The CHARGER
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 942 SAN JOSE, CA
San Jose Unified School District Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120
ACCOUNT
Vol. T No. 2
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120 Protest fashion and its cultivation throughout time on page
Dressed in a custom designed knight outfit in Columbia blue, yellow and navy blue, Bolt—the school’s new costumed mascot—was introduced to students and staff during the Week of Welcome. Designed by Activities Director Meg Walsh and the Associated Student Body (ASB), Bolt makes frequent appearances at lunch and afterschool during special school occasions such as football games, rallies and spirit events. Walsh explains that she proposed the idea to create a costumed mascot as it is traditional for high schools to have mascots, and they are great for cultivating school spirit. In order to design Bolt, Walsh contacted a mascot company and personally chose and assembled various elements of the mascot, including Bolt’s facial features, the fabric of his clothing and the color scheme for his costume. As someone who worked with several mascots in college—including the San Jose Sharks’s iconic S.J. Sharkie and Oakland Athletics’s lovable Stomper—Walsh had extensive experience with mascots and a clear vision of what she wanted Bolt to look like. “It was important to me that our mascot is not just a horse, but the horse that the knight rides on, so I wanted to incorporate elements of the knight on Bolt’s costume. While designing the outfit, we browsed through images of medieval knight armor for inspiration. Overall, Bolt perfectly embodies the fearless “Charge On” mentality, which I had hoped for,” Walsh said.
@lelandchargeraccount
Autosports: Racing to glory 6
on page
When he attends school events, Bolt is supported by Bolt’s Brigade—a behind-the-scenes group of handlers focused on helping the mascot interact with students while staying safe. The group is currently composed of about ten members, but they are actively scouting people to grow their team. Junior Class President Alexander Lee—one of the members of the brigade—revealed that Bolt was designed and purchased prior to the lockdown. Walsh and ASB had originally planned to reveal it earlier, but were delayed by the pandemic. “We had to keep Bolt undercover for a few years, but this school year was the perfect opportunity to finally bring Bolt out as it has been a long time since any of us have come to school in-person, and Bolt is perfect for helping strengthen school spirit,” Lee said. Since his introduction, Bolt has appeared at numerous school events, including Battle of the Den games and the class Homecoming rallies. The mascot has gained popularity among many students who view Bolt as a personification of the spirit and strength expressed in the school’s fight song. “Ever since my first encounter with Bolt, I could tell that the mascot truly represents the students and expresses Charger pride. I am a bit curious about who Bolt is,” Sophomore Judy Sohn said. Lee and Walsh explained that Bolt’s identity is secretive as school and sports team mascot performers are traditionally unnamed and the focus is on the mascot,
@thechargeraccount
thechargeraccount.com
COVID and computer chips: DESIGN BY MIRANDA LU How the pandemic created a global chip shortage on page 12 ELLIE KIM ART
9
rather than the person inside the costume. Although Bolt was just recently introduced, he is already beloved by many in the Charger community and will continue to uplift and support students and foster spirit and pride.
Quotebox: What do you think of the new mascot? “It is nice that our school has an official mascot like Bolt as he provides great support and encourgement for students, helps foster a sense of community during school events and builds school spirit.” —Junior Hayley Macdonald
Compiled by Miranda Lu, Lifestyle & School News Editor
“As an ASB student, it was exciting to finally introduce Bolt to the whole school after the mascot’s reveal was delayed for over a year by the pandemic. Since Bolt was introduced at the start of the school year, I have already seen how he has positively impacted the school community. The mascot is symbolic of our school pride, and many students look forward to seeing him at school events—like the Week of Welcome and football games—and taking pictures with him.” —Junior Maya Patel
1 NEWS
4 OPINIONS
6 ENT. & LIFESTYLE
8 VIEWPOINT 10 IR
11 FEATURES 14 SPORTS 16 LAST WORD
2
NEWS
NOVEMBER 3, 2021 DESIGN BY LARRY YE
COVID-19 brings new clubs and policies
Jeehee Kim
Media Staff
Club rush week—an event where clubs introduce their activities and programs and encourage students to sign up—occurred from Sept. 20 to Sept. 24. As it has been a while since students have come back to school in person, club policies have changed and many new clubs have formed. Currently, the school has 77 clubs, including Key Club, Leland Business Association, 4K and Leland American Red Cross. Similar to previous years, the Associated Student
and share their work with our students,” Meg Walsh, Activities Director said. On the other hand, since the school already has numerous clubs, it is difficult for students to find an advisor for their new clubs, leading students to drop their clubs. “Since teachers are already advising many clubs, it is hard for new clubs to find advisors. However, I love seeing clubs like 4K and Glee grow and develop, and I am glad that many new clubs appeared this year,” Walsh said.
COURTESY OF YEARBOOK
4K Dance performs during Club Rush to attract new members to the club and show off their work.
Body decided to host club rush over four days since there are many clubs. Each club had two days to promote itself either on Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday. Additionally, students can expect another club rush to occur during the beginning of the second semester. “The reason we have club rush in the second semester is because club participation dies down as students’ schedules and interests change. Therefore, we want to offer clubs a second chance to recruit
One of the new clubs this year is Leland Good Samaritans of Silicon Valley (GSSV), a chapter of the GSSV organization. GSSV focuses on having service days to provide food for homeless people, giving community service hours to students and providing opportunities for students to meet new people. “We started this chapter because we wanted to raise awareness on homelessness while providing leadership and volunteer opportunities to students. During our first meeting, we went over the constitution, budget and future activities we will do
21%
Key Club
in the club,” Junior Thy Nguyen said. Another new club this year is Bookmarked. After club members read a book of their choosing, they have various discussions based on the book. “During my summer break, Junior Katy Touretsky, founder CINDY ZHAO PHOTO holding a disaster of Bookmarked, preparedness workshop proposed to start for the Almaden community a book club this and fundraising at least year. I loved 100 dollars per semester the idea, so we for non-profit started thinking welfare groups. of ideas and “LARC focuses activities to do. on making a As a co-founder of meaningful impact Bookmarked, I hope in our community that we connect with by addressing its others that share our greatest needs. The love for reading,” Junior club empowers Angelica Butta said. members with The advisor knowledge and for Bookmarked, life-saving Samantha Peters, skills, helping English Department, to prepare the decided that the club community and activities were worth school to respond supporting, and she to emergencies. described Butta The club offers and Touretsky as students who are Juniors Vanessa Qu and Anahita Kashani Gregg a multitude of passionate about advertise the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club. volunteer events, such as packing reading. The fact that Peters herself has a huge interest food for Sacred Heart or volunteering at in reading was also an important factor blood drives,” Junior Soojin Lee said. Starting from Sept. 20, club rush that influenced her decision to become was held for four days to introduce an advisor for Bookmarked. new and returning In contrast, Leland American clubs. Both Red Cross (LARC) is a club that has clubs participated in club rush to existed for several years. Similar to introduce their clubs and recruit previous years, the club is focusing on club members. Students spent club preparing the community for natural rush days by visiting different clubs’ disasters, providing community service booths and signing up for the clubs opportunities and assisting victims of that interested them. Many clubs are crises. During their first meeting, the looking forward to performing more club introduced its year-long goal of activities with their club members.
% 10 ng Club
7%
Seni or C Care itizen Club
iki
H
Poll: What clubs are you looking forward to the most this year? Compiled by Daniel Lin and Tammy Newman Staff Writers 100 people polled
COURTESY OF YEARBOOK
Students pose for a photo to advertise their club during Club Rush week.
BEOMHEE KIM ART
62%
Oth
er
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT DESIGN BY LARRY YE
Imran Shaikh
San Jose bans sale of flavored tobacco products
3
COMMUNITY NEWS Staff Writer
In recent years, nicotine addiction e-cigarette at least once. This study has ravaged youth throughout the state. also found that 81.3 percent of teens The sale of flavored tobacco products who regularly use tobacco products use makes the drug more tempting, as kids flavored ones, further prompting the are attracted to flavors like strawberry passing of this ban. or watermelon. In fact, a report by the “Flavored tobacco is used to Truth Initiative states that youth are entice children and teenagers to try almost three times more likely to use smoking. We know that a high number flavored tobacco than adults. Even of people who end up addicted to though it is illegal to sell nicotine smoking started when they were young. products to children under 18, many high Therefore, we need to do everything we school students still smoke cigarettes or can to minimize access to these harmful owners who e-cigarettes by obtaining them illegally. products,” Councilmember David oppose the Therefore, to curb youth nicotine Cohen said. ordinance. In a “Although it addiction throughout the city, the San Councilmember Cohen survey conducted by will hurt local Jose City Council unanimously voted to addressed how flavored businesses, I the city, 82 percent ban the sale of certain tobacco products. tobacco products can support the ban on of the over 100 This ordinance will forbid the attract teens, leading to the sale of flavored businesses that sale of flavored tobacco products—the early nicotine addiction. tobacco products responded were because it will help most prominent of which are menthol Therefore, by banning the against the bill. reduce the number of cigarettes and e-juices—but the council sale of these flavors, the underage smokers in Their biggest worry did not address the sale of flavored cigars council hopes to deter kids the city.” is revenue: owners and hookah, a type of water pipe that from buying tobacco products. —Freshman like Rhamti make comes in fruity flavors. Moreover, the “While this law is helpful, Aidan Longtin 80 percent of their new policy banned new tobacco retailers I do not think it will stop profit from selling from opening within 1,000 feet of schools, nicotine addiction in youth. flavored tobacco products. parks, libraries or community centers Prohibiting city businesses Business owners have already and within 500 feet of another tobacco from selling does not suffered consequences from retailer. The policy also raised the legal affect people’s access “The city has the pandemic, so the age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. to other retailers done a good job prohibition of this major Although the plan will make the sale of like Amazon,” of banning tobacco source of income could to reduce the number of flavored tobacco illegal, the possession of Sophomore Vishal lead to the closure of underage smokers. Tobacco the product is not a crime. Consequently, Makaram said. many businesses. is extremely bad for younger people can legally bring them in from Similar to people because their brains are Similar bans other cities. Makaram, Haron still developing. Additionally, have been passed in “The policy should also ban flavored Rhamti, an owner the city should educate other states, including hookah and cigars since they can lead of a smoke shop in students about the dangers Massachusetts and New to addiction. If adults want them, they East San Jose, told of tobacco to further York. San Francisco also can go out of the city, but youths may The Mercury News diminish the number of approved banning the underage smokers.” see them as an alternative to flavored that he believes sale of flavored tobacco cigarettes or e-cigarettes,” Junior Joana underage people —Junior Sehyeon Won products in 2018, and it Zhang said. will continue to buy was fully implemented by Many agree with Zhang, including products online. Rhamti 2019. However, the city discovered the Santa Clara County, which enacted is one of many business unanticipated repercussions that many comprehensive policies that do not opponents to San Jose’s ordinance attest exempt any tobacco products. However, to: a study from the Yale School of Public Councilmember Matt Mahan, who “It is beneficial Health found that San Francisco high supported the passing of this ordinance, that the flavored school students’ odds of smoking explained that smoking hookah at tobacco ban is in place: not normal cigarettes doubled after the adult-only lounges provides special only will kids stop wasting stalls in implementation of the ban. The law’s social and cultural uses. In Persian bathrooms, but hospitals will also save intent was to lower the consumption culture, it is seen as a symbol of more space if kids do not get hospitalized of tobacco products within teens status and given to guests to show but ended up increasing it. due to lung problems. I believe this policy will hospitality and trust. Councilmember Pam Foley, significantly reduce the number of underage The focus on combating the who was the biggest advocate for smokers in this city, but a downside is that usage of e-cigarettes was catalyzed this ordinance, admits that it is not the businesses who follow the protocols will by a 2019 Santa Clara County perfect. But she emphasizes that be hurt financially. Additionally, adults survey that found that 31.6 percent this is a step in the right direction, who are over 21 will no longer be able to of the county’s teens have tried an praising the city’s preparation to acquire these products, which is not fair combat the increase in nicotine to them.” addiction. The effects of the ban —Freshman Jonathan Li will be examined next year, and the “I agree with this San Jose City Council will then decide ban since I have how to proceed on this matter. learned that the flavor is the most addictive aspect of tobacco. I think this policy will reduce the number of underage smokers, but there will still be people who will acquire “I think the “It is good that measures them illegally or outside ban is good since are being taken to help protect of the city. Even though a lot of kids are getting kids, especially since a lot of them addicted to nicotine due the ban may hurt local do not realize how severe the longto the flavor. Additionally, businesses, I believe term consequences of smoking are. I this policy will save the that the health of the hope this policy prevents more youth people who gateway into youth is more important from forming nicotine addictions, but other forms of tobacco than small businesses’ I am not sure how beneficial it will be. after beginning with financial stability.” Youth will still be able to gain access flavored tobacco.” to flavored tobacco products through —Sophomore illegal methods. Therefore, more —Senior Samuel Zhu education on the consequences of William Huang addiction would be helpful.”
ban on ’s y t i c e h ink of t h t u o y o ucts? td d a o r h p W o : c x c o a OI ART ed tob Quoteb r o DANIEL CH v a fl f o the sale hia Qin and Sop
Iliazd: Publishing as an Art Form
Nicole Mui Staff Writer
Encompassing works of Picasso, Granovsky and Miro, “Iliazd: Publishing as an Art Form” showcases the marriage of text formatting and artistic expression through displays like sonnets wrapped around detailed sketches and words reshaped into figurines. Presented from June 12 to Oct. 10 in the Legion of Honor Museum, Iliazd completely transforms our perception of typography. The mind behind these works is Ilia Zdanevich, a Georgian book artist who published several experimental pieces. Inspired by Russian Futurists, Zdanevich often worked with other famous painters and sketchers, fusing their works with his Georgian sonnets. To the far left of the gallery is Iliazd’s first work, titled “LidantYU fAram.” The unique name follows its contents: inside are five sonnets in “zaum,” a language created by Russian Futurists. In this book, Georgian letters appear in different sizes, shapes and fonts. The letters are printed jagged, as if they are swirling around in orbit— transcending the ideas of concrete, boxed text to show how the location of letters augment artistic delivery. In Iliazd’s anthology called “Poetry of Unknown Words,” the publisher collaborates with 21 artists and 23 poets, experimenting with colors and text molding. Instead of traditional flips in a book, these pages are folded into four, showcasing vibrant scribbles—bright yellow, deep velvet and navy blue—and abstract shapes of cones and heptagons splashed onto each page. Iliazd’s words dance across them in a spiral. Iliazd’s 65th book, “Maximiliana”— commonly known as “The Illegal Practice of Astronomy’’—combines Georgian text with artist Max Ernst’s etchings. Within the pages, multiple angles immediately jump out. For example, Ernst’s azure-colored spirals are dotted with Georgian text, and entire conclaves of loosely drawn figures are surrounded by bodies of text. Iliazd skyrockets from traditional squares of text, pushing his words into shapes of diagonal stripes, perpendicular figures and constellations. Initially, stepping into this exhibit was underwhelming. Being surrounded by texts of different shapes did not seem appealing. But as I dove further into Iliazd’s works, retracing his thoughts, I realized how immersive typography can be. The unique artworks take time to comprehend, but once the viewer does, feelings of amazement bloom. Iliazd teaches an important lesson about typography: the pieces we read are not simply words, and the images alongside poems are not the only portion keeping readers engaged. Iliazd projects images of letters to make us realize that texts are elegant crafts.
—Junior Aurora Matsumura
Li y Suvia b d e il p iters Com Staff Wr
a monumental experience
Iliazd (4/5)
+ diverse layout + very well researched - crowded and dimly lit
NOVEMBER 3, 2021
4
OPINIONS
DESIGN BY RAYMOND DAI
Lorde’s new album receives backlash by native Maori
Isaac Ang
Staff Writer
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT Leland High School 6677 Camden Ave. Principal Peter Park San Jose Unified School District San Jose, CA 95120-2142 (408) 535-6290 thechargeraccount.com EDITORS IN CHIEF Ashley Lee, Aileen Xie, Cindy Zhao, Nancy Zheng ART AND PHOTO DIRECTORS Beomhee Kim, Julia Nakanishi NEWS EDITORS Miranda Lu, Larry Ye OPINIONS EDITOR Raymond Dai FEATURE EDITORS Manasa Sriraj, Pavana Upadhyaya VIEWPOINT AND LAST WORD EDITORS Yong Ooi, Breanna Lu ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE EDITORS Keirah Chen, Miranda Lu INVESTIGATIVE REPORT EDITOR Breanna Lu SPORTS EDITOR Pavana Upadhyaya STUDENT SPOTLIGHT EDITOR Keirah Chen AD MANAGER Nancy Zheng MEDIA MANAGER Cindy Zhao ADVISOR Elaine Ngo COMMUNITY CIRCULATION Parent Club and Leland Bridge STAFF WRITERS Isaac Ang Daniel Lin Dhruv Anish Nicole Mui Aaron Dalton Tammy Newman Sophia Qin Imran Shaikh Suvia Li Kevin Zhang ARTISTS Daniel Choi Desiree Vu De Leon Quincy Han Suvia Li Kailey Hu Dana Lim Ellie Kim Jude Tantawy Inseo Kim Kenneth Yang PHOTOGRAPHERS Bertina Fan Desiree Vu de Leon MEDIA TEAM Jeehee Kim Claire Pham Our mission in the community is to inform, educate, and investigate the events occurring within Leland’s community and beyond. The ideas and opinions expressed in our articles represent over half of The Charger Account staff but do not represent the views and beliefs of any particular staff member. The Charger Account invites submissions of signed letters of opinion. We reserve the right to edit submissions and pieces will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff. Readers can notify The Charger Account to any errors in print by emailing us at lelandchargeraccount@gmail.com. We will acknowledge our mistakes in our next issue. For advertising information and pricing, please check out our website at thechargeraccount.com/advertisewith-us. The Charger Account is distributed to the Leland community free of cost. The Charger Account Nov. 3 | Vol. T. No. 2
On Sept. 9, Ella YelichO’Connor—better known as Lorde—released an album
called Te Ao Marama, or “world of light” in Te Reo. QUINCY HAN ART Spoken by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand, Te Reo is a highly spiritual and naturefocused language ingrained in Maori culture. Unfortunately, the prevalence of English has caused Te Reo to lose traction with native speakers; Lorde made Te Ao Marama to revive the dying language. While some Maori people praise Lorde’s activism of their culture, others condemn her actions as misappropriation of Te Reo. Maori culture, along with Te Reo, has dwindled over the past couple centuries due to British imperialism. According to Britannica, historians believe the Maori people arrived in New Zealand from Polynesia 1000 years ago, becoming expert hunters and growers. However, by the 1800s, British settlers started flooding into New Zealand. As the British imposed political and societal practices on the indigenous population, the Maori feared they would lose their culture. Tension erupted when the two groups fought a series of wars in the late 1800s, with the British winning. Although New Zealand gained independence in 1907, the impact of British colonization on Maori culture remains. For instance, more Maori parents, according to the Guardian, are teaching their children English rather than Te Reo. Today, only one in five Maori can speak their native language.
Though recognize
the
Maori people that their native language is disappearing from New Zealand, many disagree on whether Te Ao Marama’s release was the proper solution. Jack Gray, a Maori performer and choreographer, accused Lorde of tokenism, as she spread Maori culture and language without truly understanding or appreciating it, only driven by motives as an “ultra-privileged popstar” such as fame or financial gain. Tiana Keegan, an indigenous activist from the WaikatoManiapoto region, claimed that Te Reo was a language of rich meaning, and Lorde did not “know what [she was] saying” when she sang in Te Reo. Keegan believes that since Maori is not part of Lorde’s cultural identity, she cannot represent the Maori culture. Despite accusations of tokenism and misappropriation, Lorde firmly defended Te Ao Marama, highlighting the need to globalize Te Reo for it to survive. In an interview with The Spinoff, Lorde accepted criticism from Maori people, but stated “what would have been worse is just to have been too scared to do it,” mediating grievances by stressing how she worked with Maori community leaders, singers and translators to ensure she accurately represented the native language. Through her album, Lorde was able to raise awareness about the decline of Te Reo and Maori culture, which she considered a success. “Lorde’s album benefited the revival of Te Reo. The first step to any revival is awareness, and the discussion across social media about Te Ao Marama
More than a college application The Charger Account Editorial Staff
“Please explain why you think you are fit for this college.” This innocuous question fosters stressful reactions from high schoolers as they reflect on their academic careers and personal endeavors. During the college application process, focus becomes exclusively oriented around students’ achievements, who perceive personal value as proportional to scores, awards and recommendation letters. But people’s complex natures cannot be fully encapsulated by extrinsic measures of success. While students develop an impressive academic portfolio, they are even willing to sacrifice their morals and mental wellness in achieving their goals, as found by a study conducted by the University of New York. Furthermore, in his book, “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life,” William Deresiewicz writes that students prioritizing prestige when applying to college are more prone to suffer from stress and internalized purposelessness. Maintaining health is necessary for studious productivity, but also for harboring inner fortitude. Moreover, students should refrain from comparing themselves with
peers—rather focus on striving to become a better version of themselves. Not only do toxic comparisons damage self-competence, but they also taint interpersonal relations with resentfulness and competition instead of mutual support and collaboration. This applies beyond scholastic pursuits: in his book “12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos,” psychologist Jordan B. Peterson’s 4th rule states, “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not who someone else is today.” Others only present the shiny outside of their lives; this ideal that one observes is a distorted illusion. To maintain a holistic life outside of college applications, students can begin by redefining self-worth as being more than a GPA or trophy. Rather, their experiences and adversities transcend what is written in a word-capped college essay. Hillside Atlanta highlights that one’s “perfect” achievement is a small portion of their life, not the full picture. Therefore, students should set attainable goals and work towards achieving them. True self-improvement entails accepting one’s strengths and flaws and cultivating what makes one unique; present victories do not take precedence over trajectory across time. No matter which institution students choose to attend, students must realize that college is just another stepping stone toward a fulfilling future—not a lifedefining climax. For the tree of knowledge is an afterthought of the tree of life; life is something knowledge cannot produce.
demonstrates that Lorde was successful in accomplishing that. Te Reo would, without doubt, diminish if there was no publicity about its decline,” Junior Marc Gabriel said. Keegan fears that Lorde’s audacious ambition is a “double-edged sword” for the Maori people. On one hand, Te Reo is a dying language and any effort to save it should be celebrated; on the other, Lorde could have had personal and not the Maori people’s interests in mind when she released Te Ao Marama. It is difficult to draw the line when one gains revenue and still claims that their product contributes to the public good. Further research into Lorde’s involvement with Maori society could reveal whether she genuinely desired to and was capable of reviving Te Reo. As Te Wairere Ngaia, a woman from Waikato-Maniapoto, explains, the discussion reveals only the “tip of the iceberg.” “The answer to whether Lorde’s album benefited the revival of Te Reo is tricky because the native speakers themselves cannot come to a consensus. Lorde put in her best effort to try to understand the Maori culture and sincerely hoped to revive the dying language, so I applaud her, if not the album, for that,” Senior Andrew Liu said. The Maori are not the only indigenous group whose culture is slowly disappearing. The Big Idea reports that 130 out of 245 indigenous languages in the U.S. are extinct or nearing extinction. The Maori’s rise to fame presents to indigenous groups that their survival may necessitate unconventional solutions. Whether Lorde’s album was appropriation or activism awaits discussion, but ultimately, marginalized groups around the world want their voices not only to be heard, but respected.
September issue corrections Community News: Free school meals mark a new beginning for Calif. education: • “Calif.” in the title should be spelled out as “California.” Opinions: • Daniel Lin was excluded from the list of Staff Writers. • “Calif.” should be spelled out as “California” in the title of “New Calif. school start times hurt more than help.” Lifestyle: The rise and fall of the girlboss: • Jeannette Carmody’s name is mispelled as “Jeanette.” Feature School: Welcoming new staff: • “Administration” is misspelled as “Adminstration” under Jeff Arnett, Harveen Bal, Michael Lozano and Sara Mingione. • “Department” is misspelled as “Deparment” under Mahuya Dhar and Beth Guo. Feature World: The future of data privacy: • “Now” should be capitalized in the second sentence of the third paragraph. • “Facebook” should be capitalized in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph. • “Additional” should be capitalized in the third sentence of the fourth paragraph. For the full list of errors, visit thechargeracccount.com.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
5
OPINIONS
DESIGN BY RAYMOND DAI
Book banning within libraries censors diverse literature
“Klara and the Sun”
Nicole Mui
Staff Writer
On Sept. 7, a school district in southern Pennsylvania reversed its ban on a list of anti-racism and social justice resources after weeks of student protest. The ban previously froze access to books such as Rosa Parks’s autobiography on allegations of spreading unfalsifiable theories about race. Pulling controversial titles off bookshelves was never new—the history of banned books covers thousands of academic institutions across the U.S. Yet, the question of whether potentially suggestive literature is condemnable often comes at the cost of diverse discussion. Literary censorship was first established by the Supreme Court in its 1982 decision permitting libraries to ban books that include language inflicting harm upon a specific group. According to Butler University, the common determinants of book bans constitute racism, blasphemy or violence—themes considered inappropriate for children. Even with its honest intentions to protect children from perverse content, the censorship of books is a doubleedged sword, stifling open discussion around social issues. The American Library Association states the top books banned yearly in the U.S. often regard the LGBTQ+ community and racial injustice. For example, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee depicts two children living in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Despite its observational remarks on systemic racism, Lee’s novel was removed from several classroom libraries for containing racial slurs. Additionally, books have been banned for unconventional ideas about political ideologies. Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” was censored for its unorthodox commentary on authoritarian dystopia, its criticism of media’s numbing influence on society and how it paralyzes people into
conformity. Marshall Education reports that reasons behind its removal were religious desecration and profanity, which ironically countered the very issue of censorship Bradbury’s novel intended to denounce. Although differing views may instigate ideological disputes, censoring them suffocates the dialectical conservations necessary for tolerance and transparency. To counteract book censorship, the collective organization Banned Books Week was created in 1918. Towards scholastic liberation, it has hosted open discussions with authors of banned books and compiled data about controversial literature to inform children and adults alike, celebrating citizens’ right to freedom of expression. Concerning children in public libraries, potentially offensive content may include concepts that are difficult to comprehend without proper guidance. By utilizing educational spaces, gradual exposure to contentious material may become important learning
KAILEY HU ART
opportunities. Dr. Seuss’s picture book “And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street,” depicting a young child strolling along a road, was banned for its stereotypical illustrations of people’s cultural identity. Rather than discard these works, it is crucial to assess how they impact society today; as The National Coalition Against Censorship states, literary heritage is important for recognizing people as flawed beings and, in turn, growing from previous errors. Teachers can review complicated literature and their thematic connections to the human condition with children. “To Kill a Mockingbird’ does include racial slurs, but analyzing the text with the proper mindset institutes a negative connotation of derogatory language, discouraging people from saying it in the future,” Freshman Prateek Nedungadi said. Along with guided literary discourse, removing outwardly false content is necessary for creating safe educational experiences. However, since most forbidden books are targeted for mentioning social matters, astute selection, not censorship, is key to banning resources containing justifiably negative impacts. According to School Librarian Leadership, public libraries who decide not to present misinformation on shelves is justified selection, while refusal to display books for controversy is censorship. Though the classification of explicit content is subjective, barring deceptive information is a commendable effort toward protecting children from harmful materials. The push for banned literature has long prevented valuable discussions amongst readers. By properly analyzing the cultural importance of controversial texts, libraries can encourage innovative analysis without the use of censorship.
The mental health emergency in American jails
Tammy Newman and Manasa Sriraj
Staff Writer and Feature World Editor
As jails across the U.S. today are associated with unethical conditions, many incarcerated individuals experience mental illness and recidivism. In 2017, a case study from the U.S. Department of Justice reported that approximately 37 percent of prisoners have had a history of psychological complications. While experts and the general public have pushed for major prison reform in the past, the recent 2019 court case Babu v. Ahern has revived this mental health crisis by accusing the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, California of mistreating its psychologically troubled inmates. After approving a preliminary agreement promising to better handle incarcerated individuals at Santa Rita, Babu v. Ahern may prompt similar improvements in correctional facilities across the U.S. Santa Rita Jail was sued on the claim that it discriminated against inmates with psychiatric disabilities, forcing them to suffer from isolation and abuse from unsympathetic prison guards. In the case settlement, the plaintiffs demanded such inmates to be given proper mental healthcare, including therapy and the removal
of safety cells, which are designed to seclude prisoners who are uncooperative, suicidal or homicidal. “Despite being convicts, inmates’ human rights must still be preserved to ease their return to society. The Santa Rita reforms are beneficial for those incarcerated there, with suicide prevention measures being especially important in helping heal mentally ill inmates,” Sophomore Vijay Tirumalai said. Modeling after Santa Rita, all correctional facilities should incorporate activities like arts, meditation and sports into inmates’ daily lives. Alongside introducing prisoners to new, invigorating hobbies, such activities reduce stress, as stated by Harvard Health, and make prison life more reflective of civilian life—which the American Psychological Association (APA) found greatly helps incarcerated people readjust to their communities after release. Community-based care, involving controlled interactions between civilians and inmates, is also conducive to reintroducing convicts to civilian society. “Inmates should not be treated as failures who deserve cruel punishment, but as humans who have lost their way
JUDE TANTAWY ART
and need guidance. They should be given decent accommodations and experience constructive, not oppressive interactions with prison staff. Job training, counseling and other services can prepare prisoners for reintegration and reduce recidivism,” Junior Shane King said. Although implementing such reforms would initially hike taxes, it is a worthwhile investment for the general public. The APA affirms that psychologically healthy inmates, due to their improved sociability and moral conscience, are more apt to quit unlawful behavior and reintegrate into society. Daily Californian states that if prison reforms effectively improve incarcerated people’s mental health, fewer will return to jail, allowing the tax money previously used for relapsed inmates to be spent towards combating other pressing issues such as homelessness. While criminals deserve consequences for their actions, correctional retribution should not compromise respect for their humanity. During imprisonment, many prisoners undergo personal transformation, taking up honest, often humanitarian careers after being released. However, such growth is difficult without a stable mind—fear and dejection can convince anyone to lose faith in themselves and the positive aspects of the world, discouraging them from making efforts toward selfimprovement. To truly safeguard the humanity of all Americans as it was created to do, it is critical that the U.S. justice system gives more importance to the mental health of all inmates.
Pavana Upadhyaya Feature School & Sports Editor
Told through the perspective of a companion robot, Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel “Klara and the Sun” is set in a near-future dystopian world that splits children into two categories: being genetically “lifted” for heightened academic performance, or remaining genetically unmodified, or “unlifted.” A privilege for the wealthy, being lifted means more career paths and a better future, but also a greater risk of getting a post-operation illness. Many lifted children own Artificial Friends (AFs)—humanoid robots programmed to mimic friendship. The protagonist is Klara, an AF bought by Josie—a teenage girl battling the medical complications of being lifted. Josie’s best friend, Rick, is unlifted, forced to face social obstacles like having difficulty getting accepted to university. Rick’s character allows for Ishiguro to use the near-future context in analyzing how futuristic technologies can affect ingrained social structures. Major plot themes orient around Klara. In some ways, she seems human, exemplified by her optimistic personality and keen observational skills. But her inability to talk in the second person point-of-view and distorted belief that the Sun is a powerful, illness-curing deity (a misconception caused by the fact that AFs are solar powered) reminds the reader of the blurred boundaries in sapience and sentience between intelligent robots and humans. Josie’s and Klara’s relationship is another reminder: Klara’s love for Josie is endearing, but Josie uses her as a popularity prop. Her refusal to reciprocate companionship explores whether Klara and other nonhuman entities with “humanlike” emotions are considered people. By painting a picture of an outsider who seems human, Ishiguro highlights one of the book’s fundamental ideas: is a robot who can harbor complex thoughts and feelings a person or, as one character describes AFs, akin to a “vacuum cleaner?” As artificial life rapidly evolves, the question of where to draw the line between artificial and organic intelligence becomes more pressing. However, the book has its flaws: the narrator’s endless optimism is fresh at the start, but stagnates around the middle of the book. While its slow pace allows Ishiguro to meticulously build the setting and lore, the message is only revealed in the latter half. “Klara and the Sun” may be science fiction, but focuses not on the dystopian setting nor the technological mechanizations powering AFs. Rather, it underscores the intersection of technology and interpersonal relationships. Despite its faults, the story’s inquiry into what we define as humanity in a time where AI is poised to reach unpredictable capacities is thoughtfully written.
“Klara and the Sun” (4/5) bookmarked + interesting setting - plot builds at a slow pace
6
ENTERTAINMENT
“No Time to Die” (3/5)
reel-ing it in
+ good send off for Daniel Craig + exhilarating action - predictable plot
Staff Writer
AR T
Sporting a white gown emblazoned with the words “Tax the Rich” across its back, Congresswoman Alexandria OcasioCortez (NY-14) went viral on Twitter for her 2021 Met Gala outfit. The Met Gala, one of the fashion industry’s biggest nights, has typically been construed as a symbol for elitism due to the exclusivity of its invitations and ticket prices starting at $35,000 for individuals and ranging up to $200,000 for tables. Although the Congresswoman originally intended to advocate for working-class ideals at the event, controversy erupted from both ends of the political spectrum mocking her fashion choices as performative. Both liberals and conservatives were quick to brand Ocasio-Cortez a hypocrite, pointing out the contrast between the message she sent and her actual circumstances. The “Tax the Rich” gown and ensuing response follow a tradition of commentary on celebrity fashion choices displaying overt political messaging. Several pundits criticized the Women’s National Basketball Association players in 2016 for bringing politics to sports by donning Black Lives Matter T-shirts. Similarly, rightwing commentators criticized congresswomen who dressed in white pantsuits at Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration for subverting tradition. Best known as protest fashion, this trend became popularized in the mid1950s during the civil rights movement. As the trend grew, Black women began wearing button-up tops, skirts and cardigans while Black men wore tailored suits to challenge the racist stereotype of Black people as “unkempt,”
KIM
Staff Writer
Released on Oct. 8 after over a year of delays, “No Time To Die” is the 27th film in the heralded James Bond series and Daniel Craig’s final time reprising the role of the franchise’s titular character. Alongside Craig, Léa Seydoux returns as Madeleine Swann, Bond’s romantic interest from the previous film “Spectre,” as well as Ralph Fiennes as the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, M. New additions to the franchise include Rami Malek as the antagonist, Safin. After living in solitude, Bond is called out of retirement when Safin wishes to use a DNA-targeting virus to wipe out the entire planet and make it “a little tidier.” Accompanied by allies, Bond sets out to stop Safin before he unleashes his mass-produced virus. From its opening scene, “No Time To Die” sets the tone for what is to come: violent and enthralling action. Its action sequences are filled with adrenaline-rushing cinematography that captures the erratic pace of fights. Craig amplifies his stellar performance with even more emotion than in previous films, given the significance of his final outing as Bond. Seydoux’s performance is also captivating, as her character’s affiliation with the main villain give her a newfound depth. The story itself is thrilling, blending new and old characters into a narrative that feels both terrifying and unique. The ending, albeit predictable, was a memorable way to conclude Craig’s legacy in the franchise. Unfortunately, while “No Time To Die” has its interesting aspects, it often falls victim to relying on the formula of prior Bond movies, as follows: the villain’s plot is foiled by the hero’s determination. The stakes feel underwhelming due to the film’s refusal to make any risky, creative decisions, somewhat failing to seize my attention during scenes involving the main characters in peril. Safin, though intimidating, feels like a rehash of previous Bond villains with his facial scarring and raspy vocal inflections. His motives are basic, changing from an understandable desire for revenge, to a disappointing, generic villain’s desire for world destruction. In a film that relies heavily on its story to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, its plot takes no risks, making it an unsatisfying piece. Fans of the Bond franchise will not want to miss the final installment of Daniel Craig’s James Bond. With the end credits promising “James Bond will return,” it is only a matter of time until we see who will be crowned the mantle of the revered character.
Protest fashion and its cultivation throughout time
IE
Dhruv Anish
Sophia Qin
DESIGN BY KEIRAH CHEN
ELL
“No Time to Die”
NOVEMBER 3, 2021
“messy” and “primitive.” Concurrently, public figures like Martin Luther King Jr. wore denim to fight against workplace discrimination, inspiring thousands of other Black Americans to do the same for social equality. In the 1970s as part of the fight for gender equality, women intentionally donned wide-legged pants instead of “feminine” dresses and skirts to counter entrenched gender norms. “When celebrities advocate beliefs using fashion, it can appeal and spread to their wide range of viewers. Since fashion interests people, using it to protest can be very effective if done in a style that can easily capture attention,” Freshman Sophie Xu said. Although protest fashion is now far more easily accessible than before, it remains as symbolic forms of expression and rebellion against traditions. Despite this purpose of protest fashion, some celebrities and public figures use it to attract attention from viewers and fans and gain what is called “clout.” Since these celebrities are famous amongst diverse groups of people, some question if their method of dissenting is truly effective. Similar to the political signaling by Ocasio-Cortez, actress and model Cara Delevingne walked the red carpet of the Met Gala displaying the phrase “Peg the Patriarchy” in bold on a white bulletproof vest. During her interview with Vogue, Delevingne explained that she collaborated with Dior designer Maria Grazia on the catchphrase, which represents female empowerment and gender equality through rebelling against the patriarchy. However, the slogan was originally coined by Black and
queer sex educator Luna Matatas back in 2015, when she decided to start her own business after receiving substantial publicity for the phrase. She quickly took to Twitter to point out how Delevingne failed to credit her, clarifying the meaning of the motto in the process: to subvert the patriarchal system that “requires subservience within a gender binary.” Although Matatas appreciated how many people were talking about her motto, the lack of credit negatively impacted her business growth, increasing plagiarism of her brand. The Met Gala, with an online viewership of over 7.5 million according to Paper Magazine, presented an opportunity for celebrities and designers to make a statement with their outfits. From BLM to campaigns against gender roles, the variability of fashion has been harnessed as protest throughout history, leading many to ponder the direction it will develop as well as its efficacy in spreading political and social messages.
Success of #FreeBritney prompts scrutiny on conservatorships
Tammy Newman
As exemplified in the case of Britney Spears, the United States legal system has a history of assigning involuntary treatment as a response to mental crises. In 2002, the singer-songwriter went through a publicized mental breakdown, resulting in a legal arrangement to have every aspect of her life consigned to the hands of a guardian: a conservatorship. However, with the support of her fans and after contesting her case in court, the Twitter trending hashtag #FreeBritney movement was recently achieved. Due to her alleged erratic behavior following her divorce with her ex-husband and the loss of custody over her two children, Spears’ father was appointed as her conservator in 2008 by the court. This legal action, however, left Spears confined to her father’s judgements. She claimed that he took advantage of his control and would interfere with her personal life, such as restricting her from having more children. After staying silent for over a decade, Spears requested her father be replaced, announcing in June that she would suspend future performances until her father withdrew from the conservatorship. Afterwards, Spears’ fans started trending #FreeBritney: a fan-led movement to raise awareness for Spears’ situation. As the movement progressed even further, a court testimony was held, where Spears alleged she was drugged and forced
to perform against her will. In response to these accusations, Spears’ father said he was willing to remove himself as her conservator; in September 2021, a court arranged for Jamie Spears to be removed from the conservatorship. Some claim that Spears’ case demonstrates how the legal system disservices victims of mental health issues. In particular, conservatorships make it so that the person at hand has all their decisions made for them, which an infringement of individual liberties. Although Spears’ case has faced criticism as it was seen as an abuse of
INSEO KIM ART
Staff Writer
conservatorship, the court still implements them to resolve cases: according to the Department of Health Care Services, in 2017, over 7,000 people in California were placed into either permanent or temporary conservatorships. “Conservatorships are a clear example of an abuse of power. Confining people with mental illness to the decisions of someone else will only worsen their health,” Junior Thy Nguyen said. Furthermore, Spears’ case has also prompted institutions such as the California state government to address its inequities. On Sept. 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a #FreeBritney-inspired bill proposed by Assemblyman Evan Low, that increased the requirements applied to professional conservators. By prohibiting financial conflicts involving the conservator, the legislation attempts to prevent situations similar to Spears’ from recurring. The majority of the new provisions will not be in effect until 2023 or 2024, but additional reforms to the law can be expected within the next year. Spears’s conservatorship battle is a prominent example of a common controversial legal occurrence that some argue infringes on human rights. Though the alleged abuse of her conservatorship took over a decade to resolve, Spears’ case has led to social media and justice movements that ultimately contributed to its resolution.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
7
LIFESTYLE
DESIGN BY MIRANDA LU
Gradual increase in anti-homeless architecture Staff Writer
Beneath the mask of public safety, anti-homeless architecture—structures and buildings designed to deter poorer and houseless people from gathering in spaces—have gradually swept through urban areas across the world, making its most recent public landing in the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). There are four types of hostile architecture: seating, surfaces, barriers and surveillance. Hostile seating features benches with dividers that make it uncomfortable to lie down, whereas surface designs can refer to metal spikes under bridges to prevent homeless people from sheltering there. Barriers are used in corners formed by the walls of buildings to bar people from using those areas, and surveillance refers to visible cameras that can intimidate people and discourage unwanted behavior. From as early as 2017, New York City’s subway stations replaced benches with “leaning bars,” curved slabs of wood attached to walls at waist level. These allow subway riders to relax and rest, but they have to do so while standing up. Critics claim that bars are a form of hostility against the public, as they discourage homeless people from camping out and they can be
36.9% Effective
Meet Fresh
for the elderly and people with disabilities. Meanwhile, in 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation installed rows of spikes under a bridge in Arlington to deter people from sleeping underneath it. After receiving immense public backlash, they removed the spikes.
“The government could have invested the money that went into implementing hostile structures into programs that help homeless people instead.” Similarly, in June, structures such as false walls and bollards blocking off corners were implemented into the SAM to prevent sleeping or loitering. Like other hostile designs, the art museum’s newest public “exhibit” also received substantial backlash: just days after they were installed, a group of SAM workers petitioned for the museum to remove the bollards and to stop installing hostile architecture in the area. “At Oakridge Mall, I saw bollards along the edge of the sidewalk, which prevents homeless people from being able to sleep there. This is gratuitous and unnecessarily harsh,” Freshman Jay Gulvady said. Though seemingly pervasive in the U.S., hostile architecture can be found
across the globe. Road spikes, uneven paving, obstructed spaces and sectioned benches are also seen in other countries such as Canada, France, China and Japan. Structures that prevent unhoused people from being able to find a sheltered place to stay have led to an overall increase of health issues in the houseless population, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart problems and asthma—CNN reports that the amount of people in the homeless population with such health conditions has increased to around 30 percent. “Instead of pushing houseless people away, we should be helping them to find places to work. The government could have invested the money that went into implementing hostile structures into programs that help homeless people instead,” Sophomore Elysia Du said. The overall response from the public to hostile design seems to be negative—many see it as doing more harm than good, since these structures not only target houseless people but also affect visitors and people with health issues. Nonetheless, the new SAM designs and their criticism joins an ongoing global initiative to uncover new ways of maintaining public spaces.
Poll: Is anti-homeless architecture effective or unethical? Compiled by Tammy Newman and Kevin Zhang, Staff Writers uncomfortable
214 students polled
63.1% Unethical
KENNETH YANG ART
Daniel Lin
Missing white woman syndrome: The case of Gabby Petito Daniel Lin The recent disappearance and homicide of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old woman from Blue Point, New York, prompted a revisit to the “missing white woman syndrome”—a term coined by journalist Gwen Ifill referring to the disproportionate media coverage of missing cases of white women compared to those of women of color. In June, Petito set out on a crosscountry trip through the Midwest with her fiancé, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, documenting their travels regularly on social media. In early September, Laundrie returned to his parents’ home in North Port, Florida without Petito in the same van they left in, and Petito’s family reported her as missing on Sept. 11. The same week, Laundrie left his home with no confirmed reason or motive to date. During the missing person investigation, #GabbyPetito began trending on social media, amassing almost two billion views on TikTok alone. Numerous national media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR and The Washington Post, offered frontpage coverage of her disappearance and potential domestic abuse by Laundrie. Amateur online sleuths dug for clues in possible sightings, police body camera footage, Petito’s last Instagram posts and the couple’s Youtube channel, Nomadic Statik. In comparison, missing women of color have received
Staff Writer
Sommers of Northwestern University looked at the missing person cases covered by four online media outlets in 2013, revealing that half of the articles were of white women, who make up only about a third of the U.S. population. “The lack of attention brought to non-white women is unfair and racist. It makes them more susceptible to being kidnapped or murdered because offenders may feel less at risk when there is a low likelihood of being apprehended,” Junior Benjamin Sosnowski said. Aside from the media, research has shown the police’s mistreatment of substantially less media attention and minorities. In a study on recorded police law enforcement response. A recent study shootings, psychologist Cody T. Ross completed by the University of Wyoming concluded that the probability of being reported that in Wyoming—where Petito’s black, unarmed and shot by police is 3.49 remains were found—710 indigenous times more than the probability of being people, mostly girls, went missing within white, unarmed and shot by police. the past decade. However, none received “The racial bias within the media and public concern and forensic investigation the police points to systemic racism in our comparable to that of Petito’s case. society, which cannot be ignored because Another report by sociologist Zach of the negative effects it has on minorities,” Sophomore Matthew Rodrigues said. While some attribute the heavy media coverage on Petito’s case to her popularity, statistics showing the media coverage discrepancy between missing cases of white women and women belonging to minority groups suggest that white women may be prioritized within a plethora of institutions such as the media BEOMHEE KIM ART and law enforcement.
Suvia Li Staff Writer
Situated in the Westfield Oakridge mall plaza, newly-opened dessert shop Meet Fresh offers classic Taiwanese desserts with a fresh twist. I visited the restaurant in early October and as I walked into the building, I was immediately struck by its spacious and modern interior design. The walls were a crisp white hue with lofty ceilings and bright lantern-shaped lights. Upbeat Chinese pop music played in the background, adding to the relaxed ambience of the room. Mounted on the wall was a display menu featuring tantalizing pictures of desserts, including shiny tofu pudding and hot grass jelly soup. While waiting in line to order, I stared at the colorful images, unsure of what to pick. After comparing the dishes and calling to consult three friends, I finally decided to order the restaurant’s Icy Taro Ball Signature, which came in a big paper bowl emblazoned with the restaurant’s logo. The dessert was garnished with shiny black boba pearls, squishy taro balls, golden potaro balls—a mouthwatering blend of sweet potato and taro—and a medium-sized scoop of mashed taro. I eagerly stuck a spoon into the bowl and mixed from bottom to top, revealing a thick layer of shaved ice enveloped with golden sugar syrup hidden beneath the toppings. Extremely chewy in texture and subtly sweet in flavor, the taro balls pulled apart like melted cheese when I placed them in my mouth. The soft taro balls paired with the firmness of the boba pearls made the perfect combination, and the creamy texture of the mashed taro was a pleasant surprise. It was a velvety mixture of mashed potatoes and ice cream and contrasted well with the chewy taro balls and pearls. Meanwhile, the shaved ice had a coarse and crunchy texture with a note of sweet syrup. While I was eating my bowl, I began running out of toppings, and all that was left was a puddle of slightlymelted ice. Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind and I sprang out of my seat, rushing to order the Original Egg Waffle to eat with the shaved ice. The waffle came in a small, yellow pizza box decorated with white happy faces. A fragrant, sugary scent wafted into the air as I opened the box, and inside I saw the golden egg waffle. It was warm and tasted slightly sweet, pairing well with the chilly remnants of my Icy Taro Ball bowl. From its unique and delicious desserts to its serene atmosphere, Meet Fresh is easily a top choice for anyone with a sweet tooth looking to expand their palette.
Meet Fresh (4/5)
how bowl-tiful was it?
+ unique desserts + beautiful interior design - lack of seasonal options
10
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Youth Political Involvement Voices of the future: Students engage in politics
NOVEMBER 3, 2021 DESIGN BY BREANNA LU
Suvia Li
Staff Writer
While mainstream politics is primarily occupied by adults, students have been finding ways to become more politically active, such as directly participating in political groups and programs as well as advocating for issues in society. Young people have traditionally generated low voter turnout. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau showed that only 39 percent of eligible young voters aged 18 to 24 voted in the 2016 presidential election and 48 percent voted in 2020. By choosing not to involve themselves in voting and politics, young people forfeit their own role in the government. In a survey conducted by Hamilton College about reasons for low political engagement, 33.6 percent of survey respondents stated that politicians did not pay enough attention to concerns of the youth and 32.1 percent reported that negative campaigning deterred them from politics. However, student involvement in politics has been steadily increasing in recent years due to the rise in accessible political information through social media peer influence. A 2018 survey from Education Week Research Center showed that 40 percent of first-time voters between the ages of 18 and 19 were more politically involved starting 2 years prior. The respondents highlighted reaching voting age, the Parkland school shootings and the presidential administration at the time as influencing their newfound political involvement. Some politically active individuals label indifferent citizens as ignorant bystanders. On the other hand, those who are not caught up with political issues may see politically-involved people as extreme or irritating, furthering their avoidance for politics. In particular, performative activism—when one blindly supports an issue for attention—has shed a negative light on the politically engaged. It is most prevalent amongst adolescents because of widespread access to technology and social media, making it convenient to share popular political opinions. One notable event of performative activism was “Blackout Tuesday” in June 2020, where many Instagram users posted a black square tagged with #blackouttuesday to “stand in solidarity” with the Black community. However, it was met with backlash for making the hashtag overflow with black squares and unuseful information, defeating the purpose of educating people about the experiences of Black Americans’ and systemic racism in the U.S. Intentions behind performative activism are not always devotion to the political
KAILEY HU ART
youth are soon going to be the ones discussing issues, voting on legislation and even creating policies. It is imperative that we prepare for that responsibility now, in order to build an informed, engaged population,” Kim said. Senior Karin Liu is the director of media in the San Jose chapter of GENup, a student-led social justice organization, which aims to advocate for education through the power of youth voices. In GENup, Liu combines her passion for education and equality with political involvement and currently makes promotional materials for GENup’s events, including posting social media campaigns for education policy reform. This year, 19 bills on GENups’s policy slate were signed into law, including Assembly Bill 101, which mandates ethnic studies for high school graduation and Assembly Bill 824, which allows students to serve on the County and Charter School Board of Education. Some students also directly engage in local politics. Junior Alexander Lee is the president of San Jose’s District 10 Youth Leadership Coalition, which fosters youth engagement in local politics through summits and councils. The organization has advocated for safe and secure neighborhoods and improved urban services in San Jose. “Our organization is split into groups that work on different aspects of youth involvement in our local government. If we are going to try to use what we know to make a difference, we have to start by getting a feel for how our government works,” Lee said.
Compiled by Daniel Lin and Nicole Mui, Staff Writers
o y Do
rself up u o y to d r e ate id s n with o c politics? u
cause—unlike true political engagement— which can make all civic activity lack sincerity. Instead, various methods, such as participating in political programs and keeping up with current political events, enable people to go beyond surface-level advocacy.
31% YES
“The intention behind performative activism is not devotion to the political cause—unlike true political engagement—which can make all political engagement seem insincere.” For teenagers, joining youth political programs is an accessible way to explore politics. Founded in 1959, one of the first youth political organizations in the U.S. was Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), which aimed to transform society into a system where the people—rather than only the social elite—would control social policy. With branches in numerous colleges including Auburn College and the University of Washington, SDS held public protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s, such as a national march on Washington in April 1965. Although the organization ended a few years after in 1969, it spearheaded the formation of many other different youth political groups. Over time, many other youth political organizations of various political views were created. Originally founded
69% NO in 1969 by students at Vanderbilt University, Young America’s Foundation (YAF) is a right-wing youth organization that aims to spread conservative ideas among the youth by hosting seminars and conferences about topics such as individual freedom, a strong national defense and free enterprise. YAF urged the passage of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Campus Access Act in 1995, which cut off funding from taxpayers to universities with anti-military policies. Additionally, the foundation has acquired the National Journalism Center, which trains young journalists with their political ideals. Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) is the youth section of the Democratic Socialists of America, a political group that spreads democratic socialist ideals, including social justice, anti-capitalism and democracy, on high school and college campuses through campaigns, endorsements and strikes. The advocacy of YDSA contributed to the passing of the Student Debt Cancellation Act of 2019, which required the department of education to cancel the debt of numerous student loans.
“Student involvement in politics has been steadily increasing in recent years due to the rise in accessible political information through social media and peer influence.” Students at the school are also involved with politics in a variety of ways. Senior Karina Haddad is the national development director of State of the Students and Junior Eunwoo Kim co-leads their California chapter. State of the Students is a youth-led organization that aims to bridge the gap between high schoolers and elected officials by promoting student engagement in civic processes. It provides opportunities for its members to host town halls, make political media and interview politicians, including Congresswoman Katherine Clark and Assemblymember Laura Friedman. “Student involvement in politics is immensely important because the current
“...the current youth are soon going to be the ones discussing issues, voting on legislation, and even creating policies. It is imperative that we prepare for that responsibility now...”
Senior Hailey Pham is the Outreach and Onboarding Lead and the Vietnamese Ethnic Outreach lead intern for Matt Mahan, San Jose City Council’s District 10 Councilmember. Pham utilizes her experience in political campaigns to contribute ideas to policy, fundraising, managing and outreach areas of the campaign to elect Mahan as mayor of San Jose. Pham’s passion for politics has inspired her to pursue a political science degree after high school. “I have been interested politics since I was young, so it was natural for me to go down a path I was so passionate about. Politics is the one area in which young people can help make a direct difference and impact,” Pham said. Compared to before, the younger generation is now paying more attention to issues that affect them and the world. By staying informed about different areas of politics and becoming activists or involved in the parts of policy that they are passionate about, students are taking their first steps towards building a politically engaged and knowledgeable generation of the future.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT DESIGN BY PAVANA UPADHYAYA
The school established its peer tutoring program several years ago to enable students to learn from student tutors. The program conjointly benefits the tutee and tutor, as it provides tutors with volunteer hours, consistent review and a structured method to academically support their peers, while tutees have the opportunity to clarify topics or receive advice to enhance their skills. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has undergone several changes. To accommodate last year’s distance learning, the tutoring program implemented virtual sessions. This online alternative is intended to be easily accessible, providing increased flexibility. Tutors like Junior Ilinca Flacau, a Math and French peer tutor, are content with the ease of online tutoring sessions. Moreover, according to Senior Rachel Chen, the program has implemented several changes to transition from online to in-person school. With the addition of new services, the program hopes to appeal to a larger audience. “We have recently implemented our new Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) tutoring program, where tutors with a 1450+ SAT score can apply to tutor students who need preparation help,” Chen said. In addition, Chen and program advisor Katrina Thoman, Math Department, are actively searching for methods to resolve issues.
Junior
Ilinca Flacau,
a
peer
Aaron Dalton
tutor
to
right:
Freshman
For example, this year, there is a shortage of tutors in subjects like AP Capstone and computer science. Therefore, the program strongly encourages students to apply as tutors, even for courses that they are currently taking. Although there are approximately 50 tutors in the school’s peer tutor program, Chen foresees that number to triple by the end of the year. To enroll in the program, tutees can utilize the program’s website to access tutor’s profiles, which are organized by subject. After selecting a tutor, the tutee will contact their potential tutor and receive a contract from Thoman, which must be signed by the tutor, tutee and tutee’s guardian. Once a tutor and tutee are contracted, they can choose in-person or virtual sessions, and schedule their meetings to fit their personal schedules. In order to become a peer tutor, students must have earned a B+ or higher in the course they tutor. Applicants are also required to complete a short application to finalize their role as a peer tutor. The form gathers information, such as the name, grade, tutoring subjects, a brief biography and a portrait picture, which are all used to create their profile.
Media Staff
Even though the meetings are not supervised by a teacher, tutees and tutors are expected to maintain a high level of professionalism. During sessions, tutees and tutors must be on time and effectively communicate with one another. Tutors are obligated to uphold their responsibilities by remaining patient and committing to helping the tutee, while the tutee is responsible for managing their sessions. Flacau states that she normally reviews content taught in class during her meetings. In contrast to the classroom, peer tutors offer individualized support for their tutees. As a result, the tutors can assess specific areas their student has trouble with, assuring the student that they can successfully and confidently execute the problem. “I usually go over homework or tests and explain concepts that the tutee had difficulty understanding,” Flacau said. The Peer Tutoring program was established to support students’ academics and provide student tutors with volunteer hours. With the implementation of new programs and online sessions, the program aims to serve as a reliable resource for all students.
2019,
conducts
a
math
tutoring
session
in
the
Freshman class cabinet takes office
class
officers
A look back in time
JULIA NAKANISHI PHOTO
since
On Sept. 25, the Associated Student Body (ASB) announced the freshman class officers: President Jeffrey Tseng, Vice President Elia Carl, Secretary Songhee Rha and Treasurer Caleb Park. The cabinet plans to host fundraising events, organize class activities, introduce new merch and create a safe environment. The new freshman cabinet just finished working on homecoming week preparations, including the class skit and the homecoming social. Utilizing his previous experience as captain of his club hockey team, Tseng intends to make up for lost time caused by virtual learning. “I have learned that leadership means knowing how to communicate and raise morale amongst my teammates. I want to hold more fundraisers and social events, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be more difficult. However, despite these challenges, I am
Left
FEATURE: SCHOOL
A guide to the peer tutoring program
Claire Pham
confident that we can do it, since we are all in this together,” Tseng said. Although none of the cabinet members have previously served in student government or ran for an elected office, they decided to run for class cabinet to gain more leadership experience. Carl wants to improve her leadership skills by working with her peers to ensure that her classmates have a smooth and successful school year. Similarly, Rha also looks forward to working with and learning from her fellow cabinet members. “I originally joined ASB to improve my leadership skills, but as the school year progressed, I realized that I could play a bigger role if I ran for an officer position. As an officer, I would be able to collaborate with other officers,” Rha said. While campaigning, the candidates used social media and flyers to introduce themselves to their classmates. Each candidate created Instagram accounts and posted photos and videos highlighting their skills.They also encouraged students to vote during the online voting window. “Since many people in our class likely did not know me well, I knew I needed to make good
Caleb Park,
Elia Carl,
Jeffery Tseng
11
library
during
tutorial.
Staff Writer
first impressions. Rather than focusing on being extremely professional, I wanted to come across as approachable and genuine,” Park said. This year, the cabinet would like to improve the merchandise offered to students. Since selling merchandise is important to ASB’s fundraising efforts, the officers believe that it is important to excite students about the items sold. “After seeing some of the apparel currently available, I thought I could introduce more fresh and trendy designs into our clothing options, such as collared shirts and windbreakers,” Park said. By working together, the incoming freshmen cabinet inspires to elevate their class’s experience. The officers want to give back to their class and become leaders that the student body can depend on. Ultimately, the cabinet looks forward to providing a memorable year for their class. BERTINA FAN PHOTO
and
Songhee Rha
pose
for
portraits.
Miranda Lu
Lifestyle & School News Editor
Every few weeks, Joe Kerwin, Social Science Department, enjoys watching a movie after tucking his kids into bed. Usually, Kerwin browses for new movies, but once in a while, he plays an old favorite, such as the acclaimed 1966 Western epic “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,” starring Clint Eastwood as “The Good,” Lee Van Cleef as “The Bad” and Eli Wallach as “The Ugly.” Traversing the Wild West, the three men quest for a buried cache of gold, each hoping to find the hidden treasure first. With the American Civil War as the backdrop, the film’s sweeping long shots and dramatic close-ups have made it one of the greatest films in cinematic history. Directed by renowned Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, the film falls under the spaghetti Western subgenre— movies produced by an Italian director set during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the Western United States. Themes of retribution and violence permeate the plots of these films, and they often feature robberies and gunfights in arid desert landscapes. Kerwin remembers watching “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” for the first time as a college student and being entranced by Eastwood and Wallach’s acting, the film’s vast scenery and perfectly-composed music score. Since then, he has rewatched the film numerous times and familiarized himself with several of Leone’s other Westerns, including “Once Upon A Time in the West.” Kerwin greatly admires Leone’s filmmaking techniques, which have influenced several of his favorite directors, including Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. “I learn so much more from the movie each time I re-watch it. The film is a combination of stunning cinematography and great acting, but what elevates the film is the way the music is incorporated. In most movies, the music follows the scene, but in this one, the scenes follow the music,” Kerwin said. In addition to the soundtrack, Kerwin was also drawn to the complexity of the three main characters, especially “The Ugly.” Also known as Tuco, “The Ugly” is a clever Mexican bandit who partners with “The Good” to find the hidden gold. The partnership produces a comedic banter, since they each have their own personal motives, and neither man can trust the other. The movie also provides a backstory for the orphaned Tuco, who has a strained relationship with his brother Pablo—a priest who disapproves of Tuco’s lifestyle and penchant for stealing. “I love unique characters like “The Good” and “The Ugly.” The latter is a hilarious and fascinating character. He is someone you should dislike, but he is portrayed in a way that makes him likeable and causes the audience to feel sympathetic towards him,” Kerwin said. Although the movie was released over half a century ago, its legacy is long-standing. The film’s incredible cinematography, storytelling and music score continues to impress and inspire filmmakers and movie-goers alike.
12
FEATURE: WORLD The dangers of internet shutdowns
Raymond Dai Opinions Editor
Since its inception by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, the internet has connected people in unprecedented ways, immensely accelerating the worldwide spread of information. According to Our World In Data, the internet had just 413 million global users in 2000, but this figured spiked to 3.4 billion in 2016. At the same time, telecommunication at such a massive scale can be weaponized as a method of organizing for citizens discontented with their governments. While authoritarian states such as China already censor much of online media, recently, some other governments have started asserting power to the point of entirely shutting down the web: as stated by The Verge, in the first five months of 2021 alone, 50 internet shutdowns occurred across 21 countries. For example, Reuters reports that this April, Myanmar’s military government suddenly shut down the nation’s broadband connection without explanation amidst persistent, largescale public resistance to the military coup of the democratic government. In an extreme case, Russia completely cut off internet connection across the entire country during a test run this July. While state communications regulators claim that the test was intended to improve Russia’s internet infrastructure’s stability, several free speech activists argue that it strengthened the government’s authority in cyberspace. Even when driven by honorable intentions, internet shutdowns are undeniably harmful. For instance, CNN reports that on Sept. 26, 25 million people were affected by an internet shutdown in the Indian state of Rajasthan meant to prevent cheating on a teachers’ exam. Despite having a
“...in the first five months of 2021 alone, 50 internet shutdowns occurred across 21 countries.” reasonable motive, the shutdown left many people unable to work remotely, pay on internet shops, navigate with Google or attend online classes—the Washington Post even notes that a 65-year-old resident could not attend a virtual session about controlling her diabetes because of the internet suspension. In total, $13 million worth of business was lost due to the disturbance to productivity. As Berners-Lee once stated, “the original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate through sharing information.” However, some governments have contradicted this mission by censoring the media and sometimes enacting total shutdowns of the internet. Such actions set a concerning precedent for the rest of the world—they establish that limiting the public’s access to digital resources and their online freedom is acceptable in certain cases.
NOVEMBER 3, 2021 DESIGN BY MANASA SRIRAJ
COVID and computer chips: How the pandemic created a global chip shortage
Kevin Zhang
Staff Writer
Computer chips are a vital part of all electronic devices, from smartphones to cars to common household appliances. With the pandemic causing a spike in the demand for electronics and creating a backlog in the supply and shipping chain, a variety of companies including Sony, Toyota, Ford and Apple have been affected by a worldwide computer chip shortage. “A worrying implication of the computer chip shortage is an overall increase in the cost of electronics. The higher prices along with the limited number of stock available often prevents me from purchasing the devices I want, and they may eventually completely bar socioeconomically disadvantaged citizens from accessing technology,” Wilson Yen, Math Department, said. According to the Washington Post, to meet a newfound demand for electronic appliances with the introduction of virtual learning, the companies responsible for manufacturing devices including Intel and Samsung began buying computer chips in bulk. As a result, other companies—especially those in the car industry—do not have sufficient resources to manufacture their products. However, the increasing need for chips is not the only issue—roadblocks in exporting and importing computer
“The higher prices [of electonics]...may eventually completely bar socioeconomically disadvantaged citizens from accessing technology.”
chips also contribute to the shortage. According to the Consumer News and Business Channel, the pandemic shut down countless Asian ports, including the Yantian port—which ships nearly 90 percent of the global electronics supply. With the closure of the docks, there was a large buildup of computer chips that could not be sent out, leading to a backlog of exports after the port reopened. Aside from the pandemic, other factors such as the development of 5G, which requires
companies are unable to produce chips fast enough to meet demand due to a lack of machines and workers. Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and China have also elevated due to the shortage. According to the Times Magazine, the biggest chip foundry is the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, making it a desirable trade partner for the U.S. However, China negatively views countries that increase commerce with Taiwan because of the two nations’ history of disputes. In addition, trade sanctions between the U.S. and China have complicated the progression of the supply chain. While importing computer chips from China, where they are stored on a large-scale, is one of the most efficient ways for the U.S. to dependably acquire the circuits, this affair is especially costly for companies based in the U.S. “Nations around the world now face high prices on computer chips due to their low supply but high demand as well as preexisting tariffs. As a KENNETH YANG ART result, tensions between national governments are escalating rapidly,” Senior Leo Gao said. an unprecedented quantity of computer The lack of access to necessary chips, has also intensified the crisis. resources is preventing electronics Geopolitical conflicts, especially those companies around the world from between the U.S. and several East Asian performing at their peak in terms of countries—many of which are dominant production rates and technological in the technology industry—add to the development. This, in turn, is decreasing strain. Reuters reports that during the the growth of various nations’ economies. pandemic, Japan gathered a larger share of The ongoing global chip shortage has the raw materials necessary for computer already had significant consequences chips and gained an advantage compared around the world, and if left unsolved, to other countries, such as China or could drastically affect technology, finance Korea. However, Japanese manufacturing and international relations in the future.
Zimbabwean teen educates young girls to kyorugi against child marriage
Breanna Lu
In a world where activism against child marriage often comes in the form of speeches, protests or fundraising, 17-yearold Natsiraishe Maritsa from Epworth, Zimbabwe has spearheaded a hands-on initiative to combat the practice in her community. By holding open, informative, conversations about child marriage in a Taekwondo class setting for young girls and teen mothers, she works to educate and encourage the younger generation to advocate against the practice. Despite laws forbidding child marriage, gender inequality, poverty and cultural norms force one-third of female minors in developing countries such as Zimbabwe to become brides. These statistics are troubling, as underage brides are more likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases and be mistreated by their partners and in-laws. Moreover, teenage pregnancies often carry major health risks such as increased blood pressure. While Zimbabwe’s constitution prohibits marriage under the age of 18, contradicting legislation leaves several gaps for exploitation, forcing Zimbabwean girls into generational cycles of underage marriage. For instance, Human Rights Watch explains that Zimbabwe’s Marriage Act allows underage girls to get married with special written consent, while the country’s Criminal Law states that the legal age of consent is 16.
For Maritsa, this problem strikes home—the majority of her female friends were married once they turned 13. To instill in young girls the idea that child marriage is unacceptable, Maritsa founded the Vulnerable Underaged Initiative, in which she empowers young girls through a mixture of Taekwondo lessons and discussions led by young mothers. Taekwondo is a significant aspect of Maritsa’s life—she began learning the art at the age of five and has since won gold and silver medals competitions within and outside of Zimbabwe. “Taekwondo classes give young girls the ability to stand up for themselves by teaching self-defense and fighting techniques. These lessons also create a safe space for teen mothers to express their ideas without fear of being silenced,” Junior Amanda Bui said. In the dusty yard behind her home, girls as young as four line up and follow Martisa’s lead in stretching, punching, kicking and sparring. After lessons, teen mothers share their experiences of underage marriage with the students, recounting the violence, emotional abuse and pregnancy-related health issues they faced. While the educational conversations directly teach the girls to
Investigative Report & Last Word Editor
oppose child marriage, the activity of Taekwondo also contributes to Maritsa’s cause—it improves the students’ selfesteem, gives them a hopeful outlook on life and increases their confidence. People with such qualities are more likely to advocate for their freedoms and to pursue higher education INSEO KIM ART and careers. In the case of Maritsa’s students, this means ending the child marriage cycle in their society. “Taekwondo is capable of instilling a sense of belonging and community in students. The girls can use Maritsa’s sessions as an outlet to express themselves and support one another,” Junior Elena Giaccone said. Like Maritsa, others around the world have also been fighting to prevent child marriage. In Niger, where 75 percent of females are married before they turn 18, the United Nations Children’s Fund collaborates with religious and cultural leaders to hold community-wide assemblies where members speak out against child marriage. The MDG-Fund in Bangladesh works to stop dowry practices for children and support young girls victimized by gender-based violence. On the whole, Maritsa has reinvented the pupose of Taekwondo to fight for the futures of the younger generation, showing that age is not a barrier to making a difference.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
13
FEATURE: WORLD
DESIGN BY MANASA SRIRAJ
Del Rio migrant crisis: Clash of national security and the American Dream
App Review: Pause For
Yong Ooi Viewpoint Editor
As Haiti faces immense instability from the assassination of its president in July and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August, thousands of its citizens are seeking asylum in the U.S. through a port of entry in Del Rio, Texas. In response to the immigration crisis, video evidence shows U.S. Border Patrol agents using unusually aggressive tactics to scatter the migrants and deporting many back to Haiti, sparking domestic debate on both the actions of the agents and the best response to the new immigrant crisis. From September through early October, the U.S.-Mexico border became a temporary home for thousands of Haitian and South American
JUDE TANTAWY ART migrants fleeing economic instability. In an effort to handle the unexpected influx of immigrants, Border Patrol agents had tried to disperse them by turning them away or splitting them between other ports of entry along the border. Videos of these agents using unwarranted force circulated the internet, gaining government and public attention. White House press secretary Jen Psaki described the videos as “horrific,” and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
launched an investigation and deployed more personnel to the Del Rio border area to oversee agents.
deported. According to CNN, some praise Biden’s migrant-processing policy as very effective, while others such as Texas Governor Greg Abbott accuse the policy’s flexibility of being a threat to American “Videos of these agents using border security, attracting more migrants than ever before. unwarranted force circulated the To spread the migrants out internet, gaining government and between different facilities, Biden public attention..” has controversially solicited a DHS immigration facility at Guantanamo Compared to the Trump Bay. In an interview with the National administration, President Biden has Public Radio, the Director of taken a slightly different approach to Refugee Protection at immigration. One of Trump’s most Human Rights First notable policies was Title-42, Eleanor Acer BEOMHEE KIM ART which strictly minimized criticized the immigration—especially solicitation, after the COVID-19 outbreak. While Biden has kept Title-42 active, he has allowed unaccompanied minors and family units to be granted entry, limiting Title-42’s reach. However, in September, the Biden administration deported countless Haitian migrants using Title-42 as justification, sparking further criticism. “Given the lack of resources, the U.S. immigration system is ill-equipped to handle refugees both before and after claiming that they are legally processed. Moreover, the administration was Customs and Borders Protection has a sending vulnerable people into a place history of violence toward immigrants. notorious for violating human rights. These issues force migrants to wait years “Many factors have to be considered for asylum, often in dangerous situations before accepting the Haitian migrants, where they are exploited,” Junior Natalie including the infrastructure the U.S. has Gao said. to support them and the ability of the Using a ticketing system, the immigrants to support themselves after migrants at Del Rio are sorted into three losing their homes and safety,” Freshman groups: single men, single women and Nadia Karpenko said. families. Each person is then processed As the government develops new for asylum by submitting an application. ways to solve the Haitian migrant crisis If they are deemed to truly be fleeing from and navigate public reactions to its probable danger, they are allowed entry policies, those at Del Rio continue to wait into the United States; if not, they are for their consideration.
Scotland implements new LGBTQ+ curriculum in public schools
Keirah Chen
Entertainment & Student Spotlight Editor
Considered one of the most progressive countries in Europe, Scotland has officially incorporated LGBTQ+ education in school curriculums this year. Since 2015, the Scottish organization Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) has been pushing for a more inclusive curriculum that addresses LGBTI history and issues. Founded by Jordan Daly and Liam Stevenson to educate public school students on marginalized groups, TIE provides free LGBTQ+ history education for teachers so that they can respectfully incorporate LGBTQ+ themes in their classroom culture. “SJUSD schools should model off Scotland and include LGBTQ+ history and themes in the standard curriculum to reduce stigma and misconceptions about this topic. Students should be educated on how U.S. laws still reflect anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment— currently, discrimination against transgender or homosexual people is legal,” Freshman Khai Chen said. Under the new curriculum, Scottish schools will explain LGBTQ+ terminologies and identities to students as well as acknowledge the effects of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and teach about important LGBTQ+ figures in history classes. In primary schools, teachers are instructed to create environments where students do not feel pressured to conform to gender stereotypes and bring awareness about
same-sex marriages and families outside of the traditonal nuclear family structure. For example, one math word problem describes a situation where a child wants to know how much it would cost to purchase Father’s Day cards for both her dads. Public schools will teach lessons on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and an LGBTQ+ sexual education course is expected to commence by 2022. “Scotland’s introduction of queer themes in their school curriculums is an effective first step to tackling prejudice caused by society’s cisgender and heterosexual norms. QUINCY HAN ART
I appreciate the subtle ways Scotland is working to normalize homosexuality and transgender identities, presenting them to students as a part of everyday life. Previously, only cisgender and heterosexual people have been presented in such a light, so the Scottish change is critical,” Junior Helen Tran said.
One of the world’s first LGBTQ+ organizations, the Scottish Minority Group, held the International Gay Rights Congress at Edinburgh University in 1969 to fight for more opportunities, rights and freedoms for gay and lesbian people. However, despite their efforts, Section 28—legislation preventing teachers from bringing up LGBTQ+ topics at school— was passed in 1988, under the reasoning that LGBTQ+ education “promoted” homosexuality in students. In 2000, Scotland’s Parliament voted to repeal Section 28, explaining that it allowed discrimination against students and staff with certain gender identities and sexual orientations by prohibiting teachers from addressing gender- or sexuality-based bullying and harassment. Some clergy members have protested LGBTQ+ teachings at school, claiming that they may “turn” students homosexual. Others such as the minister of Saint Peter’s Free Church deem the lessons as a waste of government money and “state-sponsored indoctrination,” stating that the money could be put towards anti-bullying education in general instead of giving members of the LGTBQ+ community special treatment. Nevertheless, TIE’s curriculum has been circulating in schools for almost three years, helping educate Scotland’s younger generation to be more accepting toward each other as well as themselves.
Larry Ye School & Community News Editor
Smartphones are a double-edged sword—while they are valuable tools in our lives, they are also a source of distraction. When I am doing homework or studying, my attention is often diverted by text or social media notifications or the sheer temptation to use my phone. The productivity app Pause For offered a way to limit such diversions, so I decided to give it a try. Pause For is a free app that encourages users to reduce phone screen time by converting the inactive time into monetary charity donations. Users choose how long they want to refrain from using their phone—called a “pause”—and whether they want to convert those minutes into meals for Feeding America, trees for One Tree Planted or heartworm vaccinations for the Inner Pup. Quarterly, Oroboros LLC—the company behind Pause For—writes a check to each charity granting them the donations earned by users. Aside from investor capital and partnerships, Oroboros uses Kin—a cryptocurrency that rewards platform developers for attracting demand—to fund the app. According to an in-app tally, Pause For has already donated 86,415 meals, 6,574 trees and 5,568 vaccinations to the respective charities. Although there are currently only three charities to donate to, the company is seeking more partnerships. In Pause For, users can use an existing Google or Facebook account to track their rewards, which are earned by completing pauses. Once in a pause, the app displays a screensaver countdown timer. If users finish their pause, they receive Kin—roughly three for every minute paused—and the total paused time contributes to the final donation value. However, if users decide to end their pause early, no donations are made. Pause For also allows users to bet Kin before pauses to further encourage them to complete their pauses. In the app’s marketplace, users can use Kin to buy power-ups, which reward users with more pause minutes. Over the past month that I have been using Pause For, it has helped me reduce screen time and increase productivity. However, the current version of Pause For does not offer an option to mute notifications from other apps. Thus, I occasionally end my pauses early to reply to messages, which defeats the purpose of the app. On the whole, Pause For provides a simple and effective method to stay focused and productive while helping those in need, making it a userfriendly, impactful app.
overall app-eal
Pause For (4/5)
+ boosts productivity + donates to charities - does not disable notifications
14
NOVEMBER 3, 2021
SPORTS At the tip-off: Unvaccinated athletes face vaccination policies
DESIGN BY PAVANA UPADHYAYA
Dhruv Anish
Staff Writer
Chase Center, home court of the Golden State Warriors, welcomed back thousands of vaccinated fans back into the arena this fall, eager to accelerate sporting events’ return to full capacity. Nevertheless, not all fans and players agree with the current COVID-19 protocols that dictate their sports. Andrew Wiggins, a small forward who recently signed with the Warriors, is well-known for his powerful dunking ability and defensive prowess. However, in March, he garnered attention when he publicly announced that he would not be receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, citing religious beliefs as his primary reason for refusal. Wiggins’ application to be religiously exempt from the vaccine was declined by the National Basketball Association (NBA), leaving his candidacy for starting in the Warriors’ first game in question. Meanwhile, teammates like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green commented that Wiggins should be able to make his own choices based on his personal beliefs, while still promoting the vaccine. The NBA does not require inoculation, but teams are bound to the policies of their local municipalities. As the 2021-2022 season started in midOctober, Wiggins would have been ineligible to play for the Warriors at home in San Francisco without the
vaccine—the state of California requires all individuals indoors over the age of 12 to be vaccinated. Although Wiggins held strong to his hesitancy about taking the vaccine, he received his first dose on Oct. 3. Between his options of getting vaccinated and potentially losing his contract with the Warriors, Wiggins felt that risking his career in the NBA was not worth refusing the vaccine, per the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Wiggins is not the only NBA player who has expressed open criticism of the vaccine. Similarly, Jonathan Isaac, a power forward for the Orlando Magic, openly expressed his distrust in government figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci and used his Christian beliefs as justification for refusing the vaccine. Many Evangelicals, like Isaac, have voiced discomfort in taking the vaccine, claiming that it is contradictory to the belief that God created humans with self-healing abilities. Brooklyn Nets point guard, Kyrie Irving, has also been banned from participating in team DANIEL CHOI ART practices and games due to his refusal to comply with New York’s vaccine mandate, as an attempt to stand in solidarity with people losing employment due to their vaccination status. Nets owner Joe Tsai encouraged Irving to get vaccinated, pointing to state and league policies that prevent Irving from playing until he gets his first dose.
While many teammates have either refused to comment or expressed their support for anti-vaccine players in order to maintain friendly relations with teammates, former and current NBA players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Enes Kanter and Michael Jordan took to the media, calling players who refused to take the vaccine “selfish.” As proponents of the vaccine, figures like AbdulJabbar and Jordan are encouraging athletes to believe in science rather than skepticism. “Unvaccinated NBA players endanger the health of players, team staff and audience members. Athletes refusing the vaccine have a negative influence on the general public—fans may be convinced to not get the vaccine because their favorite players are not vaccinated,” Aakash Sriram ‘22 said. The NBA is not the only professional sports league that is facing opposition from anti-vaccine players. National Football League (NFL) players such as Cole Beasley, Kirk Cousins and Reid Ferguson have also refused the vaccine. Beasley and Ferguson, players from the Buffalo Bills, even offered to purchase tickets for unvaccinated fans who were not allowed to attend home games due to New York’s vaccine policy, exacerbating health and safety concerns. In response, the NFL placed a restriction on unvaccinated players by banning them from visiting anyone outside of teammates and faculty when traveling for away games and punishing offenders with a $50,000 fine if they violate COVID-19 policies. Additionally, the league will hold teams accountable for medical costs if they infect another team.
Moreover, the Major League Baseball (MLB) has faced opposition from teams due to their vaccination policies, most notably from the Philadelphia Phillies— an organization that had a 50 percent vaccination rate before April 1. As an incentive to encourage teams to receive the vaccine, the MLB granted benefits to organizations with over 85 percent of completely inoculated personnel, including more relaxed mask protocols and clearance to resume usage of all team facilities such as weight rooms. In regards to the school’s sports COVID-19 protocols, student athletes are required to wear masks at all times for indoor sports. Additionally, student must complete a health screening and symptoms check before attending each practice. The only times when masks can be removed are during outdoor activities as well as eating and drinking. “Because I am vaccinated I feel safe while attending football practice, and coaches are doing a good job enforcing the school’s COVID-19 policies. However, athletes are allowed to remove masks while taking water breaks outside, but many forget to put them on later. Student athletes are not required by the school to get vaccinated, and I respect everyone’s decision regarding taking the vaccine,” Jad Khayata ‘22 said. Despite public outcry by athletes, the NBA reports that 90 percent of its athletes are vaccinated, while the rates for the NFL and MLB are 93 and 86 percent, respectively. For athletes still hesitant to get inoculated, professional sports leagues are continuing to impose restrictions in hopes of encouraging all players and staff to get vaccinated—a measure that could prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and allow fans to return to sports venues safely.
Home-field advantage: A myth or a reality?
Aaron Dalton
Staff Writer
On
the
right:
Michelle
Qiao
’23,
“Even slight changes in temperature, playing surface or time zone can greatly influence athletic performance.” Financial considerations also factor into home-field advantage as well. Professional sports teams generate most of their income through television contracts, with higher viewership yielding higher profits. Those profits can be invested back into the team in the form of top athletic talent, improved training facilities and expert coaching staff. For example, the Dallas Cowboys are consistently one of the highest earning athletic organizations, enabling them to extend a $160 million contract to quarterback Dak Prescott, who has been selected for the Pro Bowl game twice. Attendance data from Entertainment and Sports Programming Network indicates that successful teams generally draw larger and more animated crowds, an
outside
hitter
on
the
Girls’
Varsity
generating further revenue through ticket and merchandise sales. However, when teams are struggling, revenue lags may demoralize the team—during the 2019 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals had the lowest stadium attendance and also had one of the league’s worst records. The factors that influence home-field advantage are at play in high school sports as well. Many athletes favor home games, citing crowd excitement, increased focus and school pride as reasons for their preference. For example, the varsity football team is currently undefeated at home. Pierre Goldstein ‘23, a running back on the Varsity Football team, notes that the home field boosts athletes’ morale. “When we play at home, we are defending our home turf and the fans in the stands give me motivation to win. On the downside, we never want to let our supporters down by making mistakes, which can lead athletes to place additional pressure on themselves,” Goldstein said. In a meta-analysis study conducted on various sports of different competitive levels, Jeremy P. Jamaieson, Professor of
FAN PHO TO
COVID-19 pandemic to analyze how fans may influence game outcomes. The absence of fans was shown to slightly diminish home-field advantage for soccer teams in the English Premier League. While athletes’ opinions on crowds depend on individual levels of excitement generated from crowd reactions, sports psychologist Dan Weigand suggests that athletes generally respond positively to fans’ enthusiasm. However, spectators do not account for the entirety of home-field advantage.
BERTINA
Home field advantage—the tendency for athletes to perform better when competitions are hosted at their home facility—has taken center stage in the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series. After benefiting from having their first two playoff games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at home, the Atlanta Braves face the Houston Astros in the World Series—with the Astros having more home games. 68 percent of the teams with home-field advantage in the World Series have taken home the trophy, according to MLB. Despite being labeled as a common myth in sports, home-field advantage has been shown to be a real phenomenon in both professional and high school athletics. Professional athletic league sports teams spend most of their time training at their home facilities. When the team travels to another location, even slight changes in temperature, playing surface or time zone can greatly influence athletic performance. For example, sports journalist John Ewing speculates that West Coast National Football League (NFL) teams are at a disadvantage when facing East Coast NFL teams in away games due to long travel times and harsher weather conditions in the east. Spectator count and crowd enthusiasm also contribute to home-field advantage. John Bica, a data science and analytics consultant, utilized the lack of crowds at sporting events during the
Volleyball
team,
runs
inside
the
Psychology at Northeastern University, revealed that a team was likely to win about 60 percent of their home games. Likewise, the Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team has a 60 percent winning record at home, compared with just over 50 percent at their away games. Michelle Qiao ‘23, an outside hitter on the team, asserts that home field advantage provides the team with the opportunity to be better prepared for their matches. “Before home games, our team meets early to strategize how we are going to play, enabling us to be better focused and more prepared for the game. Home field or not, it always comes down to how hard we train,” Qiao said. Differences in training and competition facilities may also impact performance. For instance, Water Polo is not able to host any games or tournaments because the school’s pool does not meet regulation standards. Despite the statistical advantage of a home facility, Jacob Press ‘23, an outfielder on the Boys’ Varsity Water Polo team, notes that the team is not at a disadvantage because few high school pools meet regulation standards. Thus, many teams face similar circumstances, leveling the playing field. Similar to professional sports, spirited crowds, pre-game preparation and the familiarity of home facilities all constitute home-field advantage for student athletes. main
gym
during
volleyball
practice.
15
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
DESIGN BY KEIRAH CHEN
Senior Muskaan Grewal
Poetry: bhuji
Photo by Ihyun Jeon IG: @kimchiiiiiii_photography
i didn’t save your contact to my phone and whenever a text came in i always had to go through the list in my head to figure out who it was the thought of that makes me sick to my stomach guilt and regret do not taste good horrible alone and worse together i always thought there was a later a later for me to type those letters of your name and take a picture of us for the contact photo i always thought there was a later until there wasn’t and then i didn’t know what to think then and when i scrawled that letter to you on my best paper that wasn’t mine and waited to write you another one because i thought we had later i had to swallow down that cocktail of guiltregret one more time because it has been a year and i swallow down your words to sober me up daily and i chew the knowledge that you kept that letter on your nightstand and that i wore your jewelry every day of my sister’s wedding and that i was your baby niece and that you called me miss missy more time than i could count and that my niece loves me with half of the passion that she loved you and you loved her with until my jaw goes numb and i feel like i can make it through one more day
Art by Elizabeth Zhou
“Gwanghwamun” —Sophomore Ihyun Jeon
Art by Aileen Xie
Art by Selina Lu IG: @catwholoves
IG: @axasos
IG: @ezhou.lmao
“I included many warm colors in this piece since it is Halloween-themed.” —Junior Elizabeth Zhou
Photo by Isha Dhandha IG: @photosbyishaa
“The imperceptible depth of human vice is necessary for sustaining the balance of duality of human nature.” —Senior Aileen Xie
“I depicted animals as humanoids in animal cruelty situations in order to encourage more empathy for them.” —Senior Selina Lu
Poetry: there’s a price on my head
Senior Muksaan Grewal
there’s a price over my head and every time you get closer it gets higher because for you it feels like i’m still bleeding and have bled you might as well just throw me on the burning pyre no keep on drawing my wanted sign those bars you want me behind won’t keep me out of your head do you want me to say my line? it doesn’t matter when you’ve already let me into your bed you can reject me if you want to toss me aside if you can bring yourself to do it but i know that you’ll come through cause when i stand in your head, i’m always backlit talk about my danger to others this forked tongue flickers out just for you
“A sunny but quiet day in San Francisco.” —Senior Isha Dhandha
your hitched breath, i know my every other glance smothers they won’t know my bed is where you come to but this price on my head isn’t for free and i know you love the feeling of a taboo but you’ll worship me like a devotee and even when i walk away, on you i’ll feel like a tattoo
Visit thechargeraccount.com to learn more about the student submissions. Do you want your creative work featured in The Charger Account? Email lelandchargeraccount@gmail.com for more information!
DESIGN BY BREANNA LU
- How Music Makes Us Isaac Ang
Music amplifying digital media Staff Writer
Whether in movies, video games or advertisements, music is present in nearly every form of media. Due to its unique ability to tap into human emotions, many media companies experiment with music to captivate their audience and enrich their products. Producing well-integrated scores is crucial to a movie’s success. According to Film Independent, prior to writing any notes, composers work closely with directors to better understand their goals for the movie, sometimes even immersing themselves in the film’s “mental space.” For instance, Ludwig Göransson spent a month in Africa studying tribal music as inspiration for scoring “Black Panther.” When writing music, many composers have their own stylistic methods of composition. Hans Zimmer, who scored “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Lion King,” is known for his ability to blend diverse types of music and create simple yet effective themes that embody the film’s mood, according to Music Files. The best soundtracks can make a movie timeless, characterizing the essence of specific objects and events. The New Yorker reports that composers use “leitmotifs”—musical themes that accompany the appearance of certain characters, creating memorable associations between sound and screen. In “The Dark Knight,” Zimmer curated the Joker’s character theme by scratching razor blades against piano strings to create a jarring glissando note. “Music helps achieve the director’s goals when the acting cannot. For example, to foreshadow a scary event, the music can gradually increase in volume and speed, building suspense. When the jump scare happens, it can be accompanied by a loud, sudden sound to amplify the audience’s terror,” Junior Maggie Liu said. While long musical motifs reflect the overarching message of the movie, composers also construct short, specific sound effects to elicit strong emotions. Stephen Spielberg, director of “Jaws,” tested different sound effects on people and gauged their reactions. He settled on the infamous low E-F note repetition, which to this day evokes terror in people even without images of sharks and blood. In video games, game developers carefully cultivate soundtracks to make players feel as if they are being transported to another world. The Sound Architect analyzed the interactive story game “Life is Strange,” where the player follows a teenage girl who can rewind time. Set during the teenager’s life in high school, its soundtrack mainly consists of indie-folk music; the background’s nostalgic acoustic guitar strumming helps players empathize with the protagonist as she deals with both the adversities of high school and the consequences of her calamitous temporal ability. “I have found music to enhance my emotions when I play story games. During tough situations, the music inspires me to persevere; during the credits, it can be merry and lighthearted. Overall, music contributes to the atmosphere and gameplay, reminding myself of my goals in the story,” Junior Lucas Awyong said. Game developers use “adaptive music” to evoke various emotions in different stages of a game. Mashable investigated the platformadventure game “Ori and the Will of Wisps,” where players can peacefully explore the terrain but occasionally encounter difficult boss battles. To distinguish between these two main modes, Gareth Coker—composer of the game’s soundtrack—tinkered with alternating tunes. For exploratory gameplay, Coker incorporated “delicate” and “stirring” music; during boss battles, he synthesized an intense, emotional piece to make the battle more memorable, hoping to contrive “unforgettable experiences” for the players. With business objectives in mind, the commercial market has also embraced music’s versatility. Companies incorporate music in their advertisements to reinforce the brand’s message and attract various audiences. In 2014, Audi, a luxury car company, released an ad premiering its new RS 3 sports hatchback. The ad shows the RS 3 slowly being ejected from its previous model, the R8, whilst an orchestra of classical music unfolds backstage. When the RS 3 is revealed, the music dies down, creating dramatic silence and allowing the audience to marvel at the new car. Known for pushing technological thresholds, Audi’s choice of classical advertisement music emphasized the company’s prestige, appealing to higher-end buyers. While visuals and dialogue are essential to any form of media, music plays a key role in engaging audiences and lending substance to entertainment, showcasing its usefulness beyond just auditory aesthetics.
“Music emphasizes emotional moments and facilitates the fluid forward progression of the plot. Through the songs, you are able to gain personal insights about the characters as the characters sing about their inner thoughts and feelings.” —Junior Anna Wildt
Quotebox: What is the importance of music in media?
“In Genshin Impact, the background music helps immerse me in the fictional world. For example, I can imagine myself strolling through a Chinese harbor as lutes and zithers play in the background. When fighting enemy characters, the intense, fastpaced music hypes me up for combat and instills a sense of heroic adventure into the battle.” —Senior Oliver Wang Compiled by Isaac Ang and Dhruv Anish, Staff Writers
DESIREE VU-DU LEON ART
usic s, m acts t n e attr rtisem adve ng that n and n I i “ tio h omet atten stick to is s iewer’s ene gles v e sc atchy jin ies the h t s C an make emory. comp me m h t r i i the ated w make cts, ’s i d c l o a s odu as cDon their pr tional M e o y lik to bu ore em ls for t n a m ia w merc PETA eas r m e o h c w like by s in song zations emotions i .” organ l to my to donate ng u a e e h app raging m cent C n i u o V enc shman —Fre