrapping up, I fully realize that as a senior in high school, I have much to learn and much to do. Many more assignments lie in my path to graduation and I believe that I now have the keys to accomplish what my overlords desire me to accomplish. But it’s not just about what my rulers   want me to do, it’s what I want to do.                                         

  Originally I had my own dreams and aspirations that only sought personal fulfillment. But now I realize the error of my ways since the truth has been revealed to me. My government knows and seeks only the best possible future for me, and thanks to the portfolio I have almost reached that future. Now I can look forward to a life, of hard work in order to make other people rich in hopes that, one day, their wealth shall trickle down to me. And I realized this is why I got the straight F report card

   I looked out only for my own happiness instead of completing mindless drone work that would help raise the class average, making the school look better and helping it to receive more funding. But now, again thanks to the portfolio, the needs and desires of our masters are clear, and I am ready and apt to begin my newly realized life of grueling manual labor of the mind.

  Lunch ladies are now serving whole wheat muffins, whole wheat pasta and even whole wheat pizza.

  While in the past seniors where allowed to escape the horrors of the lunch room and go out to lunch, all students are kept in the cafeteria today.

  At Malden High School in Massachusetts, some of the students fought for an off campus lunch and received it on a trial basis. Some of the requirements were to maintain an 80 or above, and uphold good attendance and behavior. And at other schools the privilege of off campus lunch still exists.

  But what privileges do the seniors of South Kingstown High School have? Not many.

  The seniors have the honor of parking in the senior lot, where their cars will most likely be destroyed due to the miniscule parking spaces. They are also allowed to miss exams in classes where they have an 80 or above and good attendance. That’s about it.

  Gone are the days where seniors could leave early or come in late. These days, there isn’t even a study hall to escape the constant pressures of school.

  Kids are so involved in school today that they need a break. A short time off school grounds would allow students to relax and just get out of the building for a little while. Everyone knows what happens when kids are kept cooped up for too long: they get feisty.

  By only allowing students to leave if they maintain good behavior, grades and attendance, the disciplinary issues would decrease and grades and attendance would improve. Off campus lunches would give the students the incentive to do better in school.

  Parents argue that they don’t want their children eating fast food. If this is their only beef, then they should teach their children how to make healthy choices. If kids aren’t going to eat healthy out of school, then they will find a way to eat junk food in school. As it stands, they routinely buy cookies and slushies for lunch. Either that or they bring a lunch they brought from home, no less, which could consist of numerous unhealthy foods.

  Walking through the hallways of South Kingstown High School during lunch period it is obvious from the McDonald’s bags sticking out of back packs that students leave for lunch without permission. These students are able to make it to McDonald’s or Subway and back with time to spare. This is a desperate measure that requires great risk which could easily be avoided with a simple remedy: permission to leave school grounds for lunch.

  The biggest problem seems to lie in the transportation and responsibility. The school does not want to be liable if anything happens to the students while they are not on the school grounds. The answer to this problem is to make a permission slip.

  Other schools require students to bring home a form that states that the parent and student are responsible for anything that happens while the student is not on school property. If parent has any objections then he or she does not have to sign it.

  Off campus lunch would be a privilege that students would respect and appreciate. All someone has to do is ask for it.

  Prior to the portfolio’s introduction in 2007, SKHS graduated 298 students of a class of 320. Of the remaining 22 students who dropped out, 14 got their GEDs.

 After the portfolio’s introduction in 2008, the Class of 2007 had a dropout rate of six percent while the Class of 2008 had an increased rate of eight percent.

  In recent years, SKHS has introduced the portfolio program to students as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. This program is administered to students in the form of mandatory courses SK-101 through SK-104. Also students are required to complete their portfolio for graduation.

  The NCLB Act, introduced in the beginning of the Bush Administration, has increased state and local testing in attempts to keep students across the nation at the same pace.

  The NCLB Act’s representation in the Northeastern states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island is the New England Common Assessment Program. Known to many Rhode Island students and adults as the NECAPs, students begin this form of standardized testing as early as in elementary school.

   However, the incredible amount of funding and time that this act consumes has limited learning for many students. The tests take students out of the classroom and subject them to unneeded stress. The purpose of the portfolio is for seniors to be able to look back on their collection of work and see their improvement over their high school career.

  The portfolio is administered by multiple teachers at the high school. The course replaced study hall and is a quarter long class rotating with Health and Physical Education. At the end of the quarter students are required to have a certain type and number of their works in the portfolio in order to pass the class.       

  However, since the portfolio’s introduction many question the need for such a program. Many students and adults see the portfolio as a poor use of school funds and of student and faculty time and an unneeded stress. Others fear that this added task will increase the number of dropouts. Whether or not it has increased dropouts, it has decreased a love for school.

  With the increasing amount of state testing, illegal drugs and other factors, perhaps the portfolio could put some students over the edge.

  In recent years the South Kingstown High School like many other Rhode Island public schools have been subjected to an overwhelming amount of standardized testing. 

  “The most stressful time that you do the portfolio is your junior and senior year,” said senior Pat Franco. “And that’s when we have to take all of this state testing and NECAPS.”

  With all the stresses of  during the junior and senior year have high school is why these two grades see the highest level of dropouts in elementary and secondary schools.

  While dropout rates are known to vary between classes the fact of the matter is that the dropout rate has increased. The initial increase was not drastic but it could be a warning sign of things to come.

  Last year’s bells rang at the same time each day, except Wednesday, which was working just fine. In fact, it was perfect. Repetition, as teachers insist, is the key to memorization.

  By the middle of October last year, I had the schedule down pat. I knew when the class would end, how much longer we had until the bell rang, and now each day has a different, more confusing schedule. Monday is the same as Friday, Tuesday is the same as Thursday, and Wednesday is an hour delay. Yeah, it’s hard to remember.

  I heard through the grape vine that administration changed the schedule to “make it easier for the freshmen.” What? How is changing it from almost the same time schedule every day to three different schedules during the week “easier”? It doesn’t make sense to me, and I doubt it ever will.

  I miss the good old days of the simple schedule that stayed the same from day to day. The only day I had to memorize was the hour delayed schedule of Wednesday.

   I want to be able to know what time class ends, especially the ones I’m itching to get out of, rather than constantly looking into the front of my agenda to see when  the bell sounds. It takes time to find the page with the schedule and times on it, which takes away from class time.

  Let me put this in a different context for those who aren’t following:

  A monkey is trapped behind some very fragile bars. His friend on the outside of the cage wants to help the monkey, and some new animals in the cage, escape from behind the bars. The monkey’s friend finds some three inch wide, steel bars and replaces the fragile bars with the steel ones. The monkey’s friend stands back, and says to the monkey and animals trapped behind the bars, “Ok, now you can get out because I’ve just made it easier for you to escape.”

  The bars are like the schedule. The students are the monkey and the monkey’s friend is administration. They think they have made it easier for us to follow the schedule when actually they made it worse.

  I wonder if freshmen, who this whole change was supposed to help, find the schedule easier. I bet most of them would say “no”.

  Change is never a good thing, especially when you finally get used to something. Change is the source of all evil. Just like when Hitler tried to change Europe, which sparked World War Two, by eliminating the Jews. People reacted and Hitler was taken down.

  People respond to change differently, either positively or negatively. In this case, I’ve seen more negative attitude toward the schedule change than positive.

  And another thing about the schedule change, it has made classes on Monday and Friday close to an hour long. Mind you, SKHS used to have only fifty minutes of class time.

  Not too many students enjoy longer classes. Well, maybe some, but definitely not all.

  Passing time has been cut by one minute, from five minutes to a measly four. I know it’s only one minute, but those sixty seconds can be the difference between being on time and being late to class. And some teachers freak out if you are late, even if you’re in ten seconds after the bell rings.

  The schedule has caused more havoc to the students than it has the teachers. Teachers are now more inclined to give a test on Mondays or Fridays because of the hour long classes.

  Everyone hates Mondays, and a test would make it worse. A test on Friday would kill everyone’s weekend because we are all worried about how we did on the test.

  I miss the time of the fifty minute classes and five minute passing period. Longer classes and shorter passing time is too much to deal with in high school.

  This is my last year of high school, and the last thing I want to do is be bothered by something that really has no significance in my life. Some how the revised schedule has made it to the top of my “things that I could live without” list. I’m sure a lot of other students feel the same way.

  And one last endnote, why is advisory half-an-hour when it used to be nearly fourteen minutes? I could answer that, but perhaps another time.

  Shortly after the polls closed it was announced that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been elected for a second term winning by a 62 percent margin. His opponent Mir-Hossein Mousavi was outraged as well as most of the country. Allegations of vote rigging and election fraud quickly turned to protests in several major cities in Iran. These demonstrations and protests were in number close to that of the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

  The Green Movement, as it is called, is the series of events that has happened after the election in 2009; these events include many peaceful demonstrations. Neda Agha-Soltan has become the face of the Green Movement. In a peaceful demonstration, Soltan was shot in the chest. The shooting was captured on video and posted all over the internet.

  In recent weeks, these protests have been squashed by the Iranian government, which has cut off foreign journalists and mobile phones, restricts internet use all the while making massive arrests. In short, the Iranian government is taking away basic human rights and liberties.

  Due to twitter and the internet, however, the “Green Movement” continues strong. Protests and demonstrations are growing, but the leaders Mousavi and other officials are distant from the protesters themselves. In fact, leaders of human rights and bloggers have been heading the protests more than the officials themselves.

  The reason: The official leaders of the Green Movement, are under scrutiny from the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.      Many contend, however, that if Mousavi had been elected president very little would change. Mousavi would improve Iran’s affairs with the West which many believe would lead to reform. However, Mousavi started up the program to find nuclear energy in Iran. This means he headed the program that is looking to find nuclear power that could be used for energy, or for bombs which they now have. He was also the Prime Minister of Iran when in the 1980’s when the revolution was at its strong point. He was also involved with the hostage situation of the U.S. citizens, not to mention a sworn enemy of Israel.

  Despite the background of Mousavi, Iranians continue to support him. Not to mention he is promoted as the good guy in the media. The way I see it, Mousavi is just another Ahmadinejad. Mousavi is calling for reform that is not coming. He is just like any other politician; he is giving the people of Iran false hopes.

  Even with Mousavi as president, diplomatic relations with the rest of the world will not change. Women still have very little rights, and  the government is shutting down the communication from the outside world.

  With the power that the president has, what could Mousavi really do. He doesn’t have control over the militia. All he can do is call for demonstrations and try to change the supreme leader’s mind, and that is highly unlikely.

  After word got out about Uganda’s decision, the news took quite awhile to spread.  At the end of September, Uganda finally modified its law to please the few countries who complained. 

  The current sentence for homosexuality in Uganda is life imprisonment and in “extreme” cases, the death sentence.

  What worries me the most is how this law is not stirring up gay rights activists enough to make them protest, antagonize the government to step-in, or travelers to Uganda themselves fight for what they believe in.  This law remains standing because the U.S. and many other countries accepted the punishment of imprisonment in place of the death penalty. 

  What stands in the way of helping those in need overseas is the Anti-Gay Republican Mafia.  This mafia is comprised of homophobic republican members that funnel through our entire government system.  The purpose of this homophobic “mafia” is to eliminate any chance allowing gay people to have the same rights as everyone else.

  Recently numerous bloggers have discovered the identities of high position holders that are members of this mafia, who coincidentally are gay themselves.

  Ed Schrock, a homosexual Virginia Congressman, was uncovered by Joan Aravais of AmericanBlog.org.  Shortly after word got out, Schrock removed his name from the ballot before the last election.

  It is shameful that we have so called “mafia” members within our own country, preventing the advancement of their fellow countrymen based on sexual orientation.  It now seems no surprise why we are not doing more to help Uganda.

  It also comes to no surprise that on January 15 of this year, the U.S. finally dug its nails into Uganda’s back and began re-negotiating the terms pertaining to the country’s new law.

  Though there are small parties gathered in London, New York and Washington, more movements should be made world-wide. 

  How will Uganda learn from what they are doing wrong if only the U.S. intervenes?

  How many people are sitting in jail or have faced the death penalty at the hand of this disturbed government? If this kind of situation occurred on U.S. territory, there would be complete outrage and rebellion.  So why are the innocent people of Uganda not as important as your neighbors here at home?

  Though many may think that no serious injustices have been afflicted upon gays here in the United States, I am sad to say you are wrong.  Nation-wide, thousands of people enlist in the Armed Forces, aching to serve their country.  However many are denied, discharged, or publicly shamed for their orientation.

  The military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” makes it easier for homosexuals to ‘blend in’ with the rest of their service members. However, once discovered, their career is over.  Former President Bill Clinton created the “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” during his term in the 90’s when homosexuality openness was continuing to grow.  This previous policy made it okay for homosexuals to be singled out. 

  When did society begin to believe that homosexuals couldn’t  have the same rights as heterosexuals?

  Everyone world-wide needs to stand up and fight for the rights of others because one day your country could take part in something unjust. If that day comes, you too would want the world to fight for your freedom.

            The Rebels took two individual titles: senior Pat Conley and senior Seth Noon won the individual titles. At 140 pounds Conley defeated Cory Giblin of Cranston West for the title. The match was a close one as Conley took the title by one point 11-10. Seth Noon in the 145 pound weight class defeated Stephen Jarrell of Mt. Hope 8-4. Noon remained undefeated on the season.

            Other top performances included, Junior Roberto Albino taking 4^th place in the 119 pound weight class. Freshman Garrett O’Dowd placed 4^th in the 152 pound weight class.

 Junior Dan Duffy placed 4^th in the 135 pound weight class, and junior Dan Reis took 4^th place in the 171 pound weight class. Sophomore Ryan Smith placed 6^th in the 189 pound weight class.

Dan Duffy placed 4th overall in the 135 pound weight class.

  “It just doesn’t cut it for me,” she said, “but if you want to be ‘in fashion’ then that is what you should go for I suppose.”

  Recently it was discovered that Neanderthals from 50,000 years ago created and wore jewelry made of shells, beads and teeth perforated and strung to be worn as necklaces and pigmented for color.

  This new discovery has scientists questioning whether Neanderthals had the ability to think socially, as their accessories were worn to exhibit status to other Neanderthal groups.

  Perhaps these ape-like people were not so different from teenagers today. The clothing, accessories and overall outside appearance of a person could be, whether subconsciously or not, a message said person is attempting to convey to others regarding social status.

  Sophomore Christina Belov believes that one’s clothing has to do with one’s mood, not status.

  “If someone looks more dressed up than usual,” she said, “then they are most likely having a good day since they had that extra time in the morning.”

  All throughout history, however, people have shown status through colors or styles of clothing.

  In ancient Rome, purple was considered a royal color, which only senators could wear. In a traditional Hawaiian society, only chiefs were permitted to wear feathers and whale teeth.

  There are countless examples of historic societies exemplifying the importance of clothing, accessories and overall appearance.

  In an article by Nina Jablonski in Scientific American Magazine, the author compares animal’s fur to human’s clothing.

  Tattoos, clothing, and other decorations, she says, are used to “convey group membership, status and other vital social information formerly encoded by fur.” 

  Today in our society, there are no rules against people of a lower status wearing so-called “high-status” clothing. Some say today one cannot  judge another based solely on what they are wearing.

  “I think everyone wants to be ‘that hot girl,’” says sophomore Cam Delmonico.

  Delmonico feels strongly about the lack of variety in female apparel at SKHS.

  “They’re trying to create a certain style to look cool,” he said. “I can’t stand how most girls feel the need to fit in and all dress the same.”

    So whether you’re a teenage girl and wake up in the morning and want to say something to the world or a Neanderthal finding a place in ancient society, one’s clothes and accessories are sure to make a statement.

  Last August, MTV started filming the series with what the show called eight of America’s “hottest, tannest, and craziest” Italian-Americans in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

  The show became a hit after the first episode.

  “I love it!” said SKHS senior Meg Morrissey.

  But many question whether the show’s popularity is due to the dramatic quality of the show or the pure character entertainment.

  On popular blogging sites such as Facebook.com and Twitter.com, the Jersey Shore is the topic of much discussion.

  “Jersey Shore became a ritual, it’s like brushing your teeth. Every Thursday night at 10 p.m. you just had to see who was getting clowned on for their big Fred Flintstone toe,” says SKHS senior Dacota Freselli.

  Surprisingly, there is more drama to the show than last night’s bar fight.

  A week after the show aired several advertisements that helped make the show possible were claiming they wanted to pull their name and choose not to be associated with The Jersey Shore.

  Controversies aroused due to a cultural explosion. Just as African Americans do not disdain the N word, Italian Americans claim being called a “Guid, Guido, Guidette, etc” is offensive to their culture.

  The term “Guido” is actually used as a derogatory slur towards Italian American men of a certain swagger.

   André DiMino, president of UNICO (a national Italian American service organization), told TIME.com, “It’s a derogatory comment. It’s a pejorative word to depict an un-cool Italian who tries to act cool.”

  But is a “Guido” really “un-cool”?

  According to Jersey Shore cast member Vinny, “Everybody loves a Guido. Babies, dogs, hot girls, and cougars.”

  Some people, however, have taken the show to another level and disregarded the controversies.

  “The Jersey Shore show has really impacted my life,” said SKHS sophomore Amanda Velleco.

  “Some people would find being called Snookie an insult, but I look at is as a compliment,” she said. “I’ve recently just dedicated my life to living the Jersey Shore lifestyle and I couldn’t be happier,” she added.

  Could it be the character-types who populate Jersey Shore who may be aggravating the several Italian-American takes at the show’s use of the G word?

  A similar controversy arose over portrayals of Italian-Americans with The Sopranos in the late 1990’s.

  Controversial arguments will continue to rant but none will affect the way cast member Mike Sorrentino, “the Situation” feels. “If hating is your occupation, I probably got a full time job for you.”