The Communicator: Volume 26, Edition 7 by The Communicator

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What we drink 16

ANN ARBOR ICE CREAM 08 AAPS & THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET 11 TALIA AKIVA ON THE BIG SCREEN 18

Community High April 29, 2011 Volume 26 • Edition 7

letter from the editors 04.29.11

Recent budget cuts have Ann Arbor citizens in an uproar. Ann Arbor Public Schools is cutting all bus transportation for high school students, pairing elementary schools to share principals and removing one assistant principal from both Pioneer and Huron High Schools. AAPS projects a $7 million deficit for next year and a potential rise to $15 million. Teachers are worried about their jobs and benefits. Many bus drivers are most likely going to lose their jobs. The scare comes from $453 per pupil cuts outlined in the 20112012 budget. Meanwhile, on April 15, twelve students and parents were arrested at a sit-in protesting their school’s conver-

sion into a charter school. The school, Catherine Ferguson Academy, caters to pregnant and/or parenting teen girls in Detroit. Emergency Financial Manager Robert C. Bobb for Detroit Public Schools has been in place since March 2, 2009. The 87,000-student district faces a deficit of $327 million forcing numerous school closings since Bobb arrived. Bobb announced the closing of 29 schools in 2009, citing savings of $14 million annually starting in the 2010-2011 school year. In 2010 it was announced that 45 schools would be closed by 2013. A few of these schools were not closed due to gang rivalry issues. Now Detroit is faced with cutting around half of their

existing schools and increasing class sizes to 60 students. Bobb proposed this plan in January of this year claiming that is would eliminate the deficit by 2014. This is something we, in Ann Arbor, could not even think about. Our situation is not the worst and Detroit is just one city with an Emergency Financial Manager. Instead of only worrying about what might happen to us, we should first consider what is already happening to those around us – those who may not have the privilege of driving to school in their own car. We should be fighting these cuts with the students of Detroit and not apart from them. - Kyle Aaronson, Katie O’Brien and Julia Kortberg Editors-in-Chief ‘10-‘11

jordan siden photos

the communicator

letter from the editors

TOC

CONTENTS

Editors-In Chief Kyle Aaronson Julia Kortberg Katie O’Brien

Business Manager Cooper DePriest

Art Director Jordan Siden

Opinion Editor Acer Xu

A&E Editor Erez Levin

Sports Editor

Spencer MacDonald

funding woes

Copy Editor

The Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s downtown teen center, is experiencing financial deficits.

Oriol Burgos-Tsoffar

ice cream review

The scoop on the best local ice cream shops and flavors.

new in town

Patricia Pataky Green is the new superintendent for AAPS.

Staff Joella Bennett Mari Cohen Julia DeVarti Amelia Diehl Josh Fendrick Kerry Fingerle Ruthie Graff Olivia Kincaid Abby Kleinheksel Clare Lauer Patricia Nease Aaron Nelson-Purcell Brienne O’Donnell Justine Samaha Emma Share Zach Shaw Ryan Shea Paul Smith David Soth-Kimmel Eliza Stein Eli Sugerman Tori Westhead

the great heist

How Rick Snyder’s budget proposal is robbing Michigan school children.

community drinks

Community students reveal what types of beverages they buy and how much they spend.

as long as it’s fun

Talia Akiva, child actress, recently played the role of George Clooney’s daughter in Ides of March.

Adviser Tracy Rosewarne Cover Photos Cooper DePriest Back Cover Art Colleen O’Brien

victor wooten

The bass icon comes to CHS teach and inspire jazz students.

encore recordings

This local record store is a resource in the new music industry. table of contents

3 v. 3 tournament

The Communicator predicts how the upcoming 3 v. 3 basketball tournament will turn out. the communicator

working through the summer Community High School junior senait dafa takes college summer preparation programs Around the Country in preparation for her future ruthilah graff & abby kleinheksel

programs at Northwestern University, Brown University, Harvard University, Stanford University and Cornell University. In order to attend any of these rigorous college preparation programs, Dafa will have to give up a major part of her summer. “I’m a little bit nervous just because I think it will be really, really difficult, no matter which program I decide to go to. It is summer and I won’t be taking a break. I will have two weeks off and [then I’ll] go straight back to school,” Dafa explained. CHS counselor John Boshoven agrees with Dafa that summer programs can be time-consuming, but he said they have many pros. “It’s always good to have something [to do] over the summer that keeps your brain moving and stimulated,” Boshoven said. Along with the educational benefits, summer college preparation programs also look extremely good on college ap-

plications. “Having college credits on your transcripts really makes a college go, ‘Wow this kid will be great on my college campus.’ It can make a student very attractive to schools. It makes you seem more prepared and eager for a college lifestyle,” Boshoven said. Dafa agrees with this, even though college applications are not the main reason she chooses to attend these programs. She feels that college preparation programs are an enjoyable way to spend her summer. “It’s definitely going to look good on my college application if I go to one of these programs, so that’s just an extra bonus,” said Dafa. According to Boshoven, attending a summer college preparation program may also increase the chances of getting into that particular college. “If a college sponsors the program and you had a really good experience in that program and with professors at that school, it can certainly be a

Above Senait Dafa studies at a table in the CHS hallway; she plans to attend a college preparation summer program Top right Annabel Weiner, a sophomore at Community High also hopes to participate in a summer program Bottom right Shadi Ahmadmehrabi, a junior, will take classes this summer at U of M, but not as part of a program 04

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game changer on applications,” said Boshoven. Summer programs can also be excellent opportunities to receive college recommendations. Though summer college preparation programs can be very difficult, they are also a lot of fun, and this is why Dafa continues to attend and enjoy them. Dafa enjoys the independence that comes with these summer programs. “I was young, and I was doing basically whatever I wanted for about a month but I still had work and I was surrounded by people who were really academically vigorous,” said Dafa. Although many high school students may want to spend their summers lounging by the pool, Boshoven advises it is always a good idea to keep your options open. “College preparation programs can give you an idea of where you want to go to school,” said Boshoven. “You can even discover your future career and something you are really interested in.”

cooper depriest photos

Senait dafa, a junior at community, studied engineering and robotics last year during the summer at U of M

For many, summer is a relaxing and enjoyable time where students do not have to worry about school-related issues. However, for junior Senait Dafa, and several other CHS students, this is not the case. Dafa and the other students plan to spend part of their summers at various college preparation programs. Dafa has been involved in these programs before. She began her summers of college preparation with one of the many University of Michigan’s residential summer programs. Dafa lived in one of the dorms and studied engineering and robotics. “I stayed [on campus] for a month, and I met people in the admissions office and other friends. I’ve kept up with my friends through Facebook, and we’ve just been communicating about opportunities,” said Dafa. After attending this residential program, Dafa became interested in other summer programs at different universities. This year, Dafa is considering

from flabby to fit Josh johnson has started a community gym across the street from community high in Kerrytown in order to improve The health among ann arbor’s citizens eliza stein

On any given day, over 100 clients, ranging from ages 15 to 80, wipe their sweat and walk out the door feeling a little bit stronger. Many would agree that much of the credit goes to the magic and work of Johnson. “Josh is that person who motivates you. You feel like he cares about you and gives you some accountability,” said Sharleen Helk, a daily user of the gym. Steve Coron, a CHS art teacher and frequent user of the gym, spends most of his workout grooving to the beat on the elliptical. “Josh is really smart,” Coron said. “He is really laid back and [recognizes the] days [when] I feel like crap and don’t want to workout, but [he] still pushes me.” Johnson’s style of personal training is nothing but original. “I like to see it as almost like a toning, core, strengthen style. [It’s] for people that have anything from a lower back injury to excess fat that they want to lose or even just to get better at a sport at a young age. I call it hybrid training,” Johnson said. For University of Michigan Musical Theater student Rachel Bailer, it is all about the variety. “I like the circuit training,” she said. “I like how it is a total body work out and [Josh] will customize [your workout] to what is sore or injured.” Not only is Johnson’s style of motivating clients a success, but so is the atmosphere he creates in the gym. Clients lift weights, run miles and tighten their abs while chatting, encouraging one

another and bopping to the music. “My friends and I call it the ‘Cheers’ gym because ‘everyone knows your name.’ I would also say [the gym is] friendly, intimate, and crowded sometimes,” said Helk. Agreeing with Helk, Coron described the gym as a “fun, collegial, supportive family. It is like working out with a bunch of friends. We make it fun. It’s hard work, but we yuck it up and make jokes and laugh so it’s easy to get through [the workout].” Laughter continues filling the air as clients line up to get into the single changing room. The fact that there is no bathroom may be a deterrent to some gym goers, but darting over to Kerrytown is part of the whole experience. The gym is not all about glam but about the results. Many star athletes seek Johnson’s expertise to become stronger and faster in their sport; Johnson even trained Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. But Johnson also takes pride in training clients from all walks of life. “I had this guy that kind of had a second wind in life. He lost his wife to cancer, but then decided to start his life again and lost one hundred and twelve pounds. At the same time, in a year and a half ’s time, he met another woman and ended up getting married. It was like seeing someone being reborn again. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen here. It was beautiful,” Johnson said. This is just one of the many success stories that Sparrow’s Gym has helped to write.

Many high school students have even found their niche at the gym. Athletes and non-athletes from all the Ann Arbor schools and surrounding communities look to Johnson as their fitness guru. For Pioneer High School sophomore Lilly Scheerer, the gym has had a positive impact overall. “I am healthier, and I go to the gym more. I think I have more determination to do stuff.” She believes Johnson and how he jokes with his clients helps to make it fun for everyone. “He just knows how to do it,” said Scheerer. “I’m like that Justin Bieber kid, just a little taller,” laughed Johnson. In reality he has become an icon in the community and may rival Bieber’s popularity. The popularity of Sparrow’s Gym has made a diverse group of people who come together in this small, windowless cave healthier and happier.

Josh Johnson first worked at Sparrow’s market as a meat cutter before starting sparrow’s gym

cooper depriest photos

Down four stairs of the Kerrytown Courtyard, treadmills, dumbbells, and yoga mats rest interspersed. Iconic sports posters plaster the lime green walls. Fish tanks, professional teams’ jerseys and even musical theater posters fill each bare space in a windowless cave of Kerrytown. Sparrow’s Gym was started five years ago by Josh Johnson. At 15 years old, Johnson began working at Sparrow’s Market as a meat cutter. It was then that Johnson, now 30, developed a passion for health. “I was a heavy set kid and not happy with myself. One day, I decided to change, and I started learning a lot about personal fitness, condition and strength training,” said Johnson, now the personal trainer and sole employee at Sparrow’s Gym. Today, “buff ” is the best way to describe the six-foot five trainer’s physique. His passion for health and ability to motivate others has led to the success of the gym.

Above Josh Johnson, the sole employee and founder of Sparrow’s Gym Far left Some of the workout machines inside the gym Left The entrance to Sparrow’s Gym, located near Kerrytown, is across the street from Community High feature

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hanging on to the zone

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olivia k

upper Left Neutral Zone’s Visual Arts Council, sits in a ciricle disscusing their next art show, Gravity, which will have art from all over the Washtenaw area. upper right Short-Story Workshop visit the Kelsey Archaeology Museum at the University of Michigan campus to gain inspiration for their next short story. Lower Left A Neutal Zone dance team rehearses for their dance for the Neutral Zone’s Queer Prom. Lower Right A teen works on his music in the Neutral Zone’s recording studio.

incaid

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a look into the ann arbor teen neutral zone’s troubles with funding

john weiss talks money olivia kincaid & justine samaha

John Weiss, the executive director of Neutral Zone, reveals that the real problem is the money needed for the building, not the programs. “One of the things that an organization like the Neutral Zone has to budget for is, what’s called, ‘building appreciation’. We’re supposed to be setting aside money every year to help pay for anything that breaks down in our building and any financially good organization that owns a building or capital stuff like a building would do so. We are supposed to be saving for ‘repair replacement,’” said Weiss. The Neutral Zone’s budget, when including the money for the “repair replacement,” are generally $80,000. This is in case something happens to the Neutral Zone building like the roof collapsing or the H-craft system knocking out. The Neutral Zone is in a $45,000 deficit, but it’s not in the “program deficit”. They are still paying their bills, paying their staff salaries, and paying everything for the equipment and the

art room. The Neutral Zone is just unable to save the full amount of money needed for the “repair replacement”. The funding that the Neutral Zone depends on comes from two important factors: the Big Ball event every year and the Major Dips. The Big Ball event usually nets the Neutral Zone about $80,000, but in the past year the Neutral Zone was only able to net $40,000, not as much as they have previously raised in the past couple years. The Major Dips are the big checks that people and companies write the Neutral Zone at the Big Ball event. “Folks aren’t writing the big checks like they used to. Many of the usual sponsors that we are connected to didn’t attend the event or write as big of a sponsor check as they have in the past,” Weiss explained. Weiss believes that the economy definitely has something to do with the loss in both of these things. “Whether it be Borders with financial problems or the city or county government or any nonprofit agencies, all around, the economy is impacting all of us and we’ve all had to make cuts and we’ve all gotten less

funding then we have budgeted for... I don’t think the Neutral Zone is any different than any other organization in that respect.” Weiss also explained how this affects the kids that are a part of the Neutral Zone. “We [weren’t able to] pay for the plane ticket rides to California this summer for the Poetry Slam trip because that’s not extra money that we can spend...so the poetry team decided, along with the parents of the poetry team members, to raise themselves an extra $4,000 to help pay for those plane tickets to help out,” Weiss said. Weiss hopes that the new budget cycle he and his co-workers are coming up with will help lessen the blow of big losses in money like this year. The Neutral Zone has an annual budget that the board approves and then has a new budget cycle year, which starts July 1st. This is where they create their budget, basing it on what the Neutral Zone members believe the year will bring them, money wise, and on what they spend. Their accountant then runs a report so they can see how they are doing

every month as compared to what they thought they were going to be doing. The new budget that Weiss is working on will instead have to be created and approved by May and this will make the Neutral Zone have to tighten back on some things like supplies and equipment so they can raise a little unrestricted money they can put towards the budget. Weiss makes it clear, though, that they will not have to do anything drastic like laying off any of their staff. Weiss encourages everyone to help out with the Neutral Zone, for he knows that the organization means a lot to the kids and he does not want to see it suffer because of some small bumps in the road that could easily be prevented. “I don’t want anyone to think that the Neutral Zone is in jeopardy of cutting back too much or closing programs that the kids need, but I do want people to realize that times are tough and we’re not getting the level of support that we usually have in the past. I really want to put the pressure on the community to remember that the Neutral Zone is valuable and we need to step up.”

olivia kincaid photos

ABOVE Neutral Zone teen artwork hangs on the wall on the second floor at the restaurant Sava’s. The artwork will be avaliable for sale.

ABOVE The Neutral Zone’s Photography class meets together to brainstorm ideas for possible new artwork for the Neutral Zone’s art show, Gravity.

what do you do at the neutral zone?

“I’m a member of Riot Youth; [I] also hang out with friends and choreograph dance.” -Roberto Stephens

VAC and Building Bridges, Northstar and Melting Pot. Melting Pot is Northstar but combined with a bunch of different programs.” -Lauren Kuperman

“Plan art shows with the Visual Arts Council group, and I go to the screen-printing class.” -Colin Leach feature

“Right now, I do photography and hang out with friends.” - Allegra Corwin-Renner

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i scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream Joella Bennett and Aaron Nelson-Purcell take the job of testing ann arbor’s unique selection of creameries joella bennett and aaron nelson-purcell aaron nelson-purcell photos

The Judges JOELLA BENNETT:

AARON NELSONPURCELL:

favorite flavor: cookies ‘n cream

favorite ice cream: SUPERMAN

favorite topping: sprinkles

favorite topping: GUMMY BEARS

first ice cream experience: MAKING MY FIRST SUNDAE

first ice cream experience: WASHTENAW DAIRY

average ice cream intake: More than josh fendrick

average ice cream intake: THAT OF A BABY

cholesterol level LOW

cholesterol level: EHHH

Key SCALE FROM ONE TO FIVE POINTS 08

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$ Vanilla Flavor

review

Price

Specialty Flavor/ Top Seller

Atmosphere

Location: 1952 West Stadium Blvd

Location: 3780 Jackson Rd. Coffee House Creamery is the perfect place for a post-movie scoop of ice cream. Located right across the parking lot from Quality 16 (on Jackson Rd.), the cozy and fragrant ice cream store offers an interesting range of flavors ranging from mango to Cappuccino Crunch. As soon as the door opens, each customer is greeted by friendly staff and music playing in the background. There are tables scattered about, as well as a seating area outside.

Originating in Petoskey, Michigan, Kilwin’s uses their own original recipes. After walking into the store, the first thing that is noticeable is how old fashioned everything looks. Kilwin’s has been in Ann Arbor since 1983, and the only changes have been the flavors of ice cream that have been offered. The town favorite is Ann Arbor Mud; Made out of vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate flakes, this flavor has a great texture and leaves a lovely chocolate aftertaste, despite being on the sweet side. Another Ann Arbor favorite is Toasted Coconut. Consisting of coconut ice cream with chocolate-covered coconut flakes, this ice cream has a crisp and refreshing taste. However, Kilwin’s vanilla ice cream is a pinch too much. The vanilla flavoring was

Location: 602 South Ashley St.

Not only is ice cream served there, but coffee, sandwiches, soup and cookies are also for sale. The vanilla ice cream was creamy in texture, but didn’t have a strong of a vanilla taste. A solid plus was that it was light and fluffy. However, their specialty ice cream Cappuccino Crunch hit the mark. A coffee ice cream with a dark chocolate and toffee swirls; Cappuccino Crunch left a bold aftertaste and wasn’t overly sweet.

Location: 107 East Liberty St.

very strong and the consistency is thicker in comparison to other stores. Nonetheless, Kilwin’s is one of the most popular ice cream stores downtown, and one of the best places to get ice cream during the summer.

Washtenaw Dairy is probably the best known ice cream shop in Ann Arbor. Located on South Ashley Street, Washtenaw Dairy offers the largest variety of flavors as well as the biggest scoops for the best price. The vanilla ice cream had a harder texture, but managed to be creamier once it started to melt. The popular flavors are peppermint and cookies ‘n cream, but if one want to mix it up, try Michigan Black Cherry. A combination of vanilla ice cream with cherry flavoring and cherry bits mixed throughout, the texture is pleasantly surprising. The only thing that would be a little bit disappointing about Washtenaw Dairy is bit packed full during peak hours resulting in the shop being a touch too warm to stay inside. Fortunately, there are benches outside that are the perfect place to enjoy a cone.

To be honest, Baskin Robbins is a bit of a letdown. They have really interesting flavors, but as they are sampled, you realize they all have similar flavoring. If there was a way to make ice cream too sweet, well, Baskin Robbins has succeeded. Their vanilla had absolutely no flavor, but the texture was still acceptable. The ice cream is hard, and too vibrantly colored. The flavor

of the month is Firehouse. It is supposed to be hot cinnamon ice cream with cinnamon candy and vanilla ice cream swirls. However, the cinnamon was sweet and the ice cream was really grainy, with hard cinnamon candies mixed throughout. As disappointing as the flavors are, people go back for more all the time.

Location: 302 South State St. 4

Stucchi’s is one of the better known ice cream shops downtown. The shop smells like warm cookies and evokes happy feelings in each customer. The vanilla was a touch too cold, but had a strong flavor. One of their more popular flavors is the White Russian Fudge. It’s a coffee based ice cream with fudge ripples and fudge chunks. Not only does this ice cream have a

sweet aftertaste, the fudge chunks give the ice cream good texture. The fudge also doesn’t get too hard from being in the freezer. Stucchi’s is located right next door to Ben and Jerry’s, which does leave room for a little competition, but if you are looking for the more traditional flavors like strawberry or mint chocolate chip, Stucchi’s is the place to go.

$ Ben and Jerry’s, while not native to Ann Arbor, is definitely one of the more popular ice cream shops in town. The colorful and extremely friendly atmosphere is one of the many perks about this shop. Ben and Jerry’s creates their own ice cream at the Ben and Jerry’s headquarters located in Burlington, Vermont. Each flavor is tested in different shops across the nation, and right now the Ben and Jerry’s located on South State Street is offering the “Late Night review

Snack” flavor. This ice cream is made of vanilla bean ice cream, with salty caramel and fudge covered potato crisp clusters. It may sound unappetizing, but all of the ingredients produce a sweet and salty combination that is sure to please it’s consumer. The vanilla flavor has a creamy yellow color, and each scoop is dense and packed full of flavor. Another positive thing about Ben and Jerry’s is that they have decided to make all of their ice cream strictly “fair-trade,” by 2013.

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brienne o’donnell illustration

new in town patricia green moves north from pittsburgh to become ann arbor public schools’ new superintendent after working in the education field for 39 years acer xu

The Ann Arbor school district currently enrolls more than 16,500 students from pre-school age to through high school.

After the departure of Dr. Todd Roberts late last year, AAPS has been searching for a new superintendent. The new superintendent has now been found. Dr. Patricia Pataky Green, hailing from the North Allegheny School District near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is taking the helm as AAPS superintendent. Green was born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens. “It was a very diverse, very large, busy community, obviously. My father worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He started out as a machinist, and then worked his way up into administration, becoming a financial manager. However, when I was in school, the Brooklyn Navy Yard closed. And so that’s how I ended up in Maryland, when my father was transferred to Washington D.C. to stay with the Navy, still as a civilian employee.” This change in environment shaped much of who Green is today. “At the end of my 10th grade year, I had to pick up and move not just to another school, but to a whole other state. It’s tough to move when you’re in high school, when you have your friends, and traditions, and then you have to move on,” stated Green. “And it was a very difficult thing for me to do. It’s one of the things that’s lingered with me, and why in my mind, I do pay so much attention to high school students because I know how difficult it was for me in high school. So I understand a lot of the issues because I lived through a lot of them.”

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Green knew she wanted to become a teacher early on in her life. “My seventh grade teacher was one who really expected the best out of me, and one of the first who really made me want to become a teacher. Originally, I had gone in wanting to become a Physical Education teacher. I shifted later in college, when I realized I wanted to become a classroom teacher, which I was for 12 years.” Green has now been working in the field of education for 39 years. Start-

school board’s goals was to become one of the best districts in the nation. We’ve done that, and then some. I’m not the kind of person who rests on my laurels. I felt that I wanted more of a challenge. I was getting to that point where I wanted to build again, and I wanted to find a good district, that I could perhaps make better.” When talking about her transition to Ann Arbor, Green finds AAPS similar to her current district. “I have worked for 9 years in a district that has had

“

It’s about what’s in the best interest of the students, parents, and community of Ann Arbor, not about what Pat Green wants.

”

ing as an elementary school teacher in Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, she rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Deputy Superintendent of the district of 130,000 students. She then moved on to the North Allegheny School District as Superintendent for 9 years, starting in 2002, and now in July of this year, will become the Superintendent of AAPS. “It was a very tough decision,” Green said about changing districts. “In the nine years that I’ve been here, we’ve achieved great heights. When I first got here [North Allegheny], one of the

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a love of the arts, whether it’s music, or the visual arts. And I believe very strongly that emphasizing the arts is significant in the development of young people, and I wouldn’t have even considered going to a district that didn’t do that,” Green said. “Also, it’s important to keep an understanding of what keeps a school district great in your decision making when money is tight, which is something Ann Arbor does a great job of doing.” Green also says that direct change is not her first goal in Ann Arbor. “I can’t just say ‘this is my goal. We’re going to

do this.’ I have to meet new people and listen as to what the issues are that they would want me to figure out. I’ve had a great career, and I’ve gotten a lot of things done, but I’ve never been a lone ranger. I’ve never just gone in and said ‘we’re going to do that.’ The word ‘we’ is very important. It’s not just what I want done, but what the people as a group want done,” she said. Her first goal is to figure out what has been happening in An Arbor. Green said, “I can’t really say what I’m going to do until I get there in July, come to the community and have those significant conversations. I want to have a listening tour where I listen to a lot of people here and hear a lot of different views. Because I do believe we all hold a different piece to a puzzle.” She continues, “It’s about what’s in the best interest of the students, parents, and community of Ann Arbor, not about what Pat Green wants.” She concludes with some advice for the students of AAPS. “Have great expectations, and always remember that the best is yet to come. Always expect the best, the best of others, the best of yourself and give your best. Have a high expectation. But always remember that the best is a little bit out of reach. And that’s how everyone continues to grow. And finally, always remember who you are as a person. Stay authentic, and hold your values dear to your heart with integrity.”

the great heist HOW THE GOVERNoR’S BUDGET PROPOSAL IS ROBBING PUBLIC SCHOOLS

jordan siden

lthough dealing with slim funds is nothing new for public schools, school districts across Michigan could be facing some very tough times ahead. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal for the 2011-12 fiscal year removes $453 per pupil across the state, among other major cuts to the poor, the old, and the working. The reason for the cuts lies in affording the removal of the Michigan Business Tax, giving big businesses in Michigan a tax break worth $1.2 billion. With a projected deficit of $7 million for next year, the Ann Arbor Public School District could see its deficit rise to $15 million. Because a school system cannot legally run on a deficit, AAPS

must make major cuts in operations for next year. Of course, a problem arises: AAPS has been steadily reducing its expenditures for the past five years – there is not much left to cut. This mess began long before Gov. Snyder took office in January. To understand the complexity of the situation at hand, the history of how public schools were funded must be revealed.

an interesting proposal Rewind 18 years to 1993, when Republican Gov. John Engler presented his ideas to reform the education financial system to the Michigan Legislature based on a report entitled “Our Kids

Deserve Better, New Schools for a New Century.” The governor, who ran on the campaign promise to lower property taxes for Michigan residents, called for a restructuring of school funding. At the time, school districts were not funded by local taxes; schools were primarily funded at the state level. The new system, later known as Proposal A, would raise the sales tax from four to six percent and give three quarters of that money to the school aid fund, a new separate budget from Michigan’s general fund. Another major key point of Proposal A was a reduction of the inequality between school districts within the state. In 1993, the poorest school districts could only afford a third per

student what the wealthiest could. As schools were funded by local property taxes, communities with fewer homes or lower property values could not afford to give as much to their schools as other communities. Proposal A would provide funding for schools from the state by a “foundation allowance,” a dollar amount per student. The student population would be counted on mandatory “count days,” one in October and one in February. At first, the foundation allowance was different for different school districts – the state could not afford to bring everyone up to the same level at once – so a minimum and maximum was established, with the intent to balance the rate over time.

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The Ann arbor public school district could see its deficit rise to $15 million by next year

the governer’s budget proposal calls for a reduction of $453 per student, or $7 million from aaps

In March of 1994, 69 percent of voters chose Proposal A, and the Michigan constitution was amended. At the time, Michigan’s property tax was more than 33 percent above the national average. In Ann Arbor, a district that was already paying more per student than the new funding allowed, the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and other districts like it, were allowed to continue collecting property taxes to make up the difference lost by the new funding, but only at a fixed rate. While the dollar amount of the foundation allowance has steadily increased, its actual buying power when inflation is taken into account has dropped significantly. The $9,325 allocated per student to AAPS in 2009 was worth about $6,500 in 1994 dollars.

Tough Times

Staff reduction saved AAPS $7,570,000 in 2009.

The regional enhancement milliage, which goes to vote on may 3rd could save aaps $6 million

In 2009, AAPS teachers took concessions in pay and benefits worth four and a half million dollars. That amount was the result of two major changes is salary. Teacher’s pay is determined by a yearly step increase chart. Every year a teacher works for AAPS, they receive a slight pay increase. In 2009, the Ann Arbor Education Association teachers union agreed to freeze the step increase by 75%, meaning teachers only receive a quarter increase of what they should. Secondly, teachers took a deduction of four days worth of pay. The first two from “furlough days”, where teachers were required to work but not get paid at all, and the other two are known as “personal business days”, or unpaid vacation days that if teachers chose not to use, could request compensation for upon retirement. With the removal of four days worth of pay and the frozen step increase, teachers received on average salary cuts worth $3,500 each, or 6% of their original pay. “It’s painful to see your pay freeze and see inflation go up,” said Liz Stern, teacher at CHS for 12 years. “It’s painful to take pay cuts when your expenses stay the same. But when you’re a beginning teacher, a two, three, or four year teacher, you’re not making very much money.” Craig Levin, teacher at CHS for 11 years, pointed out the trend of diminishing returns. “Part of the biggest problem is that we do more and more each year, and for the last few years we’re being rewarded with more to do, and less for doing more”...I’m spending less time with the students. I’m spending less time talking to teachers. I’m spending less time doing things for my students at school.” the communicator

“Historically the teachers instead of bargaining high salaries have bargained good benefits,” said Marcia Schaffer, teacher for 35 years. “And that’s always been our trade off, that we have good benefits. But now when you start taking away both, the not great salary and then increasing benefits, it’s designed to push public education out, and I’m not sure that’s [Gov. Snyder’s] endgame, but that is what he’s doing.” “You don’t go into teaching for money,” said Stern. “You really don’t. You don’t go into teaching for security either. This is not the kind of job you can go into without really liking kids and wanting to teach. It’s passion, it’s a service.” Stern continued to mention that while teaching requires a great deal

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Equivalency”, or FTE. Each class taught is worth .2 FTE., making a full schedule, or five classes, worth 1.0 FTE. In order to reduce costs for next year, administrators are required to reduce the schools FTE by a certain number, and because laying off is not an option, surplussing remains the best option. It has not been determined how many FTEs Community must remove for next year. CHS administrator Jen Hein still has time to decide how she will but so far, Pioneer High School has been the only school to announce who among its staff will be surplussed next year. There are 25 teachers on that list. Meanwhile, the salary of incoming superintendent Patricia Green will be $256,000 a year, a 40% raise from

Part of the biggest problem is that we do more and more each year, and for the last few years we’re being rewarded with more to do, and less for doing more.

of love for the job it is not at the expense of her livelihood. “It is a calling, but I’m not going to sacrifice my family. I’m not taking a vow of poverty.” “And that’s essentially what the governor’s asking,” remarked Ken McGraw, teacher at CHS. While teachers pay have consistently been diminished over the years, that is not the only expenditure in risk of cuts. “At any negotiation, whether its tough times or fat times, you’ve got three things that we talk about at the table.” said Brit Satchwell, president of the AAEA, and teacher at Forsythe Middle School. According to Satchwell, the three things that are inevitably discussed are the number of people, the amount of wages, and the number of programs. “If they take away from any one, than the other two are effected.” Because the AAEA and the school board agreed there will be no layoffs from 2009 to 2011, jobs are spared for now. But that negotiation expires the first school day of next year. “You have a job on day one, but on day two next year, they could hand out pink slips.” While layoffs are a concern among teachers, it is “undoubtable” that surplussing, especially among teachers with less seniority, will be very common next year, according to Satchwell. Surplussing is the reassignment of one’s job, and most typically means teaching at another building, or teaching in multiple buildings in the same day. A teacher’s assignment is measured with a formula known as “Full Time feature

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retired superintendent Todd Robert’s, which does not include benefits. AAPS Treasurer Irene Patalan explained the raise was to attract the highest qualified candidate for the new position in a rough economy. “In a more opportune time, I don’t know if there would be more people wanting to be superintendents of schools in Michigan, I think Michigan is a tough place right now.” Patalan also mentioned that Dr. Robert’s salary was considerably low for his workload. “In my mind, I think that Todd Robert’s was a real bargain...The superintendent is a job that is truly a 24 hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job. We expect a lot from our superintendent, to be in all places in all times and to deal with all problems of running the district. I think we’re going to work [Dr. Green] hard, and I think she’s going to earn her wage.” However, this raise has not gone without controversy. “It’s unspeakable,” said CHS teacher Ken McGraw of the superintendent’s raise. “The fact that the school board would do that to sort of mirror the policies that favor the rich is infuriating to me.”

Trimming Around the Edges AAPS has managed to deal with budget deficits in the past. In 2009, after the results of the ill-fated Regional

Enhancement Millage Proposal proved bad news for schools, the school district had a lot of overhead to reduce in its budget. The millage, a county-wide proposal to increase property taxes to fund schools in Washtenaw County, failed in November 2009. For this school year, the school board made an effort to make the cuts worth 16 million as unnoticeable as possible to the classroom: staff reduction saved AAPS $7,570,000 in 2009; all custodians witnessed a salary decrease of 8% to avoid their jobs being privatized; outsourcing school meals, and consolidating substitutes and transportation to a county wide service saved around another million. Over the past five years, the school district has managed to cut 30 million dollars without any major changes to operations. Keeping cuts as unnoticeable as possible avoids major disapproval from the public. “Ann Arbor has been trimming around the edges with as little impact, visible impact, to students and parents,” said Stern. “I don’t even think parents are really aware of what’s going on yet, because they haven’t seen the impact.” At a public meeting held at Community High, Executive Director of advocacy group Michigan Parents for Public Schools explained the dilemma for next year. “They’ve already restructured the middle schools, they’ve already cut back electives – In 2006 they bumped up the class size targets, all the way from ‘K’ through 12. There’s not a whole lot left to do now, but either ask for significant pay concessions – primarily from teachers who are the largest employee group – and or lay people off and pump class sizes up. Neither of those options are particularly good for a whole bunch of reasons.” AAPS is a wealthy school district in terms of options for students, but with high graduation requirements, and an increased emphasis on academic classes, extra programs are in serious danger for next year. With three alternative high schools, highly successful arts and music programs, the Community Resource and Options programs, a number of world languages, AP and AC classes, and many other beneficial but not required programs offered at the high school level, AAPS seems to have a lot of expendable funds. But Norton argues that successful extraciurriculars and programs are what attract families to the school district. “The public schools are very aware of the fact that the quality of our programs, especially the alternatives that we offer at the high school level...are things that bring students into our district. And our funding is based entirely on how many kids we have enrolled.

It Takes a Millage On May 3rd, voters across Washtenaw county will decide if they want to renew the Regional Enhancement Millage which would help fund special education costs in public schools. AAPS spends $40 million annually on federally required special education services for two thousand students; services that range from instruction to support services and technology. The county wide millage is a renewal, and

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“Teaching assistants are critical to have to do our work,” she said. T.A.s perform a considerable amount of the ‘in-class’ portion of the ILC’s role – participating in the class room, providing notes and classwork for students. Another role of the ILC is compiling student data. Annual reports for each student that can take anywhere from six to ten hours to complete, and are a required component the ILC must present to the district. “We live in a very data-driven world,” explained Stone. “The district has to show that we’ve followed the letter of the law, and in order to follow the letter of the law they want us to prove that we’ve been doing things a certain way so they’ve instituted systems for us, and what that means is more paperwork.” Stone mentions that as a consequence, ILC teachers spend less time directly helping students. “I think what really helps me help kids is my relationship with them, and the time that I spend with them, and the work that I do between the child and the parent, and the teacher and me. But if I’m spending eight to twelve hours writing a report and collecting data – the paperwork piece – that takes me

There’s not a whole lot left to do now, but either ask for significant pay concessions and/or lay people off and pump class sizes up.

does not raise anybody’s taxes. In fact, the millage alone does not cover the entire cost of special education in AAPS. Due to lower property values, if the millage passes, AAPS will still need about one million dollars to continue funding special needs services. Community High’s ILC, or Independent Learning Center, is one of the special education programs that is funded by the special education fund. As CHS does not have designated classes for special needs students, the ILC provides students with one-on-one help and allows special needs students to take regular classes. The ILC consists of three full time staff and three teacher’s assistants, whose roles consist of attending classes and taking notes for students, helping with homework and studying for tests, and working with teachers to find solutions for problems special needs students may encounter in the classroom. A concern for ILC teacher Ellen Stone is the possibility of no longer having teachers assistants to help with that workload.

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away from students.” And less time for ILC teachers means less help for everybody. “ILC [has] just been absolutely hammered with a lot more paperwork,” said Stern. “Their workload is doubled. They will tell you themselves, they can’t help kids as much, and it has to go somewhere, so we help kids more.” Fourty percent of the money spent on special education is used to pay for instruction. This means personnel, especially teaching assistants, may be at risk of losing their jobs next year, putting even more strain on teachers throughout the building. If the Regional Enhancement Millage does not pass, AAPS must add another six million dollars to its deficit for next year, bringing the total deficit to $21 million. “May 3rd is a very big day,” explained Hein.

A Shared sacrifice “There will be shared sacrifice,” said the letter addressed to Michigan citizens in Rick Snyder’s budget proposal.

“But through that shared sacrifice, Michigan will emerge as a stronger and more vibrant state.” While the “shared sacrifice” of rebuilding Michigan’s economy certainly falls square on the shoulders of the state’s most vulnerable, that burden is not shared among the wealthy. Repealing the Michigan Business Tax saves big business $1.2 billion dollars statewide, and a flat-tax rate of 4% ensures that wealthy families will continue to be unaffected by tax increases the same way poorer ones do. The budget introduces the repealing of the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable income tax relief for the working poor, will cause low-income families to see their taxes rise 10 times greater than the wealthiest households. While the budget already calls for $180 million in concessions from public employees, the introduction of separate but related Emergency Financial Manger legislation will allow the Michigan State Treasurer to appoint EFMs to replace local government officials in any municipality deemed failing financially, and have the ability to alter or remove existing contracts as well as act as the sole agent in collective bargaining. Public employees including teachers, firefighters, and policemen could be taken over by a single, un-elected manager and cut jobs with no restraint. It is clear Michigan must make efforts to close its $1.3 billion dollar deficit, but politicians in Lansing must be very weary of the effects of what they cut. Slashing

funding to public schools may have very undesirable consequences in the future. A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2003 found that for every dollar increase in state spending per pupil, property values increased $20 in overall housing. Meanwhile, AAPS sees its expenditures rise annually, while it continually looses the funding to keep up with the cost. “Just cutting expenditures will not solve this structural problem,” said interim AAPS superintendent Robert Allen in a Powerpoint on the district’s website. “This will take specific state action as it pertains to revenues provided to the school districts in order to solve this problem.” C

the salary of the superintendant has been raised from $175,000 to $256,000

Budget Cuts Over the Years Reductions in AAPS’ General Fund Since 2006 Source: 3/21/11 AAPS Budget Update

Expediture Reduction (In Millions of Dollars)

We lose kids, we lose money.” While no buildings are likely to close, there is a large concern as to what programs will be deemed essential, and which ones the schools can do without. “I always think about the endgame,” said Hein. “What is it that we want students to be able to do successfully when they leave high school to get to the next level. So what do you need to know, what do you need to learn, what are good universities and colleges expecting from students who apply. I don’t want our students to be impacted; I want all of our kids to be going to the top universities and colleges next year just like they do this year.”

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an unpredictable outcome SUe schooer retired early from her job as an automotive executive to dedicate her life to helping first generation girls go to college

above Girls’ Group creating Valentines Day cards and placemats for the youth at Motts Children Hospital julia kortberg

ue Schooner had no idea what she was getting herself into. She had never taken a social work class in her life. She had no experience with kids. However, that did not stop her from becoming emotionally attached. After volunteering on the board of the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan in 2003, she met sixteen extraordinary girls from Pine Lake cooperative housing, and they took over her life.

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money, so I was just funding everything on my own. It wasn’t a big deal at the time, but it became apparent that there was so much more we could do with the organization… I figured if I incorporated it as a non-profit, it could fund itself.” And so, Girls’ Group emerged. The group started having weekly Friday discussions about important topics such as sex, parents, communication and anger management.

It became apparent that so many of these girls had so much more potential than they or their parents or the school system realized they had.

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As she grew to know each of them and the daily challenges they faced, she knew she needed to get involved. After two years of spending all of her free time with the girls Schooner made a drastic decision. At age 47, she retired early from her job as an automotive executive to become a full time director of the non-profit organization she founded, Girls’ Group. “At first I wasn’t planning on quitting my job. For the first couple of years, I was working and spending my free time with them and I was making a lot of

However, it was not easy for Schooner. “I mean, in the beginning there [were] a lot of issues because first off, I really didn’t know what I was doing. I was just really making stuff up and the mothers didn’t really know who I was. So people would call me and yell at me a lot in the beginning,” she said. “I never knew what to do, like I said, I never had my own kids so every time a teenager acted like a teenager, I just panicked. Every time something went wrong, I kept thinking what a disaster it was going to be.”

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Despite the drama, she persevered. “In the beginning it was teaching them good values. Then the girls never left so then it became a high school program. Then it was to encourage these girls to make it through high school and not drop out, not get kicked out for fighting, not get pregnant and not do drugs and alcohol,” she said. The girls potential inspired Schooner to develop a new component to the group – college prep. “It became apparent that so many of these girls had so much more potential than they or their parents or the school system realized they had,” she said. “No one ever told these girls they could go to college…So if no one’s ever told you you could go to college and you don’t know anyone who’s gone to college then you just assume that you aren’t college material.” Girls’ Group changed that mentality. Because of the group, sixteen girls have successfully graduated high school and currently attend colleges across the United States. Community High School Senior, Asha Evans owes her academic success to Girls’ Group. “[Before Girls’ Group] I was still a pretty good student; I did my work, I went to class, but I was just so ready to be done and over with school that college wasn’t a big idea for me,” Evans said. “I didn’t think about going to college, or like I thought about it, but it wasn’t a big thing…but now

that I go to Girls Group and we go on college tours and have different people come from different colleges, it’s made me actually want to go to college and I’m going, so that played a big part,” she said. Evans is planning to attend Jackson Community College next year. She is looking forward to staying in the dorms and experiencing college life. Evans plans to study to become a neonatologist or a fashion designer. Like many other Girls’ Group members, Evans will be one of the first in her family to attend college. The college prep component of Girls’ Group involves ACT prep and support with applications, essays, scholarships and financial aid. Tuskegee University Sophomore, Alexia Burton is another example of Girls’ Group’s success. “I didn’t really think about it [college], but going to Girls’ Group and being around all the mentors who were in graduate school really inspired me to go to college. I [knew I] could do it too because a lot of the mentors were African American,” Burton said. A major component of Girls’ Group is the mentors. They work to create a positive and encouraging atmosphere for the girls and are available 24/7 to help them in all areas of crisis. Schooner looks for specific qualities in the mentors. “A lot of them have social

sue schooer photos

above Girls Group in a drum circle below Tanee Collins, Alexia Burton, and Ayona Van Horn receiving Girls’ Group honor roll certificates

above Checking out the outdoor sculpture at the Ann Arbor Art Museum

work backgrounds; they’re college educated. They have to be tolerant and empathetic and flexible,” she said. Girls’ Group conducts an interview process where the mentors come and meet the girls, “In Girls’ Group, there’s a lot of drama so you pretty much have to be able to get along with girls and moms and other mentors and be flexible. It’s not a job for everybody,” said Schooner. The girls are allowed to choose their own mentors. “In general it’s a chemistry thing; part of what the girls like about girls group is that there’s a lot of different mentors, so the girls gravitate more to one mentor than another,” Schooner said. Burton’s mentors played a large role in supporting her as she went through domestic violence. “The mentors are really important because in high school and middle school there is so much that girls and guys can get caught up into and everything. Sometimes you have things that go on in home and you don’t have the right support system for it; so I feel like Girls’ Group really helps and not just me, I think it helps all the girls,” Burton said. Evans is also grateful for the support of her mentors. “They pretty much try to help you with anything that they can. They’re pretty involved, like if you’re going through a tough time and you need somebody to talk to, they’re there

for you. If you call them and say ‘look this is my situation’, they’ll help you out as much as they can. They’re pretty involved; it’s like having a big sister,” she said. Girls’ Group is comprised of 30 girls from different ethnic backgrounds. “It’s pretty much open [to whomever]; it tends to be girls who have difficult family situations because what they like about Girls’ Group is there is people who can understand what they’re going through and not judge them and be able to empathize with their situation,” Schooner said. “We create a support system that they wouldn’t normally have and that some people take for granted.” Latoya Coleman, a mentor at Girls’ Group, is a strong role model to the girls. She first became involved with the group when she was asked by Schooner to share her experiences with teen pregnancy, domestic violence, poverty and the importance of education with the girls during a Friday discussion group. “I was a teen mom and I wanted to beat the statistic. I didn’t want to be in poverty. I didn’t want to stay in poverty. I didn’t want my kids to not have anything. I wanted to not continue the cycle so I made sure that no matter what was going on, I was in school.” She graduated from Eastern Michigan with a degree in social work and now uses her past experiences to relate to

the girls. “I’ve been volunteering with high school kids forever… my past personal experience makes it so I can understand better what the girls are saying as opposed to if I hadn’t gone through the stuff I’ve gone through,” she said. Education is one of the primary focuses in Girls’ Group. “It’s our mission to make sure that girls go to college and one of the things that we believe is that if they have the opportunity to go see different things than A, they can’t say they didn’t know and B, it opens up [options for the girls],” said Coleman. This focus has proven to be a success. “The first group of seniors, ten/ten of them graduated from high school and went to college and are still in college. So since this is the third year we have seniors, it’s been a total paradigm shift. Those original girls [said], ‘I’m not going to college, I don’t know anyone who went to college.’ But now it’s more like, ‘oh yeah I’m in Girls’ Group and people in Girls’ Group go to college.’ It’s a whole different mentality than it used to be,” said Schooner. Girls’ Group also focuses on introducing the girls to different activities. These activities range anywhere from trips to the apple orchard and tie dying to summer camps in New York and Los Angeles The group runs on a $130,000 budget per year and is funded by individual donations and grant fund-

ing. There are five part time staff members and Schooner volunteers on a full time basis with virtually no overhead. She hopes to expand the group. “We’d like the opportunity to send even more girls to summer camp out of state… and we’d to provide more support to the college girls because from their perspective we were there constantly during high school and now were there, but not as much. They could use a lot more support than what they’re getting right now.” The support system in Girls’ Group works both ways. “Now that we’ve been together for seven years, it’s become a very intimate relationship…. I mean the girls and the mothers were in my life when both of my parents died and I’ve been there with them through crisis and illnesses and all types of problems,” Schooner said. She is grateful for the risk she took seven years ago. “I’ve seen the girls grow up into very lovely, successful, intelligent, professional women. And there were so many times when I thought, ‘Oh my god this is so hopeless’, but now I’ve just sort of seen that it’s a process. [It has] ups and downs, and if we just stick with it, it’ll eventually work.” C

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community drinks its %

top %

5 beverages

total spent: $35,414.8 per year 2ND MOST COMMON DAY TO BUY BEVERAGES

54% of students are given money specifically for food & drink

75% of students donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t buy more than one beverage per day

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student beverages

TIED 2ND M

64% of students surveyed w buy as many beverages if th attend Community High Sc

s money away...

TIED FOR ND WITH MON.

DATA COMPILED FROM 250 CHS STUDENTS AND STAFF emma share & patricia nease cooper depriest photos emma share & patricia nease illustration

52% of students don’t consider the calorie content of their purchase

56% of students buy their beverages during lunch

MOST COMMON DAY TO BUY BEVERAGES

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FUN Nine-year-old Talia akiva pursues her passion as a budding actress clare lauer & brienne o’donnell jordan siden photos

alia Akiva went over to a friend’s house for a play date, but this was no ordinary play date. Nine year old Akiva’s filming for a new commercial was canceled that day but the actors still get paid for the work they would have completed. So while at her play date, Akiva was paid for hanging around with her friend. “This is the most lucrative play date you will ever have,” said Rachel Akiva, Talia’s mother. Akiva first got the acting bug around age four. She started by participating in the summer programs held by Young People’s Theater, and was hooked. Now a third grader at Eberwhite Elementary School, Akiva has acted in nine shows, all musicals except for one. With most of her experience in musical theater, Akiva’s musical talents

began at a young age as well. She started singing for her own enjoyment at home. Later, Akiva joined the Youth Choir at Temple Beth Emeth. Along with the choir, Akiva takes voice lessons at the Children Music Academy. Rachel Akiva claims her daughter’s musical success cannot be traced back to her. She credits her husband for any talent that may have been passed on. Tom Akiva has a background in theater, singing, and guitar. However, Rachel Akiva is essential to her daughter’s preparation for her roles. Her biggest role to date was Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. The production was done through Ann Arbor Civic Theater. To practice for her lead role, Akiva called on both her parents for help. “When you’re home I go over lines, and my mom and dad like do the

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other people and I think I kind of get a feel of what I am,” said Akiva. Despite the numerous shows under Akiva’s belt, the film industry would offer roles Akiva was just not cut out for. In one movie Akiva auditioned for, she held a plastic knife to “basically

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Although Akiva couldn’t fit into the tough girl role, she did find her niche as the daughter of George Clooney in the movie Ides of March. Akiva had the opportunity to audition for the film after finding an agent. Akiva landed her agent through a

Everyone is coming up to me and saying ‘Oh my gosh you’re in a movie!’ and my friends are all really excited.

threaten the air” as she portrayed a ‘tough girl.’ Based on Akiva’s charming smile and sweet demeanor, Akiva and her mom are assuming things didn’t work out.

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fellow actor while in the production of The Sound of Music. Akiva and her mom have found that if you are going to be involved in the movie industry that you should have an agent. Rachel

Akiva had doubts in the beginning about signing an agent but decided to follow through with it. The first audition that Akiva’s agent got for her, she landed the role. Akiva’s main role in the movie was to play George Clooney’s daughter. She was in multiple scenes with him but did not have any lines. “One time I had to sit and play Tic Tac Toe. That was fun. And one [scene] was standing at a podium,” said Akiva. She had the opportunity to play Tic Tac Toe with Evan Rachel Wood and Jennifer Ehle. Akiva can also proudly boast that she won the game. So far the movie has not changed Akiva’s life drastically but there are minor

changes to the people that she encounters on a daily basis. “Everyone is coming up to me and saying ‘Oh my gosh you’re in a movie!’ and my friends are really excited,” said Akiva. However, Akiva does not view the extra attention she is receiving as negative. Because Akiva likes acting so much she has really enjoyed the filming process. Many different aspects of filming a movie were exciting for

her but there was one in particular. “[I really like] meeting all new people and making new friends,” said Akiva. A couple of these new friends include stars such as George Clooney, Evan Rachel Wood, and Ryan Gosling. Out of the actors on set, George Clooney, was the favorite of Akiva. Clooney was also liked by Rachel Akiva, “George runs around the whole time singing in Italian, it’s hilarious,” said Rachel Akiva. At one point on the set while filming George called out Akiva in front of over 1300 extras at the Power Center. “There’s a scene where he’s on the podium giving a speech and she’s off to the side. [After] they finish filming, he goes ‘And this is my daughter!’, and she runs out and everybody starts cheering. It was really fun,” said Rachel Akiva. The fun did not stop there for Akiva. While on set she had her own trailer and could ask for whatever she would like and an assistant would fetch it for her. “One time I asked for popcorn,” said Akiva. Akiva was fed anything she desired for breakfast when she asked. Rachel Akiva also had her fun with the personal services. “My mom was jokingly saying ‘Oh my phone is dead’ and they went and got her a charger,” said Akiva. Filming the movie was a very fun experience for Akiva, but there were times she was nervous. Akiva has her own trick to get rid of the jitters. “I play games with my mom.” Akiva and her mom would also film little movies and sing songs to help calm Akiva’s nerves and to pass the time. Although Akiva had a role in the movie she will not be able to attend the Hollywood Premiere. Rachel Akiva explained further, “If you get a line, then you get to join Screen Actors Guild and make a whole lot of money. You get residuals and it’s this whole deal and you get invited to the premiere in Hollywood.” But because Akiva did not have a line she cannot participate in the Hollywood Premiere. She will attend the premiere in Michigan. The Motion Picture Association of America has not yet rated the film but the rating will not influence Rachel Akiva’s decision on whether or not Akiva will be able to see it. She is predicting that the rating will either be PG-13 or R. Rachel Akiva believes it would be cruel not to let her daughter see the movie she participated in. In her next job, Akiva came across a familiar face from the Clooney movie set. The daughter of the stand in for George Clooney is

appearing with Akiva in an impressive position. They both will be appearing in a national Chrysler commercial directed by Samuel Bayer. He is responsible for directing and shooting the Super Bowl Chrysler commercial. Akiva’s agent instructed her on what to do for her audition. “Well, I had to sit on these chairs and pretend we were going to the zoo,” she said. After her agent sent along her tape, the Akiva family viewed the chances of getting the role as “a total long-shot” due to hundreds of other children auditioning from around the state. However, after receiving a callback, Akiva was booked. After an abrupt entrance into the world of film and television, Akiva is happy to to be back to a more regular routine. “I had to miss a lot of school and I missed going back to my normal life. But I think I kind of felt relieved when I was back,” said Akiva. In the future, Rachel Akiva is nervous that her daughter’s ambition to act may be stifled, as it is getting harder to find acting jobs in Michigan. “It’s pretty slow right now with the stupid Snyder and the Michigan movie thing...if he doesn’t kill her dream,” she said. Gov. Rick Snyder recently decreased the film budget for the state and 2012 fiscal year to 25 million dollars, compared to the 2009-10 year in which the film industry spent around 100 million dollars. Groups such as the Michigan Film Office which began in 1979 are trying to keep the movie-making industry afloat in Michigan by donating some money to films. Their goal is to attract and assist production companies. Despite the uncertainty, Akiva has a dream to be involved in acting. “I want to be on Broadway!” she said. Akiva is already beginning to attain her dreams, with an IMBD account set up by her mother and agent, allowing others to view her success as it occurs. As Akiva continues along her stage-lit path, her mother stands by, enduring the bumps along the way. With her daughter’s movie experience wrapping up, a conversation with Clooney gave Rachel Akiva some ideas of how to smooth the path. “I was asking him [to] give me some tips here because I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. And he said you know as long as she is having a good time and it’s not about anybody but her then it works really well.” There is one guideline the Akivas seem determined to follow. “As soon as it is not fun, we’re done.” C

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queer prom a glowing success Riot Youth’s queer prom attracted roughly 300 people to the Neutral Zone on Friday, April 15. Queer prom was an end to the national day of silence, during which many students do not speak to represent the silence faced by LGBTQA youth. anne wyszewianski photos

ABOVE Community High School freshmen Morgan Harvey (left) and Robert Stevens (right) put dancing on hold to text. Stevens was crowned Prom King. “Being prom king was kind of like the icing on the cake. Queer prom had great people and great music, and prom king was the best thing I’ve ever won.” said Stevens.

LEFT Queer Prom attendees danced at the Neutral Zone’s B-Side venue. The theme of the night was “Break the Silence, Glow in the Dark.” CENTER Pioneer Senior Alyssa Natoci smiles as she dances. This was Natoci’s first Queer Prom, and she considered it a success. RIGHT A group of Queer Prom attendees dance together. Throughout the night, attendees danced together to songs like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” and Cupid’s “Cupid Shuffle.”

the communicator

photo story

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jammin’ with victor

international bass icon victor wooten performed for jazz students of community, huron, and pioneer high schools, providing them with inspiration ryan shea & kyle morrison jordan siden photos

To a young musician, inspiration can be found in anything. It can be in something they hear or an experience they have, and occasionally inspiration finds them. On Saturday, March 19, international bass icon Victor Wooten presented jazz students of Community High School, Huron High School, and Pioneer High School with nearly three hours of inspiration. The five-time Grammy Award winner has won most every major award given to a bass player. Wooten was named bassist of the year three times by Bass Player Magazine, and remains the only person to have won the award more than once. Apart from his tremendously successful solo career, he has played and recorded with artists such as Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Bass Extremes, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and a handful of others. Two years ago Victor Wooten gave another masterclass, but this time he brought along with him two of his brothers, Regi and Joseph Wooten. They are both also very talented professional musicians, touring with their

brother. The trio of Victor, Regi, and Joseph (playing bass, guitar, and electric keyboard, respectively) played a song for the audience, took questions, and critiqued students from Community combos Maximum Will and BlueTruth. Max Brown, member of Maximum Will, attended both classes and “really took a lot more away from the class with his brothers.” Brown commented, “I feel like last time Victor Wooten was here he gave a lot of similar information but I wasn’t ready to hear it, so I guess I was more receptive to it now. Also having his brothers there gave him someone to converse with and that was really helpful. His brothers are really smart.” Aidan Cafferty, the bassist for Maximum Will, was also excited about what he had learned at the masterclass. “Mostly what I got out of it is that playing music isn’t really about music theory or time you spend in the practice room as much as it is about expression. Victor Wooten really helped me get that when I’m playing I shouldn’t be thinking about the scales I’m playing just like

how I don’t think about the words I’m saying as I say them. What Is important is the message behind the words you say or the music you play.” Cafferty had great respect for Wooten, as well as what he learned from his masterclass. “Victor Wooten is a terrific teacher. Sometimes you get an incredible player that doesn’t have the patience or hasn’t thought their music out well enough to teach and you also find people who are great teachers but aren’t good enough players to have a lot to teach. People like victor who can play and teach so well are really special.” Adrian Koch, a senior bassist in the CHS jazz program, was also blown away by Wooten. “He’s a phenomenal player. I can almost learn as much just watching him play as I can when he talks about what he’s doing. The groove is always present no matter what he is playing and when you are in the presence of such a powerful groove you cant help but take in some of that and groove harder yourself.” Even Jack Wagner, Jazz Program Director at Community, learned news

something from the international bass icon. “The thing I took away from the masterclass the most was when he talked about how you have to put your focus on the emotional aspect of performance and then all of the other skills you possess will fall into place,” He said. “If you focus too much on technique or some new device you’re trying to implement while soloing it doesn’t work. It’s all about connecting emotionally.” Wooten’s priceless insight and musicality gave these students inspiration and perspective that they are unlikely to find anywhere else. “Every time a guest artist comes to community I take something different away, but Victor Wooten had a way of making it easy to understand what he was saying,” said Brown. “I’m already applying things that he talked about in my playing. The inspiration that these guest artists can give young musicians is so important and Victor Wooten is incredibly inspirational.”

the communicator

a&e jordan siden photo

reel good: “sucker punch”

oriol burgos-tsoffar

puts the “id” in “stupid”

so whenever she dances, the girls are transported to yet another dimension of fantasy where they must defeat orcs, robots and – I kid you not – zombified German World War One soldiers. It would be interesting if the audience could actually see the dances, but all we see is the buildup of Babydoll swaying sensually like a drunken preteen before we enter the battlefield. For a movie that pretends this much to be about dancing, it contains surprisingly little. The initial fight is by far the most visually interesting. Babydoll singlehandedly faces off against a trio of giant suits of samurai armor, using (mostly) a sword. Snyder has already proven himself adept at fight choreography, particularly excelling in close combat. Nevertheless, things quickly go downhill when the girls start using firearms. I know it seems persnickety to complain about anachronisms in a movie this sensationalistic, but it is exceedingly disappointing to see a bunch of sword-wielding goblins being fought with what is essentially the arsenal from “Modern Warfare 2.” The result is the frustrating impression that the fight choreographers simply got lazy and introduced UMPs and M-16s into the equation as a means of cutting corners while staying “relevant.” It is also disconcerting to see so much violence with no blood. Snyder has

made something of a name for himself as a master of splatter, splatter which here is conspicuously absent. When a character inserts an otherwise pointless line about the zombies being made of steam and clockwork to explain why they don’t bleed, it’s enough to make anyone cringe. It is a blatant effort to secure the movie a PG-13 rating, which seems pointless given both Snyder’s reputation as a director and the film’s subject matter. When the director of “300,” “Watchmen” and “Dawn of the Dead” directs a film that deals this explicitly with issues of rape and sexual malpractice, the focus should not be on attracting young teens, especially when it deals with such issues so titillatingly and insensitively. The movie hides behind a facade of feminism and empowerment while explicitly objectifying the same girls it claims to elevate. “Sucker Punch” is a slimy piece of film that pretends to be so many things it is not, foremost among them enjoyable. Snyder has effectively threatened Quentin Tarantino’s monopoly on self-indulgent cinema. However, while Tarantino specializes in cinema of the ego, Snyder excels in cinema of the id. Unfortunately, there may be room for Zack Snyder in Hollywood yet.

photo courtesy of warner brothers

zack snyder, the director of “Sucker punch,” also directed “watchmen” and “300”

Zack Snyder has finally done it. With his latest film, “Sucker Punch,” Snyder abandons all pretense and slaps audiences in the face with his bloated self-image. “Sucker Punch” somehow manages to strip Snyder’s formula of violence and sexual objectification to almost as bare a skeleton as in “300,” but with none of the gratification. “Sucker Punch” tells the story of Babydoll, a young girl who is committed to an all-girl mental institution when she accidentally kills her sister in an attempt to save them both from their abusive pedophile stepfather. The asylum is a terrible place where girls are lobotomized to keep them quiet and where the horny male orderlies regularly assault catatonic patients. The institute in “Twelve Monkeys” is comparatively welcoming. The problem here is that the whole asylum is so contrived that we as the audience don’t feel any immediate threat. In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” we had an emotional connection to the actors;

Nicholson as McMurphy was magnetically eccentric and Louise Fletcher’s Nurse Ratched was so surreptitiously malicious that audiences couldn’t help but invest themselves in the plot. In “Sucker Punch,” Oscar Isaacs is nothing but platitudinous as the head orderly, and Emily Browning, like the other girls, is completely vacuous in her portrayal of Babydoll, serving as nothing but a medium for Snyder to channel his own sexual frustration. The fact that Snyder dresses the girls in fetish outfits like schoolgirls’ uniforms, bondage gear and armor bikinis does not help either. The entire movie is needlessly hypersexualized. Even the circumstances in which Babydoll finds herself in the asylum are deliberately provocative. To escape from the asylum, she creates a fantasy world in which she and her fellow inmates are prostitutes in (surprise) a bordello. Her adventures in that world mirror her quest to escape the asylum. In this world, Babydoll has a gift in her inherent ability to dance. Apparently, her dancing is so hypnotic that every man who sees it can only gape open-mouthed, oblivious to his surroundings. Throughout the movie, Babydoll and her friends (who have similarly pseudo-sexual pet names, such as Sweet Pea) use her dances as distractions to steal items crucial to their escape. However, this is an action movie,

katie o’brien photo

the communicator

arts & entertainment

encore recordings amelia diehl

college-aged; the store has an almost constant flow of buying from and selling to customers. The record business is now more of a collector’s than a mass market. “[Encore is] really like a library; some new students seem to see it as a weird museum,” Pyne said, adding, “What we sell are artifacts.” Records were originally invented about a hundred years ago, CD’s almost 30. The music industry has changed to emphasize the quick and easy way of distributing and making songs and albums. An LP, for instance, is “an experience,” according to Pyne. “Side A has a flow that starts with Side A and ends with Side A, and then Side B has another sequence- it’s really like two albums in one, whereas CD’s just have a start and go all the way to the end.” There is also the cover art and liner notes to consider, not just simply hearing the muffled crack and sizzle of a needle following the grooves of a record. Encore customers have an almost unlimited supply of shelves to flip through, and there is also a listening station for records and CD’s. There were about 10 record stores in Ann Arbor at one time according to Dale, but the increase in digital downloading caused that market to dry up. “CD’s are getting cheaper by the day, practically,” Dale said. Digital downloads and the Internet have made stealing music much easier for the consumer, but also help artists gather more fans and promote themselves. “Digital has no value,” said Dale. He remarked on the pros of digital downloading and the music market on the Internet, saying it was easier for artists to promote themselves and generate fans. However, this also makes stealing their craft much less difficult. “I hope the industry never completely switches to digital downloads, even though that’s probably inevitable. I just

really like having the physical object of a CD in my hands, and being able to flip thorough a booklet,” Latta said. “I definitely think it’s great that we can have iPods to make music so portable, but I would hate to not have the option of having a physical CD.” Andrew King, a DJ at the local radio station WCBN and Encore customer, is also thinking about where the music industry is going. “I’m concerned about the direction the music industry is taking, not as much about the loss of substance as the rise of ‘genius’ software systems that try to play what you like instead of you personally going out and exploring,” he said. Encore Recordings certainly serves as an important musical resource for anyone in Ann Arbor and nearby cities to explore. As Pyne put it, “People who come in here learn a lot, whether they intend to or not.” However, customers might need to turn to another store soon, as Peter Dale, almost 61, plans on retiring. He will try to sell Encore, but if no one takes over the shop, estimated to be worth about $400,000 by Pyne, Dale will turn to liquidation. “It all goes back to the ancient battle of art versus commerce,” Pyne said. The other employees and many customers would definitely like to see the business continue, he mentioned. “This business sustains itself; no one is getting rich off of this.” Pyne is planning on pooling together financial resources to buy the business, but mentioned “the industry itself isn’t doing so well.” Even with a dramatically changing industry, Encore remains a historical and valuable place for music fans with any taste, especially that which can’t go digital. “Encore is a really important community gathering...you can interact with like-minded people; there’s really not that many places in Ann Arbor like that anymore,” concluded Salant.

amelia diehl photos

“You can go back to the 1940’s almost and chart the music industry; it’s like driving in the Rocky Mountains … different genres [are] ascending and descending...There’s always going to be more music being made; no one’s going to prevent people from making or buying it,” said Patrick Pyne, an employee at a local used music store, Encore Recordings. These days, it seems the current trend consists mostly of earbuds and headphones, with portable music players the norm. CD’s and records seem to be so passé, but a walk downtown can offer a new way to approach the simple joy of listening. Encore Recordings is located at 417 E. Liberty Street and is currently run by Peter Dale. It boasts an extensive collection of CD’s and records, as well as 7”s, 10”s (vinyl records normally containing one song per side), commercial reel-to-reel tapes, DVDs, music-related posters, books, photographs, handbills and magazines and some cassette tapes. “There’s always music playing, but you can never predict what it will be,” described Giancarlo Latta, a Pioneer sophomore who duels at Community High School. Latta goes to Encore often, and spends most of his time in the classical section. “If other stores knew how successful we were with classical music, they’d get in on it too,” said Dale, adding, “[but] rock pays the bills.” Shelley Salant, 21, has been working at Encore for almost four years and sees the store as very unique. “Some people complain that it’s disorganized, but I think that’s the beauty of it,” she said. “The other CD stores have a ‘niche market’... but Encore has something for everyone...you kind of have to dig for stuff here.” With the rising popularity of Apple and iTunes and other digital download-

ing companies, it’s easy to overlook the original forms of music and other ways to buy it. Used records were a “big deal,” as Dale put it, back in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. They were inexpensive, whereas CD’s were expensive so the used CD stores thrived. Used record stores tend to be more successful because companies selling new products need to sell in large quantities, as the wholesale price is “way too high,” said Dale. Dale’s sister Liza began the used record business in 1992, and Peter showed up two years later. Encore has been around since the 1930’s, it was known as Liberty Street Records until 1960. Dale worked at Encore his junior and senior years at Ann Arbor High School (now Pioneer) and then while at college. It was mostly part-time at that point, and he has worked for other music stores until owning Encore. In the beginning, Encore bought as many records and music-related products as possible. “A store really needs thousands of records [to be successful],” Dale said. Encore probably has about ten times as many products now than they did in their early years, according to Dale. One thing that sets Encore apart from a lot of record stores in Ann Arbor is its pricing, which is both convenient and generally inexpensive. The average item costs about six dollars; prices are based on supply and demand and are lower than online prices such as Amazon. The pricing is such that the total will come out to be an exact dollar amount with tax. Dale came up with that idea when he was the clerk at Liberty Music Shop in 1979. “This is stupid,” he said, annoyed that the prices would end up to be very random numbers, “and you have to deal with all of those pennies.” Most of Encore’s customers are from out of town and tend to be older than

Left Signs inside Encore directing you towards each section. The records are separated by genre and then alphabetically within the genre. Right A neon sign in the window of Encore Recordings advertising their business. arts & entertainment

the communicator

Group A projections 1st: The Diversifyers

Spencer MacDonald, Jesse Buchsbaum, Gil Eisbruch

2nd: The Whelped Sukiyaki

David Soth-Kimmel, Rob Aldrich, Vincent Hayes

3rd: The Misfits

Emma Share, Julia DeVarti, Keely Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnel, Kelsey Teribery

4th: The Vegetables

Jonas Gearhart-Hall, Colleen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, Dylan Summers

The communicator sports staff breaks down the group stage of the annual three on three basketball tournament. Games take place at lunch for the next month and a half. photos couurtesy of spencer macdonald, danny langa, aaron nelson-purcell, jordan siden, ryan shea

Group B projections 1st: The Pioneer Rejects

Aaron Noffke, Gabe Joseph, Tenzin Tsundu, Dakota Denison

2nd: Adam Mannhiem & the Funky Bunch Poom Boonsin, Chris Upham, Carlos Jackson, Galen Burrell

3rd: The Guerilla Rage Zack Thomson, Geoffrey Hughes, Austin Bruner

4th: Affirmative Action Senait Dafa, Gillian Teall, Clare Jacobson

Group C projections 1st: Suga Suga Leif Leif Cal Kirchen, Josh Fendrick, Garrett Wood

2nd: The Teachers Tod Tharp, Dave Collins, Moe El-Hussieny, Marshall Killian

3rd: Cats are Purrrrfect Kendall Phillips, Max Lewis, Griffin Evans, Elise Caruso

4th: The Wofford Terriers

Annie Flynn, Shadi Ahmadmehrabi, Murphy Austin, Robbie Stapleton

the communicator

sports

Group D projections 1st: Ann Arbor Coconuts Oleg Lougheed, Aaron London, Nick Margolis, Billy Collins

2nd: Booty Meat Dan Eder, Hannon Hylkema, Noah Moorehouse

3rd: Robbieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angels

Casey MacDonald, Brandon Kazmierzak, Ruthie Graff, Eliza Stein

4th: TuneSquad

Carly Paull-Baird, Sophia Kunselman, Sabrina Kunselman, Kerry Fingerle

Group E projections 1st: Kevin Flannagan Rejects

Ian Grosh, Zach Shaw, Acer Xu, Charlie Maher

2nd: The MonStars

Kevin Flannagan, Alec Bennett, Tommaso Helwig

3rd: The Hautshotzz

Hannah Bogard, Anjela Galimberti, Astrid Kerson, Hannah Laker

4th: The Bear Collective Oriol Burgos-Tsoffar, Paul Smith, Jason Talley, Katie Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien

Group F projections 1st: DJ Alex Nate Porter, Fernando Rojo, Kevin Turnbull

2nd: Team Wilburforce

Drake Johnson, Garrett Halpert, Nick Sorscher, Jared Kaufman

3rd: Team Invincible

Preston Horvath, Quintin Faro, Nick Partin

4th: Team Gimli Dan Roy, Christian Koch, Cody Weems, Nathanael Downes

Group G projections 1st: The Administration

Kyle Aaronson, Dean Jen Hein, Marci Tuzinski

2nd: BearSquad

Miles Grofsorean, Zak Arrington, Nate Queen, Julia Kortberg

3rd: Team Sexy

Hank Miller, Joris von Moltke, Connor Van Eck

4th: Me & Ryan

Leif Gearhart-Hall, Kyle Morrison, Yasaf Warshai, Rachel Shevrin

5th: The Pimpasaurs

Jeremy Simon, Lukas Trierweiler, Alex Meingast, Erez Levin sports

the communicator

opinion

olivia kincaid photo

letter to the editors

staff editorial Dear Editors,

How can we fix the budget deficit?

ur nation is in a crippling debt. A crippling debt of 14 trillion dollars. Naturally, our legislators want to fix this problem. They are going about it the wrong way. While the 14 trillion gap must be cleared slowly, cutting small amounts from a budget massively in debt will not work. The most recently passed budget has an estimated 1. 65 trillion shortfall. Clearly, our current methods of budget reduction are not working. While the government can say “cut baby, cut,” what really needs to happen is much different. The 400 richest Americans have more money than the poorest 150 million Americans. And yet Washington still thinks that tax cuts to the richest are a good idea. Why? Because of a man named Ronald Reagan. His failed economic policies, based on the “trickle-down” concept that giving money to the rich, in hopes that they would spend it, are still espoused by the Republican Party to this day. Instead of hoping that placing more of a burden on the poor and thinking that the rich will simply spend their money, we must realize that the rich use just as much money to buy food and the like as poor do. The cost of living is the same. The difference however, is that the rich have more to spend, while the poor must scrape by on minimum wage, or even unemployment checks and food stamps. The rich by definition have more money than the poor. While many of the rich earned their money, without the society, however, they probably

would not have become rich. Why can’t the rich give a larger percentage of their money to the government than the poor? 20 percent of 10 million dollar income still leaves eight million dollars. 20 percent of 13,624 dollars leaves 10,899 dollars. Another issue is in cutting programs and spending. Cutting Social Security and Medicare will not work, as much too many people depend on it for their livelihoods. Instead, another option would be to pull out of expensive and costly foreign wars. 43 million people were enrolled in medicare in 2006, and 47 million were invested in Social Security. While we could easily save almost 3 trillion dollars by cutting social security, it would be a horrible idea, as millions of people depend on it for security in their retirement. Cutting the money the government puts into Medicare would also be a horrible idea, as millions would have no health insurance and be forced to fend for themselves. In fact, given the cost of seeing a doctor these days, most people would probably just get more sick. Cutting military spending would be a great way to save money off the budget. We have spent a total of 1.29 trillion dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan now. This amounts to around 321 million dollars per day. Although President Obama has promised to end the wars, the wars are not stopping in the Middle East. Predator drones are developing a penchant for striking targets in Pakistan. Furthermore, US intervention in Libya cost 600 million in the first week. This

is from cruise missile strikes, crashed fighter planes, and fueling the ships floating off the coast of Libya, among other things. There appears to be no clear strategy, and therefore no accurate projections of spending, in the Middle East. Somehow, cutting defense has become taboo in this country. This is interesting, seeing as we already have the highest defense spending figures in the world. Building a military to police the world is too far-fetched and does not help defend our nation from terrorist threats, as shown on 9/11. Al-Qaeda is not considered a superior military force. The war on terror will not be won by biulding stinger missles and blowing up huts in the middle of Pakistan. Instead, we need to win the world’s hearts and minds, something not easily done with cruise missiles and M16’s. To conclude, as a country and as a people, we need to seriously reconsider our priorities and our resources. We have a budget crisis. This crisis will not be solved by pretending that the problem will go away and conducting business as usual, nor will the problem be solved by cutting tiny amounts from our spending. It would not be wise to let the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, and to watch our seniors and children getting sick while spending our money on guns and bombs. We strongly urge our leaders to figure out what we sent them to Washington to do, and to start doing their jobs. No one wants a 14 trillion dollar deficit. So why are we continually putting it off ?

I often hear my peers complain about being lazy or not having energy do pay attention during class. Whenever someone comes to me to mope about such a problem, I can diagnose the problem before a word is said to me. Symptoms usually include slouched shoulders, arms hanging loosely, and the name “GILLLLLL” being dragged out to an unreasonable length. Sometimes, I cut them off with my expert analysis. “When was the last time you drank a substantial amount of water?” I ask. The response usually sounds something like “UGGGHHHHHH” after which I promptly stick my shoulder into my peer’s gut and carry my peer to the nearest drinking fountain. Dehydration has become an epidemic at Community High School. Students mistakenly believe that their bad mood is a direct result of April weather, but I know better. It makes me sick when I see kids who admit that they’re thirsty go to a drinking fountain and only take a sip of water. Personally, I make a point to always bring a bottle of water with me to school and refill it multiple times per class period. This strategy not only keeps me hydrated but also saves me money on drink purchases throughout the day. One bottle of Kroger brand water usually lasts me the entire waterfilled day. Next time you find yourself dozing off in class, don’t ask what your country can do for you, ask when was the last time you drank a minimum of 12 sips of water. -Gil Eisbruch

COMMUNICATOR POLICY The Communicator, being committed to the free exchange of ideas, is an open forum for expression of opinions published monthly. The Communicator is student-run and students make all decisions about content. Letters to the Editor are encouraged and can be sent to the.communicator@gmail.com. Signed articles will be accepted with no prior administrative review if space is available. However, in attaining the highest journalistic standards, The Communicator reserves the right to edit submissions. Furthermore, opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and not of this newspaper, Community High School, or Ann Arbor Public Schools. The Communicator welcomes advertisements. However, the staff reserves the right to reject, edit, or cancel ads that are judged offensive, inaccurate, misleading, libelous, or that encourage illegal activity. Advertisers are solely responsible for the contents of their ads, which do not represent the view of this newspaper or its staff. Please contact The Communicator at the.communicator@gmail.com. 26

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op-ed

something to say? email:

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what’s you’re opinion?

editorial cartoon

How should we fix the US Budget Deficit?

acer xu photo

joella bennett editorial cartoon

Alistair Barrell “Cut military spending.”

Ben Gleichert “Start understanding what we vote for.”

acer xu photo

remember the first amendment

mari cohen

he bell rings through the hallway of a public school. Sleepyeyed students rise to their feet, place their hands over their hearts, and face the flag on the wall. Enunciating each syllable, these students recite the pledge of allegiance: “... under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Later, these students will trickle into the cafeteria, perhaps pulling bills or coins out of their pockets for lunch. Etched upon the money is the phrase “In God We Trust.” “In God We Trust” is the national motto of the United States. This phrase, which appeared on some coins throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, was cemented as the official motto of the U.S in a 1956 law passed by Congress and supported by President Eisenhower. This law mandated that the phrase “In God We Trust” be adhered to all forms of U.S. currency. Also in 1956, the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States, which had previously been recited without it for years. Congress passed these laws in the face of the Cold War, amidst a strong fear of communism throughout the nation. Supporters of the addition to the pledge of allegiance hailed it as a way of separating the U.S. from the atheist-aligned Soviet Union. They believed that adding the “under God” to the U.S. pledge of allegiance was the only way to separate it from an arbitrary pledge that could be recited in any nation. The “In God We Trust” law was supported for similar reasons.

However, in creating these laws, these legislators forgot about the Constitution and its system of government precisely intended to separate the U.S. from undemocratic countries. In an effort to distinguish the United States from totalitarian communist nations, these laws set in place a blatant contradiction that still exists today. The Bill of Rights, containing the first ten Amendments to the Constitution, was ratified in 1791. The famous First Amendment to the Constitution provided for several basic freedoms, including freedom of religion. It also established the separation of church and state. Intended to safeguard the U.S. from religious conflicts that had devastated other nations and especially important today due to the diverse beliefs in the country, freedom of religion and separation of church and state should ensure that an individual can practice whatever religion he or she wishes without prosecution or patronization from the government and that the government is not affiliated with any one religion. However, it’s hard to take these principles seriously when they are being violated in ways that we witness every day. The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” If Congress is not supposed to make a law respecting an establishment of religion, than why is “In God We Trust,” the national motto? This motto is a clear reference to religions that worship a single God. Though these religions may be the majority in the U.S, they certainly do not encompass all of the country’s citizens, and so there is no reason why one religion should be shown such preference in the government.

“In God We Trust” is an acceptable motto for a religious institution, but not for a government that is intended to have no religious affiliation. Likewise, the phrase “under God” does not belong in the pledge of allegiance, which is meant to be an expression of patriotism. If the United States is a country with freedom of religion, then a reference to God should not be necessary to make a statement supporting the country. The general response of the U.S. judicial system has been that these phrases do not actually contain any religious meaning and are simply a ceremonial tradition. For example, in 1970 an appeals court rejected a legal challenge to the motto “In God We Trust,” stating, “It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency ‘In God We Trust’ has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of religion.” Various court cases have produced similar statements about the “under God” in the pledge of allegiance. However, it is easy to see that “under God” and “In God We Trust” have everything to do with an establishment of religion and were certainly intended as a government sponsorship of a religious exercise. After the “under God” in the pledge of allegiance became law, President Eisenhower stated, “From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty.” He obviously did not view the addition to the pledge as simply “of patriotic or ceremonial character”; for him, and for those who supported the law, it was

clearly about religion. Similarly, some religious groups today strongly defend these references to God; if they ony considered it ceremonial, they would not be so invested in the fate of these words. Many of these religious groups justify their argument by claiming the U.S. is a Christian nation and that the Founders have always intended it to be so. However, if the Framers of the Constitution had truly intended the U.S. to have a Christian-affiliated government, they would not have separation of church and state into the document. Many of the U.S. Founding Fathers approved of separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson once wrote that there should be “a wall of separation between church and state.” If the judicial system were to declare the references to God in the government unconstitutional, it would be better for everyone. Those who identify with no religion at all or a religion that does not worship a single God would feel included and represented in their country. Those who do worship a single God would still be free to practice their religion, and would know that the First Amendment is protecting their right to do so. E Pluribus Unum, the Latin for “Out of many, one,” which is also on United States coins, would be a perfectly suitable motto, reflecting the diversity and history of the country. The problem with the national motto and the pledge of allegiance is not about r. It’s not about God. It’s not about atheism. It’s not about who’s right or who’s wrong. It’s about the constitution, freedom of expression, and liberty and justice for all citizens. If we want these things in our country, we must acknowledge that religious references do not belong in government.

op-ed

the communicator

eco echoes: environmental justice jordan siden photo

katie o’brien

I am tired of people shaking their head and brushing off environmentalism as some cause only for lazy, self-absorbed, rich, white kids who do not work and live off of their parents’ money. Environmentalism is not a cause fighting for upper-middle class white kids’ ability to go hiking and sailing. It is not just about saving the bugs that people don’t notice or animals people only see in zoos. It is so much more than that. Yes, the polar bears and the rare species of beetles matter, but environmentalists are not putting these animals over humans. Those “lazy, self-absorbed, rich, white kids” are actively fighting for other people’s rights and justice because environmentalism is a social and economic justice cause.

It cannot be ignored that coal-fired power plants and incinerators are purposefully placed in low-income, minority neighborhoods. A report on racial inequality in the distribution of hazardous waste from 2007 found that nearly half of people within one kilometer of a toxic waste facility are people of color and a fifth living within the area are below the poverty line. A 2002 report focusing on air quality and African-Americans found about twothirds of African-Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, which is the area smokestacks take the most toll, while just about half of white Americans live within that area. It also found nearly three-quarters of AfricanAmericans live in counties which violate federal air population, compared to about half of white Americans. These areas increase asthma in children meaning a larger population that cannot go outside to run and play. Infant mortality rates and emergency room visits due to exposure of pollutants increase. In Appalachia, mountain top removal for coal is causing devastating effects as well: polluting the local people’s water

with poisons like mercury and lead. There, children get huge welts just from bathing and even though they live in the 21st century United States, where everyone has running water, they can’t drink the water. And the coal from this production goes to the coal-fired power plants, leaving more children with asthma and respiratory illness. It cannot be a place of equality, a land of the free and home of the brave where cowardly corporations will not pay for their actions and injustices and in return pay no taxes. This is not equality. The children are not free to breathe clean air or drink clean water. I do not think anyone would disagree that we cannot stand by while children get asthma and populations are victim to cancer while a corporation gets million dollar tax breaks. Nor can we ignore that the countries that will face the most hardships from climate change are also the ones that are least developed and have contributed the least to climate change. In 2005, the nations with the highest emissions per capita also were some of the wealthiest. It is wrong that developed

nations continue to exploit the smaller, less developed nations’ people and resources and burden them with climate disasters. Environmental injustice and climate change cannot be fought successfully separately. Communities must come together. The middle class must join with the lower class because there shouldn’t be a separation to begin with. This movement can bring true equality to the world because there are not differences to set aside. We all are affected in some way. The corporations may have money and politicians in their bulging pockets, but we have growing numbers. We have to take back the power from the corporations and remind politicians that they represent the people. We cannot stand to let them control a political system by the people and for the people any more. It is by the people and for the people, and despite Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, corporations are not people. And so we must fight for justice, equality and people.

patients, I can personally attest to the manner in which he treats the families and animals he works with. When my dog Cady had to be “put to sleep” several years ago, my family was expectedly saddened. Soon thereafter we received a warm, personal note from Dr. Darga. This gesture was meaningful to my family and really helped us cope with her loss. “When you put your dog to sleep, that’s your buddy – he’s a member of your family. You miss him, he’s real special, and I just think somebody should tell you that you did a good job, [that] he had a good life,” said Darga. The major difference between Dr. Darga’s job and your average nine-tofive job is that in a nine-to-five job, at 5:00 p.m. you stop working, go home and forget about work. For Dr. Darga this is not the case. Darga explai ns that, “I do worry about things and when there’s a surgery or dogs are ill, I tend to think about [it]. I don’t just close the door, walk away and I’m done with it. I tend to take it home and think about it and worry about it.” Connecting with the families of the pets is critical to Dr. Darga and he loves his work. However, veterinary medicine is not for everyone. Many

people go to Veterinary School due to their love of animals, but Darga cautions people thinking about Vet School for only that reason. “They say, ‘I really love animals,’ but I think it’s really important that they realize behind every animal, there are people. They are going to have to deal with people, and you’re going to have to like people. You are going to have to talk to them. You are going to have to build a relationship with them. And you are going to have to solve problems together.” While a love of animals might steer you to this profession, what makes a great veterinarian is an ability to relate to their owners. While working six days a week for the past 37 years may grow tiresome for Dr. Darga, and some days he would rather “walk around the garden, have a cup of coffee, or take a walk through the park or whatever,” he finds that even after 37 years, “once I get in here and once I get in this little room - with the person that I’m dealing with and the animal, a little switch goes on and it’s like “huh, okay, I like doing this.”

spoonful of suger: veterinarian

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Dog is man’s best friend and Michael Darga is dog’s best friend. Michael Darga spends his days caring and treating the dogs and cats of Ann Arbor. Dr. Darga has been practicing veterinary medicine since he graduated from the Michigan State University Veterinary School in 1974. Initially, Dr. Darga worked at the Ann Arbor Hospital, but for the past quarter century he has maintained his own single-veterinarian practice called Arbor Hills Animal Clinic. What is unique about the Arbor Hills Animal Clinic is that unlike many veterinary practices, which have multiple veterinarians on staff, Arbor Hills has just one - Dr. Darga. “When you walk in the door - if you want to see a veterinarian - for better or for worse, you see me,” explained Darga. Darga feels

that along with the obvious downside of a single-veterinarian practice - no one to help you out - there are many positive aspects to being a one doctor practice. For example, there is no mix up as to what previous treatment the animal was provided. Dr. Darga knows the animal’s history, what needs to be done and what has already been done. As far as help with a difficult diagnosis or complicated treatment, Dr. Darga is not without peers with whom to confer as he frequently consults with veterinarians at Michigan State University and refers pets in need of surgery to larger practices. “One of the important things is knowing your limits. I know my limits and if I need help, I ask for help and I get input on things that are beyond me,” said Darga. One of the attributes that sets Darga apart from other veterinarians is the personal attention he pays each of his patients and their owners. One of the most important ways to approach this practice is “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and treating them they way you’d want to be treated.” This is what helps connect Dr. Darga to his patients and their owners. As a longtime owner of one of Dr. Darga’s

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on my playlist

if you could be a student which one would you be?

students’ top picks for their spring love playlists “I don’t listen to love music, it makes me want to punch people” Morgan Brad Sophomore

“Let’s fall in love” Joris Von Moltke Sophomore

“Some Adele and Lady Antebellum” Tenzin Tsundu Senior

“Seussical the Musical, come see it!” Hank Miller Sophomore

“Electric Feel” Judith deWoskin chose gil eisbruch

Liz stern chose drake johnson

Tod Tharp chose Jesse Buchsbaum

robbie stapleton chose Dylan Croasdill

Senait Dafa Junior

“No Air, by Chris Brown” Nathanael Downes Sophomore

the sole of chs

“During the spring I spend too much time walking dogs to listen to music. Call [me] for an estimate.”

students discuss their favorite footwear cooper depriest photos

Jeremy Simon Sophomore

“Ms. New Booty” Carly Paull-Baird Junior

“I like them because they feel light and flexible. I go everywhere in them” -Zach Thomson, freshman

“I like them because they’re neon green!” -Casey Belcher, sophomore

“I got them on a ridiculous sale at TJ MAXX and they dont have laces” -Isabelle McMullen, sophomore

“I own like 9 pairs of shoes. I like these because they’re comfy” -Lukas Trierweiler, sophomore

“I once lost them in a pond, and I had to go after them” -Jeremy Lazare, junior

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“It’s good to be in Love -Frou Frou” Melissa Chime Sophomore

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