THE @THEHURONEMERY
HURON EMERY HURON HIGH SCHOOL, 2727 FULLER RD., ANN ARBOR MI 48105
VOL. 8 ISSUE 5
NEWS PAGE 3 SELAH CARGNEGIE HALL
Narcan nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses, is now accessible for free at the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. PHOTO CREDIT: ANITA GAENKO
Naloxone: a life saving drug to be stocked in AAPS ELIOT DIMCHEFF COPY EDITOR
M
oose Gultekin approached the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ board of education with trepidation, intent on broaching a deeply important topic. Gultekin stood in a room full of older, unfamiliar faces, save for a few friends that had come along to support them. Overcoming their nerves, Gultekin began to speak. “There has been a lot of talking about overdosing,” Gultekin said at their Feb. 8 public address. “I actually have a couple of questions for the audience.” By show of hands, the attend-
ees demonstrated varying levels of familiarity with the life saving drug Narcan (naloxone). Most knew what it was, few knew how to use it, and even fewer carried it with them. Gultekin then sprang into the rest of their address. “It was a surreal experience,” Gultekin said. “I was going up there like, ‘this is gonna be weird.’I remember seeing a lot of heads nodding and hearing a lot of clapping at the end.” Gultekin, a Community High School student, was asking the board about the presence of Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray in school buildings. They had recently discovered that students and staff in AAPS buildings were not provided naloxone, a life-sav-
NEWS
briefs
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING RECAP ANNA ESPER WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On April 12, Ann Arbor Public Schools held one of their weekly School Board Meetings, where the board discusses important issues and changes in the district. Following public commentary, the two main points of discussion were the Summer Learning and Enrichment program and the Superintendent’s update. The board announced
ing drug used to stop opioid overdoses, by the district. “That made me really stressed, mostly because I think Narcan is like another life saving device like an AED or an EpiPen,” Gultekin said. “Everyone should have access to it at any time it’s needed.” While Superintendent Jeanice Swift did not respond to requests for an interview, AAPS Director of Communications Andrew Cluley provided a copy of the original March 10 community bulletin. “With the health and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors continuing as a top priority, Ann Arbor Public Schools is currently taking the necessary steps to have the rescue medication Naloxone in our school
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SEE NARCAN, PAGE 2
A broken system : Why are the wrong people behind bars?
Ann Arbor Public Schools start each board meeting with public commentary. PHOTO BY SANDRA FU
the three summer school programs for the summer of 2023. The three programs include the Special Education Programs, English Learner Programs, and the Summer Music Program. Each of the different programs have different opportunities and camps that have been specialized for different students’ needs. Additionally, the Superintendent Jeanice Swift took time to give her own updates. Some of the up-
buildings,” the bulletin read. Fatal opioid overdoses in Washtenaw County increased by 28 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to the bulletin. Naloxone knocks opioid agonist (initiating a physiological reaction) molecules off of opioid receptors in the brain and inhibits the effects of those drugs. This quickly reverses reduced heart rate and respiration - side effects that can make opioid overdose fatal. “Just as CPR, AED devices and EPI pens are used in times of medical emergency, naloxone will be administered by trained AAPS staff according to medical protocols,” the bulletin said.
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dates included new information on support for childcare and standardized testing. Regarding childcare, the district added two additional programs, which is a 50 percent increase. There are also new job postings for childcare help. “For folks who want to lend a hand we would ask you to take our job posting and put it out on your networks,” Swift said. “Working in service to our children, I can’t think of a better job.”
ANNABELLE YE, JULIANNE CUCOS, AND SAMARA JIHAD DESIGN EDITOR AND STAFF WRITERS 20,000. That’s how many people are estimated to be innocent in the United States prison population in a study done by the Innocence Project. That’s 20,000 people wrongfully stripped away from their loved ones, 20,000 people wrongfully denied the right to vote, 20,000 people behind bars, serving someone else’s sentence. According to a study done by the University of Michigan Law School, Black
Americans make up around 53 percent of known wrongful convictions, despite representing only 13.6 percent of the American population. Additionally, the National Registry of Exonerations reported that, “Innocent Black people are about seven-and-a-half times more likely to be convicted of murder than innocent white people.” But, why? The answer lies in this country’s centuries of systemic racism. “What we have done to Black people in this country is deny them the
SEE SYSTEM, PAGE 2