No Idea What Go Down
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 I Vol. 117 Iss. 17 INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM PHEBE GROSSER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ‘NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING TO GO DOWN’ D.C. PREPARES FOR INAUGURATION, POSSIBLE PROTESTS Humanities, social science professors Students plan for potential unrest work U.S. Capitol riot into classes on Inauguration Day CARLY NEILSON class checking in with their be considered a patriotic act LAUREN SFORZA at the Capitol left them updates. STAFF WRITER students and giving them an by those who participated – STAFF WRITER “anxious” about be- Junior Louie Kahn, opportunity to cope with the to which Mylonas says, based ing in the District and the president of GW ISHANI CHETTRI stress of living in the District on U.S. laws and “the current The day before junior halted their plans to College Democrats, REPORTER as Wednesday’s presidential constitutive story,” it was not. Mae McGrath planned attend the presiden- said the organization is inauguration brings more “The idea would be that to return to D.C., she tial inauguration. Nine planning virtual events, After rioters supporting safety concerns. we find some way to have a watched a mob support- students said they will like a virtual inaugural President Donald Trump Political scientists across debate about this that helps ing President Donald stock up on groceries ball, instead of going to stormed the U.S. Capitol ear- the country, including 21 us understand better some Trump storm the U.S. for the week and remain in-person inauguration lier this month, American GW faculty, signed a letter of the concepts that we are Capitol on TV. in their residence halls events Wednesday. He studies professor Amber earlier this month calling for planning to cover in this se- McGrath said the or apartments come said he was planning to Musser used the event as an Trump’s removal from office mester,” Mylonas said. insurrection prompted Wednesday in case any attend the inauguration opportunity to talk about its in light of his actions to reject He said he plans to use the her to push back her protests against Pres- but instead will be stay- role in racial tensions in the a peaceful transfer of power, riot and the debates around it return date and stay ident-elect Joe Biden ing indoors at his apart- country. his efforts to pressure elec- to lead into his course read- inside during Inaugu- turn violent. ment and off the streets She said she usually tion officials to overturn state ings like “The Book of Exo- ration Day events as “Especially after last in light of the Capitol brings up current events in election results and his role in dus” and “Antigone,” which threats of violence and week, I just really have attack. her courses, which include inciting the Capitol riot. explore similar situations to the spread of COVID-19 no idea what is going Kahn said he is “dis- The African American Ex- Students living in D.C. the insurrection. In Antigone, remain. She said living to go down on inaugu- heartened” that Biden’s perience and COVID: Race, said they felt “anxious” about the protagonist’s brother was in the District the last ration,” McGrath said. inauguration won’t be Gender and Uprisings, add- being in the District after the jailed for betraying his city’s few weeks has been “It could escalate to able to proceed like ing that discussing the riot riot and planned to stock up government, which Mylonas “nerve-wracking,” cit- the level of the Capitol those in the past. But he help frame her classes “as an on groceries for the week of said is a similar situation to ing an increased mili- last week or potentially added that he is more investigation of the present.” the inauguration to avoid what occurred at the Capitol tary presence around even worse. So that’s worried about Trump Musser said her class held a the potential violence on as rioters broke laws, which campus and the poten- probably my No. 1 con- not facilitating a peace- “robust conversation” about Wednesday. some participants could ar- tial to contract the coro- cern.” ful transfer of power. the insurrection, allowing Harris Mylonas, an as- gue was necessary to accom- navirus. Administrators an- “Of course, there students to process their feel- sociate professor of political plish their goal. “I’ve been seeing nounced all offices and will be more inaugura- ings, questions and anxieties science and international af- “It is true that a lot of these big groups of Trump Foggy Bottom COV- tions in our lifetime, around the day. fairs, said he plans to discuss concepts that we’re dealing supporters wandering ID-19 testing sites will assuming that all goes Musser is one of five hu- the riot and the reasoning with for the semester are very around, and they’re al- close during the inau- well,” he said. “But for manities and social science behind it in his classes on much intertwined with the ways pretty threatening guration out of cau- me, it’s really just the professors who said they patriotism and nationalism. debate that is being had right and not wearing masks, tion. D.C. officials have fact that this country is plan to further dissect the He said the Capitol riot is now in the global sphere,” which just isn’t safe, ob- made similar moves to in the position where day’s event and connect the hard to discuss because it is Mylonas said. viously,” McGrath said. quell residents’ anxiet- we can’t have this kind riot with lessons in their a “traumatic” event, but he In interviews, more ies through many street of event.” than 10 students liv- classes. The professors said plans to ask students to con- See FACULTY page 3 closures and a text ho- See STUDENTS Page 3 they will also spend time in sider whether the riot could ing in D.C. said the riot tline for public safety DeVos’ tenure marked by controversial Title IX policies ZACHARY Liberal-leaning po- to tell what the impact of BLACKBURN litical figures and edu- the new regulations may REPORTER cational advocates often have on reports or com- criticized DeVos’ lead- plaints of sexual harass- ership, leading public ment.” Betsy DeVos is leav- figures, like Sen. Eliza- L a g u e r r e - B r o w n ing behind a contro- beth Warren, D-Mass., said students can still versial legacy in higher to criticize her tenure approach Title IX offi- education after nearly on social media after cials for support in deal- four years leading the she announced her res- ing with sexual assault, U.S. Department of Edu- ignation. When news even if they don’t wish cation. of DeVos’ resignation to move forward with a Since assuming the broke, the American formal complaint. role of Secretary of Edu- Federation of Teachers, “These supportive cation, DeVos altered the country’s second- measures include con- campus sexual assault largest teacher’s labor sultation with Christina policies to give more union, released a two- Franzino, the assistant rights to assailants and word statement: “Good director for sexual as- GABRIELLE RHOADS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER accelerated the Office riddance.” sault prevention and GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus falls adjacent to the Secret Service’s “red zone,” where roads are entirely closed to for Civil Rights’ pro- Caroline Laguerre- response, referrals for vehicles. cess for resolving com- Brown, the vice provost counseling or medical plaints. DeVos’ confir- for diversity, equity and care, academic support, mation to the Cabinet community engage- mutual no-contact or- National Guard occupies Foggy Bottom was one of the most ment, said the Univer- ders, housing support polarizing in American sity will lawfully imple- and referrals to com- history, and Vice Presi- ment the ED’s policies munity resources,” she as campus closes amid threats dent Mike Pence was regardless of who is said. forced to cast the first- leading the department. She declined to say JARROD WARDWELL zone,” a region with traffic protocols to keep the neigh- ever tie-breaking vote ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR restricted just to residents borhood safe amid fears of “Sexual harassment how GW’s relationship for a Cabinet nomina- policy changes neces- with the education de- and businesses to protect repeated violence and riots. tion to secure President National Guard mem- the inauguration from po- Here’s what you need sitated by the Depart- partment has changed Donald Trump’s pick. ment of Education’s new since DeVos took office. bers, automatic rifles, mil- tential security threats re- to know about safety and DeVos resigned in itary-style vehicles and se- sembling the mob of riot- security on campus before Title IX regulations were She declined to say how protest from her posi- implemented in August DeVos’ policies affected curity fencing are among ers who stormed the U.S. the inauguration of Pres- tion in the Cabinet Jan. the sights on campus ahead Capitol earlier this month. ident-elect Joe Biden and 2020, during a time when the way GW handles 7, citing the riot and in- most of the campus was OCR complaints. of Wednesday’s presiden- Under heightened public Vice President-elect Kama- surrection at the Capi- tial inauguration. safety concerns, University closed due to the COVID tol the day before as 19 pandemic,” she said in The Foggy Bottom Cam- and District officials imple- See DISTRICT page 3 See DEVOS Page 5 the reason in a letter to an email. “It is too early pus is under D.C.’s “green mented a series of security Trump.