Lexington (MA) High School Senate

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-FACULTY SENATE

2004-2005

Moderator Ben Skier, Assistant Moderator Jim Williams, Secretary Lexy Smith

<http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/senate>

TODAY'S DATE: 12-22-05

Today's Agenda: Announcements, Committee Reports, Open Comments,

Discussion of SLUJ petition, Discussion of Substitute Bills,

Discussion of

Communications Committee's recommendations regarding HR announcements

Minutes from Meeting: 12-15-04

I. Call to Order

Meeting is called to order at 7:49 by Moderator Skier

II. Approval of Minutes

Motion Approved Motion by Chair to approve Minutes of last meeting

a. Motion Approved after SLUDGE is changed to SLUJ

III. Approval of Agenda

Motion Approved Motion by Chair to approve Agenda

IV. Announcements

a. Communications has decided that only LHS-sponsored

groups can advertise on First Class announcements

b. Senator Jeon is taking yearbook pictures, so don't look

at her please so that they can appear candid

V. Committee Reports

Policy 1. Discussing campus military recruitment and a bill

about this issue is coming; come to Policy to discuss

Climate 1. Discussed usual stuff and students' views on GPA Bill

VI. Open Comments

a. -Senator Bogart heard that certain posters protesting

censorship were torn down from free poster area

-The Improv Troupe will be performing on Friday night

b. Senator Paulsen says that many people are

misinformed about this board; we should spread the

message and make a separate board for wall of rejection

c. Senator Buttaro welcomes Bobbie Beyer as GSA rep

d. Senator Kafrissen says that Mr. Zichittella will be

restoring the John Lennon mural

VII. Discussion of Motion to admit SLUJ member

a. Tristan Husby, who is petitioning, reads his statement,

which reasons that the senate can't turn down SLUJ's

petition because it didn't define underrepresented

b. Tristan argues that if the GSA petition was accepted

before the definition of an underrepresented group was

established, then SLUJ should be accepted

c. Since the senate did not look to see how many

members of senate were actually a part of the GSA,

then the GSA is may not actually be underrepresented

d. Appreciation expressed for Tristan's argument but

it is incorrect to compare the acceptance of a GSA

member to the potential acceptance of a SLUJ member

e. SLUJ does not fit the criteria of an underrepresented

group because it has not been discriminated against

f. This raises the question of whether anyone, who could

normally run for senate, could declare herself

underrepresented and take one of the seats

g. The very clear difference between SLUJ and GSA is

that a GSA member may not feel comfortable running

for senate for fear of being discriminated against

h. The precedence is vague but teachers have been

discussing the danger of lowering the requirements

for an underrepresented group

i. The fact that our policy is vague should give us the

incentive to revise our policy instead of giving

SLUJ a seat just because of this vagueness

j. These hypothetical arguments are similar to those used

to justify the war on Iraq; until we have competition for

these seats, we should let those who want to participate

in the democratic process be able to

k. The senate must branch out and approach other groups

l. Although GSA represents GLBT, it is not actually an

underrepresented group

m. The senate can re-evaluate the criteria for an

underrepresented group each year

n. The creators of the constitution meant to leave the

wording vague so that this kind of debate would arise

o. It is unsettling to equate giving GSA a seat to giving

SLUJ a seat; the GSA has had trouble having a voice

p. What will it look like to other people if we give SLUJ

a seat when it is a group is similar to senate?

q. These seats need to be further advertised

r. Communications Committee has been advertising

s. It is fruitless to compare two completely unlike groups

t. Senate should make a concerted effort to spread the

message about these seats and revisit this in January

u. This petition should be evaluated according to its

own merit and not by that of earlier petitions

v. A truly underrepresented group would not have the

motivation nor the courage to petition for a seat

w. SLUJ represents millions of starving people around the

world; these people are the most underrepresented

List of Senators Absent from Senate meeting

*Denotes excused/notified absence.

Chung Enders Jenson Licht Kresser King Lees