Supreme Court Ruling For Snyder v. Phelps: The Cost of Freedom

By Hillaree Hayes (Class of 2012)

Just how far should freedom of speech be allowed to go? On October 6, 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that Americans have the right to protest what they do not agree with, even if what they say is disrespectful or emotionally abusive.

After the Westboro Baptist Church, a dogmatic Kansas religious group founded by Fred Phelps, protested outside the funeral of a fallen soldier in Topeka, Albert Snyder, the soldier’s father, filed a $5 million lawsuit against the church. Margie J. Phelps, daughter of the church’s founder and lawyer who defended the group in the Snyder v. Phelps case, fought the lawsuit by saying that they had the right to protest the funeral under the First Amendment, which gives them freedom of speech.

The 2009 Late Bus Cut and Its Effect on FHS Students

By : Hillaree Hayes

For many years, Framingham High School had a number of late buses available to students for transportation home after getting extra help with teachers, or participating in extracurricular activities or sports. In 2009, however, the school was forced to eliminate them.

According to the school principal, Mr. Michael Welch, “There are lots of misconceptions out there” about why they had to be cut. In reality, the main reason is because of budget restraints that forced the transportation department to find new ways to conserve.

            In the fiscal year of 2009-2010, more than fifteen percent of the budget for school transportation was cut – close to $500,000. “An obvious way to save money was to not drive students home twice” says Welch.

The Answer to Attendance Problems: Early-Morning Phone Calls by School

By Rachel Lomot

Fall River – Chronically absent students at various high schools around the country are now receiving morning phone calls to encourage them to get up and get moving.  B.M.C Durfee High School has brought the issue to light with their new policy enacted on Wednesday, March 8.

Starting Wednesday, if a student at Durfee High School has been absent more than 5 days in a 45-day term, they will receive a prerecorded wake-up call at 6:15 a.m. from Principal Marshall.

Harbor Waves

By: Jessica Lerner

On March 11, 2011, an 8.9 earthquake caused a 10-meter tsunami along the northeastern coast if Japan. More than 10,000 people are dead, and it generated a hydrogen explosion and a nuclear meltdown. However, how many of us actually know what a tsunami is?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a tsunami is a “set of ocean waves [or a wave train] caused by any large, abrupt disturbance of the sea-surface.” The severity of the disturbance and the proximity of the tsunami to the coastline affects the destruction done to local communities.