Echo
DO NOT ENTER
BEEKEEPING
‘THE HATE U GIVE’
Locked bathrooms cause aggravation PAGE 2
Sophomore raises bees with family PAGE 5
New movie sends powerful message PAGE 12
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Volume 92 Issue 3 St. Louis Park High School 6425 W. 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Photo
SLPECHO.COM
Emily Ziessman
Grieving: People gather for a ceremony at Temple Israel to commemorate the victims of the Pittsburgh shooting Oct. 28.
St. Louis Park community reacts to shooting Attack kills 11 in Pittsburgh synagogue Dani Orloff & Noah Orloff daniorloff@slpecho.com noahorloff@slpecho.com
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eceiving the news of the Oct. 27 synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, freshman Ella Roether said she felt the Jewish community unite in the midst of mourning. “I was really sad and scared,” Roether said. “It is definitely a hard time and makes (the Jewish community) more scared — (it) makes them (need) more protection. But, they also became closer with one another which creates a stronger bond.” According to the New York Times, 11 congregants of the Tree of Life Synagogue were murdered during Shabbat services Oct. 27 in an alleged anti-Semitic act. Senior Anand Datt said this hate crime adds to his embarrassment about the United States’ recurring mass shootings. “It’s disappointing that shootings are still happening in America, especially targeting ethnic groups,” Datt said. Roether, who attended the ceremony at Temple Israel honoring victims of the Pittsburgh shooting, said she believes the event provided a hopeful message. “I thought it was really cool and a really meaningful thing to see all of these people, Jewish and nonJewish, coming together with warmness but also hoping for a better future,” Roether said. For more content go to slpecho.com
Photo Grace Farley
Loud and proud: Junior Maddie Lind marches alongside juniors Zoe Younger and Isaac Wahl while holding a sign that reads ‘‘We Rise.’’ Lind marched Oct. 28 at the Minnesota state capitol to advocate for a Fossil Free Future. All three are members of Roots and Shoots.
Youth-led march against fossil fuels Event organized to bring awareness to global climate change Dani Orloff & Grace Farley daniorloff@ slpecho.com gracefarley@ slpecho.com
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enior Katie Christiansen said it is up to the new generation to advocate for their futures in relation to global climate change. That’s why she helped organize the Our Future, Our Right: March with MN Youth for Fossil Free Future. “I think this is important because we are going to suffer the worst consequences of climate change as youth,” Christiansen said. “Older politicians are not really considering our futures when they are making their decisions now because it’s something that isn’t going to affect them as much.” According to Climate Generation youth and policy manager Sarah Goodspeed, youth from all over the Twin Cities gathered at the Minnesota Federal Courthouse Oct. 28 to march to the Minnesota Capitol in support of the #YouthvGov hearing fighting for a federal Climate Recovery Plan Oct. 29. Roots and Shoots adviser Al Wachutka said it is impressive students are advocating for their futures. “I think it’s important for everyone to have their voices heard, especially when it’s your future,” Wachutka said. Goodspeed said the organization Climate Generation focuses on connecting youth with policy opportunities to give their voices a larger impact. “We do a lot of coalition work to try to pass climate change policies that are a part of the solution and then how
to bring youth voices in so that it’s not all adults making decisions for youth,” Goodspeed said. Roots and Shoots member junior Zoe Younger said Climate Generation was successful in creating an outlet for youth to express their opinions through the march. “I think that (giving youth a voice) is important because we’re the ones who can truly make change in the world. Since this is our future we should really be the ones advocating for change,” Younger said. Christiansen said she organized a table for iMatter, a youth climate movement. She said she reached out to numerous organizations to attend the rally, which gives people ways to take direct action. “Having campaigns to get involved in and ways to sign letters and write postcards to politicians gives you really direct ways to take action and show politicians that this is what we care about and this is what you need to consider,” Christiansen said. According to Christiansen, involvement in the fight for climate justice extends beyond the youth march Oct. 28. “A super accessible way (to get involved) is Roots and Shoots. Roots and Shoots meets every Tuesday morning for about 40 minutes,” Christiansen said. “We do a lot of stuff with different organizations.”
Julianna vs. United States Filed in 2015 U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin recommended denial of motions in 2016 In June 2017, Coffin release defendents from case Circuit Judges Alex Kozinski and Marsha Barzon hear oral arguments Dec. 11 2017 Public case management meeting April 2018, Oct. 29 was set as the court date Infographic Marta Hill & Lucy Zumbrunnen Source YOUTHVGOV
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NEWS
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
People need to use the bathrooms and they are usually locked, so you have to go out of your way to get back to class. Miriam Hope, junior
Lack of maintenance staff causes issues
WEB PREVIEW
Photo Claire Bargman
Europe trip to go to Ireland, England, France
Locked bathrooms create inconvenience, frustration
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nspired by her mom’s past travels, sophomore Alanna Franklin said she decided to go on the school Europe trip this spring to get a taste of European life for herself. “I want to experience the same things (my mom) did and see the different countries,” Franklin said.
Abby Intveld & Dani Orloff abbyintveld@slpecho.com daniorloff@slpecho.com
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earching the halls for an open girls’ bathroom, freshman Isra Mohamed said she feels the locked bathrooms take away even more time from learning during the school day. “I think it’s stupid because sometimes needing to use the bathroom is an emergency and having to go to another bathroom because the other one is being locked is just like a waste of time,” Mohamed said. Assistant principal Jessica Busse said the decrease in maintenance workers has contributed to the frequent locked bathrooms throughout the high school. “Some things just aren’t getting fixed so because they aren’t getting fixed, we can’t risk somebody using the bathroom and it causing a bigger issue,”
Sofia Seewald sofiaseeweald@slpecho.com
Photo Lucy ZumBrunnen
Pool conditions cause difficulties for swimmers
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fter girls’ swimming began their practice in the high school pool the week of Sept. 29, senior Sara Anderson said she was unable to move in the water. “We had girls whose lips were blue and they were shaking the whole practice and everybody felt like really stiff and couldn’t get warm,” Anderson said.
Photo Illustration Carissa Prestholdt
Locked out: Around Park, several bathrooms have been locked during the school day because of an overwhelming absence of maintenance staff. This has caused aggravation among the student body. Busse said. “So, that’s one of the reasons why the bathrooms are locked.” Busse said bathrooms may remain locked when the school day begins until staff members are notified. “We don’t know that they are locked until somebody finds them but we also have students saying that they are locked and don’t use those bathrooms and then they’re not really locked so all those contribute,” Busse said. Mohamed said she believes bathrooms should be kept open due to their routine use. “Some people need to use the bathroom and can’t hold it in so I think bathrooms shouldn’t be locked,” Mohamed said. According to facilities man-
ager Tom Bravo, the maintenance staff is down by seven people, so he is prioritizing critical areas of the school. “It’s not that we forgot about (certain areas) or it’s not that we don’t care, because we do,” Bravo said. “It is just that we have our priorities (such as) areas like bathrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and areas like that.” According to assistant principal Todd Goggleye, there’s no correlation between vaping and locking the bathrooms. “We haven’t done anything like the rumors that we lock the bathrooms to stop vaping, that’s not the case,” Goggleye said. “There’s usually mechanical issues like the toilet or urinal is not flushing or there’s flooding.”
Update on closed bathrooms •
Retiring maintenance staff causes rooms around school to be locked until morning
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Vandalism also has been a cause of closed bathrooms
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Efforts are being made to resolve staffing issues
Infographic Abigail Prestholdt Source Jessica Busse
Discriminatory statements written on political poster
Abby Intveld & Dani Orloff abbyintveld@slpecho.com daniorloff@slpecho.com
Freshman class responds to vandalization Abby Intveld & Dani Orloff abbyintveld@slpecho.com daniorloff@slpecho.com Fair Use from Sony Pictures
‘Venom’ proves weirdly wonderful
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hot down by critics and comic book fans alike, Marvel’s new take on an old villain gives us a film as messy and loveable as its namesake. “Venom” differs from other Marvel movies in that it has no connection to other storylines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the film, investigative reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is infected with an alien organism after breaking into a lab.
Megan Raatz meganraatz@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho
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hen freshman Matthew Montanez heard about the discriminatory graffiti, he said he felt driven to voice his opinion on the matter. “We tried to show that everyone is welcome here, no matter your race, religion or anything else like that,” Montanez said. According to Non-Traditional Academy senior Andreina Rodriguez, discriminatory statements were written on her political poster of Ilhan Omar to inform students on candidates in the midterm elections. I wanted to Rodriguez said the (participate) statements written because every- Oct. 12 included trash” body is equal in “Muslim and “illegal alien.” the school and In response to this act of racwe all take pride ism, social studies in who we are. teacher Kara Cisco said her students Matthew Montanez, freshman used this as an op-
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Photo Grace Farley
Vandalism: Posters about the upcoming election that social studies teachers Kara Cisco and Debra Skadden created with their classes were recently vandalized. Students of the classes responded by recreating the posters to counter the discriminatory comments. portunity to speak out. “Fredrick Douglas said ‘I have prayed for 20 years and nothing happened until I started praying with my feet’ and that’s the idea we discussed (in class),” Cisco said. According to Cisco, one project posted outside of her classroom involved students writing messages on posters, such as ‘This does not represent SLP,’ ‘I feel embarrassed that someone I know could’ve done this’ and ‘We are not trash.’ “If someone feels unwelcome here in this school, the best thing that we can do is make the school a safe place for everyone,”
Cisco said. “(We wanted) to make that clear through this (activity).” Freshman Miguel Marin Luna said he was devastated after hearing of what was written on Omar’s poster. “I wanted to (participate) because everybody is equal in the school and we all take pride in who we are,” Marin Luna said. Rodriguez said she felt immense sadness after she was notified of the defacement. “I was just mad. People vandalizing our project and saying disrespectful things on the paper is heartbreaking,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just disrespectful and rude.”
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“You can do whatever you want. You can’t stop kids from finding a way to get a vape.”
STUDENT LIFE
Hope Kihanya, sophomore
Echo Wednesday October 31, 2018
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Surgeon General Warning: E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine as well as other chemicals that are known to damage health.
Masked danger Popular vaporizors may be more dangerous than people believe them to be Abby Intveld & Dani Orloff abbyintveld@slpecho.com daniorloff@slpecho.com
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hinking about the people who vape in his life, junior Flynn Spano said he feels the use of vapes should be determined based on the situation.
“Some people I know vape just for fun. But I know quite a few people who vape because they are quitting cigarettes,” Spano said. “I think for the people that are quitting, I’ve seen a lot of improvement. It is counterintuitive for people who weren’t smoking before.” According to Tonka CARES project director Kim Oelhafen, e-cigarettes and vape devices are battery powered devices that deliver an e-liquid aerosol to the user by vaporizing a solution to simulate a traditional cigarette. According to the Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey through the Minnesota Department of Health, for the first time since its initial administration in 2000, the state-wide survey reported an increase in the use of tobacco products including vapes among teens in 2017. According to assistant principal Todd Goggleye, there are
some concerns of students vaping at the high school. “There are rumors of students and whenever there are rumors we investigate and look into the situation that’s happening,” Goggleye said. “There have been a couple of staff members who have walked in when it’s happening so there have been students who were caught.” Goggleye said the administration strives to be proactive and support the safety of students. “We want to support our kids if they need any extra help or help families find resources to stop vaping,” Goggleye said. “There’s so many chemicals in the nicotine cartridge, and I don’t think people know it’s dangerous. I also don’t think students know the nicotine is a lot stronger than a normal cigarette.” According to Olehafen, electronic cigarettes were originally marketed as a cessation device
Facts on E-cigarette products •
The number of “puffs”per device and/ or pod is highly variable
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JUUL pods have 200 puffs per pod
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JUUL pods have approximately 59 mg. of nicotine
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Traditional cigarettes have between 8 and 20 mg of nicotine per cigarette
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Differences also occur because of the ongoing combustion of traditional cigarettes — whereas all of the nicotine contained within a pod is inhaled. Infographic Creston Halstead, Ethan Meisler, Katie Hardie Source Kim Oelhafen
for long-term smokers, however, neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor American Medical Association has approved or recommended electronic cigarette devices as a cessation device. According to St. Louis Park Family Services Collaborative Coordinator Debbie Wells, the Collaborative’s board chose to address vaping in its annual forum Oct. 23 because of its relevance to youth in the community. “I think it is a good topic and it should be something that students and parents are interested in,” Wells said. “I hope they take away vaping is on the rise, especially among youth and high schoolers, and it’s not a positive alternative to cigarettes.” Wells said the issue is so recent that many have not yet determined how to address the issue. “I think it’s kind of a chooseyour-own-adventure situation right now where we really don’t know very much about it,” Wells said. “I think even at the high school they haven’t really defined how to deal with vaping at school.” As a result of the maturation process, the adolescent brain is more sensitive and vulnerable to the rewarding effects of nicotine, including delirious effects on the development of the prefrontal cortex, according to Olehafen. According to Goggleye, while there is speculation of students vaping during school hours, the administration has not taken any new measures to prevent this.
“We’re not gonna do anything different.We’ll just be aware. We monitor the hallways, the bathrooms with the GLCs. Though they’re there for academic support, they’re there for behavior as well,” Goggleye said. “There have been students who have reported that students are vaping at specific times so yeah, we’ll look into those times and take them seriously.” According to Wells, St. Louis Park is not the only community discussing and informing others on this prominent issue. “Minnetonka had put on a vaping forum, a community forum in April. I heard very good things about it from members of our board who had attended,” Wells said. “I heard from a parent who had attended that it was just really timely and high interest and well presented.” Goggleye said following the community forum, which assistant principal Jessica Busse spoke at, the administration posted educational signs about vaping. “We just wanted to make sure that since they were sent to us, we’d put the signs up and inform the students about vaping and possible after effects of vaping,” Goggleye said. Spano said he believes education on the impacts of vaping is important. “I do think (teens that vape) are aware of the effect that vaping has on them, but I’m not sure how much they really care, which is a little concerning,” Spano said.
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FEATURES
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
WHAT'S THE POINT
Math program encourages girls in STEM Marta Hill martahill@ slpecho.com
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ince eighth grade I've been in the nationally recognized University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP). UMTYMP encourages girls to continue in STEM fields, and I have been inspired by my instructors to pursue math. The math part of UMTYMP is challenging, and has taught me skills like figuring out tough problems and asking for help. Aside from math, UMTYMP works to create an environment where everyone can excel. What’s the Sometimes, this POINT? means creating Inspire femaleothers to centered follow their opportunities. dreams I tested three times for UMTYMP — end of sixth grade, winter of seventh grade and spring of seventh grade. Between my first and second attempts I was able to be in a girls only supplementary course. From my understanding, UMTYMP had noticed that girls weren’t retesting after failing the first time. While I would have retested anyway, that class motivated me more. I have also been a part of the Girls’ Mentor Network for the past few years, and that has helped me get to know my peers and the professors at UMTYMP. We get together three times a year and eat pizza, play games and enjoy each others’ company. UMTYMP impacted me by introducing me to some of the most inspiring and interesting women in my life. I know women can achieve as much as men. However, knowing that is different than seeing women who have their PhD’s in math, despite discrimination. Because of my experience in UMTYMP, I strive to inspire everyone, but especially girls who want to continue in STEM fields. UMTYMP has improved my middle and high school experiences and has allowed me to meet other students with similar interests. But more important than establishing for me an intellectual community, UMTYMP has given me the tools I need to pass my motivation on to others.
I think it’s OK to ask for donations if school can’t support that part of the department. Sophie Yakes, sophomore
Gay Straight Alliance plans activism Club looks for change, support for LGBTQ community Isabel Kjaer isabelkjaer@slpecho.com
Photo Carissa Prestholdt
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ccording to junior copresident Anika Jamison, the Gay Straight Alliance hopes to have more focused meetings and plans this year, particularly with regard to activism for LGBTQ rights. “Last year, we were a little less organized. This year, we are cracking down,” Jamison said. Adviser Kyle Sweeney said this year Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) members came prepared to participate in activism. “Every year, we come in wanting to do more activism. This year, that seems really important,” Sweeney said. According to Sweeney, the club discusses current events relating to LGBTQ people. “A lot of what we do is talk about current events and what's
Laugh out loud: Freshman Sylvia Leppik shares her coming out story to GSA members during their meeting Oct. 25. In their weekly meetings, GSA also discusses current political topics. going on in the LGBTQ community,” Sweeney said. According to Sweeney, in addition to weekly meetings, the group visits the capitol in the spring, where they attend a training session and converse with politicians. “The year culminates in the spring when they go to the capital. There’s an activist training workshop, and then they go and talk with representatives,” Sweeney said. According to Sweeney, GSA works toward activism goals while providing a protected space for students. “In addition to being a safe social place, I want people to feel like we made a difference in the broader community,”
Sweeney said. Freshman Olivia Brown said many students are unaware how GSA brings strength to Park's LGBTQ community. “A lot of people don’t realize how many people are actually LGBT within the school, and (GSA) does increase the amount of tolerance throughout the school,” Brown said. According to Jamison, schools with GSA clubs have a lower amount of suicides. “I did a bunch of research at the beginning of the year, and I found out that schools with GSAs generally have a lower amount of suicides,” Jamison said. “It helps the whole school when you have an open, accepting community.”
GSA meeting activities •
discussions about current events
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preparation for activism for LGBTQ rights
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planning for group parties and social events
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provide safe and supportive environment
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share personal experiences Infographic Isabel Kjaer Source Kyle Sweeney
SOAR attends community panel Community Education Advisory Council facilitates discussion
Photo Emily Ziessman
Soaring above racism: Juniors Izzy Kanne and Zoe Younger participate in a community discussion led by the Community Education Advisory Council Oct. 11 at the Rec Center. As members of SOAR, they attended this event to discuss racial issues in St. Louis Park.
Maggie Klaers & Sofia Seewald maggieklaers@slpecho.com sofiaseewald@slpecho.com
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s a member of Students Organized Against Racism, junior Amaya Fokuo Matter community discussion talking about racism, and my role is that I convene the said she was impressed by the comCEAC, and I partner with the city of St. munity discussion held at the Rec Center Louis Park to put this together,” Greene Oct. 11. “Last night we learned a lot about micro- said. According to Alicia Sojourner, the racial aggressions,” Fokuo said. “I also got to talk equity coordinator for the to people about their expericity of St. Louis Park and ences with their race and how others have handled racist I hope to learn to facilitator at the CEAC situations.” be more cautious panel, Minnesota culture often passively perpetuates According to Lisa Greene, about race for racism. the Community Education myself and just “As Minnesotans we Director for St. Louis Park have to ask ourselves Public Schools, the city partto recognize how do we interrupt nered with the Community situations where those injustices, especially Education Advisory Council I’m being taken individuals who have (CEAC) to create a safe space advantage of. been taught to avoid to moderate conversations conflict,”Sojourner said. about racism. Amaya Fokuo, junior Fokuo said her goal for “This is a Heart of the
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these discussions is to learn how to detect covert racism. “I hope to learn to be more cautious about race for myself and just to recognize situations where I’m being taken advantage of,” Fokuo said. Sojourner said she believes it is important that the voices of youth are heard, since they are often the force of change in our country. “It is extremely important that they are able to amplify their voice in a way that will create change as well,” Sojourner said. “I heard afterwards a number of adults say ‘wow their input was great’. It was real, it was raw and it was very truthful.” According to Greene, the CEAC will be holding similar discussions this year. “On Feb. 7, we are doing a Heart of the Matter community discussion on food insecurity in St. Louis Park,” Greene said.
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I think that's really cool because bees are really important to the environment, and they're close to being extinct.
FEATURES Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Claire Diamond, sophomore
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Sophomore explores beekeeping
What made you want to start beekeeping? My parents were really interested because my dad’s co-worker was a beekeeper. We were interested in the uniqueness of honey because it never expires. What do you enjoy about it? I love that we always get honey and it’s nice having pollinators in our yard to keep our flowers pretty.
Alanna Franklin maintains hives
What is the hardest part about beekeeping? The hardest part about beekeeping is extracting honey. It takes a long time and my family does it by hand, so it takes a lot of strength. How has beekeeping impacted your life? I get to meet a lot of new people because we are in a community with other beekeepers in St. Louis Park. It’s just fun to interact with people who love the same thing as we do.
Alanna Franklin, sophomore When did you start beekeeping? I started beekeeping six years ago. What kind of bees are they? Italian gold. How does the process work? We buy hives and put them in our backyard. We monitor them and make sure they're doing okay and have enough nectar. We plant flowers around (the hives). What do you do with the honey? We mainly use it or give it away as gifts. We make about $500 in annual sales.
Photo Yonah Davis
Buzz off: With bees swarming around her and a honeycomb frame in hand, Franklin smiles from beneath her protective suit.
What happens to the bees in the winter? We wrap (the hives) in sleeping bags to keep them warm. They don’t usually leave the hive unless it is warm.
Would you recommend beekeeping? Why? I would recommend beekeeping because there are many perks including getting other products besides honey, like propolis, which can heal things like scars. (Bees also produce) beeswax and you can make candles with it. What do you want people to know about beekeeping? Bees don't sting unless they are targeted and there is no reason to be afraid of them. They won’t hurt you unless it’s a life threatening situation for them because if a bee stings you, they die after that.
ACTIVITIES & AWARDS
Astronaut speaks at Carleton
Science department seeks donations
Mae Jemison seeks to inspire other women and minorities in STEM
Photo Sophie Livingston
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Marta Hill martahill@slpecho.com
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fter hearing Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, speak, sophomore Bella Steward said the most empowering aspect of the program was how applicable Jemison's message is to her own life. “My favorite part was when (Jemison) spoke. She is really inspirational, and as a woman of color, it was really inspirational to see that she can thrive,” Steward said. “I want to be in STEM fields too, so I just really took that to heart.” According to chemistry teacher Alexander Polk, the field trip Oct. 26 to Carleton College was inspirational because of the messages she imparted. “My take away from her talk was that we have to work for tomorrow to create a better world today,” Polk said. “To me, that was really impactful and made me think.” Polk said he hopes students did not see the field trip as just a way to skip school. “I hope the students found it beneficial and took something away from it besides just getting out of school for a day,” Polk said. “I really hope they took something of longlasting value that can have a positive impact
Emma Leff emmaleff@slpecho.com
Photo Marta Hill
Out of this world: Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, speaks at a convocation at Carleton College Oct. 26. on them.” According to Polk, the field trip's environment was rewarding for students. “To me it was pretty awesome. I hope that was the perspective of everybody else,” Polk said. “It was really cool to have that group of students get to experience that kind of setting, at a pretty good school and to be able to see what it's like to be at that school.” Steward said Jemison was a good speaker because she is very dedicated to her job. “She really (is)involved in her job, and you could tell that she’s not just in it to be famous, you could tell that she is super passionate about it,” Steward said. Polk said students got to hear from Carleton students who may share some background with them, and that it was powerful to hear everyone speak.
“To be able to hear from that panel of five students, and then from a ground breaking astronaut is an incredible opportunity,” Polk said. According to Polk, one of the student panelists who spoke to Park students talked about her experiences with imposter syndrome, and he hopes that Park students learn that if they work for something, they deserve it. “I really hope that people take away that nobody can take away from you what you have earned," Polk said. "It's not about you being gifted a college, it's not about you being gifted a job, because you are a student of color, because you are a female, because you are living in a different area, it's because you have earned it and you busted your butt for it.”
n order to cover the cost of extra lab materials, the science department asked the Park community for support, according to department head Patrick Hartman. “We have a lot of beakers and other things that break throughout the year, so we have to replace them and some consumable materials as well,” Hartman said. Gabriel Kaplan gabrielkaplan@slpecho.com
NHS volunteers at local party According to Becky McConnell, a naturalist at Westwood Hills Nature Center, NHS helps with various aspects of the Halloween party. “NHS provided a crucial role in helping with set up, and the execution of the night of the party too,” McConnell said. Marta Hill & Noah Orloff martahill@slpecho.com noahorloff@slpecho.com For more content go to slpecho.com twitter.com/slpecho facebook.com/slpecho
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IN-DEPTH
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
MOCK ELECTION
When seeing red in a sea of blue, conservative and liberal viewpoints struggle to meet in the middle. The 2018 midterm mock election results vote counts. MN Governor J. Johnson
T. Walz
155
666
C. Wright
Write in
178
14
J. Welter 62
U.S. Senate, General election A. Klobuchar J. Newberger P. Overby 710
287
D. Schuller
Write in
184
51
165
U.S. Senate, Special election K. Housley
T. Smith
J. Trooien
174
631
41
S. Wellington Write in 242
146
U.S. Representative, District 5 I. Omar
J. Zielinski
798
250
Write in 15
MN Attorney general K. Ellison
N. Johnson
657
666
D. Wardlow 195
Write in 22 Indicates member of the Democratic party Indicates member of the Republican party Indicates member of the Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis party
Infographic Sam St. Clair & Creston Halstead Source Carley Kregness
If you take a moment to think about what they’re saying, instead of arguing, we can all find a happy medium. Maggie Klein, junior
Political dial packs a p
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People are so entitled to their opinions. They don’t have an open mind when people talk about politics.
IN-DEPTH
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Jasmine Gustafson, freshman
logue punch
Liberal and conservative conversations often result in a losing match for both sides, according to junior Alyscia Thomas. As midterm elections approach she said pressures are high among her peers. Talia Lissauer, Evie Nelson & Maddie Schutte talialissauer@slpecho.com evienelson@slpecho.com maddieschutte@slpecho.com
A championship advantage
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homas said after the 2016 election, she felt tension between herself and opposing political parties. “I feel like a lot of people are angry, and there isn’t a lot of discussion happening. A lot of it is shut down a lot of times,” Thomas said. According to political science professor from the University of Minnesota, Daniel Myers, the aspects of polarization we face are deeper than conservatives and liberals disliking one another. “For most people their identity for Republican or Democrat is less tied to Democrats or Republicans but is more tied to the fear for the other party,” Myers said. According to Myers, as a professor he has experienced discussions where politics and emotional values get intertwined. “When we talk about politics we are not just talking about them in a totally subjective way,” Myers said. “People’s politics are tied up in their personal identity in important ways.” According to chief development officer at Bridge USA Ross Irwin, his organization fosters civil discussions for students who disagree politically throughout America. “A large (political) group will project their values onto a decision another group has made. People take what they believe is the (source) of the issue and where the moral high ground is,” Irwin said. People use the party they chose nationally when deciding who to vote for in the state elections, according to Myers. “You are more likely to see people voting down ballot or state races based on their partisanship. Based on the national level, you might vote for state legislature based on Donald Trump even though those are two different levels of government,” Myers said. According to Irwin, people are not aware civil conversations can occur even if people don’t agree. “People don’t even know they can talk to their political opposites. There’s no place to go. People say, ‘Oh we should be able to work together more at least or understand the other side,’” Irwin said. Myers said controversial opinions often receive bigger reactions. “If you voice unpopular opinions there are people who are going to use freedom of speech to respond to you,” Myers said. According to Myers, a conservative stu-
dent of his once said he couldn’t speak his mind without being verbally attacked. “I had a conservative student say to me, ‘I say something in class and six hands shoot up to tell me why I’m wrong.’ Part of the dialogue is helping people respond to that,” Myers said.
Nuclear heat in Park Myers said the results from the last presidential election have worsened the political divide in America. “The 2016 election increased the mutual distrust and dislike that Democrats and Republicans have for each other,” Myers said. According to freshman Anna Overall, the lack of productive political conversations in the classroom is because of a lack of privacy. “What happens in the classroom does not stay in the classroom. If I hear someone say something anti-Semitic I am going to tell my closest friends, so I don’t know how a teacher can say ‘State your opinion’ if it won’t stay in the class,” Overall said. Myers said he finds politicians with power often use incentives to divide or create fear among the opposing side. “It’s gotten tougher in the last couple years. Because (politics are) tied to our personal identities, it becomes very personal,” Myers said. Sophomore Daniel Goldenberg said the sensitivity in politics is another leading cause of stagnant conversations. “People take it too personally. Right now most people in our school are prochoice, including me,” Goldenberg said. “A lot of these people would see this one politician and see that he’s pro-life — say the rest of his opinions are crazy good — but they find out he’s pro-life. They’re going to take it personally and hate him just for that.” Thomas said a big factor in improving these conversations is being aware of diverse personal histories. “Keeping an open mind that everyone comes from different backgrounds is very important,” Thomas said. Goldenberg said because the majority of people at Park are liberal, tension breaks out between differing opinions. “Most of the people at our school are pretty liberal. Even I oppose the current administration even though I’m more Republican,” Goldenberg said. “It’s caused people to get way more offended. You can say one opinion and all these people are attacking you. The majority team up on the minority and don’t let them share their viewpoint.” Civics teacher Kara Cisco said the majority of people have had their voices silenced directly because of a lack of listen-
ing ability in our conversations. “I think everyone has experienced not having their opinions heard, it’s like a universal experienced for so many that’s why we all have to get better at speaking and listening,” Cisco said. Thomas said students need to be more active in political conversations to have practice for their partaking in elections someday. “I think in schools we should have more discussion because we’re the new upcoming voters we need to be speaking about this.” Thomas said.
Making a comeback According to Irwin, no matter what happens in our political climate people cannot be left out of the conversation. “One of our primary rules are if you don’t shut anyone out of the conversation, everyone is allowed to come,” Irwin said. Cisco said she tries to create political change in her classroom by making sure every student has a chance to speak out and make arguments for dissenting opinions. “One thing I am getting better at as a teacher is when I do ping pong debates, not only am I doing a smaller group, I also make sure students have to offer the opposite side,” Cisco said. Goldenberg said he believes people need to stop taking things personally and listen to the opposing side. “I think there should be less sensitivity, not in the fact that they should keep people from saying stuff but people need to be less sensitive,” Goldenberg said. Myers said First Amendment rights do not justify verbal attacks on others, but people are allowed to respond. “If you voice unpopular opinions, then there are people who are going to use there freedom of speech to respond to you,” Myers said. “Freedom for speech doesn’t mean freedom for criticism.” According to Goldenberg, politics aren’t everything and there is no reason to be offended or get mad. “Everyone needs to relax and not take it personally. It’s just political views. There’s no need to get angry about politics,” Goldenberg said. According to Myers, if people leave behind their political differences, everything will be done correctly. Party alignment will not matter and it should feel like a discussion, not an argument, according to Myers. “If you do this people will think of it less like Democrats or Republicans and more like a group project,” Myers said. “It is crucial to understand and listen to both sides even if you disagree, Myers said.
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I think it’s really inspiring for freshmen our age. It shows you can get over any obstacle and be great at what you do.
SPORTS Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Freshman qualifies for State
OUT OF THE PARK
Playing through the pain Emma Leff leffemma slpecho.com
Cross country runner Josie Mosby advances for second consecutive time
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t a cold, rainy soccer practice last April, I remember lining up to kick a long ball. As soon as I kicked it, my quad became extremely tense and it hurt to walk. I tried to ignore it because we had a tournament in two days. Within the first 60 seconds of the first game, I had to come off the field. Instead of being out for one week, my decision to push through lengthened my injury time to four to six weeks. During those long weeks, I sat at each practice and game wishing I could play. I returned for the last few games of the season. In the last game, I felt a dull pain in my hip, but once again, I ignored it. After a three week break, the high school season began. At the last day of tryouts, a quick change in direction left a sharp pain in my hip. I was diagnosed with acute inflammation of the iliac crest. The prognoWhat’s the sis was unclear. POINT? It could take a day or six months to heal. The high school season is very short and I was eager to play my first game on varsity. After four weeks of rest, I jumped back in. Unfortunately, it was not long enough. Within the first 10 minutes of my third game, I reinjured my hip and was out for the rest of the season. All of these injuries were hard to deal with. It was frustrating that I could not stay healthy and play the game that I love. I decided to be more proactive in my recovery this time. Once the season ended, I immediately started physical therapy. I held off on playing contact soccer for two months. Eventually, I progressed into strength training three times a week, in addition to practices and games for my club team. Eight months later, I finished my first varsity soccer season without any injuries. I am proud of the hard work that I put towards getting my strength back. These injuries have helped me realize that perseverance is rewarded and how important waiting is, rather than jumping back into things before I am ready.
Evie Ordorff, freshman
Talia Lissauer & Tamar Gewirtz talialissauer@slpecho.com tamargewirtz@slpecho.com
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enior Cecelia Schmelzle is very proud of the team and Mosby for doing so well in this Conference. “We had Josie qualify for state so that’s always exciting,” Schmelzle said. “Everyone else had a great race, and we have a really good Conference.” According to coach Chris Nordstrom, Mosby beat her personal best at Sections Oct. 24 with a time of 18:15.07. “Josie ran almost a perfect race. It’s hard to put in words what I got to watch while she was running,” Nordstrom said. According to freshman Josie Mosby she is motivated by the seeing the older girls race. “A lot of the faster girls in the state (motivate me). Watching them compete and race in our sections is really inspiring because they’re older than me and have a lot more experience. I hope I can run like them someday,” Mosby said. Nordstrom said that she ran a great race and should be proud of how the race went. “For her to drop 40 seconds off her PR (personal record) is incredible and to place sixth overall in the toughest section really shows her talent and that she belongs with the best in the state,” Nordstrom said. Mosby said that before every meet she follows a specific routine and plans to also do this for State. “I’m kind of superstitious so to warm up before a meet. I have a certain playlist that I listen to and certain stretches that I do. It gets me in the mood to race.” According to Nordstrom, all of the runners beat some kind of record. Mosby said the team’s success resulted from the hard work ethic during the offseason.
Persevere despite setbacks
Photo Ben Sanford
State bound: Freshman Josie Mosby surges ahead of a Minnetonka runner at 6AA Sections. Mosby was the sole Park qualifier for State. Other season highlights include winning both the Maroon Griak and Conference title. They placed sixth at Sections. “I’m really proud of my team because they all worked really hard and put in a lot of work over the summer,” Mosby said. “To have all my girls have a lifetime best or season — best time — that’s what it’s all about.” Nordstrom said. Mosby said that her goal of the season was to make it to State again and accomplishing that was a great feeling. “It feels really good (to be going to State again) because I worked the whole season for this, and this was my goal going into the season, so to accomplish that feels really good,” Mosby said.
Football ends season with loss against Robbinsdale Cooper Team reflects on season, prepares for next year Maddie Schutte & Kate Schneider maddieschutte@slpecho.com kateschnieder@slpecho.com
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fter finishing out the season with a 49-14 loss against Robbinsdale Cooper, senior Adam Bauer said creating a better team bond early in the season would have helped the team to play better. “We had a rough start We had a rough to the season start to the because we season because didn’t come we didn’t come together as together as a a team until team until mid- mid-season. season. If you If you can can establish that establish that bond early then bond early, it’ll go really well. then it’ll go really well,” Adam Bauer, senior Bauer said.
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According to assistant defensive line coach Rob Griffin, ending the season, is hard on the team’s morale, especially on such a low note. “It’s tough ending the season at any point in time because you spend so much time together as a team, that when you know it’s over and you know that guys will not return because they are seniors, it’s tough,” Griffin said. Sophomore Evan Nelson said the team could’ve been more humble in order to play better in the last half of their season. “We did decent in the beginning. We won two games and then we lost four in a row. We just got cocky and said that we would be able to beat the teams without trying. We didn’t give it 100 percent.” Nelson said. According to Bauer, ending the season with the loss against Robbinsdale Cooper was not ideal. “We did not want it to end there, the last three games before
Photo Lucy Zumbrunnen
Plow through: Senior Alejandro Caceres blocks apposing player in attempted tackle on the quarterback. This was Park’s last game of the season against Robbinsdale Cooper Oct. 27. that we were doing really well. If we could’ve played a little better that game I would have said we ended on a good note. We never want to end like that,” Bauer said. According to Bauer, in order to prepare they reflected back on last year’s successful game against Cooper. “We were kind of reminiscing on last year’s Cooper game because of how crazy that was, and we thought we had good preparation, but when the time came it didn’t go our way,”
Bauer said. Griffin said that he is looking forward to next season. “I feel like we have a strong group that is returning, especially for their senior year as well as some young talent that I think will be able to help us win more football games next year as well as our schedule,” Griffin said. The 2018 football season ended with an overall 5-5 record. To end the season, Park lost in the Sections Quarterfinals to Robbinsdale Cooper 7-35.
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I think (making it to the third round) is impressive. To go that far is something that should be acknowledged by the school.
SPORTS
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Danny Hunegs, senior
Volleyball beats Bloomington Jefferson
MEET THE ATHLETE
Who Rakesh Plantz
Team is victorious against rivals for the first time
Grade Junior Sport Cross country How long have you been running cross country? I’ve been on the team since eighth grade, so this is my fourth year.
Dahlia Krebs dahliakrebs@slpecho.com
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he volleyball team beat Bloomington Jefferson 3-1. They advanced to the semifinals of sections against top-seeded Edina Oct. 30 at Edina High School. Sophomore Hannah Howell said because the team lost to Jefferson earlier in the season, they were looking forward to facing them again. “We were really excited about playing Jefferson because we lost to them in a really long match earlier in the season and we wanted revenge,” Howell said. Coach Whitney Meierotto-Simon said she was thrilled when the team beat Jefferson because they had lost to Jefferson many times before. “I was really excited. We haven’t beat Jefferson. They came to our conference I think four years ago and they’ve got us in sections before. They’ve got us in conference every time,” Meierotto-Simon said. According to sophomore Raegan Alexander, she was very happy, since it was the first time Park has made to semifinals in sections.
Photo Sadie Yarosh
Loud and proud: Senior Maddy McIntosh and sophomore Raegan Alexander celebrate with their teammates after winning a point against Bloomington Jefferson Oct. 25. The team moved on to play Edina in the semi-finals on Oct. 30. “I’m excited because it’s the first time in history for the Park volleyball team to make it this far,” Alexander said. According to Meierotto-Simon, the way the team came back after losing one of the sets, shows their growth throughout the season. “I was really proud of the way that we came out with a lot of energy a lot of fire but I also really liked how we responded after we lost the second set,” said Meierotto-Simon. “Earlier this season we wouldn’t bounce back like that, and so I’m just so proud of the girls and how much they’ve grown.” With all the hard work the team has put
Section matches played
Richfield- Oct. 23 first round win Bloomington Jefferson- Oct. 25 second round win Infographic Sophie Livingston Source MSHSL in this season, Howell said she felt great about how far they got. “Im really proud of us and how hard we’ve worked this season and it’s been a really long time since St. Louis Park Volleyball has done this so it’s a good accomplishment,” Howell said.
Fall sports lookback on the season Claire Bargman clairebargman@slpecho.com
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irls’ tennis ended the season with a coconference champion title with Benilde St. Margaret’s. The team had a record of 9-4-0 according to gopark.org. The team is graduating eight seniors including captains Susanna Hu and Sidney Hosfield. The returning captain is junior Raquel Fhima. Same as last year, they went on to the second
Cross Country
round of sections losing to Eastview 3-4. In individual sections Fhima reached the third round, falling to fourth single Hopkins player. The other players that attended were Susanna Hu, Greta Long, Sophie Olmen, Violet Huber and Sidney Hosfield. Park lost to Benilde St. Margaret’s 3-4 Sept. 21. Photo Abby Prestholdt
Talia Lissauer talialissauer@slpecho.com
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oys’ cross country season started out as a two-mile run Aug. 31 at Rosemount. A season highlight was the conference meet where team members junior Nebyu Bekele and senior Emmett Foner placed eighth and 12th place respectively, the best of their team. Overall the team placed fifth in confer-
ence, but were only seven points off from fourth place and eight points off from third. Girls’ cross country placed first in the Griak invitational Sept. 29 and continued its successes by winning its conference. Both teams won for the first time. At Sections the team placed sixith overall.
Photo Ben Sanford
Girls’ Soccer
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Sophie Livingston sophielivingston@slpecho.com
irls’ soccer ended its regular season with a record of 6-6-3. The team scored a total of 16 goals this fall. According to MN Soccer Hub, some top scorers are freshman Alma Beaton and junior Aliviah McClinton. However, senior Elizabeth Kent, a captain, is Park’s top player and has scored four goals and assisted one this season. She played alongside fellow
Why did you become captain in the middle of the season? I think I became captain in the middle of the season because coach said I had displayed leadership traits that he wanted to help the team, and he thought that I would be a good addition to the leadership. And I agreed to do it because I think if I can help the team in any way, why shouldn’t I? Why do you think captains are important? I really feel like captains are someone to look up to and they give the team more structure. If it’s just the coaches leading, it kind of feels like too many adults. When it is a student leading, they can actually relate to you and know kinda how you are feeling. Favorite memory about cross country? Midway through the season, I was having trouble with a workout and I happened to be running behind Colin Perkins, a captain at the time. He was trying to push me to finish the hill by myself, but i said ‘I can’t do it man’ so he picked me up and carried me all the way up the hill. I just thought that was really funny that that’s what he chose to do.
Girls, tennis, cross country, girls, soccer concludes its seasons
Girls’ Tennis
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captains senior Anna Jennissen, senior Rachel Young and junior Ava Bishop. This year they will be losing six seniors. Including the captains and Anika Hanson, Sophia Davenport and Olivia Mosby. Wrapping up its season, in Sections the team lost during Quarterfinals against Cretin-Derham Hall 0-3. Photo Creston Halstead
What’s your favorite part of cross country? Probably having all sorts of different people. There’s not really a set group of people who do cross country, it can really be anyone. It allows you to talk to different people every day and see people you might not see otherwise. What is your favourite cross country race and why? It’s a varsity only course, but I really enjoyed the Griak course. It was really challenging to me, it’s basically all rolling hills, but I really liked it.
Marta Hill martahill@slpecho.com
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10 OPINIONS
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Echo Editor-in-chief: Dani Orloff Managing editors: Amaia Barajas, *Grace Farley, Abby Inveld, Yonit Krebs, Sam St. Clair Web editor: *Marta Hill Photo editors: Ella Hammerstrand, *Carissa Prestholdt Assistant photo editors: Abigail Prestholdt, Claire Bargman Design editors: Creston Halstead, *Isabel Kjaer, Isaac Wahl Copy editors: *Jenna Cook & Emma Yarger Assistant copy editor: Sofie Geretz, *Noah Orloff, Gabriel Kaplan, Emma Leff, Tamar Gewirtz, *Kaia Myers Social media editor: Hayley Westwood News editor: Sofia Seewald Features editor: Samantha Klepfer In-Depth editor: Evelyn Nelson Sports editor: Sophie Olmen Opinions editors: *Ruby Stillman Entertainment editor: David Bryant Broadcast editor: Yonah Davis Assistant web editor: Tenzin Gyaldatsang Multimedia editor: Katie Hardie Buisiness editor: Anika Hanson Video editor: *Isabella Kanne Staff: Emmanuel Hawkins, Nolan Kelly, Maggie Klaers, Dahlia Krebs, Talia Lissauer, Sophia Livingston, Mira Malka, Ethan Meisler, Samiya Mohamed, Maria Perez-Barriga, Ruth Posada, Megan Raatz, Rachel Salzer, Ben Sanford, Kate Schneider, Madeleine Schutte, Sadie Yarosh, Emily Ziessman, Lucy Zumbrunnen Principal: Scott Meyers Printer: ECM Inc. Adviser: Lori Keekley *Denotes editorial board member MEDIA POLICIES The Echo is the official studentproduced newspaper of St. Louis Park Senior High School. It is published triweekly for the school’s students, staff and community. The Echo is a designated forum for student expression in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials. The adviser will not act as a censor, but will advise students. Students have the final decision on all content. The Echo will work to avoid bias and/ or favoritism. We will strive to make our coverage and content meaningful and interesting to all our readers. We will make every effort to avoid printing libel, obscenities, innuendo and material that threatens to disrupt the learning process or is an invasion of privacy. We will avoid electronic manipulation that alters the truth of a photograph unless clearly labeled as a photo illustration. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board arrived at by discussion and will not be bylined. Bylined articles are the opinion of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Echo staff or administration as a whole. The Echo welcomes reader input. Letters to the editor and suggestions must be signed and should be no longer than 250 words and may be emailed to slpecho@ gmail.com or submitted in room C275. Emailed letters must be verified prior to publication. We will not necessarily publish all letters received and reserve the right to ask the writer to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous letters wherein the Echo does not know the identity of the writer will not be printed. Advertisements will be sought from local businesses and school clubs and sports. We maintain the right to reject any ads we believe to be false, misleading, inappropriate or harmful. The Echo does not necessarily endorse the products or services offered in these advertisements. NSPA All-American and Hall of Fame member; 2011, 2016, 2017 NSPA Print Pacemaker Finalist; 2013, 2014, 2015 National Print Pacemaker Award Recipient; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Online Pacemaker Finalist; 2018 NSPA Online Pacemaker, CSPA Gold Medalist; 2013 CSPA Gold Crown; 2015 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown; 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 CSPA Silver Crown; JEM All-State.
I think that it’s great that people are taking (their concerns) to the government to actually try and make a difference. Olivia Brown, freshman
OUR PERSPECTIVE
March against fossil fuels encourages change
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n Sunday, Oct. 28 an anti-fossil fuel march was held in St. Paul, Minnesota in solidarity with Youth v. Gov suing the federal government for the cause of climate change. Students organized Photo Grace Farley the march to show they are the future and Stand up: Youth gather with handmade signs and protest in solidarity against Trump’s new plan for using fossil fuels. The event took place on the morning of Oct. 28 at the State Capitol. to stand with the 21 youths who are bringto vote or even preparing to vote. ing the case to trial. According to Youth v. more people involved in social issues. The The Editorial Board encourages march was promoted throughout the high Gov, the federal government has knowcontinuing events like these because they school with posters and a Facebook event ingly used harmful fossil fuels. The case make large impacts on everyone. Students was used to generate more attention. We states that the government has violated must remember that even when there is believe with more publicity, many other the youngest generations right to life, distance between them and the problem students may have attended. liberty, and property. they can still support as it affects more Because the event was student-run and Editorial Board believes the march’s than just one group of people. If you want organized, there were many young kids relatively low turnout should be a reason a big change, unite. involved, including people not yet eligible to promote events like this more and get
Drug Take Back Day beneficial for community Prevents possible opioid addictions, overdoses Abby Intveld abbyintveld@slpecho.com
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any people have prescription drugs on their shelves, expired and unused, with no idea of what to do with them. This is why St. Louis Park participated in the 18th national Drug Take Back Day Oct. 27, a day on which anyone can drop off prescription drugs, according to the St. Louis Park city website. People were able to bring in their drugs to the St. Louis Park Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the intention of preventing opioid addictions and overdoses. It is very important that St. Louis Park participated in Drug Take Back Day for the second time. It is beneficial for the community to offer a safe event for citizens to drop off drugs without their names on them. When St. Louis Park participated in this day last April 18, roughly 81 pounds of drugs were collected through the St. Louis Park Police Department. This proves that Drug Take Back Day was successful in the community. The majority of the 6.2 million Americans who abuse prescription drugs obtain
Photo Emily Ziessman
Drop it off: Drug Take Back Day was held Oct. 27 at the St. Louis Park Police Department. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. people came and dropped off their unused prescription drugs so they are properly disposed of. them from family, often in their medicine cabinets, according to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Having a designated day for the community to clear these drugs off people’s shelves can prevent any possible future addictions or accidental overdoses, which will positively impact St. Louis Park. Improperly disposing of prescription drugs also causes environmental problems. According to the Mother Nature Network, more than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been found in drinking water supplies for roughly 41 million Americans. However, in order for Drug Take Back Day to be truly beneficial, it needs to be promoted sufficiently. It is not publicized on the physical city-wide calendar, yet it
To bee keeping: To BEE honest, I’m loving this sweet hobby. Art Maggie Klaers
should be if the city wants the community to participate. Because conversations about drugs are stigmatized, no one will drop off their prescription drugs if there is confusion. There should also be more education for the public on other ways to dispose of their prescription drugs. There are alternative disposal measures the community can take to safely get rid of drugs that many people don’t know about. The city offers medicine disposal bags so anyone can throw their drugs away in their own home. There are many other anonymous prescription drug drop boxes throughout Hennepin County that are available every day. The city should educate the community on these alternatives as well as promoting Drug Take Back Day.
To vaping: Wait, there’s not cotton candy in the hallway?
To Josie Mosby: Can I borrow some speed to run away from my problems?
R.S., E.N., K.M.
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I think that (the “X” option) should be added because it’s their gender, so they should get to choose.
OPINIONS
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Franklin Asumari, Freshman
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As a Jew, I think it’s pretty saddening to see that there is still hatred and antiSemitism in the world.
Gender “X” added to driver’s license gives non-binary people freedom to choose any gender with which they identify.
Anthony David, senior
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One of the major ways to solve that problem is raising more awareness and letting more people know that it’s a tragedy.
Adin Zweigbaum, sophomore
Tragedy brings solidarity to Jewish community Broader gender options for driver’s licenses Adding the “X” option gives people more freedom Maria Perez Barriga mariaperezbarriga@slpecho.com
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he new gender option on driver’s licenses gives people the option to choose neither male nor female. “Gender identification is a self-descriptor like eye color, height and weight. Licenses will either have an M, F or X noted in the gender section,” a statement released by the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services Division said. On Oct. 3, the “X” was added to licenses in Minnesota. Now people can choose “F” for female, “M” for male or “X” for a nonbinary gender, according to Star Tribune. The new gender option is considerate of people who identify as non-binary. With the new “X” gender option, this makes it easier for people to chose, rather than forcing them to register with a gender they do not identify with. It would be an injustice for them to have to struggle with this. Therefore, I am glad Minnesota has changed to make an appropriate option for everyone. More states should make an effort to continue to cater to people who have been systemically marginalized by the government. For example, according to Huffpost the legislation dubbed the “bathroom bill,” requires people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth. Other states have to consider non-binary people’s rights. So far
PARK TRAIL
there are five states in the United States that have ‘X’ as a gender option: Oregon, Washington D.C., California, Maine and now Minnesota, according to Newsweek. More than one third of people in the United States who are transgender consider themselves non-binary, according to USA Today. This affects how people choose their gender on driver’s licenses. The amount of people in the United States who identify as non-binary or trans is 1.3 million. According to a recent study by the University of Minnesota, 3 percent of teens in Minnesota don’t identify as male or female. With so many people who are trans and non-binary, this new law passed by Minnesota is a step closer to accepting others who do not want to identify with the male or female gender. Everyone should have fairness to show their individuality and to not have to be like many other people. Accepting others will be bring more equality in the future where no one has to be ashamed of what gender they desire to be. Everybody will feel equally respected. The statement is true for others to be able to have rights to what they believe is the right way to express themselves. They should be allowed to express the gender they are and Minnesota having this new third gender option legitimizes nonbinary people that right.
Synagogue shooting felt by Jews across the country Talia Lissauer talialissauer@slpecho.com
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never realized the extent of anti-semitism until I saw the news report of a shooting at a synagogue. At Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, a Jewish congregation was practicing their religion when a gunman opened fire while yelling anti-Semitic slurs using an AR-15 killed 11 innocent people and wounded several police officers, according to Star Tribune. According to the U.S. Constitution, this country is supposed to be a place where people can practice any religion safely without fear. Walking into Temple Israel for an event honoring those lost in the shooting, a wave of fear washed over me. I didn’t feel as safe as I always did walking into synagogue. If we give in and let the fear keep us from continuing to live out our truth, we let the evil win. After this shooting, the Jewish community needs to come together. We need to support each other no matter where we live. Temple Israel in Minneapolis invited congregants and non-congregants alike to a
service to honor those lost in the Pittsburgh shooting. The service had an unbelievable turnout. There was a line down the block of Jews and non Jews, all with the common interest of mourning those lost and creating change. When I reached the front of the line, the service had been postponed. They needed to set up another room for people to observe the service. The service was motivational. There was a point when the rabbi invited all clergy in the room, no matter what religion, to go up on the platform and recite a prayer. I watched as more than 20 clergy put their differences aside and led us in a prayer of healing. Witnessing this made my heart smile. A horrible event happened in our community, but if we grow in spite of the loss, the shooter loses. If we accept shootings like this as normal, then it will continue to happen. This doesn’t only apply to Jews, it applies to everyone. In a situation where a group of people are attacked, you need to stay strong and fight the threat. No matter if it is the LGBTQ community or the Black Lives matter community, we all have to support each other without regard to skin color, religion or any other difference. The first thing we are is human and we need to support each other.
Photo Emily Ziessman
Memorial: Community members gather at Temple Israel in Minneapolis at a service to honor the victims of the recent shooting in Pittsburgh Oct. 28.
Maggie Klaers maggieklaers@slpecho.com
K TRIC AT!! RE OR T The first trick or treaters!
AHH HH I’M A H BEES !!! LLER GIC!!
skk
get the candy!
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12 ENTERTAINMENT
Echo Wednesday, October 31, 2018
“The Hate U Give” brings into perspective what people of color deal with in the media everyday. Sam Sietsema, junior
Fair use 20th Century Fox
MOVIE REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
‘The Hate U Give’ movie exposes racial disparities
Novel conveys reality within modern-day America
Movie adaption visualizes racism Marta Hill martahill@slpecho.com
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he movie adaptation of “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas portrays the original story, but to a whole new level. It keeps the best elements of the book and adds to them in a creative way. The book uses a lot of Starr Carter’s (Amandla Stenberg) inner thoughts, which were portrayed in the movie through flashbacks and voice-overs. This was extremely effective in showing how Starr felt throughout the movie. Being able to view those moments was incredibly powerful. A flashback to the moment when Khalil Harris (Algee Smith) was shot utilized multiple times throughout the movie, to great effect. For example, soon after the shooting Starr is laying in bed when
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she suddenly wakes up from a nightmare. This scene invoked tears because Starr was shown in a very vulnerable state. Throughout the film the immense contrast in emotions really pulled me into the story. Stenberg’s portrayal of Starr’s contrasting emotions made me empathize alongside her. There were moments of intense joy, such as family breakfasts where everyone is playfully interacting with each other and moments of gut-wrenching sadness. The most intense moment of sadness came when Khalil was shot. Starr and Khalil had just shared a heartwarming moment of friendship, and then everything came crashing down. For me, that was the hardest scene to watch — it was so incredibly realistic that you couldn’t help but be emotionally invested. Usually, a book is clearly superior to the movie, but in this case the line is blurred. It is not crucial to read the book because of this. The movie excelled visually in ways the book couldn’t and managed to cover everything the book did well. Overall, “The Hate U Give” is a stunning recreation of a brilliant book. From the acting, to the storyarc, the film encompasses an important social issue that deserves attention. In this political climate, it’s necessary to have cinematic representation of racial issue and “The Hate U Give”does just that.
Nov. 2
“Bohemian Rapsody” follows Freddie Mercury’s band Queen Photos used with permission from in its rise to fame. Tickets are 20th Century Fox, MSP FIlm Society, available at ShowPlace ICON Atlantic Records, Transgressive Theatre for around $14. David Bryant davidbryant@slpecho.com
Records
Sam Klepfer samklepfer@slpecho.com
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ngie Thomas’ debut novel, “The Hate U Give,” tells an impactful story of police brutality. The book centers on such an important topic at a relevant time. Starr is a great narrator, skillfully putting the reader into her shoes while still creating her own unique voice. The title of the book derives from a Tupac quote, stating that THUG LIFE stands for “The Hate U Give Little Infants F**ks Everybody.” Not only does the pop culture reference increase the relevancy for teenage readers, it also breathes life and vitality into the message of the story by identifying it through someone else’s words. In only one, medium-sized paperback, Thomas shines a spotlight on systemic racism and is able to emphasize the importance of standing up for what’s right, even if it scares you. I would recommend this book to just about everyone over the age of 7. Though the subject matter can be a little tough at times, the message that the book conveys is important for everyone, not just people of color.
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Nov. 23-24
St. Anthony Main Theatre hosts the Cine Latino MinneapolisSt. Paul Film Festival featuring various genres. Tickets start at $11 for general admission.
R&B and soul artist Anderson Paak. prepares to release his newest studio album “Oxnard” available for purchase or streaming on iTunes and Spotify.
Local indie rock band, Hippo Campus, hosts its back-toback hometown concerts on the Bambi Tour at the Palace Theatre for around $35.