December 5, 2006

LACSers do you really have choice, here?

Posted in Uncategorized at 8:14 pm by gary

bbsterev.jpgYeah, we are in a “democratically run” school, but, what does that really mean? Have you taken control yet, and made this school stand for your moral values and choices? Do we really reflect who we are. Will staff and administration allow students to go further than ever before?

We all know what the rest of Ithaca thinks of us………. We know it doesn’t reflect who we are………… we are artists, musicians, actors, students who work towards social change………… is there a way to show it and make a statement loud and clear?

Post a comment, Speak out!

33 Comments »

  1. Rachael R said,

    December 6, 2006 at 7:58 pm

    sounds like a sweet idea? opinions?

  2. Jon said,

    December 6, 2006 at 8:03 pm

    We need this discussion. I especially like how you do not fear talking about morality.

  3. Ben said,

    December 6, 2006 at 8:30 pm

    Probably the most important thing we need to do in order to change how people see us as a school is to change our self image. Though we talk about the importance of our school, a lot of students don’t quite understand why. Before dealing with what the outside thinks of us, we need to clarify what WE think of us.

  4. avery said,

    December 7, 2006 at 5:17 pm

    So, I haven’t been to involved in this here democracy in a consistant way but I wan’t in. I’m thinking of joining agenda 2nd semester and I think we should bring agenda back. From what I hear it was all of the older “cool” kids who ran agenda. They influenced the school because kids who looked up to them saw their love of the school and its ideals and kept the democracy alive. So, really all I’m gonna say is… WHO’S COMING WITH ME?

  5. Biz said,

    December 7, 2006 at 6:30 pm

    I feel like the majority of the student body is apathetic about school governance. I want people to look around them and realize how lucky they are to have a chance to be in a safe haven like this school. Here’s a question for every person here: Why did you decide to come to L.A.C.S.? What made it important for you?

  6. Jade said,

    December 7, 2006 at 6:33 pm

    I totally agree with Ben’s comment, we definitely need to work on the way that we view ourselves first. I feel like when people ask me about the school that I go to I’m able to talk about it pretty easily but I don’t ever have a real concrete statement about it; the answers seem kind of scattered. I think this is because we don’t talk about what we stand for as a school that often, so if we did that would help us be able to spread a possitive and real reputatation about our school and what we stand for. Then everyone will know how awesome we are and all of the rumors that aren’t true will be abolished!

  7. Jacob said,

    December 7, 2006 at 6:33 pm

    Good plan…….. I just don’t know how we are going to change what people outside of the school think of us unless we go around and give presentations to people, which I don’t really like the idea of that much. I don’t know. Maybe I’m missing the point.

  8. Jocelyn S. said,

    December 8, 2006 at 4:59 pm

    Rumors start because people don’t know what we’re really all about. We need to find some way to educate the community that doesn’t involve going around and giving presentations—because I don’t like that idea either. I definately agree with Biz’s and Ben’s comments, though, because there is no way that we can try to educate the public about what are school means if we don’t even know what it means to us.

  9. Me said,

    December 8, 2006 at 5:27 pm

    Can I really comment here?

  10. Anya said,

    December 8, 2006 at 8:49 pm

    When people ask me what ACS is outside of school I find it really hard to make a concise statement. I need to talk to someone for a while and have them ask questions of me before I feel like i’ve explained it fully. But I usually start talking about democracy because that is one of the most important parts. Yeah choices about what classes to take are important, but the choice of where the school is going is the most important.
    And what ACS is to me is trust. There is such an atmosphere of fear at IHS, fear of the authorities, fear of other students, that I don’t feel is present here. And that is important too.

  11. Boris said,

    December 11, 2006 at 5:46 pm

    I dont understand why we need a bog…

  12. Samantha said,

    December 14, 2006 at 6:24 pm

    What does LACS Mean To YOU?

  13. Alicia said,

    December 14, 2006 at 8:03 pm

    Hey Avery,
    I agree AGENDA needs to be brought back in a hot way. I am gonna come with you!

  14. Timothy said,

    December 15, 2006 at 5:30 pm

    Ya, Agenda used to be a really veteran crowd of seniors…now we have a few long-time members, and lots of seniors, but no one who has the same kind of large-scale connection to as many people as the old crowd had.
    Hey, and if anyone needs to figure things out about Agenda, I can probably answer a couple of questions.

    Also…

    What do you guys think about the Compromise Committee proposal? In Agenda right now, we’re trying to get things through the process, but we don’t know if people want to sit through another discussion ASM. Thoughts?

  15. Chris said,

    December 15, 2006 at 5:46 pm

    I can’t belive that the library is now closed during lunch.

  16. Chris said,

    December 15, 2006 at 11:10 pm

    I’ve got questions about the library being closed at recess.
    First off, how long will this go on for?
    Second off, will we be able to study, do school work, ect. during lunch?
    Thridly, if we can’t use the library for school work during lunch, when will we be able to? Resource Room? After school?
    Please discuss.

  17. tenor caso said,

    December 18, 2006 at 5:26 pm

    lunch + library + aint happnin

  18. Anonymous said,

    December 20, 2006 at 3:51 am

    I am posting this anonymously because I feel that this comment will be something that many people disagree with, and I do not wish to be singled out in person for having said it.

    I feel that people do not realize is that Agenda Committee sometimes works to support the personal opinions of its members, rather than the overall interest of the school. Almost half of the students in Agenda Committee are students that are also on the compromise committee, and most of the rest of them are in support of “Dr. Dave’s proposal”. This is, I believe, one of the most important issues in our school at this time. Agenda has used such strategies, as trying to make “Dr. Dave’s Proposal” not drag on simply so that people do not get tired of it and thus vote against this proposal. I personally believe that this is not fair to the school in general, because Agenda Committee has a large amount of power within the school. The passing or not passing of this proposal should not be dependent on their personal views. It should be the decision of the school. Besides, it is not Agenda’s purview to pass this proposal, they should try to be as non-biased as possible, because students from Agenda lead ASMs and are looked up to be many students, especially younger ones.

  19. Chris said,

    December 20, 2006 at 6:07 pm

    I used to spend lunch in the library, but now what am I going to do? I know that it was nessacary, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to like it. 😦

  20. Kelsey said,

    December 20, 2006 at 6:11 pm

    I am only a 6th grader but I don’t know how many people have the same probloem that I do. When somebody asks me what the curriclulim is I can’t give them a straight anwser. All I can think of that it is a profit free eco-beleving montosouri school. We need to look at ourselfs a more persice way. We need to know what we are learning!!! I am not good at explaining what LACS is.

  21. Kelsey said,

    December 20, 2006 at 6:12 pm

    What do you think about the new constuction plans??!!

  22. Chris said,

    December 20, 2006 at 6:20 pm

    Besides, They will open the library at lunch if we clean it up.

  23. Random ACS'er said,

    December 21, 2006 at 8:15 pm

    Yo yo, this blog is a balling thing, i enjoy reading it!…

    RESPECT!

  24. Anonymous2 said,

    December 21, 2006 at 8:28 pm

    I agree with what whoever posted the first anonymous comment said. It seems that Agenda has really been using their position to try to convince people that the proposal is a good idea, and it seems that their opinion has stayed the same throughout the discussion. On the other hand, they are entitled to stating their opinions, but being the facilitators definitly gives them an unfair advantage in the discussion.

  25. thqtehy said,

    December 21, 2006 at 8:36 pm

    I know a blog is like a hip thing to do these days and it’s a really good Idea to get discusstion goinging on the internet about our school. Wouldn’t a forum be more organized though?

  26. Lili said,

    December 22, 2006 at 4:34 pm

    Personally, I’ve given up trying to get other people amped about our school, and instead just lead by example. I know I’m not that involved, but I try to be about the bigger issues. I try to reflect on them and come up with my own stance before deciding I agree with anyone else. I like to discuss the issues themselves with people outside of meetings. And I try to be a strong member of the community so if I am ever needed, I’m down for anything.

    I feel like when students know how they can make the most positive impact on the community as they can, with their own personality and traits and skills, then that’s when we’ll be as strong of a community as everyone wishes we were. Because I agree that a lot more older, connected students joining agenda would help amp up younger students, but that’s not the only way. With anything you do, you make an impact, whether you intend to or not. So I know personally for me, if I were in agenda, my personal opinions would get in the way. So since I know that about myself, I try to get into the school in my own way, and have the most positive influence I can in the process.

  27. Anonymous3 said,

    January 2, 2007 at 4:57 pm

    ACS trains human beings, not robots.

    —We don’t have a bell system
    —We have an open, friendly, more equal teacher-student relationship
    —Students choose their own classes
    —We have ASMs so that students and teachers alike can speak their minds about important issues

    Our school is not a dictatorship, it is a democracy where the goal is for everyone to have an equal say.

  28. jen said,

    January 3, 2007 at 6:32 pm

    keep the lirbrary clean and you can have it open and you and everyone can have the lidrary

  29. Chris said,

    January 12, 2007 at 7:58 pm

    On the topic of school renovations, which new addition would you most look forward too?

  30. Anonymous said,

    March 13, 2007 at 8:29 pm

    When we first got this blog, lots of people were putting up comments, but I haven’t seen a new one in a long time. So start commenting again! And, I’m really glad the bond passed.

  31. Idetrorce said,

    December 15, 2007 at 9:48 pm

    very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
    Idetrorce

  32. '05 Alum said,

    December 16, 2007 at 3:52 am

    When I was at LACS it was about community.
    It was about social justice.
    It was about discovering who you were, not who others wanted you to be.
    No matter how loud or quiet your voice is you have a responsibility to have it be heard, no one else can do it for you.
    Your voice does count, it can make change happen.
    You have a responsibility to be the change you want to see happen in the world.
    It was about knowing your family group, bonding with them, connecting with them, they will get you through if you give them a chance.
    Being an LACSer was about learning who YOU are, who YOU wan to be.
    Being a sponge.
    Learning from your mistakes, and moving forward.
    LACS is about making connections to the world by learning about the issues with people, places and the environment.
    Standing up for what you believe, if you didn’t know what you believed then learn about all the possibilities then take your position.
    Being an LACSer was about being YOU, beautiful YOU!

  33. Timothy said,

    February 23, 2008 at 9:15 am

    Hello,
    I graduated from ACS in 1988..thus it has been 20 years and time for a 20 year reunion. Wheres the party? I loved the education I got there. I felt like IHS was only preparing me to be qualified to be a good prisioner in a correctional facility. At ACS I did a internship with a local photographer and learned a actual trade and how to run a studio. I live in chill little town named Arcata up in northren califorinia and work at the university now. (Humboldt State University) and would recomend it to anyone looking at colleges that are more on the libral side. Keep up the good works…really doubt if I would have graduted high school/gone on to college without your school.


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