March 2023 Prospective: World Issues Edition

FEATURED PROSPECTIVES

Editors

Lydia Payne

Deeya Rohant

Photo Editor

Ross Holloway

A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

The future starts with us. We’re often told that we’re too young to understand the world around us, but we’ve grown up in a world of conflict and now it’s our turn to make decisions. When the decisions made today by people in power will affect us years down the road, it’s our right to have a part in those decisions. Young people represent the future of not only our country, but also the world, as we are a hub of change and progress. In the past few years, our generation has been impacted by issues such as the COVID-19 epidemic, the overturning of the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, protests for the Black Lives Matter movement, the insurrection of the White House, and much more.

Staff

Molly Kitchens

Jasper Robertson

Erin Taylor

Suney Jones

Catherine Spicer

Destiny Mbuthia

Ross Holloway

Adviser

Colton Croy

In this issue, our staff has tackled controversial, worldly topics that we feel are important to our generation. Our stories range from the rise of streaming sites to issues involving abortion rights. With each story, we share perspectives from Bryant students and staff, as well as members of the community beyond the school. As a staff, we have pledged our news issues to be completely unbiased, as we respect both sides to every argument. Our opinion pieces embedded into the issue represent our own staff’s voices about issues they feel need to be in the limelight. All the stories in this issue were created with a hope to inform readers as well as entertain them, and bring attention to the issues we feel are impactful.

OUR PHOTOGRAPHERS

All featured photos were taken by Suney Jones during his trip to Paris, France.

The Prospcetive Newpspaer pledges to strive to tell the truth with accuracy, inclusivity, diversity,and timeliness.

It is no secret that much has evolved in the modern world, including the way we watch television. Introduced in the early 21st century, the world of streaming sites has become appealing to many (including myself - an individual who grew up on cable). The thought of finding any piece of media in a matter of seconds was excitedly riveting for most…but, why does this all matter and from where did streaming sites even come?

Where Did Common Service-Providers Come From?

Often when people are using their own devices in the comfort of their own home, it’s no secret that they might turn on their television to watch something that will pass the time. However, sometimes without even realizing it, many might find themselves scrolling through endless channels of news, shows and movies, while they remain in dire need of a source of entertainment that interests them.

From the 1940s to the 1980s, television services like cable, satellite, fiber-optic, and more became common in U.S. households.

Media theorist Neil Postman discussed in an article written by Hazal Senkoyuncu that the average family began arranging their couches to face their televisions, illustrating just how immensely televisions had revolutionized the accessibility of entertainment.

However, after their introduction in the 1990s— and their great popularity in the early 2000s— streaming providers took many countries by storm.

Sophomore Landen Akins expressed his opinion on cable compared to streaming sites.

“[With] cable you can’t really choose what you watch, [channels] control what you watch. The shows last from like an hour to thirty minutes, so I would rather watch a continuous show instead of waiting a few days to watch the next episode.”

The Publicity Behind Streaming Sites

Though service providers like cable offered many U.S. households more accessible entertainment, when it comes to watching a specific show, movie, or other form of media, one would merely have to cross

Behind The Golden Age of Streaming Sites

their fingers and hope their selected channels offer it. With streaming providers, however, people don’t have to stress about the uncertainty of finding sources of entertainment at a specific time or by

After asking students if they owned any streaming sites via the Prospective’s official social media, approximately 83% of students voted that they are subscribed to streaming sites, while 2% voted that they subscribed to cable only and 15% voted that they are subscrbed to both streaming and cable networks.

Senior Hannah Brewer states that most of her classroom peers watch streaming sites over cable.

“I think most of my peers use streaming sites instead of cable,” Brewer says. “In one of my classes I did a presentation over a character on one of my favorite T.V. shows and the class was asked [what] I watched the show on and I replied with a channel on cable. Most of the class then said they never watched cable and had never heard of that channel before.” Brewer said she owns both cable and streaming sites, and tends to spend about an hour to an hour and a half on streaming sites a week.

Senior Sabian Murry detailed how streaming sites can offer great convenience if one wishes to watch something specific at a given time.

“Personally, I probably spend around three hours a week on streaming services,” Murry said. “I feel like streaming services are used more than cable, just because there’s less ads and you can watch things on demand.”

Farewell to Channel Surfing: The Future of Streaming Sites and Cable

recording. By simply searching the name or genre of media they wanted to watch, people could find it in a matter of seconds. Virtual Private Networks—or VPN’s—made the list of entertainment even longer for many individuals, as there are practically no regional limitations when using VPN apps.

The ability to find a particular source of media so rapidly on streaming sites has affected the lives of many individuals.

Senior Ashleigh Byles mentions some common streaming sites students might use.

“Sometimes the topic of shows comes up and they watch streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu,” Byles said.

Byles also stated that she spends an average of 12-13 hours on streaming sites a week and said that she has cable, but she does not spend a lot of time using it.

Although many individuals will continue to use cable, the popularity of streaming sites continues to grow.

With this impressive growth of streaming sites, cable seems to slowly be fading into oblivion in the modern generation. This isn’t to say that individuals are not using it anymore. According to an article written by John W. Schoenberg of CNBC, the revenue of cable TV has not had any noticeable declines.

Despite this, the question remains: as streaming sites continue to have more and more subscribers, does this mean cable will entirely fade into obscurity? With streaming sites on the rise, and after analyzing many student opinions and study articles, the answer remains unclear.

An indepth look at the popularity surrounding Streaming Sites in comparison to Cable.

Cable... [channels] control what you watch...I would rather watch a continuous show instead of waiting a few days to watch the next episode.

- Landen Akins

People save up to $70 a month by cutting cable TV, according to TechJury Statistics

39% of students have reported smoking weed

12% of students reported vapeing/ smokeing e-cigarettes

13% of students reported to have smoked weed at school.

Substance Use at bhs

Nationally the rates of students drug, alochol, and nicotine usage has skyrockted this decade. According to data reported by American Addiction Centers, the schooll has surpassed the average rate of students smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol- of by 4% and 10% respectively. However, Bryant’s students are under the national rate of vaping/using e-cigarettes by 15%.

40% of students reportedly have drank alcohol

Data gathered was pulled from a survey of about 200 Bryant students ranging from sophomores to seniors

Bus Complications

HopSkipDrive, a school ride service company, has found that 88% of schools in the nation are dealing with a bus driver shortage, and Bryant High School is one of them.

Keith Matthews, the Legacy’s band director, is one of three substitute bus drivers for the district, picking up bus routes that involve the high school and Bryant Middle School.

“It’s been every day almost [that I drive a bus],” Matthews said. “I mean, very, very, very infrequent are the days that I don’t drive.”

The reason he drives so often is due to the lack of long term bus drivers for the school district.

“We don’t have enough drivers,” Matthews said. “The last time we had [bus drivers] hired, they just didn’t make it very long. They might be here three or four days, and then we have to take them back over.”

Scott Curtis, the district’s transportation director, has found that Bryant is heavily affected by the bus driver shortage. He not only blames the economic situation of the country as a whole, but also the requirements for bus drivers, especially when it comes to forming a connection with the kids.

“It takes a special person to drive a school bus, meaning you must love working with students,” Curtis said. “So many times the first and last adult the student interacts with is the bus driver. Having a bus driver that says ‘Good morning,’ and ‘Have a great rest of the afternoon,’ plays such a critical part of the students’ experience each day.” Curtis has also found an issue with the growing student body. “All growth is good but it sometimes comes with growing pains,” Curtis said. “We added additional double routes due to the increased growth and the driver shortage.”

Because of the driving shortage, students are having to be picked up earlier, and dropped off later.

“In a perfect world, we would have all students on a single route

with the same bus driver assigned to the bus,” Curtis said. “Fingers crossed maybe someday soon.”

Another issue Curtis has found with hiring new bus drivers is work ethic, as well as the extra fees that come with becoming a bus driver.

“In my opinion, there is an attitude where people simply do not want to work,” he said. “Not to mention the up front costs of being hired as a bus driver. Each prospective employee must pay for a background check, bus driver physical, CDL 1 packet, and pre-employment drug screening. By the end of the process the prospective bus driver has invested up to $200-$300 before they ever get behind the wheel of the bus.”

In order to combat the bus driver shortage, the Bryant School District has implemented a bus driver incentive program that is attendance-driven, as well as a salary increase to the transportation department.

“Depending on the bus driver’s contract, the driver could make up to $750 per semester,” Curtis said. “Not to mention, our administration has approved that bus drivers are eligible for insurance benefits. Last year, there was a salary increase to the transportation department salary scale so we would remain competitive with other school districts. This is an opportunity that many school districts do not offer to school bus drivers.”

Even though the district has implemented incentives for bus drivers, it still faces a shortage; however, Curtis has found that other schools in the area are experiencing the same issue after having conversations with other transportation directors.

“We are all experiencing the difficulty of finding bus drivers,” he said. “I do not think that the shortage is getting better, but I know that the Bryant Administration has done everything possible to support bus drivers.”

After Covid 19 hit the schools, a lack of bus drivers followed, causing Bryant School District to implement new policies to help solve the issue.

Total Amount of Students (by district)

the priority of sleep

With a new nine weeks approaching at Bryant High School, students have a lot to be getting prepared for such as final exams and sports. With these preparations, some necessities such as getting enough rest can be a struggle. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 73% of high school students don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. Students express how their sleep patterns affect them emotionally and academically.

Lack of sleep in teenagers can affect their behaviors and emotions in their everyday lives. Junior Sydney Morgan explains her experience with sleepiness.

“It makes me all over the place. I feel scattered and just a range of emotions,” Morgan said.

Morgan also stated how her performance at school has been affected by sleep loss, as she has to catch up on sleep during her classes.

“I sleep in class every day. This is the first week where I haven’t slept in all my classes. Most of the time I’ll sleep first through fourth period just on [a] daily basis. It’s really bad,” Morgan said.

According to Washington University in St. Louis, in a study published by Psychology, Health & Medicine, the students who reported the most stable, consistent sleep patterns earned a GPA of 3.66, on average, while the students with the most variable sleep earned a GPA of 3.21. Students with regular sleep patterns also reported higher levels of well-being. These effects held even when controlling for SAT scores and baseline happiness.

Another contributing factor to sleep loss can be self-care.

“I don’t take care of myself enough. I don’t sleep at night.

I don’t do things when I’m supposed to,” Morgan said.

According to verywellhealth. com, self-care to improve sleep, just like other forms of selfcare, is not one size fits all. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that people keep a sleep diary if they want to develop better sleep habits.

With all of these factors affecting teenagers’ sleep cycle, another big concern can be technology. Junior Daniel Cruz explains that his challenges with sleep often come from his phone.

“I think it’s technology or my phone, it’s super addicting just to keep scrolling,” Cruz said.

According to AAST, The Sleep Health Foundation reports that bright light from mobile phones, tablets, computers and televisions blocks the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin after only 1.5 hours of using technology in the evening.

Cruz also stated that he is emotionally affected by sleep loss.

According to aboutkidshealth.ca, some symptoms sleep deprivation can be emotional. Some symptoms are an increase in moodiness, increased impulsivity and increased stress.

“I usually feel very stressed out. I feel like I’m on a timer,” Cruz said.

Morgan stated that another reason for delays in her sleep cycle is that her schedule is too time consuming. “I don’t have time for [sleep].

Sometimes I’m not tired. Other times I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I have to stay up and do all of this.”

However, according to caringforkids.cps.ca, there are many techniques and methods that can potentially help with sleep loss. These include; exercising everyday, avoiding caffeine, and limiting your screen time.

Senior Amelia Upton explained how colorguard burns energy out which helps her and possibly other students.

“I’m in colorguard and so I learned that if I don’t get enough sleep, I don’t get the right nutrition in my body. I become so much more tired and aggressive with people. It definitely makes me more tired, it definitely makes me fall more asleep a lot easier like I just go home, eat dinner and then I crash,” Upton said.

STORY BY: ERIN TAYLOR

GRAPHIC BY: ERIN TAYLOR

Students at Bryant express how their schedules and daily life don’t always make it easy to prioritize sleep.

“I don’t have time for [sleep].

Sometimes I’m not tired. Other times I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I have to stay up and do all of this.

- Sydney Morgan

s students enter their senior year, their minds might be occupied by homework, extracurriculars and jobs, but one of the biggest responsibilities many seniors have to worry about is applying to colleges. Throughout the year, many seniors will apply to several colleges and universities, going through multiple rounds of essays and interviews in hopes of getting into their desired school.

Many factors go into college admissions, ranging from ACT and SAT scores to extracurricular activities. Some students feel that they have to navigate the college application process on their own.

“I wish I had more people around me to help,” senior Regan Hinson said. “No one in my family has had to apply to college for at least 10 years, and things have changed enough that I really had to figure most of it out myself. I am really thankful for what help I was able to get, though.”

The college admissions system has changed in the past few years, including the addition of test-optional policies, which don’t require students to submit ACT or SAT scores as part of their application. Many schools adopted test-optional policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have kept them as part of their admissions policy, including the University of Arkansas. According to Radeanna Garcia, a senior admissions counselor at the University of Arkansas, test optional policies can be beneficial to students.

“I think having a test optional pathway is really great,” Garcia said. “I think for some students that maybe just struggle with standardized testing, I think that is a benefit to have a test optional for them as well.”

Although many students agree that test optional policies are beneficial, they still have mixed opinions about standardized testing and the impact it can have on admissions.

“Some people, myself included, have test anxiety and get super stressed while taking these standardized tests because of how important they are,” senior Mary Beth James said. “It’s fair for the students that do very well on them but not fair for the students that don’t.”

Many students take the ACT multiple times in order to improve their score, and a single test typically costs $60. However, not all students can afford to take the ACT multiple times, and while fee waivers may be available, lower income students are at a disadvantage when it comes to ACT scores. According to the official ACT website, in 2016, students with an annual family income above $80,000 had an average composite score of around 23. In comparison, students with an annual family income less than $80,000 had an average composite score of around 19.

While preparing for the ACT, students may simultaneously have to worry about balancing college applications with their school

responsibilities. When students are working on college and scholarship applications alongside their school assignments, they can become overwhelmed by the amount of deadlines they have approaching. In fact, some students may choose college and scholarship applications over their schoolwork.

“The college application process has made me ignore some of my homework and school responsibilities because of how important it is for me to get money to be able to go to college,” James said. “I had an AP Psych test this week and have barely even studied for it this week because of how much I have been focused on scholarships.”

Even with all the work students put into applications, they still might not feel that it’s enough to get them admitted to their desired schools.

“The biggest challenge wasn’t actually a part of the process but more of having the confidence in my academics and my accomplishments to apply,” Hinson said. “While filling out applications, I was terrified that I

wouldn’t be accepted anywhere purely because of not feeling like my academics [were] impressive enough.

Although the college application season can seem daunting, Garcia says that one of the best things students can do is plan ahead.

“Once you’re in that area where you’re taking any kind of course that’s going to be on your high school transcript, that’s really when this whole process starts,” Garcia said. “So making sure they’re taking advantage of those college days to visit campuses, coming and talking to colleges when they come to visit their school, you know, attending college fairs, just to get an idea of what universities are available can really help that process. [If] they know the dates, know the deadlines, that will help that process go a

Bryant Seniors Face College Applications

The college application process has made me ignore some of my homework and school responsibilities because of how important it is for me to get money to be able to go to college.

“ ”

-Mary Beth James

lot smoother.”

According to Garcia, students should try to plan where they want to attend college during their sophomore or junior year so that, when the time comes to apply, the process will be less stressful.

“Junior year [is a good time] of exploration and research. Your senior year, that’s when you have to start making some decisions, and so if you have a lot of that work done ahead of time, then it probably makes that process a little bit easier,” Garcia said. “Some students aren’t thinking that far ahead, and I totally get it. They just started high school,why are they thinking about college, but it doesn’t hurt to kind of take advantage of those resources along the way.”

One of the best resources a student can have when applying to colleges is an admissions counselor that can guide them through the process.

“Whatever school they’re applying to, I would hope that they would have an admissions counselor, and I’d hope that they would know how to contact that person because your admissions counselor really is your connection to that university,” Garcia said. “They are your person to ask any and all questions to, and I think I really would encourage students to utilize that because that’s kind of what we’re here for. And it really can help make the process go a lot smoother, can really kind of relieve a little anxiety when you know you have someone you can just email and ask a question to. So I hope students would take advantage of that.”

Throughout all the obstacles, essays, sleepless nights and self doubt, students might just be waiting to reach the finish line, but once they get there, they may feel a sense of relief. According to James, things look better from the other side.

“College applications are very stressful but once you hit that submit button it feels like a huge weight lifted off your shoulders, so it will all get better eventually,” James said.

STORY BY: DEEYA ROHANT

Students discuss the obstacles they face during the college applications season and how they can work through them.

Posed shot by Photo Editor Ross Holloway

Total applications to colleges nation wide increased by 41% from 2019 to 2023

n the U.S. there are nearly 30 million adolescents participating in sports, according to Weinstein Legal, and high school students account for an estimated two million sports-related injuries.

Junior Katelyn Morton is a football manager who assists trainers in dealing with sportsrelated injuries and believes some sports injuries can leave athletes out of commission.

“Long term [injuries] aren’t obviously nearly as common, but there are some that [athletes] can’t play an entire season because of ACLS, tearing ACLs, or meniscus and shoulder things too,” Morton said.

Morton has helped several students at Bryant who have experienced sports-related injuries, like junior Gideon Motes. Motes injured himself this past summer at a football game just before school started.

“I got picked up and slammed,”

Motes said. “Separated my shoulder from my collar bone.”

Motes’ injury required physical therapy and left him with a permanent shoulder bump. Despite his shoulder injury, he continued to play during the season.

While some athletes injuries can be helped with just physical therapy, some injuries can result in athletes having to have surgery like senior Traylon Russ. Russ tore his meniscus at this years Salt Bowl.

Through the Pain

I was doing before. So I’ve heard I’m going to get arthritis,” Lynch said.

STORY BY: CATHERINE SPICER

PHOTO BY: MARIA BARRAZA

“I think it happened when I was trying to make a tackle. My leg caved in on itself,” Russ said. “so it overloaded one side of my knee.” Russ will need to have surgery in the future, but decided to finish the football season first and continued to play.

“[My doctor says] if I have my surgery, I won’t be able to have my senior season. So I was like ‘no, throw that out the window’ because I want to have my senior season. I want to play with my friends,” Russ said.

Football isn’t the only sport that can leave atheletes injured. Sophomore Austyn Lynch tore her right ACL at the beginning of this school year during cheer practice.

“Practicing our halftime routine, I was turning in the back tuck and then as I landed, my knees snapped inwards and back out,” Lynch said. Lynch will also require physical therapy and surgery. However, her injuries might have more of a long term effect on her.

“I have to go to physical therpay [several times a week] before I can really get back into what

Even taking care of yourself, Motes says sports injuries should be expected.

“It’s part of the game,” Motes said. ‘You’re just not too surprised that they happen, it’s kind of just part of the sport I guess.”

Russ, however, believes injuries among athletes are common due to the conditions players have to endure.

“It’s usually due to the equipment and how the field was laid. Like it’s statistically proven that concrete fields like turf fields are more prone to cause ACL tears, injuries in the legs,” Russ said. “It’s really more so just like the program. I want to say [the school district does] take care of the students and stuff, but they really only get the cheap fields.”

Russ also believes that there are a lot of things athletes do to prevent injuries.

“But I think the stuff that athletes does goes overlooked. Like they grow, like the work they put in to prevent injuries or to get faster, better stronger, better at what they do.”

Morton, however, believes that the training athletes to take care of themselves can increase the risk of getting injuries and harming the team.

“They overtrain because they want to be better athletes. It is a issue because if they get hurt they can’t play if it is serious, and our teams won’t be as good,” Morton said.

Lynch agrees with Morton and believes that sports-related injuries depend on how athletes take care of themselves.

“It all comes down to whether the athlete takes great care of themselves or not. Sometimes they push themselves too hard, possibly without knowing, and don’t allow their bodies to get the amount of rest it needs, they are unintentionally using the wrong techniques, or they don’t give the body the proper nutrition it needs,” Lynch said.

Students discuss their sports related injuries and how they have impacted them

n average, women pay about $2,381 more per year on the same goods that men use, according to Forbes. com. Deodorant, shampoo and razors are all gender neutral products, however, women often have to pay more for these items from their marketed area. This is known as the “pink tax.” The pink tax is the action of charging more for a product based on the feminine appeal and the color pink. Women have enough struggles in their routine life, so why should they have to spend more for basic items?

The main issue surrounding the tax is that it is a discriminatory burden that targets women. The “pink tax” stems from companies that make their own prices. They will make a

product’s price higher if they think consumers are willing to pay more based on their appeal. This objective is unjust because most of these more costly products are marketed towards females even though they are very similar to the male-branded products. In a study by nyc.gov, personal care products on average cost 13% more for women than men.

These elevated prices aren’t only related to personal care. These discriminatory price tags have also made their way into products marketed towards children. In the same study by nyc.gov, girls’ general toys cost $86.72 while boys’ cost $81.90. This range may not seem like a huge deal, but in this example, the girls’ toys cost 11% more than the boys. With these higher prices, the numbers can start to add up fast.

The reasons for these discriminatory prices are as minor as the color of the product. On the nyc.gov study, a photo of two scooters were displayed. The scooters were the same size, shape, and made by the same company. The only difference between them was that one was pink and one was red. The red one cost $24.99, compared to the pink one that cost $49.99.

These higher prices promote inequality within stores. Women have to tolerate these costly charges every time they go into a store to buy basic items, while men can easily save their money. According to an article from weforum.org, federal legislation called the Pink Tax Repeal Act, led by Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California, has been passed in the House of Representatives back in June of 2021. The bill will prohibit higher prices based solely on gender.

A parent shouldn’t have to stress about their child’s enjoyment just because

companies want more profit. Going to buy a pink toy for your child shouldn’t burn a hole in your wallet. Since these higher prices are

included in children’s toys, there is an unfair advantage for boys. Some parents have to make the sacrifices each time they walk into the kid’s section. Even if the parent buys a toy marketed towards boys for their daughter, the child might face judgment from their peers. The factors that play into the pricing of products shouldn’t be based on what gender the company is targeting. The most important thing about the product should be the quality, regardless of the people it’s marketed towards. Going into a store to buy something that is universally used but costly for you shouldn’t be a main concern for a parent, and spending money shouldn’t be based on your identity.

STORY BY: ERIN TAYLOR GRAPHICS BY: ERIN TAYLOR

Student opinion on store’s gender based branding and prices

Discrimination in Stores

The factors that play into the pricing of products shouldn’t be based on what gender the company is targeting.

The End To Abortions.

June 24, 2022- The United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing abortions to be banned nationwide. Arkansas was one of the many to ban abortion. Students share feelings ranging from outrage to joy over the decision and discuss the morality of abortion procedures itself.

June 29, 2022 protesters rally at the state capitol in Little Rock against the Supreme Court decision to ban abortions. Photographer Destiny Mbuthia went to the protest and reported on protestors thoughts and opinions as the Arkansas government began to strictly outlaw abortion entirely.

2022 -- The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 case Roe v. Wade, which established access to abortions as a federal right in the United states in the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The decision to overturn the former case dismantled nearly 50 years of legal protection for reproductive rights, sending shock waves throughout the country.

Reactions to the Court’s decision varied vastly among citizens and has led some into vigorous debate over whether or not the decision was in the best interest of the nation and women as a whole.

Abortion has become one of the key topics of debate between political discussions. Students from the school are comparatively divided over their opinions over the Supreme Court’s decision.

Many students have claimed they were shocked by the court’s decision, but senior Ross Holloway saw this decision as a setback in America upholding its core values.

“I felt very disappointed [when Roe v. Wade was overturned]. I feel like it was a step back in our democracy, especially since that was a law created in the 70s,” Holloway said. “I felt like it wasn’t as much as a political thing as much as it was a religious thing. I felt that was a kind of violation of what the United States stands for. It felt like church was being placed into politics… I feel like there hasn’t been any democratic growth throughout those past years if this [religious beliefs in politics] is still an issue.”

In the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and that “the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,” as

published in the court’s papers after the ruling. The court considered the question of whether the Constitution confers the right to abortion, and agreed that the ruling in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey—which upheld the decision in Roe v. Wade that a person retains the right to have an abortion—were not assessed effectively and thus decided to overturn both.

Despite this statement from the court, many citizens believe that the decision was primarily due to religious beliefs, specifically Christian beliefs. Holloway, a proclaimed

“As a Christian, I feel like my religion shouldn’t get in the way of my political views. I don’t think my religion should be involved in my political views because not everyone in the United States is a Christian, and I shouldn’t push that on to anyone,” Holloway said.

Before the courts announced their decision, the court opinions were leaked May 2, showing their intent to overturn the previous case’s decision to allow abortion. The leaked opinions sparked debates and rallies around the U.S. However, after the overturning was announced, the decision of whether or not abortion would be legal was left to individual states. With Arkansas being a “red state,” sophomore Marika Farr was not shocked when the state announced that all cases of abortion would be illegal, except in the case to save the life of the pregnant person.

“Knowing that we live in a red state, the next move was very predictable [after the overturning]. The bodily autonomy of women would be left in the hands of people above us,” Farr said.

Senior Grace White is a self-proclaimed Republican and believes that in, abortion debates, Republicans are criticized by negative stereotypes. She wants others to understand that not all Republicans share the same views.

Christian, agrees with these sentiments and does not think that others’ religious views should affect how others live.

Arkansas’ 2022 Abortion Laws

“I think some [Republicans] do [get a bad rapport in regards to abortion] because some see us as killers and stuff like that, but it is just an opinion. There is a variety of us. Some of us are really stupid, and they don’t think, and some understand others opinions and want to make differences with them, instead of going against them,” White said. “As my political opinion, we want the best thing for women. We don’t want people to think that Republicans are like ‘we hate women’. We want to have a softer voice on it, and we understand that some think that this is the best option, but there are other opportunities.”

> “trigger ban”, which prohibits abortions at all stages of prenancy, without speaking of express constitutional or statutory protections

> retains targeted regulation of abortion providers(TRAP) laws related to facilities, admitting privileges and transfer agree and repoting on, resrictions of the providing abortion are to licesned physcians & restrictions of providers from using telemedicine for the provision of abortion care

As a Christian, I feel like my relgion shouldn’t get in the way of my political views. I don’t think my religion should be involved in my political views because not everyone in the United States is a Christian, and I shouldn’t push that on to anyone.

- Ross Holloway

Women have abortions according to Pew Reasearch Institution

if anything were to happen to them for them to need an abortion, I would want them to be able to get one. I would not want that right to be taken away. At the end of the day, the abortion would not be my choice, but having the availability for women. I want to fight for that,” Holloway said.

A popular position of those who are against abortion is that there are other options for the child instead of the mother being forced to care for them. White believes the other options should be taken instead. Even though she is ultimately against abortion, she understands why one would choose to get one.

“I completely understand where women come from with rape and everything like that, and I feel terrible about that. But I feel like men should be taught that women are not objects and that is where it should start, but that women should understand [there are more options],” White said.

Despite the legal standings of abortion, senior Emily Briones believes that abortion will continue to exist and by removing access to abortions, women are in danger of performing abortions in improper ways and ultimately harming themselves.

“[Abortion] is going to happen no matter what, so if it is not legal, it is going to be unsafe and cause way more injuries, way more problems, than if it were to be legal,” Briones said.

The abortion debate has brought up the question of whether or not men should have an opinion on the debate itself.Briones believes men should not have a say over whether abortion should be legal or not because they are not directly affected.

“They don’t even have a uterus. It is not their decision at all. I can kind of get it if they are in a relationship and decide with the girl, but if they have no part, men shouldn’t be deciding about women’s bodies, especially women they do not know,” Briones said.

Holloway similarly believes that as a man, he should not have much deciding power over whether or not a woman should have an abortion. However, he still wants to be able to debate the topic with others in order to protect and salvage the rights he believes women should have.

“At the end of the day, I don’t have a uterus, but I would also like to say, for the women I know that

Adoption and foster care are often cited as alternatives to abortion. However, in recent years, government statements have come out with rising reports of maltreatment of children in foster care. The Arkansas Department of Human Services and Division of Children and Family Services have published their 2021 state fiscal annual report, which states

that a total of 30,935 children have been reported to have

Photo by Destiny Mbuthia

A man supporting pro-life ideals drives up to protestors at the state capital. He engages in conversation with the porterstors over his personal views, and both parties begin to get agitated. Before an altercation breaks out, fellow protestors led the others away before calling the police on the man. Photo by Destiny Mbuthia

received maltreatment in 2021 alone. Briones recognizes these facts along with the issue of overcrowding in the foster care system, and believes that putting children in foster care as an alternative to abortion is not beneficial to the mother or the child.

“The foster system is not very good. There are way too many kids in foster care already, and we should not be just adding more into

on how far along the pregnancy is.

“I do not think it is technically a baby til like six months, and the rules were already that you can not get an abortion after a certain time period when it becomes a baby, so I don’t understand [why they’d make abortion as a whole illegal],” Macchi said.

Arkansas is one of 38 states to have fetal homicide laws and in 1999 passed the Arkansas’ Fetal Protection Law—which calls for a murder charge if a baby in at least the 12 week of gestation dies as a result of a violent crime against a pregnant woman. Sophomore Guadalupe Martinez agrees that abortion itself is considered murder, but the penalties of abortion versus homicide differ greatly.

> could not afford to have a child (74%)

> relationship issues/ desire to avoid single motherhood (48%)

> indicated that a child would interfere with their education(38%)

it just because women are not able to get an abortion. The mother still has to live with the fact that her baby is somewhere else in the world, while she can’t take care of it, and she also has to go through with that pregnancy for nine months,” Briones said.

Those who argue abortion should be legal believe alternatives are not necessary as an abortion, by definition from the National Library of Medicine , is a medical procedure to end a pregnancy by removing the pregnancy from the uterus, not necessary a procedure ending a “life”, however, this is often also disputed and argued over the interpretation of the definition.

Senior Ethan Macchi does not agree that the procedure is considered to be murder, especially considering the fact that many states already had laws restricting when you are able to get an abortion by depending

> concern for own health or the health of the baby being jeopordized(13%) in general.

Guttmacher Institute

Reasons for Abortions study by

“I do not [think abortion is murder]. It’s more of a emotional reason as to why I don’t think so,” Farr said. Words have power, and so when you label things like that with

“Yes, I think abortion is murder because it’s the same as killing another person, but the difference is when you abort you don’t get pressed charges on murdering someone, and if you murder a person you get pressed charges and go to prison,” Martinez said. Although many refer to abortion as murder, Farr believes that labeling abortion as murder carries a heavy implication and the term should not be tied to the abortion debate

words that have a negative connotation, it pushes a lot of shame and guilt onto these women who are put into these positions where they have to make a choice.”

According to Holloway, the deciding factor over abortion should stay with the mother, and other opinions shouldn’t be considered if they are not involved, including the opinions of the government.

“I think at the end of the day, an abortion is something that somebody else shouldn’t have a deciding factor over,” Holloway said. “It should be the decision of the mother, and I really dont think it’s fair to push how you feel about abortions on to other people, especially since it is not your life that is being affected. It could really cause harm for someone that has to pursue the pregnancy.”

STORY BY: LYDIA PAYNE GRAPHICS BY: LYDIA PAYNE

Photo by Destiny Mbuthia

They don’t even have a uterus. It is not their decision at all [to ban abortions].

“

- Emily Briones

n Monday Jan. 9, Arkansas legislators filed Senate Bill 43, which would ban “adult-oriented performances’’ in public areas. Although the bill has since been amended, opponents of the bill expressed concern that the wording of the original bill specifically targeted drag performances and the LGBTQ+ community.

The original bill classified drag as an adultoriented performance and defined drag as a performer wearing clothing or accessories opposite of their assigned sex and performing in front of an audience of two or more people.

The amended bill now designates adultoriented performances as “intended to appeal to the prurient interest,” specifying that these performances would feature things like nudity and sexual activities.

The amended bill also proposes that no adult-oriented business would be allowed on public property or admit minors for attendance. According to Representative Mary Bentley, a co-sponsor of the bill, the goal of the bill is to protect children from sexual grooming.

“There is plenty of time for adults to do what they want to do. This is about protecting children,” Bentley told KARK. “Parents are really concerned of what they consider sexual grooming of their kids, and we’re just ready to push back. Push back with the strong values, and I know that the vast majority of Arkansans feel the exact same way that I do.”

Due to the vague nature of the bill prior to the amendment, many expressed concern that it could affect more than just drag performers, claiming that it is an attack on transgender individuals and others who may not dress according to their gender identity assigned at birth.

The Arkansas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a joint statement with 19 other pro-equality groups condemning the bill, claiming that “the language of SB43 would affect not only people who dress in drag, but also transgender people who dress according to their gender identity.”

According to senior Nyla Danzy, if the bill became law, it could affect transgender students doing activities such as performing at school events or doing karaoke.

“We are a huge school and if anyone considered something performing, no matter if it’s like singing or lip synching … and you’re dressed as an opposite gender than assigned at your birth, then that could be prohibited behavior, banned behavior, illegal behavior,

Arkansas Bill

and that’s really dangerous for trans students, trans individuals,” Danzy said. Former Bryant student Amari Green believes that the language of the bill was meant to target the LGBTQ+ community.

“I honestly think it’ll cause more fear than good. Now people can’t openly be honest as to who they are, so they have to take extra measures to be able to do it in private,” former Bryant student Amari Green said. “Honestly, it’s taken a long time for the LGBTQ+ community to get to where we are now, but we’re slowly going back in time. And I think this bill is just the beginning.”

Opponents of the original bill argued that drag is an art form and allows for expression and representation of the LGBTQ+ community.

“A lot of the diction used to describe [drag] recently, especially in Arkansas has been that it’s like, sexually provocative and it’s dangerous to the innocence of children, but I

freely express themselves through drag.

“I believe the bill takes away people’s free right of expression. It really does show people’s ignorance and closed mindedness when it comes to people being their authentic selves on their own terms,” Green said.

The original bill sparked protests at the state capitol on Jan. 19, and many claim that Arkansas has a pattern of anti-trans legislation.

This bill followed other similar legislation directed at the transgender community, such as a 2021 bill that banned gender-affirming health care for transgender children, as well as another bill that banned transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in school. More recently, House Bill 1156, filed on Jan. 17, proposes that all students at public schools or open-enrollment public charter schools must use the bathroom that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth.

According to Danzy, instead of limiting the rights of individuals, our community should be encouraging people to explore their identities.

“People think that they’re confused. Even if you think they’re confused, why aren’t you letting them explore themselves,” Danzy said. “Our community should be open to allowing children especially to explore who they are. Instead we’re trying to limit that behavior, and we see it as a behavior, see it as a phase, but it’s not a phase. It’s their identity, and we shouldn’t stop people from being who they are.”

really just think it’s a form of expressing yourself and one that needs to be explored more, especially here,” Danzy said.

For Green, forcing drag out of the public eye takes away the right for individuals to

Our community should be open to allowing children especially to explore who they are. Instead we’re trying to limit that behavior, and we see it as a behavior, see it as a phase, but it’s not a phase. It’s their identity, and we shouldn’t stop people from being who they are.

-Nyla Danzy

Faces Controversy for Allegedly

Targeting the LGBTQ+ Community

Arkansas Senate Bill 43 faces backlash with claims that it targets drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community.

January 19, 2023-- Athena Sinclair(pictured top right) speaks to protestors on the Capitol’s front steps. Protestors gathered against the legislature’s proposal of Senate Bill 43, which aimed to restrict drag performances and label them as “adult-orientated business”. Figures ranging from Senate Minority Leader Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) to Savvy Savant, Miss Gay Arkansas 2022. Savant said, “This is who shows up when we’re hurt. This is who shows up when our rights are being taken. This is the love and acceptance that many people don’t get from traditional family values.”

Photos by Lydia Payne

STORY BY: DEEYA ROHANT