Opinion: Pornography is the Pedestal on which Rape Culture Stands

Caché Goracke

April 8, 2019

Beaten, tied up, and viciously raped, consistently for nine months, Elizabeth Smart told CNN and many other news sites “pornography made [her] life a living hell.”  Her captor would come to her excited and “amped up” with porn magazines. He would show her the pages and say that they were go...

Opinion: Is Cheating in School Really That Bad?

Peyton Carley

March 30, 2019

In every single syllabus I have received in my academic career, there has been at least a paragraph about the class teachers policy on cheating. Any test or quiz or homework assignment, any form of cheating on those would result in a zero. These rules are consistent with just about every teacher policy...

Opinion: The Snow Day Schedule Isn’t as Bad as People Say

Riley Keiter

March 19, 2019

The recent buzz around Olathe West has been centered around our (many, many, many) snow days. But worse, is what people have said about making up for so many days off. The changes made to the schedule all went into effect after Spring Break, and seem small at first. To begin, late starts on Thursd...

Opinion: What About the Man Upstairs?

November 7, 2018

Let’s talk about the big man upstairs. Let’s talk about God. When it comes to Him, there are people who either feel very strongly that He exists or does not exist. There are those who have never given it much thought, and there are those who simply couldn’t care less. God, in the words of C.S....

Opinion: Is Maternal Care in Hospitals Enough?

Sydney Brown

November 7, 2018

Postpartum care is definitely something that needs to be improved. Many women after giving birth get diseases and even die from lack of care after giving birth. A woman should get proper care after giving birth, especially if the side effects are life-threatening. New babies and mothers should have ...

Opinion: Unreasonable Workload, Insufficient Time

Matt Bice

November 7, 2018

As a student, I am overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work thrown onto me. I spend at least seven hours a week on homework, not including studying time. Although I may be in many advanced classes, the workload in all classes is excessive. On Sept. 30th, I spent six hours at a coffee shop with friends a...

Opinion: Le’veon Bell Deserves His Money and He Needs it Now

Peyton Carley, Writer

October 25, 2018

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’veon Bell has yet to join his team this season. After six weeks of football, the Steelers are now into their bye week, but are still without their All-Pro runner because Bell and the Steelers were unable to sign a long-term contract extension this off-season. Prio...

Opinion: Sex-Ed Leaves Students Unsafe, Uneducated

Paige Snider

October 25, 2018

If you have had the fortune of receiving a public school education, then you have also had the misfortune of sitting through the infamous, the painful, the purposeless, Sex-Ed. Now, even mention the word sex to an adult and you will most likely be shushed and told to not discuss subjects you aren’t m...

Opinion: Colin Kaepernick Ad is a Bad Move By Nike

Peyton Carley

October 5, 2018

On Sept. 7, Nike released its 30th Anniversary Campaign of the “Just Do It” slogan. The face chosen for that advertisement was Colin Kaepernick. The Billboard features a picture of Kaepernick with the quote, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Colin Kaepernick became one...

Opinion: Gun Violence Sparks Concerns at School

Jacob Keenan and Jack Miller

March 27, 2018

All students are taught that a school is a safe place for them to learn. Yet many students feel unsafe and even scared to go to class. As students of Olathe West, we are taught that we have nothing to worry about regarding safety. In the case of an active shooter, we are taught to follow...

Opinion: What’s the best way to be nice?

Jacob Keenan, Staff Writer

November 29, 2017

Many times, we say to ourselves that we are nice to everyone and are altogether a nice person. However, we rarely look inside to see how every single action affects other people. I tested myself and the Internet to see what people consider nice.  To do this, I used the website wikiHow and read...

Opinion: No Trash Challenge

Hannah Snakenberg and Jack Miller

November 16, 2017

: Have you ever thought about how much trash you throw away in a week? It’s a lot. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American throws away 4.4 pounds of trash a day. We decided to do a week-long challenge where we don’t throw away any trash. We could only use things...