Aureus Vol 1, Issue 1

Aureus

the feature magazine of The Rubicon St. Paul Academy and Summit School Volume 1, Issue 1 November 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 6

loaded words

by Marlee Barron

students and trigger warnings by Mimi Geller

8 teachers and trigger warnings

by Mimi Geller

10

trigger warnings in English books

by Amodhya Samarakoon and Clare Tipler

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“One Way” an art piece by Elena Macomber

13 “Deafening Silence” 14

16

a poem by Mary Grant

safe spaces and censorship

by Isabel Saavedra-Weis Kate McDonald’s (‘06) painting

by Mari Knudson

18 kneel down, stand up

by Isabel Saavedra-Weis

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR After piloting this publication last spring, under the leadership of Meghan Joyce, we’re proud to bring you the first full year of Aureus. Through the previous issue, we saw how Aureus is an amazing platform for writers to examine difficult topics and for designers to have free reign to showcase them.

In that spirit, we knew we wanted the theme of this issue to be something timely and impactful, which is why we’ve chosen the theme of free speech.

Whether you’re opening these pages with lots of knowledge and strong opinions about free speech or with little to none, we hope you’ll close the back cover with a new perspective.

In the first Aureus Letter From The Editor, Meghan said that the first issue was “sort of a trial run.”

For me, this issue was another trial run. Still, this amazing staff pulled it together and I’m eternally grateful for all the talented, passionate journalists on The Rubicon who are always willing to lend a hand, even when they didn’t have to.

As you read, I hope you will feel the power of your own voice, understand the responsibility that comes with sharing opinions, and feel empowered to speak freely.

Amodhya Samarakoon Aureus Editor-in-Chief

POLICY Each story in Aureus is produced in a reporting team comprised of The Rubicon staff members, with each being designated as the designer, photographer, or writer of a story. The magazine is produced using digital SLR cameras and Adobe Creative Suite 6.

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amodhya Samarakoon

Some creative work not produced by The Rubicon staff members is included in the magazine. These pieces belong the author of the work and cannot be reprinted without their permission.

DESIGNERS Diane Huang Stephanie Li Amodhya Samarakoon

PHOTOGRAPHERS Claire Hallaway Stephanie Li

400 copies of the magazine were published

by Ideal Printing and distributed for free on the Randolph campus.

WRITERS Marlee Baron Mimi Geller Isabella Salverda-Weis Mari Knudson Clare Tipler

CONTACT St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, Minnesota 55105 aureus.spa@gmail.com

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DESIGNER: Amodhya Samarakoon

Loaded. Adjective. To have film in your camera. To have a large amount of money.

To be equipped with an abundance of options. A loaded word is one with many connotations that can evoke extremely different emotional responses from those who listen to them. In many cases, loaded phrases that are said flippantly, even with good intentions, have worse implications for those who hear it. Loaded words often exist as micro-aggressions towards oppressed groups.

“A racially loaded word or phrase could be when someone says ‘oh your hair would look so much better straightened.’ This could just be meant as a fashion tip, but it could also be heard as ‘you’re not good enough the way you are.’ I guess a loaded word is something that could be taken multiple different ways and is often meant in a bad way,” junior Noa Carlson said.

Loaded words often build up their many meanings over time, often through experiential association. For example, feminism, which is the belief that people of all genders should have equal rights and opportunities, has taken on more biased connotations. “[Up until recently feminism] meant something very different, and now it seems like there’s a large negative connotation around it that some people probably represent but other people definitely don’t,” junior Emma Hills said.

Another word that is considered loaded is the word “triggered” which is often used in the phrase “trigger warning.” While they are a few seconds for those the warnings do not affect, for people who have gone through traumatic experiences, trigger warnings allows them to employ coping methods before they approach the material, where they would otherwise be blindsided by an emotionally, and even psychologically, debilitating experience.

“When I hear it I think of the negative connotation of someone being overly sensitive to something, but there are some instances where it’s really useful” Hills said.

Triggered and trigger warnings also hold negative connotations for people

LOADED WORDS

by Marlee Baron

that think they’re not useful or realistic. “In real life, outside of school and the Internet, you’re not going to get trigger warnings. Unless there’s some huge change in how people interact with one another, no one is going to go around saying ‘warning, this may have one word in it that you may not like’. That’s not reality,” sophomore Olivia McCauley said.

One loaded phrase that is particularly relevant to St. Paul Academy and Summit School is the phrase “safe space.” Some people view safe spaces as a really helpful way to make everyone feel included, but others believe that they coddle students and don’t reflect a world that is far less welcoming outside of the school walls.

“A lot of the times when I’ve heard people talking about creating safe spaces, it tends to go

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overboard and becomes a space where you can’t say anything unless it’s building up everyone and that’s just not reality,” McCauley said.

“In SPA, we create these safe spaces for people that are minorities or have different sexualities or are different genders. Truly in an ideal world you should be able to express yourself wherever; and in the real world you kind of have to or you’re not going to get to say anything at all,” Carlson said.

Other people believe that creating designated safe spaces doesn’t work. “It [creating safe spaces] seems almost counter productive because the goal of those spaces is to be a positive space where people can voice their opinions no matter what,” McCauley said.

Another loaded phrase that’s very popular right now, partially because of the 2016 presidential election in Nov, is “politically correct.” To be politically correct is to make sure that one’s actions and words don’t offend or marginalize a specific group of people.

People normally think ‘Why are you a feminist? You hate men…’ but really feminism is just wanting equality between all genders.

- Noa Carlson This term has become loaded because of the controversy around whether or not it’s important to be politically correct.“I think that’s overused a lot. For example I find myself in discussions trying to say something that won’t offend anyone but sometimes my point doesn’t come across when I’ve used words that fit everyone’s perfect definition,” Carlson said.

Words hold a lot of power, both in their actual definitions and within the new definitions people give to them. This applies especially to loaded words or phrases like feminist, triggered, safe space, and politically correct, and they often tie into larger ideas in society and at SPA.

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Students settle into their classroom. They nonchalantly pull out their notebooks, laptops and pencils in anticipation for the lesson ahead. Soon enough, more students have gathered, and their teacher enters the room. By now students begin to listen to the teacher and their lesson plans. The teacher proceeds to articulate that the day’s subject matter is graphic, explicit or perhaps uncomfortable. The teacher gives a trigger warning.

For junior Brian Orza, although his mind quickly drifts to uneasiness at the prospect of touchy material, he conclusively appreciates the warning.

“Trigger warnings generally appear in my history classes, because there are often distressing topics that invoke feelings of discomfort such as oppression, persecution, war, or exploitation. When a teacher gives me a trigger warning, I don’t particularly think of anything gruesome. It just invokes feelings of slight discomfort when I think about the subject in general. I appreciate a trigger warning, because it allows me to be prepared mentally for the potentially distressing topic,” Orza said.

Trigger warnings are not issued frequently; however most students have experienced a teacher giving their class one on at least one occasion. These feelings of slight discomfort that the topics may bear are almost unavoidable in a classroom setting since discomfort is a part of learning. Avoiding conversations that create uneasiness fosters an impractical environment. Discomfort is a component of life, and should not be unrealistically dodged at school. A balance of discomfort and warning is crucial in learning.

“To me, triggered means having a situation or opinion that has a negative effect on a person and causes the students trauma. In a school setting students should be able to feel safe and feel like they

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aren’t going to be triggered by a [a topic] mentioned in school. There have been moments in my history class that could bring up feelings of discomfort. Everybody has issues or topics that may be uncomfortable for them, but when in school, we shouldn’t avoid talking about these topics in order to make someone feel safer because it creates an unrealistic atmosphere,” sophomore Annie Kristal said.

However, trigger warnings can oftentimes create emotions of fear or intense affliction from students. An introduction of a lesson with a trigger warning could set the lesson up in a way that makes students feel uneasy, which is most likely not what the teacher intended.

“I always anticipate the worst thing possible. I think it sets us [students] up for the worst case scenario, and that is not always good when learning,” sophomore Ethan Dincer said.

The term “trigger warning” means that someone is experiencing a negative reaction or is traumatized by a situation that brings back distressing memories related to self harm, abuse, sexual assault, suicide, or any other trauma related topics. Teachers, books, articles and websites essentially alert viewers or listeners of these sensitive topics by stating a clear warning before the topic is discussed.

“I think trigger warnings are helpful to warn people of the way that people will use their freedom of speech in that space. It is not restricting with regard to what you can say. It is warning others what you might say,” senior Mary Grant said.

Kristal also feels that trigger warnings give students a more adequate and helpful learning environment.

“A warning is necessary to give students a heads up that there are going to be certain words or issues coming up that may have a negative impact on certain kids. This allows a safer environment when the trigger is brought up. The trigger warning might not make a student who is triggered more comfortable, yet it gives them some warning about the topic that is going to be discussed,” Kristal said.

A balance is needed in the use of the term trigger warnings. Students find it necessary to reside in a community that emphasizes the importance of feeling safe in their learning environment, and mentally preparing for uncomfortable topics if they arise. What is crucial is the understanding of these terms from other students, and the ability to apply them correctly in any given situation.

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Teachers share their thoughts on trigger warnings in the classroom by Mimi Geller Trigger warnings aren’t just a teacher issue. choose, and often teachers contemplate the best The analytical sentiment of being “triggered” can way to aid these conversations. It is a struggle be traced back to World War I and World War that teachers must face, and students at SPA II as psychologists were attempting to classify typically appreciate the warning before diving the neurosis war veterans were experiencing. into a given text.

The term “post-traumatic stress disorder” was “I remember last year, for instance, reading then adopted after the Vietnam War. Following Tim O’Brien’s short story with tenth graders. this, psychologists studied clients with PTSD in The story, set in the Vietnam War. I let students hopes to determine its “triggers” or feelings that know that the men at war in this story talked in amount to the original trauma. Currently, waves disturbing ways at times. Students seemed to of attention in the media revolve around these appreciate the heads up. Like other teachers, I’m ideas, specifically in colleges where students are always thinking about how to facilitate students’ requesting that their professors give “trigger encounters with the unpacking of language,” US warnings” to allow students to be prepared for English Department Chair Andy Hueller said. the somewhat disWhile trauma is assotressing topic ahead, ciated with the need for and to give students trigger warnings, what is “A goal I have for all of us at SPA is to the opportunity to often questioned about practice self care, but also increase our leave the classroom if them is their hindering distress tolerance. “ the topic triggers past of a teacher’s ability to - Upper School Counselor anguish. With this in teach.

Susana Short mind, teachers hold “I need to have an the power to deterawareness of all of my mine how their conversations are conducted in students, and the complexities that make them the classroom. For faculty at St. Paul Academy really wonderful people. A trigger warning is and Summit School, this direction and variety of just discomfort. While discomfort is an aspect of conversation differs. what happens when you relive trauma, there’s A recent study conducted by the College Art something far more psychologically dangerous Association, the Modern Language Association about reliving trauma as opposed to being in a and the National Coalition Against Censorship classroom with a set of beliefs I don’t agree found that out of 712 college professors who rewith,” Oto said. sponded, 45% believe that trigger warnings in a K-12 Diversity Dean Karen Dye regards classroom have a negative effect, while only 17% trigger warnings as being helpfeel that it is positive, and 28% said that they did ful in continuing a difficult not know their effect. conversation. These difficult A teacher holds the power to facilitate classconversations ultimately room discussions in whichever manner they enrich student’s learning as

“Real understanding will only happen if you have the conversation. The framing of the conversation is vitally important.”

- K-12 Diversity Dean Karen Dye

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DESIGNER: Amodhya Samarakoon PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephanie Li

a whole, and discomfort is an emotion that will can become dangerous in a classroom and inevitably arise in a classroom. when they can stop things. Silencing is just “I think it helps conversation, it doesn’t hinas powerful as the words that could have der it. People are then able to continue the been present in that room. We think of conversation without being hurtful or harmful to silence as the opposite of speech, but really others in the room. Students in the conversation silence and speech go hand in hand. What I are able to consciously consider where others in say, and what I leave out are simultaneously the room are at,” Dye said. constructing a relationship where a student Although distress is a part of a student’s learn- is understanding me,” Oto said. ing experience, trigger warnings are a necessity Balance is essential when dealing with when dealing with an issue of violence, or if a trigger warnings, and a balance must be given student isn’t able to leave the classroom imposed in order for students to receive the when they are under distress. Self care is of the highest level of conversation possible. utmost importance when it comes to being safe “I do think the conversations have to hapin a classroom, pen in order for and being able to there to be au“We think of silence as the opposite of speech, but comprehend the thentic dialogue. really ...

What I say, and what I leave out are lessons taught.

Real understandsimultaneously constructing a relationship where “A goal I have ing will only hapa student is understanding me,” for all of us at pen if you have Upper School Psychology teacher SPA is to practhe conversation.

Ryan Oto tice self care, but The framing of also increase our the conversations distress tolerance. If there are boundaries laid in is vitally important,” Dye said. a discussion, with a competent facilitator, that’s It is important for educational institutions to not getting out of control, most of us should be create a place where a variety of topics can be able to engage in that,” US Counselor Susanna explored within intellectual discussion, but to Short said. also create spaces where sensitivity is imposed.

In order to fully understand trigger warnings, Students should feel open to discuss topics one must be able to understand the complexities in the classroom, however they must have an around the necessity of distributing the warning. understanding of the unique backgrounds that A teacher’s message is only as powerful as the every student possesses. “If you think about a class’s susceptibility of a given topic. The misun- highway, two lanes of the higwhway might be derstanding of trigger warnings can result in the leaning toward trigger warnings, and the other shutdown of a conversation, which two [towards] open dialogue. They’re both still counters the learning a class can on the road, but there’s ditches on either side. I receive. don’t want to go to a place where ... every discus“Trigger warnings, sion is off the table, but I also don’t want to go to when they are misunthis place where any language is fine ... You have derstood as this idea to stay on the road,” Short said. of safety is when they

“Like other teachers, I’m always thinking about how to facilitate students’ encounters with the unpacking of language.”

- English Department Head Andy Hueller

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Seniors share their insights on how...

Seniors were told about an unnamed book’s potential trigger warnings: drug use; alcohol abuse; racial slurs; mutilation and physical violence; fights; description of sexual encounters that may or may not be consensual; socioeconomic and racial marginalization; graphic descriptions of a murder

Then they were asked:

“Should 9th and 10th grade students be reading it?”

BOOK: CEREMONY by Leslie Marmon Silko Shelby Tietel

Before hearing the title:

[Students should] definitely not be reading it. But, I think could be used for upperclassmen as examples of what actually does happen in society.

After hearing the title:

I would say that book itself has a very complicated storyline which is why it shouldn’t and isn’t taught to freshmen. It probably could be taught in 11th grade instead because I don’t think a lot of people in my class understood the point of that book. I wouldn’t say that [these warnings] are what the book is about. It has points other than those things; those are just things that happen in the book.

Meley Akpa

Before hearing the title:

Based on that description, no. I feel like the school wouldn’t really approve of that. But I feel like on their free time a lot of underclassmen would read books like that anyways.

After hearing the title:

Oh, wow. It’s worded differently [in that description] - it sounds graphic.

[But] that is what it’s about, and students could definitely handle reading Ceremony.

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...trigger warnings impact perception Seniors were told about an unnamed book’s potential trigger warnings: anti-Semitic language; white supremacy; drinking and driving; repeated assault of a woman who is later murdered; child neglect; a corpse in a pool; murder-suicide

Then they were asked:

“Should 9th and 10th grade students be reading it?”

BOOK: THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald DESIGNER: Amodhya Samarakoon

Ian Scott

Before hearing the title:

[They] definitely should [be able to] read it. If you try to suppress that those things exist, I think you create more problems. You have to expose people to that sort of language in order to explain why it’s horrible.

After hearing the title: My answer doesn’t change.

Justine Miller

Before hearing the title:

Yes [they should read it], because you’re going to see things in life that’s like this. It’s important to be in a space where you can be okay talking about it.

After hearing the title:

I would still say they should read it: it’s important.

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ONE WAY by Elena Macomber

“People

living under censorship witness the negative events unfolding around them, yet many do not have the ability to speak out or act.�

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DEAFENING

SILENCE

by Mary Grant DESIGNER: Amodhya Samarakoon

Guardian Angels can’t protect you from the demons inside your head prancing, dancing nightmares living breathing, choking hearing his name No space is safe She is on the run from memories nightmares A world of pain surrounds her rage Her Him It Them something anything puts her back there, here They discuss, dissect, dehumanize identities He’s the only one who knows she stays silent between her ears Glass shattering splattering creaking Horror movie sound effects replaying white noise escape breathe repeat

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First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Safe spaces potentially censor difficult conversations

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discourse.

This August, the Dean of Students at the University of Chicago, John Ellison, sent out a letter to all incoming freshmen, outlining the new way the college was going to approach safety in classrooms.

“Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” the letter read.

Upper School history Baby teacher Ryan Boo m Oto also e

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Sophomore Nora Turner holds up a piece of paper reading “free speech” to symbolize the right for people to state their opinions granted by the First Amendment.

by Isabel Saavedra-Weis

) 69 1(5

The term “safe space” is dangerous.

Especially in classrooms. Teachers and people have to watch for trigger and loaded words and try to keep their students mentally, physically and emotionally safe. At the same time, saying that a place is a “safe space” can cause students not to say their opinions because it would cause discomfort.

There’s always exists a fear that if one says something offensive, either intentionally or not, s/he might be attacked or punished. The idea of a safe space, a place where oppressed groups do not feel marginalized, has recently gone under fire as one that censors necessary

INFOGRAPHIC: Clare Tipler

Censorship is the suppression of words, images, videos, or ideas.

However, the definition of censorship becomes tricky when taking into account the first amendment to the constitution which protects the freedoms of speech, press, and religion.

DESIGNER: Diane Huang

*

What is censorship?

thinks that “safe spaces” are harming students more than helping them.

“I do not believe that ‘safe spaces’ are a real thing. And the reason why I think that is because I come back to the question of ‘safety for whom?’”

Oto said.

“A lot of times, safe spaces are perceived in this way where people think ‘oh, that student of color feels unsafe when we talk about slavery’. But the problem with that is, that student walks through the world in an unsafe way because of their body.

Their body makes them unsafe.”

When classrooms censor topics that might make a minority uncomfortable, it becomes a tally of who is allowed to be safe and who isn’t.

Suddenly, safety becomes something that minorities can’t have because of their identity.

“Safety becomes a privileged topic. Some people can feel safe, others cannot,” Oto said.

“If we don’t acknowlPercent of edge the privilege in the Americans by discourse of safety, we won’t be able to do what age in we want, which is make support of classrooms productive censored spaces to engage our identities, be it race, speech to gender, sexuality, class, protect religion.” minorities Sophmores Nora Turner and Gemma Yoo are on the same page Source: Pew of where they stand on Research Center freedom of speech.

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Percent of the country’s population in support of completely uncensored speech, press, and internet use

“It’s important to have free speech because that way everyone’s opinion can be heard” Turner said.

Yoo agrees, but notes that being considerate of others is still an important value to have.

“Banning certain topics from being brough up at all would be censorship, but asking people to watch what they say and to not use offensive language is not,” Yoo said.

Safe spaces have good intentions, but they do not necessarily help the problem they mean to address. In classrooms, teachers and students alike continue to walk the line of what can’t or shouldn’t be said.

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Sophomore Gemma Yoo holds up a piece of paper to symbolize a silencing type of censorship.

“Banning certain topics would be censorship, but asking people to watch what the they say is not.”

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‘06 Alumna Kate McDonald’s Art Piece Centered on Cenesorship

by Mari Knudson

DESIGNER: Stephanie LI

Although it is often discussed in an intellectualized way, censorship elicits a very real emotional reaction, one that can be hard to put into words. As is often the case, art can help fill in the silence left by a lack of proper words to describe a certain feeling. One of the paintings in the senior hallway aims to capture an aspect of what it feels like to be censored.

Created by Kate McDonald (’06), the painting currently hangs in the senior hallway of the school. Though students can become desensitized to the impact of the many pieces of art which decorate the school’s halls through frequent exposure, McDonald’s piece contains an important message which is worth a second look. “[The painting is] her take on the feeling of being censored,” K-12 Fine Arts Department Chair Martha Nash said.

The piece is strikingly grim, with McDonald’s use of bold shades of red and black conveying a sense of anger and despair.

“There is no particular ‘style’ [to the painting] but it is done with acrylic and incorporates a good deal of drawing--lots of linear quality to it,” Nash said.

The linear quality of the piece further serves to portray the feeling of urgency that it creates, allowing the viewer to feel how important the issue of censorship was to the artist. The wide, visible brush strokes also contribute to this feeling.

Linear perception is skewed in the piece, with the woman in the foreground appearing smaller than the screaming man in the background. The juxtaposition of the two figures creates an interesting contrast—while the woman’s mouth is covered, the man’s eyes are covered, suggesting different forms of censorship.

Furthermore, although the woman’s eyes are not covered, they are still closed; in contrast, the man is using his uncovered mouth the yell at the top of his lungs. There is also an element of music mixed into the painting, with the man wearing headphones and symbols for music listening devices appearing in the foreground.

While there are many possible interpretations of this painting, it is possible that the contrast of the man and the woman is meant to suggest that every person experiences censorship in different ways and to different degrees—some passively, some less so. The play/pause/mute symbols could represent an attempt to control public voice through restricting the freedom of speech. Regardless of the exact interpretation, the important take away from this piece is that art can be a valuable tool to explore the impacts of censorship and fight against it.

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UP

The 49ers released this statement: “In respecting such American principles such as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.”

Similarly, the NFL released the following in response to Kaepernick’s actions.

“Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the National Anthem.”

Kaepernick’s kneel has inspired many more athletes to kneel as well. Many other NFL players have either knelt down or raised a fist in protest. And, so have high school students. In a recent Wolfpack game, player Roger Martinez kneeled while honoring the flag.

Although resulting in backlash, Kaepernick’s actions have spread to other big league teams, to smaller high school teams, to students who may not even follow or play sports.

“The National Anthem literally states ‘the land of the free’, but by kneeling, he’s saying ‘we are not free’.” Hana Martinez said.

“It’s a really powerful message for me and I know a lot of people are following it. That should be their decision. Anyone saying it’s unpatriotic is contradicting themselves because America is supposed to be all about individual rights,” Hana Martinez.

By using his First Amendment rights to ask for a better America for people of color, Kaepernick clearly makes a difference staying down to stand up for what he believes in.

DESIGNER/ILLUSTRATOR: Diane Huang

Kaepernick takes a stand… or rather, a knee… against oppression.

On Oct. 16, during the National Anthem before a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers, most people rose in their seat, removing their hats and saluting the flag. Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback, didn’t. Instead, he kneeled on the field until the anthem was over.

Outrage ensued. Although Kaepernick was protected under the First Amendment, people were offended that he wasn’t honoring the country, the troops, and the people. People were furious: insulting Kaepernick on social media, calling him unpatriotic even a Nazi.

But Kaepernick says it would be foolish for him not to do something about the violence and discrimination against African Americans.

“I’m not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he told the NFL in an interview.

Protests against the oppression of African Americans have happened across the United States in recent years: people have marched, blocked off roads, taken stands on social media, and boycotted the Oscars. But, a protest so public and on the platform of an NFL game was unprecedented.

Through his actions, Kaepernick knowingly took a gamble with his football career.

“I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed,” he said.

“If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know I stood up for what’s right.”

Senior Hana Martinez thinks that kneeling is a clear act of protest against the United States.

“I think it symbolized the lack of protection black people are receiving from the United States criminal justice system,” Martinez said.

Kaepernick hasn’t faced more than disapproval from some of the public.

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cover /back cover image taken by photographer Kevin Raber