The Jarvis Eating Guide
By Kit Rees
Leftovers
By: Kitty Yan
Marking Madness!
By Renata Ancans
Public Schools: Keeping It Real
By Jesse Jenkinson
Sex in the Halls
By Sacha Staples
By Kit Rees
Leftovers
By: Kitty Yan
Marking Madness!
By Renata Ancans
Public Schools: Keeping It Real
By Jesse Jenkinson
Sex in the Halls
By Sacha Staples
The Jarvis Eating Guide
By Kit Rees
By Kit Rees
The students and teachers at Jarvis C.I. have many options of where to eat. The price, convenience (proximity to the school), quality of food and decor of Pizza Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Baraca Falafel, Mr. Jerk, Johnny "The Hotdog Man", Reither's Fine Foods, and the Jarvis Cafeteria are the nearby restaurants reviewed in this article.
PIZZA PIZZA:
Pizza Pizza is located just east of Church Street on Wellesley, making it the fourth farthest from the school of the restaurants reviewed in this article. Pizza Pizza seems to be second in popularity only to the Jarvis Cafeteria.
The majority of customers buy a slice combo, which includes a bag of chips, a can of pop, a chocolate bar, and a slice of pizza. The cost for this combo starts at about $4. The pizza is nothing special and sometimes it is not baked enough, but the servings are large. Eating conditions in Pizza Pizza are fairly clean and comfortable, but noisy. In warm weather, though, the noise problem is somewhat alleviated as they have a patio.
KFC:
Kentucky Fried Chicken is west of Pizza Pizza on the other side of Church Street. Most people who eat there think that the food is gross. KFC's busiest day is Tuesday, or what is known as "Toonie Tuesday." On this day, there is a special that includes two pieces of chicken (a drumstick and a thigh) and a side order of fries. KFC does not offer any dining accomadations.
BARACA FALAFEL:
Baraca Falafel is the first place you see after crossing Jarvis and Wellesley. This place has been growing in popularity ever since it was first established. Most people agree that the chicken shawarma is of optimum quality.
Nathan Narumi, grade 12, says, "It's good cheap food." The chicken shawarma comes in two sizes: the large serving costs almost six dollars with tax and the smaller version costs just over four. A sandwich is also available, and it is specially priced on Mondays. A popular beverage at Baraca Falafel is Jumbo fruit nectar, which costs $1.60. Tables and chairs in the restaurant are sparse but comfortable.
MR. JERK:
Mr. Jerk can be found by walking from Jarvis about three blocks east along Wellesley. One of the top sellers at Mr. Jerk is their Jerk/Barbecue Chicken and Rice plate.
You get a decent helping for about four dollars. Ammar Javaid, grade 12, says, "It's off the hook, yo!" and Hussan Hashill, also grade 12, says, "It's good, like Chinese food." I'm not quite sure what that meant exactly, but he sounded like he liked it. Mr. Jerk offers minimal customer seating.
THE HOTDOG MAN:
Johnny "The Hotdog Man" stands alongside his hotdog cart on the western edge of the gas station across the street from Jarvis. His hotdogs cost two dollars, and his Italian Sausages cost three dollars. These can be eaten with any or all of the nine toppings ranging from ketchup to sauerkraut. His buns are nothing special. He sells cans of pop for $1.
REITHER'S FINE FOODS:
Reither's Fine Foods, or "The Deli", is located on Church Street, a block south of Wellesley. When you walk into Reither's, you can't help but notice a pleasant fresh smell. This alone is reason enough to eat there. The food quality is excellent, but a bit pricey.
Examples of popular orders include perogies (49 cents each) and made for order sandwiches (averaging at around $4). Michelle Kerr, grade 12, says, "Their pasta is especially good." Reither's offers very little dining space, but the seats face out the window and are fairly comfortable, and there is a patio.
CAFETERIA:
More Jarvisites eat at the Cafeteria than anywhere else. The food is fairly pricey and there is not much variety in what you can buy. A typical meal is a chicken burger with fries costing about $3.75. If you have a period X lunch, as most do, it is really loud. Also the food quality isn't that good, except for the fries, which have made a vast improvement.
For those few students who have a double lunch, going to Pizza Hut and Golden Griddle are also options. Both are located on Carleton, between Yonge and Church streets.
Pizza Hut offers an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for six dollars. Golden Griddle also offers a similar deal on Tuesdays, when you can eat all the buttermilk pancakes you want for only $3! Both these restaurants offer comfortable eating conditions.
Other notable mentions of places to eat include McDonalds, Macs, Mr. Sub, and Subway, but the places I mentioned are, in my opinion, the best overall.
HAPPY EATING!
Leftovers
By: Kitty Yan
By: Kitty Yan
Are you sinister? Gauche? Maladroit? Linkish? No, I'm not asking if you're clumsy, evil or awkward. I'm asking if you are left-handed. In Latin, sinister translates as being left-handed. At least 1 in 10 Jarvisites are.
Throughout history, there has been prejudice and discrimination against left-handers. The Catholic Church believed that left-handed people were servants of the devil.
In Matthew 6:3 of the Bible, it says that Jesus told his followers to do charitable things, to "not let thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."
Teachers and parents would scold and force children to write with their right hand by tying the other behind their back.
"I used to be left-handed," says a Grade 12 female student, who wishes to remain anonymous. "My teacher told me to switch to my right hand. It was more generally accepted."
Discrimination against left-handers continues to this day. Usually it is not intentional, but more from the ignorance or lack of awareness about it.
Being left-handed is not a disability, but more of a drawback because we live in a world that is only made up of 10% lefties. Southpaws (which comes from the baseball term for left-handed pitchers) encounter difficulties in daily life that right-handers don't fully appreciate.
In Jarvis Collegiate, sports equipment, computers (the numeric keypad on the keyboard and the mouse), telephones, locks, locker doors, textbooks, and the tiny folding desks in the Vocal class are all designed for students who are right-handed.
"The binder rings block my way of writing," complains Christine Katryan, Grade 12. "I'm forced to write in a crooked position." In the western languages, the sentences are written across from left to right.
"Everyone knows when I've been writing, because the ink smudges and leaves a mark on my hand," notes another Grade 12, Rose Tai. "Scissors are sometimes a problem, too."
When cutting a piece of paper, the blade of the scissors is perfectly parallel to the line. However, in the hand of a southpaw, the upper blade blocks the view of the line, causing an uneven cut. Sometimes the paper bends out of shape and doesn't even get snipped, which can be frustrating.
A student in his 4th year at Jarvis says that "bumping elbows with right-handers sitting beside me can be annoying."
Fortunately, being a lefty had some advantages. Our brains are divided into two hemispheres with one dominat-ing the other, according to www.left-handersday.com. Each side has its own personality, skills and way of thinking. If the left sides dominates you are right-handed. This is the Linear Thinking Mode, which controls speech, language, reading, writing, logic, thinking, mathematics, science, and worrying about time. The Right Hemisphere is the Holistic Thinking Mode, which controls music, art, creativity, 3D perception, emotions, genius, tone of voice, information processing and understanding patterns and complex relationships that are not logical or exactly defined.
Mirror writing (which is writing backwards) is usually easier for left-handers to do (think Leonardo Da Vinci and Lewis Carrol). "I make checkmarks backwards because it's must more natural for me," says Christine.
People with the right hemisphere dominating have a great sense of humour, and are intuitive and imaginative. Creativity, an important talent in left-handers, is considered to have no relation with language or any intellectual skills linked to traditional book learning. Graphic designer M.C. Escher (best known for his spatial illusions) was left-handed.
Researchers say that lefties are 'disproportionately over-represented in the ranks of genius and celebrity'. According to the Left-Hander's Handbook, lefties are twice as likely to enter Mensa (the high I.Q. society). Four of the five original designers of Macintosh computers were left-handed; 40% of the top pros in tennis and 1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed, too.
Many go into creative professions such as music, art and writing. Southpaws usually excel in things involving hand-to-eye co-ordination like tennis, baseball and fencing. They also adjust easier to seeing underwater. Maybe that's why swimmer Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals in the Olympics.
So, what's so distinct about being a leftie?
"I stand out," says Christine, smiling. "Not a lot of people can say they're left-handed."
Rose agrees. "When someone asks who is a lefty, my hand is the only one that goes up. It makes me feel happy."
Throughout history, there has been prejudice and discrimination against left-handers. The Catholic Church believed that left-handed people were servants of the devil.
In Matthew 6:3 of the Bible, it says that Jesus told his followers to do charitable things, to "not let thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."
Teachers and parents would scold and force children to write with their right hand by tying the other behind their back.
"I used to be left-handed," says a Grade 12 female student, who wishes to remain anonymous. "My teacher told me to switch to my right hand. It was more generally accepted."
Discrimination against left-handers continues to this day. Usually it is not intentional, but more from the ignorance or lack of awareness about it.
Being left-handed is not a disability, but more of a drawback because we live in a world that is only made up of 10% lefties. Southpaws (which comes from the baseball term for left-handed pitchers) encounter difficulties in daily life that right-handers don't fully appreciate.
In Jarvis Collegiate, sports equipment, computers (the numeric keypad on the keyboard and the mouse), telephones, locks, locker doors, textbooks, and the tiny folding desks in the Vocal class are all designed for students who are right-handed.
"The binder rings block my way of writing," complains Christine Katryan, Grade 12. "I'm forced to write in a crooked position." In the western languages, the sentences are written across from left to right.
"Everyone knows when I've been writing, because the ink smudges and leaves a mark on my hand," notes another Grade 12, Rose Tai. "Scissors are sometimes a problem, too."
When cutting a piece of paper, the blade of the scissors is perfectly parallel to the line. However, in the hand of a southpaw, the upper blade blocks the view of the line, causing an uneven cut. Sometimes the paper bends out of shape and doesn't even get snipped, which can be frustrating.
A student in his 4th year at Jarvis says that "bumping elbows with right-handers sitting beside me can be annoying."
Fortunately, being a lefty had some advantages. Our brains are divided into two hemispheres with one dominat-ing the other, according to www.left-handersday.com. Each side has its own personality, skills and way of thinking. If the left sides dominates you are right-handed. This is the Linear Thinking Mode, which controls speech, language, reading, writing, logic, thinking, mathematics, science, and worrying about time. The Right Hemisphere is the Holistic Thinking Mode, which controls music, art, creativity, 3D perception, emotions, genius, tone of voice, information processing and understanding patterns and complex relationships that are not logical or exactly defined.
Mirror writing (which is writing backwards) is usually easier for left-handers to do (think Leonardo Da Vinci and Lewis Carrol). "I make checkmarks backwards because it's must more natural for me," says Christine.
People with the right hemisphere dominating have a great sense of humour, and are intuitive and imaginative. Creativity, an important talent in left-handers, is considered to have no relation with language or any intellectual skills linked to traditional book learning. Graphic designer M.C. Escher (best known for his spatial illusions) was left-handed.
Researchers say that lefties are 'disproportionately over-represented in the ranks of genius and celebrity'. According to the Left-Hander's Handbook, lefties are twice as likely to enter Mensa (the high I.Q. society). Four of the five original designers of Macintosh computers were left-handed; 40% of the top pros in tennis and 1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed, too.
Many go into creative professions such as music, art and writing. Southpaws usually excel in things involving hand-to-eye co-ordination like tennis, baseball and fencing. They also adjust easier to seeing underwater. Maybe that's why swimmer Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals in the Olympics.
So, what's so distinct about being a leftie?
"I stand out," says Christine, smiling. "Not a lot of people can say they're left-handed."
Rose agrees. "When someone asks who is a lefty, my hand is the only one that goes up. It makes me feel happy."
Marking Madness!
By Renata Ancans
By Renata Ancans
You have slaved away on an essay about the ever-so-boring book you were required to read in English class, and believe that this will be the assignment that will show your teacher what you are made of.
You think he/she will spend hours on end looking over your essay, studying it for mistakes and then realise what a perfect specimen of the English language you have turned out, and return it to you with a gleaming 'A'. But have you ever gotten a less than spectacular mark for such an amazing piece of writing?
If so, this may put an end to your sleepless nights by giving you some hints as to why teachers mark the way they do, and maybe give you an appreciation for the time and effort that goes into each essay they mark. What's that you say? You don't believe me? Well who better to give you an insider look into marking essays than the daughter of an English teacher? Please, read on.
One of the most difficult papers to write is the English essay. Besides the obvious spelling and grammar mistakes, why do some students get horrible marks? What is the criteria for an English essay?
I posed this question to the head of the English department, Mr. Caldwell. "There has to be a main idea and it has to be made clear from the introduction onwards and every paragraph should develop further from that main idea. The paragraphs have to be well organised, beginning with a general idea followed by clear examples and closing with a an overview of that idea."
But can you use this criteria to write your World Religions paper due next week? Ms. Beaudry, a history teacher and guidance counsellor expects something a little different from her students.
"Most of the essays in the History department ask for an argument and finding evidence to support that argument. The criteria that we look at is a student's ability to make an argument and defend that argument. We want them to really connect the points to the thesis and we want students to use a variety of resources, not just one."
So be careful kiddies; make sure you follow the criteria that the teacher gives you in class for the particular assignment. If in doubt it's never a bad idea to ask the teacher what he or she expects of you.
Now that what the teachers want is out of the way, it's time for some enlightenment as to how teachers go about marking these essays. I know I have always wondered if teachers organise the essays in a certain order. Do they mark the papers of good students first and then compare the rest to those papers?
Some teachers admit to doing this, but not for a standard by which to mark the other papers. Mrs. Finlay, a history teacher, explained, "Yes, I'll pull some students that are usually good students and usually read their papers first. I don't put them in any sort of order where I put who I think is a weak student at the end. Often I'll put a good student at the end so I'll finish on a high note. I mark some good students' papers first to see if they got what the assignment was about."
Mr. Caldwell said something similar, "I usually pick a couple of students that have done well in the past, look at their papers, and see if I'm going to have a nasty surprise here, because if that's the case, I have to ask myself, 'Was I as clear in my instructions as I should have been? How likely is it that my best students will suddenly become stupid or let me down?' But that doesn't mean that I have it in my mind that once a student does well they will always do well, or that a student who starts out weak will always be a weak student. I'm always prepared to be surprised, pleasantly or unpleasantly."
With Ms. Beaudry this isn't the case. She doesn't put them in any particular order before starting to mark. A lot of students hand in a an essay and expect to get it back marked and full of suggestions the next day. Now, all teachers know that that is an unreasonable demand, but students don't know just how long it takes for a teacher to mark their papers.
Generally, for a major essay, teachers will spend 20-30 minutes per essay. If two classes were assigned this essay, and there are about 25 students in each class, it would take almost 21 hours to mark all of them.
So next time you hand in an essay, be kind to your teachers and don't nag them about how long it's taking them to hand it back. Well, I suppose they could stop assigning essays, but then that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
I asked the teachers if they could describe the oddest essay they have ever marked and, well, they do remember those bad paper. The worst paper Mrs. Finlay can recall is when a student handed in his sibling's paper from four years before, even though the question had changed.
Mr. Caldwell recalled when a student handed in a paper that changed font, type size and margins every paragraph. It was a cut and paste job from the Internet and at one point near the end, a Google search string was pasted into the essay. All right guys, I don't know any of you who do that, but my advice is, teachers figure that sort of stuff out, so don't do it.
Now of course comes the helpful part. It's time for me to give you hints on what really bothers your teachers. Some common pet peeves that teachers have are :
You think he/she will spend hours on end looking over your essay, studying it for mistakes and then realise what a perfect specimen of the English language you have turned out, and return it to you with a gleaming 'A'. But have you ever gotten a less than spectacular mark for such an amazing piece of writing?
If so, this may put an end to your sleepless nights by giving you some hints as to why teachers mark the way they do, and maybe give you an appreciation for the time and effort that goes into each essay they mark. What's that you say? You don't believe me? Well who better to give you an insider look into marking essays than the daughter of an English teacher? Please, read on.
One of the most difficult papers to write is the English essay. Besides the obvious spelling and grammar mistakes, why do some students get horrible marks? What is the criteria for an English essay?
I posed this question to the head of the English department, Mr. Caldwell. "There has to be a main idea and it has to be made clear from the introduction onwards and every paragraph should develop further from that main idea. The paragraphs have to be well organised, beginning with a general idea followed by clear examples and closing with a an overview of that idea."
But can you use this criteria to write your World Religions paper due next week? Ms. Beaudry, a history teacher and guidance counsellor expects something a little different from her students.
"Most of the essays in the History department ask for an argument and finding evidence to support that argument. The criteria that we look at is a student's ability to make an argument and defend that argument. We want them to really connect the points to the thesis and we want students to use a variety of resources, not just one."
So be careful kiddies; make sure you follow the criteria that the teacher gives you in class for the particular assignment. If in doubt it's never a bad idea to ask the teacher what he or she expects of you.
Now that what the teachers want is out of the way, it's time for some enlightenment as to how teachers go about marking these essays. I know I have always wondered if teachers organise the essays in a certain order. Do they mark the papers of good students first and then compare the rest to those papers?
Some teachers admit to doing this, but not for a standard by which to mark the other papers. Mrs. Finlay, a history teacher, explained, "Yes, I'll pull some students that are usually good students and usually read their papers first. I don't put them in any sort of order where I put who I think is a weak student at the end. Often I'll put a good student at the end so I'll finish on a high note. I mark some good students' papers first to see if they got what the assignment was about."
Mr. Caldwell said something similar, "I usually pick a couple of students that have done well in the past, look at their papers, and see if I'm going to have a nasty surprise here, because if that's the case, I have to ask myself, 'Was I as clear in my instructions as I should have been? How likely is it that my best students will suddenly become stupid or let me down?' But that doesn't mean that I have it in my mind that once a student does well they will always do well, or that a student who starts out weak will always be a weak student. I'm always prepared to be surprised, pleasantly or unpleasantly."
With Ms. Beaudry this isn't the case. She doesn't put them in any particular order before starting to mark. A lot of students hand in a an essay and expect to get it back marked and full of suggestions the next day. Now, all teachers know that that is an unreasonable demand, but students don't know just how long it takes for a teacher to mark their papers.
Generally, for a major essay, teachers will spend 20-30 minutes per essay. If two classes were assigned this essay, and there are about 25 students in each class, it would take almost 21 hours to mark all of them.
So next time you hand in an essay, be kind to your teachers and don't nag them about how long it's taking them to hand it back. Well, I suppose they could stop assigning essays, but then that would be too easy, wouldn't it?
I asked the teachers if they could describe the oddest essay they have ever marked and, well, they do remember those bad paper. The worst paper Mrs. Finlay can recall is when a student handed in his sibling's paper from four years before, even though the question had changed.
Mr. Caldwell recalled when a student handed in a paper that changed font, type size and margins every paragraph. It was a cut and paste job from the Internet and at one point near the end, a Google search string was pasted into the essay. All right guys, I don't know any of you who do that, but my advice is, teachers figure that sort of stuff out, so don't do it.
Now of course comes the helpful part. It's time for me to give you hints on what really bothers your teachers. Some common pet peeves that teachers have are :
- Not double-spacing
- Not proof-reading errors
- The 'its' and 'it's' mistake
- Students being too lazy to check for homonyms
- The impatience of students when waiting for their essays to be returned
- The lack of argument in an essay and instead a description of what they (the student) think is interesting
Hopefully you will have read this article instead of flipping by it, saying "Essays? BOOOOR-ING!" and gotten some useful information and insight into the world of essay marking. Please remember to be nice to your teachers when waiting for a paper to be returned. After all, your grade is in their hands. Perhaps some of these tips can improve your essays and you can get that nice shiny 'A'! Wait, can a grade be shiny?
Public Schools: Keeping It Real
By Jesse Jenkinson
By Jesse Jenkinson
Public versus private education is a hot topic in Ontario these days. The discussion tends to degenerate into a battle between two stereotypes: coddled private school kids taught by eccentric and over-qualified Ph.D. candidates hiding out from the real academic world, versus inner city toughs being yelled at by once idealistic leftists now barely in control.
In my case the comparison didn't work out quite like this. I spent the last five years attending The Linden School, a small private school for girls that focuses on women's issues, and transferred to Jarvis Collegiate Institute, a well-respected downtown public school, last September. In my experience neither the images of the private nor public schools have proven true...for the most part.
The Linden School is best known for its feminist political stance. The school's political ideas are evident in many aspects of the school. Its small class sizes and group learning are a part of its original conception.
The idea was to make young women feel comfortable in a class environment so that boys would no longer be the dominant force in the classroom. It is an environment where young women, as we were NOT called "girls", can prosper. Though it sounds like a dream-come-true to new feminists, it was not all it's cracked up to be.
The Linden School, instead of feeling like a nourishing, encouraging environment, felt like a warped prison.
We were being brainwashed to become underarm-hair-growing, bra-burning radical feminists and anyone who didn't fall into this category, or fell just short of it, felt the repercussions of their decision. People were treated differently by teachers and principals, as there were two co-principals, alike.
"The principals asked me to leave the school. They said I wasn't the 'type' of person who works well in that kind of school. Basically, I wasn't political enough to fit into the image they had of the kind of students that they should be producing. I didn't give them a good reputation," says one former Linden student.
Though Linden had an oppressive educational environment - they had strict ideas that everyone must be politically-minded and people who didn't fit into this notion felt less favored by the teachers and not as respected by the principals,- the students were much more politically and socially aware than many other private school kids from some of the higher-class private schools that are out there.
The courses studied were the same as in other schools, but we studied them more extensively, researching all points of view and learning of movements, such as the gay and lesbian movement, that many other private schools don't look at.
Though I attended an alternative private school, I still had many friends in the higher-class private schools, such as Havergal College, Upper Canada College, and Royal St. George's College. I had always noticed the difference in how we viewed many things outside of school life, such as stereotypes, politics, multiculturalism and such. I remember when I told them that I was going to Jarvis, they were shocked.
"You mean... downtown? Isn't that school really 'ghetto'?" Pardon me? I couldn't believe that all of the stereotypes about private school students were proving themselves a little more than stereotypical in front of my very eyes.
One person even had the nerve to ask me if I had to go through metal detectors, like I was going to the school from the Hollywood film "Save the Last Dance."
Another preconception held by some of these people was that since I wore such brands as Baby Phat and Parasuco, or didn't dress strictly in GAP or Banana Republic, that I "wanted to be black." This only infuriated me because they had limited an entire race of people down to a style of clothing. Plus, I was well aware of the fact that I was white; how could I not be? I don't see those people anymore. Their narrow-mindedness was aggravating.
I suppose this would be the main reason why I prefer Jarvis to my previous school as well as other private schools. The people at Jarvis have a higher tolerance for diversity. People don't seem to be labeled if they don't dress, act or engage in the same activities as the majority. I notice that everyone has many friends who are completely different from one another and have their own identities.
"I noticed that a lot of private school kids all look the same. I mean I went to a party hosted by UCC and I couldn't tell one person apart from the other. All of the guys were wearing khakis with a button-down shirt and white t-shirt while the girls were wearing jeans, platform boots and GAP tank-tops. I kid you not. I didn't see anyone dressed differently," says a 17 year old male Jarvis student.
"I thank the Lord each day that I never went to a private school, because I value my own identity and relish in the fact that I have my own style, opinions and attitude."
Students in public schools grow up learning that there is a world beyond what we know and are used to. The interaction between people of different races and cultures is also greater. There is more multiculturalism in public schools and therefore it is a better life learning experience.
Students learn to be more tolerant of other cultures as well learn how to interact with people who aren't exactly the same as them; this is what life will be like for the rest of our lives. We will always have to mix with people, and learning this at a young age helps the transition from high school to the real world.
Though public school education has definitely taken a beating from Mr. Mike Harris, there is no question that to become a well-rounded person who is tolerant and accepting, which is exactly what our society needs, public school is the way to go.
In my case the comparison didn't work out quite like this. I spent the last five years attending The Linden School, a small private school for girls that focuses on women's issues, and transferred to Jarvis Collegiate Institute, a well-respected downtown public school, last September. In my experience neither the images of the private nor public schools have proven true...for the most part.
The Linden School is best known for its feminist political stance. The school's political ideas are evident in many aspects of the school. Its small class sizes and group learning are a part of its original conception.
The idea was to make young women feel comfortable in a class environment so that boys would no longer be the dominant force in the classroom. It is an environment where young women, as we were NOT called "girls", can prosper. Though it sounds like a dream-come-true to new feminists, it was not all it's cracked up to be.
The Linden School, instead of feeling like a nourishing, encouraging environment, felt like a warped prison.
We were being brainwashed to become underarm-hair-growing, bra-burning radical feminists and anyone who didn't fall into this category, or fell just short of it, felt the repercussions of their decision. People were treated differently by teachers and principals, as there were two co-principals, alike.
"The principals asked me to leave the school. They said I wasn't the 'type' of person who works well in that kind of school. Basically, I wasn't political enough to fit into the image they had of the kind of students that they should be producing. I didn't give them a good reputation," says one former Linden student.
Though Linden had an oppressive educational environment - they had strict ideas that everyone must be politically-minded and people who didn't fit into this notion felt less favored by the teachers and not as respected by the principals,- the students were much more politically and socially aware than many other private school kids from some of the higher-class private schools that are out there.
The courses studied were the same as in other schools, but we studied them more extensively, researching all points of view and learning of movements, such as the gay and lesbian movement, that many other private schools don't look at.
Though I attended an alternative private school, I still had many friends in the higher-class private schools, such as Havergal College, Upper Canada College, and Royal St. George's College. I had always noticed the difference in how we viewed many things outside of school life, such as stereotypes, politics, multiculturalism and such. I remember when I told them that I was going to Jarvis, they were shocked.
"You mean... downtown? Isn't that school really 'ghetto'?" Pardon me? I couldn't believe that all of the stereotypes about private school students were proving themselves a little more than stereotypical in front of my very eyes.
One person even had the nerve to ask me if I had to go through metal detectors, like I was going to the school from the Hollywood film "Save the Last Dance."
Another preconception held by some of these people was that since I wore such brands as Baby Phat and Parasuco, or didn't dress strictly in GAP or Banana Republic, that I "wanted to be black." This only infuriated me because they had limited an entire race of people down to a style of clothing. Plus, I was well aware of the fact that I was white; how could I not be? I don't see those people anymore. Their narrow-mindedness was aggravating.
I suppose this would be the main reason why I prefer Jarvis to my previous school as well as other private schools. The people at Jarvis have a higher tolerance for diversity. People don't seem to be labeled if they don't dress, act or engage in the same activities as the majority. I notice that everyone has many friends who are completely different from one another and have their own identities.
"I noticed that a lot of private school kids all look the same. I mean I went to a party hosted by UCC and I couldn't tell one person apart from the other. All of the guys were wearing khakis with a button-down shirt and white t-shirt while the girls were wearing jeans, platform boots and GAP tank-tops. I kid you not. I didn't see anyone dressed differently," says a 17 year old male Jarvis student.
"I thank the Lord each day that I never went to a private school, because I value my own identity and relish in the fact that I have my own style, opinions and attitude."
Students in public schools grow up learning that there is a world beyond what we know and are used to. The interaction between people of different races and cultures is also greater. There is more multiculturalism in public schools and therefore it is a better life learning experience.
Students learn to be more tolerant of other cultures as well learn how to interact with people who aren't exactly the same as them; this is what life will be like for the rest of our lives. We will always have to mix with people, and learning this at a young age helps the transition from high school to the real world.
Though public school education has definitely taken a beating from Mr. Mike Harris, there is no question that to become a well-rounded person who is tolerant and accepting, which is exactly what our society needs, public school is the way to go.
Sex in the Halls
By Sacha Staples
By Sacha Staples
Throughout high school, school is usually not the top priority on people's lists. For most people the top priority is meeting other "desirable" people of the opposite or same sex; dating and possibly putting together some sort of relationship. Many students go through these high school years meeting a variety of other people their own age, and are in the constant search for a soul-mate, a date-mate, and usually, a "mac"-mate.
Many of my own friends are invested in meaningful, serious, exclusive, committed and loving relationships. I also have a lot of friends who meet tons of different people, go out on numerous dates, and well… you know. Then there are also the single friends, who are either in love with being single, or disgusted with not having a mate.
I don't think there is any one right or wrong relationship to be in, as long as you're happy and you are having a good time being with the other person. However, there are possible dangers in the two extremes of relationships.
For example, when in a serious relationship that has been going on for a long time, there is always the fear of being labeled "the married couple" among your group of friends. You know the kind, the ones that have the arguments that sound strangely familiar to the ones your parents have, the ones that have the cellphone answering machines:
"You've reached Sally and Joe's cell, leave a message", and the constant talks of what they are going to name their 8 children. Sound good? Maybe it does, but to me it sounds a little boring, a little too routine.
On the other hand, there's the other extreme… This is known, in my mind, as the "player" status. Guys and girls going around, meeting tons of people, messing around and generally having a good time; the only danger in this "lifestyle" is that you shouldn't involve too many emotions because that is how you get hurt, and it is easy to get hurt.
Therefore, neither extreme is good, but I would prefer a happy medium, a balance.
There are so many issues surrounding dating and relationships for people our age that it seems impossible to stop talking about it lately. For instance, sex, commitment, cheating, being dumped, being adored, raw animal impulses: sounds like the makings of a good soap opera.
I was curious to see what some of my peers thought of some of these issues, so I asked them. They all wanted to remain anonymous. I asked Bethany, who has been with her boyfriend for 9 months, if it was hard to stay faithful and committed to that person; she said, "No, because if you truly care for that person you shouldn't want to be with anyone else, and if you are wanting to be with other people, you shouldn't be committed to someone in the first place."
This is all well and good for the mature and responsible teen, but there are many outlooks held by other teens that have a much more playing-the-field ring to them.
For instance, when talking to Sarah I asked her the same question I did Bethany, and she replied, "I never stay committed to any one guy. Why should I? I'm young, I want to go out and meet as many people as I can…. Yes, I've cheated on my boyfriends; I'm a player, not a slut. There are such things as girl players; there are not many, but guys, you better watch out for them." This is definitely a different outlook, not necessarily good or bad; it all depends on what type of relationship you want.
In my own opinion, I feel as though relationships are either getting very serious or they are very loose. Either you have to be completely faithful and feel as though you're married to your mate, or you are seeing so many different people you can't even keep them all straight. When asking Bethany if she thought relationships were getting more serious she said that it depended on the people in the relationship and what you wanted.
When I asked Jason, an 18 year old male currently in a relationship if relationships in general were getting more serious, he replied, "Hell no! If anything it's the complete opposite! Most guys, well guys that I know, want to use the girl as often and as much as they can for their own physical benefits and then leave." Or as a one other male so eloquently put it, "Beat it, and then bounce!"
However, there are many gender stereotypes of how guys and girls are "supposed" to act in relationships. Guys are supposed to be the insensitive players who should get as many girls as they can, whereas girls are the emotional, commitment-seekers who can only be with one man.
If guys succeed at their stereotype they are labeled a player; if they don't they are labeled "whipped". If girls succeed at their stereotype they are considered good and innocent, and if they don't they are labeled a slut.
Unfortunately it is so hard to break these stereotypes for they are ingrained in us from the media, society, and especially our peers.
Regardless of what you yourself are looking for in a relationship, chances are there are always people who are looking for the same things as you. Whether you want serious or casual, search, and you will find someone else who wants the same things.
However, remember that neither extreme is perfect. You never want to be too committed to appear to the rest of the world that you are married, but you don't want to be too casual because you may miss out on a caring relationship and risk getting hurt.
My advice is to try and find a happy medium, but always remember that relationships should always be fun, especially at this age.
Many of my own friends are invested in meaningful, serious, exclusive, committed and loving relationships. I also have a lot of friends who meet tons of different people, go out on numerous dates, and well… you know. Then there are also the single friends, who are either in love with being single, or disgusted with not having a mate.
I don't think there is any one right or wrong relationship to be in, as long as you're happy and you are having a good time being with the other person. However, there are possible dangers in the two extremes of relationships.
For example, when in a serious relationship that has been going on for a long time, there is always the fear of being labeled "the married couple" among your group of friends. You know the kind, the ones that have the arguments that sound strangely familiar to the ones your parents have, the ones that have the cellphone answering machines:
"You've reached Sally and Joe's cell, leave a message", and the constant talks of what they are going to name their 8 children. Sound good? Maybe it does, but to me it sounds a little boring, a little too routine.
On the other hand, there's the other extreme… This is known, in my mind, as the "player" status. Guys and girls going around, meeting tons of people, messing around and generally having a good time; the only danger in this "lifestyle" is that you shouldn't involve too many emotions because that is how you get hurt, and it is easy to get hurt.
Therefore, neither extreme is good, but I would prefer a happy medium, a balance.
There are so many issues surrounding dating and relationships for people our age that it seems impossible to stop talking about it lately. For instance, sex, commitment, cheating, being dumped, being adored, raw animal impulses: sounds like the makings of a good soap opera.
I was curious to see what some of my peers thought of some of these issues, so I asked them. They all wanted to remain anonymous. I asked Bethany, who has been with her boyfriend for 9 months, if it was hard to stay faithful and committed to that person; she said, "No, because if you truly care for that person you shouldn't want to be with anyone else, and if you are wanting to be with other people, you shouldn't be committed to someone in the first place."
This is all well and good for the mature and responsible teen, but there are many outlooks held by other teens that have a much more playing-the-field ring to them.
For instance, when talking to Sarah I asked her the same question I did Bethany, and she replied, "I never stay committed to any one guy. Why should I? I'm young, I want to go out and meet as many people as I can…. Yes, I've cheated on my boyfriends; I'm a player, not a slut. There are such things as girl players; there are not many, but guys, you better watch out for them." This is definitely a different outlook, not necessarily good or bad; it all depends on what type of relationship you want.
In my own opinion, I feel as though relationships are either getting very serious or they are very loose. Either you have to be completely faithful and feel as though you're married to your mate, or you are seeing so many different people you can't even keep them all straight. When asking Bethany if she thought relationships were getting more serious she said that it depended on the people in the relationship and what you wanted.
When I asked Jason, an 18 year old male currently in a relationship if relationships in general were getting more serious, he replied, "Hell no! If anything it's the complete opposite! Most guys, well guys that I know, want to use the girl as often and as much as they can for their own physical benefits and then leave." Or as a one other male so eloquently put it, "Beat it, and then bounce!"
However, there are many gender stereotypes of how guys and girls are "supposed" to act in relationships. Guys are supposed to be the insensitive players who should get as many girls as they can, whereas girls are the emotional, commitment-seekers who can only be with one man.
If guys succeed at their stereotype they are labeled a player; if they don't they are labeled "whipped". If girls succeed at their stereotype they are considered good and innocent, and if they don't they are labeled a slut.
Unfortunately it is so hard to break these stereotypes for they are ingrained in us from the media, society, and especially our peers.
Regardless of what you yourself are looking for in a relationship, chances are there are always people who are looking for the same things as you. Whether you want serious or casual, search, and you will find someone else who wants the same things.
However, remember that neither extreme is perfect. You never want to be too committed to appear to the rest of the world that you are married, but you don't want to be too casual because you may miss out on a caring relationship and risk getting hurt.
My advice is to try and find a happy medium, but always remember that relationships should always be fun, especially at this age.
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