NEWS
LIFESTYLE
Music program acquires new piano. 2
A review of Wow Tea. 6
SCI/TECH
Creatine Use at Paly. 12
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 8
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
T AR BY EN ED O YO
SURVEILLANCE IN SESSION
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
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t the start of this year Paly administration implemented an extension, called Classwize, on all high school Chromebooks. "e decision was made after some of the high school teachers expressed interest in piloting it. It gives teachers the ability to screenshot, monitor and control students’ screens in real time. It also allows them to directly message students and pause their internet and is operational on Macbooks if students are logged into their PAUSD Google accounts on Chrome. Jackie Smith, Career Technical Education & Educational Technology Coordinator, said Classwize was installed this year because of its available safety measures and unique functions. “Our primary responsibility is to provide a safe, focused learning environment,” Smith wrote in an email to the Campanile. “While PAUSD has always used internet #lters to comply with CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act), we moved to Classwize this year because it offers a more cohesive suite of products to meet our evolving needs.” While the system is automatically installed on all school-issued Chromebooks, it is not limited to working on them. Smith said Classwize is connected to students’ school accounts and the district network rather than speci#c devices. “"erefore, personal device activity can be viewed during a Classwize session while at school,” Smith wrote “Any device using the district network or accounts must follow the same safety and usage policies as a district Chromebook.” And Smith said the system does not function identically across all devices. “Tools such as Classwize tend to work more effectively on Chromebooks,” Smith wrote.
“Teachers can, at their own discretion, require students to use their district issued Chromebook for a class.” Sophomore Kai Schoebel said a lack of communication about the implementation of Classwize bothers him. “I would have preferred to at least know before I found out when a teacher closed one of my tabs,” Schoebel said. Paly math teacher Daniel Nguyen said there was a lack of communication between the district and teachers regarding the rollout of Classwize and said the way administration introduced it to teachers was problematic. “I think the biggest thing that stood out is that no one told us about it,” Nguyen said. "We didn't #nd out from administrators. We just found out by word of mouth from teacher to teacher. It would have been nice knowing that this kind of Big Brother feature was communicated to us more officially.” Smith said that the program was just a pilot at the high school level and if the district wants to expand training will be administered. Even so, Schoebel said the system may have some bene#ts. “I can see how it could help keep students locked in during class,” Schoebel said. “It probably makes it easier for teachers to make sure people aren't distracted.” Sophomore Sonika Gadgil said that while she thinks the program is excessive, she does see the need for monitoring students during class to a certain extent. “I think honestly it's a little bit much at some points,” Gadgil said. “Although I do realize that some teachers need that level of security to make sure that students aren't being academically dishonest.” Nguyen said the system has not signi#cantly changed the way he runs his class. “I trust my students to study, and if they don't, they'll #gure out what the rami#cations of not studying are,” Nguyen said. “I try to let natural consequences play out instead of me having to monitor.” Social studies teacher Steven Sabbag said he supports the overall goal of Classwize, as it increases productivity in classrooms. “I think it's a great idea.” Sabbag said. “It is helping to have students do their work during class so they don't get stressed at home because they're messing around playing video games and doing other homework.” Smith said one advantage of Classwize is that it connects multiple groups involved in students' digital pro#les. “It provides us with an ecosystem that enables IT (via Linewize), parents and guardians (via Qustodio), and teachers (via Classwize) a uni#ed way to
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support students’ digital well-being both in and out of the classroom,” Smith wrote. Although Classwize is available to all teachers, Smith said its use is not required. “It is an option if teachers #nd it bene#cial to support learning,” Smith wrote. “Some teachers use Classwize to minimize distractions during online assignments or assessments, while others use it to share resources in real time.” Regardless of how it’s used, Schoebel said his biggest concern regarding the system is that it seems like an invasion of student privacy. “I feel like it’s within teachers’ rights to be able to look at your screen, but only to a certain extent,” Schoebel said. “Having full, unrestricted access to your browser is a little extreme.” Senior Jerry Yan agrees. “Teachers already have a lot of oversight … they can just walk behind you and look at your screen,” Yan said. “But teachers shouldn’t have the authority to go onto your computer whenever and open whatever stuff they want. "at, I think, is where we draw the line.” Yan also said there could be potential risks if large amounts of data are collected by the software or the district. “If anything gets hacked, PAUSD isn't liable for any data that's breached,” Yan said. “For example, think of Canva right now. Everyone on Canva got hacked and what happens is that you have to pay out millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars in data reparation.” However, Smith said student data is protected under Classwize. “Student data privacy is always a top priority with any online platform we use,” Smith wrote. “Classwize is used for educational safety and support. "e data is protected by strict legal requirements, including COPPA ("e Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and SOPIPA, ("e Student Online Personal Information Protection Act) that prevent the vendor from selling or using student information for any unauthorized purpose.” Additionally, Smith said the district has already clearly de#ned its monitoring policies. “Students have no reasonable expectation of privacy in use of the district technology,” Smith wrote. “Students’ use is not private and may be accessed by the district for the purpose of ensuring proper use.” Ultimately, Smith emphasized transparent communication. “Open conversations are important to build understanding and help ease discomfort,” Smith wrote. “Our hope is that if teachers are using Classwize, they clearly communicate when and why they are using it.”
Christopher Lee Sports Editor
Admin implements further restrictions on technology
Paly administration sent an email to Paly families on May 4 informing them about an update to the campuswide phone ban during instructional time, which has now been adapted to also include smartwatches, earbuds, smartglasses and other wearable tech unless otherwise directed by a teacher. Teachers received notice of the updated policy in an email from Steiren on April 29. "e move is an extension of the “Off and Away During Instructional Time” policy, which requires teachers to collect phones at the beginning of every class in a designated area. "e original policy was implemented at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year in compliance with the Phone-Free School Act, which requires school districts in California to adopt policies that limit or prohibit student smartphone use on campus. “Ultimately there is a delicate balance to maintain between the responsible use of technology and the importance of human interaction and genuine learning,”
the email said. “We are proud of how our students have adapted to these changes so far.” Vice Principal Michael Stieren, who drafted the new policy, said these changes were implemented because technology other than phones can cause distractions. “"ey’re all connected,” Stern said. “You can disconnect them, but they can all be connected. And so the idea of just telling you to put away your phone doesn’t necessarily do the thing that the law intends, which is to limit the distractions that you may be engaged in during instructional time.” Junior Elif Dogan said she is glad the school is taking a proactive approach to combat the use of potentially invasive technologies, but they should be aware that a student’s choice to focus and do their work is their own responsibility. “You're not gonna be able to ever successfully make sure every single student is listening to you, and that is okay,” Dogan said. “If a student's not paying attention, it's going to affect them in the future.”
While she said most of the policy is reasonable, sophomore Olivia Roper said parts of it are frustrating. “I think (the ban makes sense for) AirPodswhile the teacher is talking, but I don't think there's a reason to ban AirPods while we're working independently, because it helps me focus and listen to music,” Roper said. Still, Roper said she recognizes the need to limit technology due to its potential to create distractions in the classroom. “If I have my phone on me, I'm de#nitely more distracted, and I'm more prone to look at it if it's near me,” Roper said. Yet moving forward, principal Brent Kline said he doesn’t envision a more restrictive technology policy coming to Paly. “I'm not convinced that a bell-to-bell policy works here at Palo Alto High School, just because of kids going off campus,” Kline said. “I don't want somebody stuck off campus, nor am I into dealing with (locking phone pouches). I think that we just all need to con-
tinue to increase not only awareness of what is best for (them) as a student, so (they) can focus and maintain connection with (their) teachers in the subject matter and do our best effort that way.” Ultimately, Stern said the policy is a proactive response to a fast-moving technological landscape. “It's not about having some sort of draconian policy whereby you can't interact with tech ever, because that's just unrealistic and not the world that you're growing up in,” Stern said. “It's more about just honoring the spirit of the law that we're being asked to implement, which is telling us that you need to limit device usage and device access during instructional time.
Leilani Chen & Elise Andrade News & Opinion Editor and Senior Staff Writer
NEWS
Palo Alto Link faces shutdown. Page 4
LIFESTYLE
Glorification of sleep deprivation. Page 6
SCI/TECH
Teens logging off.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 7
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
SALARY STANDOFF
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eachers lined the Embarcadero and Churchill entrances to the school on March 19, rallying with signs, tambourines, megaphones and donuts before school to raise awareness about ongoing contract negotiations between the Palo Alto Educators Association and the district. Most recently, PAEA asked for a 9% retroactive raise for this year and an 8% raise for next year for its members. In response, the district has proposed a 3% raise this year and then a 4% raise next year with a yearly bonus payment of $3000 for each year. Math teacher Herb Bocksnick said the goal of the rally was to highlight teacher concerns about the way the district deals with teacher compensation. “We are definitely lagging behind in the area,” Bocksnick said. “We're currently sixth place in Santa Clara County. I don't think anybody associated with PAUSD — whether it be students, parents, sta# — feels like we are sixth at anything, but the compensation is currently at that level, and I think people need to know it.” Bocksnick also said the district’s stance on salaries re$ects its broader priorities.
“%e budget signifies priorities, and In comparison, Yu said employees of o#ering the bare minimum under the most other school districts are forced to umbrella of being fiscally sound and fiscally shoulder insurance costs out-of-pocket, conservative, I understand that,” Bocksnick leading to less net money in the bank. said. “But when there is a very consis“We have not seen it as an employee, as tent pattern of underspending, at some monetary payment, because it's not going to point, you’ve got to let the people know the bank for me to spend, but it's covering that they're appreciated, and that they're my entire family for really great benefits,” respected — which is said in words in many Yu said. instances, but let's not kid ourselves. Money Board member Rowena Chiu, speaking matters.” on her personal behalf, stressed the imporPAEA president Tom Culberttance of understanding how much PAUSD son agreed and said rising costs pays in benefits. are making it increasingly “We may not look as good as difficult for sta#. some of our neighboring districts, “%e big a#ordability but I do emphasize that the crisis for our educators, package should be considered as though, is housing,” a whole — benefits and salary Culbertson said. “Hous- !%"(-&,9"$1"0(./:#1.,/("( together — because that's what ing has gone way past makes sense,” Chiu said. “What ./(;<;=4(#$$,&0./8(1,(1%"( costs the in$ation rate for the the district is ultimately last 20 years, and that is what the full compensation pack>"0"&#)(?"'"&@"A what is eroding the a#ordage is, not one as distinct from the ability that our teachers are other.” experiencing. %e life that they are While acknowledging the practical leading is so much more difficult, and their limitations to what PAUSD is able to comeconomic prospects are so much lower than pensate teachers, Chiu said teachers — as a they were 10 years or 20 years ago.” profession — are undervalued. DASHEL Junior Audrey Mi said she attended the “Teachers don't make as much as I wish CHUN / THE CA MPANIL E rally to stand in solidarity with teachers. they could,” Chiu said. “Let's just say teach“Teachers provide so much support ers don't make as much as doctors. Now for each individual student.” Mi said. you might make the argument: Doctors “Each student needs something, and I are saving lives. But education also saves think it's just so important to reciprolives because it creates a community that cate that as a district.” can go on and be productive. AndI think But district officials push back on enjoying education, the love of learning, the idea teachers are being paid the can save lives. One might say society should bare minimum. Chief Business Officer value teachers at the same level as doctors, Charen Yu said she’s worked in other because education is a field that's as critical districts, and PAUSD provides signifias healthcare to the prosperity of a society, cantly stronger healthcare coverage and right? … I feel the teaching profession is working conditions, which is why salaries underpaid, but I think that's a national are technically lower. problem and maybe even a global problem. “%e one big di#erence between Palo It isn't a problem specific to PAUSD.” Alto and those two other school disChiu also said the relationship between tricts is the health and welfare benefits,” the union and the district is moving in a Yu said. “We cover our full time employ- positive direction amid recent leadership ees at 100% for their health and welfare changes, which she hopes will help negotiabenefits, and we provide 90% of covertions progress. age for employee plus one and employee “When I think about collaboration, I plus family coverage. And just to give you think actually negotiation very much should context, coverage for a family — let's say be less antagonistic,” Chiu said. “It should an employee plus their spouse, and let's be a collaboration around: We all want the say two children — that costs the district best for the kids. How much money do we roughly around $50,000, and the employee have in the pot, and how do we spend it, portion of it is 10%. So basically, the district and how do we measure up against neighcovers 90% of it.” boring districts? … %e tone of that is really
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DASHEL CHUN / THE CAMPANILE
English teachers Keith Tocci and Marc Tolentino join other educators in a union rally for salary increases. The rally took place before school on March 19. "At some point, you've got to let the people know that they're appreciated and that they're respected," math teacher Herb Bocksnick said.
important. I think we should be communicating we're all on the same side here. We should not be pitting the district against the union.” Ultimately, Culbertson said the union is coming from a place of trying to support teachers, who face in$ation, rising costs and a housing a#ordability crisis. “We're willing to work with the district,” Culbertson said. “%ere are teachers around the state that are striking and getting deals that are approximately what the district is o#ering right now. %ese are districts that are vastly di#erent from Palo Alto in terms of the economic funding that those districts
receive. And I believe, and I know, that we can do better.” Bocksnick said the district should recognize the importance of its educators. “We love what we do,” Bocksnick said. “We love working with kids, but we've all got to pay our bills. You can say all the wonderful things about (us), that the sta# comes every day here for students and all that, but at some point you need to put your money where your mouth is.”
Elise Andrade Editor-in-Chief
Admin reverses theatre director's reassignment after community outcry %eater teacher and director Sarah %ermond was informed on March 12 that she would be removed from her role as theater director and reassigned as an English teacher for the next school year. %is change would have meant she would no longer teach theater classes or direct after-school productions. However, following strong backlash and criticism from the Paly theater community, the decision was reversed. %ermond will remain in her current position and will also take on an additional role as the theater director at Greene Middle School, according to ParentSquare message co-signed by %ermond, Principal Brent Kline and Visual and Performing Arts Instructional Leader Brittney Kerby and sent to theater families on March 27. In an earlier email to theater students and parents, Kline said the reasons for %ermond’s reassignment were declining theater enrollment and a desire to take the department in a new direction. Kline declined to comment on an interview for this story. After receiving emails from theater parents and alumni questioning the decision, Kline sent out a Parent Square message reiterating the decision to reassign %ermond. “Over time, we review our programs to ensure they are meeting student interest and making the best use of our facilities and instructional resources,” Kline said in the ParentSquare message. “In looking at the theater program, we felt it was important to take steps that will strengthen the program moving forward and create more opportunities for student participation and engagement.”
Following this announcement, students from the theater community shared concerns during the open comment section of the school board meeting on Tuesday March 17. In the open session, junior Katya Kuykendall said declining theater enrollment does not re$ect the full impact of the program. “Yes, class enrollment numbers may be down, but after-school, productions, which Ms. %ermond runs without additional compensation, are thriving,” Kuykendall said. “%en there is the competitive record. Just this past weekend at State %espian Festival, Paly students earned scholarships, won first place medals, and two students were elected as State %espian officers, a pattern that has continued for several consecutive years under Ms. %ermond’s leadership. %is is not a struggling program. %is is an exceptional one.” Senior theater student Rei Prior also spoke at open session, delivered a verbatim message from late theater student Summer Mehta’s father, Nick Mehta. “Paly theater was (Summer’s) invincible refuge for restoration,” Prior said. “It was the place she could be herself. It was the place where she felt she belonged. It was her home as much as her physical home, and that is 100% due to the culture that Ms. %ermond created.” Sophomore Dalia Yarbrough said %ermond makes theater a safe space for students on campus. “She cares about all of her students individually, and takes the time to get to know everyone who crosses her path,” Yarbrough said. “She doesn't just teach. She listens. Before I had Ms. %ermond as a teacher, I lacked
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self-confidence, could barely perform publicly and felt like an outsider. She believed in me, and that allowed me to believe in myself for the first time.” Because of instances like this, junior Jonathan Mazor-Hoofien said %ermond is a beacon and called for a reversal on her reassignment. “%is year Paly theater has experienced loss, as it has done several times before, and in those moments, Ms. %ermond has been a pillar in our community who students turn to,” Mazor-Hoofien said. “We are not here to be adversarial. We are here because we believe the decision was made with an incomplete picture of what (theater) truly is and what it actually does for students. We are asking for a reversal of this decision, or at minimum, a pause. Look at the full record, talk to the students and recognize what Ms. %ermond has built here.” With the March 27 ParentSquare message from Kline, it would seem as if Kline took student input like this to heart. “We hope this alignment will help create community and a stronger investment in Greene and Paly theater, both on stage and behind the scenes,” Kline said in the message. “We look forward to renewed program growth and expanded opportunities for student involvement.” Following this announcement, %ermond said she is pleased with the decision and hope it will better connect middle and high school student programs. “It’s a solution that is well positioned to address the concerns that we’ve all been having about building continuity and keeping numbers up at the school,” %ermond said. “I think having more of that connection between our two sites will be really positive. I’m also really excited because it lets me continue to focus on theater, which is what I ultimately came to work in Palo Alto for.”
Zoya Prabhakar
Digital Managing Editor
NEWS
Staff cuts reversed after community backlash. Page 2
LIFESTYLE
Students stand up.
Page 5
SCI/TECH
Elon Musk announces SpaceX, AI merger.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 6
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
BAHADURSINGH IN,
AUSTIN OUT !"#$%&'(()%*+,%&-'./01%2#)3,#&3%'44+#.3)%#.30,#"%5-#(0%)0',&-#./%%*+,%.05%)640,#.30.$0.3%%
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he Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education announced on Feb. 20 that former Don Austin would no longer be serving as superintendent, e#ective immediately. "ree days after the decision, the board met in closed session and voted 4-1 to appoint Assistant Superintendent Trent Bahadursingh to serve as the interim superintendent until the district finds a permanent replacement. Trustee Rowena Chiu cast the lone no vote. "e Board also announced Austin will serve as Superintendent Emeritus through June 30. In a letter to the community, PAUSD School Board President Shounak Dharap said the decision was made after “thoughtful conversation” and was neither a retirement nor a termination. Dharap’s message focused on Austin’s legacy as the longest tenured PAUSD superintendent since 1975, including his work in reopening schools during the COVID pandemic, prioritizing early literacy, establishing the PAUSD promise and supporting the opening of Middle College, among others. Bahadursingh previously worked with Austin in the Palos Verdes school district and is also part of the team at Austin’s Simple Wins, a firm that “o#ers everything you need to break through the glass ceiling and excel in educational leadership—all for just $0.66 a day,” according to its website. Dharap said Bahadursingh will provide stability during the period between Austin’s tenure and a new superintendent. “Mr. Bahadursingh will be running the district, keeping the lights on, giving us continuity and stability as the board dedicates its e#orts to a process that ... reflects the district's needs, the community's values and input and the collective desire for permanent leadership that aligns with the district's goals and visions,” Dharap said. Following the Board’s decision, the Palo Alto Educators Association issued a statement expressing gratitude for Austin’s work, while also acknowledging years of tension and distrust among the community. “In recent years, our educators have navigated an environment often defined by top-down mandates and a breakdown in the collaborative spirit that once made Palo Alto Unified a destination district for teachers,” the statement said. But PAEA President Tom Culbertson said little will change until a new superintendent is appointed.
“PAEA members have really been clamoring for a cultural reset and a change in the way PAUSD does its business, especially with regard to educators,” Culbertson said. “"e fact that Mr. Bahadursingh has been appointed is not a huge change for us. "is is a fine interim selection, because we just need to get through this school year. "e school board needs some breathing room to select and really search for the right superintendent. I think that's a huge priority.” Culbertson also said PAEA wants an open and transparent selection process. “"at's really valuable, because we want all the di#erent folks who are a#ected by this decision to have some input into how those decisions get made,” Culbertson said. Similarly, school board representative Dylan Chen, who got into a heated discussion with Austin at the previous board meeting, said students should be involved in the process. “I feel like with the collaboration of our community, we can move forward in the right direction and start a new, better chapter,” Chen said. “I will collaborate with board members and stakeholders to ensure that there is a platform for student input when we are looking at who we want as our next superintendent.” According to Dharap’s statement to the community announcing Austin’s departure, the board plans to hire a permanent superintendent through a search firm. It voted 4-1 — with Chiu casting the dissenting vote — to direct district sta# to solicit proposals for five to seven diverse search firms. Chiu said her concern is the board may be moving too quickly. “"ere are many conflicting views about the superintendent and what an appropriate superintendent or platform might look like,” Chiu said. As far as what PAEA wants, Culbertson said the union is looking for a superintendent with a di#erent managerial style that involves the community more. “We're looking for a collaborative style centering the students and the folks who work in the district and especially the community, so that they all are brought in on big decisions in ways that are really meaningful, so that everyone can solve problems collectively and feel like they've been heard,” Culbertson said. In his letter, Dharap stressed the importance of navigating di$cult moments and supporting students.
“Here is my commitment to you: we will move with both urgency and care,” Dharap wrote. “We will not rush this decision simply to fill a vacancy, but we will not drag our feet when you and our students need clarity.” Austin did not respond to requests for an interview. Bahadursingh initially agreed to an interview but did not respond to follow up requests to set up the interview.
Leilani Chen & Ethan Chan
Business Manager & Lifestyle, Sci/Tech Editor
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Interim Superintendent Trent Bahadursingh sits with the Palo Alto Unified School District board at a February 2025 board meeting. Bahadursingh previously worked with Austin at the Palo Verdes Peninsula Unified District in 2020 before becoming Deputy Superintendent in Palo Alto. “I feel like with the collaboration of our community, we can move forward in the right direction and start a new, better chapter,” Paly student school board representative Dylan Chen said.
LUCA VOSTREJS/THE CAMPANILE
East Palo Alto reports zero homicides in 2025, second time in three years During two of the past three years, East Palo Alto has recorded zero “It started 20, 25 years ago, and it finally reached the point where there homicides, continuing the trend of declining violence and crime, according were very few (homicides),” Abrica said. “And now, most recently, there to the East Palo Alto Police Department. have been no homicides.” In 1992, East Palo Alto was named the "murder capital" of the U.S. due Abrica said the city began with operations to take down large drugto having the highest per capita homicide rate in the nation. dealing gangs, specifically referencing a major crackdown in Driven by the crack epidemic, the city recorded 42 murders March 2009. Over 500 law enforcement personnel, including for a population of roughly 24,000–25,000 residents. "is local and federal o$cers, participated in a major anti-gang period was marked by extreme violence, overwhelming the operation in which they arrested 30 gang members, according small, understa#ed police department, according to a San to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mateo County report. “Most of the violence happened because there were some Professor Hadar Aviram, who specializes in criminal gangs operating in the city,” Abrica said. “It was a war for the 7-0%.6"80,%+*%-+"#&#$0)% justice, civil rights, law, politics and social movements at UC market.” Law San Francisco, said having over a year without homicides East Palo Alto resident and dog walker, Marla Kravatz, ,0&+,$0$%89%:')3%;'(+%!(3+%#.% can be a real marker of progress for a city’s safety. who moved to East Palo Alto around four years ago, said her <==>1%5-0.%#3%-'$%3-0%-#/-0)3% “It's very significant,” Aviram said. “But when we talk original perceptions of the city were negative. 40,%&'4#3'%-+"#&#$0%,'30%'.$%5')% about crime trends, we’re looking for trends for far more than “I thought it was going to be a somewhat challenging ,0*0,,0$%3+%')%3-0%?"6,$0,%&'4#3'(?% place to live,” Kravatz said. “I had lived in Palo Alto for 10 a year.” +*%3-0%@.#30$%A3'30) Since the mid 2000’s, the City of East Palo Alto has years before that, which I felt very safe and very comfortable worked to reduce crime rates, particularly homicides. "e rein, and I just figured I’d have to be very careful and vigilant.” cent declining trends, according to Berkeley Law, have proved Despite years of declining crime rates, Abrica said many these e#orts successful. people still assume that East Palo Alto remains unsafe due to its past repuEast Palo Alto Vice Mayor Ruben Abrica said the process of decreasing tation. crime rates has been slow, and the city has been implementing changes for “Some people, if they don’t know a lot or haven’t looked into it, might many years before the declining trend solidified. think that there were no homicides this year, but that probably the year
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before there were always a lot of killings, but it’s not true,” Abrica said. “It’s always important to understand the context.” Abrica also said that in order to maintain low homicide and crime rates, trust between the community and law enforcement is crucial. “I also think people know that because it took so long, they helped and they contributed,” Abrica said. “I also hope that people feel committed to continue not falling into violence.” Kravatz said she felt surprised when she heard about the milestone the city reached. “It’s a funny thing to be proud of, but it was a good thing — especially when the country seems to be getting very angry at each other,” Kravatz said. “It was nice to know that here in East Palo Alto, we were peaceful citizens.” Aviram said the e#orts to keep crime low are not complete, and to keep crime rates low, the city must continue to focus on enforcing its changes. “One way to do this is a project where you spend time investing money and e#ort in diverting people from (a criminal) path to law-abiding paths,” said Aviram. “"at is something that requires constant tending and constant attention. Whenever there is an initiative like that, what’s going to make or break it is how much patience the city has.”
Asaf Milman Staff Writer
NEWS
Intro to Proofs to be offered as a course Page 2
LIFESTYLE
SCI/TECH
Growing up with Stranger Things
Religion and science intersect
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NON-PROFIT ORG
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 14
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 5
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
STUDENTS STAGE WALKOUT
Junior and event organizer Brian Miller raises a sign as he leads protesters in a chant, where an estimated one thousand students turned out. “There's nothing more beautiful than the power of community,” Miller said. “Nothing more beautiful than the power of togetherness, and that's what we're seeing here today.”
A student holds a sign at the walkout. Dozens of students drove by in cars, leaning out of windows and holding signs. “I think personally this signi"es unity,” Gunn senior Milcah Morrison said. “Seeing all of these schools come together honestly just made me want to cry.”
DASHEL CHUN/THE CAMPANILE
DASHEL CHUN/THE CAMPANILE
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n estimated one thousand Palo Alto students walked out of class at noon on Jan. 30, joining a nationwide protest against actions taken by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota. The protest consisted of students from Palo Alto HIgh School, Gunn High School and Castilleja School, along with local teachers, parents and community members. It started at the intersection of El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road. Brian J. Miller, a junior who helped organize the walkout, said he felt a sense of urgency to act. “I realized it's time to go,” Miller said. “It's time to do something, and we did something. I got together a group of people that were there ready to support me. We made graphics, we made emails and we got this going.” From an administrative standpoint, Principal Brent Kline said student participation often involves complicated social dynamics. “I think most students are here for a purpose, then some others will just follow, right?” Kline said. “It's what kids do. It's a thing that I think is important for you to to not only be in but to understand why you're in, so I hope that most of our kids understand what it is.” Students were able to excuse their absence through California Senate Bill 955, which permits an excusal once per school year to engage in a civic or political event with parent approval.
For senior Camila Martinez, the protest felt personal. “My mom is an immigrant, my dad is an immigrant, they came here to work hard for a better future for me and my sister,” Martinez said. “I'm #rst gen. I'm Chicana. I'm here to represent my people, my country.” Freshman Pine Paldi Bracho said the protest was meant to show support for communities across the country. “This protest is a solidarity movement with the people of Minneapolis, the people of Chicago and the people of Los Angeles who are, in their cities, experiencing fear,” Paldi Bracho said. “People are afraid to leave their homes, so we’re saying ‘we see you, we support you, we agree that ICE has to get out.’” Junior Maya Angela Cheng said this fear stems from ICE’s excessive authority. “The amount of power ICE has been given is much more than is needed for the task that they've been assigned with,” Cheng said. “And quite frankly, they are de#nitely abusing it, so we want to defund them and also raise awareness about how these acts have been completely inhumane.” Visit thecampanile.org to continue reading the full story online.
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Palo Alto High School sophomore Jorge Pinto Saldana raises his "st while sitting in the bed of a truck with friends who wave a Mexican flag. Dozens of students holding flags and signs drove by protestors on the sidewalk rallying the crowd. “(The protest) was important to me because as a Latino person, it shows how people support us,” Pinto Saldana said. “That people are standing up for us, that meant a lot to me.” LUCA VOSTREJS/THE CAMPANILE
Freshman Joseph Escobar stands on an electrical box, waving an American flag. "I went on top, and somebody gave me a flag and I just started waving it," Escobar said. "It felt awesome, seeing everyone chanting, it felt like I was famous or something."
DASHEL CHUN/THE CAMPANILE
A group of students from Castilleja School yell in protest while holding signs. Students from all over Palo Alto, including Palo Alto High School, Castilleja School and Gunn High School joined the protest. “ICE is truly a terrible (organization), they have murdered people,” Castilleja freshman Nancy Jimenez said. “Immigrants are everywhere, and they helped build America in every single way."
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 4
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
SLASHING SNAP
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he United States federal government shutdown, which started “If it wasn’t for SNAP, what do you think everybody would be eating?” on Oct. 1 and went for 43 days, paused many federal programs Reyes said. “I’ve seen people eat out of garbage cans … If they say we’re the including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or richest country, then why are people su$ering?” SNAP. The shutdown limited monthly food benefits to low-income However, even with SNAP, benefits rarely cover the cost of food for individuals and families, resulting in many SNAP recipients struggling to an entire month. In California, the average CalFresh benefit – the SNAP access food. program in California is referred to as CalFresh – per person per day The shutdown ended on Nov. 13 when the House of Representatives is $6.23, but the estimated minimum food cost is $12.20 per day. This passed a bill to fund the government until the end of January. discrepancy forces many to rely on food pantries even while receiving During the shutdown, legal battles between states and the federal SNAP benefits. government over SNAP benefits sowed confusion and distress. Chris Chesavage said many SNAP recipients run out of funds even without a Richardson, a volunteer for the Palo Alto Downtown Food Closet, said government shutdown. he has seen an increase in people relying on the “When those bits of money are not loaded onto shelter’s resources. that card, then those folks don't have anything “We’re certainly seeing a lot more extremely to live on,” Chesavage said. “Even with CalFresh vulnerable folks attending, for example, the benefits as they are, most people cannot survive Thanksgiving meal,” Richardson said. “Our numbers o$ of their CalFresh all month long, because they at the food closet have gone way up. They’ve gone usually run out. Even if they're frugal, they'll run way up across the country. There was a lot of out within the third week.” uncertainty, and even the folks that are getting paid, Reyes said the government should provide they missed almost a month where they weren’t SNAP recipients with adequate resources so they getting their SNAP benefits, and so they didn’t have don’t need to rely so heavily on external sources. access to food outside of charity in a lot of cases.” “I really would like to see that they give Palo Alto resident Pamela Chesavage, who everybody what they really need to survive,” Reyes volunteers with local food distribution programs, said. “A lot of people, when they get that food for said the shutdown also forced SNAP recipients to the month, it doesn’t last long, and then they have reduce their daily food consumption. to (seek other resources) or they have to su$er.” million people “We’ve definitely heard from folks that they Richardson said SNAP cuts have worse e$ects. projected to lose were struggling (to find) what they were going to “When folks have to decide whether to buy food eat during the day, even the folks in the shelter,” or pay their rent or address their medical needs, SNAP benefits in Chesavage said. “They might get some breakfast those are long-term e$ects based on even just a the next decade foods, and they’ll get dinner, but they don’t get month of missing out on a benefit, like SNAP,” lunch, so they would have to go without anything to Richardson said. “They’re having a very tough time eat all day.” meeting all their basic needs. And so when you Although SNAP benefits have since resumed, remove a benefit like SNAP, it’s like a house of prior legislative mandates had already tightened restrictions on access to cards: everything else falls down as well.” benefits. Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed in July by President Despite being what she called an e#cient and e$ective program, Trump, SNAP recipients must now submit to expanded work requirements. Chesavage said there are common misconceptions about SNAP. In addition, the bill raises the required work age from 54 to 64 years old in “One very obvious misconception is that people without documentation order to qualify, and it increases the number of required work hours to 80 can get food stamps, and they just can’t,” Chesavage said. “It’s impossible per month. for anybody without a proper ID and a Social Security number to get As a result of increased restrictions, the bill will reduce SNAP funding government benefits. That’s a huge misconception that has been spread by by approximately $186 billion — a 20% cut — over the next 10 years. An the current administration.” analysis by the Congressional Budget O#ce estimates the expanded work According to the Department of Agriculture, 90% of SNAP recipients requirements alone will reduce SNAP participation by 2.4 million people are native born, and 96% are U.S. citizens. over the next decade. Adding on, Chesavage said people often assume the unhoused have The bill also imposes a five-year waiting period to qualify for benefits steady access to resources and support, even though that isn't the case. directed at some residents, including legal immigrants and refugees. “There’s a huge misconception that these people are hooked up with Supporters say these new restrictions are an attempt to combat services, and there’s plenty of things that they can do to help themselves,” supposed waste, fraud or abuse in the SNAP program, despite an April Chesavage said. “But what’s pretty obvious when you volunteer or Congressional Research Service report finding SNAP fraud “rare.” work with people who are unhoused is that they su$er not only “There are people who just are not making enough money to support from financial poverty, but from relational poverty. They don’t their food needs,” Chesavage said. “Anybody who qualifies for those benefits have anybody working with them who really cares about would be really struggling without them.” them and can really walk alongside them to get the services Currently, to qualify for SNAP, a person’s gross monthly income, income they need. And some unhoused individuals have trouble before taxes or other deductions, generally must be at or below 130% of the navigating the mountain of administrative tasks needed in poverty line of $2,798 a month — about $33,576 a year for a three-person order to access benefits and access resources.” household. But Jackson said government Additionally, Chesavage said there is also public uncertainty about why assistance like SNAP can also benefits are actually necessary. sometimes trap people in a cycle “There’s a misconception that people who get these benefits don’t of poverty. actually need them. My “I don’t see the government experience has been that there help as helping because I are people who are in pretty dire think it actually keeps you straits that really do need them,” in this middle ground where Chesavage said. “The income that you have just enough,” you can get is pretty low. If you Jackson said. “I do know make more than $1600 a month, there are certain rules, like you don't get benefits. I think it's you can’t have over $2,000 in a little bit di$erent for families. your bank account … Well, They get additional food benefits how do they expect you to for their children. But seriously, advance in life and get up and it's for feeding children. Why out of that poverty level if you would you not want to do that?” can't have more than $2,000?” Michael Jackson, who said he Food insecurity is also more has been homeless in Palo Alto widespread than many people assume. for 33 years, said social welfare Nearly 42 million Americans receive SNAP programs like SNAP are critical benefits, with children living in about 34% of resources for those who aren’t able participating households. In California, SNAP serves to provide for themselves. nearly 5.5 million people, including roughly 132,000 “I do believe we need a social in Santa Clara County. According to a Feeding America network for people who just can’t interactive, 7.2% of the population in Santa Clara County is (work) or are unable to at certain times,” Jackson said. “Then there’s people food insecure. who are just di$erent, mentally or physically. So di$erent that they’re never Even in wealthy areas, Richardson said food insecurity remains a really going to fully integrate like everybody else, so they need a little help.” serious issue. Chesavage agreed and said SNAP benefits are particularly crucial for “In the richest state with the (fourth) biggest economy in the world those unable to work due to disabilities or other limitations. here in California, you’d think that we wouldn’t have food insecurity, but “There are a lot of people who aren’t able to work,” Chesavage said. it’s pretty rampant, even in a%uent communities like here in Palo Alto,” “They are either on disability or are applying for disability, so they are Richardson said. literally without any kind of financial ability to make any money because And apart from increasing food insecurity, Chesavage said the SNAP they’re either mentally disabled or physically disabled. CalFresh and the cuts increased public distrust of the government. general assistance is what they can survive on until they can either get “People are pretty angry at the government for how much they went disability benefits or they get better and they can get a job.” to bat to keep SNAP benefits away from people,” Chesavage said. “Of all Jose Reyes, a retired Air Force member who relies on SNAP, stressed its of the money that they could have distributed, that would have been the importance. thing they should have done first, and the thing they should have cut last.
2.4
There were emergency funds for such a situation, and they refused to release those, and so I think it puts a much greater distrust in the government to be pulling something like that.” Richardson, though, has hope despite these uncertain times. “Not only did we get donations for places like the food closet and other food sources for low-income individuals, but we noticed a lot more community involvement,” Richardson said. “We’re noticing more and more folks wanting to volunteer now, and that's really heartening. No matter what’s going on at the federal level, communities (want) to stick together and take care of their neighbors. And hopefully, that’s what we’ll see through the rest of this administration.”
Dashel Chun & Lucas Lai Staff Writer & Sports Editor
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
AWS outage distrupts students.
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NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile
BALLOT BOUND
Vol. CVIII, No. 3
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LUCA VOSTREJS
ote16 Palo Alto, the local chapter of the nationwide effort to lower the voting age to 16, is collecting signatures to put a measure before voters that would lower the municipal voting age to 16. With a deadline of May 2026 to collect roughly 3,000 signatures, founders and Gunn students Iris Blanchet and Rayla Chen are working to rally community support. So far, Vote16 campaigns in several Maryland and California cities have succeeded. In California, Berkeley and Oakland passed legislation allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections, while Albany lowered the voting age for municipal elections to 16 in 2024. In September, the Vote16 Palo Alto campaign published a notice of intent announcing its petition. Blanchet said she was inspired to co-found this effort after her experience as an intern for Congressman Sam Liccardo’s campaign in last year’s election. “I saw all these young interns — high schoolers — being really involved in politics,” Blanchet said. “And I thought, ‘Yeah, these people are de#nitely truly mature enough to vote.’” Before starting the Palo Alto chapter, Blanchet #rst reached out to the mayor of Takoma Park, Maryland, the #rst city in the U.S. to lower the voting age for local elections, to learn about the effects of the change. In February, Blanchet and Chen reached out to Vote16 USA. “I'm really proud to call ourselves a studentrun organization, because this isn’t something that adults are leading,” Blanchet said. “We have a leadership team of students who run the day-today operations of Vote 16 Palo Alto.” Blanchet said the campaign has tabled at community events to raise awareness, including at the No Kings protest last month. “We pride ourselves on being nonpartisan,” Blanchet said. “But we were also very thankful to be invited to an event about democracy, because our whole goal is expanding democracy to people who are mature enough to vote.” Blanchet said many 16- and 17-year-olds are interested in politics, actively involving themselves in political classes, clubs, and organizations, but feel powerless when it comes to elections that decide actual policies and government office holders. “A lot of the people I talk to are very politically involved, but they don't feel like they have a voice in our system right now,” Blanchet said. “What we need to do is we need to give these people the tools so that they can be heard.” Chen said 16- and 17-year olds are fully capable of making rational decisions, citing a 2021 Columbia Justice Lab study on two types of cognitive reasoning. “Cold cognition is long-term decision making, and that gets developed by the time you're 15,” Chen said. “So looking at it scienti#cally, between a 16- and an 18-year-old, there is no difference in the way we think and the way we make our own decisions and whether or not people have in%uences around us.”
Paly ‘25 alumna Briar Dorogusker, who conducted an Advanced Authentic Research project on the impacts of lowering the voting age, said one of her main #ndings was its aid in building better voting habits. “If you start something younger, it's a lot easier to be able to set that up as something that you really do throughout life,” Dorogusker said. “The #rst time I could vote, I was in college. If you're able to vote when you're 16, you'll be at home. You'll have more support systems through your family and through school.” Dorogusker said many local elections directly impact younger voters, especially school board elections, but most high schoolers don’t get a chance to vote in them. “Even if you are 18 your senior year, by the time you elect someone, and then they get sworn in, they're sworn in in January, and then you graduate six months later,” Dorogusker said. “So if you lower the voting age to 16, there is a chance that you actually are able to have more of an impact on your education and more current policy.” Senior Jazmyn Seeger, though, said she is concerned that families could potentially sway younger voters’ decisions. “I don't think a 16-year-old is developed enough to have their own opinions that aren't in%uenced by others around them,” Seeger said. While some argue younger voters could be in%uenced by their families, Dorogusker said that is true for all voters. “In the research that I did, most people did get a lot of their voting information and in%uence on what they believe from their family, and that's pretty consistent across all age groups,” Dorogusker said. “Even if you're 30, the people you're surrounding yourself with really do in%uence your voting habits and who you vote for and what you vote for.” Still, Dorogusker said she discovered no signi#cant developmental differences between 16- and 18-year-olds in her research. “The only real difference is the experiences you've been through,” Dorogusker said. “Eighteen is quite arbitrary.” U.S. Government teacher Austin Davis said he has held discussions in his class about lowering the federal voting age, and he can see both sides of the issue. “Some of the arguments in favor were that young people are affected by policies passed by the government, and that they should have a say, and that many times the youth voice is unheard,” Davis said. “On the %ip side, some students thought that young people who are 16 are just not yet educated enough about life and policy and economic realities to really make decisions.” Davis also said civic engagement can be complicated by misinformation and biases for voters in any age group. “Adults are often voting based on party identi#cation or whoever their friends and family have picked,” Davis said. “So if the argument against young people voting is they're not educated enough, or they're not well informed enough, I think that's
a weak argument. A lot of uninformed adults who have the right to vote can also have the same problem.” Davis said most California school districts offer a U.S. Government course to seniors, who can soon after apply what they learn by voting, but PAUSD is an exception. Since PAUSD requires all students to take a U.S. Government course during their sophomore year, Palo Alto students may get an early advantage in learning about elections. “Here, you take government as sophomores,” Davis said. “So I can see why a local organization is advocating for this right earlier, because you're getting the training to what you're supposed to get in government class, and a large part is civic engagement.” In a survey Dorogusker sent out to PAUSD students, 84% said they would vote if given the opportunity, but only 57% said they think 16-yearolds should be allowed to vote in local elections. She also posed free-response questions about why participants thought 16-year-olds may or may not be able to vote. “For the most part, people talked about how they felt themselves prepared, but they acknowledged that other people may not be as prepared,” Dorogusker said. “One really easy way to #x this is easily in school: having more resources to help people know where to register to vote or give opportunities to have a ballot drop-off place in Palo Alto or at Paly.” In the end, senior Isabella Nunez said if the voting age is lowered, younger voters need to be politically informed on the issues they vote on. “It really depends on how involved 16-year-olds are with politics and the government,” Nunez said. “I would hope that only the people that knew about the government and politics would vote.” Nevertheless, Nunez said she thinks high schoolers are able to form their own political opinions, and the school should offer more resources to prepare to vote. “At this age, you should already have an idea of your morals, your values and what you believe in,” Nunez said. Davis said teens interested in becoming more politically informed should also get in the habit of consuming news about different sides of political issues and challenge the information they hear. “Oftentimes, we get our ideas about politics from our friends or family without really taking the time to personally consider why these ideas make sense, why they don't make sense,” Davis said. “And that’s a question that we should follow: ‘Why does it make sense to do that? Let me investigate, let me try to understand’ … because that’s what democracy is supposed to do. It's supposed to be chaotic, confusing, complicated, because you have all these different voices that all have the same right to participate.”
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Isabella Li Staff Writer
!""#$%&&'("%()'"*'&+%,+'%-#+.'/%0+'%&#+.(%#1"*'%/%1*2#'3%(.+4'5+%.#'6.+7%.%#".8 Assistant football coach and physical education teacher Jason Fung was put on administrative leave following an altercation with a Sacred Heart Preparatory player during a football game against Atherton on Saturday, Nov. 1. The altercation occurred during the fourth quarter, pausing the game for nearly 10 minutes. During the preceding play, quarterback Justin Fung, Jason Fung’s son, had his face mask grabbed, leading to a costly penalty on SHP. According to video footage on Hudl and an article by SFGate, after Justin Fung was tackled near the sideline, Jason Fung attempted to swipe the ball out of SHP junior David Sala’s hand. After missing the ball and falling to the ground, Jason Fung then grabbed Sala’s leg as Sala walked away. Officers separated the two and moved them away from the scene.
School officials called Atherton police but officers did not make any immediate arrests. According to a Palo Alto Online Article, Police Commander Dan Larsen said officers interviewed the player involved in the altercation. Sala’s family chose not to pursue criminal charges. Director of Sacred Heart Preparatory Football Mark Grieb said what happened was unprecedented but people stood up and did the right thing. “What happened during the game last week should never be a part of athletics,” Grieb said. “Fortunately, a lot of people, including players on both teams, officials, parents, coaches and administrators stepped in to deescalate the situation. I know both schools will learn from this incident and continue to put safety #rst.” A Paly football player, who agreed to be interviewed only if his name wasn’t used because he said coaches
told players not to talk to the media about the incident, said there was a lot of heckling from the SHP players leading up to the altercation. “As an adult, you should never be touching other players, but that being said, what led to that is just a lot of I don't want to say chippiness but just a lot of disrespect from their side,” the player said. Another Paly player who agreed to be interviewed only if his name wasn’t used because of the coaches’ prohibition about talking to the media, said, . “Before the (altercation), SHP late hit Justin Fung. Justin was already off the sideline and the guy came in head-tohead contact, knocked the ball out and held it out like a trophy,” they said. “The amount of taunting, verbal abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct was unacceptable.” On Nov. 4, Palo Alto Uni#ed School District released an online statement on paly.net saying its
administration is working closely with the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, Central Coast Section and District Human Resources department to “determine the appropriate course of action.” The Mercury News also reported Jason Fung and at least one Paly player were ejected from the game. The Vikings lost to Sacred Heart 28-21. Athletic Director Scott Davis referred The Campanile to the official statement. Jason Fung, Assistant Principal Ladonna Butler and head coach David Degeronimo did not respond to interview requests.
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 2
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
SENIORS WIN SENIORS WIN SENIORS WIN SENIORS WIN SENIORS WIN
PHOTO BY PHILIP SHEN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MERYEM ORAZOVA
S
pirit Week, held from Oct. 13-17, kicked off on Monday with a blur of green and white and ended with a whirl of colors as students dressed up according to their class themes each day and competed to be crowned the most spirited class. #e seniors swept Spirit Week 2025 with 32,450 points, followed by the juniors with 24,600 points, sophomores with 23,600 and freshmen with 21,750.
!"#$%&$'()*+,'$'-",-$'-,+). #e week started off with the best dressed competition on the quad at brunch, where senior Maeva Herbert-Paz won a mini fridge for her green and white spirit. #e day continued with a rally in the big gym during lunch. Classes competed in a human ring toss game and an intense Connect Four relay race. Senior Julian Rabbit-Tomita said the seniors were off to a strong start and he expects the momentum to continue. “I think the seniors are going to show out this year,” Rabbitt-Tomita said. “It’s our last year, and I think we’re going to win.” On the other hand, junior Maria Uribe-Estrada said she had lower expectations. “I don’t think the juniors are going to do very well, honestly,” Uribe-Estrada said. “I feel like we’re feeling a little less spirited than last year. I feel like that might be due to the stress from junior year.”
!"#$/&$01)*+,'$2+3($4"25 #e week continued in the Peery Center on Tuesday at a rally that featured two games: Hungry Hungry Hippos and a mummy wrap dress-up contest. Juniors Jessie Kwan and Eli Kozodoy won the brunch Best Dressed competition with their “Teen Beach” surfer outfits. Senior Chloe Chan, ASB’s Wellness and Diversity Commissioner, said this year’s senior class was particularly engaged. “I think we did pretty good — definitely better than previous years,” Chan said. “Our float is going pretty well because we did a lot over the weekend. I think people are more into it this year.” Senior class president James Park said he had high hopes for his class and the week. “I think it’s going great,” Park said. “It’s fun to see everyone decked out with spirit gear. I’m looking forward to all of the rallies.”
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Students geared up to tackle “Salad Dressing” day, which wrapped up with seniors holding the lead. Juniors won the best dressed contest for the second day in a row with Nava Schwarzbach and Annie Kasanin in full-fledged granola gear. #e lunch rally on the football field featured the teacher’s dance, combo race and tug-of-war, with seniors winning both. Sophomore Elias Perlroth led his grade win second in tug-of-war and said he felt great beating freshmen.
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“Losing to the seniors kind of sucks,” Perlroth said. “#ey’re bigger than us, older than us, so it makes sense. But it was still fun. Next time, we’ll win.” Ultimately, senior Ivy Hardy said the seniors came back from their losses in the beginning of the week and are looking to finish strong. “We were kind of a little backset, but we’re back and ready to finish the games,” Hardy said. “We are so hyped, and the seniors are coming out on top.”
!"#$9&$01)*+,'$,"::#$17 #ursday featured performances from the cheer and dance teams at the lunchtime performance, as well as two rally games: musical chairs and a cup reflex challenge. #e seniors won the cup game, but juniors triumphed in musical chairs. However, ASB ruled the juniors cheated and gave the winning points to the seniors, helping them maintain their lead. In addition to the games, the seniors won the best dressed competition with their elderly costumes for Generations Day. Junior class president Kai Bunger-Tang said he was impressed by his class’s spirit throughout the rally. “Everybody was cheering super loud, (and I’m) super happy about that,” Bunger-Tang said. “Even though we got eliminated first in the second rally game, we continued with our high energy, still had some good chants after that.” Sophomore Vice President Olivia Woo said she noticed an increase in turnout from her class compared to earlier in the week. “#e sophomore stands were more filled compared to the other rallies, and there was a lot more hype,” Woo said. “I think the games today were good for getting the entire student section hyped.”
!"#$;&$'()*+,'$-"5($.+:! On the final day of Spirit Week, students dressed up in their class colors: freshmen in orange, sophomores in red, juniors in yellow and seniors in camo pants and their class jerseys. #e juniors once again won the Best Dressed contest in banana outfits, with the sophomores coming in second. #e after school rally was an opportunity for students to show off their floats and class dances. #e seniors won the class dance competition, while juniors and freshmen tied for second and the sophomores finished in last. After the dances, the seniors continued to dominate, winning the float contest with their Jurassic Park-themed float. Sophomores and juniors tied for second, and freshmen came in last. Freshman Albert Wehrman said the unique float designs and student turnout surprised him. “#e floats were a lot better than I expected, especially the sophomore and senior floats.” Wehrman said. “(#ey) were really good. #e detail on the senior float and the execution on the sophomore float with Lightning McQueen was very cool.” In addition to floats, senior Millie Reiter said she was excited by the number of seniors who danced. “We were a little bit worried that it wouldn't come together,” Reiter said. “But it was really exciting that everybody came out to dance. I think we did really well. I'm very proud of us.”
STORY BY PHILIP SHEN, ANNIKA CHU, ALEX ISAYAMA, KIRA TZENG, ZOYA PRABHAKAR & SOFIA SINGER
NEWS
Phone policy takes effect Page 2
LIFESTYLE
New admin wants to learn Paly way Page 4
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ChatGPT's other costs
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVIII, No. 1
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
DIPLOMA DIVIDE !"#$%&'(#$)&*$"*")#+&,"&#%%&-%.#/0(%&12*+"3#&*$"4$#3&5"$&67689676:&)0'""+&;(#$<&0"33=/2,;&."20()&,$#/)*#$(/0;&0"/0($/)
D
uring its Aug. 10 meeting, the board of education heard a proposal from Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Agility Jeong Choe to give students the chance to earn an Advanced Diploma beginning with the 2026-27 shcool year. Choe said this specialized diploma would be a way to o"er an opportunity for students to challenge themselves and gain recognition for their academic achievements. If approved, the program would expand on the AP Capstone program o"ered at Paly, which requires the completion of AP Seminar, AP Research and four additional AP classes with students having to score a three or higher on the AP tests for those classes. Choe said the Advanced Diploma would be a good way to promote PAUSD values. “#is College Board program emphasizes that students build skills in research, collaboration and communication, which are skills that we celebrate in PAUSD.” Choe's said in her presentation that to receive the Advanced Diploma, students would also need to complete an internship, participate in the Stanford Great Minds speaker series, either be a National Merit Scholar or have a qualifying ACT or SAT score, and create an oral defense portfolio in addition to the requirement of the AP Capstone. But the program has its critics, including teachers who say they weren’t consulted about the program before it was made public and who see the idea of an Advanced Diploma as a direct contradiction to the district’s pledge to focus on student mental health. AP Seminar and AP Research teacher Lucy Filppu said students in the AP Capstone program already have ways to shine through original research, peer mentorship and college-level portfolios, making the Advanced Diploma program an unneeded addition to an already thriving program. “We already help students stand out with the existing AP Capstone program and all the other APs we o"er,” Filppu said. “Creating even more advancement seems unnecessary and against our commitment to balance and student mental health.”
Students have also expressed concerns about the outside-of-school requirements. Senior and AP research student Dylan Chen, who also serves as a PAUSD Student Board Representative, said these requirements make an Advanced Diploma less accessible for students who lack the connections and resources to meet these requirements. He thinks it could especially negatively a"ect first-generation college students and low-income students. “First generation students join and excel at the (AP Capstone) pathway because the pathway has excellent support systems such as the peer mentorship program,” Chen said. “Adding the new diploma will create higher expectations, more competition and make a rigorous program even more difficult for disadvantaged first generation students who need more support.” Superintendent Don Austin, though, said parts of the Advanced Diploma criteria, such as the internship requirement, are still tentative,
allowing the Board of Education to make adjustments and increase accessibility if that is the way they want to move forward. “(Some students) have advantages we can't replicate for all students,” Austin said. “(#ey) can easily get internships due to connections, while other students might really have a hard time with it. We don't want the access to an internship to be a barrier, so we're still thinking that one through.” Senior and AP Seminar student Cole Baker said he is concerned students will feel pressure to participate in the program, even if it might not be the right pathway for them. “#is diploma forces everyone into this kind of rat race, which I think will (a"ect) the mental health of students,” Baker said. “I think a lot of people are going to feel forced, like, ‘I need to do this now,’ because everyone around them is doing it, even though it might not even give them any value.” AP Seminar teacher Corbin Dodd, who graduated from Paly in 2014, said the Advanced Diploma o"ering could potentially negatively a"ect students' self-esteem. “When I was a student here, I dropped down a math lane, and that really impacted my sense of how good I was at math,” Dodd said. “#at stayed with me
for at least a decade. I could see something similar happening with the Advanced Diploma, where essentially we would have a two-tiered system where students in the non-Advanced Diploma would believe they're not as smart as the students in the Advanced Diploma track.” But Choe said any program designed to advance students has the potential to increase pressure on students. “If implemented thoughtfully, with students’ wellness in mind, the Advanced Diploma could instead validate and celebrate the ongoing e"orts of students who are already engaged in rigorous coursework and want to continue challenging themselves,” Choe said. Junior and AP Seminar student Juliet Frick agrees and said recognizing students' achievements through a program like the Advanced Diploma could be a good way to reward hard-working students. “Anyone who puts in that much work and that much e"ort and that much extra time, I feel like they deserve to win an award for that,” Frick said. “If I did have time in my schedule to do that, or to qualify for that, it's definitely something that I would consider doing." Ultimately, Filppu said student achievement will continue whether or not an Advanced Diploma is approved by the board. “I’m not sure where student balance fits into the Advanced Diploma initiative,” Filppu said. “But, I am confident high achieving students will continue to thrive and be recognized.”
Leilani Chen Staff Writer
ETHAN CHAN / THE CAMPANILE
!"#$%&'()*>'#,&%"&;"=&,'2/?&#@"=,&,'(&-%.#/0(%&12*+"3#&*$"*")#+A& “I think that Palo Alto is already competitive enough. And I think that adding this advanced diploma will just add to the social and academic pressure of going to Paly.” — Alon Milman ('28)
“It shows how the district is succumbing to parents in this district, and I think it’s a stupid addition. It's just another thing kids will go for, but have no real impact on anything in the future.” — Paul Wang ('27)
"It's good to recognize students' achievements. #e one issue I have with the Advanced Diploma Program is the recognition actually happens at the very end of senior year, meaning that this recognition doesn't always give students the opportunity to show it to others." — Oscar Varodayan ('28)
“Advanced Diploma is a good opportunity for students who want it. If you're passionate about research and what this award entails, then just go for it. If you're not, then don't do it. It's not something you have to do.” — Joy Tan ('26)
“While I like that it's probably in some aspect giving recognition to students who are really high achieving, I worry about certain students feeling that they need to strive for that, and that they’ll feel pressured, possibly by parents, or by peers.” — Motoko Iwata ('26)
INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS BY DASHEL CHUN AND ZOYA PRABHAKAR
NEWS
AP reinstated to the White House. 3
LIFESTYLE
Evolution of modern slang. 4
SCI/TECH
Study benefits of white noise. 13
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 8
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025
CLASS DISMISSED !"#$%&'()*+,*+-%.$/0/#0/1*%2'334%5'$6/$-%5+78%9"*%:+/8#+;%<("773=%+*871/$-%0'/0/7$>5+**% *6'(#0/7$%57+%'$6*+2+/1/3*-*6%40'6*$04%/$%?#40%:#37%@307%#50*+%$*#+3;%#%6*(#6*%75%0*#("/$-
T
he Primary School, a tuition-free private school that serves K-8 students from low-income families in East Palo Alto and the East Bay, announced it will shut down at the end of the 2025-26 school year. The Primary School is funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic organization established and owned by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan. The school #rst opened in 2016 as a collaborative e$ort between Chan and Meredith Liu, who was the school’s principal until 2023. Liu died in April of that year. According to the Primary School’s website, its purpose is to “close the achievement gap” for communities of color a$ected by systemic racism and marginalization. Neither The Primary School nor CZI provided an explanation for the school’s closure; however, the foundation says it will invest $50 million in the coming years in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven and East Bay Communities. CZI’s stated goal is to invest 99 percent of the couple’s wealth from their Facebook shares over their lifetime. “Immediate support will include: Investments in 529 education savings plans for all our students to support their future learning (and) transition specialists and support for families as they navigate the transition to new schools,” The Primary School said in a statement. The school provided healthcare and other support services to students, and worked closely with parents to help kids succeed. East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez grew up in the city and went to the school in the ‘90s in the same building that now houses The Primary School. He said the decision to close the school broke trust that had been previously established between CZI and families. “You really build the hopes of a community,” Lopez said. “We’re in the shadow of Silicon Valley, of Stanford, and so naturally there’s a bit of distrust that people have (towards philanthropic e$orts). I think after a while, (The Primary School) really won hearts and minds. It really felt, for a while, that they were etched in the community, and so I think there was a real sense of optimism and excitement and real pleasure in seeing a partner like Dr. Priscilla Chan—and that kind of name and backing and money—helping to really be bold when it comes to the education of our kids. And so, when that went awry with the news, you felt a deep sense of betrayal.” Teresa Prado, a parent of a current student at The Primary School, said the news came as a shock and with a sense of deep disappointment. She said she is worried students will struggle to transition to new schools. “They’re not thinking about how this a$ects the kids psychologically,” Prado told The Campanile in an interview conducted in Spanish. “(Students are) in classrooms where they feel safe, where they’re listened to. And little kids don’t understand why their school is closing. They just hear that it’s closing, and they’ve been crying. They’ve adjusted to this school, and they’re happy here. It’s not easy for a child to adjust to a new place.” Prado said part of what is particularly frustrating to her is the closure feels so abrupt, and she said she wishes CZI would have made the process more gradual. “They should at least let the kids who are already here at the school graduate before closing it,” Prado said. “She just sent word that she’s going to close it, and that’s it. They didn’t give any notice. And the thing is, not a single child has graduated from here since the school has opened. Not a single child.” Representatives of CZI and Ravenswood Superintendent Gina Sudaria declined interview requests for this story. Chan and Zuckerberg did not respond to interview requests. As a result of the closure, Ravenswood School District will absorb over 400 Primary School students, 58% of
whom have IEPs or receive specialized support. However, it will not receive more funding from the state for this extra enrollment because it operates on a basic aid model and is primarily funded by property taxes. This means that the already limited resources will be stretched increasingly thin. East Palo Alto Vice Mayor Mark Dinan acknowledged that while CZI has been generous regarding other community needs in the city, he said the e$ects of the school closure will be felt signi#cantly. “It’s incredibly disruptive,” Dinan said. “I can imagine a lot of kids having trouble with the transition. The Primary School is an employer here in East Palo Alto, and I personally know #ve or six people who work there. Not only will you have kids (facing disruption), but you also have a lot of teachers, administrators and support sta$ looking for work as well.” Lopez said education holds symbolic signi#cance to the city, making the closure even more painful for the community. “My parents came to this country because they wanted a better life for their kids,” Lopez said. “And how do you get a better life? You go to school. There's a lot of di$erent industries that (CZI) could have gotten involved in, but you pick such an emotional, symbolic one like education, right? And you know, when you think about the abandonment that is being enacted … that's pretty cruel.” Lopez also said the community deserves more communication and transparency regarding the closure. “I think the way they went about it was really messed up,” Lopez said. “I mean, I think the courtesy of a phone call when you’re going to #re somebody … or when you’re going to break up with somebody (is a bare minimum). It’s like, ‘So, what were we to you?’ It’s really a heartbreaking thing. I’m tired of seeing our mothers crying on NBC because of broken promises.” Prado and other parents said the sting of the school closure might be lessened if Chan, who used to visit the school, came again to listen to parents’ concerns. “At #rst, Dr. Chan came in-person and showed her face,” Prado said. “And now that she wants to close the school, she hasn’t come to say anything personally to us. Maybe things have changed, but we still want her to come to see for herself. We would invite her to come to the school — come to the parent co$ee, and listen to us. But she doesn’t show up.” According to Lopez, this announcement is part of a larger pattern of wealthy individuals disrespecting the community. “It’s like we’re being treated like a guinea pig,” Lopez said. “It’s like we’re just an experiment for innovation. I’m sick and tired of it. We don’t want the moon in the sky. We just want opportunity. We want a fair shot in this game, in this society.” But even in the face of hardship, Lopez said he knows the East Palo Alto community will recover. “East Palo Alto has always been a resilient city,” Lopez said. “We weathered many, many storms of all kinds in history. I don’t want to end with despair or a sense we’re doomed, because we’re not. We have a great school district. We have a wonderful superintendent. We have a wonderful board. I have no doubt that we’re going to be OK, and I want people to know that we're strong, and that our children are brilliant and beautiful and bright.”
Elise Andrade & Lucas Yuan
Editor-in-Chief & Senior Staff Writer
Board of Education passes renewal of parcel tax
ART BY CHERIANNE YOON
District o%cials discussed plans to pursue a renewal of the parcel tax, used to fund programs and services in the district, at the May 13 meeting. The current tax, passed in November 2020, was set at a flat fee of $836 per parcel for six years with a 2% increase each year, according to PAUSD’s BoardDocs. Voters approved that tax with a 77.4% approval, and it was projected to raise $16 million.
According to Team CivX’s Charles Heath, an independent consultant for the district, the parcel tax requires 66.7% of voters to approve it and may be used by the district for any purpose. “Some of the laws that are unique are that the state law requires that parcel taxes be uniformly applied for all parcels,” Heath said. “You can’t have one set (of taxes) for residential parcels and (another set for) commercial parcels.” While the parcel tax rates require uniformity, Heath said PAUSD has given exemptions. “(There are exemptions) for either senior citizens or low-income homeowners and homeowners with disabilities to avoid being a burden on those with limited incomes,” Heath said. With the measure in mind, Board President Shana Segal said that some board members were unsure about their role in supporting it.
“For four out of #ve of us, this would be our #rst time going through the parcel tax,” Segal said. Board Vice President Shounak Dharap is the only member who was on the board when the last parcel tax was approved s. Dharap said since board members are not employees of the district, their role will be to advocate for the parcel tax with more flexibility than district employees. Dharap said, “In 2020, all the board members took it upon themselves to advocate (for the parcel tax) and be a part of a committee just like they were running a re-election campaign.”
Julian Hong
Senior Staff Writer
NEWS
Trump’s tariffs spark trade tensions and economic uncertainty. Page 2
LIFESTYLE
Stingless Brazilian bees secretly thrive for decades. Page 7
SCI/TECH
Santa Clara air quality worsens, poses health risks.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
Vol. CVI, No. 7
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
ERA
Although nationwide injunctions have been challenged before and criticized by several Supreme Court justices, the court has never directly ruled on their legality. If allowed to proceed, the executive order would end birthright citizenship for those born in the U.S. 30 days after its signing. Social studies teacher Adam Yonkers said the order could significantly alter the country’s demographics. “It could have huge implications in terms of the makeup of our different groups of people,” Yonkers said. “We are a nation of immigrants. A lot of people who have come here have been born elsewhere, so I think it would be monumental.” Chloe Hermosillo, a legislative advocate at the California Immigrant Policy Center, said the order and future immigration policies could put hundreds of thousands at risk of being deported. “Just in California alone, there are roughly 10 million immigrants,” Hermosillo said. “We could see their (capacity to stay) in the United States compromised.” But Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Student Affairs Yolanda Conaway said she is not concerned by how the executive order could affect the way PAUSD operates because schools do not inquire about students’ immigration status. “Citizenship is probably the furthest of the things that we deal with because that’s something handled outside of schools,” Conaway said. And due to PAUSD’s robust policies regarding immigration enforcement, which Conway said aim to prioritize student safety, all families can feel reasonably secure in their child’s safety at school. “We have been very clear in our policies that ICE, for example, can't just show up on our campuses and yank a kid out of school,” Conaway said. As such, a sophomore, whose name The Campanile is not using because of the current political climate surrounding immigra-
G LIKA NGE
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n his first day in o#ce, Jan. 20, President Donald Trump signed the executive order Protecting The Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, ending birthright citizenship for children of noncitizen parents who are in the U.S. illegally or temporarily. Historically, birthright citizenship has granted U.S. citizenship to anyone born in the country, regardless of ancestry or parental immigration status. Citing the legal precedent set by the 14th Amendment in 1868 and expanded to protect immigrants by later Supreme Court rulings, multiple federal judges blocked the order. “No court in the country has ever endorsed the president’s interpretation. This court will not be the first,” District Judge Deborah Boardman said in an article appearing in the Hill. On March 13, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to overrule the district courts and enable the enforcement of the executive order. The administration argued that since only the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the entire country, district courts should not be able to issue nationwide injunctions.
BY A
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Monday, April 14, 2025
ART
The Campanile BY BIRTH OR BY BLOOD tion, said she generally feels safe at school but worries about what happens outside of it. “Immigration is important to protect because, for me, I wouldn’t want my dad to leave,” the sophomore said. “He’s been part of my life and everything.” Meanwhile, sophomore Jeshurun Wang, who is an immigrant, said although he opposes Trump’s executive order, he understands the reasoning behind it. “I feel like there’s a lot more nuance to it than just black and white,” Wang said. “The child that was born here didn’t choose to be an illegal immigrant, but their parents definitely did. So what should we do about that?” Regardless of the potential impacts of it, Yonkers thinks the order is unlikely to be upheld by the Supreme Court because changing birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment, of which only 27 have ever passed. Because of this, Hermosillo said she thinks much of the current administration’s policies are intended to create chaos and fear in vulnerable immigrant communities. “This executive order is another one to make people scared,” Hermosillo said. “Understanding what is threatened and not actually happening is important.” For Conaway, she said she is concerned about the impact of such policies and how they might impact students’ academic performance and mental health. “I have heard from families indicating the stress and anxiety that some of the legislation has caused,” Conaway said. “Our goal is to make sure that we have our mental health and wellness mechanisms in place to help support students.” But future policies may not be as benign. Hermosillo said anti-immigration policies and rhetoric are likely to continue. “I think the administration is going to continue to scapegoat our immigrant communities,” Hermosillo
said. “Just last week, they deported a ton of Venezuelan immigrants, accusing them of being part of a gang with no real evidence to back it up.” Amid the current uncertainty, the sophomore said they remain optimistic for the future. “I’m trying to hope and pray that stuff in the future and right now go as well as possible, and that nothing happens to my family,” the sophomore said. For those wanting to take action, Hermosillo said she encourages members of the community to attend Know Your Rights workshops, which are community events that educate immigrant students and their families about their constitutional rights. “I would also advise students and their parents to not share any information if asked unless you consult a legal representative,” Hermosillo said. “We want to make sure that folks' personal information is protected at all costs.” Conaway also said one way students can help is to notify others if they see their peers suffering. “I always encourage students to find the activists deep down inside somewhere and advocate for humane acts and for change where they feel it's necessary,” Conaway said. “That doesn't mean that everyone has to be aligned on what they feel is right.” Although immigration remains politically divisive, Conaway said schools have a responsibility to serve all students, regardless of personal beliefs. “No matter what you feel about immigration or whether you're a conservative or a liberal, from my perspective, it just doesn't matter,” Conaway said. “No child deserves to come to a place where they are fearful for their safety or fearful of whether they fit in or whether they belong.”
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Ethan Chan Staff Writer
ASB elections end, new positions announced for 2025-26 school year
Campaigning on a promise to improve communication between student government and the student body, sophomore Katie Kim was elected ASB president for the 2025-2026 school year. “I would like to have better publicity for ASB events so that everyone has a chance to participate,” Kim said. “I am completely open to feedback for any concerns and ideas the student body has.” Junior Nathan Lee was elected vice president, while junior Jerry Yan will take over as treasurer. At the class level, juniors James Park and Emily Tang will lead the senior class next year as president and vice president, respectively. Sophomore Kai Bunger-Tang will step in as junior class president, with Lumi Lee as vice president.
Freshman Helen Li was elected sophomore president and Olivia Woo was chosen as sophomore vice president. Tang said she is excited to make the most of her senior year on ASB. “Ever since freshman year, I feel like we’ve all been waiting to have our moment as seniors … ” Tang said. “It’s important to me that we grow closer as a class in our final year together.” Next year, Tang said she wants to continue planning the lip dub — a video where student groups lip-sync to a song while performing synchronized actions — and aims to make next year’s lip dub bigger and better than the one scheduled for spring. “There’s a lot to celebrate about Paly — the different aspects of student life that are each so accredited whether it be journalism, robotics, speech
and debate, and so much more,” Tang said. “Lip dub is a super fun way for the school to come together and for us to celebrate all that Paly has to offer. Vice president-elect Nathan Lee said he is most excited for the opportunity to make a real impact. “I want to bring fresh ideas to ASB and work with students to create meaningful change,” Lee said. “Whether it’s planning events, advocating for student needs, or just making sure everyone feels heard, I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”
Meryem Orazova Staff Writer
NEWS
Trump signs executive order to end DEI initiatives. Page 2
LIFESTYLE
Music influences social-political movements. Page 6
SCI/TECH
Avian influenza creates egg shortages.
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
Page 13
The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 6
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
BOARD P FACES BROWN ACT FILING
Holden Lee & Kate Xia Editors-in-Chief
BOTTOM: "e Palo Alto Board of Education discusses ethnic studies during the Jan. 23 meeting. "(Board President Shana) Segal said that if the board were to vote again, to vote against the curriculum, that essentially, they would be overturning the mandate, which was not the case at all,” Crystal said. Segal did not respond to requests for interview..
RA / KA W AT AR YA N
TOP: Alan Crystal, a PAUSD parent who has filed a Brown Act complaint against the district, raises a sign during the Jan. 23 board meeting. “We (should) go through a process where we can actually see what’s being proposed and have a chance to perhaps modify or enhance it if it needs adjustments,” Crystal said. “"en when it comes to a vote and it’s a decision for the board to make, they can do it in a way that really feels transparent and fair as opposed to one where it feels like it’s been rushed for no apparent purpose.”
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alo Alto parent Alan Crystal "led a Brown Act complaint against the Palo Alto Board of Education on Feb. 21. #e board has 30 days from the initial "ling to respond — otherwise, the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office could step in to investigate the complaint and potentially force a revote on the board’s approval of the required freshman ethnic studies course scheduled to begin next school year. #e complaint alleges board members committed at least two Brown Act violations related to a Jan. 23 special board meeting. #e "rst complaint cites California Government Code 54954.2 which states that school boards are prohibited from taking action on “any item not appearing on the posted agenda,” and agendas must contain “a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted.” In an interview with #e Campanile, Crystal said the board misled the public about the agenda and during the board meeting. “What they ended up voting for was essentially to put in a new date for the mandate of the class,” Crystal said. “#e last board had approved that there would be a requirement for the class of 2030 whereas what was ended up voted on was for the class of 2029, which was both in the agenda and when (board) President (Shana) Segal presented the vote. She said that if the board were to vote again, to vote against the curriculum, that essentially, they would be overturning the mandate, which was not the case at all.” Segal did not respond to requests for an interview, but board Vice President Shounak Dharap said the 2023 vote approved a requirement for the class of 2029 during the Jan. 23 board meeting. Dharap said he could not comment on the Brown Act complaint though. Jennifer DiBrienza, board president during the 2023 vote, said the board agreed to require ethnic studies for the class of 2029 during the Sept. 12, 2023 board meeting but did not actually vote on the requirement. “#e question posed to us was, ‘Should we implement it for the class of 2028, 2029 or 2030?’” DiBrienza said. “#ere was no vote taken there, but clearly the majority of the board showed an interest in either 2028 or 2029.”
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 #e 2023 vote was held on Oct. 11, 2023, during the approval of Board Policy 6146.1, which said “Beginning with the 2029-30 school year, a student (must complete) a one-semester course in ethnic studies to graduate from high school.” DiBrienza said she assumed BP 6146.1 was referring to the 2028-29 school year when the board voted 5-0 to approve the requirement for the class of 2030. "#e board made in September of 2023 that their intention was to make it a requirement for the class of 2028 or for the class of 2029," DiBrienza said. "What I believe happened was that months earlier, that had been put in as a placeholder — when they were talking about ethnic studies, the state law said that it was mandated by the class of 2030 … So when they were drafting that policy, and they were making various changes to the graduation requirements, they stuck that in there … and then in September, we had this discussion where we said 2028 or 2029, and that document didn’t get updated to re&ect that, and we missed it.” Crystal said board member Josh Salcman’s deciding vote in favor of requiring ethnic studies for the class of 2029 was in&uenced by the assumption that voting against the requirement would be reversing a previously approved mandate. Salcman did not respond to requests for an interview. Crystal's complaint also says the board violated California Government Code Sections 54952.2 and 54953 which says “a majority of the members … shall not, outside a meeting authorized by this chapter, use a series of communications … to discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative.” Prior to the Jan. 23 board meeting, according to the complaint, “Segal partnered on the Ethnic Studies course … with Trustee Salcman. President Segal also had substantive discussions on this matter with Vice President Dharap since the two are members of the agenda-setting committee.” #e third alleged violation stems from the district's responses to Public Records Act requests. By law, the district must respond within 10 days of receiving a PRA request. A PAUSD parent who "led a PRA and requested anonymity due to heightened tensions around the issue said they sent a request for speci"c information about the proposed ethnic studies curriculum by email on Oct. 17, 2024, to PAUSD Manager of Policy & Legal Compliance Amanda Bark. On Oct. 29, this parent officially "led their PRA request through the district website and received an automatic response. #ey said they followed up on the request on Nov. 11 and Nov. 19 and then went to the district office because the district had not responded within the required 10 days. On Nov. 20, 22 days after the initial "ling, Bark sent the parent documents from the existing ethnic studies elective and said there was no pilot course. After the parent continued to follow up on their PRA request, they said they received a response on Nov. 29 in which the district said it was exempt from providing the materials requested because they only had preliminary drafts. However, after further exchanges, on Dec. 19, the parent said Bark sent them the Scope and Sequence Calendar for ethnic studies that had no usable links to content. #e parent said they didn’t receive any further materials until Jan. 22, which was when they received the Scope and Sequence document with updated links. During the Jan. 23 board meeting, however, the document was instead con"rmed to be a year-old brainstorming document. Crystal said while he thinks the idea of an ethnic studies class is bene"cial, a pause in implementation is necessary. “We (should) go through a process where we can actually see what’s being proposed and have a chance to perhaps modify or enhance it if it needs adjustments,” Crystal said. “#en when it comes to a vote, and it’s a decision for the board to make, they can do it in a way that really feels transparent and fair as opposed to one where it feels like it’s been rushed for no apparent purpose.” Superintendent Don Austin and board member Alison Kamhi did not respond to requests for an interview. Board member Rowena Chiu said she was not aware of the Brown Act "ling.
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
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CLASS CLASH "#$%&!$''%#()*!)+,-./!*+0&.)*! /#0%*)!%)10.%)2)-+!$3+)%!+)-*)! */,##4!5#$%&!2))+.-6!
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uring a contentious "ve-hour special Board of Education meeting on Jan. 23, the Board narrowly approved a freshman ethnic studies course as a high school graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2029. #e vote was 3-2, with Board members Shana Segal, Shounak Dharap and Josh Salcman voting in favor while Rowena Chiu and Alison Kamhi voted against. In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom made ethnic studies a state graduation requirement starting with the class of 2030 by signing Assembly Bill 101. Since then, a group of social studies teachers from Gunn and Paly have worked for two years to create a single-semester ethnic studies course designed to replace one semester of freshman World History. Both schools offered one pilot ethnic studies class last semester to freshmen, covering four ethnic minorities: African Americans, Chicanos and Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans and Paci"c Islanders. A week prior to the Jan. 23 special board meeting, Superintendent Don Austin said he realized Newsom never allocated funding to the ethnic studies mandate in his proposed yearly budget. As a result, he said, the course was no longer a state mandate. After talking to the ethnic studies teachers about this, Austin said he went to the board agendizing committee, consisting of himself, Segal and Dharap. “First, I went to our ethnic studies teachers, told them what I discovered and told them why I thought it was problematic,” Austin said. “#ey were disappointed but understood. #en, I asked our board president and vice president to meet with me and shared the information with them. I recommended pulling (ethnic studies from the agenda), and in our case the president has "nal say …(so) we had an agreement (to pull it).” On Jan. 16, Austin publicly announced the decision to remove the approval of ethnic studies from the agenda of the upcoming board meeting, but after he said that message to the community, he said he received numerous emails criticizing this abrupt change. “Shortly after, (Segal) called me back and said that she’d like it agendized,” Austin said. “It was too late to put it on ( Jan. 21), so we landed on a special meeting date to have it heard.”
Only "ve days after ethnic studies was pulled from the agenda, Austin sent a ParentSquare update notifying the community of the special board meeting to discuss the approval of the course.While there were three public meetings about the course over the past year and a half, the full curriculum of the course was never released publicly. About 36 hours prior to the board meeting, Austin released a curriculum outline PDF titled “Curriculum and Sample Lessons.” Social studies Instructional Leader Mary Sano said during the board meeting, though, that this was not the "nalized curriculum but a “brainstorming document” from about a year ago. Sano declined an interview request for this story. Before Sano's statement at the board meeting, some attendees, including parent Alan Crystal, expressed concerns about the document Austin released which included PDFs that posed the question “Is AGENCY gained when oppression is resisted?” to which the notes say, “#at depends on whether or not the oppression was resisted violently or nonviolently.” Board member Rowena Chiu said prior to the meeting that she didn’t know the document Austin released was un"nished and that her understanding of the course’s content was largely based on the brainstorming document. “I was concerned to "nd that the materials as presented to me were either incomplete or during the meeting it was claimed that they were working drafts,” Chiu said. “I did see a slideshow, which I assumed was a form of a lesson plan, but some things seemed removed … After the board meeting. When I went back to look for the slideshow, it was removed from the packet.” Because topics taught in ethnic studies are sensitive, Crystal said openness about the curriculum is crucial. “#ere was an original direction that the state took about what should be included in the class, and that caused a big uproar amongst many communities because the content was really out of line,” Crystal said. “#e subject of ethnic studies has been very controversial, and that being the case, I think that would be a situation where the school district would want to take extra measures to be transparent." However, all the students enrolled in the pilot course who spoke at the board meeting gave positive feedback.
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ARYAN KAWATRA/USED WITH PERMISSION
Gunn pilot student Quinn Boughton speaks at the special board meeting on Jan. 23 next to Paly pilot student Amaan Ali. "The curriculum and our teachers were able to navigate this delicate subject matter in a way that was inclusive and engaging for all students," Boughton said.
“I recently completed the ethnic studies pilot protimely and transparent fashion, and so we also, as board gram. I'll admit I had some reservations going into this members, have asked to see a full curriculum.” course,” Gunn pilot student Quinn Boughton said. “I Crystal agrees. wasn’t sure how much it would apply to me as a white “I’ve been very disappointed by the lack of transstudent or whether the topics might make people feel parency,” Crystal said. “#ere have been community divided or uncomfortable; those fears turned out to be members and parents who’ve been asking the adminiscompletely unfounded. #e curriculum and our teachers tration for months … for information about the class. were able to navigate this delicate subject matter in a Many community members have been concerned about way that was inclusive and engaging for all students.” understanding what’s going to be in the class, but the And both Paly ethnic studadministration has really not ies pilot teachers, Benjamin been forthcoming at all.” Bolanos and Christopher For Chiu the environment of Farina, said they provided the the Jan. 23 board meeting made community with sufficient her feel pressured while casting materials needed for the school her vote to pause the course, and board to approve their curshe wondered how the other riculum. board members felt about that board members vote in “We provided the same before they cast their vote. thing that we provide for all of “I think it is safe to say favor of ethnic studies as a our course proposals, which is generally that the atmosphere in a detail of all of the essential the room was very hostile and graduation requirement questions and learning target intense,” Chiu said. “#e room documents across all of our felt very one-sided. #ere was units,” Farina said. "nger clicking and cheering for certain positions and And Bolanos said the community should have more for other positions. Of course that made things very trust in teachers and their ability to create a class, withhostile. So certainly I think everybody on the board felt out community input. pressure, but I think it is fair to say that the three new “We’re the expert on the curriculum and curriculum board members felt more pressure.” development,” Bolanos said. “We were trained to teach Following this board’s decision to approve the course the discipline we studied and how to do that while it’s for next year's freshmen, Austin said teachers will have effective and with the best strategies in the classroom.” full jurisdiction over the course. In addition, Austin said there’s a balance to be had.' “#e board’s role on that class ends with approval,” “#ere are people that say they just want to see the Austin said. “(It’s) beyond the scope of the board. #e daily lesson plans. #at’s unprecedented,” Austin said. teachers are happy to revise as they go and to see what’s “#ere’s no course in our entire district where every working and what doesn’t work.” daily lesson plan is presented. Also, I don't want our Farina agrees. school board to think it’s their role to approve daily lesHe said, “We do have a continued opportunity son plans. #at would be quite an overreach.” to reach out to the community and help them feel He also said teachers will be providing a syllabus for comfortable with the version of the course that we’ve the California Ethnic Studies course soon with a more developed and understand that we do really feel like it in-depth layout of the course. is in the best interest of all of our students to have this Even so, Chiu said there wasn’t enough information course."' for her to vote to approve the course. “I feel like there’s been very little transparency and Kamhi and Salcman did not respond to interview inability for the current board members and all the requests for this story. community who are concerned to even judge this,” Chiu said. “We have asked for materials under the California Ed Code … that pertains to instructional materials. Dalia Saal #ere has been some concern within the community that the district has not provided the materials in a Staff Writer
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!"#$%"&'()*+&("#,-+)./".)%,&0"&)"01#,2"".)+3)-"4)&".3+/&+-3)5+(+&"-+)%,&)+##"6"7)&"('1")38"%3 Cindy Liang Staff Writer
Teleféric Barcelona "led a lawsuit in December against Macarena, a new Spanish restaurant set to open in downtown Palo Alto, accusing the co-founders of recipe theft and misuse of con"dential information. #e lawsuit, "led in Santa Clara County Superior Court, claims Macarena’s cofounders, David Linares and Elisabet Reviriego, former employees at Teleféric,
downloaded thousands of proprietary documents before leaving the company. #ese documents included customer data and marketing materials, which the Padrosa siblings, who own Teleféric, allege were used to help launch Macarena. In an email response to #e Campanile, Macarena denied the allegations. “Teleféric Barcelona’s allegations are baseless, merely an attempt to stifle competition and hurt our reputation in the press,” the Macarena team wrote. “Our recipes are entirely our own, and we stand by the originality and quality of our culinary creations.”
Teleferic did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. #e lawsuit also alleges Linares and Reviriego deleted con"dentiality agreements and used Teleféric-provided contacts. In addition, the Padrosas, the co-founders of Macarena, are accused of using Teleféric’s private data to secure business proposals with high-pro"le partnerships, such as a contract with the San Jose Sharks for the 2024-2025 NHL season. #e San Jose Sharks did not respond to inquiries regarding the status of the partnership.
Sophomore Lily Liu said the debacle sheds light on competitiveness in the Palo Alto restaurant industry. “It’s surprising to see such serious legal allegations surrounding something like food,” Liu said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything like this happening around here before. I’m interested in seeing how it’s going to play out.” Angela Molyneux, an employee at Sweet 55 in Town and Country, agreed and said the situation may impact hiring practices in the local food service industry. “It’s going to be hard to trust anybody
that works for you,” Molyneux said. “You might even have to get agreements going soon.” Despite the ongoing lawsuit, Macarena said it will proceed with its launch as planned. “We remain con"dent in our values and the steps we’ve taken to launch the restaurant,” Reviriego wrote in the email. “We are excited to serve the Palo Alto community and deliver exceptional experiences for our patrons.” A case management hearing will be held in July to determine the next steps.
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RACE RECOUNT
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he Palo Alto City Council election recount which began on Nov. 25 has ended, with Planning and Transportation Commission Vice Chair Keith Reckdahl receiving 10 more votes than Planning and Transportation Commission member Doria Summa. "is means Reckdahl has secured the fourth and #nal Council seat. Reckdahl and Planning and Transportation Commissioner George Lu will replace outgoing council members Greg Tanaka and Lydia Kou when their terms expire on Dec. 31. "e race drew controversy over the electronic ballot, where eight candidates appeared on the #rst page of the ballot, but voters had to click “More” to #nd Summa’s name on a different page. Mayor Greer Stone said he was frustrated by the lack of foresight in this situation. “"is was a very avoidable situation, if the Registrar of Voters (had) just put in more common sense policies,” Stone said. “I’m disappointed that the process played out the way it did with the placement on the electronic ballot.” Vice Mayor Ed Lauing agreed and said the situation was unacceptable. "To me, that’s just absolutely ridiculous in Silicon Valley because the user interface was invented here for software, and software can be changed by humans," Lauing said. ""at should never have happened, and that has to change." Council member Lydia Kou said
she tried to bring attention to concerns about the general election process but faced resistance. “I asked for the council to pull it off the consent calendar in order for us to have a short discussion about putting this forward, to bring the discussion to council about addressing this malfeasance and negligence,” Kou said. “Nobody helped me to pull it off the council consent agenda.” Reckdahl, though, said it is unclear the effects the ballot design had on the outcome. “"ere were anecdotal reports that people were confused,” Reckdahl said. “I don’t know how many votes it cost her. I’m not sure if 10 affected it or not.” Junior Will Stover, who works under Stone, said the narrow margin shows the importance of civic participation in our democracy. “An election that close, it really shows how our democracy does work,” Stover said. “"at kind of raises a sense of civic duty, the fact that every vote that you do put in does matter, because at the end of the day, yours could be in the vote that breaks a tie and is decisive.” Reckdahl said his victory over Summa was a mix of emotions. “I’ve worked with Doria for years, so just defeating her kind of makes it bittersweet,” Reckdahl said. “I really have a lot of respect for her, and I really wish we could have served together.” And Kou said she encourages the community to continue supporting Summa despite the election outcome. "I felt that Doria was hidden, so I would encourage everybody who felt cheated to take action and let the county supervisors, as well as the register of voters, know that this is completely unjust,” Kou said. Doria Summa and the Santa Clara Registrar of Voters did not respond to "e Campanile’s interview request.
Meryem Orazova & Shaurya Thummalapalli Staff Writer & Guest Writer
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City to relax regulations, allow chain stores to help #ll retail vacancies As a part of a package of changes aimed at #lling retail vacancies and stimulating consumer spending in Palo Alto, the Palo Alto City Council unanimously approved zoning changes to relax restrictions on chain stores at its Nov. 19 meeting. In the #rst quarter of 2024, retail vacancy rates were at about 15.1% on University Avenue and 9.6% on California Avenue. "is is higher than the national vacancy rates, which are on average, around 5%. Previously, the city restricted leases to businesses with fewer than 10 locations in California, but now, chain restaurants with fewer than 50 locations in the state will be able to establish a location in the city. Additionally, the council reduced the need for conditional use permits, which were previously required when businesses wanted to move into an area that didn’t allow a certain type of business to reside there, simplifying the permitting process across the city. Assistant to the City Manager Steven Guagliardo, who coordinates the city’s economic development, said the goal of the zoning changes is to help revitalize commercial areas in Palo Alto. “"ere's great interest in the city in addressing vacancies in our commercial cores,” Guagliardo said. “We're facing many of the same challenges that other cities up and down the Peninsula and across the state are facing. Retail is changing as an industry, and these changes are really designed to help keep Palo Alto competitive
with other cities as a place to locate or site a new retail or retail-like business.” Guagliardo said increasing customers in business corridors, which would equate to more consumer spending at small businesses, is a major goal of the zoning changes. “Our hope is that allowing for a wider variety of uses will help attract a wider variety of customers and increase foot tra%c, thereby increasing the economic vibrancy of our commercial cores,” Guagliardo said. “"e goal here is not to adversely impact those small businesses, but rather to kind of raise the tide for everyone and just get more businesses operating.” Michael Fechete, owner of California Avenue Hardware, said he welcomes the new regulations and the potential chain stores they may bring because California Ave’s closure to cars has reduced foot tra%c and subsequently the business of stores like his. “Chain stores are welcome,” Fechete said. “I would be happy to have more big stores around us because the small stores can thrive under the shade of the big stores. It won’t affect us negatively, and it might help to bring more shoppers.” Still, Fechete acknowledged that small businesses play a vital role in creating a vibrant, connected and unique community. “Small businesses bring way more variety than the chain stores,” Fechete said. “People come to us more for advice than the actual products. People
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want to know, ‘What kind of soil do I use in that pot? Can I put that outside or inside?’ Places like Home Depot have good people too, but the stores are too big to be able to spend time on personal connections.” Other small business owners — such as Timi Todor Manchev, the owner of Town and Country’s Tennis Store — agree. “We take care of our customers one by one,” Todor Manchev said. “Eighty percent of our customers are returning customers, and because of that, the customer community is growing to be our family. It’s very special to be in that position, and I don’t think any chain can offer that.” Guagliardo said the city will closely monitor the impact of the changes on small businesses. “We think it's going to be something that enables a wider variety of options for smaller and local chains to potentially sit there — previously they would have had that uncertainty of a conditional use permit,” Guagliardo said. “"ey still have to have fewer than 50 locations in California. So when you think of real, true chains, they're still prohibited from being able to go without a conditional use permit, but it does allow a wider variety of uses.” Because her business is a specialty store, Todor Manchev said she doesn’t think the zoning changes will signi#cantly affect her business. “We increasingly, as people, are looking for more connections, and that’s something that we offer as small businesses,” Todor Manchev said. “But I’m sure some businesses will be affected because prices matter, and it’s easier for chains to have lower costs.”
Elise Andrade Staff Writer
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SLICK SCANDAL
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esla inadvertently released over 900 gallons of watertreatment chemicals into a storm drain near Matadero Creek on Oct. 17. "is incident prompted cleanup efforts by the city and raised concerns about the company’s environmental record. According to Palo Alto Online, o#cials confirmed that the chemicals were a mix of disodium tetraborate pentahydrate and sodium hydroxide, usually used for stain removal and cosmetics. "e chemicals were used to cool Tesla’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputer, which were released into a storm drain that flows to the creek. While Palo Alto o#cials later confirmed the bright green substance wasn’t toxic, Barron Park resident Mike Hedblom, who first reported the spill while on a walk along Hanover Street, said the incident highlights the need for better response planning by Tesla.
“Accidents are going to happen,” Hedblom said. “It’s a And senior Alma Bendavid said the city should have matter of what you do about it … Tesla wasn’t prepared for done more to inform residents about the spill. this, but hopefully they’ll handle it better next time.” “"e city should have been a lot more transparent Tesla representatives did not respond to about the spill, because whether the interview requests from "e Campanile. chemicals are harmful or not, it's In addition to what Hedblom said was a scary experience for anyone who poor disaster management, junior Talia might see it,” Bendavid said. “It's Boneh said she was worried about the crazy the way that stuff like this environmental and health implications of doesn't get publicized very much.” gallons of chemicals the spill. City of Palo Alto O#cials did “If the chemical was toxic, it could have not respond to interview requests leaked into Matadero been really dangerous for a lot of Palo from "e Campanile. Creek on Oct. 17 Alto residents,” Boneh said. “Seeing the King also said the lack of comneon green in the news was obviously remunication from the city has left ally startling and shocking, so I’m relieved the Barron Park neighborhood to know that it was not harmful.” feeling vulnerable. Other residents were also unhappy with the poor com“"e Barron Park neighborhood is suffering from some munication from the city. Barron Park Neighborhood AsPTSD,” King said. “Just let us know. We should have a sociation president John King said he did not learn about more direct line of information that comes to us in a timely the spill until a week later when a neighbor sent him an manner because ultimately, we want to find out what haparticle from Palo Alto Online. pened, when it happened, and make sure that there are “He sent me the message about this incident and I said, solutions so it doesn’t happen again.” ‘Wow, I’m really surprised that it’s been nearly a week, and I’m finding out through a neighbor, and there wasn’t any notification,’” King said. “I should be one of the first people Meryem Orazova & Shaurya Thummalapalli Staff Writer & Guest Writer that should be contacted by city o#cials.”
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California bans legacy and donor preferences in private college admissions In an effort to address what supporters say are inequalities in college admissions, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1780, banning legacy and donor preferences in private college admissions across California. "e law goes into effect in 2026. California joins four other states who have similar measures aimed at increasing diversity and reducing systemic advantages for applicants with family connections to selective institutions. But former Princeton University admissions o#cer Hope Murtaugh isn’t so sure the bill will do what its supporters say it will. Murtaugh said while legacy status often provides an extra boost to alreadystrong applicants, it is not a decisive factor on its own. “Legacy definitely tips people who were already qualified,” Murtaugh said. “It might be one of those things that makes somebody stand out, but it never
lets people get in by itself — never. It’s too competitive for that.” Murtaugh also said she doesn't think the policy will increase socioeconomic diversity because most legacy admits are already well-qualified. “"e policy is going to weed out maybe half of the legacy admits,” Murtaugh said. “"ose seats would just go to the general applicant pool, and they aren’t going to be limited to lower-income or first-generation students.” Junior Bela Patel-Meyers, whose mother went to Stanford for her undergraduate degree, said her status as a Stanford legacy has had little influence on her college plans. “Having a legacy tie doesn't really make me want to apply there,” Patel-Meyers said. “Honestly, hearing about Stanford from my mom and her sisters, who both work there, doesn’t make me want to apply either.” However, a junior with legacy connections to Stanford and who requested anonymity because of potential back-
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lash from admissions o#cials who might read this story, said they were only going to apply to the university if they had the edge their parents’ and sibling’s connections provided under the current policy. “"e experience of going to Stanford would be very similar to Paly because they are literally right next to each other,” the junior said. “If I didn’t have legacy there, I wouldn’t ever weigh Stanford as a choice.” One way that Murtaugh said she sees California's law making a potential difference nationwide is that it may inspire more states to initiate bans against legacy admissions. Several states, including Massachusetts, have such bills pending in their state legislatures. “"ere are four states that already have restrictions, and I could see it spreading further,” Murtaugh said. “If uber-selective colleges are already denying the majority of alumni children, and it hasn’t hurt their fundraising, then what’s the argument for keeping it?"
Meryem Orazova Staff Writer
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Extensive social media use can lead to disorders.
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Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Isabella Bian & Annika Chu
“Just because we were freshmen you think it’s a little bit embarrassing to dress up, but now we’re realizing it’s super fun,” Kardwell said. Kardwell also said the teacher dance was fun to watch. “It’s really cool to see them put so much time and effort into learning the dance for us,” Kardwell said. Junior Simone Batra said she thought the fun activities at Spirit Week were a helpful way to create class-to-class cohesion. “#e school really gets together,” Batra said. “School can be stressful, but it’s really important that we all recognize that we have to have fun at some point, and I think it’s good that we’re all getting into Spirit Week.”
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pirit Week kicked off with an explosion of color. lasting from Oct. 11 until Oct. 18. #e seniors dominated the scoreboard, ending with 31,800 points. #e juniors followed with 23,500 points while the sophomores and freshmen tied for third, each earning 21,200 points.
Day 1 Spirit Week started with a best-dressed competition at brunch and a rally in the Big Gym. Classes competed in Hungry Hungry Hippos and a class dance-off. Senior Oliver Chancellor said his grade’s wins solidi$ed his con$dence in the senior class. “We brought in the strategy; we brought in the heart; we brought in the hard work, and it paid off,” Chancellor said. “It’s senior year, our time to shine, our year to win.” Before Spirit Week, senior and Spirit Commissioner Tyler Kramer said he was hoping to see a lot of school spirit. “I’m excited for the night rally,” Kramer said. “I think that’s going to be super fun. We’re hoping that we can bring something that’ll be really enjoyable.” Sophomore class president Katie Kim said she was excited to see ASB’s hard work pay off. “(Planning Spirit Week took) weeks and months and even spilled into last year,” Kim said. “I’m really proud of my class, especially from what I saw today, and I’m ready to bring it.”
Day 4
Day 3 In an unlikely upset, the freshmen beat the seniors in the lunch rally relay on Wednesday. #e juniors won the Best Dressed competition at brunch. Senior Samuel Janik said he thinks the seniors did well in terms of spirit despite losing to the freshmen in the games. “In past years we haven’t had much spirit, but I think the $nal year is bringing us together,” Janik said. Sophomore Lorelei Kardwell said she was happy with the greater participation from her grade compared to last year.
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Day 2 Students participated in a best-dressed event at brunch, a rally in the Viking Stadium at lunch and a neon-themed Night Rally. At the lunch rally, classes competed in water games and a donut-eating challenge; the Night Rally featured dance performances, tug-of-war and capture the flag. Sophomore and ASB Treasurer Paul Wang said ASB decided to go all out on Spirit Week this year. “We’re spending the most money ever on Spirit Week,” Wang said. “We’re projected to hit over $20,000 for this week’s events.” Freshman Myra Dang said she was excited to experience Spirit Week for the $rst time and see her friends dressed up at the $rst Night Rally since the pandemic. “(#e Night Rally) is super fun,” Dang said. “#e night adds to the atmosphere of the rally.” Junior and Social Commissioner Jessica Wong also said she hoped students would support their class by helping build their floats. “Float building has been going well — a lot of people have been showing up,” Wong said. “I’m most excited for the floats at the very end of Spirit Week.”
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
After placing third in the rapids relay and winning the Snake IO game during the lunch rally, the freshmen won Day 4 of Spirit Week. Freshman Anisha Shetty said she was proud of how her class performed. “We’re pretty spirited, honestly, compared to other freshman classes when they were our age,” Shetty said. Junior Daniela Palafox said Generations Day stood out as a highlight of the week. “Generations — I think it’s the best,” Palafox said, “We can differentiate every grade and (make the) most creative costumes.” Senior Jai Wadhwani said he was especially looking forward to the $nal day. “I’m excited for tomorrow — the homecoming game and the senior dance — because we haven’t won the homecoming game since I’ve been here, so hopefully we can change that this year,” Wadhwani said on #ursday of Spirit Week. Sophomore Jack January said he hoped the homecoming game would unite classes after a competitive week. “I’m also most excited for the football game (during) homecoming because everybody gets to pop out,” January said. “It’s not like Spirit Week, where they’re all against each other. Everybody’s together during the football game, and I think it’s super fun.”
Day 5 Day 5 featured a best-dressed competition at brunch, an after-school rally in the Viking Stadium and the homecoming game. During the after-school rally, students showcased their class dances and paraded their floats on the track. Senior Amelia Finnis said performing in the class dance was a great way to end her $nal Spirit Week. “It’s just really fun to get out there and do it for the last time,” Finnis said. “You’re not going to do it again, so you go all out.” Junior Delilah Kaplinsky said hearing the crowd cheer and dancing alongside her classmates was electrifying. “#ere was so much going on,” Kaplinsky said. “But there was so much energy I couldn’t stop laughing. I know we didn’t look in sync, but in our hearts, we were.” Kramer said the end of Spirit Week was bittersweet. “For the most part, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Kramer said. “I’m happy it happened but sad that it’s now over.”
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PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301
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The Campanile Vol. CVII, No. 1
Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
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n an effort to automate attendance tracking and keep better track of student bathroom breaks, teachers began using an attendance kiosk system for student attendance on Aug. 19. The system is set up as a scanner and Chromebook where students can either type their ID number or scan their ID card to check into class. Assistant Principal LaDonna Butler, the administrator in charge of rolling out the new system, said she hopes it will increase safety around campus, streamline administrative tasks and decrease inaccuracy and distractions. “I got wind of teachers having to take notes when students were entering and leaving for the bathroom, which doesn't allow for the teacher to focus on their instruction,” Butler said. “It’s very distracting. It takes away from not only the teacher’s preparation, but also all the other students that are sitting there.” Butler said the system is meant to assist, rather than replace, teachers in taking attendance. “We've asked our teachers to be mindful — it's still their responsibility for attendance and (for) students who are coming into class,” Butler said. Butler also said the system is in phase one. The second phase will involve replacing paper hall passes for students who want to go to the tech center, the wellness center, meet with administrators or counselors, and for journalists to conduct interviews. AP Computer Science teacher Roxanne Lanzot said due to the system, she doesn’t have to repeatedly change and save her attendance when students come in late. However, she said the system has also made it harder for her to learn student names. “I was forced to look at the student's picture, look at their name, acknowledge that they were here,” Lanzot said. “My brain's not doing that work anymore.” And for junior Simone Batra, scanning her ID or typing in her ID number can be inconvenient. “At times, I have to double check to make sure it's scanned in because some teachers have turned their option to silence, so you can't really hear whether or not you scan in, and then there comes the panic with, ‘Oh, shoot, this computer thinks I'm not here,’” Batra said. Regardless of the inconvenience, Lanzot said the system is helping reduce tardiness. “I have one class where I have some commonly tardy students, and I can already see them hustling to class faster because they know that it's not going to be like, ‘We can just convince her of this or that,’” Lanzot said. “They're like, ‘No, we better have our butts in there and scanned.’” While the system encourages punctuality, Batra said this can feel pointless when students have to wait in line to scan in. “The idea of having a computer watching you and staring you in the face (will) definitely scare students into being on
time, but I don't think that's the right way to go about this,” Batra said. “That's not what's going to set them up for success later in life.” Psychology teacher and technology teacher on special assignment Chris Farina, who helped beta-test the system last April, said he doesn’t think it will directly change student tardiness, but he does think it will help administrators prioritize students who need intervention. “It can tell you if you're looking at a student who is chronically one minute tardy or chronically 18 minutes tardy because it can tell you when they actually checked into class,” Farina said. “If administration is just trying to figure out who they should talk to to try and address chronic tardiness, they want to be able to focus on kids that are chronically 18 minutes late.” Additionally, the attendance kiosk tracks bathroom breaks, creating a seven-minute hall pass for a student who checks out of class to use the restroom. Farina said during betatesting last year, the bathroom pass helped minimize disruptions in his classroom. Batra, however, isn’t so sure. “It kind of defeats the purpose of what it was meant to do because teachers still want students to tell them where they're going, which makes total sense,” Batra said. Lanzot said this element makes her a little uncomfortable. “Our bodies aren't all the same, so people have different needs about what they need to do in the bathroom and how long that's going to take,” Lanzot said. “The students shouldn't have to disclose exactly why they needed a few more minutes in the bathroom. That's your private, personal business, and I would hate for students to feel any kind of embarrassment over why they needed more time in the bathroom.” Batra agrees and said though it is a good concept, the seven-minute time limit on bathroom breaks is unreasonable. “We're not robots; we don't get things done within five minutes and come back,” Batra said. “The limit should be extended to at least 12 minutes to give students ample time to go wherever they need to go, do what they need to do and then have time to come back. Otherwise, you're just panicking and stressing, and that's what we want to eliminate here.” Butler also said the system will not mark a student tardy or create punishment for bathroom breaks longer than seven minutes. “Right now, we have a system where, if students are absent or tardy a certain amount of times, then
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they go and have a conversation with your admin and a campus supervisor,” Butler said. “That is always: One, why is it happening? Two, how can we support?” Butler said the system is not supposed to stress students out. “The system is not designed to have a ‘gotcha,’” Butler said. “It allows for the teacher to feel secure that she knows her student is on a bathroom pass and on their way to the restroom. Also, campus supervision and administrators will know if a student is on a pass, and if it gets beyond a threshold, then that says, ‘Is this student OK?’” And Butler said the system has helped decrease student roaming. She also said the system could help build trust between students and staff, especially when students need to inform teachers why they may have taken longer to use the bathroom. “We want to make sure students understand we're not looking to bring a hammer down, but what we are looking for is students to be accountable,” Butler said. “I think that we should trust adults enough, especially because we take care of you students for eight hours a day, and I'm hoping that we have enough trust built that we're able to say, ‘I have personal need.’” Still, Batra sees privacy issues with the system that bother her. “The teacher-student relationship is kind of broken by a computer,” Batra said. “I don't like that the school can track where I'm going and see where I am at all times. It's not like I'm doing anything wrong.”
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
!"#$%&#'()*+( ,-.#"$(#/#.0#1 Zoya Prabhakar Staff Writer
The Associated Student Body freshmen elections for president and vice president concluded on Aug. 28 with freshmen Annie Meng elected president and Helen Li elected vice president.# According to Meng, equal representation is one of her priorities. She said she wants to make sure every student has a voice. “The feeling of being excluded and left out is something I never want anyone to feel at Paly,” Meng said. In addition to representation, Li said another goal of the student body team is to boost freshman class spirit. “According to upperclassmen, freshmen have consistently been the least spirited class in the past, so I thought I could help encourage more participation among my peers,” Li said. “We have never had anything like (the first week rally) before Paly, and I had so much fun.” She said school spirit is about “showing up to rallies and other events ready to give it your all.”# Meng said school spirit also involves unity and comfort among peers.# “To me, school spirit means that everyone feels a powerful sense of synergy and oneness together,” Meng said. “Everyone is proud of how far they have come and support each other to achieve a common goal. (We have) some pretty fun socials planned, like an instant ramen social and a boba social planned.” In addition to Spirit Week, Meng said her goals go beyond helping the freshman class acquaint themselves with each other. She would also like to work to make lunch lines and bike cages less crowded.# Campaigning was a new experience for both of the candidates, and Li said she had a lot of friends who helped her. “I was planning on a poster that had my friend’s handprints on it, and they would write a trait that made me qualified for president on their handprints,” Li said. “After I had planned it out, I brought paints and brushes to school where, during lunch, my friends and I had a lot of fun making the poster.” However, Meng said the process of running for office was time-consuming.# “Balancing sports, extracurricular activities and homework all while leaving hours to work on my posters took a big toll on my sleep schedule and left me very little time to study for tests and quizzes,” Meng said. Looking forward, Meng said she is excited to take on an ASB leadership role and help lead this year’s rallies and events. “I’m looking forward to getting to know more of my classmates and bringing up freshmen participation at rallies, socials, dances and other events,” Meng said. “When planning, I want to be a leader everyone can look up to (and make) sure all perspectives are taken into consideration.”
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“I don’t love how it bottlenecks the start of the period.”
“It was an investment that the school made that is not necessary.”
“It’s convenient to not have to take attendance in theory. In practice, my scanner has never worked.”
“I feel like people are making a bigger deal about it than they need to be.”
“The attendance is something that's extremely irrelevant to the student community.”
— Reed Truong ('27)
— Cate Graney ('25)
— Lizzie DeKraai, teacher
— Lizzy Williams ('25)
— Lara Dumanli ('25)