MV Viewer 2025-2026 Issue 1

The Viewer

Volume 73

Issue 1

October 10, 2025

Website: mvviewer.org

Instagram: @mvviewer

VACCINES: Divided by a Dose

News 02

Features 03

Opinion 06

Good Question 07

New school year, new changes

DECA has big plans for this year

Generative AI is a useful tool for students

How and why do we have free ticketing?

ILLUSTRATIONS | Max Swanson

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NEWS

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

New school year, new changes | Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek and Lale Akkin OPINION & DEBATES EDITOR AND PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF student is considered missing class, or to give them to be continuing tru- in-school suspension for missant after missing three ing class because that just reor more class periods on three sults in more missed class.” different days, according to Instead, when a student Ramsey County and Minnesota is skipping class periods, the statute 260A. Last year, 31% school will take away their of Mounds View students met phone for the remainder of the the Minnesota criteria to be ha- school day. After calling the bitually truant, which is when student’s parent or guardian a student misses one or more for their cooperation, the phone class periods on seven separate will be held in student services school days. That means over with Administrative Assistant 500 students had seven class Gary Swanson, and the student periods or more of unexcused can pick it up before leaving. If absences. This school year, a student does not own a phone Mounds View implemented or bring one to school, nothing plenty of new updates to school extra will be done, but any origpolicy, many relating to atten- inal consequences that come dance. with truancy still apply.

In previous years, students Each classroom now has a would get lunch detention for hall pass kiosk, making it easier unexcused absences, but that for students and teachers to crewas not enough of an incentive ate and manage passes. This is to attend class, with many stu- a way to record passes more dents continuing to have unex- efficiently while reusing old cused absences. Some schools Chromebooks. Bathroom passtake away parking permits as a es are also shorter now, with consequence for absences, but the time given decreasing from Principal Rob Reetz disagrees seven minutes to five. Accordwith that idea. “I don’t feel like ing to Associate Principal Staci taking away a kid’s ability to Souhan, too many students get to school for purposes of were misusing the passes, even not going to class is smart … it by using the remaining time would be totally ironic for us to to walk around rather than go suspend a kid from school for back to class. “Kids aren’t using

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Lunch line

them to go to the bathroom,” she said. “They think it’s just a walk-around pass.”

However, last year some students struggled to find an unlocked bathroom even within seven minutes. That will not be an issue this year because all bathroom doors will be unlocked. A common misconception is that the doors were locked to avoid the use of electronic cigarettes in bathrooms. They were never meant to be locked in the first place; the custodians would lock the doors after cleaning and forget to unlock them in the morning.

To avoid that again, Reetz told the custodians to keep the doors unlocked after cleaning.

The use of electronic cigarettes continues to be a problem at Mounds View. An option to combat it was to buy a smoke detector in each bathroom, but those are expensive and could easily be damaged by students.

Instead, Mounds View has a hand-held device that detects e-cigarette smoke. Throughout the day, staff check the bathrooms with the device and may catch people who use them. This has been in place for years, but has not been emphasized to the

PHOTO | Lale Akkin

Past lunch schedule Students with first lunch Period three: 10:39-12:04 • Lunch one: 11:11-11:36 Period four: 12:11-1:09

Students with other lunches Period three: 10:39-11:34 Period four: 11:41-1:09 • Lunch two: 11:41-12:06 • Lunch three: 12:14-12:39 • Lunch four: 12:44-1:09

students until this year.

Mounds View has many emergency exit doors, but that also creates a safety concern regarding students leaving during the school day without staff knowledge or outsiders being let in. Students are required to only use the main entrance during the school day, and this year, they must scan in and out to ensure the school knows if a student is in or out of the building in case of an emergency.

This new system helps record student presence more easily,

including students who go to Irondale every day. “We are required to keep students safe, to know where they’re at, and then to keep our building safe,” Souhan said. “We know exactly who’s in the building and who’s not.”

From attendance policy to safety enforcement, these changes at Mounds View will have real effects on students and staff, whether they see these changes as helpful or restricting.

Back to three lunches | Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek and Lale Akkin OPINION & DEBATES EDITOR AND PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF n the past three years, a class, and teachers can easily Mounds View had four switch lunches on days that they lunch times for students, have an important activity such with the first lunch in the as a test or a lab. “Students have third period. However, many much more flexibility with their problems arose from this sched- class scheduling, and teachers ule. The students who had first have more flexibility with their lunch had to also be in a fourth lunch schedule. So it’s a winhour class with second lunch. win in a lot of ways,” Chiri said.

“So we had to match teachers Lunches are now organized together, and it ended up be- by subject rather than individuing the same teachers in the al teachers, which allows teachsame blocks for the first couple ers to communicate within their of years we did it, and a lot of department easier. “It’s a lot them got frustrated that they more simplified, and we’re also didn’t have more flexibility not tied to the kids having the with their lunchtime,” said As- third and fourth hour block,” sociate Principal Benjamin Chiri said.

Chiri. This complicated system With fewer lunches, each created plenty of scheduling one has more students. A primaconflicts for students who had ry concern for students after the first lunch in third period along switch was the crowding of the with a third or fourth lunch in lunchroom and lunch line. On fourth period. These issues are the first day of school, the line why the lunch schedule has would not only reach the end changed back to three lunches of the hallway, but it wrapped this year. around. However, after a couple Up until the COVID-19 of days, the lunch line moved pandemic, the school had three much faster as the staff adjusted lunches. When the pandemic to the new system. Lunch staff hit, they added another lunch reorganized the layout of the to open up space for social dis- lines to make it more efficient. tancing. Now, with COVID-19 More self-service options are at no longer an issue and schedul- the end so that kids are backed ing issues arising, the adminis- up waiting for lunch staff to tration decided to condense it serve them rather than crowdback to three. ing the area, and salad options Even when everyone’s are now in all three lines rather schedule worked, lunches one than just one, eliminating the and three split up class time. need for students to navigate to Now, only lunch two splits up other lines.

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Entrance to the cafeteria and where the lunch line forms.

PHOTO | Lale Akkin

The pizza line and the Ala Carte are also switched because the nature of the lines worked better. Last year, the Ala Carte had no clear entrance and exit, causing confusion for students and staff as well as enabling some to get away with stealing food.

To deal with more people, the cafeteria has more lunch tables, and the staff lounge was repurposed so students can eat there. The staff lounge moved to the main office so that its old room could be repurposed to hold more lunch tables. The school plans on further developing the cafeteria and what used to be the staff lounge by adding new furniture and redesigning the layout. Along with other changes, the cafeteria can hold more people than before. “What feels like overcrowding is kind of more like students don’t want to sit close together,” Chiri said.

“Yes, it feels crowded, but it’s not technically overcrowded, it’s within capacity, and there’s actually space that people probably don’t realize.”

The removal of lunch not only made all scheduling more flexible, it let staff figure out efficient ways to organize the cafeteria and lunch line flow.

As the school year goes on, the cafeteria will keep adapting and get used to this change.

FEATURES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2025 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

DECA has big plans for this year

| Joey McVean SPREAD & NEWS EDITOR ounds View Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is entering the school year with new leadership and a new business model. As of this year, the Spirit Shop now operates as occasional pop-ups during school events. ”We’re doing a pop up at homecoming, then at communication nights and sports events so parents can buy stuff,” said senior Jayna Kavathekar.

Mustang Mocha now occupies the space DECA previously set up their store.

Prior to this year’s changes, the DECA store was a shop that sold various Mounds View apparel. Now, with changes to the location and functions of the store, the advanced marketing class is undergoing changes as well. With business education teacher Rebecca Allard stepping down, the new advisors are business education teacher Philip Schut and former family and consumer science teacher Julie Coopet. “Mr. Schut puts a lot of emphasis on us stepping up. It’s like a pyramid. There’s co-presidents, vice presidents and then the whole leadership team,” said senior Scarlett Scholl.

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The respective DECA leaders view the changes in a positive light. “I think it’s better for DECA members. A lot of times we would be working a lot of shifts, and we wouldn’t make any sales. I think this is more efficient because we’ll still make up for a lot of the sales. With Ms. Coopet running it, we’re really excited,” Kavathekar said.

“Personally, I’m happy with the changes.

Last year, DECA was very established, but I think that this gave us the opportunity to kind of grow in new ways.”

Scarlett Scholl, senior

As a DECA advisor, Schut uses a more of a laissez-faire approach. “I want the students to be the ones making the decisions. I want them to be getting all the credit. But somebody still, ultimately needs to adjust it a little bit here and there,” Schut said. Schut believes that

Fall Fashion

allowing the students to play a larger role in running DECA will allow for more creativity and independence in making decisions. ”I want them to gain leadership. I want them to gain problem solving abilities and confidence with their problem solving. I want them to make choices and stick with them,” Schut said.

On top of being connected to the DECA store and sales campaign, students who participate in DECA are also able to compete in marketing and economics based challenges in local and regional events. “I’m excited for competition season, we’re putting a lot more time into learning the material this year for competitions,” Scholl said.

On the club side of things, there is a lot more that goes into running the DECA store than meets the eye. There are many ways to participate in DECA, including taking the marketing classes as well as showing up to the before-school meetings once a week with Schut. ”There’s two separate classes for intro to marketing and advanced marketing. Advanced marketing students are basically required to compete, and in In-

Senior Shanice

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tro they’re not. There’s also the before-school club, which is staying the same,” Kavathekar said. For the Mounds View DECA leaders, faculty and students, the end of the old store is not the end of the program, but only the beginning of a new era of entrepreneurship and problem solving through pop up shops.

Looking to the future of the DECA store, club and classes, it is safe to say that the up- andcoming leaders view the transition in a positive light and are hopeful for the future of the program.

The Mounds View DECA logo.

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SPREAD

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2025 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

The science behind herd immunity

| Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek OPINION & DEBATES EDITOR n immune system is fundamental to almost any living multicellular organism, including humans. Viruses and bacteria can be found on most surfaces on Earth, many using other organisms and cells to self-replicate.

The immune system fights off these pathogens and it “remembers” what it has previously fought off to make sure that it can do its job faster and more efficiently the next time.

An immune system can remember past pathogens because of key identifying parts to them called antigens. This means that the next time it is exposed to a virus, the body will have antibodies to target those specific antigens at the ready. That process is called natural immunity, which is when someone’s body is exposed to a disease and can fight it better the next time after defending the body against it beforehand. When an outbreak occurs, many people’s immune systems will go through this process, protecting them from the effects of the pathogen.

Herd immunity is when enough of the population has an immunity to a specific disease, restricting continued spread.

However, herd immunity can be reached in a population without needing as many people to get sick and therefore defend themselves against the disease first.

Waiting for natural immunity to develop is risky for everyone involved, especially young children, older generations and those with weaker immune systems who could often get sick.

That is the very risk vaccines prevent and why they have developed so far. Vaccines contain weak and ineffective antigens of a specific disease, which cause an immune system to detect the threat and produce antibodies. Inserting these weak

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or inactive antigens into a body allows for it to develop immunity without risk of getting sick, dying or spreading the disease.

This makes vaccines a unique tool in slowing or stopping the spread of a specific disease, since it does not require going into lockdown or letting natural immunity occur on its own. It lowers the risk to the lives of people with weaker immune systems until a society reaches herd immunity.

There is a major misconception among parents, however, that a child’s immune system can get “overloaded” with vaccines. However, the World Health Organization has looked into multiple studies and has stated that it does not support the hypothesis that vaccines weaken or harm immune systems.

There is also a common “disappeared diseases” misconception that states a vaccine is no longer required if the disease is uncommon or near-eradicated in the country. The reason why this is a misconception is that diseases such as polio and measles are still a major problem in other countries, and travelers can bring them to another country and infect unvaccinated people there. This happened to England in the early 2000s, when low vaccination rates allowed an outbreak of measles.

Another misconception is that hygiene and nutrition have more of an effect in countering diseases than vaccines. Although hygiene and nutrition are important, vaccines have shown to be much more effective. Between 1950 and 1963, there were between 300,000 and 800,000 cases of measles per year in the United States.

Yet in 1968 after the vaccine was introduced, cases of measles cut down to just 22,000.

A contested shot: Rise of anti-vax sentiment

Vaccines: Divided by a Dose Since the invention of the first smallpox vaccine in 1796, people have been divided along scientific, social, moral and political lines about how vaccines should be utilized and administered by those in power.

Illustrations | Rue Royer

Threading the needle of vaccine politics

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| Gabi Skiba FEATURES AND REVIEWS EDITOR s of March 10, 2023, the functionality and ethics be81.81% of Americans hind the shot. A common point received at least one found amongst anti-vaccine dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, discourse, specifically regardaccording to the Johns Hopkins ing COVID-19 immunization, Coronavirus Resource Center. mainly concerned the timeliWhile this may be the grand ness of the creation and distrimajority, containing a conta- bution. The rapid development gious virus depends on the full made room for doubt on the cooperation of a civilization. effectiveness and overall safety Practices like social distancing, of the shot. Others expressed quarantining and staying up to more complex theories such date with vaccines are all ways as the “COVID hoax,” a claim to contain viruses and keep peo- that discredits the virus as an ple safe. However, these prac- attempt of population control. tices are hard to do for many Social studies teacher Kristin people, and there has been Heinz believes that theories growing skepticism around vac- around health crises increase cines because some believe that political polarization. “I think they may be dangerous and do that [people] used COVID as a more harm than good. way to divide the country even Prior to its recent surge further; something that had spurred by the COVID-19 vac- nothing to do with politics was cines, anti-vaccine sentiment made political,” Heinz said. has been around as long as vacConspiracies on social mecines have. Following the Vac- dia platforms may influence cination Act of 1853, passed to a person’s decision of getting contain smallpox in England, vaccinated. A now-debunked the National Anti-Vaccination study published in The Lancet League was formed in response medical journal in 1998 asserts to the mandatory vaccination of the MMR vaccine as the cause infants. of autism, discouraging thouAnti-vax ideas developed sands of potential patients and in the United States in response their children from receiving to similar vaccination obliga- their standard immunizations. tions. Organizations such as Parental vaccine hesitancy, anthe Anti-Vaccination Society of other growing problem, raises America, founded in 1879, and the concern of if parents should the Anti-Vaccination League have the ability to withhold a of New York City, founded in child from vaccinations, with 1885, were some of the first some parents arguing that they such groups that contributed to should have the sole power to the spread of anti-vaccine senti- decide what their child is vacment. Closer to the present day, cinated with. groups such as Learn the Risk, Despite the declared eradiChildren’s Health Defense and cation of measles in the U.S. the Informed Consent Action in 2000, continuous outbreaks Network promote anti-vax ide- since 2019 nearly downgraded als. the previous status, partly due Vaccines developed by to lowered vaccination rates companies like Pfizer and Mod- and travelers from countries erna offered vital support during with the disease present. Counthe COVID-19 pandemic, yet tries lacking accessibility to some raised concerns regarding vaccines, particularly develop-

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Since 1998, there have been an average of 100 cases per year or fewer, demonstrating the stark difference vaccines offer even in a society that already prioritized hygiene and nutrition.

Having schools require students to be vaccinated works well to establish a herd immunity and makes sure that the children who have not been pre-exposed to many antigens will still have the immune system to fight them, and schools and places where children intermingle will not be potential hotspots for the spread of disease. However, there still remains much resistance to vaccine mandates from parents who likely have more religious, social and political bearings.

| Grayson Then SPREAD & FEATURES EDITOR he debate over vaccine mandates highlights a conflict between scientific evidence and ethical viewpoints. New scientific breakthroughs with vaccines have often clashed with anti-vaccine sentiment on the political and legal stage, fueling the fire of an already turbulent time in American politics.

On Sept. 3, Florida Governor Ron Desantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo announced that the state intended to, within 90 days, become the first to end all vaccine requirements. Desantis and Ladapo justified the decision by framing it as a matter of parental rights and bodily autonomy, but confirmed that they did not conduct a data review of how the move could affect public health. While the state health department can only end some mandates, state legislators are attempting to change vaccine laws. Many health officials worry about the ramifications of this decision, including the potential for epidemics and other states following Florida’s lead by reducing their own mandates.

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Negative responses to such mandates are not new. In 1902, a minister in Massachusetts named Henning Jacobson refused to comply with his town’s order to be vaccinated for smallpox when an outbreak occurred in the area. Jacobson was fined five dollars, which he refused to pay, claiming that the mandate violated the state and federal constitutions. The dispute eventually made it to the United States Supreme Court, which made the landmark decision in Jacobson v. Massachusetts in 1905 to uphold the right of the states to enforce compulsory, or law-required, vaccine laws. Since the ruling, all 50 states have implemented vaccine requirements. The court ruled that someone can not use their belief against vaccination alone as an excuse to avoid mandates. However, a person can be exempted from vaccine laws due to physical condition or legitimate religious or philosophical beliefs.

Minnesota has several vaccine requirements for children attending school. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, all students in kindergarten through sixth grade must be vaccinated for hepatitis B,

polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Students in grades seven through 12 must have additional tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and meningococcal ACWY vaccinations.

While states decide how vaccines are mandated, federal recommendations play an equally important role in creating herd immunity. The administration of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, has come under fire in recent months, with some claiming he aligns with anti-vaccine ideologies. President Donald Trump appointed Kennedy, a past outspoken critic of vaccines, to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In June, HHS replaced all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice, which issues recommendations on vaccine use, and fired the director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in August after she refused to comply with the administration’s agenda.

Kennedy’s administration has been criticized for its handling of national health policy.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Ser-

-vices, a measles epidemic in the Southwest U.S. resulted in 762 reported cases from January to August 2025, leading to the deaths of two unvaccinated children in Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.

These were the first recorded deaths of measles in the U.S. since 2015. Measles, a highly contagious disease known for skin rash and fever, was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but cases ranging from a few infections to even small epidemics have occurred in the past 25 years.

However, some states have found ways to counter the federal health administration.

Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii formed a coalition called the West Coast Health Alliance, which will independently give health guidelines in those four states based on

scientific research instead of federal actions. In response to new federal COVID-19 guidelines, which restrict vaccines to people 65 years of age and older and those with high risk factors, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order in September going against federal recommendations and ensuring expanded vaccine access across the state.

While conflicts over vaccines have existed since their invention, America’s polarized political climate has brought the issue to the center of attention. The impacts of Florida’s unprecedented mandate ban and distrust in both the scientific community and the health administration will take years to fully understand. Americans are left to decide for themselves where the lines between science, morality and freedom lie.

ing countries in Africa and the Middle East, become extremely susceptible to disease, with some people born outside of the U.S. not immunized from deadly pathogens. Due to low vaccination rates, the infection rate of deadly diseases is significantly higher, with the CDC estimating that 20.6 million measles cases were reported in 2024.

“My mom never got the HPV vaccine because she didn’t live in America,” said senior Leena Bassas. “They didn’t give vaccines like that in Syria.”

Some groups can exempt themselves from vaccine requirements due to their religious beliefs. Regardless of the issues this could bring, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and protects their right to remain unvaccinated if they have valid religious beliefs against it.

Epidemics take a toll on not only the general livelihood but also economical, political and social climates. In the midst of a deadly plague, uproar, speculation and distrust is not uncommon to observe in societies. Disease-induced anxiety catastrophically weakens morale and trust, some of the most necessary factors involved in stopping the spread. While scientific evidence backs the effect vaccines have on disease control, some believe that the cost of losing liberty outweighs the benefit of immunization.

Quick Facts

- Smallpox is the only human diesease to be completely

eradicted by vaccination.

- mRNA vaccines contain the genetic instructions to a virus rather than an entire dead cell, stimulating immune response.

- Tetanus, a disease that naturally occurs in soil and animal feces, cannot be fully eradicated and vaccination is the only way to maintain protection.

- In less than a year, the COVID-19 vaccine was the fastest vaccine ever developed, shattering the previous record of 4 years for the mumps vaccine.

- After inventing the polio vaccine, Jonas Salk famously refused to patent it, stating: “The people own it. Could you patent the sun?”

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OPINION

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to die

The celebration of Charlie Kirk's death harms the pursuit of free speech for all

| Sean Oh GOOD QUESTION & SPORTS EDITOR

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n Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, popular rightwing commentator, public speaker and co-founder of conservative organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at one of his trademark college events. Kirk was best known for traveling across the country and engaging in discourse with the public, sometimes in town squares and parks. He was primarily known for conducting these talks on college campuses and debating controversial and contentious topics with college students. Kirk was shot in the neck from 200 feet away while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Given the divisive nature of the topics that Kirk discussed, he often received harsh backlash and opposition both online and in person by those he would debate. Topics like abortion, foreign and fiscal policy, gun regulations and separations of church and state were bound to cause people to argue, and that was the Charlie Kirk busi-

ness model. He used inflammatory language and debate tactics to portray his beliefs.

Because of Kirk’s controversial public perception, many people shared strong feelings either for or against him, his beliefs and his actions. In line with this, many people had strong reactions to his death of either celebration or mourning, with a wide spectrum in between. In the mainstream media, former MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired for his on-air remarks in reaction. Dowd was recorded saying things like “Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions,” as well as “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”

The dismissal of Dowd is not an isolated occurrence. Indiscriminately of industry, there have been notable firings of staff.

Businesses like Nasdaq and Home Depot have also had fir-

ings due to comments from employees, and even professional sports teams like the Carolina Panthers fired a communications department team member for comments posted on his personal account.

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If we allow and propagate a culture that justifies a death just because of political disagreement, it becomes a dangerous precedent.

Sean Oh Good Question & Sports

from the university and simply spoke his mind. I find it hard to believe that these same people who gleefully cheered at the news would have the same reaction if Kirk said things that they aligned with. If we allow and propagate a culture that justifies a death just because of political disagreement, it becomes a dangerous precedent. Any dictatorship throughout history employs this same line of reasoning. The freedom of speech and expression of beliefs should never have to come with the fear of danger or, in cases such as these, death. Progress, innovation and the diffusion of ideas

is grown through discussion and debate, and if this discourse is prevented and its hindrance celebrated, it is a single road directed to danger and homogeneity.

At the end of the day, Charlie Kirk was a man with feelings and a family just like anybody else. Allowing ourselves to forget this and see him more as a figure allows us to make fun or celebrate his death. It is OK to disagree with Kirk and his ideals, but the loss of a life is a loss no matter what. Death should never be celebrated.

Editor

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Nobody deserves to die just for stating their opinions.

Speaking about controversial topics does not justify violence, no matter how many people may have disagreed with Kirk.

Often, I have seen and heard things posted online and in person which celebrate and trivialize Kirk’s death. Kirk was well within his rights to say what he believed in the manner that he did. He had permission to speak

PHOTO | Gage Skidmore

Generative AI is a useful tool for students | Sidharth Sharma ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF enerative Artificial Intelligence platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity have surged in popularity, reshaping how students write and revise. In fact, according to Semrush, ChatGPT ranks fifth out of the most visited websites in the world currently, showing just how deeply these tools have entered daily use. Yet schools remain divided on whether AI should be sanctioned for classroom writing.

AI is already a common resource in student writing. According to the Digital Education Council, 86% of students said they use generative AI in their studies. The most frequent uses

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include searching for information and checking grammar.

Treating these uses as academic dishonesty ignores reality: AI is rapidly becoming a workplace literacy. Still, sanctioning AI should not mean allowing it to “ghostwrite” essays. Students must still engage with their own ideas, arguments and voices, using AI as an aid in revision, clarity or polishing.

Critics argue that students should not rely on tools that prior generations learned to work without. According to Alliant International University, students' use of AI hinders their growth and strips them of their potential learning and intellectual growth. The concern is valid. AI shortcuts can be misused to bypass learning,

creating polished text without critical thought. Yet this objection overlooks the way technology evolves. Just as calculators did not erase mathematics but changed how it was taught, AI will not erase writing. Instead, it redefines efficiency. Resources like AI writing assistants are so readily accessible that refusing to use them could lead students to be slower, less competitive and ultimately less prepared. In a world where fluency in AI will be expected, not teaching or allowing these skills might cause students to fall behind.

That is why the sanctioning of these resources matters.

Schools should allow AI for revision and editing, require students to disclose its use and integrate AI literacy into writing instruction. This approach balances accountability with opportunity. Students still draft

ideas independently, but can use AI to refine, restructure or polish. Such policies not only curb misuse but also prevent inequities between students who learn to navigate AI effectively and those who are left behind.

by the numbers

86% of students said they use generative AI in their studies

Of course, AI is not without its limitations. These resources can produce biased or inaccurate information, oversimplify complex ideas or even “hallucinate” facts entirely. In fact, according to the New York Times,

hallucination rates for a few AI systems were reported to be as high as 79%. Students who blindly trust these outputs risk incorporating errors or misrepresenting their arguments. This reinforces the idea that critical thinking and fact checking will continue, ensuring students remain active, analytical participants in the writing process.

Sanctioning AI in schools, then, should not mean uncritical acceptance. Instead, it should mean building clear policies, allowing AI in revision and editing, requiring transparency of use and teaching students AI literacy as seriously as grammar. Doing so could reduce the stigma around advanced tools, make writing more inclusive and ensure students learn both how to write with technology and how to think for themselves.

mission statement

staff list

section editors

reporters

1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about students, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies.

2. To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy.

3. To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest.

4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity and precision.

5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community.

PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Lale Akkin PRINT MANAGING EDITOR - Matthew Betti ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Sidharth Sharma ADVISOR - David Ostrom

NEWS - Joey McVean OPINION - Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek FEATURES - Gabi Skiba, Grayson Then SPREAD - Joey McVean, Grayson Then DEBATES - Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek GOOD QUESTION - Sean Oh REVIEWS - Gabi Skiba SPORTS - Sean Oh

Joey McVean, Jadyn Heath-Hlavacek, Gabi Skiba, Grayson Then, Sean Oh, Lale Akkin, Matthew Betti, Sidharth Sharma, Illustrators: Max Swanson Rue Royer

Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials page represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of the Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff.

GOOD QUESTION

What’s up with piracy? | Matthew Betti PRINT MANAGING COPY EDITOR n Aug. 24, 2025, the popular illegal streaming website known as Streameast was shut down as part of a sting operation by Egyptian law enforcement and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). The website, which had been visited over 1.6 billion times in the past year, allowed viewers to stream popular sports completely free.

With around 80 associated domains, Streameast was the largest illegal live sports streaming operation in the world according to the ACE.

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Kearney & MUSO measured 141 billion visits to piracy sites in 2023, up 12% since 2019 Unbeknownst to many, watching pirated content is actually illegal, even if it is rarely enforced. Most litigation is against those who download the pirated content and distribute it, especially if for a profit.

Despite this, there have been cases where simply viewing pirated content has led to a law-

suit. In a 2014 New York court case Zuffa L.L.C. v. Pryce, the UFC successfully sued Price for $12,000 for viewing a pay-perview fight on a pirating website.

Piracy websites are not anything new. They have been around for decades. They first originated during the 1980s with groups that created and distributed pirated content, known as “warez groups,” that used dialup modems to distribute their content. In 1999, digital piracy exploded again with the creation of Napster, allowing peo-

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ple to access pirated content, mostly music, easier than ever before. The early 2000s only expanded this with the creations of networks like BitTorrent and LimeWire, which allowed users to download larger files, such as movies and software. By the 2010s, piracy evolved again; torrenting platforms like The Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents eventually led to illegal streaming websites that allowed users to watch content directly, similar to modern pirating like with Streameast. Emerging soon af-

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2025 • WWW.MVVIEWER.ORG

ter, in the late 2010s, Streameast quickly gained popularity for its wide range of available sports to stream while also not requiring any form of payment.

The market for pirated content has increased in recent years, and as technology continues to improve, worries over losses begin to mount. According to a 2025 study by Parks Associates, United States streaming services alone are forecasted to suffer a cumulative loss of $113 billion due to piracy by 2027. Also, visits to video piracy sites are rising: A study by Kearney & MUSO measured 141 billion visits to piracy sites in 2023, up 12% since 2019.

Streameast’s takedown showcases the broad scale of digital privacy in the world today.

The massive losses that these websites place on services like ESPN+ that offer these sports for fees have caused a greater demand for stronger protection, leading to shutdowns like Streameast.

The site was especially popular because it offered access to many major sport events blocked by streaming services’ fees or pay-per-view costs.

As more and more streaming services fight for rights to certain events, accessing the right service for a certain sport gets more difficult. Along with that, the process is not affordable or convenient for many people.

Sports that were once bundled together are now split across

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platforms like ESPN+, Peacock or Amazon Prime. Streameast thrived on its accessibility to people, gathering all sorts of sporting events in one free space for viewers, even if illegally done.

Sports that were once bundled together are now split across platforms like ESPN+, Peacock or Amazon Prime. Streameast thrived on its accessibility to people, gathering all sorts of sporting events in one free space for viewers, even if illegally done.

While Streameast’s shutdown put an end to an illegal streaming website, it reveals a greater issue of rising costs and reduced accessibility of legal streaming services. For most people, paying for multiple services just to follow their favorite teams or shows is not realistic.

Until there is a more affordable option, illegal streaming websites will continue to thrive.

How and why do we have free ticketing? | Grayson Then FEATURES & SPREAD EDITOR tarting this fall, all home games and sporting events for Mounds View High School sports teams will be free for students. Several districts in the state have implemented this concept, and Mounds View has become the latest to do so.

The school board made the decision with the goal of promoting student attendance to home games. “The school board wanted to get more students attending all of our games, and they thought a good idea would be to allow all of our students to get a pass to get in [for] free,” said Activities Director Jim Galvin.

S

“There’s no reason not to go now.”

Stellan Feeman, junior

The proceeds previously generated from ticket sales went to the general district fund, but Mounds View does not currently have a way to make up for the cost. However, Principal Rob Reetz thinks the cost is worth it

to enable student engagement.

“I definitely don’t think that revenue needs to be generated based on student attendance,” he said. “We just want kids to go to games.” Reetz believes that the new system promotes student engagement in the activities offered at Mounds View. “If there are more students going to games, more aware of the things that their classmates are doing, to me that’s a positive,” he said.

“Ideally, we get a really strong sense of school pride.”

Students have reacted positively to the change, citing the convenience of attending games. “It allows for more people to go to games who maybe weren’t able to before,” said junior Stellan Freeman. “There’s no reason not to go now.”

The move has already had an impact, with increased turnout at many events. By removing the monetary cost of attending games, more students have shown up to support their classmates. “We’ve had increased attendance at all of our fall sports,” Galvin said.

Another change with the ticketing system was the change with the app used by the school.

“We switched from HomeTown Ticketing to Hudl ticketing, so it’s a different company,” Galvin said. While the app is different, the concept and ease of usage is the same. “It’s still electronic tickets just like you get anywhere else,” he said. Students can access their free pass either by using the Hudl Fan App or the link and unique code sent to their school email, and will be required to show their student pass for entry to sports events.

“I definitely don’t think that revenue needs to be generated based on student attendance.”

Rob Reetz, principal

In addition to home games being free, any Mounds View away games at Irondale High School will be free admission as well, with the same applied to Irondale students when they are at Mounds View. While tickets are free for Mounds View students, adults and students from

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other schools must still pay for admission.

The new policy of free student admission intends to strengthen the community at Mounds View and give students a better opportunity to try new

experiences. “There’s a lot of really great things that happen on the court, the field, [or] the pitch,” Reetz said. “[Students should] be super proud of going to a school that does all these amazing things.”

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PUZZLES

THE VIEWER • MOUNDS VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Crossword

Across 3. When a student misses one or more class periods on seven separate school days, they are considered habitually ____.

5. What lunches are organized by.

7. Students will have free admission when Mounds View plays an away game against this high school.

9. The disease that the Vaccination Act of 1853 was attempting to contain.

10. Last name of man who refused to comply with town’s order to get vaccinated for smallpox.

Down 1. Ranks fifth in most visited websites for August 2025.

2. What streaming service, then illegal, gained popularity in 1999 by letting people access pirated music for free?

4. Philip Schut’s approach for DECA leadership.

6. Weak or inactive parts of a pathogen.

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Sudoku

8. Last name of former MSNBC political analyst who was fired for his on-air remarks in reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death.

Scan the QR code to visit The Viewer’s website:

Guess The Viewer editor!

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First name, last name and role.