b&w
BLACK AND WHITE APRIL 2021 VOLUME 29 ISSUE 6
What We Have Left To
Say
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Print Editor Online Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor
Marandah Mangra-Dutcher Savannah Dennis Kylie Emery Joel Kellar Noah Gilbert
APRIL
When Jay Rice ‘94 brainstormed the name of our paper in 1991, it was not because of the ink color. For the last 28 years, our mission has been to bring our audience stories from the school, community and nation, told clearly and without exaggeration--in black and white.
STAFF WRITERS Nolan Akins Parker Anderson Nathan Anderson Addison Etnier Lily Fredericks Laila Hasanovic London Heim Marley Jenkins Renee Johnson Tate Larsen Abby Lehan Theron Luett
Ayden Lyon Levi Manley Jay Marren Sabrina McGuire Alyssa Minear Charles Pruett-Shillak Tyler Roberts Tarun Srikaran Edina Suljic Aidan Topolinski Michael Wesseh Ahren Young
Illustration by Joel Kellar
PAGE 16
WHAT WE HAVE LEFT TO SAY We have a lot of things we have not written this year. With the three different learning models our school had to take this year, it became difficult to cover really in-depth stories the right way. We had not had the time to find the necessary interviews, or do the research that is needed for a well rounded story because of all the changes to the class. In this last normal issue of the 20-21 school year, where we have been in person the entire time, we decided that the paper needed to cover at least some “gut” stuff. We needed to cover the things that are affecting or going to affect our futures whether we know it or not. Editor-in-Chief Marandah
CONTENT Cover Marandah
Illustration by Savannah Dennis
Mangra-Dutcher
4 Letters Off the Page 6 Vaccination Nation 8 The History of of Horror and Moral Panic 10 Virtual School Makes a Comeback 14 Dragons Do It RIght 16 Strikeout Cheating 18 The Benefits and Downfalls of SROs 20 Photo Hotspots Around Town
PAGE 10
FINE PRINT Black & White is published solely by the Johnston High School newspaper staff. It is an open forum. In accordance with Iowa law, students assign, edit material and make all decisions of content. Editorials represent the opinion of a majority of the editorial board. Editorial and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the advisor, school officials or the district. Letters to the editor must be signed. Like all material, letters may not be libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. To write a letter to the editor, or report an error in the issue, please contact the editors at jhsblackandwhite@gmail.com.
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4 | Feature
Letters Off the Page Every story has passion behind it.
sleazy and charismatic jeweler in New York
Words | Charles Pruett-Shallik Layout | Marandah Mangra-Dutcher
S
City, who continues to make risky and
torytelling is a concept that has
be shaped in whichever way the presenter or
story itself, or their morals and feelings
been present since the dawn of
reader desires.
within. The stories that force us to question
sentience within man, and serves as
Stories can serve as a basis for
or reinforce our morals, are usually the
a theoretical mirror in which the emotions
entertainment, education, or a deeper
deepest and most influential stories. Some of
and feelings imposed on man by the world
perspective on the moral values contained
my favorite examples are ones that create a
around him reflect the way man approaches
within the current or past societal norm.
spectrum between what we would normally
the world and builds his character. The art
No matter what a story is trying to convey,
define as “good” and “bad” actions and
of storytelling serves as a reflection of life,
one thing rings true throughout great
motives, and blur the line between what is
but also serves as a compass of moral lessons
storytelling, feeling. Human emotion is
inherently right or wrong.
upon the spectrum of what is considered
a fascinating concept, a powerful unseen
‘good’ or ‘bad’.
force dictating the world around us and
from film, which allows both a narrative,
influencing our every decision no matter
and a picture for the viewer to consume. A
its effects on mankind, is how it transcends
how miniscule or significant. Whether a
majority of the aspects of storytelling can all
a specific tangible platform. We can find
story gets you to laugh, cry, smile, frown,
be incorporated beautifully onto the screen.
stories in books, artwork, music, film, and
one thing is true. Stories make us feel
One of my favorite, and what I believe to be
even our own lives that we live. Stories
emotion as humans. They inspire us, and
a beautifully encompassed story arc is that
contain characters, a plot, a narrative,
encourage us to think and question.
of “Uncut Gems”, released in 2019. Following
The beautiful aspect of storytelling and
morals, there is no solid framework for what it has to be, it is a liquid concept which can
A good story instills a sense of curiosity, in which the reader questions either the
Some of my favorite examples come
Howard Ratner, played by a serious and foreboding Adam Sandler, Howard is a
conclusion of his stressful thinking. After finishing the film, there were
The psychological and emotional counterpart in great storytelling influences
high-stakes bets with borrowed money from
questions left unanswered, and storylines
the very fabrics of our lives, and creates
the mafia and gems and jewels he owns.
resolved in a way that didn’t feel satisfying
inspiration, insight and evaluation of
The film creates a high stress environment
at first. The story forced me to rethink the
not only the characters and plots within
to mirror the precarious life of Howard,
events of the film, and the line blurred
the story, but ourselves as well. The
by a sense of fast paced scenes, cutthroat
between if Howard deserved his final fate,
sophistication of modern and fabled stories
dialogue, and a soundtrack of looming and
or he simply got unlucky being caught in
alike help inspire ideas and concepts for
ominous music.
the shuffle of dangerous and high-stakes
new stories to be created, and pave the
decisions. I watched the film again, and it
way for future ideas and tales to be told.
to the psychological thriller genre of
felt like a different story was being told the
Great stories open a sense of insight for the
storytelling where Howard must balance
second time through. To me, these are the
human mind, to ponder and question the
family, his business, and his own scummy
most influential and important types of
world around them, allowing the benefit
morals. The environment is stressful, and
stories. Ones that force us to rethink what we
of greater thought and more established
can be a hard watch for any viewer. However,
know, and see life through a different lens.
morals. Storytelling serves as the building
that is where the beauty of the story lies. The
Stories that encompass human emotion, and
blocks for who we are as individuals, what
film puts the viewer in the shows of Howard,
force us to take a sort of third person view
influences our personalities and creates the
and creates the same sense of dread and
on our own lives and morals. Stories that
ideologies upon which we rely. Great stories
anxiety that Howard feels within the film.
engulf the audience in a sense of fascination
have influenced our history in who we were,
The consequences of Howards actions not
and the ability to think and create decisions
the current moment, and the future in who
only affect him, but the audience as well
based upon what we believe in and what
we want to be, and who will be.
by including visual and auditory details
we know, and when thought about long
that continue to build suspense towards the
enough, can create new morals and values
Uncut Gems stands as a classic tribute
for us to feel and believe in.
6 | feature 8 | Feature
Vaccination Nation Words | Parker Anderson Layout | Alyssa Minear
A
s the COVID-19 vaccine is slowly
Some students who do not have
getting the antibodies would be like,” AP
rolling out, students are getting
underlying conditions do not care when
Psych teacher Jesse Dowell said. “After the
more and more opportunities
they get the vaccine, as long as they can
first shot, I had symptoms for a couple of
to receive it. Whether they are getting
eventually get it. “I do not see a problem
days, like a milder version of when I had
vaccinated because of medical conditions or
with getting vaccinated,” Hannah Pitela ‘21
COVID. The second shot did not give me
because of where they work, they are being
said. “I am not in a rush though. People who
any sort of reaction.”
protected from the virus that has completely
need it before me can go ahead and get it,
changed the way we live and operate now.
I’m in no rush. I thought I had COVID-19
around friends and family. “My family
symptoms twice but tested negative so it has
broke the rules the whole time,” business
not really affected me that much.”
teacher Kayla Bousum said. “My dad has a
Some students are qualifying to get the vaccine through their jobs. “I was eligible because I work at KTC so I am technically a
Most of the students who do not want to
Johnston employee,” Sarah Wiles ‘21 said. “I received the Moderna vaccine and I am very happy with it. I feel so much safer and a lot more comfortable being in public spaces. I didn’t have any reaction.” Jobs in the area may require workers to get the vaccine. “I was eligible because I am considered an essential worker,” Alison Peralta ‘21 said. “I got the vaccine through the health department and my sister went through their website to set up the appointment for it. After I had the shot I felt sick for about 24 hours and had a high fever.” Health conditions are another possible reason students are eligible for the
condition I have,” Jenna Westendorf ‘23 said. “I did not react to my first shot but I have not gotten my second one yet, and I’m expecting some sort of reaction.” The amount of people wanting the vaccine is currently up in the air. Many want it as soon as possible, while others want it when everyone who needs it already has it, and some do not want it at all. “At some point I would want to be vaccinated,” Wendy Avalos ‘21 said. “Once I am eligible. I feel like the combination of getting vaccinated and following CDC guidelines is the best way to protect yourself. I think this is how we end the pandemic and we can finally go back to fully enjoying life like before COVID-19.”
terminal illness, so the whole time he had been telling us that he did not care if he got
“At some point I would want to be vaccinated.” -Wendy Avalos ‘21
vaccine. “I was eligible because I am 16 and considered high risk with the medical
Students and staff are feeling a lot safer
sick, he was going to die soon anyways so he wasn’t going to let COVID get between us. I did go see him after getting my second vaccine, and it was a nice feeling to know that I can’t bring him the illness because I have been vaccinated.” People are now getting to do more things while feeling safe due to the vaccine. “Our whole family got to go to Disney World over spring break,” Dowell said. “It felt nice knowing my wife and I had both been vaccinated, even though the kids hadn’t. We just followed the guidelines of wearing masks and staying six feet apart and everyone else who was there was doing the
be vaccinated have a reason to not want it. “I feel since we are not in the age category where the disease is super deadly, like 99.9% survival rate and the people who could die from it usually have an underlying condition, and I do not have one, I just do not want it because of the reaction it can cause.” Dylan Coslin ‘22 said. “The other day I saw something about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine giving people red skin, almost like they are burning from the inside out. There are all these things where people feel awful after getting it and I personally, do not think it is worth it.” Teachers are also being vaccinated because they are considered essential workers. “I had COVID so I knew what
same thing.” Along with getting to do more things, people are also seeing more people who are also vaccinated. “I got to see my aunt and her family,” Westendorf ‘23 said. “My aunt is high risk and her family has been super cautious throughout the whole pandemic so it felt really nice to see them. We all still wore our masks and were socially distanced but they were very comfortable seeing my family.” “I hadn’t got to see my friends since November as I was trying to limit my exposure,” Wiles ‘21 said. “Two weeks after my second dose though, I got to see my closest friends who had also been vaccinated. It felt great to be able to see them unmasked and get to spend quality time together.”
8 | Opinion
The History of Horror and Moral Panic Words and Layout | Jay Marren Throughout history, art has constantly
is, of course, traumatized after the event
Bronx, singing christmas carols. At another
opened in theaters the same weekend as
Bulger was taken to different locations to
that occurred and was raised by nuns who
theater in Milwaukee, a group known as
the original “A Nightmare on Elm Street”
be beaten, abused, and splattered with paint
been subject to scrutiny from different kinds
of the Bulger case, gave evidence that at
told him to repress his tragic past. Billy
the “Citizens Against Movie Madness,”
and outgrossed it with the weekend box
by the two boys until they tied his body to
of people, no matter the genre. Horror has
the time Jon was not living with his father
grows up to work at a toy store and is
protested the theater with signs saying “Save
office. The film was later rereleased with
a railway track. This case of brutality was
caused the brute force of it. Whether it be
when “Child’s Play 3” was in the house.
pushed into being the stores St. Nick, thus
Santa” and “Santa is Not A Murderer.” The
new marketing, wearing its controversy on
surrounded by aggression and outrage from
protests of movie releases, or the constant
So the chance that Venables watched it
horror ensues. The film sparked protests
messages of the protests spread even further
its sleeve. Because of this people flocked to
british citizens, with the two boys Venables
question of “does violence in movies cause
is highly unlikely. Psychiatric reports
by parents and families around the country
with newspapers and news broadcasts
the movie for months, eventually spawning
and Thompson viewed as some of Britain’s
violence later in life?” It is evident that there
presented to the court at the time of the
as it threatened the “sanctity of christmas.”
throwing their hats into the ring. Leonard
four sequels and a loose film remake in
most vile criminals. The two were found
has been some moral panic when horrifying
trial proved that the connection between
The film began to cause outrage before
Maltin, a famous film critic, even went on to
2012. In ways for this film, its protesting and
guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for
things are related to a horrifying movie.
Venables actions and the film were
the film came out but, as the tv spots
call it a “worthless splatter film,” even asking
controversy ending up selling the film to
constant review, eventually having their
Protests
incorrect as Venables had an aversion to
began to air. Children were traumatized
“What’s next, the Easter Bunny as a child
many of people shown in its massive box
opportunity for parole and new identities as
horror movies.
across the country as they sit down to
molester?” Tristar Pictures, the distributors
office take ins.
they reentered society. The question many
have family television time, and see a
of the movie pulled the movie from theaters
to a horror movie was in the year of 1984.
causing discussion, controversy, or panic.
masked santa claus bringing out weapons
a week after the Milwaukee release. Shortly
Violence Inspires?
asked was how childs play 3 was involved in this murder case. In one scene from
On Nov. 9, 1984, the world was shocked
Its a matter of if we let it affect it they it
to murder many. The pure image of Santa
after these events, one member from the
the film, it showed the possessed Chucky
by the release of the cult classic holiday
affected these people
was tainted and immediately parents
Citizens against Movie Madness was featured
Night” sent the entire country of america
doll splattered by paint and having its face
horror film “Silent Night, Deadly Night.”
revolted. Parents called local television
on Good Morning America stating “If they
into panic and emotional turmoil,
beaten in; a similar fate to Bulger. This of
“Deadly Night” focuses on the story of a
stations to remove the television spot from
don’t make any money on this sort of film,
another film was connected in a string of
course would become relevant discussion in
tortured child named Billy after he was
their commercial block. The parents even
maybe they won’t make any more like it.”
controversy. The next case of which was in
the case of Bulger’s murder. Rated 18 plus in
orphaned when a man dressed as Santa
went as far to protest the premiere of the
Sadly for the protestors that was not the end
the year 1993 having to deal with a shocking
Britain, there was a massive theory that the
Claus horrifically murdered his family. Billy
film at Interboro Quad Theater in the
of the story. “Silent Night, Deadly Night”
sequence of events after “Child’s Play 3” was
film had a sinister inspiration to the boys,
seeming to be the one connection of a brutal
having the fate of the doll be so similar to
murder. Two british children Jon Venables
the fate of Bulger. In his judgement, Court
and Robert Thompson were caught at the
justice Morland, said that exposure to violent
center of horror fans attention when it was
movies could have influenced the eventual
revealed across the world that these two boys
demise of Bulger, as it was revealed that
were charged with the torture and murder
Venables may have been exposed to the
of two year old James Bulger. In an effort to
film when rented out from a video store by
understand the tragic events that occurred
the Venables family, the month before the
they believed that the 1993 film “Child’s
murder. However it was reported that Neil
Play 3” was the cause of these boys violent
Venables, the father of Jon never let him
actions. On Feb. 12 1993, Bulger was taken by
watch the film. According to the police,
Venable and Thompson when his mother
the “Child’s Play” theory was convenient
Denise Bulger was distracted momentarily
for people to try and understand why this
when at the local butchers shop. What
absolutely incomprehensible tragedy
ensued was tortue too graphic to report.
occurred. Albert Kirby, the main investigator
The most prevalent case of protests
Similar to how “Silent Night, Deadly
In the end, horror will always be
11 | In-Depth
7:45 Monday, August 23
ll across the nation, schools were
A
learning platform that does not require
for the online learning option. “Edmentum
forced to shut down because of the
teachers. Students have differing opinions
is an approved curriculum through the
pandemic. The shutdown forced
about
might
Iowa Department of Education,” Woods said.
school districts to experiment with new
influence their decision on if they are going
“We’ve used Edmentum in the past, and it is
styles of teaching and learning. Usafacts.org
to do in-person or online school. “Edmentum
part of our credit recovery system. They have
revealed that during the pandemic, 65.3%
was super easy to understand and get the
a very robust catalog that we can choose
of households with children reported that
hang of,” Jasmin Kaur ‘23 said. “It was not at all
from.”
Makes a
Edmentum,
which
their children were distance learning using
Even though teachers are not required
online resources. For many schools, this
for the online learning option, they are
included going fully online or using a hybrid
Virtual School
using
model. Although both models were used this year, only online learning will be making a comeback. The original purpose of the online learning model was to be another option for students to feel safer during the pandemic. After using this model on a large scale, the district is offering it as an option next year because some students prefer it more than
Comeback
the in-person option. “I prefer online school
Words | Edina Suljic & Laila Hasanovic Layout | Savannah Dennis
model but it was very challenging for both
and I am glad I chose it,” Kathryn Walker ‘23 said. “I think it has given me the opportunity to understand things more clearly.” Others preferred the hybrid learning students and teachers. The hybrid model
“I loved that I was able to do things at my own pace. I was able to learn just as much as I would have in person, while still having a lot of freedom to do what I wanted during the day.” - Jasmin Kaur ‘23
provided for support. This practice will continue next year as well for the students that chose the online option. If a student has questions or concerns, they can contact their designated teacher for the class they are struggling with. As well as teachers, counselors are also available as a resource to online students. This
1. Log into Edmentum 2. Finish today’s assignments 3. Go to practice
similar
to
what
Students could reach out to their teachers via email or during class zooms in order to get their questions answered. However, there was no designated task
consisted of students splitting their time
teachers had to do regarding
between home and school so not all the
TO DO:
is
teachers had to do this year.
answering student questions
students were in the building at one time. “As
difficult to use.” Others view Edmentum from
but, next year there will be.
far as the hybrid model, I will tell you it is
a whole different perspective. “I personally
“It would be part of their
by far the most difficult to run for teachers
think that the Edmentum curriculum makes
day,” Woods said. “It would
and for students,” Principal Ryan Woods said.
learning harder than it needs to be,” Ethan
be considered a duty.” This
“The teaching piece of that was very difficult.”
Tran ‘23 said.
means that certain teachers
Currently, the online school option uses Edmentum for their curriculum, a virtual
it,
will be assigned the task
Edmentum will continue to be used next year
of responding to online
Although
some
may
not
enjoy
Ms.Kenny
12 | In-Depth students in order to avoid issues with teachers not responding to student emails.
Online students will also interact with in-
some. According to data from the National
person students because they will be allowed
Survey on Drug Use and Health, “Research
Despite these similarities, the 2021/2022
to do extracurriculars like sports and clubs.
shows that the school environment is critical
online school model will look different than
They will also be allowed to attend school
for fostering academic motivation and social
how it was used this year. “No in-person
activities like dances. “Online students are
development.”
teacher will be teaching online. There is no
just like in-person students, so you are a
Many students experienced this struggle
more zooming-in in the future,” Woods said.
Johnston High School student whether you
when all the student body went online earlier
There are also stricter rules regarding
are online or whether you are in-person,”
this year. “Online school was bad,” Patrick
switching between online and in-person
Woods said. ”You are eligible for sports, you
Yang ‘22 said. “I had a hard time keeping up
learning. Opposed to being able to switch
are eligible for dances, you can do everything
at my home since I got distracted too easily.”
during the semester, students will have a
that anybody else can do.”
According to Educationdata.org, “During
much shorter time frame to transfer from
In addition to being eligible for sports and
the pandemic, 42% of students indicated
online learning to in-person or vice versa, if
activities, the online school option may also
staying motivated was a major problem for
they wish to do so. “The deadline is the first
seem enticing to some because this opens up
them completing coursework online.” If
week of school,” Woods said. “So once you
the opportunity to finish classes at a faster
lack of motivation does become a problem
commit to online, you are committing for the
pace. However, students will only be able to
and students disengage from their work, the
whole semester.”
complete a semester at a time. This means
school will intervene just like they would
In addition, some online students might
with an in-person student. “First step: we try
not be entirely online. Although Edmentum
to contact the student who disengages, and
offers a variety of courses, many courses
have a conversation with that student,” Woods
like lab-based classes and music classes are
said. “If they have a hard time, we can ask the
not available online. “So, [online students]
counselor to try to contact that student. We
may be in the building for part of their day,”
“I think the biggest challenge for teaching online would be or was getting student interaction and to know where students were at and being able to adjust instruction based on their understanding.”
Ms.Wooden “It was less stressful in how you spend your time getting from and to school: spending less time getting ready, less time driving. It was convenient in the fact that it was right there.”
Ms.Love “I liked the flexibility. I liked also [how] students, in my opinion, showed more vulnerability than they would have in person because they didn’t necessarily have to be seen by their peers to share it.”
would then contact parents.”
Woods said. “For high school...there is a lot of
that students will not be able to start the next
Nonetheless, some students thrive in
courses that you can’t take online.”
semester until that one is over, even if they
online learning courses. Online school will
have completed their courses. Students will
continue in the years to come, but only if
also not be allowed to start their next school
there are a lot of students who want to do it.
year early. “It’s how we load their schedule
“You have to have so many kids before we can
to make sure their plan can be successful,”
say it’s financially even doable,” Woods said.
Woods said.
“If only 10 kids sign up to be online, I don’t
However, online learning does provide
know how you can run an online school.”
flexibility with pacing and even with personal
Due to the challenges the school has
lives. “I loved that I was able to do things at
faced this year, many students found out that
my own pace,” Kaur said. “I was able to learn
online learning is what works best for them.
just as much as I would have in person, while
Therefore, as long students continue to enjoy
still having a lot of freedom to do what I
online learning, it will continue to be offered
wanted during the day.”
as an option along with in-person learning.
The online option comes with more
This provides an opportunity for students to
personal flexibility, but it also comes with
choose what learning model best meets their
several obstacles. Some of those obstacles
academic and personal needs.
could possibly serve as dealbreakers for
CONNECTION LOST
15 | Review
Dragons Do It Right Graduates open a chicken joint at the old DQ. Words | Catherine Reiher Layout | Savannah Dennis
T
he best part of Charlotte’s Kitchen
flavor, love and soul. A medium-sized sign
about the food at Charlotte’s; all of the food
was the Char’s Sauce, it has a
welcomes customers through to their drive-
was hot and fresh. The sandwich buns were
perfect balance of sweet and salty
thru. The customer service and food create
toasted and flaky. The cheese curds were
that complimented their fried and grilled
an intimate experience. You can truly tell
lightly breaded and even tokened “best in
BBQ
chicken. The Char’s Sauce is a creamy pink
our area”. The cheese curds are comparable
dipping sauce. Similar to the sauce you would
to the ones you see at the state fair. The
Deadeye Medium Mango BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce, & pickles
receive at Cane’s but better as it has less
milkshakes were okay, a friend of mine
pepper. The sauce comes on their Original
preferred the vanilla shake to the chocolate
Chicken Sandwich, you can also order the sauce on the side, and enjoy it with chicken
both seemed pretty average. They also offer a 6150 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa 50131
tenders or their incredible waffle fries. Charlotte’s Kitchen was founded by two
shake of the month, April’s is Fruity Pebbles. Other observations by newspaper staff, the pickles are thick and they are a classic
MONDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
Robert Doan ‘14. Charlotte’s was inspired by
TUESDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
sandwich. What about the cost? The quality
THAI
Doan’s grandmother and is located in the
WEDNESDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
and quantity of the food are worth the price.
House thai sauce, thai peanut sauce, thai slaw, & pickles
previously the DQ.
THURSDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
the area, Charlotte’s is very similarly priced.
FRIDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
Johnston alumni Michael Hanstad ‘14 and
heart of Johnston on Merle Hay, in what was Charlotte’s began with a small dessert vendor at the Des Moines Farmers Market.
American pickle that you would want on a
In comparison to other chicken restaurants in What makes Charlotte’s different? The food at Charlotte’s is carefully crafted. There
With an ambition to “do better” they decided to
SATURDAY
11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM
are lots of options, from an Original Chicken
open a food truck and with great success, they
SUNDAY
CLOSED
Sandwich with their exclusive Char’s Sauce
have now opened a brick and mortar location. The menu at Charlotte’s was influenced by
to their Nashville Hot and not so common @_charlotteskitchen_
Thai and Crab Rangoon Chicken Sandwiches.
the popularity of chicken sandwiches and
April’s Monthly Special is Chicken Bacon
NASHVILLE
the Chicken Sandwich Wars. They spent six
Ranch. They also offer every sandwich with
months in a test kitchen perfecting their fried
grilled or fried chicken and as a salad.
House nashville hot sauce, mayo, pickles, & lettuce
chicken recipe.You definitely should try it for yourself. The overall experience at Charlotte’s was humbling. When first arriving, the white
ORIGINAL Char’s Chkn sauce, lettuce, & pickles
Fried Brussel Sprouts a not so common menu option. I guarantee some of you just the difference between an average fast-food
cringed at the thought of brussel sprouts.
restaurant and their food.
At a chicken sandwich restaurant? The fried
building appears washed out in comparison
The waffle fries are crispy and seasoned
brussel sprouts give the food truck and
to the busy street and construction. However,
perfectly, newspaper editors and staff rate
restaurant something to make them unique
the food being prepared inside is full of
them a 10/10. Comments and observations
that could be cooked fast and fresh.
16 | Editorial
8 game suspension, which during the 60 game season was equal to about a 22 game suspension in a normal year. Correa received nothing in a situation that seemed to at least be because of both players. Early in the 2021 baseball season a Cinncinati Reds player, Nicholas Castellanos, scored a run on a passed ball after getting on base by getting hit by what he thought was an intentional beanball. To celebrate Castellanos flexed on home plate and yelled, “Let’s F------ Go” to the pitcher who was not able to place the tag in time. The MLB handed out a two game suspension as punishment which brought attention to the fact that a player who said one curse word got suspended for longer than players who won a championship while they were cheating. Our society reflects the MLB as the world has gotten too lenient with people and corporations that cheat their way to success. Around 10 years ago the punishment in schools for cheating was more severe and usually had a major impact on a person’s grades and would make it difficult for the student to be successful. Now there is little to no consequence. With little to no consequences for cheating, many students will cheat on a test or essay. For most high school students the worst case scenario is just retaking an assessment. “We are pretty [relaxed] here,
Strikeout Cheating The editorial is an opinion held by the editorial board of the newspaper and is a collaboration of the board. It needs a simple majority to pass.This month’s vote was 5-0.
T
he Major League Baseball organization is a near perfect representation of our society in the modern age. In the past few years many scandals have emerged in the MLB and there has been little to no consequences for the offenders. The most notable scandal being the Astros sign stealing issue from 2017 to 2019 that led to their first World Series win in their franchise history. It also gave them a Most Valuable Player award winner in Jose Altuve, 9 All Star position players, a Rookie of the Year award winner in Yordan Alvarez, and 5 Silver Slugger award winners. Despite the Astros cheating, there were no consequences for the players. The sign stealing scandal was an elaborate system using cameras, televisions, and trash cans. In the investigation that the MLB completed in the winter of 2020, they found that it was a mostly player run operation. They had an assistant put a video camera in center field that transferred a live video feed to a tv in the hallway between the dugout and the team’s clubhouse. A few players would watch the live feed and look at the catcher’s signs to figure out what pitch would be thrown. A player would then bang on a trash can with a bat that would signal to the hitter the pitch that was coming. This provided an advantage for the Astros hitters. The General Manager of the Astros at the time, Jeff Luhnow, was fired though he
Houston Astros Accomplishments During Sign Stealing Scandal (2017-2019) 2017 Word Series Champions 2019 American League Champions 2017 AL MVP - Jose Altuve 9 All Star Position Players 5 Silver Slugger Winners 2019 Rookie of the Year - Yordan Alvarez
denied knowing the players were getting the signs illegally. Their manager AJ Hinch and assistant manager Alex Cora were both fired by their respective teams when the scandal came out and received a one year suspension from the MLB. Both were rehired after their suspension was up, Cora by the Boston Red Sox and Hinch by the Detroit Tigers. As a franchise they were fined $5 million and lost their first and second round picks of the MLB draft in 2020 and 2021. These punishments handed out by the MLB were seen as weak by some baseball fans and multiple players. When Astros players spoke out about the scandal many did not provide a sincere apology and said that they won and to move on. George Springer a current member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization was one of a select few Astros players who came out and apologized for the scandal. Many baseball players started speaking out saying that the punishment was weak and some took it into their own hands to punish the Astros players. In the middle of the shortened season a Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly nearly hit two Astros players, including Carlos Correa, and struck them out to end the inning. Correa believed it was intentional and there was a yelling match between Correa and Kelly which eventually led to the benches somewhat clearing as Kelly walked into his dugout. The MLB handed Joe Kelly an
like it's almost for some students what’s the worst that could happen. Oh they’re gonna make me reassess.” AP Psychology teacher Jesse Dowell said. Right now the consequences for cheating are nothing big, but for the most part that changes in the future. In college and beyond the consequences for cheating are much harsher and can have a major impact on their life. “If the wrong professor catches you doing that next year, you will be expelled. And I don’t know if the students actually understand that,” Dowell said. In schools and workplaces, a student or employee typically does not use obscene language at an acquaintance or an upper authority. A reason for this is there has been a consistent punishment for using obscene words. While it has changed slightly, the punishment is still about the same. The consequences of cheating have never been set in stone.“It’s kind of like this pendulum, and I feel like maybe the pendulum has swung a little bit too far, where if you do see people doing bad things and there’s no consequence for it and you’re someone on the fence about doing it then you might do it,” Dowell said. To stop the epidemic of cheating the world needs to swing the pendulum from way too lenient on cheating to closer to the middle. In no way should the world go back to where if someone gets caught cheating
their life is automatically ruined, but there needs to be stricter punishment for cheating. The MLB is not handing out punishments for people and teams who are cheating shows followers of the sport and leagues that even if someone gets caught cheating they will not suffer major consequences. Some fans, especially those of younger generations, will see the lack of consequences after the Astros players and realize that they could cheat with little to no risk. “There’s 10 percent of students, roughly speaking, that will do the right thing and do whatever you tell them,” Dowell said, “100 percent of the time all the time, there’s 10 percent that are gonna fight you on everything and there’s 80 percent in the middle that are impacted one way or the other.” The lack of punishments for cheating in our current society is setting up a whole generation of people up for failure. Examples such as the MLB’s leiniance and tolerance for cheating is one of the many different examples of our societies lack of accountability. To assure the success of future generations and to keep good sportsmanship in sports and life. There must be less tolerance, and more punishments for cheating.
Consequences of Cheating
Too Lenient
Too Harsh
Benefits Downfalls
Research Assistant| Levi Manley Words| Staff Layout| Marandah Mangra-Dutcher
D
onnie Henderson ‘22 likes the
middle school to protest what they called
district’s SROs and they like
the absence of equity at school. Sgt. Zach
frequently. “I forget their middle name, but
him. “I haven’t had any bad
Grandon and Slack arrived and conversation
I used to know their middle names,” he said.
experiences with the SROs, only good ones,”
with students ensued. “I do remember
They talk about sports, activities and family
he said. “The SROs help us.”
them standing off to the side, you know
when they see each other.
Jill James ‘21 feels uncomfortable with
of SRO’s
how they stand with their hands on their
Henderson said he talks with the SROs
James has observed the SROs talk to “a
SROs in the school. “I don’t think we need
select few”. She has never had a conversation
police officers watching us eat lunch, or
with one at school. “I mostly see boys talking
walking the halls or being there just for parking violations,” she said. The stark differences of opinion of these two high school students emulate those in American society. Some believe SROs benefit schools by building relationships with students and making them feel safe. Others feel their presence escalates situations and introduces teenagers into the court system for incidents that formerly were handled by the school. The Des Moines School District has discussed eliminating their SRO program. Fewer than half of the public schools in
“We take the high school SRO program very seriously.” -Ryan Woods
the United States, 42%, had an SRO during
The district employs two SROs – Dan
A “Des Moines Register” editorial about eliminating the Des Moines schools’ SRO program noted that talking with a police officer is different than talking with a teacher. The editorial said, “Unlike teachers, counselors or security guards, sworn police officers have the ability to issue criminal citations and make arrests.” The editorial talks about how the SRO program “feeds the school to court pipeline”. According to the editorial, in the 2019 school year, Des Moines SROs made 174 arrests in high schools and 140 in middle schools.
the 2015-16 school year according to the National Center of Educational Statistics.
to the police officers,” she said.
Grandon said he does not like to use belts and just stare at everyone,” she said.
the word arrest. “We don’t arrest kids, we
“I don’t understand why there were cops
refer them to juvenile court,” he said. The
Steck at the high school and James Slack at
there.” Shortly thereafter, a group of school
Johnston School District made 31 referrals in
the middle school and Summit. Johnston
administrators including superintendent
2019- 2020.
introduced the SRO program in 2007.
Laura Kacer walked out of the school.
According to the National Association
Grandon, who used to work as an SRO in
Referrals are different Grandon said because juvenile court sometimes tries
of Secondary School Principals, the SRO
the district, cited relationship building as a
alternatives to punishment. “We make
or Student Resource Officer’s primary
benefit of having SROs in schools. “If you
the referral and then juvenile court, as
responsibility is safety. They also serve as
have had those positive interactions with the
opposed to adult court, might sit down
mentors, advisers and role models.
police officer in the schools, that translates
with the student and talk about what
back out onto the streets and helps build
happened and what occurred and maybe
benefit to having an SRO in the high school.
that bridge within the community,” he said.
find a diversionary program rather than
“I think that they help by providing a sense
“That’s what we want to do.”
putting them in the system as punishment
Principal Ryan Woods cited safety as one
of security, and that they will be staying in our buildings in the future,” he said. James feels their presence is unnecessary.
SROs give students one more adult to
right away whether it’s counseling, or
talk to, especially in times of crisis Grandon
anger management classes and community
said. “If a student is more comfortable going
service,” he said. “So, the juvenile court is
She questioned why they were needed at
to the school resource officer with a crisis
there to provide them the resources in order
the march last summer. On June 6, former
in school or at home, it can help the cops
to reform rather than punish them.”
and present students gathered at the
resolve the issue,” he said.
Photo
HOT SPOTS around town
Photos and Layout | Sabrina McGuire With prom around the corner, the hunt pictureworthy places has begun. The town around is filled with vibrate life and culture that will make for some great photos.
1. The Theatre Shop on 5th Street in Valley Junction displays a sign out front that mimics a retro theatre. The sign is currently arranged for spring time. 2. On Cottage Grove Avenue in Des Moines, the Smokey Road coffee sign is a great go-to picture destination. The sign is displayed outside the cafe to take pictures in front of.
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Located downtown across the river, this red walking bridge is a great spot for pictures. The bridge is across the street from the Des Moines Police Department. 4. The multi-colored sign displays neon lights for perfect pictures. The display is located on Court Avenue right next to the bridge across the river. 5. The classic East Villege graffti welcomes you to the east side of the river with colorful illustrations. The welcome sign is located on Grand Avenue near the State Captial Building.
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