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KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
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CheickDiallo
To the gorgeous guy with brown eyes at the Market. All I want for Christmas is you!
When someone describes themselves as a taxpayer, they're about to piss you off.
Christmas list
10 years ago: an
American Girl doll,
boom box, puppy.
Christmas list now:
money, Pyrex,
vacuum, money
What is this bright object in the sky?!
Oh. The sun. Gotcha.
Carry on
Good vibes!
Am I the only Beatles fan on campus?
Why is the ncaa tournament going to be in the Horejski center instead of the fieldhouse?
Man tip: buy an oversized umbrella so you can walk cute girls to class when it's raining. You're welcome.
Unless Lowley Listens is some kind of Hipster code for "highkey complete trash music," I'm not quite sure why Jaden Smith was featured.
Mandated sexual assault education courses do not change rape culture
ANISSA FRITZ
@anissafritzz
I would like to see an interactive graphic about coffee sales during finals week.
Universities around the country are making several attempts at properly handling and eliminating sexual assault on college campuses. But some of the plans brought forth are doing the opposite.
Requiring students to take online courses or quizzes on sexual harassment prevention does not help stop rape culture. In fact, these courses twist the concept of sexual assault into a homework assignment, something that is a hassle and can be completed without even fully reading a sentence.
READ MORE AT KANSAN.COM
Whenever I wear a hood up on a jacket, very low key feel like Anakin Skywalker. And not the good kind.
In October, students at the University received a Blackboard notification and an email which detailed a mandatory sexual violence/ sexual harassment prevention training. The training
Is a degree really that important? I mean, it's the thought that counts, right? Isn't that was Christmas taught us?
program can be found on each student's Blackboard site under the "courses" tab that contains the other classes that student is enrolled in.
It's that time of the semester where I wanna cry and drink. hot chocolate. Yes, hot chocolate.
say no to uggs. they ugly.
Not only have the majority of students taken quizzes on things like deceased philosophers longer than this quiz on sexual harassment prevention, but these students also don't even need to receive a perfect score on the quiz to complete the training.
Can I Name A Dog Pizza?
The course contains videos, resources, definitions and other pieces of information. However,the only thing that is required for each student to complete the training is a 10-question quiz.
I just want someone to love me like Bill Self loves Jamari Traylor. Is that too much to ask?
Rape culture is not something that can be condensed to 10 multiple-choice questions. If the problem were so simple, it would have been
These questions do not help individuals to better understand sexual assault. If anything, it's insulting.
The Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access mandated sexual harassment prevention course is located in the same column as the other quizzes and homework assignments for students' actual courses. This gives the impression that sexual harassment and awareness is just another thing that students need to complete to stay in good standing at the University, like getting good grades. This course does not ask the hard questions, it does not place an importance on in-depth knowledge of sexual assault, and it is not enough to make a change in the culture.
The questions are over-simplified, such as this one: "Dan and Mateo are at a party. Dan sees Zoe, a girl he would like to sleep with, so Mateo puts a rooftie, or date-rape drug, in her drink while Dan watches. Dan then takes Zoe home and is aware that she is not sure what is going on or who she is with. Dan has sex with her when he gets home, despite her clearly impaired state. Who in this situation has done something wrong?"
solved by now.
complete the quiz turns the education and awareness of rape culture into a chore.
A majority of college students have had the facts, the statistics and the strategies to stay safe shoved in their face repeatedly. Threatening to put a hold on their enrollment if they do not
that students have to learn, but want to learn. Instead of asking questions that ultimately won't change someone's behavior or even matter to them, such as, "What is one serving of alcohol?" the course should present individuals with questions that make them truly understand the effects of sexual assault and the damage it can cause.
Education on sexual assault should not be made to be viewed as a hassle. It should not be something
For instance: Who makes up the largest population in the nation that suffers from PTSD? The answer? Rape survivors.
Sexual assault is not a chore. It is not a joke. It is not something that should be ignored. Therefore, sexual assault and harassment prevention training should not be formatted like a chore. It should not be treated like a joke. And it should not be made easily ignorable.
RYAN LISTON
@rliston235
LGBTQ+ discrimination is still evident in the United States despite Supreme Court ruling
On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry throughout the country. Seeing all of the rainbow flags and Facebook filters, many people might assume the battle for LGBTQ+ equality had been won. However, discrimination of LGBTQ+ people is a continuing issue.
When the former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius issued the anti-discrimination rules in 2007, 25,000 of the
41,000 state employees were instantly affected because they identified as LGBTQ+. However, current Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback rescinded anti-discrimination rules that protected LGBTQ+ state workers from discrimination on Feb. 10. This decision made it legal to fire state employees or deny someone a state job based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Because there are no federal laws restricting LGBTQ+ discrimination in the workplace, state governments can decide whether to implement protections for
LGBTQ+ workers. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, 28 states currently have no such protections for these people.
The prevalence of legal workplace discrimination toward LGBTQ+ employees means it is harder for LGBTQ+ people to find a job in certain areas if they are open about their sexual orientation or gender identity. People should not have to hide their identity in order to keep a job; they should be able to express themselves without fear of punishment.
Individuals who identi
fy within LGBTQ+ face higher levels of bullying and harassment. In a survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network in 2014, 65 percent of LGBT middle and high school students said they "heard homophobic remarks" on a regular basis.
Thirty-three percent of these students reported being "pushed or shoved" for their sexual orientation and 23 percent for their gender identity.
toward LGBTQ+ students, schools cannot truly be safe environments.
Schools are often regarded as safe havens for young people; however, with such high levels of hostility
As a society, we must strive to improve the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and eliminate laws that undermine their ability to live well. It is important that we continue to advocate for these people by speaking out against the social and systemic discrimination that still exists. The legalization of same-sex marriage is a step, but it is far from the finish line.
Ryan Liston is a freshman from Lawrence studying journalism.
Black Friday has made people less thankful and more materialistic during Thanksgiving holiday
JESSICA GOMEZ
@jesscataylurr
Thanksgiving break is about being with family and loved ones. It's the time to go home for the week, watch football with grandparents while the turkey is in the oven and eat the feast your family cooked. It's an opportunity to be thankful for the people in your life and the opportunities you have been given.
But in recent years, Thanksgiving Day is now an opportunity to go shopping to buy more things instead of focusing on being thankful for what you have:
Because of this materialistic outlook on life, people have to sacrifice their Thanksgiving to let others have shopping extravaganzas. The deals — which are really just repeats of ones in previous years — could be worth it to someone, but these deals shouldn't come at the price of a wholesome holiday.
We have evolved into a society which needs more things all the time, although many of us have everything we need to survive and be happy. Society has slipped into a materialistic cycle of constantly needing more items to feel adequately up to status — so much to the extent that we can no longer give ourselves one full day to be thankful for the items we do have.
@KANSANNEWS
/THEKANSAN
@UNIVERSITY
DAILYKANSAN
Jessica Gomez is a senior from Baldwin City studying journalism and global studies.
Fast forward to present day: Black Friday starts on Thursday night, which promotes commercialism and materialistic views rather than gratefulness. It cuts into quality time with families and instead fills it with the myth that you do, in fact, need more stuff.
- Edited by Dani Malakoff
A few years ago, Black Friday typically started early on Friday morning after Thanksgiving. Shoppers would wake up at 4 a.m. to be at the mall right before the doors opened to grab Christmas gifts to put under the tree, which some families had put up the night before.
and injuries as people push one another to get to the doorbusters first. Incidents like these promote the idea that things are more valued than people.
Black Friday has been known to also bring out the worst in people who maybe didn't get the bargain they were hunting for. Every year, there are stories of people going to extremes to get the products that they "must have." There have even been reports of deaths
Not only that, but some workers must leave their families to serve the public's "needs" in exchange for getting paid more than their hourly wage. While this may seem like a employee's choice, many need the extra income to stay afloat for the upcoming Christmas season.
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