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High Life
Volume LV, Number 5 February 14, 1986
Opinion ——
The right to choose
by Brooks Raiford
Abortion. It's a word that nobody likes, one that causes otherwise
reasonable people to go off the deep end trying to voice their own opi
nion.
A new national debate is brewing about an old subject with a new
twist: abortion counseling in public high schools. There has been a
proposal to place clinics in high schools across the country that would
provide general sex education to any high school student desiring in
formation. The controversial part of the plan is that pregnant girls
would be able to get counseling on all the possibilities of handling their
pregnancy, including information about abortions.
Currently, the debate focuses on the state governments, which are
under pressure from both sides of the abortion issue. There have
already been some clinics set up in a few large cities such as Chicago,
with proposals lor more locations in the near future.
It should not be objectionable at all to have these clinics in schools.
Not only would they possibly prevent unwanted pregnancies, they
would provide information about all the options available once a girl is
pregnant. The pro-lifers have opposed these clinics vehemently,
deeming sex education a subject best left in the dark. It seems as
though they would rather have kids get pregnant and go get a back
alley rusty coat hanger abortion than find out how to keep from getting
pregnant in the first place, or how and where to get a safe, legal abor
tion.
It would seem that even the right-wing radical conservatives would
see the merit of this reasoning. Unfortunatley, because they are so
paranoid and emotional about sex education in general and abortion
counseling in particular, the conservatives will do anything and
everything to prevent rationality from entering our public schools.
One thing should be made perfectly clear: the clinics would by no
means encourage a girl to get an abortion. A counselor in the clinic
would inform her of all options, one of which is a safe, legal abortion.
There is no crime in letting someone make a decision based on all the
facts: there should be nothing hidden. An ignorant choice is a bad
choice.
Will juniors be next?
by John Myatt
Will the present policy of closed lunch for sophomores this year
restrict next year’s juniors? There are rumors to this effect.
Mr. Renn told the sophomores upon arrival at Grimsley that the
open lunch was to be an upperclassman’s right. He also said that if
things went smoothly, next year, as juniors, the class of ’88 will enjoy
the same privilege. Now, however, the future seems rathers shaky, ac
cording to the rumors.
The school board’s decision to close lunch for sophomores was mere
ly a compromise. The board wanted to shut down lunch for everyone.
Apparently, they have done the next be§t thing. Many students thought
that the decision had a grandfather clause. One year, it keeps the
sophomores on campus, and the next year, it restricts the juniors, un
til the seniors will be forced to eat in the dreaded cafeteria. Thus, this
year’s sophomores will be caught if the clause goes into effect next
year.
All this brings up an interesting question. Where is everyone going to
eat? The cafeteria can barely hold all the sophomores. How do they
plan to accommodate all three classes? And the freshmen coming to
Grimsley next year certainly won’t help matters.
Why is the school board making such a fuss over closed lunches?
Sure, the Greensboro high schools are one of the only systems allowed
to get out for lunch. But why are they afraid to be unique? Open lunch
has worked for decades with no trouble. Those who are forced to eat at
school now wish that things would return to normal. It seems that
would please everyone and that’s not too much to ask, is it school
board?
In memoriam
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger
Reflections of a jaded eye
by Eugene Naughton
Upon reflection of my sophomore year, it has
occured to me that my expectations of being a
senior are not quite being fulfilled. Perhaps it was
just the excitement of being a sophomore - the
sense of confusion which added to my school
career. Perhaps it was the dependancy I placed
upon my upper classmen to show me a mature
way to have fun; perhaps it was the sense of com-
raderie I felt with my own youthful class. As a
sophomore, I knew I was stacked at the lowest of
the deck, the farthest away in the auditorium.
Yet, there was a certain pride taken in that posi
tion, for I was giving way to those were Grimsley
to me - the Jay Floyds, John Kivetts, and the
George Caesars. As a sophomore gazing down
from an obscure position in the auditorium, it was
apparent that those were true representatives of
the Grimsley spirit.
Then, something rather disasterous happened.
Graduation strikes coldly and ruthlessly and in a
mere 180 days, they were gone. Sadly, the life and
spirit of school life and spirit of school life they
embodied for me departed with them. Suddenly, I
was pulled from my comfortable position of the
balconey and responsibility was thrust upon me.
From that point on, the fleeting shadows of my
.senior class disappeared forever and at least for
me, Grimsley would be void of life.
Now, I’m in my senior year, and that fire has
yet to be rekindled. With the last of the pep rallies
gone, the senior class has been hard pressed to
demonstrate its individuality and spirit that
trademarked the class of 1984. The class has
become indistringuishable from any of the other
two, and it is deeply regrettable the seniors could
lade into obscurity. I, by no means, intend to
brand the senior class a nameless cliche. Yet, I
foresee a dangerously dull course set for this
class. 1 call upon each senior to express the color
fulness and maturity which we as sophomores
were exposed to. Surely it is within the grasp of
our class to recapture the glory of our early high
school careers. Who knows? With some effort,
perhaps our actions as a class will be able to
spark exhileration of spirit in this year's
sophomores - a spark that will hopefully last with
them longer than it has with us.
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Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
On January 29, 1986 the people
of this nation were faced with a
terrible tragedy; the explosion of
the space shuttle Challenger. I
have never experienced such an
event, and I hope that I never
have to again. This nightmare is
not the only worry that lies heavi
ly on my mind, for something
happened at school, or should I
say did not happen on this sad
day?-1 would like to know where
in the world the administration
was during all of this! Surely at
least one of the top four ad
ministrators learned of this soon
after it happened. I have been in
the office once or twice and I
know a radio plays music in the
office and probably broadcasts
important news events as well. It
really bewilders me why an an-
nouncment was not made inform
ing the student body of the fiasco.
What was going on in the office?
We as students deserved to hear
the horrifying news. Seven of our
fellow Americans went to their
fiery deaths and we have done
nothing to honor them except
raise a flag at half mast.
EVERYONE had the flag raised
at half mast, that’s an American
custom. I just feel that we needed
Dear High Life Editors and Staff,
I would like to congratulate you
on two aspects of the latest issue:
my article and the overall good
work in the issue.
My article, based on a couple of
hours of idle conversation,
presented me as I see myself.
That’s no small task for any
writer to accomplish. I was pleas
ed with the inclusions and exclu
sions that Nicole and Alisha
chose. (And Will’s photo flattered
this aging face.)
The entire issue was in
teresting, well-written, and ap
pealing to the students. I did not
see one single homeroom student
discard the paper after a glance.
Those who did not get one had to
sit and wait for someone to finish.
As a former yearbook com
piler, I know what a thankless job
student publications is. Long
hours, deadlines, and complaints
from the readers. Don’t give up. I
have seen improvement in every
issue of the paper. You have
nothing to apologize for. This
issue was tops I
Sincerely,
Vickie Edwards
(and still do) to observe their
deaths whether it be a moment of
silence at the time the event hap
pened, or wear a certain color to
express our grief.
Joseph D. Moore
High Life
Amy Cass Cindy Gay
r- J-. • /-'f r 'riinsli‘v Senior lli«h .School . r-j-*
Editor-in-Lhief Managing Editor
(ireensboro. .\,C'. 2740K
Chris Sieredzki
News Editor
Holly Louza
Features Editor
Robert Corbett
Editorial Page
Pat Goodwin
Sports Editor
Judy Earley
Entertainment Editor
John Myatt
Assistant Sports Editor
Leslie Estes
Advertising Manager
Wilson Winchester
Circulation Manager
Will Sykes
Photographer
Jane Crisp
Advisor
Remembering the way we can be
by Robert Corbett
Most of us go through life in a
bit of a trance. I do not mean that
in the bad sense; only we get
caught up in the day-to-day pro
cess of living so much that we ig
nore the qualities most important
in life. '
Then an event happens that
wakes us up intensely, like the
screech of an alarm in the middle
of the night. The January 28 shut
tle crash was such an event,
galvanizing everyone in front of
some TV set.
Many cried. This is the first
tragedy for the space program in
twenty years, coming at a time
whe most people are not even
conscious that shuttle is taking
off. We had accepted the amazing
easily enough, but the tragic
shocks us into thinking. The
deaths of Ron McNair and
Michael Smith, with their local
connections, brings this matter
closer to home. Even in compla
cent Greensboro, we cried for the
shuttle crew.
Perhaps the school did not han
dle the situation as it might have.
Perhaps the news showed the
gruesome explosion once too
often. These are just details, part
of the trance, and we reach for
them in order to pacify the aches
in our conscious. Yet if for a se
cond we can take this tragedy
and translate it into a thoughtful
moment, there is not a void. John
Donne once said, “Every man’s
death diminishes me.” He was
correct, but he concentrates on
death. As every man’s
diminishes me, I have suffered a
tremendous loss with the crash of
the shuttle. But, as I awake from
my own trance, I see the reverse
is true. Every man’s life
enhances my own life. The crew
of the challenger did not die in
vain, if for a second we can
remember for ourselves what
they were after, a better life for
mankind. And strive for that in
our own lives.