The Reveille 7-18-22

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ABORTION TRAINING LSU OB-GYN residents face uncertain future.

Operating ro om technic ian Nikki Jo Hope Medic TED JACKSO rdan perform al Group fo N / Associ s an ultraso r Women in ated Press the 1973 Ro und on a p Shreveport e vs Wade atient at , La., July 6. decision w abortions.

Nearly two as overturn But the Ho weeks afte ed, the abo pe M could spell r rtion clinic an end to th edical Group for Wom is still prov en faces a at. id in g looming co urt case th at

NEWS

p ag e 3

After a near-year long search, LSU introduced its new Vice President of Inclusion, Civil Rights and Title IX last week.

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

p ag e 5

Learning from the mistakes of previous LSU coaches, Brian Kelly has a chance to change the narrative around the LSU football program.

OPINION

Read on

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p ag e 8

In the face of numerous controversies over the years, the Louisiana State Police must address it’s deep rooted issues.

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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LEARNING CURVE LSU OB-GYN residency at risk due to state abortion ban.

BY ALLISON ALLSOP & MADDIE SCOTT @allisonallsop & @madscottyy Obstetrics and gynecology medical residents at LSU train at a Shreveport abortion clinic. Where those students will get critical training needed to complete their residencies is up in the air as Louisiana’s three abortion clinics are likely to be shutdown within a matter of weeks or even days.

All OB-GYN residents need to learn to do abortion procedures, even if they never perform elective abortions in their career. Physicians need to know how to perform them as they may be called upon to perform an abortion in an emergency situation when a pregnancy becomes life threatening. The same surgical techniques used in abortion clinics are also used to manage miscarriages.

According to Nicole Freehill, the Associate Residency Program Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at LSU New Orleans, the education of medical students, who are not yet physicians, will not be impacted to the same degree as residents, who are physicians who have graduated medical school but are still learning how to practice independently, because students will still receive basic training.

The basic training includes teachings on contraception, counseling for when patients come in, options to continue pregnancy, abortions and others, according to Freehill.

Students go through didactic training about abortions in their second year of medical school, and these teachings typically take place in a classroom setting. Their third year of medical school is when they undergo their OB-GYN rotation of learning, typically training in a clinical environment.

Abortion is a small portion of what LSU calls family planning, Freehill said. Family planning is about the reproductive life of a woman and includes contraception, pregnancy options including abortion and the postpartum period.

There will still be some opportunities to teach students about complications from abortions as abortions for medical indications are still allowed.

Residents go to an abortion clinic to learn the procedure as there are not enough emergent abortion patients to come through their hospitals. At an abortion clinic, they can perform the procedure many times in a short period, which allows them to master the procedure.

For medical students who will not go on to be OB-GYN residents, the infrequency of medically indicated abortions may mean that they do not have live exposure to the procedure.

“We could easily have a rotation of students who are going

@ r e ve i l lel s u

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

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Editor-in-Chief PIPER HUTCHINSON News Editor PETER RAUTERKUS Digital Editor GABBY JIMENEZ Senior News Reporter ALLISON ALLSOP Investigative Reporter DOMENIC PURDY Entertainment Reporter ARIS WILLIAMS Sports Reporter HENRY HUBER Columnist CLAIRE SULLIVAN

REBECCA SANTANA / Associated Press

An exterior photo of the Hope Medical Group for Women on Feb. 20, 2020, in Shreveport, La. The clinic is one of three in the state that provides abortions to women, and it is challenging a state law that requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. through their OB-GYN rotation, who we don’t have a situation like that come up,” Freehill said.

“That is not an integral or always vital portion of their training, and they are given some abortion education, but on a smaller degree, because it is not something that they’re always exposed to.”

LSU is dedicated to still get residents abortion training because it is necessary to save a mother’s life in certain circumstances, Freehill said.

“To get them that training, and since Hope Clinic at this point is closed, we are looking into options out of state to send our residents to still get that potentially around two weeks of intense training,” Freehill said.

Dr. Valerie Williams is the former director of the Ryan Program at LSU Health Sciences New Orleans, which connected LSU residents with resources needed to receive abortion training in the state. That training is required for an OB-GYN program to be accredited.

Before the Ryan Program started at LSU, residents had to travel out of state, often at their own expense, Williams wrote in a sworn affidavit filed in the case to enjoin the state’s abortion laws.

Williams is concerned that if the abortion ban goes into affect, Louisiana’s OB-GYN residency programs could lose accreditation, as all OB-GYN residency programs are required by The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to provide abortion training.

Even if the programs retain accreditation, Williams speculated that many students will be discouraged from studying in Loui-

siana.

“Ever since the Ryan Program started at LSU Health, the quality of medical students applying to the LSU OB/GYN residency program has skyrocketed,” Williams said. “Students from all over the country are attracted to LSU in part due to the quality of abortion training.”

Williams was one of more than a dozen Louisiana physicians have filed affidavits, a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation used as evidence in court, in support of the preliminary injunction that would block Louisiana’s new abortion laws from going into effect.

The case, filed by Hope Medical Group for Women, its administrator Kathaleen Pittman and the New Orleans chapter of Medical Students for Choice, is pending a Monday hearing in East Baton Rouge Civil Court. Plaintiffs argue that the state’s abortion laws are too vague.

“Because physicians tend to practice where they do their residency, this will, in the long term, negatively affect the quality of OB/GYNs in Louisiana overall,” Williams wrote.

A March of Dimes analysis found over one-third of Louisiana’s 64 parishes have no practicing OB-GYNs at all, which many consider to be a contributing factor to the state’s high maternal mortality rate, which is the highest in the nation at 58 deaths per 100,000 births.

Williams was not the only physician in the case to raise concerns about what the ban means for recruiting students.

“Through fear of prosecution and the heavy penalties in-

volved, the Trigger Ban will also discourage medical students to seek residency training in Louisiana, contributing to our physician shortage and ‘brain drain’ in the state,” Dr. Nina Breakstone, an emergency medicine doctor for Ochsner, wrote in another affidavit.

While some abortions are technically legally permissible, like those to save the life of the mother or if the fetus has a condition incompatible with life, the lack of specificity in the laws present concern for physicians.

In the three weeks since Roe v.

Wade was struck down, multiple cases in other states have received national attention, highlighting circumstances in which doctors have hesitated to provide abortion care to save the life of the mother or even provide miscarriage management due to fear of prosecution.

While Louisiana’s abortion ban is temporarily blocked by a judge pending the lawsuit, several physicians filed affidavits in the case, raising concerns that nightmare scenarios like that could play out in Louisiana.

Dr. Rebekah Gee, former secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, wondered how badly a pregnant person’s health needs be before an abortion is allowed to save the life of the mother. State law includes language that allows for an abortion if a “life-sustaining organ” is threatened.

“To satisfy these laws – does it have to be her heart that fails, what about her lungs, her kidneys, and so on, what organs would this law decide are necessary to protect her life?” Gee wrote in an affidavit.

Columnist CHARLIE STEPHENS Stringer JOHN BUZBEE Stringer MADDIE SCOTT Stringer MORGAN ROGERS Stringer COLE HERNANDEZ Head Copy Editor HANNAH MICHEL HANKS Copy Editor MADISON COOPER Copy Editor EMMA DUHE Senior Photographer XANDER GENNARELLI

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille.

If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication.

A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS FRESH LEADERSHIP

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Todd Manuel selected as first-ever Vice President of Inclusion, Civil Rights and Title IX

REVEILLE STAFF REPORT LSU announced Wednesday that Todd Manuel, director of Organizational Health & Diversity for Entergy, will serve as the first permanent Vice President of Inclusion, Civil Rights and Title IX. “Todd brings the leadership and experience needed to build a true national model for an integrated approach for inclusion, civil rights and Title IX,” LSU President William Tate IV said in a statement. “Moreover, his approach aligns with supporting a healthy community.”

Manuel’s selection comes after a nearly year-long nationwide search for a permanent vice president. A committee made up of students, faculty and staff from LSU system campuses evaluated the candidates. The final three candidates were introduced on campus in late June.

Manuel is the only candidate with no previous higher educa-

ALLISON ALLSOP / The Reveille

Todd Manuel during his open forum presentation on June 29. tion experience. His work in diversity, equity and inclusion has been in a corporate setting. In addition to overseeing diversity efforts at Entergy, Manuel has

also served as the vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Transformation for the Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned electric

We’re looking for a highly motivated graphic design student to join our office.

This is a great opportunity for the right student to build their portfolio in an ad agency type setting.

Must be accepted into the Graphic Design or Digital Art program at LSU to be considered.

companies.

“When I think about the great work that is happening here at LSU and the desire to be a global force for change, I couldn’t think

of a better place to be to deliver the type of work that I have been engaged in for much of my career,” Manuel said.

Jane Cassidy served as the interim Vice President after the role was created in March 2021, following a USA Today investigation that revealed institutional mishandling of Title IX cases.

Cassidy will return to her role as senior vice provost in the Office of Academic Affairs.

During Cassidy’s time in office, LSU completed 17 of 18 recommendations laid out in the Husch Blackwell report. The report came as part of an independent investigation conducted by the law firm after the USA Today report came out. The law firm made several suggestions to address the institutional problems at the university.

The final recommendation will be met when the 2022-2023 power-based violence report is released.

SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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MORAL LEADERSHIP

Column: How Brian Kelly can return LSU football to the standard it once held PETER RAUTERKUS

@peter_rauterkus

It was a cold, rainy night in Baton Rouge.

LSU was in a thriller of a game against Texas A&M with bowl eligibility on the line. However, that was far from the main talking point. After parting ways with Ed Orgeron back in October, LSU’s search for its next head coach came to a head with a decision expected to be made the next day.

After some last-minute twists, the official decision came on Monday evening. Brian Kelly would be the next head football coach at LSU. Bringing in Kelly was the first sign of an attempt to change the culture around LSU football. Gone are the days of sideshow acts like Orgeron and Les Miles leading the program, with LSU looking for someone who could be the face of the program in a more respectable way.

Both coaches had a tendency to draw attention to themselves for often the wrong reasons. And the antics like eating grass and heckling opposing fans were the tip of the iceberg of deep-rooted issues that have left a black cloud hanging over the program.

Most need no reminding of the years of sexual misconduct and Title IX mishandling brought to light in a USA Today investigation in 2019 and the subsequent years of internal and independent reviews and audits to try to remedy large-scale institutional messes.

Kelly was brought in partly as an attempt to fix those recurring issues.

Kelly himself is no stranger to controversy. Just last season he caused a bit of a PR blow up after some comments in an on-field interview following Notre Dame’s matchup with Florida State.

“I’m in favor of execution, maybe our entire team needs to be executed after tonight,” is what Kelly said after a frustrating, narrow win.

That was his most recent incident, but far from the biggest controversy during his time in South Bend. In 2010, a student videographer died after the lift he was on fell over due to high winds. This was the same year a Notre Dame player was accused of sexually assaulting a freshman at nearby St. Mary’s College. She died by suicide just 10 days after filing a complaint.

Then in 2018, Notre Dame was ordered to vacate wins by the NCAA from the 2012 and 2013 seasons after it was discovered a student-trainer had completed academic coursework for two Notre

GERALD HERBERT / Associated Press

LSU head coach Brian Kelly watches during LSU Pro Day in Baton Rouge, La., April 6.

Dame players and provided impermissible academic benefits to another six.

To succeed at healing a broken program at a broken university, Kelly needs to leave that behavior behind him.

Fast forward to now, the Orgeron era feels like a lifetime ago and Kelly has already made waves despite not leading his team onto the field yet.

Much like any new coach, there were questions, doubts and concerns, but also plenty of promise. His resume spoke for itself, but the biggest question was how he would adapt to coaching in the SEC and in Louisiana.

Though Orgeron had a plethora of issues during his time at LSU, he was still loved by many around the state because of his roots. If you were to personify everything that is Louisiana football culture, Orgeron is probably what you’d come up with. A tough-talking, true Cajun man, he had the ability to relate to fans, local recruits, high school coaches and the rest of the community better than just about anyone.

Kelly is fundamentally different from Orgeron. An Irish-Catholic politician from Massachusetts, many questioned how Kelly would fit in at all in a place like South Louisiana. But when looking at the most successful coaches in LSU history, being from Louisiana is not exactly a requirement.

In the modern era of LSU athletics, there are two names that have changed the fabric of the athletic department. Those two names are Nick Saban and

Skip Bertman. In their respective sports, both coaches completely turned their programs around, despite neither being from Louisiana.

Bertman was hired as LSU’s head baseball coach in 1984 after spending his playing career and the early part of his coaching career in Miami. An outsider at first, that quickly changed when in 1985 he took LSU to the postseason for the first time in 10 years, and then six years later brought the program’s first national championship back to Baton Rouge.

By the time Bertman retired as head coach in 2001, LSU had five national championships and was now one of the premier programs in college baseball. Bertman then served as Director of Athletics for the next seven years, further cementing himself as arguably the most iconic figure in the history of LSU athletics. He did all of this as an outsider to the state and community, you can become a perfect culture fit once the wins start coming.

Nick Saban was further proof.

A man born and raised in West Virginia who had never coached or played outside the Midwest came to Baton Rouge and made LSU Football what it is today. Now 22 years removed from when he was hired at LSU, he is the greatest coach in the history of the sport.

A big part of Saban’s legacy and how he reached those peaks is his leadership both on and off the field. While Saban does come off as brash and hotheaded, he should receive some credit for the

leadership he exhibited in 2020 during a heated time for the Black Lives Matter movement.

He stood by his players and showed the compassion his team and program needed. Meanwhile, LSU’s coach at the time showed no such leadership, further fracturing the locker room.

With the current social climate at LSU and around the country, Kelly needs to seize the opportunity to be not just a successful coach, but a moral coach.

All of this goes to say that for Kelly, the blueprint has already been laid out for him. The last three head football coaches have won national championships at LSU, despite the last two being far from championship-caliber coaches. At a place like LSU, winning is simply in the water.

Looking at the first seven months Kelly has spent in Baton Rouge, the foundation is already being laid. He brought in a staff both with experience at the highest level, and coaches with strong connections to Louisiana.

Just looking at the last few weeks, that is already paying dividends on the recruiting trail. In a state rich with football talent and no real in-state competitors, being able to recruit all the best players in Louisiana is crucial at LSU. Though Orgeron had his shortcomings in other areas, his ability to recruit the state is one of the reasons he was able to reach the ultimate prize.

Kelly himself may not have deep ties to these communities and high schools across the state, but he has already done a good

job of filling his staff with coaches who do.

He has brought in a standard of accountability and a message of graduating champions. Were there talented players who left the program during the transition? Of course that is bound to happen, but it’s a sign of a new standard being set.

To build a championship program, you have to create a positive culture and put an emphasis on player development, both on and off the field. Setting that standard starts from the top.

There is a reason why a team led by a man who had no issue heckling fans and taking pictures in bed with women half his age had problems with culture. That is a big reason as to why Kelly is a breath of fresh air to many LSU fans. Though he may not be fist pumping and high-fiving fans during the tiger walk, he also isn’t the type of person to have a new tabloid headline written about him each week.

Nothing is guaranteed in the SEC though. Even Saban struggled early on both at LSU and Alabama.

It’s unlikely LSU will compete for championships this year, and for 2022, that isn’t the expectation.

However, when you coach at LSU, winning championships is the standard. It may take time for Kelly, and there is no guarantee that it does work out like many hope.

In both his own career and in the history of LSU football there are plenty of examples of what to do and what not to do.

How Kelly follows these examples will define his legacy at LSU.

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Monday, July 18, 2022

page 7 FILM

IN YOUR STARS Your horoscope for the week of June 27

BY ARIS WILLIAMS @joneatw

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

June 22 - July 22

July 23 - Aug. 22

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

You’re a pleasure-seeker this week as you find ways to cultivate a more peaceful life. Recognize what you’re outgrowing and what’s become most important to you this year. Your social life is also about to start picking up.

This week, you could experience bursts of motivation and achieve more than you anticipated.

If you’re aiming to lead a simpler life, start with your core beliefs. Advice from an elder will change your perspective about things.

Financial prospects are looking up this week – just make sure you’re also tending to the things that money can’t buy. If you find yourself pondering on what could’ve been, consider if you may have given up on something prematurely.

Sagittarius

Libra

Scorpio

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

This week, you’ll find the courage to make a difficult decision that will ultimately be freeing.

Take any endings as a sign that a new chapter is unfolding for you. You may go on a solo excursion to get some time for introspection.

Make sure hedonist tendencies don’t prevent you from getting things done. Finding balance between your two worlds will make for an action-packed week.

Last minute plans will turn into memories.

Consistency is your theme for the week, as you work to create routines and stick to them. A major event may have prompted you to start living more intentionally. Avoid overspending and start solidifying future travel plans.

Pisces

Capricorn

Aquarius

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Feb. 19 - March 20

If you experience mental fog this week, utilize that as a sign to decompress. You may be feeling cramped by your current environment and take a short trip to get away. Utilize free time for self-care and start building your fall wardrobe.

This week, you may feel called to make community more of a priority.

Support from friends will help you navigate important decisions. Trust your gut, and ensure that your personal connections offer reciprocity.

You may be feeling more sentimental this week – reach out to whoever crosses your mind.

Someone in your life will serve as your emotional support. Some of you may decide to make changes regarding your business or career.

Aries

Taurus

Mar. 21 - April 19

Gemini

April 20 - May 20

May 21 - June 21

Your home life experiences a boost this week as everyone’s finances become more balanced.

Some of you are starting new chapters and should take some time out to celebrate. You may decide to close a chapter for good.

This week, you’re feeling homier than usual and may be reluctant to socialize. Use this time to make your space more comfortable and foster healthier habits. If you’re met with conflict, stand your ground.

Looking for culture on a budget?

BY ARIS WILLIAMS @jonetaw The Baton Rouge Gallery, a center for contemporary art, has brought back its annual “Movies & Music on the Lawn” event.

Every other Saturday night, the gallery sets up a large outdoor projection screen outside of its building and invites locals to come watch a silent film. Admission is $7 and includes refreshments.

Each film also features live musical accompaniment by a Louisiana native band. It puts a unique spin on the biweekly premieres by curating a unique soundtrack for each one.

“We like to let the band put their own spin on it.” said gallery director Jason Andreasen in an interview. “We try to do an array of genres and let the artists performing have free reign over what they do with it. Sometimes they’re improvised and sometimes they’re scripted.”

The third instillation of this series on Saturday, July 16 featured a viewing of the awardwinning 1989 silent film Sidewalk Stories and musical accompaniment by The Lilli Lewis Project, a multigenerational contemporary band that describes themselves as a “cult of decency.”

Sidewalk Stories details the adventures of a homeless man, plainly name The Artist, who takes care of a small child after witnessing her father’s murder and aims to reunite the child with her family. It’s best described as a comedy with a statement.

As the movie played, The Lilli Lewis Project performed a contemporary jazz serenade that beautifully detailed the highs and lows of the film’s plot. When it ended, they were met with a

standing ovation from the audience.

The gallery also provided hot, unlimited popcorn that I may or may not have eaten three servings of. Volunteers handed out free drinks, and a City Gelato vendor was on site with $5 servings of the perfect summer dessert.

The setting sun and open atmosphere set the tone for the perfect night for a movie under the stars. Attendees set up blankets and chairs in front of the projection screen and made themselves comfortable.

With Movies & Music on the Lawn, the gallery aims to curate a unique cinema experience that all Baton Rouge locals can enjoy, from lovers looking for a date night idea to families picking a weekend outing.

“This BRG program can be traced back to the late 90s and has grown a great deal over time,” said Jason Andreasen.

Andreasen also reiterated Baton Rouge Gallery’s commitment to curating events that are accessible for everyone. While the general admission is $7, and gallery members can receive free tickets based on their membership level.

The films being featured at this event are unlike any in the region, and it felt very refreshing to be a part of such a unique presentation of creative efforts.

If you’re looking for a laid-back summer outing, Movies & Music on the Lawn may be the experience that you’ve been seeking.

The Baton Rouge Gallery is located at 1515 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808.

The next installation of Movies & Music on the Lawn is Saturday, July 30 , featuring the 1926 film La Boheme and musical accompaniment by Baton Rouge’s own, Alabaster Sag.

You’ll achieve much this week in the professional world – ensure that you’re getting proper nourishment and rest. Going out with co-workers/ friends to celebrate your progress. You may get a message from someone you weren’t expecting.

ARIS WILLIAMS / The Reveille

OPINION

page 8

State Police needs to address deep-rooted institutional racism CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@charliestephns

Louisiana State Police have held a consistent presence in the news recently due in part to the widespread and wide-ranging problems at the state’s flagship law enforcement agency.

In the days preceding the extraordinarily busy fourth of July travel weekend, LSP Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis was pulled over by one of his own troopers—spoiler alert, he didn’t get a ticket.

This is a comical reprieve from the very serious and pressing issues facing the agency, but it

is emblematic of how the agency functions on a wider level.

The police agency is under multiple investigations including a federal pattern and practice review which threatens to put the organization under federal consent decree—a court order mandating changes within the department.

The New Orleans Police Department, after an extensive pattern and practice review, was placed under a comprehensive consent decree governing the department and remains under federal supervision. This is an example of how the Justice Department has reshaped departments in Louisiana.

The State police have been subject to increased scrutiny since

the inhumane killing of Ronald Greene in northern Louisiana.

The case was among a string of high-profile killings of African Americans by police in the United States and this led to numerous resignations and early retirements at the agency.

The Greene case was particularly enlightening to due to massive public awareness after the release of Body Camera footage by the Associated Press that contradicted the past statements of the LSP regarding how Greene passed.

The Legislature even got involved by convening a bipartisan special committee to investigate the circumstances behind the death of Greene after multiple media reports started to detail

the day in more clarity rather than the smokescreen offered by the state’s police agency.

The committee’s work is not done and last month it was set to hear testimony from the governor and his top legal counsel until the meeting was postponed because of a court-ordered redistricting session to consider plans to add an additional majority minority district to the state’s congressional map.

The Legislature ultimately failed to pass a plan that would create two majority minority congressional districts.

Politicians in Baton Rouge failed to pass a redistricting plan that would expand Louisiana’s minority representation in Washington for the same reason

that the state’s flagship policing agency covered up the murder of Ronald Greene—institutional ambivalence of racist tendencies.

It’s a problem that far too many in Louisiana have had to witness and it is something that as a state we need to do considerable soul searching about.

Soon enough, we will know more about the consequences that the state police will face and what reforms might have to be implemented.

It can’t be soon enough, but I wonder if any policy change can truly change the root problems at the agency.

Charlie Stephens is a 21-year-old political communication senior from Baton Rouge

Top five best PowerPoint transitions and associated trauma LONG SHOT SCOTT

read aloud in room 301. It gets an 8/10.

MADDIE SCOTT @madscottyy

Fracture I was doing my business in the bathroom at elementary school in the second grade. I pulled open the plastic, bathroom stall door, the creak of the rusty hinges bounced off the porcelain tiled walls, echoing throughout the room.

The toilet was filled with preexisting wads of toilet paper, so I took one for the team and flushed it down before using it. I then finished the business I came in for, washed my hands unlike every other second grader and retuned to recess.

Next thing I knew, children were evacuating the building and claimed the bathroom was flooding with gargantuan amounts of toilet water, toilet paper and human waste.

I confessed to the teacher that it was I who pulled the trigger to this diabolical crime, but I was not the maker. My 80 pound body was not capable of such impressively vast destruction. The other kids didn’t believe my defense that I didn’t clog the toilet with my own bowel issues so they all called me “poo-poo girl,” and I cried.

My reputation fractured that day. And so did the sewage pipes.

10/10.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, write down an article idea and fall back asleep. The other night, I jotted down “rate PowerPoint transitions.” I have no memory of writing this, but I have to deliver. Here’s my list of the top five best PowerPoint transitions.

Flash This one is good. The simplicity, yet uniqueness is how this transition made it on the list. It reminds me of when my life flashed before me: I was sixteen and made eye contact with a homeless man urinating in an Arby’s parking lot dumpster. He started to walk over to me but my mom floored our minivan before he could say anything. This one goes out to you, dumpsterman. I rate this transition a 5.2/10.

Origami This one is rather exquisite.

The previous slide folds into a dainty, origami bird, to which the bird flies away, unveiling the next slide. It takes me back to my middle school days when kids were making origami fortunetellers left and right. One time, this kid told me to pick a color, then a number 1-7 and then a second number. He lifted the flap and then told me I was going to die

MADDIE SCOTT / The Reveille

A beautiful PowerPoint title slide created inside of a PJ’s Coffee by the wonderful and beautiful Maddie Scott. from farting out my insides, and then he barked at me. I rate this one a 6/10.

Box Box. I had a to-go box once.

My family’s idea of a fancy dinner was the Olive Garden, and I brought back this beautiful togo box containing half a chicken parmesan meal. As if I was a Renaissance sculptor, I carefully carved my name onto the Styrofoam to-go box in all capitals, foolishly thinking a label would protect my Italian cuisine.

The next day, my chicken parm was gone, nowhere to be seen. After interrogating my family, my brother confessed that he ate it. When my eyes stare deep into this PowerPoint transition, all I see is my name etched in

the chicken parm to-go box, and the emptiness inside not only in the box, but the emptiness inside of me. The box transition gets a 6.5/10.

Wind This transition takes me back to junior high, a place where rumors spread faster than the biannual sinus infection, and when kids crusaded faster to the lunch line than they ever would in the mile run.

My insecurity was unmanageable. I was thirteen, and my angst needed an outlet. What was that you may ask? Writing Club. I went to Room 301 every Wednesday lunch period, bringing my Taco Tuesday meal, the meat burning holes through my Styrofoam plate, and listened to my peers

read aloud their original work.

A particularly debilitating memory I have is when one girl recited her original go at a sexually charged fan-fiction about Harley Quinn and the Joker, two comic book characters from the DC comics.

She sat in her desk, hunched over her notebook, reading her Wattpad fantasies even doing character voices for the erotic dialogue. When the voice impressions and sounds started, everyone immediately stopped eating, not out of amazement, but out of nausea from the explicit graphics she described in extreme detail.

The teacher had the most helpless expression I’ve ever seen on a seventh grade teacher’s face.

This transition is poetic and mysterious, like the many pages

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The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Maddie Scott is a 19-year-old journalism and history sophomore from Covington.

Quote of the Week “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”

Flannery O’Connor American novelist 1925 — 1964