the
SPECTRUM
“Your Voice in Print”
blakespectrum.org
Issue III
Thursday | October 27 | 2022
The Blake School
KASHKARI, PAGE: Feared Line Tests Patience Steiner Lecture ‘22
Fed. Reserve president, former MN Justice to visit JNA Rowan Wallin | Editor-in-Chief
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ov. 15 marks the return of an Upper School tradition, the Steiner Speaker Series, which only happens once every two years and was put at a “pause” during COVID-19. The Steiner lecture aims to promote discussion at the Upper School regarding realworld issues, subsequently provoking thought. Beth Calderone, Social Studies Department Chair, led the charge, along with a selected Steiner Student Advisory, of selecting this year’s speakers: Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and Alan Page, former Minnesota Vikings player and retired Minne-
says, “It’s really great that students got to help decide and vocalize which speakers got to come to the Upper School this year.” Calderone explains, “[In the Steiner Student Advisory,] we talked a lot about students feeling like we often live in a ‘Blake bubble’ and not necessarily feeling like we are super connected to our larger community of Minneapolis. This is a chance for us to think about the partnership that Blake has within our Greater Community. As an independent school I think we have great opportunities through programs like Breakthrough, but we could probably do a better job of thinking more holistically about our place in the educational ecosystem in Minnesota.” In response to the studies finding education gaps by race and socioeconomic status
education for all children in Minnesota. Calderone states, “One of the things that was ongoing in the spring [when the Steiner Student Advisory was meeting] was the teacher strike in Minneapolis. The lecture will also promote more thought about the state of public education in Minnesota.” Calderone adds, “The Page Amendment is a really interesting political issue because it doesn’t cut across the political divides as neatly as a lot of political issues do, so it’s going to really challenge us to think about politics in a different way and as we approach elections. It will be good for us to sort of put aside our preconceived notions about ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ and ‘What should I think about issues?’ and really listen critically and thoughtfully to what [President Kashkari and Justice Page] say
Gabi Marmet
Rowan Wallin Above: The infamous line of cars snapped five minutes before the start of the school day. This line can take anywhere from five to ten minutes to get through. This car line truly tests students’ patience and self respect as well as your respect for your fellow classmates. Below: Josiah March ‘24 desperately trying to be let in the long line of cars after cutting through the Parade Ice Arena parking lot. Instead of saving time by cutting through, it actually took longer to get to the parking lot since no one would let him in.
Kenwood Parkway line delays student arrival Charlotte Opp | Creative Director
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Photo Illustration: Rowan Wallin Neel Kashakari (left) and Alan Page (right) discuss the implications of public education for children in Minnesota. The picture was taken from the MINNPOST article entitled, “Why a new push for the ‘Page Amendment’ could end up being one of the 2022 Legislature’s biggest fights.”
sota Supreme Court Justice. Seth Flikke ‘24, a Steiner Student Advisee,
for students in Minnesota, Justice Page began the initiative for accessible and quality public
about issues around the education disparities and achievement gaps here in Minnesota.”
Rowan Wallin
ave you ever found yourself stuck in the line to turn left onto Kenwood Parkway and all of the sudden you see a huge black GLE 350 MercedesBenz budge in front of you by cutting through the Parade Ice Garden parking lot? The owner of this particular MercedesBenz, Zander Ganz ’23, says, “I get past the light and see that it’s a super long line so I just go for it and cut through the Parade parking lot.” Ganz can’t jeopardize being late for class. Oliver Duininck ‘24 also understands the risk of going through the left turn line, “There will be times when school starts at 8:45 a.m. and I’ll get
to the line at 8:30 a.m. and I will still be late.” Clearly this raises a moral dilemma whether to follow the rules or cut the line and be on time. Other drivers like Will Nelson ‘24 and Gunnar Johnson ‘23 strongly disagree with the decisions of those who cut the long line. Johnson exclaims, “People actually do that? That’s toxic. I wouldn’t let them in.” Nelson adds, “I don’t like [people who cut the line]. It makes me angry and disappointed.” However, both Nelson and Johnson admit that if they were running late they would undoubtedly do the same. Even younger students like Maddie Raih ‘26 who can’t drive yet understand the moral violation of cutting off your classmates in the turn line. She says, “Literally what is the point? You’re not special. You don’t
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have any sort of special authority so just don’t [cut the line].” Similarly to Nelson and Johnson, Raih confidently confesses, “If I were running late I would 100% do it, no questions asked.” What possesses these drivers to muster the audacity to cut the line in the morning, yet they feel personally violated when someone does it to them? This phenomenon might never be explained. There is a disconnect of respect for our peers that must be mended one way or another. Duininck proposes that Blake or the City of Minneapolis adds another way for students to enter the student parking lot. This might be difficult for the school to accomplish so getting to school ten minutes earlier might be your best option for an academic year free of tardies and unexcused absences.