December 2015

DOLLS With a purpose

by Sophia Hajje When Vanessa Hajje began to see images of Syrian children and families fleeing their homes she thought of her own three children and couldn’t imagine not being able to protect or feed them. She recognized that their needs were not being met and knew that she wanted to help in some way. Hajje was inspired by a California mom who collected 5000 baby carriers and took them to Greece to give to Syrian parents. “Showing kindness has helped me reduce my frustration with the state of the world. I feel that by being kind we can all contribute, somehow, to help the Syrian refugee crisis,” said Hajje. Inspired, she took her hobby of making dolls and turned it into a cause for good. Peace Dolls are hand-made dolls that are being sold to help the Syrian refugee children and their families in Lebanon. Hajje and others who have joined her in doll-making are selling them ranging from 40 to 80 dollars.

Hajje started this project, as well as a Go Fund Me page in November. The money from Peace Dolls will be given to an organization called International Rescue Committee (IRC). IRC says the committee is “the only international relief agency

responding to this crisis on all fronts.” There are no refugee camps in Lebanon, so they are living in unsafe situations. In March 2011, the Syrian civil war began and the violence has only escalated.

Twelve million people have been displaced within Syria and half of those are children. Lebanon, because it shares a border with Syria, has taken in 1.14 million of these refugees. IRC works towards providing food and shelter. Hajje’s sister-in-law will also be visiting Lebanon, bringing a suitcase full of handmade dolls, sweaters, and small stuffed animals to be given directly to the children. “I want to let these children know that we cherish them and give them hope with peace dolls,” said Hajje.

If you would like to purchase a Peace Doll, donate material, sweaters, stuffed animals or simply help with doll making, email Hajje at vhajje@ gmail.com or check out her Facebook page, using the words “Dolls with a purpose.” They are great holiday gifts and they come with a tag explaining the cause. Those that would like to donate to the cause go on Go Fund Me using the keywords “Peace Dolls for Syrian children.” Even the smallest amount helps.

Photo courtesy of Bonnie O’Brien Al-Rifai

ASHLAND TO AFRICA Laila Borden’s sophomore project has affected people across the Atlantic Ocean. Borden collected backpacks and shoes donated by the students and staff of AHS to give to non-profit organizations that then distributed them in Africa. These donations traveled with One World to Conakry, Guinea in West Africa. There, backpacks and shoes were given to Guinea Exchange and then distributed to the families most in need.

Borden was inspired to take on this project by her mom, who is involved with One World Dance and Drum. “I like helping people....

[Americans] just throw away [backpacks and shoes] once we are done with them. In Africa, people use them until they can’t, so it would be better if we gave them to people who use them and need it,” said Borden, when explaining her motives for pursuing this project.

photo by Sophia Hajje

by Izzy Nicolier

From idea to reality, Borden had to take many steps to achieve this helpful act. Borden needed a way to get donations, so she contacted AHS principal, Erika Bare, to ask permission to put up donation boxes, have a segment in the daily announcements and put a notification in weekly parent emails.

Borden also posted a link on Facebook to share with family and friends.

Thanks to One World Dance and Drum, the Guinea Exchange receives donations monthly. The Guinea Exchange gives 10 African children the opportunity to get an education and supplies them with the materials needed for success. This is often the first time that these children are exposed to an education.

“The hardest part is finding the resources you need to get the word out there, asking around, finding the facts and getting permission. Once you get past that, you see how easy it is to start organizing projects…” said Borden, referring to starting her own drive.

Borden is thankful for the donators and wants it to be known that donations can be made to www. guineaexchange.org to help children get the education they want and need.

The “Peace Grandmas” pose for a reporter.

Whose lives matter?

photo by Allayana Darrow

Gun Violence Every few days, news of another killing spree is almost expected.

People have become numb to the taking of life, acting as though there is nothing that can be done on the issue. But there is. Many pro-gun supporters believe the Second Amendment of the Constitution has always stated their right to all the guns they want. Until 1977 the Supreme Court upheld that the right to bear arms was for the purpose of a “wellregulated militia”. However, in 2008, through a lobby push by the NRA, the court ruled the “right to bear arms” won over the “militia” section of the sentence. Many anti-gun activists call for restrictions on who is granted the ability to purchase a firearm and furthermore, the type of weapon allowed for purchase by the public. This fear of a government gun ban is born of propaganda published by organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA).

The NRA holds huge influence over the federal government, especially the Republican Party. “Common sense laws” alarm gun activists because they believe any sort of restriction on guns is a gateway to all guns becoming inaccessible to the public.

America’s relationship to firearms is unlike that of any other developed country, and various communities have taken action to bring attention to gun violence.

The Vision Quilt is a locally launched community art project, with the hope that national awareness and concern will bring an end to gun violence. The idea is these anti-gun violence, 18x24 inch pan-

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Ahsante Foree poses with another protestor.

Editorial by Skylar Zundel

els would be sewn together to create massive quilts to display in town centers and to be used in marches or rallies. They are painted, sewn, embroidered, silkscreened, stenciled, or digitally printed panels, through image and written word, and the theme is “It is possible…” meaning, “It is possible to put an end to gun violence.” The goal of the Vision Quilt is to create 50+ panels by January 1st, 2016. The hope is that the project will be adopted nationwide by anti-gun violence organizations such as Everytown for Gun Safety or the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Inspiration for this project comes from the Aids Quilt and the success and awareness it achieved.

This push for change is brought on by years of mass shootings, including more than 350 mass shootings this year (2015) alone. Outrage, it seems, is not enough. Numerous protests over the past years have not caused enough change. More guns mean more gun related deaths.

There is no way around that fact.

Support for regulations among voters are present as a concept, but do not actively support laws or legislation. This is not an issue solely for democrats or republicans. No one wants to see more lives lost from the proliferation of these dangerous and destructive weapons. While there are powerful political organizations working for a gun-empowered nation, a people’s uprising always carries more weight. So to what extent will the American people go to protect their guns, and at what price?

photo by Allayana Darrow

Black Lives Matter On February 26, 2012 a young African-American boy named Trayvon Martin was murdered in Florida by a man. The man was later charged with second-degree murder. After 16 hours of deliberations over the course of two days, on July 13, 2013, the jury of six deemed the defendant “not guilty” on all counts. Shortly after that, the Black Lives Matter movement began. The hashtag Black Lives Matter is a call to action and a response to the undeniable anti-black racism that has been planted into our nation’s society by whites since the 17th century. The counter movement, All Lives Matter, sprung up as a criticism towards the Black Lives Matter movement for focusing on the injustices done only to black lives.

The two movements share the recognition of violence in our country on such a large scale, but differ on who is most victimized.

So whose lives matter? This simply put question has brought controversy and tension between the two campaigns who either argue that all lives need attention and protection, or that black lives, in particular need more advocacy. Each campaign has their arguments and strong, passionate views. For people who argue that Black Lives Matter, there will always be those who feel discriminated against because the movement excludes other minority groups from having the same validation. However, that’s not to say the movement towards racial equality doesn’t affect everyone else. On the other hand, proponents of the Black Lives Matter

Editorial by Mouminatou Thiaw

campaign feel that the All Lives Matter campaign ignores the undeniable evidence of oppression and violence towards blacks in America throughout American history. Yes, all lives matter. Many believe this should be a foundational principle. The prominent issue staring our nation in the eyes is that black lives are being disregarded by police in displays of racism and at what many feel is an unacceptable rate for a nation that claims all men are created equal. It’s essential to realize that African Americans make up the smallest racial minority in America with 12.3%, while Caucasians make up 63% and are the racial majority. (Statistics gathered from the Black Lives Matter website.) Even so, one of every 15 African American men are incarcerated annually, compared to one of every 106 white men who are incarcerated. These facts have inspired countless uprisings and protests across the nation and even in small towns such as Ashland.

On December 4, Ahsante Foree led a march from the university to the plaza with a call to #WakeUpAshland. Foree stated that the goal was to remind people that “an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.”

Not much has changed in the past few years. All men are not equal, and our nation has not yet lived up to the standards on which it was built. So the next time you see or hear about the #BlackLivesMatter campaign, understand the reason it needs to be acknowledged: the time for racial equality is long overdue.

photo by Allayana Darrow

Black Student Union

“Whose lives matter?” “Black lives matter!” Ahsante Foree stands on the elevated sitting area in the plaza. He is the leader of the Black Student Union (BSU) at Southern Oregon University (SOU).

White and gold face paint contrasts his dark skin: he is a peaceful warrior, fighting for justice. From Foree comes a powerful voice- no megaphone needed.

On Friday December 4, the SOU BSU invited schoolmates and community members to join them in a march led from the SOU campus to downtown.

The group of 40 or so students and community members gathered in the plaza, where they continued their chants.

Recently, news headlines have been plastered with the names of African Americans. The Counted, a constantly updated interactive database of people killed by police, sheds light on the number of African Americans killed by police compared to other ethnicities. As of December, 1061 people have been killed by police officers. Of that number, 529 were white- more than any race.

This statistic may have people confused about why there is a #BlackLivesMatter movement as opposed to #WhiteLivesMatter. Here’s the clarification: Though more white people than another other

race were killed by police in 2015, African Americans are still killed by police at a rate disproportionate to their white counterparts. The Counted found that per every 1 million African Americans, 6.34 are killed. For white people, 2.67 are killed per million. This means that African Americans are about 3 times more likely to be killed than white. This disparity is precisely what the Black Lives Matter campaign aims to bring attention to.

Though BSU does not explicitly focus on the Black Lives Matter campaign, SOU’s BSU decided to lead the downtown rally. The mission of all Black Student Unions is to “promote activities of common interest, as well as cultural and educational benefits for the African American student body,” according to Rock Chalk Central, a Kansas University website that houses the information of the National Black Student Union. Director of Education of the BSU at SOU Chey Satchell spoke on behalf of the BSU-organized rally: “[This rally is important] because it creates dialogue and brings awareness to people who are unaware of the racial inequalities that happen in our town.” Satchell explained how several locals do not fully realize how much of an inequality there is: “Part of this problem is

by Ia Balbuena-Nedrow due to white priority. A lot of white locals do not realize the superior power they seem to have in the community and on campus.” Satchell added that creating this rally allows people to become aware of the racial inequalities and address them.

“We’re out here rallying, protesting the blatant racism that Ashland hides,” explained Foree. “People in this town are not willing to admit that this town is full of racism, even though it was built in a state that was meant to be established as a ‘white utopia’. People say they care about race, they care about inequality, they care about living in a safe community, but people of color don’t feel safe here. I don’t feel safe here, my mom doesn’t feel safe with me being here. She’s always saying ‘Are you sure you don’t want to go somewhere else?’ So we’re here to create dialogue, to create feeling for people of color. We want their voices to be heard.”

Here at Ashland High School, a few students have decided to start AHS’s first ever Black Student Union. Co-president Jahiya Clark explained why African American students decided to establish the Black Student Union at AHS: “We [BSU] feel as though [students of color] are not properly represented at this high school. We are the minority at this

school: we only make up three percent of its population!” Clark then expressed her pride seeing more brown faces in the freshman class: “We would like to get connected with them. That was our initial thought and why we made the club.” Copresident Karynne Prud’homme-Smith spoke about BSU, adding that there are a lot of students at AHS who are not very educated about the black culture: “I think [BSU] is important because, nooffense intended, a lot of [students] at our school don’t really know about the black culture. They read the news and the see what goes on, but they’ve never had a first-hand experience.” Prud’hommeSmith hopes that this club will help those students who want to learn more about the black culture become more educated. “We want to [let them know] what’s going on in the black community, initiating discussion, bringing awareness, and black culture,” added Clark.

The Black Student Union will be showcasing modernized poetry and music at the Ashland MLK Celebration in January. Students seeking to become educated on black culture and become involved with Ashland High School’s Black Student Union can attend BSU meetings on white Tuesdays.

Up for Debate: Single Gender Classes

CON

PRO

by Maisie Roberson

photos by Spencer Hills

For those who have ever wanted their classes in high school to feel more open, amicable, and empathetic, or have wanted an environment that makes them feel secure enough to share their views, single-gender classrooms might be a good alternative to traditional co-ed classrooms.

Being in a single-gender classroom should be an option for high school students to select when they choose their classes. Environment plays a role in the success of students learning, so students’ classroom environments should be valued in our education system.

Single-gender classrooms create an academic haven in which students can more readily learn and succeed.

The word gender is consciously used instead of the word sex in the term “single-gender classrooms.”

Gender means the state of being male or female in reference to social and cultural differences. Sex means being male or female based on reproductive functions. While gender and sex are often used interchangeably, this is an important distinction to make, as gender focuses on a society’s views of the sexes. These views are part of the reason why single-gender classrooms are beneficial to students who wish to take them.

Single-gender classrooms reduce distractions and pressures that many high school students face in their classes and create an environment conducive to learning. Students feel more relaxed and supported, bond more, and are more willing to share their thoughts and opinions in class. Participation increases in a single-gender setting, as there is not the anxiety that comes with interaction with the opposite gender. Students don’t feel concerned about how they look, sound, or come across to their peers of the opposite gender, as they do in co-ed classrooms, which creates a freer and more open environment.

This allows students who would not usually speak up in class feel safe enough to express themselves.

Single-gender classrooms also release students from some of the social stigmas that come with doing things that are not considered “normal” for their gender within com-

mon social constructs. The negative effects of gender biases in co-ed classrooms have been seen worldwide with girls underperforming in math and science classes, which have traditionally been viewed as “masculine” classes. Girls normally outperform boys academically in all of their classes, and have done so ever since a mandatory public school system was put in place, according to the American Psychological Association. Yet in March of this year, The Guardian reported that fifteen year-old girls were doing worse in their co-ed math and science classes than the boys around the globe. This was not because of lesser skills or comprehension, but because they lacked confidence in their abilities due to cultural bias.

These findings are further supported by the fact that girls that attend allgirls schools are far more likely to study math and physics at the highest level than girls that attend co-ed schools, which suggests that singlegender classes at co-ed high schools would be beneficial. The option of single-gender classrooms also allows boys to feel more free to pursue interests that are often considered more “feminine,” such as creative writing or art. Offering single-gender classes in areas primarily or traditionally dominated by one gender makes trying, or continuing to pursue, those subjects and interests less ostracizing and daunting for the opposite gender, as it fosters the idea that those classes are acceptable for both genders. Allowing students the option of single-gender classes makes it easier for students to realize that their interests are acceptable no matter their gender, which creates a more egalitarian society.

Offering single-gender classrooms supports student achievement by recognizing that students may feel more comfortable in one environment than another, and acknowledges that social biases heavily impact our lives. Because single-gender classrooms have positive effects on students and their learning due to the environment they create, they should be offered at public high schools for the students who wish to take them.

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by Karl Moeglein Single gender classrooms require children, Janet S. Hyde, a psycholthat students who don’t fit in either ogy professor at the University of the male or female box. However not Wisconsin-Madison found no sigall students feel welcome in either nificant differences in mathematics environment. Some people identify or reading comprehension and no with both genders, some with no solid evidence that boys and girls acgender, and others are somewhere in tually learn differently. Single gender between. These people often feel ex- classrooms lead to a reinforcement cluded. One would hope a classroom of gender stereotypes, meaning a feis a place where all can be included male who learns in a stereotypically for who they are. Any proposal to male way, and vice versa, are forced have classrooms for the individual to learn in a way that is unbeneficial genders will alienate those who do to them simply because they have not fit within the cookie cutter defi- classmates who learn better that way.

by Karl Moeglein nitions of what being male or female, “Federal regulations permit singleand even having a gender means. sex schooling in public schools only Furthermore, these classrooms if there is a compelling educational have the ability to reinforce the bi- interest. The kids would have to pernary that exists today. Without in- form better and the evidence does tending it, it is a clear sign that be- not show that they do,” says Hyde. ing one of the genders declared as Rebecca S. Bigler, an associate normal is what you should be. This professor of psychology at the Unireinforcement of the binary could be versity of Texas at Austin, has studdetrimental. Ashland High School ied how children develop a sense has taken strides to be one of the of group differences and biases, esmost inclusive schools in not only pecially related to gender and race. the valley, but the country. The rea- According to her research, when son for the changes to school dances students are split up they see the was to stop promotion of the het- other as oppositional. It is not the eronormative gender binary that intended result, but it is a reality of a existed at the school. Reinforcement classroom which is based purely on of the binary, through single gen- the social construct that is gender. der classrooms, would be regressive There is no denying the perin the school’s continued attempts formance gap that exists between to continue to be more inclusive. males and females in the status Many stereotypes come with quo. Single gender classrooms just teaching in single gender class- are not the answer to this probrooms. It is for that reason that the lem. Hyde’s research showed no American Civil Liberties Union has improvement in single-gendered called for the abolishment of such classrooms, even in the often cited programs. According to the orga- fields of math and science. This gap nization, “these programs are often may have deeper roots in the way based on junk science about how society assume a male or female is girls’ and boys’ brains develop and supposed to learn and even what disturbing gender stereotypes. On they are capable of understanding. the basis of these sex-based generalTeachers are often the one who izations, schools separate male and most directly influence gender roles female students and subject them to as they project them onto students. wildly different teaching strategies.” This is not to say all teachers do this These strategies include teachers or that this is even a conscious decibeing told to smile around boys be- sion. As we are able to acknowledge cause they see it as a sign of weakness the gender gap in education, we and girls never having time limit on should not look to separate the gentests because girls’ brains don’t func- ders, but rather better avoid pushing tion well under these conditions. gender stereotypes in classrooms.

Every student is different. Classrooms should strive to create the best possible education for each student. In a meta-analysis of studies based on more than 7 million