Dear The Author

by Ilan Ben-Meir [Senior Class President].

Dear The Author,

Good to have you back this year! I agree with some of what you say, but I think that you make a couple of claims that need addressing. If you don't mind, I'm going to go through your post point by point, and respond to everything I can.

First off, Mr. Cady (Patrick seems a little overly familiar) is, in my opinion, doing an excellent job. He was the ASB advisor, along with Mr. Denis, in the early '90s, and he knows what it takes to do the job. He has very low tolerance for bullshit, is one of the few teachers I know who is willing to stand up for students against the administration regularly (although he has the discretion to keep it under the radar), and wants nothing more than for Samo to once again feel like it is being represented, not ignored, by its ASB. If you were walking the campus grounds during fifth period on Friday, you would have seen the entire ASB, even the so-called "useless people", walking very inch of campus and picking up other people's crap, not because we had to, but because for the first time in my time at Samo, we have an ASB that, on the whole, cares more about the school at large than about itself.

While I am flattered that you consider me"socially elite", I'm saddened to say that I can hardly agree with you. While its true that I seem to be moderately well-liked, nobody with my level of social awkwardness and my rather depressing dating history ought to be thought of as "socially elite". But nonetheless, thanks for the compliment. Also, let me say that i think "We run this" is arrogant, absurd, and the worst fucking slogan ever devised. However, "We are Samo" is not about ASB, but about one of our beliefs; that ALL TOGETHER, we are one school. We all are Samo, but that doesn't have the same rhythm, so I hope you excuse us for keeping the slightly catchier phrase. And lastly, I was hardly "stumbled upon" by ASB. In fact, my run was prompted by your first article, and my belief that i might be able to bring about some of the major changes you so rightfully advocated for. To that end, I am publishing weekly updates on ASB under the "School News" section of this site, and have given my personal telephone number and email out so that any who want to can contact me with suggestions or disagreements. Additionally, I'm, working within ASB to pass proposals to publish our agendas and minutes, and am still working on getting my Samohi Initiative direct democracy proposal off the ground. I know things are moving slowly, and I've gotten caught up in the parking issue (the city council meeting happened on my second day of school), but I promise you things are happening. If you want to talk, call me. (310) 909-3739, or you can send me an anonymous email at ibenmeir@gmail.com.

While it upsets me also that some members of ASB appear to be disinterested in actually leading, I feel like the general atmosphere of genuine committment this year is starting to reach everybody. We will never have an ASB where everyone is equally passionate and motivated, but I think this year we may have one where everyone works for Samo, and doesn't expect Samo to work for them. I can also assure you that nobody is doing homework anymore fifth period. Cady doesn't allow people to screw around, or even eat lunch in class. He even takes roll and counts tardies. Under his advisement, ASB is starting to look like an actual class. And lastly, there's just too much going on at Samo for everyone to know something about everything. As long as everyone knows something about something, things are going to run smoothly.

Thanks for the nice words about Executive Board. Allow me only to say that I am impressed by them all also, and am confident that they are all committed not just to working for Samo, but working to reform some of the real and pressing problems with ASB.

It would be difficult to elect every single member of ASB, and in the interest of making sure that he class is made up of kids popular and unpopular, I believe that selecting non-elected members makes sense. Rest assured that they are not chosen solely by students, however. The advisor has an active role in making sure that those chosen are at least qualified, and hopefully even more.

Anyhow, I hope I addressed your salient points. Again, I don't disagree with you on everything, but I think you might accomplish more by working with ASB than you will by insulting them. Know, though, that I ran to be the president of the entire senior class, and am just as receptive to your concerns as I am to those of student drivers, and any other group you may see me as beholden to. In regard to my desire to start a Community Service Corps: I believe that having members of ASB working alongside nonmembers doing meaningful community service work will be good not just for the community we are serving, but for our school community as well. I would be interested in your thoughts, however, and hope you will take the time to share them.

Until then, keep fighting the good fight. Without people like you, nothing would ever get done. Remember, We all are Samo.

Respectfully yours,
Ilan Ben-Meir