The Scarlet THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 10, 2017 | THESCARLET.ORG
30 Years of Service in the Neighborhood: Main South Community Development Corporation By Connor Stephens Contributing Writer
A couple dances at Noche Latina. Photo by Andreana Nop.
LOST IN PARADISE
LASO provides tropical getaway at Noche Latina By Nandita Modhubonti Scarlet Staff
The Latin American Student Organization (LASO) hosted their very first event of the year on Friday, Nov. 3rd. Noche Latina is advertised annually by LASO as “a night of music, food, dance and even more dancing.” The event itself is a formal one and hosted with the aim of both celebrating and giving the Clark community a taste of Latin American culture. The doors to the event opened at 7pm sharp, and, considering the fact that all the tickets had sold out within the first few days that sales began, there was an undeniably large crowd waiting in the Higgins University Center. The diversity within the Latin American community at
Clark was easily noticeable from the fact that each table was named after a different country from the region. Seated at the table for Argentina, the first thing I noticed was the cleverly designed placeholders that included facts about Argentina’s geographical features including a miniature model of the Andes mountain range. The theme for this year was “Lost in Paradise,” and focused on the natural beauty of all of Latin America. Tilton Hall, where the event took place, was decorated predominantly in colorful cutouts of tropical flowers, trees and butterflies. The club even managed to set up their own geofilter on Snapchat, encouraging all guests to share their night on social media. Likewise, both of the MC’s hosting the event
were energetic and entertaining to say the least, and made it a point to interact with both performers and guests alike. The very first performance of the night was a poem recitation revolving around homesickness, effectively incorporating the many nuances of life at home and mentioning the many attractions of Latin America. Next, Clark’s Salsa Team performed their set, dancing to both traditional tunes as well as versions of popular Latin music. The music had been adapted to the mode of dance from the Caribbean, and it was clear to see a significant amount of practice had gone into the preparation for the event.
NOCHE LATINA PG. 6
If you happened to meander through University Park last Halloween, you likely witnessed quite a commotion. Scores of children dressed up as everything from Minions to Elsa enjoyed face painting, costume parades, lawn games, and candy handed out by members of the Worcester Police Department. For several years now, this annual event, known as the University Park Halloween Party, has provided a chance for families in the Main South neighborhood to celebrate the holiday as a community and has vastly contributed to the positive change in public perception of its venue. A non-profit organization known as the Main South Community Development Corporation (CDC) hosts the Halloween party along with a number of other community events in the park including the weekly farmer’s market, summertime Salsa Dancing lessons, and free public movie screenings. Grown from a 30-year running collaboration between Clark University and the Main South community, the Main South CDC continually strives to bolster the availability of high quality affordable housing and to contribute to the development of a positive Main South identity. To learn more about the organization’s history and current endeavors, I sat down with Jack Foley, a founding and current board member of Main South CDC and Clark’s Vice President of Government and Community Affairs. A number of community development corporations currently operate in the city of Worcester, each working to enrich their respective neighborhoods through the promotion of affordable housing and provision of community services. These in-
clude South Worcester Neighborhood, Oak Hill Community Development Corporation, Centro Las Americas, and Worcester Common Ground. While individual missions and methods may vary between these organizations, the belief that residents should be involved in their neighborhood’s community planning process is fundamental to all of them. As the concept of community involvement in public planning is seemingly intuitive, such a paradigm was not always commonplace. In fact, community involvement in public planning was essentially unheard of in Worcester before the mid 1980’s when Main South CDC Worcester’s first community development corporation introduced the idea to city planners. The idea was initially met with resistance. “It was a bit of a shock to the city system to have members of the community determine what they wanted strategically and where they wanted their community to be and not have the professional planners decide for them,” Jack Foley remarked. At the time of this first foray into the realm of community-based public planning, Worcester - particularly the Main South neighborhood – was dealing with increasing levels of violent crime, catastrophic rates of urban abandonment, and a general lack of economic opportunity. These trends, as is the case in so many other post-industrial northeastern cities, resulted from the loss of Worcester’s economic center in the late 70’s to early 80’s when nearly 9,000 manufacturing jobs were relocated in the pursuit of cheaper labor. “People lost the opportunity to earn a living,” explained Foley. “If you were young or newly immigrated, you had no chance to earn a living. People walked away from these neighborhoods, there was arson for profit – in the 70’s houses were burning every week.”
MAIN SOUTH PG. 5
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The Scarlet THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY
EDITORS
Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Macey Managing Editor: Alika Gillard Layout Editor: Ryan King News Editor: Giulia Elena Casella Opinions Editor: Elyse Wyatt Living Arts Editor: Katherine Hamilton Sports Editor: Natalia Raja Photo Editor: Amanda Quiñones General Manager and Fact Checker: Daniel Juarez
SCARLET STAFF
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The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
Police Logs 10/31/2017–11/7/2017 Compiled by Jessica Macey Thursday, Nov. 2 18:33 – Caller reported individual with an open alcohol container sitting outside of Acoustic Java; requested that the individual be removed. WPD spoke with the individual and had him move. Friday, Nov. 3 23:49 – Report of group climbing on construction equipment on Florence Street. Individuals were spoken to and removed. Saturday, Nov. 4 22:18 – Caller reported two white males attempting to break into a vending machine on the first floor of Wright Hall. One suspect was wearing a blue M. Kors jacket, and the other was wearing a backwards hat. The individuals were found in the JSC squad and claimed to have been let in by a student, who they were now waiting for. They were given a warning and removed from campus. Monday, Nov. 6 03:47 – Report of two suspicious males entering the Academic Commons. Gone on arrival. 07:44 – Report of two suspicious males entering Dodd. The two were reportedly wearing baggy, dark colored clothing, and one had a black and white hat. Units searched all floors and could not find the individuals. 12:46 – Fire alarm went off in Dodd, and a fire was reported on the third floor. The WFD was notified, as were RLH personnel. Medical services requested for an individual with a burn injury on their hand.
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The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
Allies and Allyship Clark hosts annual conference to empower social change By Drashhti Bilimoria Scarlet Staff
On Nov. 4, Clark University’s Millennium Leadership Club hosted the annual Millennium Leadership Conference, this year entitled “Allies and Allyship.” The Millennium Leadership Club hosts this conference every year to raise awareness of critical topics in society. Topics the conference covered included diversability, people of color, anti-Semitism, crime and justice, and ways to help people without taking from their unique perspective or voice. To begin the conference, participants were asked to consider what they thought allyship looked like, felt like, sounded like, and acted like. One attendee, Lia Scala (‘21), likened allyship to popping kernels, loud and vocal sometimes, but silent at other times. Others used words such as “listening,” “love,” “validation,” “inclusion,” and “unity” to describe allyship. Through discussion, attendees found that many of them related allyship to supporting one another-whether this is through a Facebook post or by holding others accountable for their actions--and celebrating our differences despite turmoil
Clark students and other attendees speak at the Millennium Leadership Conference. Photos by Nicolas Lee.
or backlash we may face. Over lunch, attendees chose from a variety of topics, including immigration, education, and sexuality, to discuss in small groups. Within each broad topic, the discussions touched upon a variety of issues. Within the scope of immigration, the group discussed their opinions and experiences while relating them to current issues in the media, such as the 14th amendment right to citizenship, dreamer’s rights, citizenship tests, and Republican plans for DACA recipients. These discussions were led by
Clark faculty and students, who allowed those in attendance the chance to share not only a unique perspective, but also a part of their identity with others--even identities we may not realize people hold, at first glance. After lunch, attendees broke off into smaller group workshops, some of which were taught by Clark personnel, including Hall Director Demetrius Evans, Director of Multicultural & First-Generation Student Support Hayley Haywood, and Assistant Director for Campus Life Kamaro Abubakar.
Some workshops offered during the conference included “Identitree,” “Desensitization to the Black Community: How to Reverse It,” “LGBTQ Allyship,” and “Imagining Better Allyship Through Written Narrative.” These workshops focused on different aspects of allyship and how a person can grow while empowering and supporting others. “Identitree,” taught by Kamaro Abubakar, focused on personal identities and how one’s experiences growing up have shaped them. During the workshop, each member cre-
ated “trees” with the branches being different aspects of their identities, such as religion, ethnicity, citizenship status, sexual orientation, and ability, and the leaves showing how often they thought about each aspect of their identity. After creating personal trees, members split into small groups to discuss identities and the privileges they have experienced (or not experienced) as a result of it. Abubakar then assisted attendees in using their personal identities to become better allies. Each workshop during the conference was unique in that it focused on different aspects of allyship and how a person can empower and support others as an ally while also growing as a person. After the workshops, all attendees reconvened to discuss the day’s events and see how their definitions of what allyship looked like, felt like, sounded like, and acted like had changed throughout the day. Many found that they had expanded on their definition of allyship, and could find ways to support one another with even the smallest of gestures. The day ended with dinner and various performances by Clark entertainment groups.
Puppies and Pesto: Nu Café Fundraiser a Howling Success By Sara Conroy Scarlet Staff
Last Friday, five Clark University students enrolled in Arts and Science of Management organized a fundraiser at Nu Café for Second Chance Animal Shelter. A core element of the course is working in teams to effectively engage in the Worcester community with the aim of creating change. The endless possibilities of projects that groups could take on were daunting at first, and many ideas were bounced around. Liz Wong (’20) said that it took two to three
weeks for their group to decide what their semester-long project would be. Eventually, the group decided on a fundraiser for a fairly new local animal shelter, Second Chance Animal Shelter. Wong also stated they got to meet the head of the Worcester branch, which really solidified their commitment to their new plan. Second Chance Animal Shelter recently opened a Community Veterinary Clinic in Worcester on Aug. 16th. Second Chance is a nationally recognized organization that provides innovative programs and ser-
vices to help animals. Some of Second Chance’s mission statements include providing temporary shelter, preventing overpopulation through spaying and neutering programs, and providing low or no cost general veterinary services. They are a no-kill shelter that makes adoption affordable and practical for many people and families. The students thought the best way they could help the animal shelter was to raise money for them to use on continued animal vaccination and care at a minimal cost. The shelter also needs to have funding for
food, bedding, and toys for the animals at the shelters. The way to every college student’s heart? Puppies and food. Clarkies came out in loads to support the cause. Nu Café is a staple in many Clarkie lives. Just one mile off campus, it is comfortable to walk to on a nice day, and a lightning-quick car or bike ride. Nu Café has been known for its connection to the Worcester community, and it is even a participating establishment on Group Raise, which allows people to find local establishments that will help
raise money. If you happened to make it to the event last Friday, then 20 percent of your bill went to the Second Chance Animal Shelter to aid in their mission. Though the fundraiser is over, this is not the end of the road for the group’s plan to help out. Nicolina Braccio (‘20) explained that there are plans to solicit help from local businesses to donate supplies to the shelter, and to go to the Worcester clinic and volunteer.
FUNDRAISER PG. 4
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The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
Public Space: A Platform for Concepts of Race By Max Elias Scarlet Staff
In “Race, Memory and Public Space,” Professor Mabel O. Wilson, Associate Director of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies, spoke about the controversies and historical evolution of monuments such as Confederate statues. Despite the topic’s relevance having been brought to the attention of many due to recent developments, the lecture was not conceived following the events in Charlottesville. Wilson has been interested in this subject for a number of years. Her central question was based off the fact that “one value central to the question of public good is how we interpret the past.” Based on that, she approached the question through a historical evolution of monument usage. She discussed ideologies that motivated these monuments beginning with European colonizers, whose ideologies grew into those of
FUNDRAISER CONTINUED FROM PG. 3 If you love animals and are looking to get involved in the Worcester community, you should think about engaging with the Second Chance Animal Shelter. They have information on volunteering and donations on their website: www.secondchanceanimals.org.
Americans. Writers such as Immanuel Kant established a narrative of Europeans and the ‘others,’ which helped establish the white European as the universal man. This carried over into establishment of monuments to celebrate those virtues, which they were convinced black people did not possess. The philosophies of the Enlightenment—those prioritizing reason and natural law—were used in revolutionary times to portray black people as talentless, unintelligent, and emotionless. Similarly in this era, buildings like Thomas Jefferson’s statehouse in Virginia were constructed, which Wilson explained as signifying the values of whiteness, drawing on its Greco-Roman construction and function as a bastion of American politics, which was a domain for white landowners in those days. Wilson’s point was not necessarily that racist monuments have been a persistent phenomenon throughout
the country’s history, but particularly to illustrate that simple buildings and statues carry ideological weight. African-American monuments from similar historical periods exist, although they rest on decidedly different interpretations of the past. Wilson cited a monument to Frederick Douglass as an example of this. It was erected in Rochester to honor the man, and symbolized both a storied struggle and a potential future. Further developing Wilson’s theory of monuments imposing ideology in public spaces, the South attempted to commission statues portraying African-Americans as big-lipped, overly dark, primitive-featured stereotypes—conforming to their interpretation of history. In 1913, the Temple of Beauty was created as a monument to black culture and curated by W.E.B DuBois. In stark contrast to monuments like the Jefferson statehouse, it drew on Egyptian and Nubian architecture rather than Greco-Roman features.
The structure and the exhibits contained within it celebrate Africanism and portray Africans as a people with an extensive history and culture, rather than savages that needed whiteness to become civilized. The Temple of Beauty drew from the same historical background as Jefferson’s statehouse, demonstrating the impact of interpretation on outcome. Another cited example from a similar time is the so-called “Negro Building” erected in South Carolina. The original architect planned to memorialize the four races in America—white, African, Native American, and Spaniard—but the building ended up being another collection of racist imagery. The building featured statues of African-Americans as caricatures and recalled Reconstruction-era minstrel shows. This time the Southern attempt to preserve their conception of history was poorly received by AfricanAmericans in South Carolina. It was
viewed as insulting and not reflective of the actual African-American experience and cultural background. The general difference in monuments created by African-Americans and whites that Wilson noted was that in the case of African-Americans “the monuments did not signify past events, but were meant to evoke events yet to happen,” which is why they often had a regal bent. In contrast, monuments and buildings commissioned by whites often rested on beliefs about African-Americans in the past and desire to maintain those interpretations. Even though the lecture was not inspired by the Charlottesville events this past August, Wilson offered a word of caution on modern Confederate monuments: given the historical use of monuments as vehicles for ideology, she pointed out that it is necessary to be mindful of the way the monuments reinforce whiteness as normative and blackness as ‘other.’
The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
living arts | 5
The Story of
“Us”
Clark’s fifth biannual New Play Fest debuts second show By Monica Sager Scarlet Staff
“Us” was written by Clark student, Toni Armstrong (‘19) and directed by Themal Ellawalla (‘17). Audience members were welcomed into the Little Center Theater 15 minutes before the play started. They watched the “Us” actors’ portrayal of “Hot Lesbian Action.” A funny twist, all members were fully-dressed, and most scenes were just a few performers lying around or giving foot rubs. “I’ve done a lot in my life, but I’ve never once given a curtain speech in front of hot lesbian sex,” Gino DiIorio, program director of theater, said. “Us” is about the ways different people react to the same situation.
MAIN SOUTH CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 It was in the midst of these tumultuous times that the Main South CDC chose to focus on the revitalization of one of Main South’s then roughest areas, the Kilby-Gardner-Hammond area. Through an innovative combination of investment in first-time home ownership, removal and replacement of abandoned industrial sites with quality affordable housing, and the construction of after-school resources such as the new Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, Main South CDC and its partners were able to transform the neighborhood
The play started with Sienna (played by Mayrav Feynman (‘18)) and Tam (played by Natalie Wolpert (‘18)) finding a body. The audience learns that the girl found was Miriam’s (played by Sarah Drapeau (‘17)) girlfriend. We watch the ways all three, Miriam’s friends (played by Emily Guare (‘18), Pawan Mirchandani (‘20), and Emma Kirkman-Davis (‘20)), deal with the death of someone they knew dearly or not at all. “Over the next three weeks, we’ll see work at different stages of development,” the program read. “Some will seem ready for full productions while others might still need rewrites and crafting.” But “Us” seemed to be close—if not already—complete.
from a disused industrial site to a homeowner-occupied residential community. This focus on firsttime homeowner families is a unique aspect of Main South CDC’s approach to urban revitalization, and one that the organization firmly believes must be emphasized if revitalization efforts are to produce long-lasting results. “You’ve created a new neighborhood with families and children involved in the Boys and Girls Club, which causes the crime to relocate elsewhere,” Foley said. “By inhabiting the space you improve both the reality and perceived image of safety.” Currently the Main South
Photo by Jay Sundar Rajan.
Out of the 80 or so people who came to opening night November 3, many had tears in their eyes during the play. Sniffles could also be heard, just a testament to how well Armstrong wrote the play. The play was very well done. Closing night, November 5, was performed on the same level as opening night as tears were still shed and the Little Center was full. “What’s most important isn’t the product, but the process that gives
playwrights, directors, actors, and technical staff the opportunity to work collaboratively and find the voice of the play,” the program read. And the collaborative work was evident. Lighting, designed by Maya Krantz (‘17), added to the mood of each scene, guiding where the audience looked. Sounds, designed by Spike Bleyer, set the intensity of the in between scenes, which was a great partnership with the projections designers, Sarah Kaplan
(‘18) and Claire Sullivan. Attendance is free with a college ID and $5 for general admission. Clark University Players Society (CUPS) and the visual and performing arts department handed out New Play Festival punch cards. If students go to all six plays in the three weeks, DiIorio announced, they will receive a CUPS cup full of candy.
Community Development Corporation focuses its energies on a number of primary areas: The Virtual Library program, workforce development, affordable housing, monthly community meetings, storm water management, criminal justice reform, public tax assistance services, and the Main South Youth Corps. However, while the funding for these efforts is provided by a variety of sources including private donations, conventional investments, and grants from the US Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development, it is still a significant undertaking from an organization with fewer than a dozen full-time employees.
Due to this limited workforce and the reality of budgetary limitations, Main South CDC relies heavily on volunteerism - especially from the Clark student population to effect the change that it desires to see in the community. “The single most important objective to us is to create aspirational goals for kids in the neighborhood. Clark students are absolutely instrumental to the achievement of that goal,” Foley commented. Students working through the Main South CDC have done everything from assisting in planning community events to prequalifying first-time home buyers, however, some of Clarkies’
most profound work has been in local public schools, where they’ve assisted both in the classroom and on the sports field. As Main South CDC moves forward in its efforts to achieve their long-term goal of the stabilization and revitalization of the Main South neighborhood, Clarkies will doubtlessly continue to impart the positive change in their community that the university itself stands for and inspire more to follow in their footsteps.
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The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
Exploring Love and Lust
New Play Festival
Play Fest opens with “Reunion”
Don’t miss any upcoming shows!
By Ari Reyes Scarlet Staff
Last week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Clark University Player’s Society (CUPS) began their biannual Playfest. Playfest contains a series of six plays written, produced, and performed by Clark undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. The first of the plays was “Reunion” written by Alyssa Spencer (‘17) and directed by Kathryn Howell (‘17). The show was about two lesbian ex-lovers, Hannah and Ashley, who meet up three years after graduating from college. Hannah ends up in Ashley’s town in Connecticut where she asks if she can stay with her for the night before the reunion. Ashley reluctantly says yes because she still has feelings for Hannah, even
NOCHE LATINA CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Even though appetizers were being served at all the tables by LASO members for the entire duration of both performances, it was announced that dinner would be served following Salsa. Dinner was in the style of a buffet featuring a variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes, including crowd pleasers like fresh tortilla chips and black beans. All of the food was provided courtesy of Tacos Mexico, a local Mexican establishment. Several other performances followed dinner, including a cover of popular songs such as “Limón y Sal” and an acoustic rendition of “Despacito” by Clark students. The Salsa team once again made an appearance, but this time performing Bachata, a dance form that originated in the Dominican Republic, earning vigorous applause and cheering from the audience. Churros were served throughout the last half of the event, which led up to the
after three years of being apart, but Hannah claims that the feelings are not mutual. They head to the reunion together and both end up drinking a lot there. The two of them end up in the same room at a hotel and sleeping together. The next morning Hannah is very adamant that she must go home and seems upset, which upsets Ashley. Hannah goes home and tells her boyfriend, Matt, what happened between the two of them, resulting in him wanting to meet Ashley. The meeting between Hannah and Matt leads to a dispute, resulting in their breakup. Hannah’s heartbreak brings her back to Ashley’s apartment, where Ashley tells her she needs to be single for a while before anything can happen between the two of them.
last act, in the style of a flash mob and pairing contemporary dance moves with popular Spanish dance songs. Once all the performances were done, the dance floor was opened to all guests along with the rest of the community who had missed out on buying tickets. Guests also lined up for pictures at the colorful photo booth featuring props like flower crowns and letter balloons, as well as a giant photo frame attesting to the theme of “Lost in Paradise”. The speakers continued to blare both popular Spanish throwbacks along more recent hits and the dancing continued late into the night. People attempted to learn the steps to the previous year’s choreography from the salsa team, and took turns at breakdancing and playing limbo as one of the MC’s successfully crowd-surfed. As the night progressed, the lingering laughter, noise, and overall enthusiasm on the dance floor became suggestive of the success of the night’s events.
The performance was really great. I saw the show on the last night that it was playing, and I really enjoyed myself. I thought that the actors did a wonderful job. I thought that they all portrayed their characters very well. The story line was very interesting, and was very well put together. I would’ve liked to know more of what happened to Hannah and Ashley’s relationship after Hannah and Matt’s break up. However, I do like the element of interpretation, that you get to guess what happened to their characters, either happy or sad. Overall, “Reunion” was a great show, and if you had the chance to see it, you got to enjoy a play full of laughs and excitement.
B!tch Fri, Sat, Sun, November 10-12
Bert’s Cardiac Arrest Tue, Wed, Thur, November 14-16
Glass Walls Fri, Sat, Sun, November 17-19
Little Center, Michaelson Theatre All Shows Begin at 7:30pm Free admission with a Clark ID!
Diego Baraona (‘17) and Corie Welch (‘17) perform a musical rendition of “Sobreviviendo“ by Victor Heredia. Photo by Andreana Nop.
opinions | 7
The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
The opinions enumerated in this section represent those of the author and the author alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board, The Scarlet, or Clark University.
No (English-Speaking) Child Left Behind Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) is failing in Massachusetts By Alika Gillard Managing Editor
Protesters gather at an Anti-Trump Rally in Chicago. Photo by Ben Alexander via Wikimedia Commons.
Three Strikes and You’re…Still In?
Trump administration faces the consequences of ongoing scandal with Russia By Sabrina Hallal Scarlet Staff
It seems as though the main headlines for months now have been about Special Counsel Robert Muller and his investigation into the connection between Russia and the Trump campaign. Whether there was any interference by the Russians in the election is yet to be determined, but the investigation has been an eventful one. And President Trump’s campaign has sustained three major hits over the past few weeks, in the forms of indictments against Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos. Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, was indicted on several charges, including money laundering and tax evasion, as well as other charges, spanning over a significant period of time. On October 30th, Manafort surrendered to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and pled not guilty, but the charges still stand and are detrimental to the campaign’s reputation. Rick Gates, Manafort’s associate and campaign advisor, was indicted with the same charges as Manafort. The two are thought to have been making money in Ukraine, through pro-Russia groups, and lying about doing so. They then sent the mon-
ey to banks in Cyprus, and then to the United States, according to the charges. Gates, like Manafort, surrendered to the F.B.I and pled not guilty. George Papadopoulos proves to be a different story, though. Papadopoulos, the former Foreign Policy Advisor of the Trump campaign, was questioned in January by the F.B.I about possible ties to the Russians. It was believed that Papadopoulos had been talking to a professor in London with ties to the Russian government, and wanted to use those ties to assist Trump in the 2016 election. When initially questioned, Papadopoulos denied having known the professor, but plead guilty in early October to lying to the F.B.I about the connection, now claiming that he did talk to the professor in the hopes of making connections with the Russian government. Many have taken the indictments as sure signs that Trump’s victory in the 2016 election was orchestrated, but it is still unclear whether the Trump campaign was actually connected to Russian government officials. Although Manafort and Gates have been indicted, and Papadopoulos has pled guilty, their actions cannot be definitively con-
nected to President Trump and his campaign. In the span of the investigation, these are just minor details that fail to determine whether any Russian interference took place under the President’s jurisdiction. But, the indictments prove dangerous to Trump’s administration. They have created increased doubt in the validity of the election. After all, if some of Trump’s former campaign members were so corrupted, it is possible that there is even more corruption to be found. Though the charges cannot prove anything for sure, they have drawn a lot of attention to the campaign. And considering the seriousness of the charges made by Mueller’s investigation, it seems as though something deeper and very questionable is going on. At this moment, though, nothing can be said for sure. There isn’t currently enough evidence to make a substantial case against the Trump administration. What can be said is that Mueller’s team still has a long way to go in the investigation.
For 15 years, equating just over an entire primary and secondary education, Massachusetts has implemented and committed to Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) in public schools. Question 2, the ballot measure that enacted SEI, was first introduced in 2002, restricting public education to English-only instruction and eliminating the prior efforts to embrace bilingualism. This ballot measure was approved effortlessly when 62 percent of respondents voted to replace the current state law providing for transitional bilingual education in public schools with a law requiring that, with limited exceptions, “all public school children must be taught English by being taught all subjects in English and being placed in English language classrooms.” Now that a decade and a half has passed, it is evident that this law has failed to decrease the achievement gap between English Language Learning (ELL) students, due to the one-sizefits-all construction and the lack of effective instruction from teachers. SEI is a method of teaching that integrates both language and content instruction, and is intended to last no more than one year. Within this year, ELL students are separated into a class with other ELL students to learn appropriate material for their age and grade, while developing and strengthening English skills. Critics of the law argue that it takes somewhere between five to seven years to build academic fluency in a language, and that teachers have failed to provide adequate instruction for students in large, urban schools where the number of ELL students continues to rise. Proponents of Question 2 present the rhetoric that
bilingual education impedes the English learning process of non-English speakers, which in turn complicates the learning process in the classroom. However, the contrary has been interpreted from research on ELL students--research on English-only education has shown that SEI does not improve the performance of ELL on standardized tests and even widens the achievement gap in some schools (source). Despite the liberal associations of the state, Massachusetts remains one of the very few states in the nation that upholds a bilingual restriction, accompanied by much more conservative states, such as Arizona. Other Western states (Oregon, Colorado, California) have been successful in striking down English-only instruction laws that were formerly in place, but Massachusetts’ Question 2 law still prevails, though not without pushback. Many have criticized the fact that campaigns for the SEI laws in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Massachusetts were led by a single man, Ron Unz, a lucrative software engineer and entrepreneur. The law has been challenged three times since its implementation, including the most recent effort to repeal it in August of this year. Since English is the majority language, it is crucial for students to become fluent in it, as there are no federal regulations for requiring foreign language documents and alternatives. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 proposed strict laws on standardized testing, including language restriction on standardized tests, emphasizing the importance of students’ academic fluency in English.
QUESTION 2 PG. 8
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The Scarlet
nov. 10, 2017
Kevin Spacey’s Continued Epic Downfall By Sarah Reinbrecht Scarlet Staff
After the scandal surrounding Harvey Weinstein, multiple men have been accused of sexual assault. Kevin Spacey, an actor most recently seen on House of Cards, is among the numerous men to undergo various accusations. Fortunately, he faced multiple repercussions, sparking hope that perhaps the culture around sexual assault is changing. However, what makes Spacey’s case particularly unsettling is his way of deflecting the attention by coming out as gay. Generally, people who are coming out as gay should be accepted and celebrated. However, Spacey’s timing of his decision to come out as gay may have been intended as a distraction from his behavior, while also perpetuating the stereotype that gay men and women are inherently predatory. On Oct. 29, Spacey addressed the issue of the allegations against him as well as his sexuality in the same statement that was issued on twitter. It is curious that he would
QUESTION 2 CONTINUED FROM PG. 7 Though only 15 years have passed since the bill was introduced, the number of ELL students in public schools has nearly doubled, bringing attention to this bill yet again. There are roughly 41 million Spanish-speakers in the United states, meaning that the nation contains the second-largest Spanishspeaking population in the world, second only to Mexico. Not only is this bill becoming outdated as the national demographic evolves, it is detrimental to ESL students and widens the achievement gap that already exists in public school education. Although there has been no proven success to this bill, one possible amendment would be to increase the program time to more than one year-in many schools, this is already the case, though the SEI program is constructed for a shorter amount of time.
lump those two announcements together as they are unrelated. He describes how he wants to “deal with this [his sexuality] honestly and openly,” which is commendable, and may translate to leading a more open life in general. However, his denial of the allegations in the previous paragraph contradict his goal to be more honest and open and “[examine his] own behavior.” Thus, the odd pairing of denying sexual assault claims and coming out seem to serve another purpose. No one can truly know what Spacey’s intentions were when he issued that statement, but considering the context of the situation, it is reasonable to conclude that coming out was intended to be a distraction. Further, Spacey and anyone else is allowed to publicize their sexuality when and how they feel is best. But Spacey is a public figure, and with that comes responsibility. Therefore, when he announces he identifies as gay, he is representing the gay community. This is unfortunate and unfair, but true. So, when
Spacey conflates sexual assault allegations against him with his sexuality, he only perpetuates the idea that gay men, and other members of the LGBT+ community are predatory. This is a harmful and inaccurate stereotype that misrepresents the gay community, and for Spacey to perpetuate it in the slightest is unfair to everyone else in the gay community, especially those less privileged than him. Ultimately, Spacey’s statement seemed to do more harm than good. Despite the various explanations and excuses for his behavior, it seems he is still feeling the repercussions of his inappropriate actions. Perhaps we should just focus on the success of removing a dangerous man from power rather than his defense of himself, as Spacey’s attempts at distracting the country and redeeming himself only come up short. Considering his behavior, how could they not?
More importantly, the lingual composition of these classrooms is not ideal for ELL students. Instead of integrating them into a classroom with English speaking students, they are put in classrooms specifically for non-English speaking children. This may have been more effective for predominantly Spanish-speaking ELL students in Arizona, California, and Colorado, but Massachusetts has a different situation. The main problem that has been addressed by policy makers is that the bill was derived from Unz’s former laws that are implemented in states where there is an overwhelming majority of ELL students who speak Spanish. Massachusetts offers unique challenges because a large proportion of ELL students speak Portuguese, Cantonese, and other languages along with Spanish, creating unseen challenges for the teachers. When considering federal law,
there is no official language in the United States--it is within the discretion of the states to decide whether public schools will provide bilingual education or English-only education. The problem with Question 2 is that it treats bilingualism as a detriment or barrier to a student’s success, which research suggests is the opposite of the truth. Many psychological and neurological studies have shown that there are cognitive and developmental benefits to bilingualism, yet the American public school system has failed to embrace this evidence (NCBI). Lawmakers and their constituents are faced with the uncomfortable reality that there is no single language that represents America. Laws such as Question 2 are rooted in the mindset that America is a monolinguistic nation and disregard the incredibly abundant and colorful languages spoken by our diverse population.
STUDY AND TRAVEL IN The GRAND-DUCHY of LUXEMBOURG in EUROPE from May 15 to June 8, 2018 APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, February 7, 2018
The May Term Program in Luxembourg Do you want to travel and live in Europe? Do you want to earn a Clark credit while studying abroad? Do you want to meet and travel with other Clarkies?
The May Term in Luxembourg can provide you with all of the above. ******
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS INFORMATION MEETING ON Wednesday, November 15 at 6 pm, in Lurie Conference Room in University Center
Individual meetings are available at any time during the semester. Email us at LuxembourgPrograms@clarku.edu to set up an appointment. Join us to hear more information about the program, see photos, pick up applications, meet the professors, and to hear from previous May Term students.