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Tuesday, October 8, 2019 Volume 93 Issue 2 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
SLPECHO.COM
Roots and Shoots marches for
climate
change
2
Community members take their voices to the streets
3
W
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2. Out of this world: Seventh grader Jason Kraft and junior Dahlia Krebs walk in the climate march. At City Hall participants expressed their feelings on climate change.
1 Photo Emmy Pearson
show the significance of climate change. “Climate change is a big issue. If we don’t have (events) like this, there will be no one advocating for what we need,” Long said. “I just want my voice to be heard.” According to Frank, the walkout was a last-minute decision, but Roots and Shoots was able to pull it off through teamwork. “It was kind of spontaneous actually, and in one meeting we decided everything (and) distributed the work,” Frank said. City Council candidate Larry Kraft said the event was about what students can do for the environment. “I wanted to support the club, so in speaking, I wanted to make sure I high-
Students react to new bathroom pass policy Instagram account creators hope to spread awareness Talia Lissauer talialissauer@slpecho.com
C
Photo Ava Ashby
1. Walking with purpose: Seventh grader Micah Curtis leads the climate march of 37 people Sept. 27 to City Hall. He carried a sign reading “There’s no planet B.”
Kate Schneider kateschneider@slpecho.com
hile looking out at the crowd before speaking at the climate change walkout, junior Zoe Frank said she felt hesitant prior to speaking. “I was nervous, but once I was up there it felt really cool and there were so many faces. I was expecting like 15 people and this was better than I could’ve expected,” Frank said. Frank said the global climate strike inspired her to create a school walkout and to continue spreading awareness. “Climate strikes were happening internationally last Friday (Sept. 20) and there’s I’m hoping an importance to continue in repeating opening things,” Frank people’s eyes said. “So here we are, to to climate show that it’s change. not a one-time thing.” Junior AuZoe Frank, junior drey Long said these events
Photo Emmy Pearson
onfused about the new bathroom policies, junior Jade Shionoya said he co-created the Instagram page @letmeslpee page because the school’s new “no grab and go” policy is unfair to students. “People can’t expect you to go to the bathroom at a certain time,” Shionoya said. “That’s not how human bodies work.” According to assistant principal Jessica Busse,
lighted the role young people play,” Kraft said. Long said immediate action needs to be taken to prevent climate change and the first step is protesting. “I’m going to be living in the future, and if we don’t start advocating for change now, then it’s going to make change when we really need it much more difficult,” Long said. According to Kraft, it is important to have people in office who prioritize climate change, but there are other ways for teens to help. “One thing people can do is make sure that who you vote for is a climate champion,” Kraft said. “Then also look at what
staff members are not required to call a grade level coordinator (GLC) to escort a student to the bathroom, but students should not be going to the bathroom in the same class multiple times a week. “(Teachers) don’t have to (call a GLC). If they have a concern about the student (going to the bathroom) on a regular basis or they think that there is something else going on, then they can call a GLC,” Busse said. “We are stressing essential passes only.” Shionoya said an issue with the policy is when long lines form during the five minute passing time. “We need to make the bathroom more accessible,” Shionoya said. “(No classroom passes) clog up the bathrooms during passing time.” According to junior Liz Hodges, @letmeslpee has generated a lot of support from the student body and the buttons they are selling are a great way to protest the new bathroom policy. “Students who have started social media campaigns are rallying a lot of the student body behind the cause,” Hodges said. “I’ve purchased a button from them. I think that’s a really good way to show the administration in a subtle, but noticeable way the student body doesn’t agree with their policy.”
3. Speak for the trees: Juniors Thor Anderson and Zoe Frank speak to the crowd at City Hall. you can do in your own life — there’s lots of little things you can do.” Frank said getting involved with local events other than walkouts is an easy way for students to help out. With more people involved, more will get done. “Find ways to get involved with local policy because there’s stuff going on all the time in and out of the school,” Frank said. “There’s also power in numbers so the more we all show up to (events), the more we’re going to get enacted.” Frank said she wanted to use the walkout to inform others about climate change. “I’m hoping to continue opening people’s eyes to climate change and that policy needs to be enforced,” Frank said.
Photo Anna Benishek
@letmeslpee: Juniors Jade Shionoya and Hattie Heiland, creators of the @letmeslpee Instagram account, sell “Let Me SLPee” buttons for $2 Sept. 13 at the Nest.