The Northmen's Log, Issue 3, February 2018 by The Northmen's Log

TNL The Northmen’s Log Oak Park High School Kansas City, MO Volume 53, Issue 3 February 2018

Check your privilege

Racism is a dirty word

Tapping into your emotions

“White privilege” is a term that seems to be being used more and more. What is white privilege and do student at Oak Park believe in it? (Page 7)

Even though Oak Park is generally accepting, students have faced racism outside of the school walls. (Page 8/9)

Students struggle to deal with the many effects of social media. (Pages 14/15)

Letter from the editor Hello, Oak Park! I’m Dakota Ake, editor-in-chief of “The Northmen’s Log” and I hope you are having a good new year so far. This issue is full of very controversial and heated topics and we hope that we were insightful and fair on all these issues. On the back cover, we have resources that you can use if any of these stories weigh heavily on you and you feel compelled to reach out for help or want to help others. “White privilege” is a term that carries a lot of power in today’s society and is subject to, often heated, discussion. In our story “Check your privilege,” we touch in on if people believe white privilege is real and how it affects different people and groups.

On a similar note we are also touching in on racism. In the story, “Racism is a dirty word,” we explore the different forms of racism students have experienced and how we can all be part of the solution.

We are also going to discuss the national walkout that is happening in response to the Parkland shooting and the lack of action many people think there is. More specificially we are going to cover Oak Park’s plan of a panel forum replacing the walkout in this issue’s Log’s View. We are going to be touching in on some of the issues that we see with this plan.

We hope this issue will interest you and provide you with new opinions to consider and appreciate.

Publication information “The Northmen’s Log” will publish four times during the school year. “Log” staff strongly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. Freedom of expressio n and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. Therefore, “Log” encourages readers to participate in the discussion by submitting Letters to the Editor in room E134, by email to christina.geabhart@nkcschools.org. Letters cannot exceed 350 words and must be signed. “Log” will not run letters that are lubelous, obscene or that may cause a verifiable disruption to the education process at Oak Park. Advertisers may contact the adviser at christina.geabhart@ nkcschools.org for information. Subscriptions are availiable, $20 for a mailed copy, $10 for an emailed PDF version, or $25 for both. Opinions expressed in “Log” do not relect student, staff, or school district endorsements of that opinion, product, or service. “Log is a member of NSPA, MIPA, and Quill and Scroll. “Log” is affiliated with JEA, MJEA, and JEMKC.

Staff

Gisselle Ferman- writer Mackenzie Powell- feature editor Lindsey Dunaway- writer Dakota Ake- editor-in-chief, news editor Mina Buchholz- opinion editor Malea Biswell- writer Jessica Begley- feature editor Emily Leibold- writer Akout Malual- opinion editor Luci Conkling- news editor Sequoya Ake- freelance artist Christina Geabhart- adviser

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS 4-7 Check your privilege Throwing away labels It’s getting hot in here

ON THE COVER

FEATURE 8-11 LGB-True to yourself Racism is a dirty word Accepting transitions

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OPINION 12-15 The Log’s View

Tapping into your emotions

Sincerely, Mayor Sly James Two students argue to represent the controversial nature of the topics presented in this issue

News / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

It’s getting hot in here

By Dakota Ake and Gisselle Ferman editor-in-chief and writer

Climate change and global warming are terms thrown around nowadays and often people consider them synonymous with one another. There is a debate on whether climate change is real. Some people, such as the wellknown scientist Bill Nye believe it and swear by it, while others, such as President Donald Trump, refute it. There are many misconceptions about climate change. For starters, climate change and global warming are very different. According to pmm.nasa.gov, global warming refers to the surface temperature of the earth increasing while climate change covers a series of changes occurring to earth that aren’t exclusive to the temperature. Global warming may be seen as a portion of climate change. Both are in relation to rising greenhouse gas “I don’t necessarily emissions though. concern myself Humans impact cliwith the president’s mate change. “Pollution, whether in personal beliefs air or water [can have a about climate negative effect on the change,” physics environment],” Bryan Busby, chief meteorolteacher Tyler ogist for KMBC, said. McSparin said. “All weather starts in the form of water to go through the water cycle (evaporation, condensation to precipitation). Any contamination of the water will alter the resulting precipitation.” People do things they might not realize are harmful to the environment such as packing landfills -- somewhere people may assume it to be safe to dispose of waste. “Pollution is very damaging to the environment,” Neville Miller, meteorologist for KMBC and KCWE, said. “Filling landfills, carbon emissions and aerosols negatively affect our environment and atmosphere.” Natural factors can also play a role in the climate changing. “The Earth has had its own natural temperature variability since well before the industrial revolution, so natural factors could be part of the cause,” Miller said. Humans can do plenty to help fight climate change such as reducing, reusing, recycling, burning fewer fossil fuels, and being more conscientious of the things they do.

“

“I help the environment by recycling at my house, and saving water, and reusing tubs to store foods,” junior Jade Cindrich said. If people aren’t careful, there can be many negative effects to climate change. “This is hard to say exactly [what negative effects will occur], but some long-range data points toward rising sea levels due to melting ice caps with rising carbon dioxide levels and warming temperatures,” Miller said. “This trend could be accelerated if we do not reduce our carSOME SIGNS OF bon emissions.” CLIMATE CHANGE More people could be negatively affected as well. “More intense storms, RISING some beach erosion, [and] TEMPERATIRE some houses [built] close to the coast could be under RISING SEA water with rises in the ocean LEVEL levels,” Busby said. Trump has publically discredited climate change OCEAN multiple times, which could ACIDIFICATION affect opinions on climate change. “I don’t necessarily conGLACIAL cern myself with the presiRETREAT dent’s personal beliefs about climate change,” physics teacher Tyler McSparin said. “He is a political figure and DECREASED the ‘beliefs’ that he displays SNOW COVER to the public are largely a reflection of the beliefs of the information from base that voted him into ofhttps://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ fice. So, the real issue isn’t what the president himself believes, but what the millions of people that support him believe, and I do think that many of those people are skeptical of climate change.” Climate change and global warming have facts to back them up as real, yet so many people still deny it. “This is a tricky question that first requires a definition of the word “proof”,” McSparin said. “Science is really the

News / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

Fast facts about climate change process of explaining the world around us to the best of our ability, given the information that we have available. In that sense, it’s pretty hard to label anything as definitive proof. One of the things that makes science hard is that there are very few straightforward answers. As a scientific community, we can be pretty sure of our understanding, but it’s always a possibility that new data is uncovered that changes our perspective. In fact, this exact thing has happened many, many times over in the history of science… we are always in the process of improving our understanding. I think people are smart enough to recognize all of this, and they are naturally skeptical.”

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Feature / WInter 2018 / Issue 3

g n i w o r h Away Label T s By Mackenzie Powell feature editor When people walk into a room, they already have an idea about those in the room formulated in their brain. In society, as well as in the school environments, stereotypes play a role that most aren’t aware of. Football players are painted as meaty jock heads while straight A students are envisioned as only being friends with other nerds. “That we have a lot of road to cover to make things better in our schools,” counselor Larry Katzif said. “To feel like they have a sense of belonging, a sense of being accepted, but also celebrated.” Oak Park brands itself as “the family.” Allowing students to celebrate how different they are, but also have a place where they belong. Oak Park tries to create a positive environment, so everyone feels like they are included in every activity the school offers. “When I was little, I was taught to talk to people before I jump to conclusions on who they are,” anonymous junior boy said. “My parents tried make sure that the media doesn’t persuade me to believe that I was what they made me to be.” Within the halls of Oak Park, students see an array of color, background, culture, and religion. The school environment leaves it up to the students to try to forget all the stereotypes that have been presented since they were young. “Here at school, I feel like everyone brings something to the table,” the junior boy said. “We all can express our opinions, our beliefs, without ever fearing what

stereotype surrounds us.” Oak Park is known for celebrating one’s differences - feeling both accepted, but also celebrated for everything that makes one unique. Trying to forget stereotypes at the door has been a task for some students to achieve. With multicultural fairs, assemblies put on by the Latino Club, and assemblies celebrating black history month, making strides to impact every student are flowing in the right direction. “The talk about excluding people from our country is cycling back to us in a very magnified way,” counselor Larry Katzif said, “I want our students to understand that history cycles.” Oak Park uses its family reach in order to try to give every student a chance to break the barriers stereotypes have put on them. Oak Park tries to make everyone feel included despite how they are perceived in the media or the school’s history books.

Feature/ Winter 2018/ Issue 3

Check Your Privilege By Akout Malual and Dakota Ake writer and edtior-in-chief

Imagine a world where some people are born with a special mark or trait that makes life easier for them. Everything isn’t handed to them, but they face fewer obstacles. Now imagine that people think because of a certain special mark or trait that you have it easier than them. But it isn’t. You still have to work just as hard for everything and face the same obstacles. That’s the debate about the belief and existence of white privilege in a nut shell. The topic of white privilege causes widespread division. One side argues it is an issue giving some an unfair advantage over others, the other believes it to be a myth used to undermine achievements. “If you look around in the classroom or in different clubs or different sports like usually the top athletes or top students are usually going to be whites, and less of them are going to be blacks or minorities,” said senior Madlin Tutu. As an example, it can be noted that all 2018 Oak Park Bright Flight Scholars are white students. Some students feel it is burdensome for all their successes to be attributed to their race.

GET TO CLASS! Students walk through the hall during passing time to get to class (photo credit Dakota Ake)

MEAL TIME A diverse set of Oak Park students sit and eat lunch together (photo credit Akout Malual)

Junior Tony Tellez said, “I personally think that no matter how much success I make on my own, even though I started from a really bad background, any success that I make on my own will probably just be attributed to being white anyway.” But where does the term “white privilege” originate from? “I think it stems from people thinking they are better than others.” Tutu said. “And that comes from, not just now, it started a long time ago. When we had slaves, I think that’s where it started. Where white people thought they were better than others.” Tellez said he thought people’s socio-economic status played more of a role in the conception of the term white privilege. “You’re going to find older people or people in higher up positions that will judge you based on socio-economic status and because some people of Caucasian background have a better socio-economic status you’re going to get judged based on that more,” Tellez said. “So really white privilege exists just because, right now at least, Caucasians have a higher chance of having better socio-economic backgrounds and people of color don’t necessarily have it right now.” According to statistics by the American Psychological Association on their website apa.org, there is some validity to his claim people of color do have lower socio-economic standings. In general, there is a divide between their income, education, marginalization, discrimination, etc. in comparison to their white counterparts. Some people might cite these things as an effect of white privilege instead of the cause.

Feature / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

Racism is a dirty word

By Jessica Begley and Faith Gunnip writer and photographer

With current events such as the Charlottesville riots, the debate over the building of “the wall,” and immigration controversies, racial discrimination has become an even more prominent issue. The judgements minority teenagers face can leave a negative impact on them. “This discrimination can become internalized by teenagers and interfere with their positive self-identity or self-esteem, which can be a contributing factor in depression,” said Tiffany Castleman, vice president of Family Services and Support at the Mattie Rhodes Center. According to TIME Magazine, there has been an increase of teenagers with depression. When teenagers also have to deal with being discriminated against because of their skin color, this can make matters worse. However, it affects everyone differently. “It depends what kind of background you had. It just depends who you’re being raised by,” said sophomore Jessica Turner. “My parents always taught me that racist people are people who don’t have knowledge.” Students reported that racial discrimination isn’t a large issue at Oak Park. Due to groups such as OP Latinos, the Diversity Council, and the Gay-Straight Alliance, there is a lot of diversity awareness around the school. “I haven’t noticed much [racial discrimination] at Oak Park. I feel like everyone here

is very accepting and open and different,” Turner said, “but of course, there’s going to be some people who were either raised like that or just have type of mindset and need to change their mindset.” However, students have faced prejudice around the city. “I have had big African-American boys tell me that people are scared of them. So just because they are big, because they have dark skin, that sometimes people will cross to a different side of the road,” said Kathleen Mahan, sponsor for multiple diversity clubs. Society can see these students as a “target” when they are walking around the city or inside of a store, and they are treated differently than white people. “I do not believe all ethnicities are treated equally in KC,” Castleman said. “A simple analysis of arrest reports or number of ethnicities in juvenile detention could reveal this fact, or in the court system, and even when applying for a job or scholarship.” For some teenagers, who have never experienced judgement because of their race or ethnicity, it may be easy to overlook the issue of racism. “I feel like racism is already a prominent issue, but at the same exact time, it’s not.” Turner said, “Everybody wants to sweep it under the rug, and even though you sweep it underneath the rug, there’s still dirt there, there’s still dust there, there’s stuff that needs to be cleaned up.”

Feature/ Winter 2018 / Issue 3

Accepting Transitions How one student became comfortable in his own skin By Emily Leibold writer Most people don’t get to choose their name, but this student did. “In middle school, I had a teacher that used to call me Angelina Jolie and that was my favorite nickname that I ever had so I decided to shorten it and that’s how I got Joe,” said junior Joe Lunares. “My birth name is still a part of me, if someone uses it without knowing then I don’t get offended.” Lunares always knew he was different than everyone else around him. “I didn’t have a particular tag for what was happening, I didn’t want to jump to conclusions,” Lunares said. During the summer between middle school and freshman year Lunares realized he was transgender. “Going into freshman year I knew this was me and this is what I need to do to be a happier person.” Luckily, Lunares didn’t have to deal with having unsupportive friends, family, or school administration. He came out first to the faculty at school before he ever mentioned anything to his parents. He didn’t tell his parents until four months into freshman year. He was scared at first to tell them, but “once you tell them it should be fine,” Lunares said to himself. His parents reacted really well to the news. “They’re completely supportive, they love me so much,” said Lunares. “He’s been on testosterone for a while; and you can tell it in his voice and his physical body. It’s pretty exciting,” said sophomore Malea Biswell.

Lunares has been transitioning since freshman year. Biswell said that “he’s been struggling with his body for a long time and he deserves to be able to have his outside appearance match his identity.” For students who face parents who are unsupportive they can find help through support groups, therapy, talking to peers and teachers. People they can reach out to at school consist of activities director Casey Vokolek, any of the counselors, any principal, or school and community reasource specialist Heather Brennan. “We have the Oak Park GSA [Gay-Straight Alliance] that they can go to if they need someone to talk to or some place to be and there are some community resources for transgender kids that they can go to,” said counselor Kathleen Mahan. Gay-Straight Alliance meets on Wednesdays after school. “If they need help talking to parents we can work with them on that or if they are worried their parents won’t accept them,” said Mahan. Students should seek help from our faculty if they are feeling uncomfortable in their own skin. “Any one of us can run cover with parents and making those phones calls or them coming in and sitting down together and providing parents with resources,” said Mahan. There is always something that can be done to help students.

Feature / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

LGB-True to yourself By Malea Biswell writer For years, LGBT+ people have been discriminated against, bullied and falsely stereotyped. 2017 Oak Park graduate Daniel D’Angelo has strong opinions on stereotypes used against the community, as he is in the LGBT community as a proud gay and transgender man. He said he believes a lot of them were created and popularized to put LGBT+ people down. There are many common stereotypes about LGBT+ people in the media, dating back to the early ages of television and film. One of the earliest examples of gay exposure in the media was a silent film, “The Gay Brothers,” released in 1895. In the beginning of film, homosexuality was used for comedic reasons, rather than serious ones. “I see a lot of stereotypes that (bisexuality) is just for attention or that it’s not real or ‘it’s just a phase.’ In the media, I see a lot of ‘X celebrity is back on men,’ or something like that, especially in tabloids, which I think is a little degrading, because this is someone’s relationship, not flipping a switch,” said an anonymous bisexual student. Decades of subtle and not-so-subtle homophobia in society has promoted negative stereotypes, which continue to be perpetuated today. Though society may be more accepting of LGBT+ people than ever before, some negative ideas still float around, such as, the assumption that gay couples cannot properly raise children. “Many kids are struggling in the U.S. today in foster care, and could very well be taken in by loving LGBT families,” D’Angelo said. “But, greasy, old lawmakers fuel the public bias and create laws that prevent them from doing so, it’s hurting kids and hopeful parents.” This stereotype harms not only to hopeful gay parents, but the children kept from a potential home.

There have been hundreds of shows and movies over the years with gay representation, but people believe a lot don’t present gay men in a realistic way. Creators of mainstream media often portray a gay man as feminine, simply because he is gay. These portrayals influence people to assume if someone is a particularly effeminate man, he must be gay. “Well, I personally am a very effeminate man, by my own expression, not because I’m gay though,” D’Angelo said. “I know plenty of very masculine men who are LGBT+, I personally experience a lot more pressures from hyper-masculinity because of my trans identity.” Gay men aren’t the only people getting incorrectly stereotyped. Bisexuals are falsely stereotyped, too. A popular stereotype frequently seen is that bisexuals are more sexually promiscuous than other people. “Being bi isn’t a field day,” said an anonymous bisexual student. “Some people lean more towards one gender or find guys attractive, but only ever want relationships with girls, so on and so forth. It’s different for everyone. Overall, we’re just as promiscuous as everyone else, even if we might have more options.” This stereotype can be harmful because sexual promiscuity is frowned upon in society, and being seen that way can make life more difficult for more reasons than one. “I think stereotypes can be harmful to any community, but they also exist for a reason,” said an anonymous bisexual student. “People categorize and label all the time, and we all have our own prejudices but I think to truly better yourself and help the community is to go directly against them.”

Opinion / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

The Log’s View:

Forum vs. Walkouts: Where will your voice be heard best?

After a massacre in Parkland, Fla., the tide maybe turning on gun control. Dozens of student survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have stepped up to speak about the shooting. They organized protests and social media campaigns, while tens of thousands more high school students, teachers and administrators across the country have vowed to walk out of their high schools on two different dates in solidarity and in a plea for change. At Oak Park High School, many students already planned via social media to walk out on those dates. Principal Chris Sartain, Ed.D., has said he plans to host a forum of students and administrators on Monday, March 12, during AR “in lieu of the walkouts.” But this plan potentially leaves some voices unheard. At this point, selection for the panel would be “student-led, because the last thing I want is for students to think we are trying to steer the conversation a certain way,” Sartain said. The Log sees that this process reflects good intentions, though by its very nature it excludes many voices. Imagine any given student being asked to select other students to participate. They would almost certainly choose either their friends or ‘popular’ students, thus nullifying any attempt at diversity in all its forms. Even with a more formalized process, there will be too much opportunity for bias to make the forum truly representative of all students. Another option would be to select students by random selection, which may end up with a group unfairly biased in one direction by accident. There is no way 10 students can ever truly represent

all 1,500-plus of us. The idea of a forum or panel while well-intentioned is insufficient in The Log’s opinion. With a walkout, each student represents himself or herself by walking or not. The visual is the message. Sartain said, “I think the purpose of a walkout is when people refuse to listen to you, and at Oak Park, I think that’s just not the case.” While it is true that the Oak Park administrators and teachers are good at asking for, interpreting, and often following student feedback and suggestions, the walkouts are not about Oak Park. The walkouts are about our federal government’s refusal to listen to students and to provide for their safety. They are also about showing solidarity with students at schools where administrators and teachers don’t ask for their opinions. Other schools across the nation are sponsoring walkouts so students, teachers, and administrators can take part and be heard together, despite any possible safety concerns. Sartain said, “What if you guys advertise a student walkout on March 14th and someone that wanted to do harm to the students of Oak Park saw that? That might be a day that they might circle on their calendar.” But on the day of the eclipse, nearly every single student in the school was outside on the football field, and there was no harm done. To compare, on an ordinary day in March 2017, a threat was called in about a bomb inside Oak Park and students were held in a lockdown until transferred to Staley. In fact, the highest fatality school shootings (Sandy Hook, Parkland and Colum-

Opinion / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

“

bine) all took place indoors. movements when they might not have otherwise, given Ultimately, that is the reason why The Log feels that they would be teaching and supervising students who we need an official walkout. Though schools and dis- choose to stay in class. tricts may take actions to feel safer, we will never actuOf course, any student who did not agree with the ally be safe until changes are enacted on the national walkouts for any reason, or who did not want to particlevel. The Log staff believes ipate, or whose parents did not there is only so much one want them to participate, would school or district can do to not have to do so. Just as with make its students safe. the eclipse, students could get permission forms signed to go Instead of a forum comprised “The walkouts are not outside and express their opinof specially-selected students about Oak Park. The ion. and adults, or a students-only walkout, The Log suggests This kind of sponsored walkwalkouts are about our the administrators of Oak Park out is not a difficult task. Other federal government’s should decide to sponsor a schools across the nation, inwalkout on the days and times cluding Park Hill School District, refusal to listen to that students already planned plan to do so. These walkouts students and to provide to walk out and participate. are as much a once-in-a-lifefor their safety.” Sartain is correct a walkout time event as the eclipse. Oak wherein students alone leave Park should not be offering the school might be unsafe. But if the school sponsors alternatives to the walkouts, but instead encouraging the walkout then competent adults can join them and and helping its students to advocate for themselves in keep them safe. This solution also offers teachers and a manner they see fit. administrators a chance to participate in the walkout

Share your thoughts with The Log online

Opinion / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

Tapping into your emotions

The Log shared staff writer Lindsey Dunaway’s post. In many cases, teens use social media on a daily basis and while that can be a good way to keep up on news around the world, it can lead to negative things.

Comment

Junior Mara Weddle commented:

“[I use social media] quite a bit, I’m on my phone quite a bit,”

Lindsey Dunaway posted. According to a study about the impact of social networking sites on youth done by Amity University in 2015, “nearly 55.4 percent of the total population of youth aged 15 to 25 use social networking sites and that most of the users in that age group use those sites as a medium to seek entertainment.” Many teens struggle to find and maintain a healthy time balance between social media and school or work. Some students depend on social media to get them through their day. “It took up so much of my time, and I blew off everything else I needed to do, and my grades suffered for a long time because of it,” said a female senior, who responded to a recent online poll this magazine conducted. With people constantly on social media it can make it hard for people to concentrate on doing certain tasks at a time.

Comment

Sociology teacher Jake Voos commented: “I think its dampened our ability to stick with a task and finish a task. We are constantly looking back at our posts, constantly checking our status. I think it’s dampened our stamina. I just think as a culture we’ve become sort of disengaged.”

Lindsey Dunaway commented:

In the study, they looked at the effect of social networking sites on adolescents social and academic development and “the concerns range from youth privacy, safety, time consumption, health issues, psychological wellbeing and academic development.”

Opinion / Winter 2018 / Issue 3

Comment

*378 students answered the online survey

*136 students answered the online survey

What types of social media do you use?

Does social media affect your daily life?

Lindsey Dunaway added 2 new photos.

The Log shared Lindsey Dunaway’s post. With society being so connected, people may get bullied more because people have the ability to say things anonymously.

Junior Calvin Lampkin commented: “Yes, [I’ve lost friendships] because of rumors.”

Lindsey Dunaway commented: With people posting pictures on social media it can lead to people having self-esteem issues.

Sociology teacher Jake Voos commented:

“There is a comparison culture that can come about with social media. And the problem with that is that you can have two types of comparisons; you can overvalue yourself, which can lead to selfishness, or you can undervalue yourself and it leads to shame. There’s constant comparison with everybody.”

Sincerely, Mayor Sly Mayor Sly James has a message for you, YES YOU. Due to space in this issue and the breaking news of this incident, The Log has printed the message in it’s entirety on the NorthmenNews news website, here’s a quote: “It’s totally incomprehensible that these mass murders

have turned America’s students into the most endangered group of people in any industrialized country in the world. “ To read more of Mayor Sly James’ statement to students go to https://northmennews.com/4382/opinion/a-letterfrom-mayor-sly-james-to-students/