SAFETY WITHIN OUR BUILDING
an analysis of the safe and unsafe features of East
THE NOVEMBER ATTACKS
was media bias responsible for immense coverage of Paris attacks?
WEAPONS IN SCHOOL?
states consider arming teachers in the building
‘I AM NOT A SEXUAL OBJECT’ a student shares her experiences with catcalling
page 3 | december 17, 2015 | the oracle]
[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 2
Islamophobia Dangerous in Attempt to Overcome ISIS
There is a problem persisting in America today — a problem plaguing the American political system and social media. This problem is about hate and prejudice. This problem is about availability heuristics and close-mindedness. This problem is because of misunderstanding. This problem isn’t Islam as a whole. Rather, this problem is Islamophobia. To clarify: radical Islam is one of, if not the biggest problems the United States is currently facing. There is no doubt that ISIS is a danger, and this is quite the understatement. So with this current situation, it seems to be logical to take precautions. And indeed, precautions should be made. Ensuring the safety of American citizens should be at the forefront of political thinking, especially when it comes to policy.
Austin Lewis But with this, it is imperative to keep in mind that the United States is also inhabited by peaceful, law-abiding, patriotic Muslims and this exactly is where the problem arises. Islamophobia is extremely dangerous to overcoming the threat that ISIS imposes. As a nation, unity always needs to be one of our strategies. Much of the current political rhetoric thus far has encompassed themes of fear and hate. Propositions of shutting down mosques, implementing Muslim watch lists and databases, and banning all Muslim travel are only going
to culture an atmosphere of hostility. With this political rhetoric it seems that Islamophobia has eclipsed the grasp anti-semitism and homophobia have on modern society. Granted, both anti-semitism and homophobia are present and terrible, to say the least; but nevertheless, Islamophobia is much more apparent in modern media compared to anti-semitism and homophobia, the former especially. Again, it is important to realize that this makes sense, but it is also important to realize that Islamophobia has no justification. It makes sense that Islamophobia is apparent; people are scared. But even with this fear, what merit is there in turning away refugees who are as frightened as the rest of us — I daresay they are more
the
Reporters
columbus east’s student newspaper december 17, 2015 | volume 44, issue 4
Editor in Chief
Editor of CEHS News
Rebecca Smith
Bryn Eudy
Editor of Content
Adviser
Kennedi Satterfield
Editor of Design Kira Singer
frightened. In the wake and aftermath of recent domestic terrorism, it is crucial to stand united. Islamophobia is only going to make the fight against ISIS a harder. Of course, precautions are important in this fight as well; implementing safety measures will be beneficial. Although, not only accepting, but embracing Muslims is what we should strive for. I cannot guarantee that doing this will be the cause of ISIS’s downfall, but I can guarantee that embracing patriotic, law-abiding Muslims and those that need our help will create a culture of understanding — a culture of harmony. Always remember the motto literally coined by our Founding Fathers: E Pluribus Unum Out of Many, One.
Scott Duncan
[
See staff profiles on CEHSnews.com
]
Elizabeth Albertson MacKenzie Brown Irma Bruce Caleb Davidson Olivia Fahey Isaac Harper Jacob Harpring Nicole Hendrickson Lillian Hilderbrand Michaela Landis Abigail Larken
Austin Lewis Maggie Lewis Erin Louden Sam Newell Corbin Parmer Karli Reynolds Josie Royer Natalie Ryan Bailey Schroeder Lauren Schumacher Caroline Steinrock
Designers
Social Media
Levi Copas Megan Hashimoto Reilly Jones Oscar Richter Brooke Williams
Ben Allen Julie Connor Caleb Kinnaird Tanner McFall
Racism Takes on New Form: ‘Casual Racism’ by Corbin Parmer Racism and discould be words, acsaid, “It’s people saying crimination, as all tions, or comments racist things in normal people of this generthat maybe discrimiconversation.” ation know, is a very nate against someone Taylor Newell, who real and a very serious for how they are.” is half Chinese, agreed topic. All students learn Junior Ben Westwith both Mitchell’s in school about racial enberger, Caucasian, and Westenberger’s dominance and superiority of the past. So, as a result, all students should take it seriously. Right? These events and time periods are studied heavily in schools all over the country, and a sense of rancor is directed towards them because of how terrible they were. Naturally, at this present point in time racism should be completely known as a part of the past, and it should stay in the past. Yet, in today’s society, a certain form of racism is still alive and thriving— “casual racism.” Three students from three different racial backgrounds were approached with the question, “What does the term ‘casual racism’ mean to you?” All three answered in similar ways but with different twists to how they personally perceive it. Senior Dondre Mitchell, freshman Taylor Newell and junior Ben Westenberger Dondre Mitchell, have experienced “casual racism” in their daily lives. Mitchell mentions others an African American think he is in a gang due to his race, Newell notices others think that, due to in the graduating her heritage, she will be a “bad driver” and Westenberger says others believe class of 2016, said, he is “pampered” because he is Caucasian. | photos by Corbin Parmer “It can be taken in different ways. It
“Gang member”
“Pampered”
“Bad driver”
thoughts, but added, “I think people just say stuff like that because it shows up so much on places like social media that they think it’s okay, and it’s just a joke.” All three students said that they either hear a casually racist joke or see a casually racist action at least once a day, and also even admitted to doing something casually racist themselves on occasion. Casual racism, by an official definition, refers to everyday racial slang terms that are used as simple jokes. These terms are generally not meant to be directly harmful towards a certain person or group, but rather are just mostly thought of as figures of speech, jokes, or even greetings. It happens everywhere, from the hallways in school, to behind the wheel of a car, to videos or posts on social media. After saying what they thought casual racism meant, all three students felt that even though it was labeled “casual” it doesn’t really make it okay to use it. Racism, no matter how casual, is still racism and can most definitely hurt someone.
[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 4
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Political Candidates to College Debt Crisis by Karli Reynolds
Average Student Loan Debt by In-State Colleges After Four Years $36,000 $35,000 $34,000 $33,000 $32,000 Debt
$31,000 $30,000 $29,000 $28,000 $27,000 $26,000 $25,000
e am re D Not r ove Ha n n nkli Fra due Pur ler But UI sity IUP ver Uni ana Indi State iana Ind a te l St Bal
The Institute For College Access and Success completed an annual report and discovered that seven in 10 graduating seniors in 2013 left school with an average of $28,400 in student loan debt. In 2015, the average college student will be $35,000 in debt after graduating from a four year college. As the November 2016 election heats up, the frontrunners for each political opponent have differing views. The frontrunner for the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, recently proposed a $350 billion plan that is to be paid over the course of 10 years. This plan would reduce interest rates for people with student loans and ultimately would help millions pay for college. Clinton’s plan consists of many ideas already being discussed in Congress and consists of many ideas including free community college, increasing graduating rates and allowing students to attend public colleges or universities without taking out a loan. In order to achieve these goals, Clinton plans to entail the federal government to provide more grants and scholarships to students and require public universities to reduce tuition rates to be more affordable to
Colleges Info:The Institute for College Access and Success
students. “No family and no student should have to borrow to pay tuition at a public college or university,” Clinton said during an interview at Exeter High School in Exeter, New Hampshire. “And everyone who
has student debt should be able to finance it at lower rates.” Clinton believes that if Americans are compelled to put in the energy and effort needed to obtain a college degree, they should be able to without being penalized
by having large amounts of debt. “We need to make a quality education affordable and available to everyone willing to work for it without saddling them with decades of debt,” Clinton said. “I want every parent to know that his or her child can get a degree or you can get one yourself.” The Republican Party frontrunner, Donald Trump, holds a different opinion. Trump believes that it is up to students currently in college to have a better plan for how they will pay off the thousands of dollars that college requires. He also believes that the government profiting from student loans is unjust and wrong. “That’s probably one of the only things the government shouldn’t make money off — I think it’s terrible that one of the only profit centers we have is student loans,” Trump told The Hill in an exclusive interview. According to Trump, paying back debt is the responsibility of the borrower and needs to be made more of a priority. One of Trump’s main promises to the people if he is elected is that he will create plenty of jobs so paying this money back is more manageable and realistic.
“I don’t want to raise the minimum wage. I want to create jobs so people can get much more than that, so they can get five times what the minimum wage is,” Trump said. Thanks to deficient college savings and
climbing tuition, over 40 million Americans will have at least one student loan. While both political frontrunners have different opinions on the obstacle of outstanding student debt, these candidates agree on one
The symbol of the elephant is associated with the Republican Party. A famous cartoonist in the 1800s named Thomas Nast drew an elephant on a campaign poster representing its strength and dignifying qualities. The elephant symbol has stuck ever since and is now associated with the Republican party.
thing— college students should not be drowning in debt for decades after attending college to further their education and prepare them for a career of their choice. “Right now, it’s not fair. It’s one of the only places, frankly, where
our country actually makes money. And they make a lot of money. And that should not take place,” Trump said.
The symbol of the donkey is associated with the Democratic Party. This symbolism started in 1828 with President Andrew Jackson and his campaign. Jackson’s opponents referred to him as a “jackass,” also known as a donkey. Jackson decided to use the picture of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters and the symbol has stuck ever since with the Democratic Party.
Seven in 10 college graduates suffer from an average of $28,950 in student loan debt.
Info: The Institute for College Access and Success
[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 6
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Politicians Need to Solve Gun Violence Problem
States Consider Possible Arming of Teachers
by Nicole Hendrickson
by Caroline Steinrock
shooter
Nonfatal Gun Crimes committed with a handgun committed with a rifle or shotgun *between the years 1993-2011
m
children killed
school. The bills were all somewhat different, but they all revolved around implementing policies that allow teachers to conceal and carry weapons in K-12 schools. Every Town, a gun safety support fund, reveals there have been 63 school shootings so far this year in the United States. Legislative figures believe that some form of action must be taken in order to lessen the threat of school shootings, or at
mberg .co
adults killed
[For full story, see CEHSnews.com]
The issue of gun violence in schools has hit an all-time high. Schools all over the country are victims of armed intruders. Legislative authorities are beginning to take action in their council in order to counteract the issue of gun violence in schools. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 33 states in 2013 introduced over 80 bills related to arming teachers and staff in
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Sandy Hook Shooting
need to fear for their lives. While a solution to the problem is currently not available, school officials, politicians and law enforcement need to work together to end this problem in our country.
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lone shooting in United States’ history. Just last year at Purdue University, which many seniors at East will be attending next year, student Andrew Boldt was shot to death by another student in a chemistry classroom. Gun violence in schools is a legitimate problem that needs to be stopped. Students should be able to view school as a safe place to be educated, not a location in which they
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rumors about someone planning to shoot and kill students in The Commons during lunch. Whether those rumors were true or not, I was deeply sickened that someone could plan such a thing following such a brutal moment in our country’s history. Thankfully, school ended up being canceled that day due to a presence of snow on the ground, but my fear of school violence was still heightened. Violence in schools is still a legitimate problem in our country, and a solution to this issue is needed immediately. School is supposed to be a place in which students can feel comfort. Children should be able to walk into their classrooms in the morning without having the fear of being shot by violators or tormented by their peers. This problem is not only prevalent in public school systems in America. There have been multiple school shootings on college campuses in recent years as well. According to a report presented by time.com, there have been over 23 shootings on college campuses just in 2015 alone. The Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 has been pronounced the deadliest shooting by a
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The day of December 14, 2012, my mom and I had both stayed home due to having the flu. I was a freshman at East, and my mom is a sixth grade teacher at Parkside Elementary. After we turned on our television that morning, we witnessed live footage of young children running out of a school building with their hands on their heads. The words “school shooting” were immediately spoken from the mouths of news reporters. Because my mom and I had just woken up, we were still pretty groggy. It was unclear to us whether we were watching a national or local news report. We were unaware if this was occurring in Indiana or somewhere else in the country. The entire day, my mom and I stayed glued to the television, constantly waiting on updates about the attack. We watched much of the coverage unfold; from reports of multiple shooters to the SWAT team searching the woods nearby the school to find a perpetrator. The news of the shooting struck my mom very personally, being that she is an elementary school teacher herself. The next week at school, there were
least minimize the unfortunate casualties. South Dakota became the first state in America to legislate a law that authorized teachers to be armed on school grounds. The New York Times states the law was passed soon after 20 first grade children were shot and killed in Newtown, Connecticut. The incident in Newtown sparked a national debate in the United States and South Dakota was the first state to take action. Several states jumped on the bandwagon after South Dakota passed a law enabling teachers to conceal loaded weapons on the job. There are currently 18 states that have legalized teachers to be armed on school grounds. Indiana is not one of these 18 states. Although Indiana has not legalized teachers being armed, our teachers still have thoughts on the subject. American History and Economics teacher Tony Pottorff shared why he believed that the idea was both positive and negative. “I believe the idea of teachers being encouraged to be armed at school is a generally suitable idea, but they should be thoroughly trained and knowledge-
able. I personally would not feel comfortable concealing an armed weapon,” Pottorff said. Indiana is still on the fence on the subject of armed school staff. According to KDDK Attorneys and Counselors at Law, it is classified as a felony in Indiana to possess a firearm on or in school property, or on property that is being used for a school pursuit. Chris Cooper, a Math teacher here at East, shared why he believed that the legalization of armed school staff was a dangerous idea. “I personally think that there should not be any guns in the school, even if they are in the possession of a teacher. I think it’s too risky, considering that there are irresponsible people in the classroom who could use the gun in a way that is unintended. I think it’s a bad idea,” Cooper said. There have been 30 casualties this year due to school shootings, with more than 50 others with severe injuries, according to the Kansas City Star. [For full story, see CEHSnews.com]
[the oracle| december 17, 2015 | page 8
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Open-concept: Does the Design Sacrifice Safety Features? by Abigail Larken
Ever since East opened in 1972, it has upheld an open-concept style of learning throughout the school. Since then, many rules have changed, and the amount of freedom continues to surprise many. However, is the open resource a safety concern? Also, do the number of doors in the building allow for unsupervised entry? Here, The Oracle analyzes these questions about these locations around the building.
Resource
The resource area is a place where students are able to get the help they need from math, English, science and social studies teachers. It allows students the flexibility to sit where they need to and get the proper help from certified teachers. In 1972 when East officially opened, mods were 15 minutes long. Teachers would tell the students how many mods they would need from them each day, and
A Safety Timeline The Oracle has compiled a calendar highlighting dates and incidents deemed relevant to school safety during the past two months.
the remaining mods that were not used for class were then deemed as resource mods for the students. Teachers have the same expectations in resource as they do in the classroom. Students should stay quiet, work on school assignments, and not move chairs from table to table. East principal Mark Newell does not see any safety concerns with the resource area, thinking it may be a quick way out of the building if a situation arises. When asked about possible safety issues on resource, sophomore Katherine Richardson said, “I don’t feel like there are any safety issues, unless there was a situation, then it could be a problem.” Like Richardson, many students feel like they are safe because there has not been a situation where they were not protected. “East has never truly been in danger so we all just assume we are safe within the school,”
November
Richardson said.
Doors
To keep East as safe as it could possibly be,
was inside the building for only minutes, he behaved erratically and was later taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for an
students can enter. Now, students can enter only through the A, T, Cafeteria, and Office doors in the morning.
Left: Students study in resource. Right: A student enters the building through the north doors. | photos by Lauren Schumacher Newell had to consider which areas had the least amount of supervision on a daily basis. Then on Nov. 10, an intruder entered the building through the north doors of the school. Though the man
10
On Nov. 10, a strange man entered the building. Following a student who was entering the building through the north doors, the man gained access inside around 9:41 a.m. Then, the man began behaving erratically, and after a short period of time, exited the building through doors near the offices. Police later took the man to Columbus Regional Hospital for an evaluation.
evaluation. This incident prompted Newell to reevaluate all doors that are unlocked during the school day, leading to the decision to limit the number of doors through which
Science teacher Andrew Alvarez believes that the permanent locking of these doors will be beneficial for school safety. “Having the doors only open by the south
17 On Nov. 17, East administration called for lockdown protocol during first mod after being notified by local police that an escaped prisoner was in the area of Eighth Street and Central Avenue, a location relatively close to the school. Teachers were then instructed to lock their classroom doors and continue with class, and the exterior building doors were also locked. The lockdown was lifted before the end of the mod.
end of the building allows for a greater control of the flow of people, while still allowing students to enter with ease. That’s also probably the easiest and most effective way to keep unwanted people out,” Alvarez said. In addition to the now limited door access, BCSC has adopted the Run, Hide, Fight procedure for armed intruder situations to provide the safest environment for their students. This decision took into consideration many studies conducted regarding school shooters and the trends they appear to follow. However, Run, Hide, Fight protocol will not replace Code Blue protocol. Students were briefed on this strategy last year, but were not refreshed on the protocol for a “Code Blue” or Lockdown situation. This lead to the confusion of both students and teachers when East recently needed to follow lockdown procedures.
December
On Nov. 17, East administration determined that an escaped prisoner in the area of Eighth Street and Central Avenue was worthy of a school wide lockdown. That day, sophomore Lucy Cash’s Intro to Sociology class was taught by a substitute teacher. Cash said the substitute was confused on the proper lockdown protocol. “The teacher didn’t know what to do, so he just locked the doors and let us continue working on our papers,” Cash said. In freshman Maggie Buffo’s English 9 Honors class, the teacher locked the doors and continued on with class, as lockdown procedure states. This confusion resulted in a reminder email sent to faculty and staff. Though East has a very open layout, the building has become more safe and secure with plans in place for all possible disasters.
7
On Dec. 3, Newell announced during first mod that all doors, with the exception of the A, T, Cafeteria, and Office doors, would be permanently locked beginning Dec. 4. During the school day, only the Office doors will be unlocked. This decision came after the disturbance on Nov. 10, and after Newell reevaluated the supervision at each of the doors in the building.
What to Do in an Emergency The Oracle outlines proper responses to follow in dangerous situations at East. In all cases, leave all belongings and make safety the first priority. Run, Hide, Fight: Run, Hide, Fight is called when there is an immediate threat inside the building. If you are able, leave the building quickly and quietly. If the intruder is close by, hide in a space out of the sight of the threat and barricade the entrance. If you are in imminent danger, use improvised weapons to distract and/or disarm the intruder in an effort to get away. “Code Blue”/Lockdown: In this situation, proceed to the closest room, lock the doors, and close the blinds. If you observe a potential threat or are in need of medical assistance, communicate via phone or intercom. Tornado: When there is a tornado or a likelihood that one will occur, make your way to the location posted in your classroom or to locker level if you are not in a classroom. Avoid windows and doors. Fire: When there is a fire in the building, exit the school as quickly as possible. Avoid using elevators.
[the oracle | december 17| page 10
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The Attacks Timeline
by Lauren Schumacher
LE ET C MB
DGE
BOULEVARD VOLTAIRE
A map of Paris shows the locations of the six bombs in relation to the Eiffel Tower. a predominantly Shiite suburb of Beirut. While this is not the first time Western media has lacked in its coverage of terrorist attacks in non-western countries, nor is it the first time they have shown bias, there were many other factors that contributed to the unequal media coverage. The Paris attacks were an organized series of bombings and shootings carried out within an hour, killing 129 citizens and injuring 368. The Beirut bombings were two blasts that went off within a few minutes of each other, killing 43 people and injuring
368. The disparity in the numbers of casualties is certainly a reason for the higher coverage of Paris. Nevertheless, the fact that both attacks were not targeting a specific group of people and occurred in busy, public areas should have been a big enough reason to cover both attacks. ISIL was targeting these places purely to cause fear, not to make a political move, a statement that is worrying to many Western countries. However, the number of casualties is not where the statistical differences between France and Lebanon stop. According to the
Washington Post, one person died in France as a result of terrorism in 2014. In Lebanon, 114 were killed in 200 different incidents labeled as terrorist attacks. Until the Charlie Hebdo shooting earlier this year, France was hardly a victim of or a target for terrorist attacks. This is a driving point to why the Paris attacks received more coverage. However, the figures regarding terrorism in Lebanon can often be misconstrued. Although the number of people killed by terrorism remains objectively high, it is not the blazing war zone the media often
portrays the Middle East as. This attack was the deadliest terrorist bombing to hit the city of Beirut since the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990. The year 2015 had remained relatively peaceful despite the war outside Lebanon’s borders. That being said, Lebanon’s proximity to the Islamic State made these attacks more of a fulfillment of violence that was to come whereas the Paris attacks came as a complete surprise. No one suspected France to be a target of an organized terrorist attack and that is exactly what scared the Western media. If the Islamic State could attack France, who else can they attack? An unnamed senior intelligence official told The New York Times, “There will be a greater sense of urgency in how we go about trying to combat these kinds of attacks. Paris shows that they can attack soft targets on any day, anywhere, including in any major American city.” Western civilians, political figures, and military officials were left to wonder if they would be next. The Western bias is to view things elsewhere in the world from a distant, speculative eye. When that viewpoint is shattered by an attack on a ‘country like us’, the media tends to cover it with non-stop updates.
France is the most visited country in the world; people in the west tend to have more connections with it either through the language, travel or personal connections. Most could not point to Lebanon on a map. While the attacks on France were shocking due to the high number of casualties, the unexpectedness of the attack received deserved media coverage, the media must cover other devastating terrorist attacks in other parts of the world to be true combatants against terror.
Stade de France -Attacks carried out by two suicide bombers with explosive belts - First explosion was at 9:20 PM - One killed in first explosion - Second explosion at 9:30 PM - Third explosion at 9:53 PM - Only bombers were killed in second and third explosions
Le Carillon et le Petit Cambodge - Firing began at 9:25 PM - 15 killed, 10 seriously wounded
A La Bonne Biere - Firing began at 9:32 PM - Five killed, eight seriously wounded
La Belle Equipe - Firing began at 9:36 PM - Gunmen fired at people sitting outside the restaurant - 19 killed, nine seriously wounded
Comptoir Voltaire - Explosion at 9:40 PM - Similar explosion mechanism used in the Stade de France attack - 1 seriously injured, several with minor injuries
Bataclan Concert Hall - During an Eagles of Death Metal Concert - Firing began at 9:40 PM - 89 killed - Survivors who were unable to escape were taken hostage at 9:47 PM - Paris police stormed the Bataclan at midnight, freeing the hostages and killing the bombers
9:45 PM
On the evening of November 13, millions of people watched in horror as the attacks on Paris unfolded. Non-stop coverage dominated every news source as #prayforparis flooded social media in response to the attacks. However, while world-wide outrage against the Islamic State ensued, some of their victims were already being forgotten. As the world turned to Paris, the already sparse coverage of a terrorist attack in Lebanon the day before seemed to disappear entirely. “When my people died, no country bothered to light up its landmarks with the colors of their flag,” said Elie Fares, a Lebanese doctor quoted in the New York Times. “When my people died, they did not send the world into mourning. Their death was but an irrelevant fleck along the international news cycle, something that happens in those parts of the world.” While the Paris attacks progressed, the people of Beirut stood both in solidarity with the grieving country and in sadness as just one of their cities were receiving global attention. Some were quick to accuse Western media outlets of Islamophobia and that the Western world was putting a higher value on the lives lost in Paris that those lost in the suicide bombings of
Here, The Oracle expands on the sequence of events of the Paris attacks on Nov. 13.
9:15 PM
Paris Attacks: Media Bias or Situational Disparity?
page 13| december 17, 2015 | the oracle]
[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 12
My Perspective: ‘I Am Not a Sexual Object’ by Olivia Fahey Recently, I was making my way through the produce section of Kroger, juggling a bag of apples, when an older man passing by me looked back at my tush and said, “God damn.” Feeling very uncomfortable, I rushed to find my mother, wanting to revert back to childhood. In childhood, the curves of my body did not evoke unwanted comments from men. Two years ago, I was in class with a male student who continuously attempted to grope my breasts. He would not respect me when I asked him to stop, time and time again. Unfortunately, I have witnessed many situations like this. I have witnessed groups of boys laugh about forcing a girl to do sexual acts— “Don’t ask her, just knock her out.” A study conducted by The Oracle found that 53 percent of students have witnessed someone being sexualized. Degraded. Harassed. So, who are the students being victimized? Thirty-nine percent of female students reported being sexualized, while only 5 percent of male students have ever experienced this. Thirty-nine and five. There is an unavoidable disparity there. As a female student, I do not feel comfortable
academics, only to have a male peer comment that her success must be because she is having a sexual affair with the teacher. Maybe that is supposed to be a joke. However, I don’t find it funny. And when a joke is so common and casual, it becomes embedded in the way we treat people. We need to speak up and say, “Hey, that’s not funny.” We need our male peers to help us out with this. I do not speak to attack men, be-
cause women are guilty of acting in the same manner. I simply believe in the social, economic and political equality of all genders. In this situation, I am advocating social equality. If we work together on this issue, men and women, maybe we can all feel a little more secure in our lives. The oversexualization of women does not only negatively affect women, but men as well. One male student at East confided in me that the
sexual comments other boys were making about girls’ bodies made him very uncomfortable. They would laugh at him for not making those same comments, for not wanting to have sex all the time. If men do not feel like they have to obnoxiously comment on women’s bodies, women can be more comfortable in their own skin. Women should not have to fear being sexually harassed. And men should not have to be dominant to
50%
of all new Sexually Transmitted Infections are among ages 15 - 24.
feel like a man. Gender is a spectrum and therefore gender roles should not be binary. I hope to someday live in a society where women can have sex and not be labeled sluts, where men can be abstinent and not be ridiculed, where women are not just sexual objects, where men can be respectful of women’s bodies and not labeled “gay” and where those of all genders can feel comfortable around their peers.
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The Oracle surveyed 180 students to find their views on catcalling and sexual harassment. The above quotes are from anonymous students. around many of my male peers. Why do men find it necessary to whistle at a woman whose pants fit her well? Or call out to a woman passing by, “Lookin’ good,” with a creepy eyebrow raise? Catcalling is not a compliment. It makes us uncomfortable. Quite honestly, it makes my
skin crawl. I do not appreciate being acknowledged for my sexual appeal by groups of teenage boys and grown men. Often we hear about the larger issues of the world and think, “Gosh, I’m glad that’s not happening here.” And I think that is the mindset of
many of us at East. The boys more so than the girls. However, that is not the case. Females are constantly sexualized at East everyday, but we turn a blind eye to it. After all, how do you speak up against something that is said so casually? So many times I have seen a girl exceed in
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[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 14
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Collegiate Safety Issues Concern Future Students by Natalie Ryan With national safety being such a hot topic and tragic terrorist attacks becoming increasingly common, it is easy to forget basic personal safety tips. We worry so much about overseas threats and the plans created by politicians to counter them that we often ignore the potential dangers laying closer to home. A prime example — assault on college campuses. Assault is not something that occurs only at distant places to fictional people; it happens to real students as close to home as Indiana University Bloomington. On November 13, a young female student was walking alone in the very early morning on a dimly lit path in Dunn’s Woods, which is a secluded area on the IU campus. She was grabbed by two men who held an unidentified sharp object at her throat, but the woman was able to escape and alert police. Such occurrences are frightening for the many East students planning to attend IU Bloomington. “I take dual credit IU classes at East so they call me and notify me as if I am a student on campus every time an assault happens. It’s really scary getting called at three in the morning and hearing about these incidents,” senior Brooklyn Taulman said, who is planning on attending Indiana University next year.
Rivalry Week: Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Face North by Caleb Davidson
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Tonight and Friday night, the Columbus East boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will face off against their cross-town rival: Columbus North. North took both the boys’and the girls’ games last year, but the East teams hope this year will be a different story. The East boys’ team has begun its season with a 1-2 record, and North is 1-4. However, East has an advantage in experience with five seniors on varsity —
1
College Students Fall Victim to Sexual Assault Each Year
Alcohol-related Assaults
25%
2 Report Academic Consequences from Alcohol
3
4
Source : http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
Assault is by no means happening at just IU. It occurs at every university, in every city, in every state, in every country, all across the world. In fact, a study done by the American College Health Association states that 128,000 violent crimes involving a weapon are reported yearly by students aged 18 to 24. Although 100 percent of the blame can never be placed on anybody
but the attacker(s) in an assault case, it is important to realize that there are protective measures that can be taken to prevent becoming a victim. Most colleges have taken multiple steps to ensure students safety, such as installing emergency telephones and improving university police patrols. However, emergency telephones are not always accessible, and it is impossible for police to be every-
where at anytime. Despite these attempts, many also believe that schools do not emphasize safety enough. Assault rates are still not declining. [For full story, see CEHSnews.com] 1: Sophomore Britney Ballard protects the ball from a Silver Creek defender. 2: Senior Parker Chitty drives through the lane. 3: Senior Alex Galle shoots a layup. 4: Junior Tanner McFall shoots a layup. | photos by Kennedi Satterfield, Bryn Eudy and Josie Royer
Parker Chitty, Kevin Williams, Zach Sanders, Alex Galle and Rhett Myers — compared to North, which has only three seniors on the team. North’ s girls’team enters the game with a 7-0 record in comparison to East’ s 4-3 mark. East’ s only senior is Audrey Wetzel. The girls travel to Columbus North tonight at 7:30 p.m., while the boys host Columbus North tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
[the oracle | december 17, 2015 | page 16
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Attracts all Ages by Sam Newell The hype train has left the station and is well on its way for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. Disney’s controversial and long-awaited sequel to 1983’s “Return of the Jedi” has been met with equal parts skepticism and jubilation from the Star Wars fan base. Regardless, moviegoers will swarm to see the film when the Christmas release date rolls around. The observation of the hype on the Internet and in the news begs the question: what audience is Disney trying to reach with this new movie? On the surface, “The Force Awakens” appears to be a resurrection of the critically acclaimed original Star Wars trilogy of “A New Hope”, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” In the trailers so far, many attributes that made the originals successful storm back to the screen in the form of X-Wing Starfighters facing off against their TIE Fighter nemesis, the classic Rebel vs. Imperial
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the seventh installment of the Star Wars franchise
matchup, and of course the Millennium Falcon blasting through hyperspace. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) even makes an appearance with Chewbacca in a ‘prodigal son returns’ moment. All of these elements combined with the iconic Star Wars soundtrack bring an atmosphere reminiscent of the original trilogy, which is sure to capture the attention of middle-aged moviegoers who saw the original trilogy as kids and teenagers. Though it appears that “The Force Awakens” is designed to attract older fans, several elements have been added to attract younger
moviegoers as well. In a world where feminism and racial equality are prominent issues, having the pair of protagonists be an African-American and a woman is a smart move that is sure to draw younger audiences. An attempt at variety is evident in spades with a new and different Sith Lord, Kylo Ren. Also, the ‘Knights of Ren’ and Captain Phasma, a chrome-clad female Stormtrooper commander, are both far cries from the snow-colored Stormtroopers of old. Movie technology has come a long way in the 30+ years since “Return of the Jedi” and it shows
in “The Force Awakens.” Intense dogfights and hyper-realistic explosions are more on par with recent action movies, and younger fans are sure to notice. The ideal outcome for Disney and the Star Wars franchise would be if both groups of fans (young and older) were on the same page after “The Force Awakens”. If the movie can get the younger fans to buy into the nostalgia and atmosphere that are essential pieces of the original trilogy, the newwave fans are sure to be hooked on the idea of Star Wars and therefore more invested in the series as a whole. Likewise, if the film can get older fans to appreciate new-wave concepts such as enhanced movie technology and deviation from the stereotypical characters and details, a similar effect will ensue. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will undoubtedly make a huge impact in the cinema universe.
See more about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on CEHSnews.com