THE NETWORK MARIAN
VOLUME SIXTY-SIX • ISSUE TWO •September 2020 MARIAN HIGH SCHOOL • 7400 MILITARY AVENUE OMAHA, NE 68134 • WWW.MARIANDIGITALNETWORK.COM
When you cast your vote, thank a suffragist MaddieGenoways
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oting: one of America’s most cherished practices, considered one of the core rights of any U.S. citizen. This is why it comes as such a surprise to many that this basic right was only made available to all citizens around 45 years ago. At first, the right to vote was only extended to white, male property owners, until this was extended to include all white men in 1856. The initial voting system acknowledged neither the rights of women nor people of color. Then, after years of fighting, on Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed. The U.S. proclaimed that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied...on account of sex,” signifying a victory for women’s suffrage. The U.S. made no such promises about denying the right to vote on account of race, however. Even after such a monumental step in the direction of equality for the U.S., the amendment still excluded millions of citizens of color, men and women alike, and kept a significant percentage of the population voiceless in its own government. “We as citizens of the United States are awarded the great opportunity to have a say in
who leads our government and how it functions. We owe it to all those who can’t vote, both in America and abroad, to exercise this privilege we have been given,” sophomore Elizabeth Foreman said. Even while this percentage still could not vote, there were further steps taken to prevent people of color from voting. Many states, primarily those in the South, put in place voter suppression laws, set voting taxes and began
requiring literacy tests to keep Black Americans from voting. But slowly, progress was made toward a more equal America. In the 1950s, Asian-Americans gained citizenship and the right to vote after thousands had been forced into internment camps during WWII. Then, in 1962, Native Americans gained citizenship and their right to vote, soon followed by Black women in 1965. Finally, in 1975, Latina women joined the voting populace of the U.S.
Even in today’s government, the voices of women of all races often fall beneath others, especially in the political sphere. According to the Center of American Women and Politics, out of the 126 women currently serving in Congress, only 47 are women of color. “Young women are not typically included in the calculations elected officials are making,” Dr. Erin Feichtinger, representative on the MCC Board of Governors and ’05 Marian alumna said. “If more young women voted, then they become a constituency to be reckoned with. And that’s critically important if we would like to see a country that works for more people than just old, rich, white men.” Now, a century after the 19th Amendment and years of fighting for the rights of women of color, the political world is the most open to women that it has ever been. The right to vote was fought for by those without a voice so that their descendents could have a say in their government. “100 years ago, hundreds of women worked extremely hard for future women to be able to vote,” senior Katie Corpuz said. “If you aren’t voting for yourself, vote for them.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves lasting female legacy NatalieCusick
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n the evening of Sept. 18, Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Known as “RBG,” Justice Ginsburg empowered women of all colors, classes and political parties. RBG was the second woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court, and she took that responsibility into
every decision she made during her 27 years as a justice. Ginsburg entered D.C. and made room for every woman in America. She famously said that “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made... It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” RBG’s death is a hard loss for
many Marian girls who she inspired. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneering advocate for women’s rights in America who persisted throughout her career and inspired generations of women with a legacy that will never be forgotten,” senior Ashlee Czyz said.
19th Amendment conference to be rescheduled for fall 2021
MaddieGenoways
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tudents present at Marian last year may have heard about the Young Women’s Leadership Conference, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote and female leadership in the community. Unfortunately, like most major events this year, the conference and all of its group festivities had to be canceled, but there’s hope for the celebration. “We are going to reschedule the Photo on the 19th Amendment conference, most poster located near the Haddix. likely for the fall of 2021,” English Department Chair and organizer of the conference Ms. Susie Sisson said. “In the meantime, we plan on hosting a series of video conferences this school year. We’re also going to host a panel discussion about women in politics that we plan on showing sometime around Election Day in November.” The video interview with Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of this year’s all-school read, Uprising, this August was the first of this series of conferences for the three Omaha all-girls schools: Marian, Mercy and Duchesne. While the conference’s reschedule date is undetermined, the activities planned will continue. “The conference will include a keynote speaker, breakout sessions on a variety of topics, an activity fair, and a parade,” Sisson said. This conference is one piece in Marian’s effort to encourage students to use their voices and make themselves heard in their community. “It’s so important for all of us to know and understand our history so that we can better know and understand what’s going on in the world today,” Sisson said. Students are taking the message of empowerment to heart and encouraging others to use their voices. “People have fought and died just for women to be able to vote, so I think that you should utilize yours,” freshman Ava Blaine said.
Fotric 226B infrared camera: an investment in student safety AnnaKidder
Anna Kidder’ 21 shows off the new infrared camera in the front lobby. Photos by NaomiDelkamiller
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arian has implemented many precautions to ensure students can still attend school in person this year. One of
those precautions cost $4,500. The Fotric Infrared Imager and Integrated Temperature Scanner (FRITS) is a thermographic monitoring system that detects abnormal body
temperatures as individuals pass the camera. Marian uses the FRITS, with the help of paraprofessionals Ms. Hannah Hennings and Mrs. Sarah Timpe, to check students, teachers and visitors’ temperatures as they enter the building. It is set up right inside the main entrance to ensure everyone gets checked. Instead of using a handheld thermometer, “we decided to invest in [FRITS] so that individual temperatures would not have to be taken every day,” Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Ms. Rochelle Rohlfs. “Handheld thermometers have a wide range of user error and touch handling, so this was a good solution for that.” Marian used grant money they received to help with
COVID-19 related expenses to purchase the FRITS. The system makes for efficient temperature checking and allows people to stay socially distanced. “It can scan a number of people at once if necessary. It is very high-tech!” said Principal Susie Sullivan. When a student comes to school with a high temperature, she is taken to the isolation room and her parents are called to pick her up. So far this year, no students have been sent to the isolation room. Along with the FRITS system, students and faculty are filling out the Symptom Checker on the Children’s Hospital website every morning before school. Marian has also advised everyone to do self-checks from home.
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