February 2011

Page 1

VOLUME XLIII ISSUE VI

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Protests erupt at capitol, rallies held throughout state By Amberlee Perry and Karnpal Cheema

Random Quotes from around Berlin High School

In a class discussion about generations. “So... if your grandma had a baby, would that be your mom?” Senior Matt Larson said. “Wait... never mind.” In a later disucussion about Matt’s comment, senior Brock Seivers said, “Well, it couldn’t be if it’s a male.”

“What’s the purpose of the emergency brake? Is it just used when you’re going out of control?” senior Morgan Rohrbaugh said. “No. It’s for drifting,” senior Matt Larson said. “What super hero are you?” senior Haley Holmes said. “I’m not. I think I’m more of a medieval toothfairy than anything,” senior Morgan Rohrbaugh said.

Due to mass opposition of Governor Scott Walker’s Budget Repair Bill, protests have broken out all over Wisconsin. Berlin is now home to these protests, along with the rest of the state. In an emergency meeting on Thursday, Feb. 17, the teachers of the Berlin school district decided it was time to become part of the movement. However, their decision altered from other school districts surrounding the Berlin area. “We were ordered to go down to Madison and support the other teachers in the state two days in a row,” Copresident of the Berlin Education Association (BEA) Blaine Felsman said. “Our teachers voted as an association, almost unanimously, to stay here with the kids and send a small group of teachers to protest.” The district’s decision contradicted what the news is trying to portray. “There is a lot of talk in the news about teachers telling their students to skip school and go down to Madison to protest, but that is absolutely not the case, especially at our school,” Copresident of the BEA Tammy Goettl said. “We are not here to disrupt the students’ education in any form, but we still hold true to our union and bargaining rights.” The teachers agreed that the education of their students was too important to disrupt. “We decided that we needed to stay in session and continue educating our children,’” Felsman said. “We have very good quality teachers here. That was truly proven by our decision. We want to be here teaching.” On Feb. 17, the first small group of teachers went down to Madison, including Felsman and Goettl.

Photo: A. Perry Protesters in Berlin displayed signs reading, “Wisconsin moving forward, not backward” and “It is not about the money, it is about the rights.” However, after that day, in all of my battle to capture the integrity of our Citizen Angela Smith took part in thirty years, I was never as proud as nation as we fight for the rights of the protesting not only for the teachI was at that moment to be a teach- working people,” Jackson said. ers, but for all public workers. er. It is just not us here, but people Government employees includ“I am here to support the long statewide, who are really proud of be- ing teachers, proffesors, fire fight- tradition of labor rights. Our public ing a teacher,” Felsman said. ers, police officers, nurses, doctors, school teachers and our public workThe situation in Berlin was simi- sainitation workers and steel workers ers have a right to negotiate and to sit lar to that of many other Wisconsin gathered in the masses to have their down at a table and talk like adults. communities. Protests were orga- message heard. The way that this budget is being pushed through is inappropriate, disnized around school hours to prevent respectful and insulting to the public interference with students’ education. I am here to supworkers of the state of Wisconsin,” In Madison, though, the situation was Smith said. “I am here to support quite different. port them because them because they deserve to have a Day and night protesters demonthey deserve to have voice in this fight.” strated inside and around the state a voice in this fight, capitol. On Friday, Feb. 18, supporters of the bill were severely outnumbered Angela Smith said. by opposers of the bill. Among the thousands of attendees on Feb. 18, famous democrat and Protesting in Berlin also took place activist Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke on Feb. 18. Students, teachers, paroutside of the capitol. ents and other unionized workers round of a longer gathered at the Firemens’ Memorial. “This is the first

Politically minded students meet with congressman, discuss tobacco issues

By Karnpal Cheema

“In all of my thirty

years, I was never as proud as I was at that moment to be a teacher, Felsman said.

“When we went down to Madison, Jim White and I weren’t really as open as Tammy and Anthoinette Miller.

Photo: K. Cheema Protesters in the capitol numbered in the thousands on Feb. 18.

Continued on page 3

In This Issue

The Rookie Writer Pages 9-16 of this issue contain articles by the Writing for Publications class as their final for the course.

Politics have long been thought to be an adult only matter, but now, teenagers are making their voices and opinions known. Two such Berlin High School students, sophomore Sadie Smith and junior Erin Grenier, along with retired English teacher Marilyn Voeltner, met with Wisconsin Congressman Tom Petri’s at the Green Lake County town hall meeting on Feb. 4.

Spring Play pg. 6

News................................................. 1 Opinion............................................ 2 Feature............................................. 3 Arts & Entertainment.................... 6 Sports............................................... 8 Rookie Writer............................9-16


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