Max Page, current president of the Massachusetts Teachers Union (MTA), attended the Andover Education Association’s (AEA) first day of the strike on Friday, November 10. As an educator himself and having served as the MTA’s president for almost over a year, Page shared his perspective on the events that have been unfolding over the past few days.
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Strikeout attendee holds up an “ANDOVER EDUCATORS ON STRIKE!” sign.
Why are you here at the strike today?
Well, I’m the president of this state’s Teachers Association. This represents 117,000 public school and college educators in 400 local areas and Andover is one of those areas. We represent them, stand behind them, and support them in their fight for a fair contract.
What inspired you to come here and support Andover educators?
I mean, it’s so inspiring when you have a group of educators who want to demand what’s right for the schools, including the betterment of students and educators, especially the instructional assistants. It’s the educators who know best what students need. I love that they’re standing up and willing to do whatever is needed to get it right.
Have you seen similar movements across Massachusetts, for example, teachers fighting for different contracts?
Absolutely. You know, really, there’s been this growing momentum over the past decade of educators not willing to just accept whatever is being offered, and they’re demanding more–they’re raising their level of expectation for their students and for themselves as educators and that’s been going on for the past number of years. It’s been really exciting.
How do you feel about it being illegal here in Massachusetts to strike?
You know what Representative Erica Uyterhoeven from Somerville was saying in her speech–we’ve worked on [a bill] with her, which [would] remove the prohibition of striking [in Massachusetts.] There’s a great history and terrible history [to the bill] which goes back to the time when Boston Police officers went on strike in 1919. And I can tell you there’s a lot of stories around that. But that eventually became this tradition of “Oh, we don’t let public sector workers go on strike” and it was eventually enshrined in law. And it’s a bad law. It’s wrong. It’s frankly, immoral. So we’ve been working to change that law. But clearly educators after nine months decided that this is what they needed to do.
Do you see any of the demands here getting enshrined in state law in the near future?
You know, one of the things that we do believe is that paid parental leave should be universal. It is universal for private sector workers and many public sector workers, but not municipal workers. So it’s a huge problem. The MTA helped win this for most workers, but it excluded municipal workers. So educators who are two-thirds of women who are most likely to take the paid parental leave, do not have it by right. So while people are fighting for it here in Andover, we hope eventually to have that be state law.
COURTESY PHOTO / Melissa Nussbaum Melissa Nussbaum smiles for the camera.
Melissa Nussbaum, fifth-grade teacher at South Elementary School and member of the Andover Education Association’s (AEA) negotiating team, rallied outside of South School along with other educators on Friday. As cars honked in support of the AEA as they passed by the rally, Nussbaum revealed her outlook on the ongoing dispute.
Why are you here striking today?
[The School Committee] is only giving us a portion of what we wanted and what we’ve asked for. [We come] off [as] ridiculous [for] what we’re asking for, but they’re not being honest. One of the reasons we wanted to rally is so the whole town could watch us [and] listen to everything, [the School Committee] didn’t, which is their prerogative. [But] then they follow up all of our bargaining sessions by using their unique ability to email all families at once in the whole town, which we cannot do… They’re sharing only what little teasers they want to share that put them in a better light and make us look terrible. If we were allowed to do the same, people would know the real story.
When do you think this strike will end, or how long are you planning to strike?
We’re going to strike until we get a fair contract and a return-to-work agreement that keeps everyone safe.
Do you mind explaining a little about what the “return-to-work” agreement is?
Depending on how long a strike is, in general, you have to bargain a return-to-work agreement because… there are some teachers that have professional status. You have to make sure that each retaliation that comes their way—so if there are fines or losses or loss of wages—that all needs to be bargained back. A strike day is just like a snow day, right? We’re going to have to make the day up. I think it just makes [for] better transitioning so that going back to work goes smoothly for everybody.
How has the administration generally responded to the strike?
We really respect our principal. She’s been great and very respectful to us. There’s the administration that’s uptown, and then there’s the administration that’s in your building. For me, they’re two different entities.
How do you think the strike affects the students at South and across APS?
I think it affects kids in different ways [in each grade]. I think how parents talk to kids matters as well. Of course, I’m not talking to elementary schoolers about strikes or anything political. In middle and high school, I think the kids [are] affected differently, and I think it has to do with how much involvement they… have in this issue and… in the community. Some want to be part of it and others don’t understand or they’re not interested in it. I like that the kids are organizing themselves and speaking out about what they believe and that’s great.
Andover Public Schools (APS) students showed up downtown to support their teachers at an Andover Education Association (AEA) rally on Friday, November 10.
Kids ranging from first grade to high school seniors rallied in support of the AEA. Most, if not all, of the students’ sentiments were the same: “I’m here to support our educators who deserve fair pay,” said sophomore Tess Moglia.
“We are making sure that IAs specifically get better pay and get liveable wages,” AHS senior Nate Allen said. There was overwhelming support for the teachers seen by the turnout of students alone. Senior Nick Vacarro said he “would not be the person [he is] today without the teachers’ support”.
Junior Mitran Kumar, who gave a speech and is a member of the student organization Respect Our Teachers, stands strong in his support. “So far, there have been 27 rounds of unsuccessful negotiation,” Kumar said. “And we’re hoping today’s strike can show that that’s not acceptable, and students are now behind you.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Mitran Kumar makes a speech during the strikeout.
Oscar Gillette, founder of the Respect Our Teachers organization and AHS Class of 2023 graduate, expressed similar sentiments towards Andover educators. Several students from the organization also took part in a rally on Wednesday, November 8, showing up at the Senior Center to support the AEA negotiation team.
Another senior, Hannah Lehmann, said, “They are demanding resources to be able to be better teachers for us so we owe it to them to support them.” Abinaya Ganesh, a senior and participant in the high school’s production of Rent, stated that while the production has been allowed to continue and her extracurricular life hasn’t been interrupted too much, she is “willing to have my life disrupted” for the cause.
While 8th graders Aiden DeLuca, Sam Bossieux, Jack Walsh, and Jack Difiore enjoyed the day off, DeLuca explains that they came to “check out the strike and see all of [their] teachers.”
With the School Committee being a group of parents, Ganesh thinks it’s the parent’s job to look out for students. “It may seem [to the Committee] like that’s what [they are] doing right now, but what will really benefit the students is teachers being able to do their job properly.”
“We will not accept these locked-in negotiations and we will not stop until they bring a proper agreement, a fair contract, and livable wages which is why we as the students will stand by it until those agreements are met,” Kumar said adamantly. “One more thing. Warriors don’t cross the picket line.”
During the November 10 AEA demonstration, members of the Andover community all over Massachusetts came together at the Town Commons. They shared sentiments regarding the Andover School Committee’s offers and refusals to meet the AEA’s demands.
Brian Shea, AHS English Teacher, opened the stage by defining what Andover Public Schools (APS) truly is, saying that APS is not merely a set of numbers to be analyzed but a thriving community based on love, care, and compassion. Although school is closed, Shea wanted “to be clear that APS is not closed today because APS is right here!”
Kathryn Conti, Woodhill Middle School (WHMS) eighth-grade special education teacher of 20 years and army veteran thanked the rally: “Your personal life and commitment to the common good are an inspiration to students and teachers alike.”
Daniel Donnavon, AHS Science Teacher and marine veteran, declared, “Service is something we model every day in our teaching. We have to stand up for ourselves and model that for our students.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Matthew Bach makes a speech at the strikeout.
Matthew Bach, AEA President and AHS History Teacher, shared his eagerness to get back to the classroom but said that [the AEA] “is doing this because it is the right thing to do, and if [they] didn’t do it [he] wouldn’t be able to…look [his] students in the eye. There is a time when what’s just and what’s right has to overcome fear and a reluctance to get out of our individualism. And [the AEA is] here collectively to do that today. And we’re going to win.”
Julian Digloria, AEA Vice President and WHMS History Teacher, reflected on his personal and familial connection to the town as an educator and how important public education is. “It’s something that people do not have across the globe and in some cases in this country and…. something that our armed forces are fighting to protect,” he said. Andover “has been a lighthouse district for public education,” he continued, “[and] we want to keep it that way.” Digloria urged the School Committee to work with the AEA, to offer them a fair contract, and to respect their employees in order to keep Andover a lighthouse district in the commonwealth and in the nation.
Karen Torres, Instructional Assistant Unit Chair, reminded all instructional assistants of their value to the district and how critical their work is for the success of their students. Torres emphasized how the school committee “can’t fill instructional assistant positions that are posted and open, because it’s a difficult, low paying job, and now the district values [instructional assistants] so much that they’re willing to pay an outside company $65 an hour to fill that position.” Torres ended her speech by demanding that the school committee “Do [their] job!”
Chrissy Lynch, Massachusetts AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations) President, explained her role and reason for joining the AEA strike: “The job of the AFL-CIO is when one union gets picked on you got a whole bunch of other ones standing in solidarity.” The AFL-CIO represents over 800 local unions across Massachusetts from every sector. Lynch said “Our educators deserve everything that our cities and our state can give them. This is the future of our world.” Although Massachusetts passed the Fair Share Amendment, expected to generate about $2 billion in yearly support for transportation and public education, Lynch said, “Now is the time to use those investments to make sure our schools are getting the resources they need.”
Kara Routier, AHS Instructional Assistant, shared how difficult it is to pursue a career in education because the “starting wage for IAs here is not adequate to pay for housing, food, any student loans, transportation, clothing, and routine bills.” Routier expressed her concern for Andover’s diminishing appeal to young educators, lack of recognition for experienced educators, and the School Committee’s disregard for students, particularly those with special needs.
Dayshawn Simmons, Somerville Educators Union (SEU) President, expressed solidarity with AEA, highlighting their shared struggle for fair wages and conditions. Drawing from Somerville’s experience, he encouraged the AEA to trust in their collective power, emphasizing that their fight will only yield positive changes for educators but will also inspire and empower students: “You all made the brave, courageous, and righteous decision to advocate for yourself, your students, and the Andover community,” said Simmons, “remember what you are fighting for and know that you deserve it.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Erica Uyterhoeven makes a speech at the strikeout.
Erica Uyterhoeven, Somerville State Representative, shared her personal connection to labor struggles through her mother’s union. “My first picket line was in the womb,” said Uyterhoeven. She encouraged educators to remember their courage during challenging times and dispelled myths related to funding, the misconception that “Somehow because [teachers] care [about the students], [they] should be paid less,” and the belief that public sector unions are different. She emphasized the right to strike is crucial for negotiation for a fair contract, and she has proposed a bill advocating for the restoration of the right to strike for public sector workers, expressing strong support for the educator’s actions in Andover.
Maura McCurdy Santiago, Andover Parent, read a letter she sent to the School Committee and the Superintendent. She expressed deep disappointment with the School Committee for the prolonged negotiations and lack of urgency in addressing teachers’ concerns. Santiago highlighted teacher’s efforts during the pandemic and argued for a fair wage that considers the cost of living and matches neighboring communities. She asked the School Committee to consider if they “make a good enough living wage to support [their] own family if [they] had to take an unpaid leave to support a sick loved one?”
Students from the AHS Respect Our Teachers Organization, stepped up and shared their personal experiences with the Andover education system. Mitran Kumar, an AHS junior, highlighted the historical significance of the Bread and Roses movements and drew parallels to the ongoing struggle for a fair contract for teachers in Andover. Mitran said, “This is said to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. But I ask you this: when you don’t have the fundamental right to strike, do you feel free? When you don’t have any meaningful impact or input over your curriculum, do you feel free? When you can’t take time off of work for the death of a family member, do you feel free? But I also ask you this together as we stand here in solidarity, just how powerful we are together. Do you feel brave?”
President Michael Zilles, President of the Newton Teachers Association (NTA), stated that the NTA is working with the same law firm, using similar tactics to resist contracts. Ziles said, “They think they can beat us, but they can’t. I’m coming away from here feeling stronger because what [the AEA] is doing here is going to help 2000 members in Newton and we are going to win just as [the AEA is] going to win.” Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President and Deb McCarthy, MTA Vice President addressed the crowd in solidarity and expressed admiration for the union members fighting for living wages, paid parental leave, and adequate recess time. Page said, “You are not going to be getting this by asking. You are doing this by demanding a fair contract for all your members and for the students in this district… The fight for racial gender, education, and justice, runs through the AEA and runs right through Andover, so you do this for yourselves and your students, but you do this for a larger labor movement that is on the rise.”
The Andover Education Association (AEA) rallied outside schools and at Andover Commons on Friday, November 10, after voting to strike Thursday night.
For the first time in 30 years, the AEA strikes gathered a crowd of red at the Town Commons.
With schools closed due to the Union’s strike, many students came out to show their support for educators. In the crowd of nearly 1000, there were also parents and other educators from neighboring districts like Haverhill, Woburn, and North Andover.
Parent Lauren Kinney hopes that the school committee will come to see “the value that our teachers provide and agree that their requests are not unreasonable.” AHS Senior Michaela Buckley said that educators “do so much for us and the least we can do is have them paid a liveable wage.” 2023 Alumnus John Macy agreed with Buckley and stood with the AEA saying “They did a great job educating me and I want to get them a fair contract.”
Arlington teacher and Methuen resident, Jenna Maderios, said it was important to her “to come out and show teacher solidarity.” Strikes like this have been successful in other Massachusetts towns and while “it’s unfortunate that it has to get to this, it is what Andover educators deserve,” Maderios said.
With the AEA’s decision to strike, the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) at the Department of Labor Relations ordered the Union to cease and desist after they broke the law (M.G.L. c. 150E, s. 9A). The CERB also ordered a state mediator for the negotiations held on November 10.
Oscar Gillette, a 2023 alumnus of AHS, created Respect Our Teachers, “a group of students and alumni who support the union” said Gilette. The group is taking two approaches, electoral (where they will gather signatures, and if they get 200 signatures from registered Andover adults a town meeting will be triggered) and civil disobedience (where students will refuse to attend school without a fair contract for their educators).
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Seniors rally in support of the AEA.
The School Committee’s proposal on Friday included enhanced paid parental leave (including 11 weeks of paid leave for any parent) and an increase in sick days for Instructional Assistants which now have a total of 15 sick days.
While the Committee is dedicated to “negotiating in good faith” as said in their statement on November 11, the AEA has made it clear that enough is enough even though they have yet to respond.
For more information on negotiations visit aps1.net
The Andover Education Association (AEA) voted to go on strike Thursday afternoon and rallied yesterday, November 10, outside the closed schools and Andover Common.
After the November 8 bargaining session fell through, the AEA voted overwhelmingly in favor of striking the following afternoon on November 9. Yesterday at around 8 a.m., teachers and Instructional Assistants (IAs) from respective negotiation Units A & B demonstrated at all Andover Public Schools to show their support for the strike. At 12 p.m., joined by many other teachers and union leaders from all over the state, they began gathering outside of the Memorial Auditorium.
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger AHS Teachers make their way to Andover Commons to continue the strike.
The School Committee’s proposal from Thursday and AEA’s most recent proposal from October 25 include increased wages for both entry-level teachers and IAs, a greater amount of prep time per day, and more parental leave.
An emergency negotiation session between the AEA and the School Committee, along with a mediator sent by the Massachusetts Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB), took place yesterday afternoon at 2 p.m. The parties bargained for eight hours.
The School Committee published a statement this morning, November 11, at 5 a.m. detailing their further offers of increased paid parental leave and sick time. The AEA has not publicized any counterproposals.
The Andover School Committee had filed a petition shortly before the Thursday afternoon vote with CERB at the Department of Labor Relations to prevent the strike. They “[urged] the AEA to end the theatrics [to]… negotiate in good faith.” When the AEA continued with the strike, CERB found the union in violation of Massachusetts state law and ordered the members to concede the strike by tomorrow, Sunday, November 12.
At the rally yesterday, AEA Chair Matthew Bach said the union was “doing this today because it was the right thing to do… to overcome fear… and individualism.” The AEA has not yet publicly responded to CERB’s order.
By Melody Tang, Angela Mac, and Julie Mahoney ONLINE EDITOR, LAYOUT EDITOR, and STAFF WRITER
Three years after COVID cut short their freshman year, the 2023 Seniors graduated on June 5, 2023. Held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, the graduation of the class of 2023 reflected on their resilience, hope, community action, and creation of an incredible bond throughout their four years at AHS.
STAFF PHOTO / Harry Guo Seniors lining up before being seated.
Reminiscing on Schoology conferences and the struggles of online learning, class essayist Gabby Erowac recalled how the class of 2023 was stripped away of their normalcy and exposed to fear. However, more importantly, this year’s seniors pushed through the pandemic and left a lasting impact through clubs, communities, programs, and social justice movements.
“Who would have thought the least amount of normalcy in high school left the biggest impact?” Erowac said.
Superintendent Dr. Magda Parvey echoed similar sentiments and stated, “Failure is not final, but a stepping stone towards success.” Parvey shared her appreciation for the seniors’ resiliency and encouraged them to embrace life’s challenges—to overcome them and grow.
Principal Caitlin Brown congratulated the class of 2023 for finally making it to the end of their high school careers. Brown reminded the seniors that they “have within [them], the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world.”
STAFF PHOTO / Brandon Nguyen Senior greets librarian Mary Coombs.
The senior class presented the 2023 distinguished citizen award to AHS librarian Mary Coombs. From keeping the library a safe and fun place for learning, to always having a book for any topic, Coombs won the hearts of the 2023 senior class. Coombs has been with AHS for four years and the seniors decided it was about time the librarian be congratulated for her excellence.
At the ceremony, nerves and excitement bubbled together. While waiting for the graduation to begin, Maddie Blanchette stated she was a little nervous. “I’ve never graduated in a big arena like this before,” said Blanchette.
While waiting for the ceremony, the graduating class spoke on their past four years, sharing memories and regrets. “I dissolved my homework one time in water and I had to say I dropped my homework in the pool and the chlorine ruined all the writing in it,” said senior Noah Allard as he recalled the humorous story. “So I took a cup of the paper water into school with me [as] proof, but it was just a normal piece of paper and I didn’t do the homework.”
STAFF PHOTO / Brandon Nguyen Senior waves at crowd at the Tsongas Center.
When asked to describe his high school experience in three words, Salutatorian Vincent Xu said that “it was fulfilling, fun, and enjoyable.”
Others mentioned the stressful aspects. Manavi Vajhallyai mentioned it was “chaotic [and] stressful, but fun.” Nikita Falsetia agreed and said it was “long, fun, and a rollercoaster.”
A common theme from the seniors seemed to be wishing that they had procrastinated less and worked harder. Kiarra Lucas added to these ideas, saying she wished she had “definitely just [aimed] higher and [stopped] believing [she] couldn’t do some things and just [did] them.”
In contrast, other seniors wished they could have been more present. “I would just live in the moment more [because] it’s easy to just let things fly by,” reminded Tyler Ardito. “Take in every moment, no matter how good or bad.”
Principal Brown told the class, “You have left your mark on Andover High School. I cannot wait to see the mark you leave on the world.”
STAFF PHOTO / Harry Guo Seniors throwing their caps in the air.
Additional reporting by Carissa Dessin, Xander MacKay-Kao, Vismay Ravikumar, and Grace Wang
By Jocelyn Barton & Ethan Zabar ONLINE EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER
On March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day, Andover High School’s Girls Basketball team left the season undefeated, carrying their sixth title of State Champions against Bishop Feehan.
On Friday evening, the Tsongas Center was packed with eager AHS and Bishop Feehan students. AHS fans sat up until the last row in the arena, watching as their beloved team fought for the win.
Seniors Amelia Hanscom, Anna Foley, Kathleen Yates, Marrissa Kobelski, and Ari White finished their senior year basketball season with a final score of 55-51. “To finish off my senior year with the state title means a lot for me,” said Hanscom.
The AHS girls basketball players have gotten extremely close while fighting to keep their undefeated title. Pasta dinners and team bonding activities have kept their friendships strong throughout the season.“We will definitely all be friends for a very long time,” said Hanscom. “We’ve grown really close and will continue to have good times together in the summer and even when we are in college”.
When thinking back to the TD Garden loss, which was during the seniors’ freshman year, there was a huge parallel for the team. Hanscom mentioned that playing at the Tsongas Center “felt very similar to freshman year and like a full circle moment… We got our state championship opportunity taken from us freshman year and now senior year we get to claim the whole thing.”
The emotions could be felt through the stadium as the Lady Warriors were able to hold the championship award as they once lost three years ago.
Coach Alan Hibino of the Girls Varsity Basketball team also feels very accomplished and proud of his players after the season and impressive win. “I am very proud to be the coach of the Lady Warriors. All of the girls’ hard work, dedication and sacrifice was validated with our championship victory. I am very happy to see our seniors be able to go out on top as state champions.”
Through the struggles and triumph, “the girls were great teammates and support systems for each other all season” said Hibino. Hanscom commented that the Lady Warriors could not have continued carrying their undefeated title without supporting one another.
Hibino also thanked the AHS community. “Thank you to the Jungle, the student body, all of the faculty and administrators who have supported, encouraged and appreciated us all year long. We love representing AHS on the court, off the court and in the community.”
May 6th: a memorable night of dance, dinner, and dozens of photos taken with friends and significant others. As junior prom approaches, an event that the junior board and faculty advisors Mr. Rand and Ms. Chachus have spent months organizing, both anticipation and stress are palpable in the air.
The junior board got off the ground in January. Since then, the board has spent countless meetings picking out the venue, choosing decorations, finalizing the meal—which will be buffet-style this year—and determining a theme for the event. According to Nick Vaccaro, the date for prom this year has stirred up a lot of controversy among the student body as it falls in the middle of AP exams, but the date was out of the hands of the board, as it was one of the only dates available at the venue.
COURTESTY PHOTO / Emily Packer Junior Emily Packer tries on her prom dress.
The most stressful part—according to Vaccaro—was ticket sales. Nicholas Rand, a faculty advisor for the junior board, was shocked by the “fervor to buy tickets.” This year, eighty percent of tickets were bought on the first day, a record-breaking number that surpasses last year’s first-day sales multiple times over. With a table set up in the cafeteria, board members collected payments, managed table sign-up sheets, and handed out prom tickets. With people having to select the tables they would be sitting at during sign up, people wanted to be the first in line to secure the table they wanted. Vaccaro emphasized that the process was stressful for board members, who had not expected the crowds that had amassed—with a line that wrapped around the cafeteria.
Rand attributes a lot of this enthusiasm to the sophomore semi-formal last year—the first dance held at Andover High since the COVID-19 pandemic—which gave juniors a taste of what dances have to offer. Many students even headed down to the cafeteria early for prom tickets to ensure they got the seats they desired before they had been snatched up, despite reiteration of the expectation that students must stay in class up until the bell rings. Caitlin Brown, principal of Andover High, was out in the hallways, making sure that students didn’t leave early. Brown recognized the excitement surrounding prom but wanted to maintain a safe environment and keep students engaged in class, and she will thus deal with this issue on a case-by-case basis.
As prom approaches, Vaccaro notes that there is a lot of stress surrounding prom in addition to all of the enthusiasm, but he’s confident that everyone will have “a lot of fun when they get there.” Brown doesn’t know whether the junior class is full of instinctual planners or just very enthusiastic in general, but she is thrilled by the junior class’s response. Apart from juniors, a significant number of both seniors and sophomores will be in attendance, as well as dates and friends from other schools, but juniors make the majority of attendees and will be the focus of the night.
Andover High School was introduced to Meatless Monday, a global movement to encourage students to reduce meat consumption, in February. It was set in motion by the Environmental Club in collaboration with Deeply Rooted Farms, a company that produces meals made from plant-based and sustainable ingredients.
Two weeks before Meatless Monday was officially incorporated into the Andover High School lunch menu, over 400 samples of Italian and Mexican styles of meat substitutes were given to students over one lunch period. A week later, the first Meatless Monday lunch item, chop suey with meat made from pea protein, appeared on the menu. However, Meatless Mondays only lasted for two weeks, which left many AHS students and staff puzzled.
COURTESY PHOTO / Andover School Nutrition Samples of Italian-style meat substitutes were handed out to AHS students.
According to Taylor Pirog, the assistant food service director of Andover Public Schools, the demise of Meatless Monday can be traced back to the staffing shortages, especially among office workers like interns, that AHS is facing in the food department and the lack of student feedback. “When I had an intern… she created the marketing tools and helped come up with the menu… [but] she is now done with her internship,” said Pirog. “I need to know that there is true student interest, [then] I will put the time into it if students want it.”
Even the students who helped introduce Meatless Monday weren’t sure why it was gone. “We went through all the steps of adding it to the school cafeteria,” said William Yu, a sophomore and vice president of the Environmental Club. “We got approval [from] the head chef, and we even did a test run.”
On the Student Government side, they have never put out an official statement on the matter, but the topic of Meatless Monday was discussed during meetings, according to Nicholas Vaccaro, a junior and vice president of the Student Government. “In my personal opinion, I believe the intentions of the Meatless Mondays implementation are incredibly pure and for a good cause,” said Vaccaro. “But there [were] also people [from Student Government] who shared sentiments that they look forward to their hot lunches and don’t necessarily enjoy vegetarian meals compared to their norm.”
Members of the Student Government were also confused by how the meal plan was going to be implemented due to the lack of communication before it was put on the menu. “Of course, there was the sampling of the food, which went very well; however, the full move towards Meatless Mondays was quick and surprising,” said Vaccaro.
Other students were also not entirely in support of Meatless Monday. “The taste was definitely off… [but] they could try something like this again,” said Sampath Kalagarla, a sophomore and non-beef eater. “It was a good initiative, though it was badly executed.”
While the opinions on Meatless Monday were mixed, the positive human health and environmental impacts are definitely present, according to Melanie Cutler, a science teacher and advisor of both the Garden and Environmental clubs. When animal proteins are raised, they are fed antibiotics, so some of the antibiotic drugs end up in the meat for human consumption, which is causing an increase in diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
“Eating a more plant-based diet is healthier than eating more of a meat-based diet,” said Cutler. “Animal fat and saturated fats can lead to increased heart disease.” And by eating more plants, which are on the lower end of the food chain, energy from the sun and photosynthesis are consumed more directly. However, when eating meat, which is on the upper end of the food chain, some of the energy that was originally captured by the plants is lost.
Cutler stated that eating meat not only wastes energy, it also leads to habitat destruction due to Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), which take up a lot of land and produce waste. They cause soil erosion due to the high concentration of animals trampling down the vegetation. When the vegetation dies, no roots hold the soil in place, which causes the soil to erode.
And all the waste that the animals produce are dumped into large manure lagoons, which can cause water pollution when they get into rivers and streams due to the flooding caused by the soil erosion mentioned earlier.
Animals living in CAFOs are also often fed corn, and there’s even more environmental impact, like pesticides and fertilizers, from raising the corn to feed the animals. And many of these animals, like cows, have evolved to eat grass, not corn, which can lead to intestinal issues. “One of the intestinal issues is that cows that are fed corn produce more methane gas, basically cow farting,” said Cutler. “Methane gas is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.”
