{"id":7406,"date":"2024-07-03T12:43:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T16:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=7406"},"modified":"2024-07-03T12:43:32","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T16:43:32","slug":"big-words-leveling-the-playing-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=7406","title":{"rendered":"Big Words, leveling the playing field"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1st Place, Feature Columnist
<\/strong>2023-24, Division 3-4, News Writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Keara Banks
<\/strong>Focus
Midland HS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Indoctrination. Radical. Agenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I swear every few months the GOP finds a new word to shake around like a dog after a bath. Something long enough that they can sound smart, and yet difficult enough that most people won’t want to look up the actual definition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go ask a normal everyday voter what democracy is. Realistically most will barely be able to scavenge any words, maybe on the most basic level just say \u201cAmerica.\u201d But like Schmidt from New Girl said, \u201cDemocracy is dead.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of the terms that our grandfather’s party adopts has anything to do with the actual real world outside of Fox News. Trust me, Grandma, your grandkids aren\u2019t being indoctrinated. Basic human decency is far from being brainwashed. Go read some good tales about Nazi Germany, or America during Vietnam, and then we’ll talk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess I may be overdramatic. How much effect can a few words have on an almost 250-year-old political system? Except for the fact that it’s completely warped who believes what, how, and what I can learn, not to mention leaving a weird gap between parties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can deny the real effects of an overbearing misuse of words. But as the English nerd, I’ve always been. I\u2019m tired of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You cannot continue to criminalize a term and give it a whole new meaning. I guess you can since both parties have. But you get my point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We aren\u2019t radical <\/em>for wanting human rights. I\u2019m not being indoctrinated <\/em>by learning about more than old white guys in the History of Americas. And most certainly I am not being served the gay agenda <\/em>on a silver platter by the school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If anything, I’m at a fundamental disadvantage because of your blatant ignorance. Try to start a club with inclusivity and alliance, and the response becomes.\u201cI do not want the school telling my kid to be gay, this is\u00a0radical\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calm down, take a breather. Your kid is not being forced to go to the GSA meeting. Nor did we tell them to \u201cbe gay.\u201d You’re kids figuring that out on their own, whether you like it or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Than, suddenly race becomes and issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do not want my kids learning critical race theory.\u201d Learning about history outside of Founding Fathers and colonizers will not melt your child’s mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are not radical, uncalled-for subjects. Gay people exist, so you open up your mind and respect them. People of color are real, so you learn their history and work to not repeat it. We’re on stolen land, so we appreciate and value our resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of this is radical. What\u2019s radical is blatant ignorance in the 21st century, and indoctrinating the next generation to be close-minded and excluding them from the real world and real information. What\u2019s radical is keeping comprehensive sex ed from lgbtq kids because you don’t understand it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These things that you’re scared <\/em>of, that you’re trying to ban aren’t made up, these are parts of people’s lives. Keeping your children in the dark, about so much history, culture, and self-expression is radical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn’t just some long gen-z rant because I’m an overdramatic snowflake. This is a call for change. Stop letting uneducated people keep me uneducated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call out the people around you when they say obviously incorrect things. Help inform them, even when they don’t want to be. It’s as simple as having an open-ended conversation. You may not change their mind, but you’re putting the thought in their head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a call for acceptance of one another. Stop letting a group of old people determine who I am allowed to talk to, and what we think of one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s time to take back \u201cBig Words.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Perhaps I am crazy\u2026but it all seemed so reasonable in the beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it would seem a request for a good-natured and safe game of flag football was just too much to ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MHS Student Council asked to put on a game of powderpuff. It would be school-sanctioned. We asked administrators to oversee it. We created a two page list of guidelines to keep people from being violent and dangerous. We even talked about having waivers and parent permisson slips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wanted to get away from the violent MHS vs DHS powderpuff game. Midland High\u2019s administration was happily on board with our plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We sent email after email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not a single reasonable response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it so terrible for the student body not to want to get hospitalized just to play powderpuff? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the wall that I have pounded my head against for months on end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I battle this recurring thought, \u201cIs what the district has chosen to do inherently and purposely sexist\u201d? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It likely isn\u2019t intended to forward that outdated ideal. However, that thought is hard to dismiss when in our original email we were told that they would partially approve our request. We proposed powderpuff and powderbuff, girls play flag football and boys play volleyball. They said yes to boys, and no to girls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is hard to not see this as thinly veiled sexism and ignorance from our district. We send well-thought-out emails with details and questions. In return, we were told \u201cThe district has not been affiliated with powder-puff football events for many years and does not desire to reverse that practice at this time.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a profound understatement to say my blood boiled. They can let boys play volleyball against one another. Same guidelines, and same restrictions, but let’s discourage girls from playing\u00a0flag football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Many district surrounding us allows girls to play a school-sanctioned game of flag football. Western, Freeland, Grand Ledge, Fenton, Troy, you name a high school\u2014they put on a powderpuff\u2014game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powderpuff in it’s current form, is a non-school-sanctioned game known for violence and aggression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upperclassman girls want the opportunity to play this game without receiving a broken nose or month long concussion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I hear the excuses, all that comes to mind are biased and outdated perspectives on gender roles and stereotypes that should have been shaken off in the 1950s. Our community and our schools should embrace a chance to give everyone an opportunity to participate in a safe event regardless of gender. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By being silent, and by ignoring our attempts to fix this, our district leaders are denying us an opportunity to play a school-sanctioned game. An opportunity that MHS administration had supported. The district, intentionally or not, is telling girls to have fist fights while wearing our school colors and label it as football. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The district can continue to claim that this is for our safety, but we have almost 80 boys who participate in tackle football every fall. The girls participating in our event are volunteers. They want to play. They were willing to sign waivers and permission slips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a district, DEI is something we’ve preached a lot through the last few years. But the second we students want to do something truly inclusive, they turn us down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the 21st century and time to fully realize we are not lesser versions of men that need to be coddled or protected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NW-09. Feature Columnist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each entry must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • have two (2) columns (feature or opinion) from different publication dates<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • have both columns submitted together in the same entry form<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • have the same standing head<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • be authored by the same writer(s) (both columns in the entry should have the same byline)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • carry bylines or other writer identification to indicate the personal nature of the content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Judging Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Sharp attention-getting leads<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Expresses personal opinions; uses consistent style<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Reflects thought\/research, freshness, individuality<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Effective use of facts\/quotes or supporting material<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Informative, interesting, entertaining<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Upholds journalistic integrity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Proper diction\/grammar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      1st Place, Feature Columnist2023-24, Division 3-4, News Writing By Keara BanksFocusMidland HS  Indoctrination. Radical. Agenda.  I swear every few months the GOP finds a new word to shake around like a dog after a bath. Something long enough that they can sound smart, and yet difficult enough that most people won’t want to look up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[57,4],"tags":[207,22,23],"class_list":["post-7406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-featurecolumnist","category-nw","tag-2023-24","tag-division3","tag-division4","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"PJ Pfeiffer","author_link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?author=15"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6K0n6-1Vs","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7406"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7406\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}