The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

The Forum

The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

The Forum

The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

The Forum

Change Is Here!

Tina Czaplinska Acting Editor in Chief Who really knows a lot about Student Government? Besides using the creepy robotic narrator in the sixty-second challenges, how does Student Government grab anyone’s attention? The organization is really a mystery. Yet for so long this system has been responsible for simultaneously appeasing to the needs of the students and the teachers. Unfortunately, this has become associated with a recipe for idleness. Every year, students gather in the theatre in hopes of being elected, proclaiming their idiosyncrasies and devotion to the cause, the school. Despite this, each elected candidate is soon full of broken promises. But who is to blame for that? Is it the unfortunate circumstance of unattainable ambitions or is there a disconnect somewhere in the system? Do students really have a voice in their own government? Ruminations like these are not limited to lowly Forum writers but also to the members of Student Government. In hopes of avoiding futility, Latin’s Student Government is becoming completely revamped. One of the major changes in student government is the new Constitution. While it may seem a little 1787, the document is meant to add structure to the government. Junior Samantha Cohen comments, “The new Constitution allows for bills to be proposed. So if you want to, for example, create fourth floor locker rooms you’d write a bill about why that is a good idea and how you plan to make it happen. I think this makes Student Government ideas more tangible. The [document] turns null conversations into, potentially, accomplishments.” Another drastic change to the system is the new elected positions: communications chair, social chair, and an affinity representative from each club. Mr. Greer, one of the teacher sponsors for SG, believes in the importance of these new positions, “While Mr. Graf, the deans, and faculty will always make decisions based what they think is the best interest of the school, I hope that the new committee structure will give students earlier access to the decision making process. Be it curricular changes or the use of community time, just to take a couple of examples, we want students to help formulate the initial alternatives or plans, instead of reacting when a decision process nears its final stages.” Through this, Student Government ultimately hopes to get a better name for itself. Junior Ian Spear says, “We’re excited that the new system will allow us to take on more than social concerns, like dances and Winter Carnival. The biggest change to Student Government is that it will give students a voice in more areas. It will be a much more holistic and cohesive approach to the Latin experience. Students will be able to confront academic issues and voice opinions on matters surrounding diversity and equity at Latin.” So can we, the student body, have more faith in Student Government in the years to come? If you ask Samantha Cohen, “Si se puede!”  ]]>

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  • R

    rstoneMay 17, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    GAME CHANGE. Latin is going rogue.
    It isn’t really but I’ve always wanted to say that. I think it’s really beneficial that the program is changing…for years I have wanted to be involved in student government but have been slightly put-off by the purely social role it has had in the past (simply because I don’t work well with people) but now I think it is on a path to success, not a bridge to nowhere (punny? Whatever).

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Change Is Here!