Arts

14
Senior apologizes to student body
for discrimination against LGBT
Thirty minutes before school
submitted by
Mithra Ananthkumar

let out, the cafeteria was full of

the students who were listening
to Miss Oklahomas speech on
how ones attitude determines
ones altitude. Except, it was
irrelevant considering her
reason being there. After all, the
day was intended to celebrate
Black History.
Instead of speaking about
the culture that the month
was dedicated to, on Friday,
February 26, Miss Oklahoma
gave a lecture on abstinence,
virginity, and Christianity with
readings from the Bible.
Many students became upset.
Of course, it was only a spark
to a blazing wildfire that was
to come; at the open floor Q
and A session, a student asked
a question that referred to the
LGBT community.
If my attitude is pro-LGBT,
then what is my altitude? Do
your words extend to everyone
regardless of their sexual
orientation or gender identity?
A fair question, and note,
there is no discrimination.
Being LGBT is a choice and
attitude that influences your
choices, Miss Oklahoma said.
Homosexuality is a sinful
choice, which will lead you
away from success.
At this point, most of the
cafeteria cleared out once this
statement was made.
Miss Oklahomas mother
took the microphone from the
student and began to preach her
beliefs.
Homosexuality is a sin
Sodomy is illegal and impure.
If a man chooses to sodomize
another man he will be
punished by God for his sins
and by the law.
According to her, she said
that HIV and AIDS were
punishment by God. Not to
mention that kissing anyone
before standing at the altar leads
to unhealthy emotional ties.
Abstinence slips were handed
out so that students may stay
pure and not be damned to
Hell.
Later that day, I spoke to
some parents after school and
it became clear that sexual
abstinence contracts were
used in old-fashioned Christian

schools.
After speaking with the
student who has been receiving
threats since, many other
student audience members
said that they were upset and
uncomfortable. Students felt
that religion was being forced
down their throat, being told
that their beliefs were wrong
and who they were was not
acceptable and that being LGBT
was a sin.
Rather than celebrating
black history, Miss Oklahoma
decided to inappropriately
insert her own personal
prejudices and put it on display
for all present at the show, a
student said.
What that student did on
the stage was brave. I give them
a salute for standing up and
speaking, however, what Miss
Oklahoma did was against the
law. After all, shes a Pastor,
another said.
Lee v. Weisman states
that a member of the clergy
is forbidden from speaking
religiously in a public school.
In addition, the handing out of
religious non-school literature
is forbidden unless approved
by the district. This federal
code of law was shattered. In
hindsight, all of this could have
been avoided if religion wasnt
even brought up at the program,
which in my opinion was due to
lack of communication.
Ignorance is the problem
causing dispute cultures and
religions, but this incident
would only prove that
otherwise.
I support the LGBT
community, not to take a stand.
I support the LGBT community
because they are people like me.
For those who dont support
them: yes, you are, entitled your
opinion, but you are not entitled
to make others feel inferior to
you or that they are unworthy of
living because of who they are.
Let us hope that this incident
will bring an end to such things
in our school, and act as a start
for creating something better. It
is true, words are the sharpest
blade; a blade which is wielded
time and time again. It is not
against the law to stand up for
what you believe in. In the end
of the day, we are all humans.
We should worry about taking
care of our own, not fighting
with one another.

March 2016 | Prowler

1. Junior Delicia
Sledge gets
emotional after
reading an intimate
poem about
skin color and
opportunity.
2. Step team
members junior
Tamara Reynolds,
freshman Jamahsis
Hodge-Marshall,
and junior Kodi
Johnson dance for
the program.
3. Step team
members juniors
Jermaine Randle
and Kodi Johnson
doing their step
routine on the stage.
4. Program adviser
Alvina Johns talks
about the impact
of the black history
program.
5. Principal
Anthony Watson
performs in a
singing duet for the
program.
6. Senior jazz band
member Ryder
Sanchez performs
the famous song
Fantasy by
Earth,Wind and
Fire.
7. A painted
portrait of
LaShanda Holmes
by junior Hannah
Greb.

program
Boosting Black History Annual
promotes acceptance
by staff manager Delilah Rivera

The tables and chairs

are set in alignment while
the fluorescent lights beat
down on the cafeteria stage.
Students and staff run
around up and down the
stage as they are filled with
anxiety. Everything must
be organized; its the annual
program to promote Black
History Month.
Every year on campus,
the program is organized
and ran by English teacher
Alvina Johns. The program,
held during the month of
February to promote cultural
acceptance.
I organize the program,
Johns said. And historically,
the program has been
totally student centered
where I ask for student
volunteers to come and be
participants.
According to Johns, the
program tries to provide a
variety of activities which
students can perform in.

Students can participate

in anything ranging from
spoken words, to acting, art
competitions and even music.
Its an opportunity that
gives students the chance to
shine, Johns said.
In February, junior
Hannah Greb participated
in the art competition with a
painted portrait of LaShanda
Holmes, the first black female
pilot in the U.S.Coast Guard.
The art competition is ran by
art teacher Becky Freed.
It makes me feel happy to
be a part of something thats
not limited to this school
and extends to the rest of the
community and can inspire
others, Greb said.
While the program is
completely student based,
Johns says that even adults
can also be a part of it. This
year, participants of the
program included Principal
Anthony Watson, hall
monitor Adrian Washington,
and even a special guest

speaker, Star Williams, who

was Miss Oklahoma in the
Miss USA Pageant back in
2003. However, with more
participants, more time must
be squeezed for the event,
which lasts only an hour and
a half.
We have to cram it all in
and thats pretty stressful;
the week of because Im just
running around scrambling
making sure the Is are dotted
and the Ts are crossed,
Johns said. And normally Im
the one who does this from
time to time. I have a couple
people on the committee who
work with me, but everybody
is just so busy. And I know
it. I know how to do it, and I
know what I want.
However, Johns says
she wishes to do more. In
the future, she hopes of
being able to form a full
cultural fair that would
celebrate all cultures within
the community. She has
proposed the idea to the

school and hopes it will be in

effect by next school year.
Its a vision Ive had for a
long time to be able to have
some type of a beautiful
cultural diversity program,
where we have tables and
booths set up in the mall,
displaying different cultures
and people can walk by and
experience those cultures,
Johns said. Maybe its
something we could do in the
fall in the beginning of the
school year. I think it would
be awesome.
For now, Johns has her
hands full with the black
history program and its
preparations, as it continues
to bring students and staff
together to support and raise
awareness for black history
month every February on
campus.
I just want everything to
go right, Johns said. But
for the most part, people are
there, and it always turns out
beautifully.