(Comic by Leena Lari (’12)/ Eastside Staff)
In society, government is one of the most important parts of a community. Throughout most of the world, all communities, from small towns to large cities, government takes precedence in all of the decisions and actions.
In Cherry Hill East, the Student Government Association is made up of elected students that make “decisions” for the school. They meet, like any other club, and are run by an advisor like any other club. But unlike every other club in East, SGA meets, once a month, during the school day to make their “decisions.” Seeing as how these decisions are nothing more than where to put signs up and how to spread the word about the next dance, they are really no different than a club that organizes a bake sale or puts up posters in the halls about their next meeting. And yet, the Robotics Club, or any other club, cannot meet during school hours to discuss their upcoming event or go through the halls putting up flyers.
“I think every club should have the same rights, so if SGA can meet during school, other clubs should be able to meet during the school day to work on things as well,” said Iftikhaar Ali (’13), a member of the Future Engineers Club and Robotics Club.
The exemption that SGA gets would not be much of an issue if they had a role in running the school. Aside from picking the theme of the dances and the design of the blood drive shirt, SGA has virtually no hand in the actual planning and execution of these events. The administration and teachers are the ones that govern the school, not a group of students.
The only logical explanation for meeting during school would be because of members’ scheduling conflicts.
Preet Parekh (’13), a vice president for the sophomore class, said, “It’s necessary to meet during school because everyone is available that time. After school students have sports and activities, and before school not everyone may have rides.”
Other clubs may run into this issue, but the members of the clubs work out their schedules to accommodate after-school meetings. Since the school provides late busses to students who do not have rides home after school, there is no reason a student can’t find transportation home from a club meeting.
SGA should have to follow the rules like all other clubs, and schedule their meetings before or after school. Having students excused from class to talk about the colors of the balloons they are going to have at the Freshman Dance is unfair to all other clubs.
Harry • Jun 5, 2011 at 10:01 am
Bam babam bam bam! The repartee! Look at this Eastside-based polarization — journalism!
Jordan • May 28, 2011 at 12:16 pm
This article is full of misconceptions. Although I recognize this is a point/counterpoint article but this article is wrong and condescending. The misconception that all SGA does is “pick balloon colors for freshman dance” is inaccurate. SGA meetings are extremely necessary to have because the information that is distributed, such as information on where are money from events is going, is crucial to the success of SGA. The cartoon above is also inaccurate as SGA representatives and officers are to go tell there teachers and ask for permission before they go to the meeting as well as to not attend if they have a test or quiz or a presentation in class. Your argument that SGA does not actually plan events is a major fallacy. As a Vice President of the Senior Class, I can personally tell you my other officers and I have planned events by calling places to set pricing for trips, getting the permission forms filled out and copied and also publicizing the events. School SGA this year has even planned a new event this year Friday Night Live. I saw personally through my own eyes that the officers physically called places to get microphones, write sketches and publicize events. You seem to diminishing the fact of publicizing events SGA does. To make an event known among 2200 students is an extremely difficult task. For Mr. East, i saw the chair people go out and personally get sponsors for their event that would be the prize baskets for the contestants. SGA also runs the execution of events like Mr.East behind the scenes by making sure all of the props and scenes are in place. Also, they make sure everyone has microphones on and is ready to go. Also, SGA has nothing to do with Blood Drive and therefore does not pick the design of the shirt. To say that SGA doesn’t do anything except put up posters and choose balloon colors is a disservice and an absolutely gross misunderstanding about SGA. I challenge the author attend a meeting and and talk to not just one source from SGA to get the story. While I can realize that SGA has its faults and can be criticized for these faults, it is still a very important organization to the school, as is Eastside. Please get the facts straight before you write an another article about SGA. Thanks