East Scroll Issue 1 volume 90

SCROLL

SUPPORTS BLACK LIVES

VOLUME 90 ISSUE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS Principal: Leslie Morris Adviser: Natalie Niemeyer Staffers: Shukri Abdirahman, Abdifarhan Ahmed, Rogelio Alvarado, Mason Auch, Alea Hoof, Aiom Makier, Carolina Mendoza-Medrano, Kirsten Pierce Co-Editors-in-Chief: Ryleigh Hayworth, Sawra Selema Design Editor: Maria Hernandez Feature Editor: Joselyn Hildebrand Multi-Media Editor: Kylea Tackett Front Cover: Sawra Selema Back Cover: Kylea Tackett

PAGE 3: DMPS Vs. Iowa PAGE 4 & 5: Teachers in pandemic PAGE 6: East mascot change PAGE 7: Stopping the school to prison pipeline PAGE 8 & 9: East alumni fighting for Black Lives Matter PAGE 10: Working during a pandemic PAGE 11: COVID-19 opinion PAGE 12 & 13: Senior political polls PAGE 14: Pollution in Des Moines and beyond PAGE 15: Struggles of being a black woman PAGE 16: Social media users being canceled PAGE 17: Uyghur Muslims Page 18: NBA during quarantine.

OCTOBER 2020 Letter Policy

The Scroll welcomes letters but reserves the right to edit for space as needed. Outside contributions are subject to the usual restrictions of libel and obscenity and must conform to general paper policy, which is available upon request. Signed commentaries represent personal opinions, not views of the staff. Also, your letter needs to include your full name and grade.

Unsigned letters can not be printed. You can deliver your letter to Natalie Niemeyer in room 3060N.

Ad Policy

Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie.niemeyer@ dmschools.org. The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed by Wilcox Printing in Madrid, IA.

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District Educational Equality Statement

Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment programs and activities based on age, race, creed, color, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disablility.

In addition, the District prohibits acts of intolerance or harrassment toward employees or students that are not related to the individual’s employment or education.

DMPS

VS.

STATE OF IOWA

How Return to Learn became a legal battel and where the district stands now As the summer came to an end, school districts in Iowa had to decide how their students would return to learning for the 2020-2021 school year during a global pandemic. Districts had to make a decision that worked for their students, families, and staff as well as balance the guidelines set by the state. DMPS took time trying to come up with the safest way to go back to school.

“First we started with learning about COVID-19: how does it spread? What are the best ways to limit spread? Who is vulnerable to the virus? We then assessed, following known best practice for in-person settings, how many students could we safely serve at one time in each of our classrooms and each of our schools.

We then tried to create a schedule that would provide for as much in-person time as we could, while keeping our physical spaces sanitized, and be able to transition into fully virtual when conditions required it,” Superintendent, Thomas Ahart said.

Coming up with a plan hasn't been easy for DMPS, being the state's largest district. They are likely to be affected heavily with the virus.

“I think our concerns on each side of this issue are more real for us than any other district in the state. For example, if our densely packed schools are hit hard by COVID then it will impact a large number quickly,” Social Science teacher, Jake Hoversten.

After the pandemic hit during the second semester of the 2020 school year, schools all around the world had to close and some transitioned to virtual learning. This transition has been hard for teachers and students to adjust to.

So, to start getting ready for the 2020-21 school year with the pandemic still rising with cases, DMPS created the “Return to Learn” plan to help provide the best way to educate their students while keeping them safe and healthy. To try to achieve this goal, DMPS came up with a plan where students had the option of going to school all virtual for the first semester or choose hybrid, which is when students attend school in-person one or two times a week. DMPS made this plan over the summer but since making these plans there have been many COVID-19 cases. So, DMPS has had to make the difficult decision of going all virtual for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year. Because the cases in Iowa grow more and more each week.

In July DMPS stated getting the Return to learn plan ready by making sure they followed state laws and were making sure to they were following safety guidelines. According to the Des Moines Register, DMPS submitted a return to learn plan on July 21. The Return to

learn detailed a plan to give students a choice between going fully virtual or doing a hybrid model, which would bring students to campus one day a week. But on August 17 DMPS voted to start school virtually because of the virus, since they made changes to their return to learn plan the district had to request approval from the Iowa Department of Education before being able to hold classes only virtually. On July 17 Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation that allows schools to switch to more than 50 percent virtual learning if approved by the Iowa Department of education. The state requires most of the schools to hold classes in-person despite coronavirus spreading across Iowa. According to Iowa Public Radio, Reynolds stated that if schools don’t follow the law for reopening schools then they will need to make up time at the end of the year and that administrators could face discipline from their licensing board.

When asked what he thought about Kim Reynolds proclamation Ahart said, he was fine with allowing for mostly in-person classes as long as the decision to hold in-person classes is made at the local level so that the characteristics of particular communities can be taken in to account in determining the best plan for each district.

Des Moines asked for approval to go online so that they could protect their students and staff from COVID-19 but were denied by the Department of Education. The Department of Education stated that they denied DMPS because their priority is to let parents choose what is best for their child. Reynolds and the state are concerned that students may lose ground academically when taking classes online. On August 25th DMPS filed a petition in the District Court to respond to the state's rejection of their Return to learn plan. DMPS wants to fight against the state's decision and wants to override the State’s control over local school state laws. The DMPS Superintendent Thomas Ahart stated that the Petition that DMPS filed today in Polk County District Court is about local control and who is best positioned to make decisions to promote the health and safety of our students and staff, their families and the broader community while pursuing our core mission.

So, should schools have control over the state's local laws? According to The Gazette “every school board is balancing its own local factors.

It’s impossible for government bureaucrats in Des Moines to come up with a model or matrix that’s suitable for every corner of the state”.

On Tuesday Sept.9, Jeffrey Farrell, a Polk County judge, denied Des Moines Public Schools’ request for temporary injunction that

allows schools in the district to hold class online while DMPS is in the lawsuit against Kim Reynolds and the Department of Education.

According to the Washington post, Ahart in a statement said he was disappointed with the ruling and how it forces him to send students and staff back to classrooms without well thought out safety precautions or risk losing state funding if DMPS doesn't follow state rules.

On Sept. 15 after being denied holding classes online well the lawsuit is going on, DMPS said they plan to still hold classes 100 percent virtually. According to local 5 news On Sept.

16 Reynolds stressed that DMPS will face the biggest challenges being the largest district in the state and that they also will have the biggest consequences for further inaction. I think our concerns on each side of this issue are more real for us than any other district in the state.

On Sept. 21, DMPS held a board meeting in which they had a vote. They voted 6-1 to approve a new return to school plan. The new plan that was approved was a hybrid model.

They decided that all the students at DMPS will all return to school by November. PreK starting Oct. 12, K-5 starting Oct. 19, 6-8 Oct. 26 and finally 9-12 returning Oct. 10. This plan was made by the DMPS board and with the help of medical experts, DMPS is hoping to safely bring their students back to in-person learning even with the cases in Polk County constantly rising.

What does DMPS and the State want the outcome to be?

Both the State and district want their students to return to school safely and make sure that they make a plan that is clear and throughout “I recognize that the interruption to our regular school schedule and calendar has created challenges for our students, staff, and their families. I am attempting to provide as much clarity to everyone as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we are in a very different place relative to COVID-19 than I was hoping we would be last March and with the rules we must follow changing frequently and unpredictably, I have not been able to provide as much clarity and assurance as I would like. I appreciate the grace being demonstrated by our community and look forward to making it through to the point where COVID-19 is under control in our community and we can bring our entire DMPS family back to in-person learning” Ahart said.

Story/S.Selema

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Who Run the World? Teachers

Story/C.Mendoza Page editor/C.Mendoza

While in a pandemic, Des Moines teachers and students are facing battles with Online Learning. Could the Hybrid model be worth it or is it dangerous?

A poster sign on a car that shows Reynold’s “Report Card “that she failed to Lead, Serve and Protect her people in a pandemic. This was during the “Drives for Lives” protest on July 24.

Special Education teacher Megan Geha from East High School located in Des Moines, Iowa , is demonstrating her wearing the appropriate and safe gear during a global pandemic.

Living in a pandemic has been a struggle, especially for those in need. More than 500 cases of COVID-19 spread each day across Iowa. On July 17, Governor Kim Reynolds announced that all students in Iowa must return to in person learning 50 percent of the time. “The expectation is, especially with core subjects, that over 50 percent of those subjects be offered in the school building”.

“It made me frustrated and upset because she was taking the autonomy from the district and districts have been given deadlines to get plans for in person, hybrid and virtual,” Special Education teacher Megan Geha said.

Geha has been a Special Education teacher at East High School for seven years. She is the Dream to Teach advisor for East and co-advisor for Student Against the Camps. Due to Geha’s medical condition, she will be teaching at home all school year.

“I believe that school should remain in an online setting until the spread of COVID-19 is under control in our state,” Geha said.

On July 24, hundreds of teachers in Iowa gathered in the East High School parking lot for a “Drive for Lives” protest. Teachers from central Iowa came together to find a way to protest that it is not safe to return to school during a pandemic. With the concerns of their own safety, they decided it was best to do a drive by protest. There were more than six hundred teachers.

Teachers have not been credited for the work they for to their students, and now, during a pandemic it seems like Reynolds is okay with increasing the COVID-19 cases and having the

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teachers risk their own lives to ensure the students are in school instead of being home and safe without having the parents to worry.

“As a teacher, it is a lot more work. I truly believe students should not be forced to have their cameras on, I believe that 100 percent. However, the flip side is that I cannot read body language, I can’t see if they’re paying attention or off playing the game. I am talking to a bunch of circles with the initials which is frustrating. That’s been hard for me, I invite kids to turn their cameras on,” Geha said.

Virtual learning goes different ways as Geha commented, teachers cannot read students= body language since cameras are not forced to be turned on during class. It is also some of the teachers first year using the Canvas and Teams app, so it is difficult for them at times. Having to manage being a parent at home and a teacher, it can be a lot of work for them. As a student, it is important to let the teachers breathe, they are learning just like the students while doing online.

“Kids are much more accessible; I can contact them, or they can contact me. I have also heard this from other teachers, but attendance has been so great. For the most part most students want to be here, and they missed it which is nice,” Geha said.

DMPS students sit for a few hours on a screen listening to the teachers speak. Most students do not ask questions, but it has been that way when they were in school. Others just feel relieved they do not need to be seen in person.

“I think it is way better for the students’ mental health. They do not feel like they need to look or act a certain way and be comfortable in

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Photos/M.Geha

school,” junior Makaya Meyer said.

Students in high school tend to feel like they need to “fit in” rather than being themselves.

But now, it is easier for them to feel like they do not have to worry about how they look or what they are wearing, Now, virtually, some students do not take it to learn, just the matter of turning in the assignments on time. It has caused stress for the students and teachers.

“Teachers kind of just tell us what we are going to do. They go over it [the class subject lesson] once and then throw assignments in our face. It could be different for everyone, but I personally learn better in person. I feel like I have not learned much,” junior Alyssa Perez said.

Online school is different for all students, several enjoy it because it is easier and some just feel stressed to turn in assignments. Term one for is nine weeks long, which means there is more work for the students. Junior and senior year is not an easy year, especially building up with AP classes and catching up with school activities. To students it seems odd that they are being assigned with a lot of homework than when they went to school. However, everyone deals with it differently. But for some students, they would rather do online school than risk themselves or family members getting COVID-19.

“I think going back may be helpful to some kids with learning disabilities, but it is not worth the risk of having an extreme rise in COVID-19 cases. Many kids will refuse to wear their masks or not take proper precautions to keep everyone

Teacher Ginger Johnson is properly showing how masks should be worn at East High when students return to Hybrid in November.

While struggling with academics, East High student Rylee Roberts shows what it is like for her during Online school.

Photo/R.Roberts

Photo/G.Johnson

the risk of having an extreme rise in COVID-19 cases. Many kids will refuse to wear their masks or not take proper precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy. We already ask too much of our teachers, we should not add risking their wellbeing as well as their families to that list,” Meyer said.

It is true, students are already asking too much of their teachers, but putting their lives at risk is just not the correct way to return. It is terrifying to see lose a close family relative or friend from catching COVID-19.

Although students are not currently allowed in the school building, East High School and other schools still provide school lunch to the students and families. Visit www.dmschools.org for more information about school lunch sites.

However, not everyone agrees the about Online learning at East High. Some prefer to go back to the Hybrid model instead of doing Online school.

“I just really want to see my students, that is a big part of my teaching, is that connection. I am not just there to look at work and grade it, I am there to have an interaction and to get to know my students,” AP Language and Composition teacher Ginger Johnson said.

Although Johnson has a medical condition, she still wants to be able to do the Hybrid model. Even if students would be able to maintain six feet apart, she would be able to see her students. As students are taking her AP Language and Composition class, they are not currently receiving their dual credit unless students go back to the Hybrid model which is a pro for going back to school. Central students who are taking AP Lang right now are receiving their dual credit, which is not fair for East students.

“I have not had anxiety over the Hybrid, I have had anxiety over the Governor saying we have to go back 50 percent of the time. I am so afraid I won’t

be able to see my parents,” Johnson said.

On September 8, District Judge Jeffery Farrell denied the approval for DMPS to do virtual school and they must go back 50 percent of the time. Johnson was okay with the original Hybrid model plan, which was going to school once a week, but now they must change the amount of days that fit into the Governors rules. To some students doing Hybrid while taking the right safety measures, is better than sitting for hours staring at a screen.

“I feel like it is easier to learn when I’m face to face with a teacher and my focus is better, I can get on my phone during Online and the teacher would never notice nor stop me,” junior Rylee Roberts said.

Students find it easier to learn in person, they get to connect and listen with barely any distractions. While at home, they have all sorts of distractions around them, so it hard to listen to the teachers on the screen for hours.

East High School is going to provide safety and take the right precautions when students return to the Hybrid model such as mandating masks, remaining six feet apart and not having every single student in the building, but they could face some challenges.

“His determination [DMPS Superintendent Mr. Ahart] is to maintain a six feet distance from students and teachers in order to keep them safe.

But we may not always guarantee that distance, so that is a challenge, but we will try our best to ensure that,” Associate Principal Jill Versteeg said.

It is hard to try to go back to a normal life, but it is something people will have to get used to for quite a while. Not all students will want to wear a mask correctly or have their distance

around others. Teachers and staff will make sure that students still feel safe and welcome in the school building, even if we are in a pandemic.

There are several students who feel that school is their home, the love the feeling of being able to walk into the building. East will provide hand sanitizers, masks at school and have the desks separated to meet the right safety precautions.

“I want to applaud our students and our staff, by far our students are amazing and they are doing their best and engaging, they are doing the work that needs to be done and we are impressed,” Versteeg said.

The district has now announced that teachers and students are returning to learn on November 10. Students were given the option to choose whether they wanted to return to school. Over 60 percent chose the Hybrid model. There have been a few changes to the Hybrid, students will be split between Cohort A and Cohort B. Students who are in Cohort A will be going on Mon/Tues. Students who are in Cohort B will be over Thur/Fri. But students cannot expect it to be the same, there will be several changes.

Masks will be required, and they will be worn correctly. Students will still go to all their classes, however there will be no scarlet block. There will be three separate lunches, it determines which class students are in, but food will not be allowed back into the building, but they can bring their water, it is important to stay hydrated. Students ID will be needed when returning for Hybrid in November, please contact the East office for any questions about the school ID. For more information, activate your account on https:// www.schoolcnxt.com/. Make sure to thank your teachers, they have done an amazing job to teach students during a pandemic.

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cxn

Out With the Old

H o w t h e B la c k L ib e r a t io n M o v e m e n t is p a v in g w a y fo r a n t ir a c is t h a llw a y s E a s t H ig h ’s o ffi c a l re m o v a l o f t h e N a t iv e A m e r ic a n m a s c o t

Story/ J. Hildebrand

It’s 2019, and you’re walking into East High “Through my work with my racial equity on the way to your first block. It is your fresh- proposal for DMPS, I knew I had to include man year. Upon entering the school, you walk the immediate removal of East High’s inpast the attendance office where they also sell digenous mascot as to honor my own Mesome East High gear. You see the Native Amer- soamerican indigenous ancestors and (conican mascot on a couple of shirts hanging on sidering the dark history of colonization, the wall. Hmm, weird. Wonder why that is the genocide, and enslavement) fight for racial mascot? You continue walking and you see a se- justice,” senior Andy Montalvo-Martinez said. nior football player wearing his letterman jacket.

People have formed groups to get You see the Native American mascot again on rid of these mascots across the nation. the back of his jacket. Why is your high school According to Nation Congress of Ameriusing a community’s culture for their mascot? can Indians, “In 1968 NCAI launched a cam“I asked my grandfather who is an East paign to address stereotypes of Native people in High alumni, about the mascot and if there popular culture and media, as well as in sports. were any traditions behind it while he was there. Since this effort began, there has been a great He told me that at games and events the mas- deal of progress made and support to end the cot was many times made a mockery of hav- era of harmful “Indian” mascots in sports.” ing someone dress around in a costume and Many professional sports teams are in the dance around while getting process of or already have re“We’re unapologetically things thrown at him. It was moved their indigenous masliterally just a big joke to peo- fighting for social justice. cots. The changes or removals ple,” junior Lyric Sellers said. Remember brown is beautiful, of these racist mascots dates Students at East High black lives matter, and love to the 1970s. As of July 2020, are working to change this The Washington R**skins are unconditionally,” mascot now. However, this - Andy Monatalvo- Martinez now The Washington football leaves some people wonderteam. They have also retired ing why change it now after all this time? their logo. East High is setting a good exam“Many students have wanted the change for ple to other public schools across the nation. years but after the murder of George Floyd this “We were approached by a couple students summer, a group of students, teachers, and lead- and alumni about changing the imagery asers from the district formed to work on racial sociated with the word Scarlets during the equity and social justice within the district with summer. There have been multiple attempts the goal of really becoming the model for ur- throughout the 2000s to change the masban education. Out of this group came a spe- cot but those attempts never succeeded. The cific East group and one of their goals was to change of the mascot or the meaning behind finally eradicate this racist and inappropriate the word Scarlets is necessary as we see many mascot,” English teacher Megan Geha said. professional and collegiate teams change or The Black Liberation Movement that remove mascots and/or imagery that is offensparked at the beginning of this summer has sive or demeaning to an individual or group of kickstarted many antiracist changes, the East people,” athletics director Lyle Fedders said.

High mascot change is just one of them.

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East High mascots through the years 0s, East In the 1930-4 e word th ed simply us os m t all of “East” on al Our colors s. rm ifo their un red and d an were black rd to repbi d re a ed we us . ord “Scarlet” resent the w In the 1950s, a football coach selected a cheerleader to dress as a Native American. This began about 25 years of Native American imagery at East High School.

e The use of the Nativ nued nti co s ha n ca eri Am Varsity its use at East. On rals letter jackets to mu me So l. oo sch the around r a ban teachers remembe no on this, but there is n. ba l ma for a record of

East has also used a lowercase “e”. In 20 10, East brought the big “E”.

This is what is used for the majority of East High gear and posters.

Story/R. Hayworth Page editor/R. Hayworth Illustration/R. Hayworth

Stopping the school to prison pipeline

DMPS plans to modify the involvement of police officers within schools in response to the summer’s BLM movement Summer 2020 saw an outbreak, not just of the coronavirus, but of activism in the light of several police murders including those of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and 779 others in 2020 alone. Protestors set out to dismantle the system that they feel criminalizes black and brown bodies and allows for their murderers to go unpunished, and many believe that it starts with education. For many students of color, trouble at school can turn into trouble with the criminal justice system. These protests brought to light to fact that, many schools, including all five DMPS high schools, have police officers in the building called School Resource Officers (SROs).

“Having resourced officers in under resourced schools, schools that are understaffed in key areas to prevent violations of the law or behaviors that cause concern, leads to an overcriminalization of student behavior and lifetime involvement in the criminal justice system,” DMPS Director of School Climate Transformation Jake Troja said.

The school-to-prison-pipeline is what many refer to as the frequency for students in underfunded and under resourced schools to end up involved in the criminal justice system at some point in their lives.

One of the main goals of the Black Lives Matter movement on a national level is to divert excessive police funding towards mental health, substance abuse, affordable housing, and education. Des Moines schools have similar needs in positions such as school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and non-academic resources for students. These are the key positions that combat the school-to-prison-pipeline “We’re about 200 staff members short for those key positions. Having five SROs in our high schools is not going to get us to the 200 staff members we actually need,” Troja said.

SROs are not employees of the school

district. Like other districts, Des Moines Public Schools has a contract with the Des Moines Police Department, who employ the officers seen in DMPS schools.

“Adults employed by the district, have more rights and responsibilities when responding to students than DMPD does. It is ultimately, no matter what, the responsibility of staff members on campus whether or not we have SROs on campus respond,” Troja said.

The difference between an SRO and any other officer is the opportunity they have to build relationships with students; however, these interactions do not consistently reflect the interactions students will have with cops outside of school. In Des Moines alone, with a population of nearly 220,000 and a police force of 362 sworn officers, each officer would have to know over 600 citizens.

Even then, the likelihood of interacting with a police officer you know personally is slim.

“For many students, the sight of an armed officer in the school building is a microaggression,” said DMPS school board member Rob Barron.

In June, DMPS held five virtual Antiracism Town Halls to hear from the community regarding next steps for increasing racial equity and justice within the district.

DMPS is looking to scale back on contracts with the DMPD in response to the activism of young people throughout the summer.

“I know for a fact that BIPOC students are treated different. on a national level Black students are 3 times more likely to be arrested than their white peers. In primarily white institutions, SROs believe their purpose is to serve and protect the students, in a BIPOC majority school, SROs believe their purpose is to criminalize and police the students” senior Andy Montalvo-Martinez said.

Involvement with the criminal justice system from a young age has many effects

on students of color. Once involved in the criminal justice system, it is statistically more likely for them to return to the system. A criminal record also makes it less likely that a student will finish high school and even less likelt that they will pursue a post-secondary education, “A direct effect of colonization is the idea that we need a police system to control our communities when in reality, if we unconditionally love and support our communities by investing in resources, the need for policing becomes obsolete” MontalvoMartinez said.

Montalvo would like to see an increase in support staff of color to better reflect our diverse student population. Students and distict leaders alike agree that with more resources in the areas of student support, the need for policing will decrease.

“The most important thing we can do is provide a quality education. For many students it is the ticket out of generational poverty and away from the criminal justice system,” Barron said.

“If we unconditionally love and support our communities by investing in resources, the need for policing becomes obsolete” Andy Montalvo-Martinez

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story/K.Tackett page editor/K.Tackett

East alumni leading the fight for DSM BLM

The faces behind the fight

illustration/K.Tackett

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Imagine this: you are sitting at home with your family watching the news just scratch. I hope we are handing them off a movement and a struggle that is strong, like every other night, when suddenly you see some familiar faces. These are the sophisticated, well developed, and mature,” Bruce said. faces of Jassmaray Johnson, Jalesha Johnson, Matthew Bruce, Tiana Warner, and Jassmaray Johnson is a sophomore at Iowa State University. She is double LaShon Winfield. What are they doing? Leading the fight for the Des Moines majoring in psychology and communications with a minor in African American Black Liberation Movement. Together. Bravely and Passionately. So, what is so studies. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and doing poetry. At East, she was familiar about these young men and women? They are all East High School gradu- heavily involved with Movement 515. ates. This goes to prove one thing: For The Service of Humanity.

“I want to create my own mentoring program when I graduate college. I want Jalesha Johnson graduated from East in 2016. She spends her time teaching to make six figures. I want to graduate from grad school. And I obviously want to children how to express themselves creatively in classrooms. She is also Des work towards prison reform and abolish the police,” Jassmaray Johnson said.

Moines BLM head of culture. This means she is applying inclusivity and art influJohnson finds comfort in the fact that so many people in the community are ence into activism. In short, Johnson is all about spreading love everywhere she coming together towards this common goal. It gives her confidence that movegoes. ment is working and there will be a change for a better future.

“I want to continue to be as kind and cautious as I can about what my inten“The movement means a lot to me because it builds community and makes tions are and what my impact is in the city of Des Moines,” Jalehsa Johnson said. me feel safer in my community knowing that there is people who are fighting As a Black woman living in America, Johnson shares that the story of Breasia for the same things I’m fighting for and want to see the changes I want to see. It Terrell is one near to her heart. Breasia is a young girl from Iowa who has been makes me feel comfortable and confident that there can be a change in the future. missing since July. There is little knowledge or information being spread about her Because it’s not just me and a few other people, it’s a whole community working to case. get things done just like I am,” Jassmaray Johnson said.

“I’ve always understood the fact that Black women go missing and the world Lashon Winfield is an East graduate, class of 2016. He describes himself as doesn’t care. But to understand that this happened in the place we live. And it a man just trying to do what he can to make the world a better place. His goals could have been me. It could have been my younger sister,” Jalesha Johnson said. include getting people to vote and changing the whole system.

Johnson reflects on the fact that many people like to stay in their own safety “One of my short-term goals is getting as many people out to vote as possible bubble out of fear for the unknown. But she wants people to understand that the and educating people on the voting process. More than just the presidential elecworld cannot continue business as usual until everyone is free. She says East did tion. There are many elections we need people to vote at. My ultimate long term teach her one thing about activism:. If you stand tall, and gain support, no one will goal is to change the system to work better for people of color,” Winfield said. stand in your way.

Winfield wants people to know that no matter what hate is thrown towards Johnson shared a heartbreaking moment that took place at the capitol on July BLM, the movement isn’t stopping, and it won’t ever stop until the demands are 1. She recalls that her and around 23 other activists from the community were met. He says he is surprised at how people can hate those advocating for nothing arrested. For many, including Johnson, it was their first time going to jail. more than human rights for themselves and colleagues.

“There was a girl being arrested on top of my chest. We were both on the “I know racism has always been prevalent in the country. But it’s still surprising ground and I was on my back and she was on her to see how people can sit in hatred for something that is stomach. She was on top of me. I was struggling to nothing more than equal human rights,” Winfield said. breathe. It was scary for me because I’ve seen so many “Thats when we realize Tiana Warner is an African American studies major videos with so many moments where Black people we have the power to at The University of Iowa. She graduated from East in were saying ‘I can’t breathe.’ Understanding that they 2017. She poet and a writer and mentions that she is an lost their life, and I could have. It was surreal to me. I change things, because avid music listener. Her favorite genre being rap. Her will never forget that moment,” Jalesha Johnson said. we have the power to biggest goal is for prisons to be completely abolished If anyone remembers one thing from this, Johnson and replaced with rehabilitation techniques. love,” wants it to be that love is powerful. And if you have “Essentially, I’d like for prisons to be abolished. I the power to love, you have the power to do anything. want to help black people who leave prison get readjust“When we learn what love looks like politically, communicably, in our work, in ed to life because there are so many barriers that we don’t think about economic, our neighborhoods, in our organizations, that’s when we realize we have the power housing, related to education that block those folks, so I’ve always wanted to start to change things. Because we have the power to love,” Jalesha Johnson said. a non-profit that helps them re-enter society,” Warner said.

Matthew Bruce spent his life on the East Side of Des Moines, doing what he On June 22, Warner was arrested at a protest. She spoke about how the shared enjoyed most. He grew up very interested in sports, as well as history and music. goal of Black liberation brought so many people together.

“My time at East was very special and important in my life. It was my first time “The people I was in the holding cell with kept me strong. We were talking. being a part of a community. From there I became a full-time activist,” Bruce said. Talking shit about the police who arrested us, talking crap about the system, and Bruce has many goals that he hopes to achieve through his activism. His goals just building connections. I knew that those people were legitimately people who include getting the Des Moines Police Department defunded and disbanded, as cared about me because we all had one passion.” Warner said. well as establishing different community programs for Des Moines BLM. IncludWhen asked about a story that affects her most, she speaks about Bruce, who ing Drug Harm reduction programs, policing the police programs, etc. she knows personally. She says that when Bruce was arrested in Iowa city, he was “Black people and the issues around us need to be organized. Whether it is racked with unnecessary charges he did not deserve. solidarity with indigenous people, with the poor and working class, LGBTQ com“I think he was charged with nine felonies that night. One felony for anyone munity, with those experiencing houselessness. We need to be organized in order creates barriers. One felony for a black man, if any of those follow him for the to improve our lives,” Bruce said. rest of his life, he won’t be able to access education as easily, housing, or jobs, and Bruce recalls a night that was special for him and many other BLM organizers. that is messed up because Matt is not a person who deserves that,” This was the march that began at East and continued throughout downtown. He Warner wants people to realize that the fight isn’t over and might not be over explains that someone was taken by police at the beginning of the march and they for awhile. Even though you feel like you must always be fighting for Black libwere able to come together beautifully after that. eration, take time for yourself. You cannot care for anyone else until you care for “We had a demonstration that was a little more special and expressive. Being yourself. able to go through downtown and have our voice heard throughout the entire “I think that as people who identify as black, we feel so obligated to contindowntown area was really special. Laying our demands out to the whole city,” uously be out there, to continuously be doing something for the fight. You have Bruce said. to take care of yourself. If you do not take care of yourself, you won’t be able to For the future, Bruce hopes todays BLM organizers are passing down a fight, period,” Warner said. polished movement to keep fighting for and keep working towards. He says we cannot let this become a memory. We need to remember why it started.

“I hope that the next generation has some kind of institutionalized struggle to inherit. We didn’t have that. We had to build this struggle and movement from

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Essential workers during COVID-19 A worker’s struggle with the pandemic

Story/K.Pierce Pictures/K. Pierce

You wake up to the sound of your alarm, you get up, get dressed grab your mask and head out the door. You arrive at work when a thought hits you… “I know I’m putting myself at risk to get COVID-19 but someone needs to do this job, let’s hope everyone will follow the mask mandate”. You get out of your car and head in. While heading in you already see people either not wearing masks or wearing them wrong and you sigh, “Here we go again.” It is too dangerous for students to go to school, but they are still risking getting COVID-19 from work. Workers also have to worry about how the customers will act during COVID-19, with the mask mandates and social distancing.

Wearing a mask is so important, especially if you must go out while sick. Masks catch the respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, or even talks. So, if someone were sick, not wearing a mask and talking to someone then they would, more than likely, spread the virus to them. A mask may not catch everything, but it helps a lot.

“When I see someone walk into the store with a mask on sometimes, I’ll see them later with their mask off. When people do that it disappoints me so much, sometimes it feels like no one’s taking this seriously and it stresses me out, like there’s a mask mandate for a reason,” essential worker James Miller said.

Social distancing is also important. When someone has COVID-19 and they cough, sneeze, or talk, it can spread about six feet. Therefore, to distance yourself six or more feet would also help with the COVID-19 spread. It’s important to social distance and wear a mask just to be safe.

“I feel like people don’t do social distancing as much as putting on the masks. An example I’ve seen in my workplace is people ignoring the arrows that we’ve put on the floor for the isles, it is very annoying when I see people do that,” essential worker Emma Jones said.

Respect the workers.

“In general, I think people need to be taking this more serious than they are. Start wearing masks, social distancing, and following the rules the stores have put up for our (essential workers) and your safety,” Essential worker Bella Ellison said.

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Covid-19 By The Numbers Worldwide

Cases: One million on April, 3rd, 2020 Five million on May, 22nd, 2020 10 million on June, 29th, 2020 15 million on July, 23, 2020 20 million on August, 11th, 2020 25 million on August, 30th, 2020 30 million September, 18th, 2020 35 million on October, 5th, 2020

Deaths: 50,000 on April, 1st, 2020 100,000 on April, 9th, 2020 200,000 April, 24th, 2020 300,000 May, 12th, 2020 400,000 Jun, 4th, 2020 500,000 Jun, 25th, 2020 600,000 July, 15th, 2020 700,000 August, 2nd, 2020 800,000 August, 19th, 2020 900,000 September, 6th, 2020 1 million September, 25th, 2020

What I think of Covid-19 You’re feeling sick after a party 2 days ago, “Just nothing” you think to yourself. A few days continue like this, but it gets worse, you end up getting tested for Covid-19, you test positive.

This is exactly what could happen to you or anyone you know.

There is a question to be addressed though- could we be containing it better? The amount of cases developing each day is massive, and a smaller fraction of those cases we see will soon turn into dead people that could have just maybe been saved from this.

Testing is a large part of this, are officials being aggressive enough with testing? Are the sick people themselves doing the right thing and getting their test? And in all honesty, this probably varies from place to place. Maybe in your state it’s relatively clear of the virus, but in a lot of other places, Covid-19 is out of control. Such as in California, Texas and previously New York, but the lesser populated states you probably don’t even know by head are doing a lot better, because they just don’t have as many people.

I’ll start with what I know best – my own state. I myself got tested recently, along with my grandparents. Getting tested itself was very easy, however the delay is significant enough, we got tested on Wednesday and didn’t find out until Saturday and one of us until Sunday, which in on itself shows signs of an inconsistent testing process. Keep in mind, if I had a job and just chose to not say a word about getting tested and appeared healthy, I could always just go in sick and work anyways, spreading it as a result.

my co-workers to not be able to come to work” Detail Manager of Capitol City Motor Company, Jeff says.

Now, what about other people getting tested, how long did it take them? Well, my cousin and his mom recently tested positive for covid-19, by the time his mom found out, she was already better, and that is far too slow, but my cousin was able to catch it early, however he caught it after so he also tested a lot easier, but he still had to wait a few days and found out mid infection,

COVID-19 facts

Two types of COVID-19 tests: A viral test is an oral or nasal swab or saliva test that looks for evidence of an active viral infection. There are two major types: a PCR test and an antigen test.

the delay is very bad but in the end, people just need to be wary.

“The wait wasn’t that bad, after all it could have been 2 weeks.” my grandpa says.

Other states and their positivity rates speak for how good the tests are too. “Covid-19 tests in other

states look about the same” Detail Manager of Capitol City Motor Company, Jeff says. Some of worst spots are California’s L.A county, which accounts for 250k of Corona virus cases alone, so clearly they are doing something wrong, it just could have to do with tests, or Florida’s Miami-Dade county with 164k, another notable example being Arizona’s Maricopa county with 137k positive cases.

Test two: The COVID-19 saliva test is a variation of the test where instead of putting a swab in your nose you spit into a container and have that spit tested for COVID-19

Story by/ M. Auch

“The slow test results are causing

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S SENIOR N O I I A POLITICAL

Key: Yes

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What are East High School Seniors thinking heading into election season?

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Should the u.s. get Who’s views do you agree with most? rid of DACA? East High Scroll

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Breathe in and breathe out: An inside look at pollution in Des Moines and beyond Story/R.Alvarado-Diaz Pollution by the numbers: It’s an early September morning, you wake up craving a warm morning coffee to start off the day. Once you grab your cup of coffee, you head over to the window to see the view. You immediately notice there isn’t a single cloud in the sky. You then notice your neighbor is mowing the lawn outside, you go out to say good morning when suddenly you are hit with the most refreshing air breeze you have ever felt. This is what it is like when pollution levels are low in Des Moines.

Well with all this talk about pollution, what exactly is pollution?

“Pollution is the introduction of a substance that is harmful to the environment,” sophomore Faith Nguyen said.

For example, plastic is a major pollutant. Most plastics today are made of polyethylene terephthalate, basically meaning they are almost indestructible by natural means. Also, Carbon dioxide is a pollutant, by causing the greenhouse effect, in which it heats up the Earth’s atmosphere. Leading to higher temperatures.

What are the major causes pollution?

“Well, as of right now the leading causes of pollution overall are Carbon Dioxide emissions and littering.” said Daniela Mendoza.

All of these seem to be at a Global level, but it has either negative or positive effects on a local scale.

Prior to COVID-19 hitting Des Moines, this city was third in greatest change in increasing emissions in the Midwest, falling behind Omaha and Indianapolis. “In metro Des Moines, total greenhouse gas emissions from transportation increased 85 percent from 1990 to 2017,” according to a New York Times analysis of new data released by Boston University. It was safe to assume

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Des Moines was not doing good on our air pollution levels before Covid hit.

Though after it seemed different.

Globally the difference between January 2019 and January 2020 is significantly less. According to The International Energy Agency, if lockdowns continue, the annual energy demand will decrease by six percent wiping off the past five years of demand growth. This sort of decrease has not been made in 70 years.

Concluding the lockdown and quarantines introduced were very effective what specifically makes them so effective?

“Well, because were staying inside the CO2 emissions go down since we are staying inside and reducing out use of transportation. Cars and trucks burn gas which releases fossil fuels into the air,” Nguyen said.

Considering this pattern, it’s a fact air pollution is down but by how much?

Well on an Air Quality Index prior to March, which measures the air quality specifically on a scale of good to hazardous based on the pollutants in the air. Des Moines averaged the good level, but it had several moderate days where the air could’ve been harmful towards those who are sensitive. Those who are considered to be sensitive are those who have breathing problems, such as asthma and lung disease. After COVID-19 hitting Des Moines, we average only good days, with moderate days being very rare.

With all the mess that occurred this year there are many possible outcomes.

The future lays unpredictable so far.

“Hopefully there will be more technology and awareness. We only have one earth and it’s a kind of cool planet,” environmental science teacher Nikki Dorr said.

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In the Whole World, Air pollution is the

4th largest threat to human health

An Estimated 14

billion pounds

are dumped into the ocean EACH

YEAR

Photo/ R.Alvarado-Diaz

The everyday struggles

of being a

Black woman

The neglect of Black women starts from birth

“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman. “- Malcolm X. Black women have faced an unmeasurable amount of oppression. We experience racial inequality with childbirth, colorism in our own community, and harsh stereotypes. Never have black women been able to develop a culture, instead we’ve had to conform to society’s ideas and expectations of a black woman.

Tiffany Johnson is a survivor of neglect from the medical field. “I do feel that the quality of care changes according to your race and economic status. There are individual providers (nurses, doctors, etc.) that I don’t believe personally feel that way however they are governed by policy and procedures that often limits their ability to provide quality care, “ Tiffany Johnson said.

According to CDC (Center of Disease and Control Prevention) “Black Women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.”

We are most likely to die or have complications within our pregnancy because our health and needs are not taken seriously.

“We are thought often described as “brave” or “strong” but are vulnerable due

to lack of medical care and as victims of crime”, Dr. Leitz, licensed marriage and family therapist, and a child custody recommending counselor, said.

Many doctors dismiss what black women say when they believe they are experiencing complications or are in pain. We always must hold up to the standards of being independent and a “strong black woman.”

When expressing our feelings or pain and speaking up about what we go through we are often are not believed. This falls into why we are not taken seriously when telling doctors about our pain during pregnancy and become vulnerable when they do not listen to our needs.

Colorism is a huge issue in the black community. Many black girls with kinky hair and dark brown skin don’t grow up seeing girls that look like them on TV. If black girls of a darker tone did see someone that looked like them on TV the character was stereotyped as ‘ghetto’. This messes with young black girls’ self-esteem and leads them to these ideas that they aren’t pretty enough if they don’t straighten their hair or dress a certain way.

We often also face colorism within our immediate family. “I experienced colorism a lot within my family. All my grandma’s kids are light/Brown skin making most of

Black Girl Magic

Black Girl Magic

Black Girl Magic

Black Girl Magic

Black Girl Magic

“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman .”- Malcolm X. According to the CDC (Center of Disease and Control Prevention) “Black Women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.”

“We are thought often described as “brave” or “strong” but are vulnerable due to lack of medical care and as victims of crime,” Dr. Leitz said.

Black Girl Magic

Illustrator/ A.Hoof

my cousins the same. Whenever we get into arguments the first thing that they call us (the darker skinned cousins) gorillas & start comparing our skin to other dark animals and / or objects,” East High sophomore NyAsiah Gully said.

Black women have been the blueprint fr many trends. Things black women did that were considered “ghetto” became trendy when non- black women did them. Black women wore long acrylic nails and were bashed for wearing them. Now, you look and see everyone doing the same thing without the backlash. We wear colorful wigs and get called every harsh name in the book, but when you look at non-black, people wear them they become “cute” or “stylish”. To this day when a black woman wears her box braids to work, she gets labeled unprofessional and gets side eyed from her non-black co-workers. Once non-black people started to appropriate this aspect of black culture it became “just hair”. It wasn’t ‘just hair’ when black people were fired or sent home from school because their hair was a “distraction to others”. Calling it appreciation of the culture is a statement of ignorance; people can appreciate culture without copying it. Black women deserve better.

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Social media users call out influencers for being racist

photo/contributed

photo/contributed photo/contributed Story/S.Abdirahman

As I was scrolling through TikTok just like every other evening, I saw Doja Cat’s name trending because she had made some colorist remarks. There are many other creators who have been in a similar position to Doja’s. How would you react if your favorite influencer said or did something offensive? Do you unfollow them or ignore it? Many people on social media pick and choose who they want to cancel. Influencers should be held accountable for their mistakes, but we also need to leave room for growth and character development.

“Cancel culture itself is very toxic…people get sent death threats and hate, if you really cared about the situation you are supposed to tell the creator why you believe what they said is wrong, and educate them so that they can learn from it and so can the audience,” sophomore Amina Ali said.

When holding influencers responsible, you also have an impact on the younger audience. It allows younger users to see what is wrong from what is right. For example, if the majority of the influencers used racial or homophobic slurs, it would become normalized and everyone would

“How many times do they need to get exposed for them to actually stop repeating the same mistakes?” frehsman Dol Aden said.

start using those terms on a daily basis because the people they look up to are saying these things. When you send hate and death threats the younger audience see these things and they might think it is okay and start doing it.

“If my favorite influencer did something I do not agree with, I would look for a genuine apology, and if the apology was not sincere, I would just unfollow them, not send hate, because at

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one point in my life they were one of my favorite people,” senior Yasmine Cumar said.

In an article with Social Media Week LA, influencers reflected on how “these platforms that were made to connect us and bring us closer are slowly tearing us apart,” and it is true. There are many influencers that have quit social media because of body shaming and hate in general.

Plenty of big creators have spoken out on this situation and how it really affects them, and their mental health.

In an article from People.com, “by having the blessing of having a platform you should use it for good,” YouTuber Ricky Dillion said.

There is a lot of controversy on social media, not everyone is going to agree and support the same things. Racism is not a debate, it should not be something that some people agree with and other disagree with, these are basic human rights.

We need more influencers who advocate for those who cannot. Charli Damelio and Amelie Zilber are one of the many influencers who use their platforms to spread awareness on issues going on around the world, not just in America, and we need more people like them. On their Instagram and twitter accounts they have many links where you can sign certain petitions and websites to donate to, and not all influencers do that, so good for them.

“I don’t know why people rarely talk about their scandals, if it were any other influencer who did those things they would’ve been cancelled so fast… nobody cancels the New Jersey boys because they think that they are cute,” Ali said.

Pretty privilege does exist in the social media world and its wrong. People should be held accountable no matter how they look. Certain people should not be excused for their mistakes because of their looks. The New Jersey boys are a very diverse friend group of five boys who live in New Jersey. They have been called out plenty of times for saying the n word back in January, and recently a video of them imitating Asians

and disrespecting their languages has resurfaced and many of their supporters are not okay with this. It is really disturbing that they would make a video saying that stuff when one of the boys in the group is Asian. But once again people talked about it for a day or two, there have not been any apology videos toward the Asian community from them, and most people are not talking about it anymore. They keep saying that they matured and learned from their mistakes after every scandal, but it is the same issue every time, racism.

“If it were any other influencer who did those things they would’ve been cancelled so fast…it is not hard to be a decent person, “ Ali said.

“How many times do they need to get exposed for them to actually stop repeating their same mistakes…if it happened only once and they apologize, ok good for them, but it’s the same thing over and over again…and its usually the same influencer or their friends each time,” freshman Dol Aden said.

One of the many ways we can hold influencers accountable without tearing them down and affecting their mental health is to just inform them about the issue. I have witnessed many people use the n word on these apps, and one time it was this girl who did not know why she was getting so much hate in the comment section. It is rare, but sometimes the person might actually not know what they did wrong. But if the issues have come up before with this same person then they obviously do not care and they are ignorant, just do not give them the fame and attention that they are seeking.

Uyghur Muslims, the genocide America isn’t talking about Answering quetions of 2020’s recent genocide

Story/A.Makier As the international media turns its back on Uyghur Muslims but focuses more on COVID-19 and politics. This is the reality of life as a Uyghur Muslim in 2020.

The Chinese concentration camps have been the largest incarceration of a religious minority group since the Holocaust. China now meets the United Nations definition of genocide, mass sterilization, forced abortions and mandatory birth control.

What is a genocide?

Students learn about genocides in history classes. The United Nations definition of a genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group pf people. Especially, those of an ethnic group or nation. Some examples, the Holocaust because they were Jews. The Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis because of their economic statutes and how dark they were.

Who are Uyghur Muslims?

The Uighurs are a mostly Muslim Turkic ethnicity who regard themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations. The majority live in Xinjiang China, where about 11 million of them reside in. Uighur communities are also found in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, and several thousand live in Australia. They have their own language, also called Uighur. “This is my first-time hearing about Uyghur Muslims, but this isn’t the first time about hearing oppression in China,” Roosevelt junior Ikra Farah said.

Though China is accused of forcing those e reality of life as a Uyghur Muslim in 2020 taken to camps in Xinxiang to learn Mandarin. Xinjiang has been under the control of China since it was annexed in 1949.

Many Uyghurs still identify their homeland by its previous name East Turkestan.

“I’ve heard of the Uyghur Muslims for a few years now,” East high school’s history teacher Randi Fitzgerald said.

Why are the Uyghurs targeted?

China claims that Uyghurs hold extremist views that are a threat to security.

The point of attacks of 2013 on China’s Tiananmen Square and the knife attack in Kunming in 2014. which Uygur militants claimed responsibility for. In 2017 the Xinyang government passed a law prohibiting men from growing long beards and women from wearing veils and dozens of mosques also have been demolished.

What is happening in the camps?

More than 85 identified camps within Xinyang have been reported. Members of the Muslim minority say they were detained, interrogated and beaten because of their religion. “It breaks my heart to see and listen to victim stories, the lack of basic human rights the Muslims are dying, and America is turning a blind eye,” Farah said. Many say it was clear that the camps were hate instead of being ‘re-educated.’

“China is very racist towards minorities, so it doesn’t surprise me the extents they went to ‘re-educate’ Muslims, its sick,” Farah said. “Uyghur Muslims life matter!”

What are the United Nations doing?

On August 30, 2018 the UN body released an observation critiquing what extreme things China is doing. The body called on China to end the practice of detention without trial and conviction, immediately release those individuals currently detained under those circum-

stances. Lastly, and most importantly conduct impartial investigations into all allegations of racial, ethnic and ethno-religious profiling. “The United Nations should hold China accountable for their actions, they should fight for the release of Uyghur Muslims. If China refuses, they should pause all trades with China” Roosevelt junior Raildy Duot said.

What is China accused off ?

International Human rights group and Human Right Watch have submitted reports to the United Nations documenting claims of mass imprisonment.

The treatment of Uyghur Muslims makes me feel disgusted, and the lacy of empathy for the lives of these human beings disgusts me even further,” Duot said.

The World Uyghur Congress said in its reports that detainees are held without charge and are forced to shout Communist Party slogans. It said they are poorly fed, and reports of torture are widespread.

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NBA During COVID As professional leagues struggle to stay afloat, there has been widespread praise for the NBA’s handling of its season. Not only bringing entertainment but a sense of normalcy during a major Pandemic story/A.Ahmed

There is a dangerous virus going around. You are stuck at home. Everything is getting cancelled left and right. All you can do is spend extra time with your family members. Every major sports league has suspended their respective seasons.

The future of sports is looking bleak. That is until the NBA came back on July 30 and saved everyone from eternal boredom.

“Spent a lot of time with immediate family.

We have a big family at home so was able to spend time with different people individually and the whole group at times. I also worked, exercised, and some reading,” East head basketball coach Chad Ryan said.

On March 11, the NBA announced the postponement of the 2019-20 season at once when Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Officials promptly canceled the Wednesday night game against the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fans around the world were devastated but could understand the prudence of the NBA. “I remember the night the Thunder and Jazz game was called off right before the start of the

game. I was thinking how crazy that seemed at the time,” Ryan said.

On June 4, the NBA’s Board of Governers approved a new competitive format for the return of the season. The NBA figured if they could isolate their players, coaches, and league personnel from the rest of the world, the season could be resumed. They named it the NBA Bubble.

“I was hopeful the bubble would work, again I was curious about the dynamics of the bubble.

Overall, I thought that it would work if protocols were followed,” Ryan said.

22 NBA teams were invited to finish the regular season. Each team played eight seeding games to decide which 16 teams would face off in the playoffs. The Phoenix Suns had the most success in the bubble not even losing a single game but with the worst record heading into the bubble, they fell short of making the playoffs.

With all 16 teams decided, it was time for the playoffs.

“I was happy and excited to see my favorite player Ja Morant play even though his team didn’t make it far in the bubble,” East student

Timeline: The NBA Bubble

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Mikele Berhane said.

The NBA’s strict health and safety protocols have worked immaculately without a single player testing positive for COVID-19 and without a single game being affected by the virus. The NBA has rigorously enforced its health and safety protocols going as far as to kick out Housten Rockets forward Danuel House Jr for bringing an unauthorized guest to his hotel room.

“When I heard that there hasn’t been anyone that got COVID while in the bubble, I was kind of surprised because I didn’t think it could happen,” Berhane said.

No one thought it was possible, but the NBA went against all odds and made it possible. The NBA restart made headlines for being one of the few good things to happen in this unprecedented year of 2020. NBA fans were delighted after hearing the news because it meant they could resume watching their favorite team or player.

“I believe it has given people including myself hope that sports can happen and will happen during this time. It has been fun and a sense of normalcy to be able to watch and follow some games,” Ryan said.

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