If more people put others before themselves in this way, even in a less extreme ways than Sotkovsky’s, people would grow to be more accepting of one another.

Jeffries thinks people who are not beautiful in his eyes do not deserve the same privileges as people who are. Sotkovsky, on the other hand, sees everyone’s inner beauty.

“It’s hard to believe that people form their opinions on the way someone looks,” she said.

Sotkovsky is one of 42 people who shaved their heads for St. Baldrick’s. According to social studies teacher and event sponsor Paul Kelly, the effort raised approximately $3500. We commend everyone who risked personal comfort to support people whose self-images are challenged by illness.

“We go after the attractive, all-American kid,” Jeffries stated in a 2006 interview with Salon.com. His words have come back to haunt him recently with the publication of a book about retail strategies, and he even halfheartedly apologized last month that his “choice of words was interpreted in a manner that has caused offense.”

It seems Jeffries has a different idea of the “all-American” kid than the reality of the United States supports. But if America is known for its diverse ethnicities and cultures, of people who occupy all different shapes and sizes, why is one of its most popular clothing brands only targeting a narrow population?

The number of people who possess Jeffries’ ideal body figure is small. The average U.S. male is about 5’8”, weighs 195.5 pounds with a waist circumference of 39.7 inches. The average U.S. female is about 5’3”, weighs 166.2 pounds and has a waist circumference of 37.5 inches. However, according to Jeffries, all U.S. teenagers should be below a womens’ size 10 and a mens’ size 36. A women’s size 10 comprises a 28 inch waist, a height of 5’5” and weight of 145 pounds.

So if the average U.S. woman doesn’t even fit into Abercrombie’s largest size, there is obviously something wrong.

At the time, Jeffries may have thought that his discriminating comment would increase brand loyalty among the “cool kids.” However, this advertising technique seems to have failed. Since his comments to Salon.com, Abercrombie’s sales have declined, including a 17 percent drop in the first quarter of this year. And rightfully so.

His refusal to sell what he considers “plus-size” clothing has not only decreased sales, but he surely has also helped give teenagers negative self-images. Body image and popularity are vulnerable subjects for adolescents, and Jefferies’ comments only add to their insecurity.

“Candidly, we go after the cool kids,” Jeffries said. “We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they cannot belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”

And the damage is not limited to girls. Boys also experience poor self-image. Abercrombie’s male models exemplify the ideal, toned and good-looking physique that is advertised all over its store walls and shopping bags. This sets a ridiculously high standard for teenage boys to strive for, driving them to feel insecure about their bodies. Boys assume that girls expect them to match that level of perfection, when in reality all teenagers should accept themselves for who they are.

As for teenage girls, body-image has proven to be a much more threatening issue. Women endure pressure to be just like the “perfect” women plastered across Abercrombie walls. This pressure, which is initiated by portrayals of women throughout popular culture and elevated by comments such as Jeffries’, leads many teenage girls to set impossible standards for themselves, resulting in the development of eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. It’s estimated that 7 million women in America suffer from an eating disorder. It’s clear that Jeffries was being insensitive to female vulnerabilities when he shamelessly declared his company’s marketing philosophy.

Living with the unreasonable expectations people such as Jeffries reinforce with vicious comments causes many teenagers to wrestle daily with an airbrushed magazine model and their mirrors. We hope Abercrombie and Fitch will continue to lose business and that young people continue to protest the company’s degrading philosophy until its definition of a worthy customer is revised.

Until then, it’s important for us to be our own definition of perfect, not someone else’s.

People across America have been speaking out against Jeffries and his comments. Here is what a few Shaker staff members and students have to say about it:

“It’s disappointing. It is the wrong image students need to hear,” said history teacher Amanda Ahrens. “They could send a positive message because of all the power they have, but they choose to send a negative one. It would be powerful if students came out against this.”

Senior Annie Stout, a former employee of a store owned by Mike Jeffries, said, “I quit because I felt really pressured to fit a certain look. The whole working environment was not pleasant because I felt like I had to live up to a certain image expectation.”
“I just think it’s really shallow and rude,” said freshman Brianna Bagakas. “To not sell what he considers plus-size is just discriminative.”

“I think it’s offensive that somebody of that high of power would say something so offensive to so many people,” said freshman Canyon McWilliams. “I think he really needs to rethink his ways.”
“I think you could kind of see it coming, by the way they treat people in the store,” said freshman Dana Weinberg. “Kids could see it coming more than adults did. I think it was much more of a blow to adults than kids.”

Substitute teacher Safiyyah Muhammad said Jeffries is stereotyping. “They could make only small sizes and not publicize that they do not sell anything larger. People that are overweight and into designer clothes will be offended.”

Freeman, who joined the Woodbury Elementary School faculty in 1967 as an industrial arts teacher, told The Shakerite he never planned to be superintendent. While studying for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, he said he considered a career in child psychiatry. After moving to a Shaker administrative position in 1974 as director of educational services, Freeman rose to the rank of assistant superintendent in 1985. In this post he applied for and was offered several superintendent jobs in other school districts, but declined them all because he and his wife at the time “felt that our children were getting a fabulous education in Shaker” and did not want to risk moving them to a lesser school system. Even at that point, Freeman said, “I never really thought I’d be offered the Shaker job.” To his surprise, Freeman was hired for that position in 1988. He will retire in August.

In the 46 years Freeman has worked at Shaker, major changes have occurred, including racial desegregation and implementation of the International Baccalaureate Programme.

Freeman reflected on his work before and during his superintendency to racially integrate the schools. “I spent a lot of time with desegregation or integration programs in the school district. Shaker was certainly ahead of the curve because it was a voluntary program, but there were certainly large numbers of people who weren’t happy from it,” Freeman said. “I remember the large auditorium at the high school; the entire balcony was full at meetings with people who really had strong feelings,” Freeman said. “It wasn’t as smooth as it’s portrayed sometimes.”

According to Freeman, IB was on the district’s radar long before its implementation began. He said everything seemed to fall into place when the district received funding for Mandarin Chinese programs that could work in tandem with IB.

Freeman discussed his tenure as superintendent humbly, giving credit to his staff. “They really aren’t my accomplishments. They’re accomplishments of the school district and the students and the faculty that I worked with. I guess if I had to say what the most important thing would be, would be to recruit and retain a high-quality faculty,” Freeman said. However, Freeman accepts some praise. “I believe that I’m leaving with the institution in really good condition,” he said.

On an issue of great importance to many students, snow days, Freeman reflected somewhat regretfully. “The issue of closing school is very important. . . . The most important thing is the safety of the students and the staff and anyone involved,” he said. “We try to do the best possible job to determine whether schools should be closed or open and it’s always a difficult decision. . . . I’ve certainly been wrong sometimes and right other times.”

The outgoing superintendent credited community members, despite some of their disagreements over snow days and other issues. He said most residents and students “understand the complexity of the job. . . . They may not understand every detail, but they know. That’s why they’re supportive.”

Freeman holds a common regret. “I certainly always could have worked harder. I always tried to do my best on everything, but of course I didn’t always,” he said. Freeman added that he did not do everything he wishes he could have, and that “there’s always more to do.”

The most fulfilling part of his job was seeing the “success of young people,” Freeman said. “I’m able to see them when they enter kindergarten and when they go through commencement, and graduates also come back and tell me how well-prepared they were academically and also how well-prepared they were to be out in the world and understand diversity.”

Freeman disputed the claim that 25 years of being superintendent was too long. “Some people might say it would be greater benefit to have more superintendents or to have change. I think constant turnover of superintendents in a school district does not serve communities and students well,” he said. “I think it’s been good for the district that I’ve served this long.”

In September 2012, Freeman announced he would retire at the end of this school year, giving the Shaker Heights Board of Education of time to look for a new leader. He said he discussed potential search firms and the overall search process with the board, and the board asked him to look at a list of applicants provided by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the search firm the board hired. However, he said played no role in helping the board narrow down the list of applicants to three finalists or in selecting Dr. Gregory Hutchings as his replacement.

Freeman hesitated to give Hutchings advice before the 36-year-old from Alexandria, VA assumes the post. “I’ve talked with him quite a bit.” Freeman said. “I think Dr. Hutchings is a very impressive guy and I’m optimistic he’ll do a good job.”

The “accidental superintendent” shared some concerns about the district’s future. He cited mandates from the state and federal governments requiring “incredible over-testing” of students, which he said “has led to a lot of cheating,” more in districts other than Shaker. He added that some state-level standardized tests are far too easy for many students and are “a waste of class time.” Additionally, Freeman noted problems including the district’s financial limitations and inability to hire as many high quality faculty members as it once did.

“There are quite a variety of issues,” Freeman said. “None of them are insurmountable.”

A version of this article appeared in print 5 June 2013 on pages 6 and 7 of The Shakerite.

“It’s more an emotional disruption than an academic disruption,” said Team English teacher Robin Taylor, whose class was moved to the basement.

The lab will accommodate new Ohio graduation requirements, mandating three years of a lab science for the class of 2014 onward, rather than two.

“That’s 100 percent of our students,” Business Administrator Robert Kreiner said, “and 80 percent of our students will take four years.” With eight new International Baccalaureate lab courses as well, “we don’t have enough science labs to hold the increased number of students.”

The renovations began in May to complete the rooms by mid-August, allowing teachers to move back in before school starts, according to Kreiner. Teachers relocated for the renovation were notified four days before they had to move.

The construction team chose Rooms 259 and 260 because they are near a bathroom, so the floor already has plumbing for laboratory equipment. The rooms are also connected. One room of the finished lab will be a lecture space; the other will contain laboratory materials. Next year, “it’ll be used for the seven Honors Physical Science classes,” Science Department Chairwoman Katherine Brown said.

Rooms 162 and 163’s ceiling is under construction to add a gas line for the new lab above it. English teacher Susanna Jackson teaches in Room 163 and removed all posters.

“Whereas we had a home atmosphere before, now it feels like a foreign space,” Jackson said. “It looks unfinished, like a temporary residence.”

Formerly, Room 260 was a small computer lab, while Room 259 was an English and social studies classroom. “We’ll replace [Room 260] with a rolling set of laptops,” Principal Michael Griffith said. Classes from Room 259 will be moved to Rooms 16, 18 and 20.

Sophomore Mikayla Gibbs’ Team English class was moved. “It was more comfortable upstairs,” she said.

While most class sizes have increased, science is prioritized for safety issues. “Science classes that include labs were operating at a size that is unsafe,” Griffith said. Most exceed the National Science Teachers Association’s limit of 24 students.

Accordingly, Taylor does not mind being relocated. “Everybody wants to have smaller classes, but the science issue is a legal issue,” she said. “Whatever they need to use the classroom for, for the students, is what they should use the classroom for.”

A version of this article appeared in print 5 June 2013 on page 3 of The Shakerite.

“I was really upset and surprised to hear about it,” sophomore Sarah Marek said.

According to Mayor of Shaker Heights Earl Leiken, “It is a safety and security issue.”

“There were 92 officers at the event last year and there were still fights, traffic disruptions and trampling over people’s lawns,” Leiken said. “In the last few years, we have had a large flash mob of kids throughout the area show up along with contacting others through social media and urging them to come.”

With so many people, the event had a “mob-like atmosphere and it’s beyond our capacity to control it.”

Because of the show’s neighborhood setting and many points of entry, it is nearly impossible to execute safety initiatives such as a checkpoint, or providing increased security as it gets dark.

“Fireworks were something I looked forward to every year, and I’m disappointed that they got cancelled,” sophomore Zane Weltman said. “But I think that not having fireworks is a better course of action than continuing them at the risk of more violence.”

Shaker residents did not organize a major challenge to City Hall when it announced the event’s cancellation in December 2012. “There was a violent fight on my street last summer that my neighbors were very concerned about,” said Shaker resident Ellen Brown, who lives near the middle school. “However, I really like Shaker hosting the fireworks. I’m saddened that a few trouble makers ruined it for our whole community.”

The event’s significant cost was also a factor, last year totaling $31,584 for the actual fireworks, staff and other components.

The city is creating a new celebration to take place at Thornton Park July 4. It will be a family event where access can be better controlled.

The fireworks show may not be cancelled forever. Leiken said, “It is in the realm of possibility for the future.”

A version of this article appeared in print 5 June 2013 on page 3 of The Shakerite.

“It’s acceptable to want to make a profit, but not at the expense of the self esteem of the young adult population,” Grey said.  She added that Jeffries makes a judgment call by calling larger people uncool but these comments make them seem less worthy of respect.

Recently, Grey conducted an activity in her freshman English classes about self-perception. She asked students to illustrate themselves so half the image depicted who they are now, and half depicted who they aspire to be.

“It hurt my heart to see how negative they are,” Grey said of the resulting images. She said her students’ self-portraits did not capture her images of them, nor were they loyal to their peers’ views of them.

“We hold ourselves to a standard of beauty that is fabricated,” Grey concluded.

A version of this article appeared in print on 5 June 2013 on page 5 of The Shakerite

Two white Miami police officers tacked and choked African-American 14-year-old Tremaine McMillan after they perceived his body motions to be “combative.” Since the incident, McMillan has been charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to Alternet.com.

The teen was on the beach engaging in horseplay with a friend when police approached, asserting that what they were doing was “unacceptable behavior.” McMillan’s 6-week-old Pitbull sat nearby. After ceasing his roughhousing, police asked McMillan to speak to his mother, which he then began to do.

McMillan seized his puppy and walked away, intending to find his mother. The police then followed him on ATVs and pinned him to the ground while choking him. In the midst of the ensuing scuffle, McMillan’s puppy was injured as he was pinned beneath his owner. “I don’t like it. I feel sad. He got in front of me on the ATV and he slammed my hand,” McMillan said. “Then he started choking me.” McMillan explained that he was choked to a point where he wasn’t able to breathe.

The story has generated outrage on the internet on sites such as Alternet and the Huffington Post, and has thousands of shares on Facebook. McMillan’s story is highly charged because the two officers were white. In light of the Treyvon Martin murder in 2012, this incident has a similar context.

Shaker students are well-versed in preventing racist attitudes through organizations such as SGORR. Junior Grace Williams thinks it depends on the area whether or not racism is a big issue. “I see racism every now and then in Shaker but not that often,” Williams said.

Junior Jaquan Blue said that while racism happens, it’s minimal but present at Shaker. “I think it’s sad that in today’s time, people still have to worry about racism. And this is proof that it still exists. I don’t think there is blatant racism in Shaker, but you can see a sense of ‘like’ sticking with ‘like,’” he said.

The officers stand by the story that they saw McMillan’s body language, described as a glaring stare and clenched fists, as a threat. Terrified, McMillan’s mom, standing nearby, recorded the incident in a video on her phone. 

SGORR Coordinator Halle Bauer expressed skepticism towards the story. “It’s hard with such charged issues to get an unbiased account,” Bauer said. Many news sites have covered the story, but with the officers and McMillan giving differing accounts, it is difficult to know what really occurred.

However, Bauer thinks that nothing like this would ever happen in Shaker. “I don’t think it is necessarily related to the progress being made in race relations. Hopefully this is an isolated incident,” Bauer said.

McMillan gave a statement on the situation to CBS news opposing Miami Police’s claim that he was acting aggressively. “How could I be clenching my fist when I was taking care of my puppy and giving him some milk with a bottle?” The teen’s legal counsel requested McMillan’s charges be dropped, but the request was denied. His trial will be July 16.

The news coverage of this incident sways heavily to one in which the police were being racist; however, with a situation such as this, bias is always a factor. Further investigation is needed to come up with a proper verdict.

People across America have been speaking out against Jeffries and his comments. Here is what a few Shaker staff members and students have to say about it:

“It’s disappointing. It is the wrong image students need to hear,” said history teacher Amanda Ahrens. “They could send a positive message because of all the power they have, but they choose to send a negative one. It would be powerful if students came out against this.”

Senior Annie Stout, a former employee of a store owned by Mike Jeffries, said, “I quit because I felt really pressured to fit a certain look. The whole working environment was not pleasant because I felt like I had to live up to a certain image expectation.”

“I just think it’s really shallow and rude,” said freshman Brianna Bagakas. “To not sell what he considers plus-size is just discriminative.”

“I think it’s offensive that somebody of that high of power would say something so offensive to so many people,” said freshman Canyon McWilliams. “I think he really needs to rethink his ways.”

“I think you could kind of see it coming, by the way they treat people in the store,” said freshman Dana Weinberg. “Kids could see it coming more than adults did. I think it was much more of a blow to adults than kids.”

Substitute teacher Safiyyah Muhammad said Jeffries is stereotyping. “They could make only small sizes and not publicize that they do not sell anything larger. People that are overweight and into designer clothes will be offended.”

As a product of Shaker Heights’ “bubble,” I never truly noticed that there are so many world issues right outside our suburb.

I’ve always thought what I go through makes my life “hard,” including the everyday drama with friends and the arguments with my parents about curfew or when I can use the car. That is, until I took an afternoon to mentor a group of Cleveland middle school students.

Along with two other Shaker students, I went to Miles Elementary School in Cleveland to speak to a group of students about setting goals for themselves, and how to plan for success in the all-important high school years.

Right off the bat, we had difficulty controlling the group. It was supposed to be a workshop including several activities, but turned into merely a discussion due to lack of cooperation. The group coordinator repeatedly apologized and said the students weren’t used to taking directions, because the teachers generally lacked interest in the students’ investment.

We asked the students what goals they had set for themselves, after a few minutes of silence, we prodded them to stretch a bit, take the risk. One student raised her hand and said she had plans to become a vampire after high school.

Saying I had a wakeup call would be the understatement of the century.

People wonder why the majority of these students are underachieving in their studies, and why they seem so disconnected with school. For so many years, I ignorantly blamed it on the individual students not having the motivation, until I visited and realized these students don’t have time to do homework and study because they are more worried about finding a place to sleep for the night, or what their next meal will be.

Another factor is much of the faculty. It goes without saying that there are teachers who have the passion for teaching and helping kids. However, after visiting the inner-city school, I couldn’t help but notice that many teachers lacked interest. These teachers completely ignored behavior which would have consequences at Shaker. Students chased each other around the halls, argued with screams, and hung around the halls far after the late bell rang.

During discussion with the middle-school students, I learned about some of their daily lives.  Several of the students talked about their homes and family life. I learned one student has a father in jail, while her mother had recently been released. Several other students shared about their lives without parents, sometimes fending for themselves. Thinking about navigating high school without parental guidance is almost unimaginable, let alone finding the next place to sleep.

Another student expressed worries about partying in high school, and not being able to abstain from the traditions in her family regarding drug abuse. Several other students chimed in, sharing stories about their current drug usage and experiences.

After listening to these students, some five years younger than me, I realized I’ve never been more thankful to grow up in such a safe atmosphere. Students claim Shaker is so “ghetto,” or “so hood,” but in reality, more than half of Shaker students could not survive on the streets for more than a few hours.

You think you’re stressed out about that B on your report card? Take a moment to put your life into perspective. There are kids out there, some four or five years younger, who deal with drugs, absence of family and unsafe environments every day.