Center of Discussion

In the past two editions of The Chronicle, my stories have caused a bit of a stir amongst the students of Mason High School.

Meninist Story

http://thecspn.com/?p=31600 

In the September edition, our first release of the year, I wrote a story explaining the different viewpoints on the "Meninist" account on Twitter. This was a story I wanted to pursue since last school year. I'm pleased I finally got the chance to explore the topic.

Writing the story was thought-provoking. As an open-minded individual, I love to discover different viewpoints. I'm also a big fan of raw passion. Interviewing a self proclaimed "meninist" versus a feminist was fascinating. Both were very mature and articulate with their opinions.

The reactions that followed distribution day were completely unexpected. I knew that the topic was somewhat controversial, but I didn't foresee the social media outcry that ensued.

Some readers felt that The Chronicle had purposefully "pushed back the feminist opinions" from the cover to a later page because we "didn't care about them". To clarify this misconception, a newspaper is laid out by story subject. News is in the front, then feature, then sports. Given the nature of my story as a feature, it was on a later page.

As a journalist, it is an obligation to make sure opinion is eradicated from a story. While this can sometimes be difficult, having an open mind and initially neutral stance are crucial.

I wasn't upset over some of the negative attention the story received; most of it was directed at the story subject and not what I actually wrote. In fact, I enjoyed the attention. The more people that converse about it, the more people that read The Chronicle. Isn't that what you want as a journalist?

I felt proud about having my first cover story. One of the goals I made before this school year was to get a story on the cover, so achieving this in the first edition exceeded my expectations.

Overall, I was pleased with how the story came together.

Urinal Dividers Story

http://thecspn.com/?p=32746

My story this edition was centered around Mason's lack of urinal dividers in the men's restrooms. 

I'm extremely grateful my newspaper adviser, Mr. Conner, directed me towards this gem of a topic. Females don't typically consider what the bathroom experience is like for males. He opened my eyes to a subject foreign to me and many other girls.

I took pleasure in breaking the taboo of 'bathroom talk'. 

The reaction to this story was generally positive. Many people found it humorous, while still maintaining a serious tone. I didn't want to make this a fluffy, just for laughs story. My inclusion of studies and statistics helped to bring it to an intelligent, mature level.

The follow up story on a girl's perspective helped show another side as well.

I'm interested to see if my story has any effect on the implementation of urinal dividers to Mason in the future. While the likelihood is low due to the high cost, it would be remarkable to see a change like this occur. If our poll on The CSPN shows a significant desire for dividers, they could eventually become a reality between every urinal at MHS.

My favorite thing about journalism is learning new things, talking to new people, and gaining new perspectives. These last two stories have helped to quench my journalistic thirst. I'm ready to tackle bigger story subjects in the future. 

Girls weigh in on lack of dividers in men's restroom, appreciate privacy

Juliana Discher I Staff Writer

Girls, “urine” luck. Plastic stalls make for a peaceful restroom situation.

According to sophomore McKayla Peebles, the girl’s restroom is a private sanctuary compared to the boy’s restroom.

“I feel like the bathrooms are very private,” Peebles said. “I’ve never been violated or felt any extreme level of discomfort at Mason. Guys probably feel uncomfortable without the urinal dividers because they’re self conscious about somebody making fun of them, even though they don’t really need to be.”

If there were no stalls separating the toilets, Peebles said this would be a serious issue for girls. 

“I wouldn’t go to the bathroom at the high school,” Peebles said. “I would just wait until nobody else was in there. I would be really scared.” 

According to a 2014 article by The Atlantic, “Until the 1800's, there was little expectation of privacy while using the bathroom. Economic prosperity and religious notions of modesty made the desire for a private space in which to do one’s business more widespread." Nowadays, most developed countries have private bathrooms.

Senior Ellie Morrissey said she feels sympathy for the boys’ lack of urinal dividers.

“I don’t think the privacy level is a problem in the girl’s bathrooms,” Morrissey said. “Apparently in the guy’s bathroom it is. I had no idea that it was like that for guys and I just feel bad. I’m sure they deal with it, but it’s still an inconvenience.”

Peebles and Morrissey both said the bathroom experience is better alone.

“I prefer to go the bathroom with nobody in there,” Peebles said. “If there is somebody else in there, I just wait until they leave.”

AP Psychology teacher Angie Johnston said the lack of urinal dividers makes her appreciate her privacy even more.

“I’m thankful for this reason that I’m a female and have my own private area to go to the bathroom,” Johnston said. “While it’s a natural body process we all do, it’s human nature to desire privacy when going to the bathroom.”

See the Full Story: http://thecspn.com/?p=32746 

NO URINAL DIVIDERS IN MEN’S RESTROOM CAUSES UNSPOKEN ETIQUETTE

Julian Discher I Staff Writer

Together men stand, divided men urinate.

There are unspoken rules of the restroom that most males understand and follow; eyes forward, no chit-chat, the middle urinal is no man’s land. At Mason High School, the lack of urinal dividers—metal or plastic sheets placed on the walls between urinals—have prompted males to act a certain way. In a 2014 article, The Atlantic analyzed the dynamics of men’s restrooms and said, “The public collides uncomfortably with the private in the bathroom as it does nowhere else, and the unique behaviors we perform stem from a complex psychological stew of shame, self-awareness, and gender roles.”

According to senior Jeremy Fogel, with no dividers, there is a specific method for which urinals are open to use.

“I’m more of a stall guy,” Fogel said. “Usually if there are three urinals and two people are on the outside, you just wait and don’t go.”

Fogel said Mason’s lack of urinal dividers is the cause of tension and awkwardness in the restroom.

“I’m more of a stall guy,” Fogel said. “Most restaurants and movie theaters have dividers. Mason just likes to keep it open. They provide a lot more privacy.”

Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Angie Johnston said that a 1976 study on men’s bathroom behavior reveals the trends behind urination patterns. In the experiment, scientists measured how long it took a man to urinate under different circumstances.

“The researchers found that if someone else was in a public restroom when the man came in, it would take approximately four seconds to start the urination process,” Johnston said. “If there was a urinal between the two guys, then it took around six seconds. If they were right by each other, it took about eight seconds for him to actually start. The psychology behind the experiment is that the guy is distracted by focusing on what the other individual is thinking of them, and it delays the body’s natural process.”

According to a 2008 study conducted by the Journal of Health Psychology, men list genital size among their top body concerns, along with height and weight. This adds more complexity to an already uncomfortable public situation.

The projected cost for adding urinal dividers in every restroom at Mason High School would be around $350 per divider for purchasing and installation. Assuming two dividers per bathroom and 15 bathrooms, the cost to outfit the school is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000. According to Assistant Superintendent of Operations Michael Brannon, the addition of urinal dividers could be a possibility in the future if explicit need is shown.

“As a district, we consider any need that helps people feel comfortable and helps people advance their school day and education,” Brannon said. “It’s a possibility for urinal dividers to be purchased in the future. If there is a need for them and if people expressed it, we would consider putting them in.”

Fogel said Mason’s male restrooms would be further improved with the implementation of urinal dividers.

“It would expedite the bathroom process because more people could go at once,” Fogel said. “Almost every other public place has urinal dividers for a reason, so why shouldn’t Mason have them?”

See the Full Story: http://thecspn.com/?p=32746