SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • OCTOBER 9, 2019 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 07
PAYMENT PLAN WOES PG 3
THRIFTED GOLD PG 5
LEFT-HANDED CHALLENGES PG 7
Mississippi state flag redesign sparks debate Caleb McCluskey | Printz
BRIAN WINTERS PHOTO EDITOR n recent years, some Mississippians have wanted a new flag design, while others hold on to the current one. One Mississippi native, Laurin Stennis, designed a flag that has gained support. Stennis, of Jackson, Mississippi, is an artist and the granddaughter of Sen. John C. Stennis. Stennis said she moved back to Mississippi and wanted to fly the state flag outside her home but could not because of the current design. “I began a period of intense reflection and research,” Stennis said. “One of the reasons we had not moved forward
was a lack of an elegant design, which we could all unify around.” Stennis said with her artistic background, she had something to offer as a public service for her state. She researched the basic tenets of good flag design and translated it into her flag. “This flag represents history, hope and hospitality,” Stennis said. “I cannot think of a better way to summarize this special place or its people.” According to the Stennis flag website, the flag’s design captures the history of Mississippi. “The red bars stand in opposition to one another recognizing the passionate differences we sometimes harbor; the red color represents the blood spilled by Mississippians—both civilian and military—who have honorably given their lives in pursuit of liberty and
justice for all,” the website said. The 19 stars surrounding the large star represent Mississippi’s admission as the twentieth state in the Union, and the circular shape is taken from the indigenous people of the region. The centering of the blue star on the white field is an inverted Bonnie Blue, a reference to the state’s secession. Stennis said this is an acknowledgement of Mississippi’s Confederate past without celebrating it. Finally, the white field on which the stars rest represents spirituality and possibility. “Its strong design coupled with its positive spirit has attracted Mississippians across the state from varied backgrounds,” Stennis said. “This flag allows and encourages every Mississippian to bring their story to the table.”
A group of non-partisan citizens called the Stennis Flag Flyers has the goal to promote the Stennis flag as the state flag. The Stennis Flag Flyers reviewed the history of Mississippi state flags. Director of Stennis Flag Flyers Chris Roth said the reviewed flags represented a time of racial and class distinctions. According to Roth, the group’s goal is to promote the flying of the flag through a nonpartisan grassroots initiative. “With enough support throughout the state, we hope local and state officials will see this as a referendum for change,” Roth said.
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NEWS OCTOBER 9, 2019 MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor
Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu
Managing Editor
Olivia Saldana olivia.saldana@usm.edu
News Editor
Caleb McCluskey caleb.mccluskey@usm.edu
Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu
Feature/Lifestyle Editor Karigan Teer karigan.teer@usm.edu
Sports Editor
Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu
Multimedia Editor
Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu
Webmaster
Omer Arshad omer.arshad@usm.edu
Photo Editor
Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu
Design Editor
Emily Brinkman emily.brinkman@usm.edu
Graphic Designers
Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu Kathleen Hetherington kathleen.hetherington@usm.edu Alexandria Moore alexandria.casey@usm.edu
Printz Advisor
chuck.cook@usm.edu
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Black business owner responds to vandalism BLAIR BALLOU MULTIMEDIA EDITOR he Hattiesburg Police Department is investigating the recent vandalism of Vikki Layne’s Bar and Grill in Downtown Hattiesburg. Black business owner and owner of the restaurant Vikki Layne Terrell opened the doors to her restaurant on 115 Walnut St. Sept. 30 to find it vandalized with racial slurs spray painted throughout the building. “It’s scary to know that my daughters can grow up in a world that still does this because everybody thinks it’s gone, and unless it happens to you, it’s really hard to believe, Terrell said. “You think it’s over until it happens to you or your mother or your sister or your aunt.” When Terrell walked in the doors and saw the state of her restaurant, which is located, she began streaming on Facebook Live, where the video has been viewed almost 40 thousand times. A friend and former coworker of Vikki’s Keshia Partida said seeing the damage was painful. “It was heartbreaking,” Partida said. “She works hard for this [restaurant].” Terrell said she believes a bizarre interaction she had late Sept. 21 could be connected to the crime. She said while decorating her restaurant for her daughter’s birthday, she saw a person taking photos of the locks. When she confronted the man, she said he said he was taking photos of the gate for his mother and fled. Terrell said she caught part of the encounter on video. Terrell said the most important steps are cleaning up and stepping up her security. Terrell said her new camera system along with the support from the community makes her feel safe. “It’s nice to know everyone is behind me because when you walk in and you see something like this,
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you feel alienated and overwhelmed,” Terrell said. Terrell has received criticism on social media, Some called the attack staged, and some even questioned the race of the vandals. Hattiesburg resident and creator of the restaurant’s GoFundMe Amanda Roberts said she believes inflammatory media coverage and negative opinions being mistaken as fact has created doubt and racial division in the city. “Through all of this, [Terrell] has not once accused or blamed any one ethnicity of doing those damages, but people are attacking her as if she has, and it’s ridiculous.” Roberts said. “To me, it doesn’t matter what skin color the perpetrators have, this kind of hate and violent crime should not exist.” Roberts said she started the campaign to help cover what insurance won’t and help pay rent and other fees.
“I know Vikki wouldn’t have staged this because of what is at stake,” Roberts said. “Not only is she leasing the equipment and building that were destroyed, she and her employees are out of work until they can get the mess cleaned up. Plus, the extensive damages may not be covered by insurance and will most likely come out of her pocket.” Terrell said she is less focused on the race of the culprit and more concerned with moving forward. “Whoever did this wanted to instill in me that I could not go forward, that I could not do it, and now I feel obligated to show them that they did not stop anything,” Terrell said. The Hattiesburg Police Department are currently still investigating this case. Contact HPD with any information on the crime at 601-544-7900 or send an anonymous tip to Metro Crime Stoppers.
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Comic by Darius Harris | Printz
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Students struggle to adjust to payment policy ALYSSA BASS EXECUTIVE EDITOR ighty nine students’ classes were canceled for the fall 2019 semester after a change in the payment policy, according to Director of Student Financial Services Barbara Madison. The policy, announced in March, requires students to pay their bills before the semester starts. Bills were posted to students’ SOAR accounts on July 11. Students were required to pay their full balance or enroll in the installment plan by Aug. 10. The Office of the Provost along with the Finance and Administration and Enrollment Management offices discussed the policy after evaluating students who were unable to continue because of their account balances, according to Madison. In an April Faculty Senate meeting, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Amy Miller reported nonreturners owed $1 million to Southern Miss in fall 2018. In previous years, students did not have to pay their balance in full before the semester started, but they were unable to register for the following semester. Miller said the new policy is similar to policies at other institutions. Madison said the purpose of the change was to “provide transparency of the cost of an education, promote student fiscal responsibility, increase retention and reduce student bad debt.” Miller said the university faces the most challenges with first-year students, who do not always factor in the cost of books, room and board and additional fees after their financial aid is deducted. “Tuition is only part of the picture,” Miller said. “I have talked to many students who, when I asked them how they planned to pay for college when they started, told me ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I just figured my aid would cover it.’”
Miller said these comments were repeated in focus groups about the payment policy in the spring. Still, Miller said she understands upperclassmen are struggling to adjust to the new payment schedule. Senior business administration major Nathan Turnage made a public Facebook post in August two days before the deadline that said, “I haven’t really seen anyone say anything about it, but this new payment policy at USM is absolute garbage and a slap in the face to its students.” Turnage said he made the post because he and his friend struggled to adjust to the policy, and his friend had to pay his/her bill before a scholarship was posted on his/her account. “For a lot of people before the semester begins, a lot of stuff is usually still up in the air in terms of what classes they are taking or how they are even going to pay for classes,” Turnage said. “I know the person I referenced earlier talked to the business office, and they basically told them they would have to pay it out of pocket, which is a burden on a college student.” Madison said Business Services heard concerns from students about unposted outside scholarships. Typically, the university does not post outside scholarships to student accounts until the university receives a check, but Business Services accommodated students by taking scholarship offer letters to increase students’ anticipated aid amount in SOAR. Madison said the university promoted the new policy through social media, Eagle Vision, emails, handouts, tabling, Canvas and postcards in the spring. Turnage said Southern Miss notified students of the policy change sufficiently, but the reactions to his post showed a disconnect between the university and the students. “I would say 89 students having their classes dropped would validate my opinion of the policy. It looks like a small number of people compared to total enrollment, but what if you’re one of those 89 people who had your
Nyaharika Rai | Printz
chance at a better future taken away by a poorly thought out policy,” he said. Senior legal studies major Petra Ehlers said she would have preferred a year’s notice before the policy changed. Ehlers said she talked to someone in the Dean of Students Office, Financial Aid and Business Services, but she was told “there is nothing USM can do to help the students.” “I would like to have been given a year’s notice, so that I could have saved up money to
be able to not have a mental breakdown and spend my whole semester focused on working and not learning,” Ehlers said. “This semester I had to borrow money from a friend to pay my student bill. I think Business Services needs to talk with the student body about creating a policy that all sides can be happy with.” Miller said faculty and staff are open to suggestions on how to better communicate with students and support them with financial management and awareness.
Masters of public health program ranked most affordable CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR outhern Miss’ master of public health program was recently ranked No. 1 as the most affordable program in the East by the Masters in Public Health Degrees, an online resource for exploring MPH degrees in America. “[The ranking] is amazing,” interim director of the school of health professions and associate professor for the School of Health Professions Hwanseok Choi, Ph.D., said. “We have been working hard to provide good programs to the students for the past years, and this news made us feel good.” Associate teaching professor for the School of Health Professions Amy Arrington said she was honored that the program was recognized. “We strive to provide a quality, affordable and accessible program for students, so having this validated by an external ranking is rewarding,” Arrington said. “This is a great recognition of the hard work that all of our faculty and staff dedicate to the program.” Southern Miss’ MPH program was ranked first among 18 colleges around the eastern portion of the country with an average tuition of $8,514 in state, which online students pay as well, and $10,514 out of state. The ranking is based solely on the online version of the programs, but Choi said online is their strong suit. Arrington said the school dictates the price of tuition and is proud it can keep the costs down while still holding an accreditation. “USM’s leadership has worked hard to keep tuition and other costs reasonable, especially in online programs for students,” Arrington said. “That has certainly helped the MPH program remain competitive in terms of cost.” Accreditation, according to Arrington, is a
Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
great marker for how qualified a school is. Choi said the school has been accredited since 1993 and has not lost the recognition since. “As far as quality, our MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health,” Arrington said. “Our entire department recognizes the importance of accreditation and how it keeps us focused on providing a quality education for public health students.” Choi said many students have had internships across America that led to jobs with prestigious
hospitals like Mayo Clinic and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. He said the department works with students to find internships based on their desired field and location. “We have a decent program with a small number of students in classes, a close relationship between faculty and students and intensive internship experience, which may be connected to their first job,” Choi said. Choi, who is a biostatistics professor, said the school has students from all over the world working toward a master’s degree. Still, he
said the department is closely knit. According to Choi, there are currently 62 students who take MPH classes on campus and 25 online students. “The family-like atmosphere is our department’s bragging point. We work together all the time for the most part of work in the program,” Choi said. “Students can also feel the same way when they meet the faculty because of that.” First-year graduate student in the program Asia McCoy, who attended Southern Miss as an undergraduate, said she jumped at the chance when offered a graduate assistantship. She said the program deserves its ranking because of the dedicated faculty. “I have highly enjoyed the program so far and look forward to the following semesters to come,” McCoy said. “The faculty and staff are just as invested, if not more invested in the courses, in comparison to their inperson lectures, it makes me feel as though the program deserves the number one ranking.” Recent graduate Anastasia Walrod, who majored in public health, said her long-term goal is to become a public health professor, which would require her to eventually enroll in an MPH program. Walrod is currently working in the Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa. “USM has a genuinely awesome MPH program that is beautifully affordable,” Walrod said. “I actually did apply to the program in the spring, though, in case it didn’t work out in the Peace Corps.” Choi said the MPH program is a great place for those looking to contribute to health without becoming a medical doctor or nurse. “There are so many ways to improve our community health, environmental health and global health. You don’t need to be a doctor or a nurse,” Choi said. “You can contribute by doing research, medical data science, public health education and so on.” Brian Winters contributed to this report.
FEATURES OCTOBER 9, 2019
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Students reflect on fast-food jobs MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER
any people view the fast-food industry as a low point in the job world. Despite this belief, students who have worked these jobs often gain valuable skills that will help them in the future. Sophomore sports coaching major Michael Perret began working in the fastfood business in 2015. While working at Ward’s, Perret learned various skills that would better equip him for future jobs in the food industry. He said that working there allowed him to prepare food in a timely manner while and grow his work ethic. “There are many practical skills I learned that helped me when I went into cooking at restaurants, and I still use those skills today,” Perret said. Although Perret is grateful for the life lessons he learned when working in the fast-food industry, he also said that the job had many negative qualities in addition to the benefits. “It’s like sprinting a marathon,” Perret said. “If you’re not constantly working as fast as you can, you will soon not have a job anymore.” While working for minimum wage, many fast-food employees eventually leave the business because of the atmosphere or the work that goes into food production. Workers often see the job as a gateway before transitioning into other career opportunities. Sophomore kinesiology major Katie Cork said that the fast-food industry was the beginning of a humbling experience. As a teenager, she worked at Wendy’s in 2017. Working $9 an hour, she had multiple benefits, including her
Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
coworkers, who she said treated her like family. “It’s not the same for everyone,” Cork said. “But I had a great experience. I had a good crew and great managers that actually cared about me.” With a positive outlook on her past employment, Cork said that there were also many negative aspects. Cork said that many people in the fast-food industry have to deal with rude customers with misplaced orders as well as being burned by hot stoves or grease. “It teaches you to have tough skin,” Cork said. “You learn to be very
efficient.” Junior social work major Anna Webb worked at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in 2015. Webb said the job was the start of her working career, especially in the food production business. She applied for the job in order to work with her friends who were recent hires. Webb said those friends made the job easier to handle and the atmosphere lighter than she initially imagined. “I can’t speak for all fast-food restaurants, but working at Krispy Kreme was not as bad as many people make fast-food jobs out to be,” Webb
said. Webb says she left the job due to the amount of work, which was unbalanced with the amount of pay. Making only minimum wage, she decided to further her job search for a more suitable experience in food production. Webb reflected on how difficult it was to satisfy customers as a new hire. “The worst part was having customers dissatisfied with the speed of the food being prepared,” Webb said. “People often disrespect the cashiers, who have no control over the food production.” Although many fast-food workers consider the job to be unpleasant, Webb said the experience was worth it. Finding a new skill allowed her to not only step out of her comfort zone, but also to apply for additional jobs with that same background. “I had some great times and created many memories. I also gained barista experience, which will help me with future potential occupations,” Webb said. Although many fast-food workers are below the age of 25, many fast-food chains are slowly losing workers, according to a study by CNBC. According to the study, employee turnover for the fast food industry is around 150%. The study also explained that many employees are being replaced by machines that allow customers to place their orders in a faster manner. Because these machines are not available at all fast-food locations, there are still cashiers to allow customers to order efficiently. Webb said there are essential things to remember when customers are ordering at the window. “The faster you order, the faster we get your food to you,” Webb said. “Treat workers with respect, and they’ll do the same.”
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All photos by Brian Winters & Caleb McCluskey | Printz
Roth said another reason for generating support for the Stennis flag is to make the change to a new flag a smoother process. The group asks supportive individuals to fly the Stennis flag, making it highly visible. Roth said generating support throughout the state for the Stennis flag avoids the lengthy process of deciding what the state flag should be. He said the Stennis flag’s visibility would make it an obvious choice. “While these flags were certainly of historical importance, they were not representative of who we are as citizens
today,” Roth said. Research led the group to the Stennis flag. The Stennis Flag Flyers met with Stennis and decided to endorse the flag. “Stennis flags, stickers and the new flag car tag can already be seen across the state,” Stennis said. “The change is already happening.” David Flynt of Hattiesburg and member of No State Flag, No State Funds, said it would be a terrible idea to change the state flag. “She pulled it out her a**,” Flynt said. “The current flag of Mississippi
represents the good and the bad.” Flynt and the group had been protesting in support of flying the current Mississippi state flag on Southern Miss’ campus for three years. President Rodney Bennett ordered the flag’s removal in 2015. Flynt said the Confederate canton in the state flag symbolizes home to the soldiers on the Civil War battlefields and has grown to mean home to other Mississippians. The group said the inclusion of an inverted Bonnie Blue on the Stennis flag does not carry the same history as the Confederate
canton. Still, Flynt said he would support the Stennis flag if the public voted to change the state flag to it. “If the public votes for that flag, that is the flag we get,” Flynt said. Stennis said Mississippi deserves and benefits from having a new logo, and the redesign does not belong to just one party but belongs to the entire state. “If it’s a good flag, then it can be flown anywhere without a moment’s hesitation by anyone,” Stennis said. “We finally have that.”
LIFESTYLE OCTOBER 9, 2019
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African Americans search for their roots EARL STOUDEMIRE PRINTZ REPORTER
any people have learned about their family’s history through DNA testing services, such as Ancestry and 23andMe. However, for African Americans, this passage of self-discovery has setbacks due to the lack of research in certain areas of Africa. African Ancestry is a blackowned company that provides the largest database of African lineages. Freshman criminal justice major Destiney Richey took African Ancestry’s test and had a positive review. “It’s for black people, so I think it would give better results than the others,” Richey said. “It’s more focused on us. It gets more into detail of what part of Africa you come from and even the tribes.” However, the cost for an African Ancestry test is $300, while 23andMe and Ancestry tests cost $99. Senior design and technology major Katarina Kristensen said she knows the test is a luxury item, but she would like to pursue research in the future. “As a multicultural child, my mom decided for me that she wasn’t going to tell me what I was.
She wanted me to figure it out on my own which gave me a sense of independence,” Kristensen said. Ancestry and 23andMe provide connections relative to African Americans, but they do not go into detailed specifics regarding some locations of origin and ethnic groups. Senior psychology major Lexi Matthews felt conflicted using 23andMe because of her generalized test results. “I would really like to know what specific African tribe or village my ancestors were apart of, and the results do not show these specifics. The company will update my results if they find out anything more specific related to the regions my ancestry comes from, which I appreciate,” Matthews said. Still, Matthews said she appreciates her ancestors more after taking the test. “Before taking the test I ‘knew’ my roots as they were passed down verbatim, but I wanted to truly know what it is for myself. When I opened my results, I was filled with numerous emotions. I felt like I knew more about myself that no one could tell me without taking the test. After analyzing the outcome, I appreciated my ancestors so much more. My ancestors come from around the world and I know it took a lot of sacrifice for me to be where I am,” Matthews said.
Graphic by Derrick “DJ” Reed | Printz
Thrifted Gold: Vibing with vinyl BETHANY MORRIS SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR ollege students have been drawn to the music of the generations before them for decades. Many college towns have a local record store where students can unwind after a long day of classes, work on homework and listen to some throwback tunes. The nostalgia for browsing through a record store like their parents did draws generations together. I’m personally an old soul, and I love some good throwback music. Many of my friends call me “Grandma Beth,” and my family often asks me if I know any songs that are top hits from today— the answer is most likely no. I got into buying records because all of the artists I enjoy listening to initially recorded their music on vinyl, so I enjoy hearing the original sound of their music before it all became digitized. I have shopped in records stores in New York and New Orleans, and I have been all over the states browsing through record stores, but some of the greatest vinyl finds I have found were in thrift stores and shops around Mississippi. Laurel has a bingo lounge and thrift store called NUTS, where I have found many gospel records for $1. Southern Antiques in Laurel is made up of boutique and locally made items, in addition to booths owned by local
Bethany Morris | Printz
people. Many of the booths have vinyl records with the prices ranging from $1-$15 depending on the artist and the quality. At Southern Antiques, I have
found many Elvis and soft rock classics. Like Southern Antiques, The Atrium in Meridian offers boutique and locally made items along with antiques.
The location is an old furniture store’s storage building that has been converted into a marketplace. Most Southern Miss students go to the popular thrift store in Hattiesburg, The Lucky Rabbit. Although the store is only open the first weekend of every month, the thrifted gems you’ll find there are worth the wait. I have found a Peter, Paul and Mary album from here, and there are so many booths that carry records for you to choose from. While T-Bones Record Store is not a thrift store, it is definitely a local favorite for vinyl. T-Bones offers a wide range of vinyl from new releases to oldie but goodies. The section I love to browse is the preloved vinyl, where you can find many excellent quality records for $3-$10. Here are some tips for a fruitful record shopping experience: 1. Know unpopular genres of records, such as classic country and southern gospel, are always cheaper 2. Know the value of the record you’re interested in. 3. Be sure to check for cuts and grooves in the record. 4. Always check to see if the record is warped. It takes a little time digging through the records to find that perfect record, but it is way better to waste time than to waste money on records that would cost you anywhere from $25-$40 on Urban Outfitters or Ebay. Shopping local for vinyl records can lead you to unique finds without spending a fortune.
ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 9, 2019
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KFC releases new dating simulator BRIAN WINTERS PHOTO EDITOR
n the age of social media, companies are fighting to get their names out into the world, like by being sassy on Twitter. In an unexpected move, KFC released a dating simulator. The game “‘I Love You Colonel Sanders!’ A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator” was released on Sept. 24 and was developed by Psyop. The dating simulator was released on Steam for free. The main character is a culinary student who tries to date classmate Colonel Sanders. The choices made throughout the game affect your chances of friendship and love. The gameplay follows the style of visual novels, meaning the only control is clicking to the next dialogue option. Right away the game reminds me of a college student not wanting to go to class. The first option given is deciding if the character should wake up when the alarm goes off or lie in bed and skip class. The rest of the game’s play is set at the cooking school where I met the characters of the game. The first person met is the main character’s best friend, who follows the awkward friend trope. After the best friend, the main villains are met, Aeshleigh and Van Van the Man Man, who looks just like a “JoJo” character — pose and all. Other characters include a child named Pop, a corgi professor named Sprinkles and the colonel himself. The entire class is immediately in love with Colonel Sanders,
skills only added to his interest in me. Colonel Sanders chose me for his cooking partner when it was time to get to the lessons. Choosing a classic of mashed potatoes and gravy to cook caused the colonel to gain even more interest in me. After the cooking class, the colonel and I go into the quad where a turn-based
fighting minigame occurred. The fight is inspired by classic RPG games where each fighter takes turns attacking and defending. The fight goes on slowly, only ending when the colonel steps in and defeats the attacker. Later there is a cook-off minigame where I had to answer questions relating to cooking such as what temperature does water boil and how many herbs and spices KFC uses on their chicken. The cook-off ends after the main character got distracted by the colonel and crushes their hand in a mixer. After the cook-off, the colonel opens up about his past and all the business ventures he failed at. It even references the rumor that the real Colonel Sanders killed a man with the joke of the in-game colonel saying he killed his business partner. The background information tells the player why the colonel is obsessed with being the best chef in the world. After the colonel opens up, he invites me back to his house. I chose this as the right time to admit to having feelings, and the colonel admitted he did as well. The only issue is the colonel is afraid developing feelings would distract him from his dreams, which is too relatable. The game ends with a final cooking exam where the colonel and I team up and make a dish that is so amazing that everyone passes the class. The class has a graduation ceremony and the colonel comes out to ask a very important question. I had chosen the right options, and the colonel asked me to be his partner in business and in life. The game ends with the line, “I love you, Colonel Sanders!” The game took about an hour to finish, and every moment was finger-licking good.
themes in his shows, and while “The Politician” does not go too far left like “Scream Queens” did, it still does a bit too much. For instance, Platt is expected to sing in any production he’s involved in, but the musical theater storyline felt random. Also, it seems like the River character was named that purely so Murphy could put the Joni Mitchell song in the show. River, played by David Corenswet, however, has by far the most endearing plotline in “The Politician.” It might be difficult to accept a heartwarming and endearing plot within a show that is supposedly trying to position itself as satirical,
but the scenes with River bring a sense of warmth to the other characters. Corenswet’s character brings everything together and without him, there would really be no reason to care about the other characters. It can be a little goofy, and a lot of the supporting characters come across as totally unbearable. That aside, “The Politician” is a mostly enjoyable show with all of its melodramatic, confused messiness. “The Politician” ended episode eight with bright signs of a better and hopefully less confusing season two.
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and the game constantly describes him as perfect and handsome. I tried to win the colonel over from the start of the game, which was not too hard to do. Choosing to sit next to him and getting all the questions right on a quiz made him compliment me and develop a crush. Constant compliments on his cooking and
‘The Politician’ shows potential in first season JACK MCCALLUM ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR Illustration by Emily Brinkman | Printz
he Politician” is a stylish show with many of Ryan Murphy’s typical over-the-top tropes in this quirky story about a high school politician. The first Netflix original to come from Murphy’s deal with the streaming service, “The Politician” creates a strong foundation for the series. Focused on candidate for student body president Payton Hobart, played by Ben Platt, “The Politician” discusses mental health, politics and queerness over a Wes Anderson-like backdrop. Payton’s fake personality, desire to be president and wishes of being a better person make for a bingeworthy and enjoyable show. Although there might be a few annoyances throughout the series, “The Politician” has far more highs than lows. “The Politician” finds one of its greatest successes in its way of building an ensemble. Throughout all of his TV shows, Murphy has built charismatic casts that bring together A-listers and newcomers. With amazing and intriguing performances from Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange and Platt, “The Politician” would truly be nothing without its cast. An apparent issue in “The Politician” that comes
up in nearly all TV shows based around high school is that all of the characters look 30. It is hard to believe that a character is voting in a high school election when they have frown lines and a receding hairline. While the self-aware “Heathers” can get away with the actors obviously not matching their characters’ ages, “The Politician” comes across as too confused with its message to effectively pull it off. There are times, like in the episode focused on the undecided voter, where “The Politician” tells the viewer that voting is not necessary and change rarely ever comes from a single vote. In other moments, though, “The Politician” attempts at preaching about one’s civic duties. “The Politician” would have fared far better had it been more self-aware. There is melodrama throughout the show, particularly in the scenes with the Gypsy Rose Lee parody who Platt’s character chooses as his vice-presidential candidate. However, it never truly addresses how unimportant student elections are. It really is too bad that “The Politician” takes these scenes so seriously instead of playing them up. But there are times where “The Politician” really gets it right. For example, take Lange’s portrayal of a grandmother named Dusty who is poisoning her granddaughter is perfectly over-the-top for this show. Murphy has a habit of tossing far too many
OPINION OCTOBER 9, 2019
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Left-handed voices deserve to be heard CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR ith all of the division currently in America, people are failing to hear an almost-silent minority suffering in the sidelines. Left-handed people have been the butt of the joke for far too long, and we deserve to be heard. Imagine not being able to cut a straight line or use a knife properly. Imagine having constant ink smudges on your hands and never being able to use a notebook, binder or whiteboard to its full potential. This is the plight of a left-handed student. Nothing was built with a left-hand or uni-hand theme. Sure, we have left-handed scissors, notebooks and other non-essentials, but they are far more expensive than their righthanded counterparts. Why should items like left-handed notes be over $40 for a pack of six with 100 pages on Amazon and the right-handed counterpart be $30? Much like the pink tax, a feminist argument that women pay more for items that are specific to women, there is a lefthanded tax that is grossly unfair. Like a troll under a bridge, companies make the same item and force people to spend more just to be more comfortable. This may seem like an unfair comparison, but when items are marked up due to the supply and demand structure we operate in, it can be an issue. You may say, “What is an extra $10 here or there?” But there is an availability issue as well. Walk into any store in America, no matter what for, and there is a distinct lack of left-handed tools. Speaking of tools, what about trade tools
Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
like cameras, instruments, knives, etc.? As a photographer, I have personally noticed the build of cameras complementing a righthand bias. A quick search on both Nikon and Canon’s websites as well as multiple camera shops produced no leads on a left-handed camera. Luckily, I can manage pressing my shutter button on the right, but it shows a lack of consideration. Left-handed musicians are also at a
disadvantage. A new Fender American professional telecaster is slightly over $1,000 on Reverb, an online shop similar to eBay that caters to musicians, while the same guitar in a lefty form is $1,500. To a struggling musician, the extra $500 goes a long way. If you are right-handed, you will never know the humiliation that is being taught to tie knots in the Boy Scouts or not being
taught correct stances in sports like baseball or boxing. Some southpaws, like myself, are lucky enough to have enough coordination to use their right hand for sports, but others are not so lucky. Moving past the petty squabbles of materials and tools, left-handed people operating heavy machinery are far more likely to get into accidents. I wouldn’t want to die on a forklift or in a train accident just because I favor the non-popular hand. Not only is it inconvenient to be lefthanded in the modern day, but it also was arguably even more than an everyday inconvenience to historically left-handed people. Everyone has heard the story of the young writer slapped on the wrist every time he picked up the pencil with the devil’s hand. The act of repressing a child for choosing one hand could lead to not only poor handwriting, but also psychological damage and self-esteem issues. I am not trying to equate left-handedness to minorities, but the fact that we were looked down upon at all is highly ridiculous. In Latin, the word for sinister literally translates to “left.” It is no coincidence that the idea of left was frowned upon in many ancient cultures. When someone is another person’s righthand man they are the person that will always be there, yet there is no analogy for the left-hand man. Lefty means sinister, clumsy, gauche, dubious and awkward. Yes, I am awkward, but my choice of hand does not make that so. For those who wish to punch back from this article, remember that I have a distinct advantage as a southpaw in boxing, so just write a letter to the editor about how much this article was a waste of time, and remember I agree with you, yes you, personally about whatever opinion you have on the left-right debate.
Single-sex schools cause disadvantages MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER Illustration by Kathleen Hetherington | Printz
arents who once argued that single-sex education might benefit children are now rethinking their previous principles. Coeducational schools are now increasing in popularity, especially in the south. Many students within single-sex schools will not be equipped for interaction with the opposite sex in the future. Students also face challenges when they are not taught to coexist, which could later cause issues in the working world. In 2016, there were 80 single-sex public schools in the United States. When discussing single-sex education, it is necessary to compare the benefits as well as the disadvantages students face with this type of schooling. A study from 2015 by Lynn S. Liben approached the controversy of whether single-sex education is an appropriate choice for children. The conclusion was a suggestion of not just relying on data but conversation as well. When comparing human values as well as whether or not education could be considered a choice, the answer to the question is unclear. However, in modern times, many parents have disregarded single-sex education, especially in public schools. When comparing single-sex education to coeducational schools, many studies have shown that there are not many benefits to placing children in classes with their equal gender. A 2019 study by Georgetown Law showed a lack of evidence towards the advantages of single-sex institutions. The study proved that self-esteem is likely to increase within single-sex schools. Gender stereotypes also increase, while social skills decrease exponentially. Many parents make the excuse that students should refrain from distractions such as the opposite sex, but students should have the experience of interacting with the
opposite sex, especially for the sake of social skills. Personally, my public school experience benefited me as a coeducation student. With activities like school dances or co-ed sports, this prepared me for the real world. As a student, it is important to interact with the opposite gender, especially in a school setting. This isn’t necessarily for the sake of dating, but for the sake of learning about the opinions of other students, especially that of the opposite sex. Not only this, but many instructors are not equipped to educate in single-sex schools. When studying to be an educator, different teaching styles can be learned, but adapting
to teach only one gender can be difficult. Of course, there are many single-sex colleges, but many students are not prepared for coeducational colleges after only schooling with one gender. Graduating from a co-educational school benefitted me personally as I ventured into college. There are benefits to single-sex education that many people overlook. Not only will students have a calmer, relaxed interaction with fellow peers, but there are also fewer cliques and a decreasing need for acceptance from the opposite sex.
When schools first began, only males could be educated. Then as soon as females were able to gain an education, it was only through single-sex schools. Eventually, as coeducational schools further developed, there became a choice. Of course, parents have many choices with their kid’s education, and they should not rely on one person’s opinion to decide the future for their child. The data might not specifically define a single child’s future, but from personal experience, coeducational schooling benefited me, especially in college.
SPORTS
OCTOBER 9, 2019
WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Southern Miss soccer balances workload MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR s a student athlete, balancing practice, games, school and a social life can be a challenge. With 12 out of 20 games on the road, the addition of travel takes its toll on the Southern Miss soccer team. “It can be exhausting. Especially when we have those nine-hour drives,” junior goalie Kendall Mindnich said. “We do stop sometimes and get a little workout in and break a sweat, so we are still moving.” A typical day at home for the Southern Miss soccer team starts at 7 a.m. with morning practice followed by weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays and meetings or film sessions spread throughout the week. “We practice in the morning because we do not have lights, so I wake up about 5:30 and get into the locker room by 6. Then we eat breakfast for a little bit,” sophomore midfielder Olivia Durham said. “We talk about our training session, how the teams we are playing that weekend are and how they play.” From there the players spend the duration of the day in class, studying or working. Durham said it is also important for players to make sure they eat right and get enough sleep to do the whole process over the next day. With limited free time, it is difficult to fit in time for socializing outside of team or school events. “In the fall, when we are in season, we don’t really have a social life,” Durham said. “My social life is doing homework with other students, but we all make it work.” Because of how much time the team spends together, the players have formed close bonds
Bethany Morris | Printz
on and off the field, which is ultimately beneficial for game time. “We have a bond that no other team has and we know it,” Mindnich said. “We can be crazy in front of ourselves but we are also very serious and we like to take the game seriously.” Before each game, the team gathers in the locker room to get pumped up before kickoff. Two hours before game time, the locker room is filled with music which most players sing to or hit the lockers. One hour before the game the room settles down and each player finds their way to focus on the task ahead. “I’m very superstitious, so I always put on
Olivia Durham runs toward the goal .
my cleats the same way, my right foot then my left foot. I put on my shin guards right then left,” Durham said. “I read quotes before making sure I’m ready for the game. I always text my mom. She’s my biggest supporter, so she always calms me down.” The Golden Eagles are currently 6-5 overall with a conference record of 1-2. Each loss has been on the road leaving their home record perfect. In the 2018 season, Southern Miss finished as C-USA runner up. The squad hopes to have a similar ending to the 2019 season. “[It is rewarding] being a part of a team that cares and has a different culture than every-
body else and wants to do well,” Mindnich said. “Especially from last year, it was really special to be a part of a team that went so far and made history. It’s really something I will never forget.” With six conference games remaining, there is still potential for the Golden Eagles to improve in conference play. “We can come back from those losses,” redshirt senior defender Kaitlin Fayard said. “We are still learning and growing as a team. We have kind of a younger team, and we are still adapting. I think we will be able to show ourselves in these next few games.”