November 2019

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2 news/westernerNovember 22, 201971%of students thinkthe legalization ofmarijuana is a goodidea and supportthe change**according to a Westernersurvey of 156 students“It’s profitable,plus it keepsone source ofrevenue awayfrom criminalsand in the handsof the law.”*ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE VOTES TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, STARTING JAN. 1BY CLARE OLSON AND JENNA ROBBINSasst. news editor and news editorRecreational marijuana will officially becomelegal, for people over the age of 21, in Illinois onJan. 1, 2020, making it the 11th state to officiallylegalize marijuana for recreational use. Currently,medical marijuana is legal to use in Illinois, alongwith 33 other states.“A couple of years ago, they legalized medicalmarijuana, and there are a lot of people in ourcommunities who are using marijuana in a responsibleway. It’s clear that the sky didn’t fall and societydidn’t end, so the stigma was kind of broken,”Des Plaines Alderman and Maine West alumnusAndrew Goczkowski said. After the use of medicalmarijuana was somewhat de-stigmatized, statesbegan to consider if recreational marijuana shouldbe decriminalized for adults, too. For Maine Weststudents and all people under the age of 21, however,possession and use remains illegal.The revenue that could be made by taxing recreationalmarijuana was an important decidingfactor in Illinois’ decision to legalize the drug. OnMonday, Nov. 18, the Des Plaines City Councilwas planning to vote on whether or not to allowmarijuana to be sold at shops in Des Plaines.“Taxing marijuana can be a major source of revenuefor the state. Since a bunch of other stateshave moved forward in legalizing recreationalmarijuana, it was kind of a no brainer for Illinoisto move forward,” Goczkowski said.Now that marijuana will be legally availableto adults, more people may be curious to try it,as it’s illegality might have steered away individualsbefore. “If it’s legal, there will be a fascinationwith it at first. People who otherwise wouldn’t tryit are going to at least see what it’s about, so thatcuriosity alone will likely generate demand,” APEconomics teacher Diviak said.Goczkowski, agreeing, said, “I think that thedemand is going to be enormous. If you open upthe market to folks who want to do somethinglike this in a way that’s safe and regulated, then it’snot somebody going to a drug dealer. It’s peoplewho aren’t comfortable breaking the law who maybe interested in doing these things.” One hope isthat by decriminalizing marijuana use, fewer policeand court resources will be used to arrest andimprison people, which will allow those agenciesto focus on more serious crimes.Many people, however, have grown up withthe belief that all drugs are a taboo. “I think thatfolks who were brought up in the decades earlierthan yours, and even mine, grew up with DARE[Drug Abuse Resistance Education], and theytalked about gateway drugs, and said, ‘If you trymarijuana, you’re going to beon heroin next,’” Goczkowskisaid.Although marijuana can currentlybe bought for medical purposes, legalizingrecreational marijuana stilldoesn’t sit right with some people. “Idon’t think it has to be scary, it’s justsomething that we should knoweverything about, properly regulate,and stop minors from accessing,”Goczkowski said.Just as drunk drivers and intoxicated familymembers can be a serious concern even forpeople who don’t drink, it is possible that recreationalmarijuana legality for people over 21 yearsold could have an impact on students’ daily lives.People could abuse the use of marijuana, evenwhen legal, like they could do the same with alcohol.“Alcohol is as much a drug as cannabis in a lotof ways, and if anything, folks who drink liquor tothe point of getting drunk are a much bigger implicationon society than folks whoare going to be using thislaw to get high. They’remuch more likely todrive drunk thanthis situation,”Goczkowskisaid.DARCY BUCHANIEC
november 22, 2019 westerner/news 3Hosting 36 employers,the Options Fair willtake place Nov. 22 in thelower rotunda during all lunchperiods, third through sixth. TheOptions Fair will focus on nontraditionalforms of post-high schooleducation.“I am looking forward to seeingthe opportunities of what I could do,”sophomore Said Nonoal said.Students will have the chance tolearn about a variety of programs andwill be able to sign up to receive moreinformation. “This highlights theprograms that are two years or lessand are much less expensive thana four year degree,” career pathwayscoordinator Kayla Hansensaid. With only programsof two years or less beingfeatured, the OptionsFair is engineeredBY ANDREW STUTHEITreporterfor students who aren’tchoosing to pursue a fouryear degree. “There are plentyof high-growth, high-demandcareers that pay a good salary andthat students are able to take in twoyears or less,” Hansen said.Court reporting, building inspecting,and operating heavy machinery arejust some of the featured careers thatare in high demand for workers and paywell, despite not requiring a four-yeardegree. “It’s just like the college fair, butfor other options,” Hansen said.For students who already have a careerdecided, Hansen says they shouldstill try to attend the Options Fair.“I think it’s best to get all of the information,and it solidifies yourdecision because there are somany different options outthere,” Hansen said.FAIR PRESENTSOPPORTUNITIES FORSTUDENTS OTHERTHAN A 4 YEARDEGREEptionsLILY CHENHOMELESS FAMILIES FACE STRUGGLES AND NEED, NOT JUST AT THE HOLIDAYSFor people living in a tidy, middle-class suburblike Des Plaines, homelessness may seem like anabstract problem. For some Maine West students,however, the impact is real and challenging.Even at Maine West, anywhere between 23 to39 students have been considered homeless at anygiven point in the last two years, according to Dr.Claudia Rueda-Alvarez, assistant principal for studentservices. The students who are homeless canvary throughout the school year, depending onfamily circumstances, as families move in and outof stable housing.“Some people don’t even have the basic needsto survive,” senior Voice for the Nameless memberValerie Etzwiler said. “People sometimes thinkthat others choose to be homeless, but inreality there’s a multitude of factors thatgo into it.” Etzwiler has had a chance toview some of the challenges faced by thepoor and homeless during her time as avolunteer cook and server with InspirationCorporation, a group dedicated tohelping those living in poverty.In order to solve the problem, oneneeds to stop and consider the cause. “Ithink the lack of jobs and high populationdensity contributed to Chicago’sproblem. We have so many people, and as big asChicago is, there just isn’t enough space. Therearen’t enough resources for everyone,” senior Voicefor the Nameless member Kathryn Anderson said.In fact, according to data collected by the NationalLaw Center of Homelessness and Poverty, lack ofaffordable housing, mental health issues and domesticabuse are all among the leading causes ofhomelessness, showing that there isn’t just onecause to this issue.BY ALEXIS HUERTAasst. features editorXIAO LIN HEAccording to the National Center on FamilyHomelessness, over 1.2 million children wereconsidered homeless during the 2012-2013 schoolyear, which is defined by the US Department ofEducation as “lacking a fixed, regular, and nighttimeresidence.”To help alleviate potential problems for thosechildren, the McKinney-Vento Act was passed, establishingthe ability to go to school as a right of allchildren. “The McKinney-Vento was created withthe idea of serving our kids in what we considerto be the most stable part of their lives, which isschool. Everything else around them is probablyshattered by all the needs that come with nothaving a home. The act gives strict guide-close to homelines on how to identify these families, but alsogives us the means to legally help them, providinginstructions as to what we can and can’t do,” Alvarezsaid. Under the McKinney-Vento act, schoolsare required to provide things like transportation,fee waivers, and free lunch. It also ensures that thekids have access to any medical exams needed forschool, like yearly physicals.That, however, only takes care of studentscurrently enrolled in school. For the adults andanyone not enrolled, organizations like InspirationCorporation exist. “Inspiration Corporationhelps people get to the point of standing on theirown feet. It helps people get affordable housing,put out resumes, get job training, and even has aculinary program to help people work in the foodindustry,” Voice for the Nameless sponsor RandallHarper said. Harper has also worked withother local groups, one of which is called PADS,an acronym for “Providing Advocacy, Dignity,and Shelter.” PADS has overnight shelters openat churches throughout the suburbs, includingin Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect,and at St. Mary’s in Des Plaines, allowingthe underserved to have dinnerand breakfast, spend the night,and move on the next day with afreshly packed lunch.Although these helpfulgroups exist, you don’t have tobe a member of any particulargroup to help. Sometimes, a simple donationof food or time can be enoughto help. “Most of these people don’thave thick enough jackets or evenshoes during the year. Donating thesesimple items or volunteering to helppack them can make an incredible difference,”Etzwiler said. The PADS website, journeystheroadhome.com,provides a list of things they needfor local homeless children and adults, as well aninformation about churches where one can volunteerto help set up for overnight visitors or toprepare meals.
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November 2019

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