More satisfying than Thanksgiving. Zero calories.
theSQUALL
November 13, 2009 Volume XV Issue 2
Dexter High School
2200 N. Parker Road Dexter MI, 48130
Dance rules
spark controversy second year in a row
-Abby Everard
“I don’t like the dirty dancing that goes on. I think it’s inappropriate and imature.”
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-Amber Coy
Concerned parents have become upset with the style of dance that seems to dominate the dance floor. However, instead of only complaining about dancing styles like they did last year, these parents have met with Principal Kit Moran and students in Student Leadership classes in the hopes that they can together develop reform and make a difference in the culture of the dances. Parents concerns involve “freak dancing” or “grinding” which, according to some parents, looks like simulated sex. Along with this concern is the unease felt by some parents that students are pressured to participate and engage in this specific style of dancing. “Parents are concerned that their kids, especially girls, feel that they have to dance a certain way,” a parent who agreed to an interview only if her name was not used, said. According to Moran he has been put in a position where he needs to take action to accommodate the concerns of these parents. “It’s an issue we’re going to have to figure out how to work through,” Moran said. “We need to respect the parents’ opinions and the kids who feel uncomfortable with the dance style.” In developing a way to reform the dances, Moran said he has made it a top priority that he works with students. “The people I work for every day are the kids and staff,” he said. “I really need to be an advocate for the kids.” For this reason Moran met with the Student Leadership classes after homecoming to find a way to develop reforms that students and parents would both be happy with. “The Student Leadership class has been a great sounding board for me,” Moran said. “They gave me some very honest feed back (about potential ways to change the dancing policy). ”
Band director Ken Moore was originally assigned to teach at Mill Creek. Students and parents protested this assignment until changes were made.
Spread
“Parents don’t like the way we dance becasue it’s new to them so it seems inappropriate.”
staff writer
How severe is Dexter’s drug and alcohol problem? See the Rostrum for analysis, statistics and opinions about Dexter’s wild side.
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Rachel Butler
One of the things that the Student Leadership class did was attend other schools’ homecomings. Chelsea’s homecoming was one that parents and students were interested in, because of the similarities in the size of the schools. What they found was that Dexter and Chelsea’s dances are very different. “Chelsea doesn’t dance like Dexter kids dance,” Moran said. Moran said “face-to-face” dancing is stressed a lot stronger at Chelsea’s homecoming, but this policy has taken a toll on the success of their dance. Only about 200 kids were at Chelsea’s dance compared to Dexter’s approximate 800 kids. Though a large part of the student body was at the Dexter homecoming dance, some chose not to go because of the style of dancing. Senior Laurel Wiinikka-Buesser and several of her friends dressed up in homecoming dresses, went to dinner and then went bowling instead of attending the dance, “I don’t like dancing, and I don’t like to kind of dancing that they have (at the dance),” Wiinikka-Buesser said. While he sees the need for dance reform, Moran also said he wants the school dances to be successful and fun. “We don’t change a culture overnight by making a rule. That doesn’t work anywhere,” he said. Instead of making the drastic change from “grinding” to “face-to-face” dancing, Moran and students in the leadership classes have decided on a policy of not allowing girls to put their hands on the floor or their knees while dancing. According to Moran, this is a policy easy for chaperones to spot on the dance floor, and if a couple is spotted dancing this way, both the girl and boy’s names will be written down. If caught twice, they will have to leave the dance. Slight changes in the way dances are run are only way that seems to have potential in working well according to Moran. “I want kids to have dances,” he said. “At the end of the day, I think kids want dances and are willing to find a happy medium.”
“I think we’re old enough to figure out the way we want to dance. Parents should trust their kids and kids should leave if they feel unconfotable.” -Annika Helber
“I don’t like dancing, and I don’t like the kind of dancing that they have (at our school dances).” -Laurel Wiinikka-Buesser
For senior Ben Carruthers, high school cross country is just a warm-up. Come fall, he will be a college athlete.
David Schwimmer brings school back into the spotlight
Former 'Friends' star chooses Dexter High School as the filming location for upcoming drama 'Trust'
this is a prime room for scenes in his film, according to Moran. Staff Writer “They liked our gym, our class rooms and our librar y,” Moran said. In early October Principal K it Moran “A ll of them were really appreciative of received an e-mail from local casting the school.” The film, “Trust”, is about a 14-yearscout Connie Johnson that contained girl and her family who are dealing the script to a mov ie called “Trust”. As he read the e-mail, he discovered w ith the repercussions of an incident w ith an onthat Dexter High School was line predator. in contention for being the The v ictim of main location of the mov ie. “The producers made All of them were the predator w ill be played three trips af ter school got really appreciative of the by newcomer out to take a look at the school.” Liana Liberto. school,” Moran said. “Many mov ie producers claimed to have Kit Moran The w ill feature had a really warm feeling principal O s c a r about the building.” nominee Clive Moran said Schw immer Owen who also explored Northv ille w ill play the High School as a possible role of the filming location and liked it, but thought Dexter was a better fit girls’ father. The girls’ mother is being played by because the school had features that fit Catherine Keener, who has starred in the script of the mov ie. Moran said he has been escorting mov ies such as “40-Year-Old Virgin” and Schw immer and company around “Where the Wild Things A re”. A nd drama teachers Matt Martello the school since they chose DHS as a shooting location. They have been and Erin Palmer have even recommended lingering around room 475 for the past some students for supporting roles in few weeks because Schw immer thinks the mov ie, responding to a request from
Alex McMurray
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the film’s casting director. One student who may end up w ith a part in the mov ie is junior Pantea Sokansanj. “I’ve done things like this before, but when I was told Ms. Palmer recommended me, it was a bit more special,” Sokansanj said. Sokansanj said preparation for the audition has consisted of rev iew ing the scripts and memorizing lines. Sokansanj has been in a few commercials, but this is the biggest role she w ill be auditioning for. She also plans to go to California to study performing arts in college. Filming for the mov ie w ill begin midNovember. A nd areas of the school that w ill be in the film w ill be the gymnasium, the front entrance, the librar y, room 475 and various hallways. A nd the film w ill include more than just Dexter students. Moran said that due to the main character’s affiliation w ith her school’s volleyball team, the varsity volleyball team w ill be featured in several scenes in the film. A fter talking w ith Schw immer and getting to know him as a person and not a celebrity, Moran knew that this was going to be an easy process. Moran said, “He’s a local guy from Chicago, he understands teenagers, and can’t wait to get started at DHS.”
Photo by Luke Hattie
Sophomore Taylor Cassidy and junior Sydney Spicer practice volleyball in front of David Schwimmer for the movie he is directing at DHS, “Trust”. The main character in the film is a high school volleyball player, and members of the volleyball team will appear in scenes in the movie. Filming at DHS takes place Wednesday through Friay of this week.