Category Archives: Editorials

Editorials, Entertainment, Front/Home, Reviews

Anne With an E – Cancellation Opinion

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Shea Sullivan74BD6D1D-C7CF-4D89-8D17-D8FCF108794E.jpeg

     In today’s day and age, a show tackling racism, homophobia, sexism, sexual harassment, censorship and a range of other big issues, is something the world seems to need right now. This made it shocking when Netflix and CBC decided to cancel the coming of age and emotionally moving show, ‘Anne with an E.’

     ‘Anne with an E’ is a 2017 Netflix and Canadian award winning series, based off Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 novel ‘Anne of Green Gables.’ On Fri, Jan. 3, season three of ‘Anne with an E’ was released on Netflix, bringing excitement yet sadness considering the show would not continue due to disagreements between the two networks.

    Fans immediately took to Twitter, tweeting “#RenewAnneWithAnE” and bringing it to trend. Billboards were also hung in downtown Toronto, condemning the cancellation of the Canadian originated series. 

     Irish actress Amybeth McNulty portrays, Anne-Shirley Cuthbert, a young orphan girl with a fiery personality, taken in by an elderly brother and sister in Avonlea, an old fashioned farming town on Prince Edward Island in Canada. 

     Taking place in the late 1890’s, Anne witnesses the unfairness of life, and struggles to make friends, being shunned by other families because of her appearance and simply because she is an orphan. The show did not hold back on exposing the legitimacy of racial discrimination, lack of LGBT and women’s rights, discouragement of fine arts education and the gruseoum treatment towards the Indigenous people of Canada.

     Also, the show had an underlying theme of feminism and female empowerment, showing that a woman does not need a man to be successful in life. A prime example is Ms. Stacy, a widowed woman who is the first female teacher in Avonlea, who faced constant judgment for being a powerful woman in her position, without a husband.

     ‘Anne with an E’ stays true to the culture and history of the setting it is portrayed in, an authentic element that other shows seem to lack. The show gives insight on the local culture of Indigenous people, even having scripted lines in the native language of tribes on Prince Edward Island. 

     Also, the show spotlights the French Acadians who travelled to the region during the same time period, and highlighted the belief that wealth does not equate to happiness. One can have all the money in the world, but sometimes the most important things come from a loving and supportive family.

     How can a show with so many prominent messages and such emotional appeal, be cancelled after only three seasons? A show that is not afraid to shine light on the cold hard injustices of the world should not be given up on so easily. 

     A successful show that is able to resonate with so many different cultures, minorities and ages should certainly be given another chance on a different network such as Hulu or even Disney Plus. Yet, maybe it is not the network that is the issue. Maybe it is the fact that today’s society is unable to admit to the inequalities faced in the nineteenth century, considering most of them are still being fought today. 

     Currently, Canadaians and Americans still refuse to educate current generations on the fact that past ancestors forced Indigenous people into assimilation: kidnapping native children and forcing them into schools where they were stripped of their culture.

     Or maybe a more modern example would make sense: the fact that women still live in fear of speaking out about sexaul harassment, due to society’s subconscious actions of always throwing the blame at the female. 

     Such a powerful message is lost in today’s television, it seems that the most popular series today are thoughtless sitcoms, or Sci-Fi thrillers based on events that will never happen; however, maybe that is the trick to a successful show, giving people something else to worry about so they can ignore the actual problems going on in the world today.

     Maybe the disagreement between the networks was not the biggest cause of this show ending, perhaps Ms. Stacey said it best, “this is the result of small minds.”

     One of the best parts of ‘Anne with an E’ was to see the growth of certain characters over the three seasons. Even the stubborn and narrow-minded characters grew into loving, selfless people open to new ideas and accepted the modern ways of the world. 

     If even the most traditional and callous characters were willing to realize the prejudice and bigotry they contributed to, why is it so hard for today’s society to do the same? The world needed ‘Anne with an E,’ but maybe it is ahead of its time, or the world is still not willing to wake up to the issues people face today. 

     Despite its finish, the show made sure to carry their important messages out to the last episode. Towards the end of season three, elderly men tried to silence the voice of children, censoring their right to free speech in schools and discouraging them from speaking out about relevant problems. 

     Regardless of the push back, the characters would come together in the end and speak up for what they believed in. Society will not continue to advance if the problems of the world continue to be silenced, and no one decides to step up and fight them.

     As Anne Shirley-Cuthbert said, “Everyone has the right to express their opinion freely, whether it is unpopular or not.”

     

 

     

Editorials, Front/Home

Booster Club Free Tickets

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Opinion Story
Sydney Uridel
Free entry for students to a high school playoff game may seem like a good thing, but some students have different opinions on it.
All Stow students with a student identification card received free entry for the soccer and volleyball playoff games. The Stow Booster Club is to thank for this and students are very appreciative.
It is apparent that the free tickets are a great help for the teams because it helped both sports gain more necessary support.
Playoff game tickets cost close to ten dollars. More students went to the games since they were playoffs and there was free entry, so the already high prices definitely could have added up.
Some students worry it was a waste of money or could be used for something else, but I disagree because the clubs main purpose is to support the districts sports teams.
In my opinion, it was smart because it provided more support to the teams playing and offered students a chance to go to at least one of the fall games this year. The additional fan support is helpful to the teams competing.
If the teams did not have that many students watching to cheer them along they would not have had as much support as they did.
Both teams did very well in the playoffs and the boys soccer team even ended up winning district finals, making them district champions.
While it was a good idea, I also think it was a very considerate thing of the booster club to do. Not many other schools have as much support from their clubs as Stow does, so students should be thankful.
Some students may have been may have been confused why the booster club was spending money on tickets for many students but they probably did not realize that the clubs main cause is to help with things such as this.
It was a very generous thing to do and students are grateful not only for the opportunity given to them to go to the playoff games but also for the chance to give support to the sports teams.

Editorials, Front/Home

Students show support during walkout

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By Alexsa Armstrong

There was so much controversy surrounding the National walkout at the high school on March 14.
This walkout can mean something different to every person. To some it is a way to honor the 17 people who died in the Florida shooting and every other student who has been involved in a school shooting.
To others, it is a political debate about the control of gun regulations and a way to prevent further gun violence in schools.
On the night of March 13, there was an emergency Board meeting about what to do for the walkout.
The Board came to the decision to not support the walkout and tried encouraging students to remain inside and have a moment of silence inside.
Many students chose to go against the recommendation of the School Board and exercise their right to protest.
The national walkout took place at 10 a.m., but students here decided to move it to 11 a.m. because of the delayed Wednesday schedule.
Many students participated in the walkout despite what the Board said.  All of the students gathered by the spirit rock in the front of the high school.
A group of the students stood in front dressed in orange in support of the walkout and read each and every school who has ever been involved in a school shooting. The list took about six minutes to read off and consisted of multiple pages.
The list brought to light how many shootings have occurred in the United States.
Teachers were not allowed to walk with the students but were encouraged to stand in the halls if they were available in order to help ensure the safety of everyone. There was also an increased number of police officers present.
For all of the students who did not feel safe at school and were called off by their parents, their absence was excused.
The walkout was a way for students to get involved and use their voice concerning school safety.

Editorials

Questioning Gun Control

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By Shea Sullivan

    So far in 2018, there have already been 25 mass shootings, and it is only February 15. Many are demanding change before more shootings occur.

    Tragedy struck Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday. The shooting left 17 people dead and 14 injured.

    The weapon used was an AR-15 rifle which was also used in the Orlando Nightclub shooting, Newtown Connecticut school shooting and the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

    Americans are wondering why there have not been restrictions on guns like this. A main reason may be from government officials hesitating to take action on gun control.

    Several senators including Arizona senator John McCain and Ohio’s senator Rob Portman have received over $3,000,000 in endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA).

    This pretty much means that if senators endorsed by the NRA and thet do something against the organization’s wishes, then they will lose their endorsements and possibly their next election.

    A vast number of politicians are trying to convince other politicians endorsed by the NRA to work with them in bipartisan agreements on gun control. Yet that is much more difficult than it seems.

    “I have said it over and over: I would rather pass gun safety legislation than win the election, because people die from this,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said.

    Since Trump has been in office, his administration has revoked many Obama era rules on gun control. Getting rid of those rules has made it easier for the mentally ill and fugitives to buy guns, New York magazine reports.

    There has been no action taken under Trump’s presidency that would even attempt to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands.

    The United States is one of only three countries with the right to bear arms. Other modern countries allow their citizens to buy guns, but not without extensive background checks and certain regulations.

    A vast majority of people in the United States want America to take steps in that direction.

    Great Britain has some of the strictest gun control laws and one of the lowest numbers of gun deaths. In 2008-09, only 39 people died in the entire country as a result of guns.

    Many argue that gun control violates the Second Amendment and that regulating guns would violate Americans rights. Yet others argue that it is not necessary to own assault rifles for self defense, especially ones that have been used in several mass shootings.

    Americans have many differing opinions when it comes to gun control, but with more and more lives being taken from gun violence, many are ready for change.