What Has Changed?

by "The Author" (Anonymous Submission).

What has happend with ASB since last year?

Well quite a lot, although not all of it has been advertised. Firstly, the new activities director Patrick Cady has risen quite to the occasion with new initiatives and reinforcing the unity of SAMOHI, will he be successful? Only time will tell but he has already undertaken several projects that seem to benefit SAMOHI as a whole rather than improving ASB directly.

In my last piece about ASB, I said ASB compromised of the socially elite. Although this may seem like a middle school topic, popularity always plays in the world of politics and ASB is no exception. However, to make themselves more accepting of all social levels, ASB has brought in more people who are socially awkward even if they don't contribute ideas. But who in their right mind would so such a thing? Shouldn't it be that the best minds get accepted, regardless to social status? No necessarily, you have to remember that no matter propaganda ASB distributes (i.e.: We are SAMO, or We run this) ASB is a government-oriented group and with government comes politics. But just like you can't be perfect, ASB leadership didn't totally f**k up. Instead, they stumbled across a senior who seems like his agenda consists of community service and senior parking (he doesn't drive himself, thus increasing his public image as a selfless politician).

Another thing that hasn't changed is the amount of useless people. What do I mean by this? Go up to any of the fifty ASB members and ask a question pertaining to the school and 98% will give you a puzzled look. I conducted this experiment with a group of my friends and asked a few questions about clubs and only two out of the fifteen we asked gave us a sufficient or any answer at all. But isn't this why we have specific positions for specific things? Not necessarily, although the people in charge should be the most knowledgeable; does that mean the rest of the organization should be in the dark? Or should they pay attention to their peers instead of looking at fifth period as a time for socialization and getting homework done.

A lot of the questions I get pertain to why not the executive board. For those whom aren't privy to ASB vocabulary, executive board, house reps and grade reps are the ONLY positions that are elected by the student body. And although I don't believe that all the positions are fulfilled by the right people, we as student voted for them and I firmly believe that in society where democracy is heavily empathized and sought after, we must support our elected leaders unless they give us a firm foundation not to support them.

Do I want to see ASB dismantled? Not a chance, because no matter how much I critique them, they alone have the ability to voice the student body. However, I wait the day where all aspects of ASB are thoroughly democratic and people are brought into ASB because of their talents and ideas instead of their friends.


Noteworthy: ASB chooses it's members with a "Leadership Steering" group. These members are not elected or designated by a teacher. Instead, three seniors and three sophomores choose among themselves three sophomores to indoctrinate into their ranks. So potential ASB members have a bigger chance of being elected by their peers if they aren't on the best terms with six complete strangers.