Mount Hood

Weapon epidemic

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

Content warning: this article contains mentions of gun violence and death

Across 13 school districts in Oregon, 48 students were disciplined for bringing guns on school grounds in 2023 — an uptick of more than double the cases reported during the 2018-2019 school year, the last before the pandemic. That year, only 18 cases of guns on campus were reported.

The school districts of Centennial, Corvallis, Crook, Glide, Greater Albany, Jefferson, Medford, North Clackamas, Oregon City, Pendleton, Portland, Reynolds and Salem-Keizer reported student possession of a handgun, shotgun or rifle. The Oregon Department of Education released these records after a request for information filed by KGW. Four out of all 48 cases were middle schoolers.

Juvenile probation officer, Kyle Kinion, has worked closely with West Albany High School for 17 years, holding a unique position in Oregon as the school’s resource officer. West Albany High School sits in the Greater Albany School District, one of the listed 13 districts having reported guns caught on campus. “The (kids) that I work with haven’t shown up with weapons at school because they want to be the bad guy. It’s because they feel that they’ve been pushed to a certain point — (like) they need to protect themselves,” said Kinion. “So much of being a kid, unfortunately, is fear.”

May 2024 will be the upcoming 26th anniversary of the Thurston High School shooting, an Oregon shooting preceding Columbine by nearly a year. Fifteen-year-old Kipland Kinkel was suspended on disciplinary action due to his admission of keeping a stolen handgun in his locker. Following the suspension, he shot his parents, supposedly because of the shame he felt, and, one day later, open-fired in the school cafeteria — killing two students, Ben Walker and Mikael Nickolauson, and wounding 25 others.

Kinkel entered Thurston High School with two knives, two pistols and a rifle, with more than a thousand rounds of ammunition. After firing into a crowd of more than 300 students, it was reported that Kinkel was taken down by his peers — screaming, “Just kill me!” as he fell.

The story has been a grim reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and school disciplinary action — leading to action across Oregon in schools.

“There’s always plans in place. I sit on it — it’s the School Threat Assessment Team, STAT team. Most school districts, communities, or counties have this and this was put in place after the Kip Kinkel Thurston shootings,” said Kinion.

Former Western student Julius Hardman was attending class at Parkrose High School in Portland his junior year when a classmate entered the school with a shotgun under his trenchcoat — loaded with only one bullet intended for himself.

Hardman was in the B-wing of the school when a peer burst through the door shouting that they “gotta go right now.” Upon being asked by the teacher to calm down and explain the situation, she stated that “there was a guy with a gun.”

“She was too serious to be faking,” said Hardman. “Two minutes after she came in, there was an announcement on the intercom saying this is not a drill. (After that) there was a convoy of dudes in army camo.”

The student with the weapon was allegedly heartbroken after his split from his girlfriend, a fellow student. He was disarmed effectively before anyone was hurt — going on to live a relatively normal life after receiving psychological help, while leaving hundreds of former high school students possibly traumatized for life.

“I know that girl who busted into our classroom — she was in the room that (the gunman was in),” said Hardman. “She was f——g terrified.”

Skylar McNett, a current Western freshman, experienced a lockdown in their high school due to a call that there was a shooter on school property. Little did the school know, it was a hoax.

“We’re (all) sitting in lockdown, completely unaware, with the doors barricaded. Some of us have scissors in our hands and books, stuff like that, in case a person tries to break in, because we don’t know what’s going on,” said McNett. “We check online, and all we see is that three people are dead and that there was an active shooter. And it was so terrifying.”

They watched as SWAT officers passed by the windows, securing the perimeter with “giant assault rifles.” Two hours passed before it came out that it was a false call — the perpetrator of which was never discovered.

“I want to be a teacher,” said McNett. “I’m going to have to deal with school safety and be responsible for the lives of like thirty students in (situations) that I can’t control.”

The hoax followed the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting in McNett’s hometown of Roseburg — an event of which McNett knew the victims.

“Somebody saying something to me in the hallways — because I’m a grown man — isn’t going to be the same as a fifteen-year-old who’s in the throes of puberty, with all these things going on in their head. On top of some mental health issues they are going through,” said Kinion. “ … We need to make sure that the community is safe. We need to make sure that they’re safe also. That’s the double-edged sword — making sure we do what’s best for the youth, but also make sure they’re going to be safe and that people around them aren’t going to be harmed.”

Kip Kinkel had his own query in 2023: “How could I have gotten to this point at 15 that all these things came together — where my humanity collapsed, and I did this horrific thing to people I loved and to people I didn’t know?”

The fear Hardman and McNett felt has been resounded by thousands of students across the nation as shootings have become a well-known travesty.

Yet, in 2023, 26 years after the Thurston High School shooting, 48 kids were disciplined for bringing guns to Oregon schools — a statistic emphasizing hundreds of kids’ fears. 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu.

Not alone

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

According to the Legal Information Institute, abuse is described as “an action that intentionally causes harm or injures another person.” Abuse can happen to anyone — any gender, race and sexuality is susceptible to abuse. Although abuse is mainly perceived to occur in romantic relationships, it can occur in any interpersonal relationship. 

Multiple forms of abuse exist such as physical, sexual and verbal abuse along with, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, digital and financial abuse. Coercion is also a type of abuse, which includes reproductive and sexual coercion. Lastly, stalking is also considered a form of abuse.

Many people are not properly educated on what constitutes abuse. This can lead to victims not knowing that what they are experiencing is, in fact, abuse and may struggle to find a way out. Experiencing any physical violence, threats of physical violence or any language that is aimed at controlling, scaring or isolating a person is abuse. Abuse doesn’t only exist within these lines and is more complicated than what can be quantified. Control is the main factor behind abusive behaviors. If one is feeling controlled in any sense of the word, one may be experiencing abuse and should reach out for help. 

According to the domestic violence hotline, 24 people per minute are victims of abuse by an intimate partner, and this excludes all other interpersonal relationships in which abuse can occur. 

An anonymous source spoke about her story, “I had no clue what I was getting myself into. In the beginning, there was no abuse, it was a normal relationship. But as time went on he began to hit me, assault me and limit what food I ate and how much I ate. It’s so hard to see it when you’re in it too, because they’ll apologize while also isolating you from everyone. It wasn’t until recently that I realized how bad it was, and it’s almost three years later.”

There are many resources available for those experiencing abuse. 

The Domestic Abuse Hotline — (800)-799-7233

National Sexual Assault Hotline — 1-800-656-4673, https://www.rainn.org/

Abby’s house — (503) 838-8219

One may also visit the Victim Connect Research Center. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

Psilocybin facility

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

At one point, licensed facilitator Patrick Winczewski was the only full-time facilitator in the state of Oregon — one of two states able to provide legalized psilocybin, a psychedelic mushroom, for clients. Now, Winczewski is no longer the only one.

Inner Guidance, located in North Albany, allows for individuals or groups to experience psilocybin, which, according to the pamphlets offered in the lobby, is “A naturally occurring compound found in many species of fungus… and has been used by humans for spiritual and ceremonial purposes for thousands of years.”

Psilocybin contains psilocin, which closely resembles serotonin, both as a molecule and the effects it has on the brain. It allows the brain to maintain neuroplasticity — which develops new neural connections, creating new habits for individuals or stimulating mental growth.

“If you imagine you’re sledding down a hill, and if you always slide down the same route, that route — that rut — is going to get really deep and it (can be) really hard to get out of it,” said Winczewski. “The metaphor is that (psilocybin) is like a fresh blanket of snow to help you pick new routes, help you get out of the rut you were in and find a different pathway. So if you’re wanting to work on yourself, wanting to process trauma, get over whatever addiction concerns you have — that’s the time to do it.”

At the location in North Albany, the mushroom is offered in three variations: capsule, powder and its natural growth. The powder is most popular, since it may be mixed in with applesauce or other substances, and the effects occur quicker in comparison to the other options.

“It’s interesting because I think a majority of the people who do psychedelic mushrooms do have an excellent time,” said Winczewski. “A lot of people that we see are looking for a supportive space because they have things they’re needing to work on. They have trauma they need to process and they want to do it in a supportive environment. We don’t like to use the term ‘bad trip’ because even if an experience is challenging, which a lot of them are, that doesn’t mean it’s not productive.”

Winczewski is a facilitator — a far different job from a therapist. In his position, Winczewski sits with the clients “journeying” and does not interject. Individuals are free to follow their experience without his influence, but facilitators will offer support when necessary alongside their non-directive approach.

The facility offers various rooms — Earth, Sand, Water and Space — with instruments, coloring books, stuffed animals and more displayed for use. Clients may sit in comfy, reclining chairs, indulge in music or eat snacks. 

During preparation, the first appointment for any client, clients disclose their medical information to Winczewski and learn about psilocybin and the main goal of a facilitator, which is to make the client feel comfortable.

It is the second appointment — known as administration — that the client will experience the effects of psilocybin. Clients must be dropped off and picked up before and after the appointment, which ranges for hours, with the highest dosage being a minimum of a six hour stay.

“A lot of people think we’re guides. We know a lot about it obviously, but I think some people expect to have more answers given to them, and interpretations given to them, but we’re required not to do that,” said Winczewski.

The final appointment, which is optional, exists to provide consultation regarding the experience. Clients may meet with their facilitator to go over the event, something facilitators believe every person should have the opportunity to do. Winczewski recommends waiting a week before meeting for the integration appointment, leaving time to collect, reorganize and apply what they’ve learned to their day-to-day life.

Facilitators are required by Oregon state law to pass an Oregon Health Authority curriculum-approved training program, which, for Winczewski, took six months. The training consisted of indigenous presentations from Shamans on the drug, neurochemistry lessons, counseling, comfort training and ethics. The War on Drugs is evaluated alongside history surrounding psychedelics.

Winczewski hopes that Oregon having legalized psilocybin in certain circumstances will allow for a reformed system across the nation. “It’s a natural medicine. It has profound effects that no other pharmaceutical drug has or does. It’s been used — it’s proven safe. It’s proven effective,” said Winczewski. “This really connects people with their past, their ancestors, their earth, to their God, in a way that other medical systems do not.”

Winczewski admits he is a big fan of mushrooms — that a substance like psilocybin may cure America’s lack of emphasis on preventative and natural medicine and change lives.

“I feel like my soul is on fire after a really good session,” said Winczewski. “People work through so much stuff. We have group sessions and they all just love each other so much — there’s a camaraderie that’s built.”

Psilocybin is still a vastly unexplored tool, with clients not always understanding the true nature of the plant. “Part of my job as a facilitator is also to reduce people’s expectations. You can read one hundred different books on psilocybin journeys — most of them written by white men — but you’re not going to get the answers for what your session will be like by reading all these stories,” said Winczewski. “Because yours is going to be unique, but also beautiful, and we’re here to support you in any way that is necessary.”

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Laken Riley

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains mentions of murder and gun violence

Laken Hope Riley, a 22 year-old nursing graduate of the University of Georgia, was found dead on Feb. 22 after going for a run on campus. Riley graduated from the University of Georgia in 2023 and was continuing her studies at Augusta University, an academic medical center. 

After a steady rise of campus violence nationwide, students and their families are concerned for their safety. Many are wondering what they can do to keep themselves safe and more importantly, what their schools can do to protect them as well.

On Feb. 16, a student at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs was killed in his dorm by his roommate. Multiple reports of conflict between the roommates were made, but there was no effort by university officials to remove the suspect. More recently, on Feb. 24, a student was found strangled in his dorm room at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. 

Additionally, at the University of Georgia on Feb. 16, a student was held at gunpoint in a campus mugging, and the school concluded there was “no ongoing danger” to the campus. Less than a week later, Riley was murdered on the same campus.

Laken Riley was a beloved daughter, sister and future nurse. She received her honorary white coat in August, 2023, “…symbolizing humanism, compassion, and the start of her nurse’s journey,” the nursing college of the University of Georgia stated on Facebook.

Lauren Phillips, Riley’s sister, stated on Instagram in a memorial post: “The best sister and my built in best friend from the very first second… I’m not sure how I’m going to do this but it’s all going to be for you from now on.” Hundreds of comments poured in supporting the family and reiterating Laken Riley’s good qualities. 

Laken Riley did everything right. She was running in broad daylight, in a popular running area on the University of Georgia campus. Riley had her phone on her, and she gave her friends her location. Yet, she was still failed by those around her. How does this happen?

The University of Georgia had installed emergency blue lights in the 1980s but removed them in 2004. The school claimed that not enough students utilized the lights during the 20 years they were active, and a new technology change to the lights was too costly to keep them around. 

Many speculate whether or not campus authorities are using their power to protect the students who attend their schools. No matter how desperately college students try to protect themselves, the system still finds a way to fail them and their families — their only crime was pursuing their education. All these students should still be alive today.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Funding uncut

Written by: Hannah Field – News Editor

The Incidental Fee Committee held its seventh meeting on Monday, Feb. 12.

Otherwise known as the IFC, the group consists of nine members. Three of them were nominated by ASWOU President Hunter Hall, another three were nominated by Western’s President Jesse Peters and the last three were nominated in a general student election. During the meeting on Feb. 12, Hall acted as the chairman, where they discussed different topics relating to funding for the upcoming school year.

The first matter of business was the incidental fee charges for students. 

The on-campus fee for students was $415 and the fee for off-campus and online students was $210. The committee debated between dropping the fee or keeping it as is but settled on keeping it as it is so funding remained the same for student clubs and other IFC-funded organizations. The summer charge was unchanged as well.

The IFC motioned to accept Abby’s House base budget request, including the Food Pantry, with unanimous approval from the committee.

The athletics department also received their base request with four positives and one abstain due to a conflict of interest. Campus Recreation, Access or ODS Services, Childcare, Computer Replacement and Creative Arts all were granted what they asked for.

Extraordinary Travel received their base request of zero dollars.

Student Engagement Operations, Leadership Inclusion and Activities, Student Activities Board, Student Media and Wolfride all received their base requests — meaning all boards received their base request, as granted by the IFC.

In regards to budget enhancements, Hall confirmed that all enhancements, so far, have been decided upon by the IFC — but has been clear that final decisions have not been made.

“But as far as we’re concerned right now, (they’re all) being approved, but it could still be changed,” said Hall. “I believe the fee will probably stay where it’s at, just because we’re up in enrollment for the first time in a while.”

The expected effects won’t be seen until the budgets are implemented in the Fall of 2024, but the funding increase will likely encourage student employment and generate more events on campus.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu.

At-risk population relocation

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Due to the struggle with homelessness and mental health, different cities have tried to brainstorm solutions to solve this foreboding problem. One of these solutions consists of sending the homeless and those with severe mental health issues to a different city with a one-way bus ticket –- for free. This is known as greyhound therapy, which is technically forced relocation. Some places even ban these individuals from returning to their place of origin, such as Key West, Florida. Most of these people who were shipped off remained homeless and faced the same problems; it did not solve the underlying problem.

States including Oregon contain the highest per capita number of homeless, and Portland, as of 2016, began relocating homeless people to other cities. Relocation occurs all over the United States, and the bus service travels all over the country as well.

Ideally, this system is meant to relocate at-risk populations to somewhere they can find a support system. It also appears, though, that cities, such as San Francisco, are partaking in this system to lower their at-risk population percentages. This raises the question — are cities doing this to help these populations, or are they doing it to have better homeless percentages? To answer this question, it is important to address whether or not this system works for underserved populations. According to the Guardian, this system does not attempt to address the root cause of homelessness, therefore not solving the problem. Most homeless and mentally ill stay in the position they left their previous city in. 

It is important to address other ways to help at-risk populations, rather than having them sent off to a different state or city. On an individual level, one can volunteer with aid groups; donate food, clothing and other essentials; make kits to give to the homeless on the street and more. On a governmental level, the government should supply federal housing assistance, which has been proven to be helpful, and supply safe homeless shelters. 

Homeless and mentally ill populations are people too, and deserve a life and shelter where they choose to be as much as any other citizen does. If you want to take action, here are some places that are safe to donate to: Oregon Community Foundation’s Online System and NAMI.

Contact the author at @ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

False spring

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Most Americans know who Punxsutawney Phil is, and it’s not just for his dashing looks. Every year on Feb. 2, the Pennsylvanian groundhog makes an appearance to predict the weather. However, Phil only has a 39% success rate, but he still has an almost cult-like following.

Fox Weather claims Phil drinks a magical elixir — a secret recipe — to help him live forever, so he can predict the weather for eternity. The weather magician lives in a climate-controlled, light-regulated burrow adjacent to the Punxsutawney Memorial Library.

The months between February and April are an unpredictable time. Especially throughout the Pacific Northwest, both snow and sun, in addition to the usual rain, can be expected at this time of year. Many lean on Phil in an attempt to forecast the upcoming season.

This February, Phil predicted an early spring. After the ice storm that hit Oregon in January, it’s refreshing to see some warmer weather come to town — especially in an area that lacks vitamin D. However, a secret season occurs before real spring — known as false spring.

False spring refers to the period before the spring equinox when weather conditions become unusually warm, before returning to a regular bitter winter state. Not only does false spring trick people — and Phil the groundhog — into believing the mild season has begun early, but even vegetation can come out of dormancy.

An early spring also means early allergies. Many suffer from grass and pollen allergies as the beautiful flowers of spring begin sprouting. These seasonal plants may be seen as early as January or February, because of the false spring phenomenon. Always keeping allergy medicine on hand may be a good idea.

The underlying cause of false spring is, of course, climate change. Between winter and spring, fluctuations in weather patterns may be detrimental to the environment. Could Phil have predicted this?

Sophia Espinoza, a Western biology major, spoke on what the changing weather means for the future. “This decreased season time… may be inconvenient for us when we have to pack away our sweaters earlier each year, but these rising temperatures are a warning signal for the collapse of many natural resources… that are vital to maintaining a healthy biosphere on earth,” Espinoza said.

Warm season lovers can look forward to daylight savings time on March 10. It may not be time to break out sun hats and bathing suits, but the time will come soon enough. If Phil says spring is on its way, it must be true.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Hateful protestors at universities

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

On many college campuses, a phenomenon that excludes Western, some preachers hold signs expressing hateful, sexist, racist, homophobic and other problematic words — backing their religious beliefs. These signs can include anything from anti-abortion harassment to informing those who are gay, masturbators, gossips and more that they are sinning and hell awaits them. 

Protestors also loudly attest that judgment is coming and to repent. Additionally,  protestors wave signs saying that abortion is murder or a sin. This list goes on and on, commonly revolving around religion in one way or another. 

These signs and the people holding them can be extremely hateful and disrespectful, and when confronted, they generally justify their rhetoric by citing that campuses allow freedom of speech.

Although campuses do allow freedom of speech, these protests can often lead to people feeling unsafe and unwelcome, and there have been times when the university’s campus public safety has had to intervene to ensure everyone’s safety and push back against violence. 

So, there are two arguments universities face: allowing freedom of speech — which means allowing hateful speech or stopping this type of protesting due to it being hurtful and uncomfortable for the students and faculty it targets. 

The First Amendment of the Constitution allows freedom of speech no matter how offensive the speech is. However, the Constitution does not permit hate speech, libel or slander, although the parameters of hate speech are not specified. This does not extend to behavior or speech that is threatening, harassing or creates a hostile environment. This translates to universities as well; freedom of speech is vital to education.

This is problematic because it is subjective whether these protesters are harassing or threatening people, and most would consider them creating a hostile environment. Another problem is that even if the protesters themselves are not participating in violent behavior, the hateful messages that they are spreading can, and seemingly do, create violent situations in which public safety has to intervene.

This may lead to confusion about what material can be defined as hateful and what is an opinion. Stating that someone is going to hell generally comes across as hateful, and stating a political or religious opinion such as “abortion is wrong” is generally considered disrespectful as well. It is also important to consider that these protestors can make it hard for students to get to class, as the crowds that surround the protestors can get in the way. This can lead to the idea that these protestors get in the way of university student’s education, which is important to consider in this topic. The question universities have to consider is what is the line between opinion and hatefulness, and whether hateful speech should be allowed on campus. 

Hallee Ocana, a University of New Mexico student, has experienced these preachers and protestors firsthand. “These protestors a lot of the time are very docile and are just old people who don’t receive a lending ear in their personal lives, so I view them as quite pitiful. The younger or more active ones like this man I’ve seen around campus have made it a bit of a living nightmare trying to get to class. These are the ones I walk a bit faster for and genuinely look behind me just in case.” 

Hallee continued, “While I consider it free speech, I’m not positive that this is what our founding fathers meant by it. Speech is supposed to be critical and open, not hateful and potentially dangerous. When their voice uses weapons and their hands it is no longer the free speech our forefathers envisioned. I do believe that our campus should have policies against this sort of thing. While a student can face an academic disciplinary committee if they disagree too much with a student on a discussion board, there should be regulations and countermeasures to these protestors.”

Haille explained, “I identify as bisexual Latina who doesn’t mind pot and believes that women deserve bodily autonomy. So in the case of this man’s statement, I deserve to burn in hell? What good do villainizing labels do for anyone to make the world a better place?” Hallee said. “Like I’ve said, some of them are funny and pitiful in their efforts, however, ones like him who will hit you with their sign or chase you to class if you speak up are wrong,” Hallee said.

When asked if the protestors aligned more with opinions or hate speech, Hallee said, “It would depend on the circumstance in which they choose to state their beliefs. This man uses hate speech, while others simply will say, ‘hey, stop that, that’s wrong.’ There’s a difference between a conversation versus a hostile dynamic and most of these individuals like to twirl on that fence. Civilized conversation is an opinion, attacking those you’re against is a hate crime.”

Hallee alleged, based on her experiences, that freedom of speech has gone too far and has gotten in the way of her safety and her education. 

Protesters talking about abortions, racist speakers and more, affect most universities. It may be time for universities to decide on what qualifies as hateful and unsafe speech versus free speech and what is allowed on campus. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

Valentine’s Day origin

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

Content warning: this article contains mentions of blood, animal sacrifices and violence

Valentine’s Day was originally a pagan holiday celebrating fertility — taking place from Feb. 13–15, going back as far as the sixth century B.C. Since then, Valentine’s Day has taken a turn toward romantic celebrations and acts of kindness, when originally, in Rome, men were stripped, blood was shed and animals were sacrificed, all in hopes of warding off evil curses and keeping the Roman fertility god, Lupercus, happy.

Lupercus, as well as the she-wolf Lupa — who, according to legend, protected and raised the eventual founders of Rome — inspired the title Lupercalia: the holiday now known as Valentine’s Day. The day revolved around a feast that involved animal sacrifices and streaking men. Those same men would whip women with strips of the sacrificed goats’ hides which was believed to cause ripe fertility.

The Luperci, a group of Roman priests, would perform the goat and dog sacrifices and follow it up with touching a bloody knife on two Luperci’s foreheads, which was then wiped off with wool dipped in milk. Part of the sacrificial rituals involved the Luperci laughing — a requirement to please Lupercus.

Saint Valentine holds more mystique around the founding of the holiday. The most common theory is that Saint Valentine was executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II for secretly marrying Christian couples, during the third century A.D., a time when Christians were being persecuted. 

Another legend proposes that Valentine was in love with his jailer’s daughter while imprisoned — writing her a love letter and signing it, “From your Valentine.”

Valentine was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church well after his death when he was martyred on Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day. This later became celebrated closer to the late fifth century A.D., when Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalius with a day in honor of the Saint’s martyrdom. This first example of Valentine’s Day, although similar in title, did not become the modern day celebration of love that people now know it as.

Some characteristics remain the same between modern Valentine’s Day and Lupercalia. The white color we know today to be part of Valentine’s Day relates to the milk-dipped wool from the Luperci sacrifices; red and pink correspond with the theme of blood, despite the fact that neither are current aspects of Valentine’s Day.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Starbucks saving face

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

On Oct. 13, Starbucks sued Workers United — the union that organizes Starbucks employees —  when the union used a logo similar to Starbucks’ to make a pro-Palestine post amidst the Israel-Hamas war.

The union counter-sued for the ability to continue operating with the same Starbucks-esque logo, also claiming defamation from Starbucks for implying the union supports terrorism and violence.

The original post was uploaded to X, formerly Twitter, on Oct. 9; it was deleted within an hour of posting. About a week later, a new statement was released from the Starbucks Workers United President, Lynne Fox. The letter to Starbucks stated, “Starbucks is seeking to exploit the ongoing tragedy in the Middle East to bolster the company’s anti-union campaign.”

Since then, Starbucks has lost more than $12 billion according to the New York Post.

The company has made multiple moves to recover not only lost money, but also their reputation. In a public statement, they expressed sympathy for both Gaza and Israel and condemned all acts of hate — yet Starbucks hasn’t expressed support for their union and hasn’t met a labor agreement with any of their unionized stores despite multiple strikes and 38 issued records of unfair labor practices — a stark contrast from the sentiments published by Starbucks’ team.

Despite the money losses, Starbucks continued to advertise “Red Cup Day” and joined forces  with Stanley to release a well sought-after limited edition tumbler — which caused a massive frenzy in Targets across the country and roped in millions of dollars. Stanley, the brand behind the ultra-famous cups, reported a nearly $700 million profit jump from 2019 to 2023, partially thanks to the Starbucks-Stanley co-created cup.

Starbucks described the public response as “enthusiastic” and stated they will not be restocking — earning resellers hundreds, with secondhand pink Quenchers listed as up to $200.

Beyond that, Starbucks has unveiled new winter menu drinks, likely more ploys to keep the customers coming back — which may work if they reveal more tactics such as the Stanley cup collaboration and make the most out of their public representatives.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Love languages

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Love languages are the basis for understanding another person’s needs, whether in a romantic, platonic or familial relationship. Love languages are people’s preferred ways of receiving and giving love. 

There are five types of love languages: physical touch, acts of service, gift-giving, quality time and words of affirmation. Although it is commonly thought that people only need one, most need all of these languages fulfilled and have one that they need more than the others. 

The first of these languages is physical touch. Although it is commonly misconstrued that this love language is focused on sex, the reality includes hugging, kissing, holding hands or even high fives — anything involving enjoying the physical company of others.

The second is acts of service, which includes giving up one’s time to do something that needs to be done or something their partner would like. 

The third language is gift-giving. Many consider this love language greedy, but this isn’t always the case.

Those with the gift-giving love language generally don’t want expensive, hard-to-get gifts — just something to show they are being thought of. An example of this could be a letter, a rock, food or just about anything depending on the person.

Quality time is another love language, which most people share a need for. This includes spending time with someone and being present and involved. 

Finally, words of affirmation include statements to show love and admiration to the partner with this love language. 

Love languages are important to understand, both for yourself and your partner. Knowing these needs is necessary to ensure a happy and fulfilling relationship. It is also crucial for a person to know their love language to communicate this to their partner.

A fulfilling relationship may include considering each other’s love languages and being conscious that a partner will have individual preferences. It may be wise to fulfill each other’s needs, so for this Valentine’s Day, ask a partner, date or even friends and family what their love languages are, so they may have the opportunity to feel loved and seen in their relationships. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

Consumers without the power

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

Living in America today is extremely difficult for many, and the recent rise in inflation has much to do with it. Inflation is the rate at which goods and services rise in price and occurs due to purchasing falls. Americans have been struggling to keep bills paid and manage expenses for food, gas, healthcare and education. Food prices, for instance, have increased by 11% between 2021 to 2022 and then continued to rise through 2023. This is a drastic change as prices for food increased by 2% every year since 1980.

The significant increase has caused many Americans to panic; as some may need to take on more employment and give up a lot, even including necessities. Americans have stated their concerns in millions of TikToks, Instagram reels and Facebook posts, and if people didn’t see the thousands of posts, they could just take a walk into a grocery store and see the increase in prices.

The current inflation epidemic is directly connected to the COVID-19 pandemic as supply chains were interrupted and people lost their businesses, increasing unemployment rates. There were also trillions of dollars in stimulus checks distributed, which means Americans have to pay that back in taxes whether they like it or not.     

The housing market is the largest concern involving inflation. The average three-bedroom home across America right now is $160 thousand to $800 thousand which means an average monthly payment would be roughly $1,000 to $4,000.

With homes set at half a million dollars, Millennials and Generation Z will have to settle for a one-bedroom apartment in a semi-safe area for $1,300 a month. These are just the rent prices that Americans have to take into account, not to mention their utilities such as water/plumbing, electricity, garbage/recycling and the like.

Let’s take it back just a few years and see the difference: for a three-bedroom home in 2018, rent would average $1,200 to $2,000 depending on its location. Compared to 2023, it’s approximately double what it used to be.

Let’s take it way back to 1980, when the average three-bedroom home in America was about $250 to $300, vastly different from 40 years ago when people with minimum wage jobs were making $2.90 an hour. Not to discredit Americans who had to survive off of those wages in the ’80s — many of them had kids and focused much of their time working — but in general, Americans at the time also had access to more affordable education and healthcare.  

Americans know healthcare isn’t free; much of it is insanely overpriced, and unfortunately, the average American citizen can’t afford it. Healthcare prices in 2023 averaged about $500 to $1000 per month per person, depending on what the insurance included, and that is typically just health insurance, not dental, physical therapy, medication and the like. There is the Oregon Health Plan, but only some households qualify for it and it is usually provided for children’s needs only.

Where inflation comes into play with Healthcare is the rollercoaster of oscillating inflation rates. Much of that has to do with how healthcare has to always be available; people can enter a hospital to get care no matter what, but unfortunately, the money has to be paid back through Americans’ pockets or credit agencies.

This is why many Americans have outstanding hospital bills which translate to debt. Healthcare in the ’80s averaged from  $100 to $400 depending on what was offered, which isn’t that drastic of a change, but average inflation rates from 1980-2018 increased by 5.22% per year.  

Lastly, education is at the forefront for Generation Z and future generations as many are struggling to decide whether they can afford college. Students who plan to get their Bachelor’s degree take an average of five years to complete depending on the program. In those five years, students can take anywhere from three to six courses and each course is about $300 to $500, which is the lower spectrum of costs at a less expensive university.

Most students have to get funding which generally translates to student loans. Those student loans then turn into debt reaching about $38 thousand on average. There isn’t much students can do. After all, the goal is to get a job that will repay that money, but repaying these loans will likely be difficult.

The average amount a college education cost in 1980 was about $10,000 annually compared to $26 thousand per year in 2023 which is about $104 thousand for 4 years depending on the degree completed in that time. A Harvard education in 1938 was $420 per year, which is baffling. 

As a Generation Z student working day and night for her college degree, the way America looks is frightening. Prices are through the roof and employment rates compared to inflation rates aren’t matching up. Completing university with a Bachelor’s degree doesn’t seem to mean much regarding success because, ultimately, we will all be struggling if things don’t change.

The work Americans do won’t matter soon enough and we will only be benefiting the more wealthy. Here’s hoping for change and recognition of how damaging society is and no longer claiming people are lazy or weak because of how difficult it is even to survive. Rebuilding and healing need to happen.




Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

South Albany High School coach arrested

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

A South Albany High School teacher and CoHead Coach of the football team, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 3 and charged with second-degree criminal trespass and two counts of first-degree theft, which ranged from allegedly funneling funds raised for the football team into his own pocket to stealing a student’s iPhone, totaling more than $8,000 in damages.

Former teacher, David Younger, was the Head Coach at South Albany High School from 2013 to 2019 and served as a physical education and health educator in the facility. In 2019, Younger resigned to take up a volunteer position as an assistant coach at Willamette University. After this, he returned to South Albany High School in 2021 as Co-Head Football Coach.

Greater Albany Public Schools released a statement the same day regarding Younger’s arrest, disclosing that they were first alerted of financial mismanagement in November of 2023, when student money was missing from the school’s locker rooms and was reported to administration. 

This sparked an investigation by the Albany Police Department that resulted in Younger’s administrative leave and arrest. Linn County court documents named at least eleven victims —  six of whom were student athletes and one physical education teacher.

The same documents list Younger’s prior alleged theft record from August of 2023. He was viewed on security cameras unlawfully entering areas on the South Albany High School premises — the action that led to his trespassing charge.

Spencer Randall, a 2022 graduate of South Albany High School, had Younger as a health teacher in 2018 — his freshman year. 

“I remember him just being laid-back and funny, a pretty easy-going guy. It’s honestly just really surprising — I didn’t think that he would do that when I first heard about it,” Randall said. “It’s crazy.”

An earlier graduate from 2017 had differing opinions. Former football player Tanner Hemcazek worked closely with Younger — even stating that Younger had allegedly sabotaged his chance at playing college football by telling scouts he was “uncoachable” and “had a bad attitude.”

“I wasn’t really surprised at all,” Hemcazek said, regarding Younger’s arrest. “He never did his duty as a coach. He wasn’t interested in guiding players, or helping them with playing in college — I thought he was an extremely short-tempered and selfish man. He cared about his image more than anything.”

Hemcazek ultimately did not go on to play college football. He recalled his senior year when Younger supposedly benched most of his graduating class in retaliation for their dissatisfaction with his coaching methods.

“That was when he told college scouts — that had come to ask about me specifically — that they were wasting their time,” Hemcazek said.

Younger was granted conditional release from custody as long as he maintains distance from Greater Albany Public School property and victims of his alleged theft. Younger is reportedly scheduled for his next court hearing on Feb. 12. 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Oregon’s ice storm hits Western hard

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

Western was swept by an ice storm during the week of Jan. 8 — resulting in three classless days and one late start. While students might have relaxed or studied when class got canceled, especially due to the three-day weekend, Campus Safety remained on high alert.

“Our biggest concerns were the unknown stuff,” said Associate Director of Campus Safety, Mike Hanson. “Are we going to have power outages? Where can we take students to have heat if we lose it? We were trying to plan ahead for what we didn’t know was coming up.”

A few minor rescues were conducted during the ice storm, with car trouble being a common denominator. Campus Safety generally assists with anything and everything on campus, the only service offered 24/7 at Western.

“I think we’re very lucky to be unscathed. We had a few slips and falls — we followed up with those folks — had a few pipes break, but those, ultimately, were pretty minor,” said Hanson.

Past winter seasons haven’t been as forgiving. Years prior, a destructive ice storm downed trees and severed the power for different parts of the community. Campus Safety spent a month working on the damage, even calling in other crews to assist in the clean-up.

Ice, unlike snow, cannot be easily removed or shoveled. It has to melt or break, leading to times when the best option is to wait patiently until temperatures rise. 

“Mother nature leads us down — we have to gamble for what she leads us to,” Hanson said.

According to Hanson, students behaved safely and followed instructions during the storm, which Campus Safety was thankful for.

There are multiple ways to reach Campus Safety if a student is in need of assistance: call or text Campus Safety’s phone line at (503) 838-8481 or email at safety@wou.edu.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

WOU’s switch to the No Credit system

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Western is making the decision to introduce a new grading system called a No Credit grading system. This system would include the replacement of a D- through a failing grade with a “no credit.” 

Western’s official press release states that “…it’s about student success, not lowering standards.” This means that a failing grade would not impact a student’s overall GPA.

Students worry that this change will lower school standards and that transcripts and degrees from the college will hold less significance to future employers. Provost Jose Coll states that this change was meant to increase graduation rates and keep students at Western.

Coll also states that GPAs will now accurately reflect the student’s success rate, although it is unclear how excluding a student’s grade earned will not accurately reflect the student’s success rate.

As the student body worries about the quality of their degrees and how seriously Western is taken as compared to other universities, Western, according to the press release, approaches the topic with the ideas that learning will become more important than grades, there will be an overall reduction in grade anxiety and students will focus on the possibilities that may come with academia. Western also aims to lower student discouragement, with students dropping classes and even out of school due to low grades. 

Attempts were made to contact the Financial Aid Department, but they could not be reached. According to the SAP Policy, a grade NC does not apply towards completing the number of credit hours that are needed. It is unclear if an NC will affect scholarships the way an F would. 

This new grading system has proven to be concerning, but the university claims that the change is for learning and academic exploration and of course, retention rates. Students worry the value of their degree will decrease, which would negate the money and GPA-saving aspect of the No Credit system. The pros and cons of this system are currently unknown variables, but important for the student body to fully understand. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

Facebook’s birthday party

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer

On Feb. 4, our beloved Facebook will turn 20 years old — you heard that right, 20. Facebook began as a small website where college students could interact with others and give their friends some simple status updates

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg created the network in 2004 to give Harvard students a place to connect. By 2005, Facebook.com became an official place for people to connect and be that profile for people to click on. In 2006, Facebook expanded from schools, such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford, to the rest of the non-academic world, which made the users skyrocket to double from the previous year. 

It quickly grew successful as thousands of people began to join the site. Facebook originally was going to be called Facemash, but because of some complications, Facebook was deemed the better fit. 20 years later, it is now among the most successful social media sites, let alone a media network, in the world. 

Facebook went through a rebrand in October of 2021 and now is referred to as Meta or the Metaverse, which also includes Instagram, X, formally known as Twitter, and Linkedin, generating billions of users daily in the United States alone. 

People carry Facebook with them every day, making it easy to check on one’s status and like posts. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Facebook didn’t reach success without a touch of controversy. One memorable controversial instance was the lawsuits between Zuckerberg, the Winklevoss twins and Paul Ceglia. 

The Winklevoss twins claimed that Zuckerberg was supposed to aid in their creation of a social media site and instead used the code and information for Facebook. Paul Cegila, on the other hand, invested in Facebook when Zuckerberg was getting the plans in order and Paul didn’t receive his shares, leading to his lawsuit. 

This controversy was so large, that a film was made out of it, “The Social Network.” An agreement was made on these lawsuits: the twins received a 65 million dollar settlement and Paul agreed to continue receiving shares so it’s unsure how much was paid but based on Facebook’s revenue, it’s a large sum.  
Despite the challenges Facebook has endured, that hasn’t stopped the site from becoming a revolutionary piece of social media history. Many people visit Facebook every day, liking, committing, watching clips and even selling their items on the website marketplace. Facebook is a part of our lives and carries our history along with the 20 years it’s been around. 

Happy Birthday, Facebook.    



Contact the author at: tduff23@mail.wou.edu

The rise and fall of the iPad kid

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

From the introduction of the internet in 1993 to the invention of social media in 1977 with SixDegrees.com, to the early 2000’s, 2010’s and eventually the 2020 pandemic, the internet remains undeterred in its quest to evolve and grow. The average rate of internet growth globally is 3.7% — a whopping 5.3 billion users worldwide. 

Within that scope of reference, there is a growing population of children — mainly Generation Alpha — that use the internet for varying purposes from education to entertainment. The sudden and unexpected growth of the interweb has spiked some concerns among researchers about the effects of technology on human interaction, behavior and development. As the past decade has shocked and drastically changed the world, the United States has experienced the effects of chronic technological dependency in children that has been dubbed the infamous rise of the “iPad kid”. 

The sensitive nature of childhood development means that certain developmental timelines are necessary for proper cognitive growth of the brain. Much like how the consistent use of marijuana and other substances can “kill” neural pathways in the brain due to underuse and lack of brain stimulation, the same can happen with chronic screen time. 

The effects are even more dramatic within children who, for the first eight years of life, form the framework and learning ability of their brain. From ages one to three 1 million new neural connections are formed each second. After these connections are formed, the brain begins to “prune” or sever these connections to increase brain circuit efficiency.

 By the age of five, 90% of the brain has been formed. The formation of brain circuits and developmental landmarks are met with a variety of stimuli — babbling, social interactions, visual experiences, facial expressions, and other means of communication.

If there is a deficit of positive social interaction, the child is more likely to suffer developmental roadblocks. A lack of parental engagement will also negatively affect a child’s development, especially with the mother of the child. Every hour spent looking at a screen, rather than interacting with a family member or other individuals, will affect what neural pathways are being created, stopped or erased. 

From birth to early infancy, the parents of a child will have the most control over whether or not the child will have access to technology, to what extent and what content is allowed to be viewed and interacted with. From ages one to two, children are not advised to engage in any online or screen time at all. 

From then on, limited content is viewed as acceptable to researchers, as long as it is co-watched with a supervising parent, and the content is used as a learning tool rather than entertainment. Regardless of the potential benefits, if the child is not engaging socially, there will be developmental deficits starting when they are born and progressing through the first eight years of life.

Author Sue Palmer hypothesized that increasing screen time would also increase the amount of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — commonly known as ADHD — and dyslexia, among other learning disabilities. This was proven to be true when a study found that with children aged two and below, every hour of daily screen time increased attention deficits by 9% up until the age of seven. The book that Palmer published in 2006 had many fallacies, such as a relationship between rates of autism and screen time, but certain predictions from the book were proven to be true in future scientific studies.

The other side effects of increased screen time include higher rates of obesity, depression, anxiety and disturbances in the natural sleep cycle. Currently, a large hindrance to the American public school system is the widespread phenomenon of social and emotional incompetence, which can be directly correlated to the increasing amounts of screen time in crucial developmental years. 

In an article by the Salem Reporter about the 2023 teacher’s strike, one of the primary concerns of the strike was the inability to control unruly, violent and disruptive students within the classroom, which is a sentiment shared by a large population of teachers across the nation. 

Increased screen time is known to cause emotional dysregulation, lack of attention and social ineptitude, and following the COVID-19 pandemic, screen time rose dramatically. 

Ed Tech magazines also provided some insight by linking studies showing that screen time can cause irreversible damage to the developing brain. Traditional academic standards and teaching methods are suffering, in part, because of the increased amount of screen time nationwide. 

The rise of technology and screen time in children from infancy to eight years old has caused significant developmental ineptitude in young school children, bolstered by the stagnant COVID-19 quarantine period and the continued exponential growth of the interweb.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

A change for entertainment

Written by: Taylor Duff | Freelancer

Back in March of 2023, an article was released called “Writers are not keeping up” — published by the Writers Guild of America contract. This article was the start of the Writer’s Strike, expressing how writers are feeling devalued and objectified in harsh work environments, including tiny rooms and decreased pay as well as being overworked. 

The demand for writers is based on the switch to streaming from many if not most, entertainment channels. Because of the high demand, another complaint is the lack of experienced writers being hired to fill the gaps — with below or bare minimum pay giving the green light to have an excuse to pay less. 

Writers have also stated they have felt like second class to the actors and directors — being undervalued in the workplace despite doing double the amount of work and hours.

As a result of this strike taking place, the Screen Actor Guild also went on strike, and actors across all platforms made statements and interviews about the unfair treatment and harassment of their writers and staff. 

Actors such as Amanda Seyfried, Rob Lowe and Wonda Sykes all stood in solidarity with the writers during the protest. One main reason the actors joined the strike with the writers was to address the use of AI versions of themselves; using their likeness for gain in media. The SAG strike lasted until Nov. 9 of this year, meaning both WGA and SAG strikes are now over. WAG reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers back in September, and slowly but surely, they reached an agreement with the Screen Actors Guild as well. 

As for what this means for entertainment, the agreement is effective in protecting writers and giving proper residuals for international viewing. Due to streaming becoming the new wave of entertainment, the agreement takes effect now giving proper pay toward its writers with the royalties standing in their favor. 

Many movies will be delayed due to the strike shutting down production studios, with many directors and producers walking out. TV shows may resume, but will also be pushed back for months without new episodes. As for actors, the agreement gives them more security knowing they are protected against their likeness being used. 

As for the future of entertainment, the WGA contract term will be in effect until May 2026 — keeping in effect this protection for the people behind the entertainment consumed.      



Contact the author at tduff23@mail.wou.edu

The season’s effect on depression

Written by: Libby Thoma | Freelance Writer

Seasonal depression — diagnosably known as Seasonal Affective Disorder is a disorder where depression levels fluctuate through seasons. Usually, throughout the winter or the colder months, a person’s depression will increase, while subsequently, the person’s depression will decrease during summer or warm months. 

Generally, seasonal depression lasts about 40% of the year. It is thought the specific causes of seasonal depression disorder are less sun and the change to shorter days, causing a chemical change in the brain, leading to higher rates of depression. Melatonin and serotonin are found to play a role in causing depression, and the body produces more melatonin and less serotonin when it is dark out. 

Seasonal depression is a common form of depression, with about 5% of people over the age of 18 having seasonal depression, but it is rarer in children. Seasonal depression disorder affects a high amount of college students specifically — affecting approximately 25% of college students. The most common symptoms of seasonal depression include sleepiness, lowering of interest and pleasure, withdrawal, decreased concentration, weight gain or loss, headaches and stomach aches. 

The symptoms can have a great impact on college students’ learning, and because such a great number of college students experience the disorder, sharing ways to deal with this disorder is important. 

For all people suffering from this disorder, there are three main treatments for seasonal depression. Firstly, finding sunlight is important — whether this is through soaking up sunlight whenever possible, light therapy, or even, at the least, taking some Vitamin D. 

Psychotherapy, a therapy that assists a person with recognizing and altering emotions, thoughts and behaviors, is another treatment option. The third treatment is using medication such as antidepressants, which can be accessed through Western’s Student Health and Counseling Center. 

There are also ways college students specifically can help their disorder. These include maintaining a regular bedtime, creating a balanced school and sleep life, going to the SHCC for help and more. 

Seasonal depression disorder should not just be put off as “the winter blues”. It is an actual disorder that is very real and can have intense effects on people and is important to address. Seasonal depression’s negative effects on a person can get in the way of learning but more importantly, quality of life. If anyone is experiencing this, reach out for help, and don’t brush the disorder off as something trivial. 

Contact the author at ethoma@wou.edu

School strike

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

For some — if not most — kids, dressing up on Halloween, overindulging in candy and having school canceled the next day is a dream come true. Portland students found themselves in the same situation and, at first, it was fun — until the teachers’ strike began to threaten their summer and winter breaks.

Eighty-one schools in the district have not had a school day since Nov. 1, when teachers first walked out of classrooms. Since then, it has almost been a month of no school for the Portland school district. Thanksgiving break is expected to end Nov. 27 — with school days planned to continue as usual. However, it is uncertain whether or not the Portland teachers’ demands will be met by that date — a process that includes an agreement between the Oregon school district and the union.

It is required for Oregon students to reach a certain amount of instructional time in the classroom based on grade per year. Due to the strike, students have not met that requirement, and therefore, Portland is heavily considering extending the school year into the summer until the required hours are met — as long as the other vacations in the year do not provide the proper amount of days.

Teachers had multiple reasons for rallying. As listed by the Portland Association of Teacher’s website, it is for the students as much as the teachers. 

“Our students deserve more one-on-one attention from dedicated and well-qualified educators … they deserve small classroom sizes and meaningful instruction and assessment.”

On the website, they have three goals listed. In summary, they are as follows: all needs and interests for students and educators should be dutifully met, education spaces should be safe, clean, well-maintained and fully staffed and, lastly, educators need better salaries as well as teams. Staff should have training and teams who are well educated in social issues, such as forms of prejudice and bias, to better serve the student population in Portland.

The website goes as far as to publish bargaining updates as the discussion continues. The petition initiated by the Portland Association of Teachers reportedly has over 7,000 signatures — but the petition itself does not showcase the number.

The Nov. 20 bargaining update summarizes a 24-hour meeting the Portland Public Schools team and Portland Association of Teachers had discussing the agreement. A settlement was reportedly met from both sides’ bargaining teams with good benefits and proper adjustments that the PAT desired – just before the PPS bargaining team returned to inform the PAT that the PPS board rejected the settlement — the settlement agreed upon by their own team.

“To have the deal pulled after working so hard, and making tough compromises to win on our key issues, was incredibly frustrating,” said the PAT. 

The post goes as far as to say that the PPS has been posting proposals that are “…out of date and out of context.”

In a different update, the PAT’s update states, “This crisis of their own making unnecessarily prolongs the strike, and demonstrates the inability of district leadership to govern Oregon’s largest school district.”

However, multiple topics of interest, presented by the PAT, were acknowledged by PPS — such as class size, parent involvement, expanded overage pay, more planning time and planning days, adjusted cost of living adjustments, added mental health staff and safer education facilities. Seventeen articles in the contract were agreed upon by both sides, but three more remain, as well as two appendices.

If both parties sign all articles, it will then be reviewed and then a comprehensive, tentative agreement would be signed. Union members would then vote to ratify the contract, validating it.

The PAT reported with hopeful spirits that big wins were secured in that discussion, and they are waiting on the PPS to consider approving the deal they laid out for them.

PPS has already made moves on cutting winter break short for Portland students — Dec. 18–22 a full school week starting two days before Christmas Eve.

Portland Public Schools Board Chair Gary Hollands’ car was struck by vandalism, with the word “SHAME” written on three sides of the vehicle in spray paint. Beyond that, leaflets and papers were stuck to the car, broadcasting messages about funding classrooms and giving students the classrooms they deserve.

The Portland Association of Teachers condemned this act and vandalism as a whole.

As tension continues to rise between both sides, it remains that over 40,000 students have been out of school since the beginning of November. 

Students remain the objective of the strike according to both teams. Students may continue to be out of school until Portland Public Schools meet the demands of the Portland Association of Teachers, who have made it very clear that they will continue to gather at the picket lines until all their demands are met.

Update: Both sides have come to an agreement concluding with higher wages for teachers, soft cap sizes on classrooms and extended prep time per week. Breaks for students have been pushed back a few days for the purpose of making up the 11 lost school days. 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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