PAID
MERCER IS SCHOOL DIST 400
February 23, 2018
mihsislander.org
Putting Privilege to Good Use How H.E.L.P. Club supports homeless communities in Seattle Features 3
Volume VII, Edition 5
A Love Story for Everyone
Affirmative Action
Why "Call Me By Your Name" is a Best Picture nominee A&E 11
Staff writer Walt McKelvie takes a look at this controversial policy Opinions 8
On National Signing Day, MIHS Athletes Become Collegiate Athletes Hannah Whobrey staff writer
For many high school students, senior year is fraught with uncertainty, thanks to the college application process. For some students, however, committing to play a college sport provides an opportunity for reassurance and safety. Officially, prospective student-athletes can sign a National Letter of Intent during their senior year, which binds them to a college for one year in exchange for athletic financial aid. However, the road to commitment is different for every student, even at MIHS, where future athletes from the Class of 2018 finally confirmed their commitments Feb. 7 at National Signing Day. “The recruiting process for lacrosse players on the West Coast is different from the East Coast because lacrosse is so big there,� Katie Brodsky, who committed to play lacrosse
Arizona State University, said. “Normally, players can email coaches to watch them play whenever they want, but for me, I had to attend a showcase and email coaches to watch me.� “This one day, I got a letter from the school, and I was like, 'Oh, well, that's cool!' and then I just reached out,� Kayla Lee, who committed to run track at the University of Pennsylvania, said. “I'm not really sure how they find people.� “I was recruited by the men’s coach first, because my brothers play there,� Grace Bethards, who committed to Whitworth University for tennis, said. “Then the women’s coach reached out as well. It was a lot different than reaching out to other coaches because it made me feel more wanted by the team, and that made me want to go there more.� “I wanted to learn about what it meant to play soccer in college—I didn’t know anything
The Class of 2018 committing to playing their respective sports at a collegiate level on Feb. 7, National Signing Day.
specific about Macalester or their soccer program,� Paige Robertson, who committed to Macalester College for soccer, said. “They just happened to be a convenient school to visit. After that, I didn’t correspond with the coach at all until last summer.� “You send your highlights and your tournament schedule, and hope they come watch you play,� Adara Hamilton, who committed to Wheaton College for volleyball, said. “I spent endless hours
putting together film and talking to coaches,� Kelly Behrbaum, who committed to play volleyball at Cornell University, said. “It was nerve-racking to play in front of college coaches because one play could decide your future.� “I had to reach out to all of the coaches that I was talking to,� Ella Warburg, who committed to play golf at Wellesley College, said. “Most schools on the West Coast don’t have squash teams,� Anna Moscovici, who committed
A History of Mistreatment in the Workplace Joy Francke staff writer
Events in the last hundred years have built up the pressure that led to the recent cultural eruption of the #metoo and #timesup movements. Women have faced a dark and disturbing reality since first entering the workplace. Today, women are finally speaking out against the sexual harassment and abuse of power perpetuated by their male colleges. However, this abuse is in no way a new phenomenon. Society has come a long way since 1920 when women were told to simply quit their jobs if they could not handle the sexual abuse, yet there is still a long way to go. Among the many important actions taken by women to improve their treatment was a push to get Title VII passed in 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on sex, as well as
race, national origin, color, and religion in the workplace. Another momentous event was the coining of term the “sexual harassment� in 1976 by a group of activists at Cornell University. One of the most famous sexual assault claims was made in 1991 towards Clarence Thomas by Anita Hill. At the time Clarence Thomas was a U.S Supreme Court nominee. Hill alleged that Thomas had repeatedly sexually harassed her while she was working for him at the Department of Education and the Equal Opportunity E m p l o y m e n t Commission. During the three day hearing, Hill recalled the inappropriate behavior of her boss in detail, despite constant pushback from most of the jury and Republican Party members. “I am not given to
to play squash for George Washington University, said. “My coaches had to vouch for me and reach out to college coaches more than they would have, had we been on the East Coast.� “Getting recruited and reaching out to coaches, at least for soccer, are two parts of the same process,� Ryan Hill, who graduated from MIHS in 2015 and now plays soccer at Cornell University, said. “There are so many players in the United States that if you don’t reach out to a school
fantasy. This is not something I would have come forward with if I was not absolutely sure of what
I was saying,� said Hill in response to accusations of making false claims. (continued on page 2)
and let them know you exist, then you will never get seen.� While communicating with coaches directly is an effective way to indicate interest in collegiate athletics, each student’s individual performance remains the most crucial element when it comes to cultivating offers. “I think what helps coaches notice a potential recruit is the level of play and attitude on the court,� Behrbaum said. (continued on page 5)
Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Ash O'Briant staff writer
Photo courtesy The Atlantic Anita Hill famously testified in court about the sexual harassment she experienced from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Photo courtesy Laura Totten
As the school’s transgender population grows, so does a feeling amongst them of being left behind -– in particular regarding their bathroom use. Art Kim, a gender neutral student, says, “the gender binary system just doesn’t work, especially with bathrooms.� According to Vicki Puckett, the school principal, the policy is that binary transgender students (students identifying as male or female) can use the bathroom that corresponds with their identity if they chose. However, many binary trans students are concerned with harassment or even having someone suggest that they are in the wrong bathroom. The nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex, and gender neutral students do not have an opportunity to use any communal bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. These are students of the school who do not identify with male
of female exclusively or at all. “I always get really uncomfortable when I have to use a gendered bathroom,� Art says, “but going to one of the gender neutral bathrooms would mean walking across the school and back; I just don’t have the time.� MIHS has two singleoccupant gender-neutral bathrooms, one in the nurse’s office and the other in the 100 hall. (continued on page 9)
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