The Daily Northwestern Monday, February 20, 2017
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High school delays transgender policy ETHS principal cites volatile legal, political landscape By DAVID FISHMAN
daily senior staffer @davidpkfishman
Jeffrey Wang/Daily Senior Staffer
The Democratic Party of Evanston held an endorsement meeting on Sunday. The tally of votes will be released tomorrow, officials said.
City Dems vote on endorsements Democratic Party of Evanston holds vote on contested city elections By BILLY KOBIN
daily senior staffer @billy_kobin
In light of numerous contested races, the Democratic Party of Evanston decided to
break with tradition and ask its members to vote on who the organization should endorse in Evanston’s contested elections, offering an option to not to endorse at all. The organization hosted an endorsement meeting
Sunday for members to make these decisions. Eamon Kelly, Evanston’s Democratic committeeman, said the organization does not typically endorse candidates in municipal elections due to the fact that those races are non-partisan.
However, due to the recent elections at the national and state levels, the group wanted to provide guidance to voters participating at the local level, Kelly said. » See DEMOCRATS, page 5
Evanston Township High School officials have decided to indefinitely postpone enacting an official policy on transgender students’ use of gendered spaces, citing a turbulent political landscape and shifting legal opinions. “There are a lot of kids with varying identities at ETHS who are very scared,” Principal Marcus Campbell told The Daily. “We’re trying to figure out how to protect the kids … in an environment that is politically tempestuous. We’re just trying to steady the ship.” The high school, which serves more than 3,300 students from Evanston and Skokie, currently employs a set of “procedures” to guide faculty and staff on the issue. Though it drafted an official policy in fall 2015, Campbell said officials have delayed enactment to avoid legal action and comply with new federal guidance. Transgender students may use the bathroom of their choice at ETHS but must request access
to a separate locker room. Students, teachers and administrators who spoke to The Daily last fall, however, shared different interpretations of those procedures and none could point to any public documentation. Asher White, an ETHS junior who is transgender, said the district has remained largely “stagnant” on the issue and challenged it to take a stand. “In a consistently and increasingly troubling political environment, it becomes more of a responsibility to accommodate marginalized people,” she said. “It’s probably a good idea to step up and make trans kids at your school feel comfortable.” White said though she did not feel actively threatened by the new federal administration, ETHS should take proactive steps to protect its students. But Campbell said enacting an official policy could open the school to legal action that might undo other measures already in place. “A lawsuit has the potential — given the legal climate — to undo all the protections that we already have,” Campbell said. “The terrain is way too turbulent at the moment to make our school a » See ETHS, page 5
Aasif Mandvi visits NU
Former Daily Show correspondent talks religion By JAKE HOLLAND
the daily northwestern @jakeholland97
Comedian Aasif Mandvi told students to always fight Islamophobia at a talk hosted by South Asian Students Alliance and the Muslim-cultural Students Association on Friday. The talk, held in Ryan Auditorium, was organized by McSA and SASA as their annual winter co-sponsorship event. Mandvi, a former senior correspondent on “The Daily Show,” spoke about his experience growing up as a South Asian Muslim in England and the United States, as well as the hardships he faced trying to become an actor. Rimsha Ganatra, co-president of McSA, told The Daily that the student organizations chose Mandvi as a speaker because of his ties to both South Asian and Muslim communities.
Man found dead Friday on Sherman Ave.
A 48-year-old man was found dead Friday morning in the 1500 block of Sherman Avenue, police said.
“Aasif having a Muslim upbringing and being a South Asian allowed us to combine the two cultural groups and bring them together in the form of one speaker,” the Weinberg senior said. Mandvi, an actor, comedian and social activist, used wit and humor to discuss serious topics like President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order, which barred citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days. The order is currently held in court. “If he really wants to keep (Muslims) out, he should build a wall of bacon,” Mandvi said, referencing the fact that Islamic dietary law prohibits the consumption of pork products. Mandvi also discussed his lack of religiosity as a teenager and young adult, joking that he was “the worst Muslim out there.” But 9/11 increased his
visibility as a Muslim American, he said, and many were quick to attach the label to him despite his lack of involvement with Muslim religious organizations at the time. After Mandvi’s talk, organizers played a clip from “Halal in the Family,” a web series starring Mandvi and Sakina Jaffrey, an actress who has also appeared in “House of Cards” and “Mr. Robot.” The show took a family sitcom formula and transformed it into a vehicle for dismantling Islamophobia by showing the everyday lives of Muslims with humor, he said. Aneesa Johnson, a Communication junior who attended the event, told The Daily she appreciated the show, which won a Peabody award and was recently picked up by TBS. “I love his show. I used to watch it my freshman year in
The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was found in the rear of a business on the block and was initially thought to be sleeping, according to a news release from Evanston police. A person who found the man was unable wake him up and called police just before 10
a.m. There were no signs of foul play, and the man — whose last address was in Evanston — was transported to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office for further examination.
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
» See MANDVI, page 6
— Nora Shelly
Daily file photo by Susan Du
Customers drink beer at Peckish Pig, 623 Howard St. The management of the pub decided to close down on Thursday for the “day without immigrants” protest.
Stores participate in protest By NORA SHELLY
daily senior staffer @noracshelly
At least two Evanston business owners closed up shop Thursday to participate in “a day without immigrants,” a nationwide protest aiming to bring awareness to the vital roles immigrants play in American society. Stores and businesses across the country closed Thursday in solidarity with the movement. In Chicago, restaurant-owner Rick Bayless closed four of his restaurants, and crowds met and rallied in Union Park in support of the protest. The event
comes after reports of ICE raids across the country and a nowstalled executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month barring people with citizenship in seven Muslimmajority countries from entering the country. The management of Peckish Pig, 623 Howard St., announced their decision to close in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon “to show our solidarity with immigrants of all kinds, many of whom make up our devoted, hardworking, valued staff.” Debbie Evans, the executive chef and owner of the restaurant, said they made the decision to close the restaurant after hearing that a lot of her staff
was hoping to take the day off. Evans is from Liverpool, England, and said a lot of her staff are also immigrants. It was her experience as an immigrant that led them to make the decision, Evans said. “We know what kind of struggle it is to actually survive as an immigrant in a foreign country,” she said. Evanston architect Omar Gutiérrez said he decided not to work or buy anything on Thursday for similar reasons. Gutiérrez, who is originally from Colombia, has lived in Evanston for 17 years. Before he became a citizen, Gutiérrez » See DAY, page 5
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