Emory Anderson
Staff Writer Over the last few months, multiple new bills have passed that will affect D93. Bill 1329, more commonly known as the Band-Aid Law, explains that those under the age of 18 need parental consent before being able to access most medical care. Bill 538, also known as the name and pronoun law,requires minors who prefer to go by another name and/or pronoun to receive parent permission first. This means that if someone has a preferred nickname, they can not be called that nickname until the school receives permission from their guardian. When talking to Justin Jolley, the new head principal at Bonneville High School, he offered more insight regarding how parents, students, and teachers may be impacted by these changes. For parents, the school district sent out emails where they had to provide consent for their child to receive first aid or other essential medical care. At the school board meeting on September 11, 2024, it was reported that 90% of parents had responded. Jolley mentioned that out of the 13,000 adolescents in the district, roughly 100 parents chose to deny first-aid being administered to their child. With all of the responses, the school board is still waiting to hear back from around 3000. The only extra work that will be there is following up on the children whose parents have not responded to the consent form. As for teachers, the school board and district have stated that Band-Aids can be left out for students to use, but teachers should not give them directly to students. Unless the teacher provides the Band-Aid or any medical attention, it would not be considered first aid. Once a student has help from a teacher, it becomes first aid. With how things are going, the medical field will continue to change due to the fact that state law does not always match up with federal law. These changes will affect Woolstenhulme more than the classroom because he "[has] an ethical responsibility to inform our staff members about these law[s] and the expectation that we comply with all laws relating to [education]” Even with the new bill put in place, there is a law that gives individuals the power “to provide lifesaving measures.” This outweighs what bill 1329 says. Woolstenhulme mentioned that when Bill 538 was first heard, it was in the February House State Affairs Committee. According to Woolstenhulme, this was unusual because new bills "should be heard in the Education Committee and not the State Affairs." Not much more information is known to Woolstenhulme, however “[he] believe[s] this was a political move intended to bypass the House Education Committee.” To obtain more information, an email was sent to the superintendent, Scott Woolstenhulme. He commented on Bill 1329 and mentioned that since “[t]his law is directed to medical providers, so we schools [were] not informed about this bill until after it went into effect in July. As of now, Bill 1329 may put teachers and staff in a difficult position when it comes to whether or not they can help an injured student. Woolstenhulme has concerns, such as “being a coach and having a player injured.” Coaches may not be able to tend to that injury immediately since they may not have parent permission to administer aid. These laws, according to Woolstenhulme, may “harm positive relationships between our teachers and staff members and our kids.” It is essential that teachers and coaches obtain parental consent before providing care for non-threatening injuries and illnesses.
0 Comments
Laramee Minor
Social Media Manager With the next presidential election being less than three months away, American citizens were eagerly awaiting the first debate between former President Donald J. Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris which took place on September 10, 2024. The United States Presidential Debates are a series of debates that are held before the presidential election. Both candidates have committed supporters and contrasting policies, so it was a shock to no one when tension grew between the Republican and Democratic sides. According to several flash polls, the majority of registered voters who watched the debate saw Kamala Harris as the winner. The data showed that most viewers believed that Harris outperformed Trump. Many also declared that she outdid Joe Biden’s performance when he went on stage to debate Trump. According to post poll data, most debate watchers proclaimed Harris won in a 63% to 37% poll, and the same voters were fairly evenly split before the debate started. After the event, around 96% of Harris supporters agreed that their contender did a much better job, whereas a smaller percentage of 69% of Trump supporters who watched the debate said that he did a better job. There are many reasons why voters are strongly opinionated on who the better candidate is but a main reason is policy and these two candidates have extremely different policies. Policies regarding immigration, gun control, and healthcare are three themes that have been the topic of discussion for years so it is no surprise that Trump and Harris are clashing over these as well. For example, when it comes to immigration, Harris and Trump have differing approaches to border security. Both of them have increased border security during their time in office. Harris wants to introduce a bill that would increase the number of border security agents, while Trump wants to focus on deportation and completing the wall at the border. Another example of the two candidates conflicting is the conversation on gun control. Harris would like to implement pre-purchase background checks for anyone under the age of twenty-one, as well as introduce the Bipartisan Safer Communicates Act. The Act would help create solutions to reduce domestic and community violence as well as help introduce solutions to address mass and school shootings. Additionally, the Act would add funding to improve mental health problems that affect young people. On the other hand, Trump wants to expand concealed carrying rights, which would allow permit holders to drive across state lines without restrictions or permits. Lastly, healthcare is another point of discussion for the two candidates. Harris has been clear about her support for expanding and protecting Medicare, so that more patients have access and rights to healthcare that is affordable. On the other side of this debate, Trump tried and was successful several times in cutting funding for Medicare. Either way, both parties are confident that their policies are the best next steps for the country. After the results of the first presidential debate, Trump stated that he will not be joining Harris on another debate stage again, even though Harris has said she’s ready for the next one anytime. No matter who the citizens of the United States see as the right candidate for the country, it appears that the majority sided with Harris after the first debate. |
Buzz StaffMeet our talented staff, including our advisor and our editors! The Buzzcast PodcastWe have a podcast! By the students and for the students, we supply ideas, entertainment, school events, world news, and more! To stay engaged with the students, staff, and community of Bonneville High School, listen on Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, and most podcast streaming platforms!
Old Issues and ArchivesThrowback articles, old issues, and archives of the great Bonneville Buzz!
Archives
September 2024
The Buzz PagesSimilar to the printed version of The Buzz, these are categories that organize our stories. Find these specific pages by clicking "more" at the top of the page!
|