NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL
211 PYLESVILLE ROAD, PYLESVILLE, MD 21132
410-638-3650
VOLUME 43 ISSUE 7
MARCH 28, 2022
Weighing options: Students, staff choose level of coverage MACKENZIE SCOTT Reporter As of March 1, 2022, HCPS schools lifted their mask policy, making them optional for both students and staff. According to the new policy, masks will no longer be required during school hours, on buses, or during any school related activities. Despite lifting the policy, HCPS stated in a press release “We want to be very clear: We support students and adults who choose to continue wearing masks in our school buildings and facilities. Now this decision is a matter of personal and family choice.” HCPS added that “there will be no tolerance in our classrooms, schools, or offices, for anyone who wishes to intimidate, tease, or bully anyone else for their choice of whether to wear a mask or not.” The decision came following parent protests outside of schools in the Harford County area to remove the mask mandate.WBAL
news said, “Harford County ing health metrics following a to make masks optional because Public Schools officials said the COVID-19 surge,” reports the it makes a lot of people more hapvote comes after conversations Baltimore Sun. This decision py.” Huth said he did not mind with local health officials.” comes as numerous other Mary- the masks before The public health officials had land counties have already lifted because “it was just another mandates piece of necessary clothing.” cited the downward trend of their mask Huth said that he “[had] not positive reported cases of covid seen anything indicating that coupled with the numerous proanyone still wearing a mask tective measures which have has faced any backlash, been put in place to protect though there aren't students and staff from “I felt the first day that people many people wearing contracting covid as a major part of their demasks still and I hope didn’t have to wear masks, it was cision. they don't face anyalmost liberating. People were genthing for their own The school board is erally happy they didn’t have to wear choices and or medtaking very seriously any students who are them but if people felt the need to wear ical needs.” A female sophat high risk such as them, they felt good... and comfortomore who is still those who are immuchoosing to wear a nocompromised or with able,” -Erin Mock, Vice Principal mask said, “I personalserious underlying health ly do it just to keep myself conditions to defend their and my family safe, also to choice to continue to wear keep others safe.” masks as they see fit. The transition to mask-opShe says she has younger coustional was discussed after “Gov. with Balt i m o r e ins and older people like grandLarry Hogan earlier this month City being one of the last hold- parents who she would like to called for the mandate to be re- outs. keep safe. scinded. He cited the availability Sophomore Ian Huth said, “I Vice principal Erin Mock said, of vaccines and recent improv- believe HCPS made it a good idea “I felt the first day that people
didn’t have to wear masks, it was almost liberating. People were generally happy they didn’t have to wear them but if people felt the need to wear them, they felt good and confident and comfortable.” English teacher Mrs. Emilie Phillips similarly believes “it’s made the vibe [in the building] probably a little more positive. I think that it helps with overall student interaction. Kids are able to pick up on social cues a little bit better by being able to see each other’s faces.” Government teacher Mr. Mark Filiaggi said, “I think [going mask optional has] greatly improved things. It was making me not like teaching as much and now that we are back to normal, I enjoy it more again.” Math teacher Kimberly Evelyn thinks that “with dress codes and stuff like that, the mask was one more thing that created tension between the staff and the students so now I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
Russian government sparks turmoil by invading Ukraine;
Civilians, surrounding countries face aftermath KRIS GRAY News Editor On November 10, 2021, the United States (U.S.) reported unusual movement of Russian troops near Ukrainian borders. As soon as November 28, Ukraine reported about 92,000 soldiers still surrounding the country. This is where the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces began. As tensions increased between these European countries, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of economic sanctions if he decided to attack Ukraine. Russian soldiers remained participating in military exercises. Due to this, the U.S. sent Ukraine $200 million in security aid. Soon after this, on February 24, Putin made an announcement explaining a new “special military operation” in Eastern Ukraine. He denied a full-invasion but sought the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine. That same day, the Politico reported explosions in Kyiv, Kharviv, Odessa, and the Donbas. According to the New York Times, Russia has continued attacks on Ukraine with the shelling of more than a dozen cities and towns. Missiles also hit tar-
gets in many cities and Russian 2.” They were in Ukraine when idays with them.” She was sent to troops gained control of two the Nazis invaded and were sent a Ukrainian school on Saturdays Ukrainian nuclear power plants. to a German labor camp during to learn the language, history, and Most recentculture from ly, the British three to sixteen Broadcastyears old. ing CorpoDue to the ration(BBC) language educahas disclosed tor’s Ukrainian that “more roots, she and than two milher family have lion [people] been “extremehave now fled ly worried and Ukraine beanxious about cause of the the invasion.” Russian inArist “ has vasion.” The many friends United Naand colleagues tions(UN) there” including High Comher Aunt and missioner the Ukrainian for Refugees family she lived PHOTO CREDIT: VIEWSRIDGE WIKIMEDIA COMhas labeled with in her earMONS (CC BY-SA 4.0) it as the fastly 20’s. She is est-growing “worried about refugee crisis their safety” in Europe since World War Two. the war. When the war was and continues to “communicate The UN also recorded 40 civilian over, they were still in Germany, with [her] friends every day on deaths and 801 injuries as a result where her father was born. Messenger.” of the invasion. They immigrated to the U.S. Technology teacher, Mr. TimMrs. Larissa Arist is the French when the teacher’s father was othy Pistel does not have a direct language teacher at North Har- small. The family lived in the connection to this incident, but ford High School and she has a Ukrainian community of Balti- he does have some concern for strong connection to this world- more and continued to keep their the effects of this violation. Pistel wide issue. Arist's “grandparents traditions alive while living there. states that “the first thing we’re (on her dad’s side) came to the Arist “spoke to them in Ukrainian going to see is higher inflation.” U.S. in 1950 after World War and celebrated the Ukrainian hol- He notices that the “price of oil is
going up significantly.” More consequential concerns according to the teacher is the possibility that this could become World War III. The teacher worries that “if some kind of misinformation or propaganda comes out we will have an emotional reaction to it [and be] drawn into something bad.” Also, he knows “that if one of our allies gets drawn into the war, then we get drawn into the war. All in all, Pistel recognizes the trauma that Ukrainian and other European civilians are facing. He says he “gets upset about it”; “when [he] sees the little ones have to leave everything behind and make a life somewhere else.” Lastly, he condemns the actions of Putin because “there are plenty [civilians] that are still left behind…living the consequences of decisions that were made above them.” Arist agrees, saying that Putin is “seeking to crush the Ukrainian people, their language, culture and spirit. If we say that we believe in democratic ideals, then we must stand up to Putin. He cannot be allowed to invade a country unprovoked and eliminate their citizens and freely elected government. Where will he stop?”