Things Your Textbook Didn’t Teach You: Black Representation and Portrayal in Education
Ava De Leon, Staffer
April 28, 2020
In Texas social studies classes, students are taught about slavery and the civil rights movement from a district-approved textbook. However, according to a recent study by Teachers Tolerance in 2019, these books don’t always get the facts right. The study proved that most educators focus on teaching...
Austin’s Edge in Energy
Wrenny Collamer, Staffer
April 14, 2020
Renewable Energy is the fastest-growing energy source in the US. While there are hurdles that stand in the way of its continued growth, energy experts point to renewables as the energy of the future. Coinciding with nationwide growth, Texas' renewable energy sources became prominent in the market,...
Reigniting Old Controversy with Iran
Sophia Chau, Staffer
February 18, 2020
According to a June 2019 Hill-Harris poll, 19% of Americans supported a limited military strike on Iran due to increasing hostilities in the region. In early January of this year, those Americans got their wish. On Jan. 3, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a drone strike on an armored vehicle carrying,...
AISD Votes on School Closures
Sophie Chau, Staffer
January 15, 2020
After they stood for the pledge of allegiance, parents at a board meeting stood for something else: their children’s schools. More specifically, whether or not those schools should be closed. The Austin Independent School District (AISD) Board of Trustees voted 6-3 in a meeting on Nov. 18 to close...
One Campus, Two Schools
Gabrielle Jabour and Sarah Mines
January 15, 2020
Despite the fact that LASA and LBJ will continue to share a campus in the 2020-2021 school year, Austin Independent School District (AISD) and the University Interscholastic League (UIL) officials have decided that LASA and LBJ will split for UIL purposes and will no longer participate in UIL athletic...
Nobel Award Inspires Others
Diego Prozzi, Staffer
January 15, 2020
John B. Goodenough is a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Texas at Austin and the latest recipient of the Nobel Prize. He received the Nobel Prize in 2019 at the age of 97, making him the oldest person to ever receive the Nobel Prize. He was awarded the Prize...
They Are The Jaguars, We Are Not The Jaguars
Luci Garza, Staffer
January 15, 2020
As LASA prepares to move to a campus in fall 2021 and leave the LBJ jaguar mascot behind, students and teachers alike are in search of a new mascot to represent the spirit of the school. In November, school members helped brainstorm the new mascot and school colors. After sharing a campus, mascot...
Vaping Under 21 Goes Up In Smoke
Ava De Leon, Staffer
January 15, 2020
In the past several years, vaping and smoking have become more common among young adults according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The popularity of these pastimes led to the introduction of Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), which increases the legal age to possess cigarettes or e-cigarettes. On...
The Sex-Ed Controversy
Grace Woodruff, Staffer
November 4, 2019
The birds and the bees haven’t changed, but the way AISD teaches them has. The AISD Board of Trustees has voted, and this year’s elementary and middle school students will be the first to learn the new sex education curriculum. The new curriculum focuses on anatomy, consent, and notably, LGBTQ+ identities. This...
Senate Bill 944
Sarah Mines, Editor-in-chief
November 4, 2019
Texas Senate Bill 944 is an amendment to the Private Information Act. Texas Senator Kirk Watson (D) drafted the bill which went into effect on September 1, 2019. SB944 primarily serves to clarify existing legislation set by court precedents by establishing a process for dealing with public information...
I Got 99 Problems and Homework Ain’t One
Luci Garza, Staffer
November 4, 2019
This school year, LASA administration instituted a new policy of No Homework Nights. Once every six weeks, typically at the end of the grading period, teachers are required to give students no homework. No Homework Nights were initiated to give students a mental break at the end of the six weeks and...
2040 Zero Waste Goal on Horizon
Diya D'souza, Staffer
November 4, 2019
The City of Austin has started fully implementing a Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO) as part of the city’s Zero Waste by 2040 goal. The URO is part of the city’s plan that applies to commercial properties and food-selling businesses. The ordinance is one part of the Zero Waste by 2040 goal...