Staff Profile
Scott Novak –– Opinion Editor
Scott Novak is the Opinion Editor of The Patriot. This is his first year doing this.
Besides being on the newspaper, Scott is Drum Major of the JC Marching Band, a piano student at the Maryland Conservatory of Music, and is involved with numerous other musical ensembles. He spends his summers growing flowers at Belvedere Farm.
In his spare time, Scott likes to rock out to Lady Gaga, spend days in Barnes and Noble, and play with his three adorable cats.
Scott Novak can be reached for comments at snovak@jcpatriot.com.
Brain Droppings: My last brain dropping
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
May 10, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings
So here it is. My last brain dropping. Rather than taking the pointedly critical approach that I usually like to take in my columns, I’m going to try something new. E.B. White once said, “I am often mad, but I would hate to be nothing but mad, and I think I would lose what little value I may have... Read more »
Only ‘idiots’ neglect civil responsibility
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
May 7, 2012
Filed under Opinion
What do you call one who doesn’t care about politics? An idiot, that’s what. Although calling this group of people idiots is a bit harsh, the origin of the word confirms this definition. “Idiot” comes from “idiotes,” a term that the ancient Athenians used to denote a person who was indifferent... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Why rally for reason?
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
April 4, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings, Opinion
I’ve stood at the front of history in the making. Literally. On March 24, 2012, the first ever Reason Rally was held at the National Mall in Washington D.C. The rally drew a crowd of over 20,000, making it the largest secular gathering in world history. I was one of the people at the front of... Read more »
Pro V. Con: Invisible Children not the best way to spend your dollars
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
April 4, 2012
Filed under Opinion, Pro V Con
This is the con argument on Invisible Children. To read the pro argument, click here. For those who haven’t seen the viral KONY 2012 video, Invisible Children (IC) wants to find and stop Joseph Kony, who has abducted about 30,000 children to fight for him in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Holocaust education presents essential life lessons
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
March 15, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings
Learning about the Holocaust this year stands as one of the most important parts of my education here at JC. Before, I had certainly heard about the Holocaust, but had failed to comprehend what it actually was. If I’m honest with myself, the statistics never really moved me beyond the point of thinking... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Church’s attitude toward gays is far from welcoming
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
March 2, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings
Gay rights and the Catholic Church make strange bedfellows, to put it mildly. My religion teachers have taught me that homosexuals and the Church are somehow compatible, emphasizing that Catholics hate the sin and love the sinner. Homosexual inclinations are just fine, as long as one doesn’t act... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Administration’s response to Twitter scandal lacks backbone
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
February 10, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings
The actions of the administration concerning the recent Twitter scandal are, to quote William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Though the administration took disciplinary action, that indeed signifies nothing as far as addressing the real problem is concerned. The... Read more »
Pro V Con: March for Life contains all emotion, little reason
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
January 27, 2012
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the con argument for the March for Life. To read the pro argument, click here. On January 23 at 3:30 a.m., I was groggily munching a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal, preparing to march for a cause I didn’t believe in. When I first told people I was going on the March for Life, I was met... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Twitter scandal exposes issues of Internet education and desensitization
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
January 13, 2012
Filed under Brain Droppings
To view faculty and student reactions, see the video here. The day has finally come. Twitter at JC is no more. The question is, why now? Students have been posting vulgar things on Twitter about each other since the site was created. Tweets rife with foul language and personal attacks occur... Read more »
Midterm changes only make sense
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
January 13, 2012
Filed under Opinion
This year, instead of students giving up 12 hours of their lives that they’ll never get back, they only have to give up nine. The administration’s decision to cut down the exam time to an hour and a half has been applauded by most, and rightly so. While high school is supposed to prepare one for... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Perry’s ad exposes his bigoted views
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
December 16, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
At first, I thought it was Darth Vader’s light saber. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was only the red dislike bar under Rick Perry’s new campaign ad. With 654,113 dislikes and growing, it has become one of the most disliked videos in YouTube history. “Strong,” the name of the... Read more »
Brain Droppings: American democracy as fake as Santa Claus
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
December 16, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
The U.S. democracy and Santa Claus have one thing in common– neither is real. Santa is one of the most beautiful lies ever told. Like any kid, I anticipated Christmas months in advance because of him. I believed in magic back then. During my early childhood, I also believed the government, like Santa... Read more »
Pro V Con: Students should be taught safe sex in school
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
December 15, 2011
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the pro argument for whether students should be taught safe sex in schools. To read the con argument, click here. Gonorrhea? What’s that? If you’ve received an abstinence-only sex education, you may know that it’s a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but you wouldn’t know how to... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Internet censorship acts destroy freedom of expression
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
December 9, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
Read the News story on the internet censorship acts here. I try to log onto Facebook, only to find that the site is blocked by my government. Luckily, this is not a reality…yet. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, and Google may become blocked by the U.S. government in a few weeks. Congress... Read more »
Brain Droppings: America must speak out against Russian law banning “homosexual propaganda”
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
November 22, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
Is it possible to silence thousands of people with the stroke of a pen? It is in Russia, apparently. Lawmakers in St. Petersburg are trying to pass a law banning the promotion of “gay propaganda.” The law would institute a fine up to $1,600 for “public actions aimed at propagandizing sodomy,... Read more »
Brain Droppings: My dystopia
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
November 18, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
In my dystopia, everything is gray, including the people, animals, clothes, furniture, and cockroaches. All the buildings are square-shaped and look exactly alike. Sarah Palin is the dictator of the world, and she has ensured her longevity by drinking from the Fountain of Immortality. There is a dentist... Read more »
Occupy Wall Street lacks viable solutions
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
November 14, 2011
Filed under Opinion
"We are the 99 percent!" This is the cry of the Occupy Wall Street protestors. They shout at the wealthy corporate class who reside in towering steel buildings, demanding that something must be done about the growing financial divisions within America. The Occupy Wall Street movement is right to... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Skepticism required for informed society
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 25, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
The happier a thought makes people feel, the more likely they are to accept it without much critical thinking. This way of forming opinions can be dangerous if we care about what is true. Take, for example, Mother Teresa. Students almost always mention her name when asked by a teacher to think of an... Read more »
Open House to be held this Sunday
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 21, 2011
Filed under News, News Flashes
Open House is happening this Sunday, Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classrooms will be open for families to explore. The JC Marching Band will play outside from 11 - 11:30 as visitors arrive. Also represented will be athletic teams, clubs, and other activities the school offers. “Almost every... Read more »
Brain Droppings: Pro-choice’s time to scream
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 21, 2011
Filed under Brain Droppings
In response to the Respect Life Club’s Day of Silence, which commemorated the silence of the unborn, I suggest a Day of Screaming be held as a tribute to women going through the sheer agony of childbirth. Though I’m being facetious, I believe that it is time for the other side of the argument... Read more »
Pro V Con: Abortion protestors have right to protest
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 19, 2011
Filed under Opinion, Pro V Con
This is the pro argument for whether the abortion protestors have a right to protest. To read the con argument, click here. It was hard to miss the posters of bloody fetuses driving into school Sept. 2. Shocked remarks were exchanged among students about how such a thing could be legal. But this... Read more »
Jobs leaves lasting legacy
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 14, 2011
Filed under Opinion
Most American business leaders are about as beloved as people in Congress during the current economic turmoil. This is mostly due to the gigantic CEO compensation and golden parachutes these business leaders receive when everyone else is struggling. Yet the public admired Steve Jobs, founder of Apple,... Read more »
Ball combines drug and alcohol policies
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
October 12, 2011
Filed under News, Top Stories
This year, the administration has combined the drug and alcohol policies into one policy in an effort to crack down on students who drink underage, whether in school or on their free time. “My own philosophy is there is no difference between drugs and alcohol. They’re both illegal for any student... Read more »
Bullied teen’s suicide invokes powerful reaction
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
September 29, 2011
Filed under Opinion
Fourteen year old Jamey Rodemeyer, a freshman at Williamsville North High School, took his life on Sunday, Sept. 18. He was bullied with gay slurs for more than a year. I knew Jamey. Though he lived in New York, distance was not a limiting factor with the Internet. I and many others tried to help... Read more »
Naviance skews seniors’ expectations
Scott Novak, Opinion Editor
September 21, 2011
Filed under Opinion
On the surface, Naviance seems like a great site for students to keep themselves organized during the college process, but what they don’t know is that it also messes with their self-esteem. Sure, students can sign up for colleges visiting JC with a simple click and lists of colleges a student is... Read more »