The Lodge Vol. 2, Issue 4

Why we need to talk about colorism today

The

Lodge

St. George’s Independent School Collierville, tenn. Vol. 2, Issue 4 April 4, 2018 St. George’s Independent School Collierville, tn Vol. 2, Issue 3 JAN. 29, 2017 GryphonLodge.com @ NewsGryphs GryphonLodge.com @ NewsGryphs

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ABOUT US

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The Lodge is dedicated to serving as an authentic voice for the students of St. George’s Independent School. We at the Lodge strive to be an open forum for student expression, to act in the best interests of the student body and to embody the principles of journalistic excellence. The Lodge is affiliated with the Tennessee High School Press Association and the National Scholatic Press Association. The Lodge is funded by advertisers, donors and St. George’s Independent School and is published once every six weeks during the school year by schoolprinting.com. The Lodge prints and distributes 300 copies of each issue to 700 students and faculty on the St. George’s Collierville campus. Bylines indicate the primary writer(s) of each article, and additional contributors are indicated in the shirttail. The Lodge provides free advertising for student clubs, events and activities and paid advertisements for local businesses. The Lodge welcomes letters to the editor and article submissions. To submit a letter, article or request for advertising, email our staff at thelodge@sgis.org.

STAFF

Editors-in-Chief Carolyn Lane ’18 Annie Murff ’18

Editors

Annika Conlee ’18 Lauren Purdy ’18 Merryn Ruthling ’18 Caroline Zummach ’18 Emma Bennett ’19

Designers

Katelyn Grisham ’18 Laura Beard’19 Kaitlyn Bowman ’19 Will Brown ’19 Andrew McDowell ’19

Photographer

Alice Crenshaw ’18

Illustrator

Emily O’Connell ’18

Web Editor

Spence Burford ’18

Reporters

Hudson Beaudry ’18 Connor Lambert ’18 Emma Pounders ’18 Omar Yunus ’18 Evan Dorian ’19 Rainey Zaugg ’19 Andrew McDowell ’19 Sidney Marr ’19 Cary Robbins ’20

Advisor

Dr. Margaret Robertson

Cover photography by Katelyn Grisham.

TABLE OF CONTENTS APRIL

4

2018

ROBOGRYPHS RISE

AGILE ATHLETES

8

BUILDING THE BENCH

PRETTY PRIVILEGE

14

10

ADHD AWARENESS

VEGGIE-BURGER BLISS

22

6

DACA DEBATE

18

Seventh grade students Madline Clark and Mariah Nellessen work to program the traffic drone they created with team member seventh-grader Hannah Morrison. In March, they qualified for the robotics world championship in Louisville, Ky. Photograph by Laura Beard.

RoboGryphs take on the world

R

By Merryn Ruthling

obots at St. George’s have been stacking up awards as well as cones at recent competitions.

Three upper school and six middle school St. George’s teams earned the opportunity to compete at the VEX Robotics State Competition the weekend of March 2, where one upper school team received the Judge’s Award and one seventh-grade team won the STEM Research Challenge and qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championship.

VEX Robotics is a company that creates tools for educators to assist in STEM education and holds competitions in over 40 countries that present students with engineering challenges.

An upper school VEX competition involves a series of qualifying matches against different teams in which robots are tasked with various challenges, such as stacking cones and moving mobile goals.

Middle school competitions are less competitive, with teams working together to accumulate points.

Middle school teams also have the option to compete in a STEM Research Challenge in which teams investigate a way that robotics can be beneficial to society.

For this challenge, seventh graders Madline Clarke, Hannah Morrison and Mariah Nellessen created their state championship

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winning traffic drone equipped with a 360-degree camera. They will travel to Louisville, Ky. on April 29, where they will compete against 400 other teams from all over the world.

“We are so excited for this opportunity, and we hope that we can wow the judges with our project again,” Nellessen said. “We believe that our chance of winning world’s is pretty high.”

St. George’s began participating in robotics competitions three years ago because of students’ interest.

“The first year we started with just five guys taking my class. We were just all learning together, and they were like, ‘Hey, we are going to the competition’ and I was like, ‘Great,” Physics and Engineering teacher Ms. Crista Smothers said.

That year and every year since, St. George’s students have earned spots at the VEX Robotics State Competition. This success is partly attributable to the leadership and dedication of Ms. Smothers, who has sponsored RoboGryphs since the beginning. Many robotics students are grateful for her guidance.

“She lets us hang out in her room whenever we want, so we can always work on robotics,” sophomore Elizabeth Crane said.

“She’s very helpful.”

Ms. Smothers’ dedication to the

program led to the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation awarding her the VEX Robotics Tennessee High School Teacher of the Year. This award was given based on the nominations of students, making it even more special for her to receive.

“I feel really loved,” Ms. Smothers said. “It’s really nice to get recognized. I love doing this, and I love working with the students, and for just them to recognize how much I do as well just means a lot. It made me tear up a little bit.”

Ms. Smothers hopes to continue having middle school teams compete at state and world championships. Her ultimate goal is to have an upper school team get to the world championship. With the number of students in the robotics program growing from nine students last year to 20 students this year and an estimated 30 students next year, Ms. Smothers is extremely optimistic about the future success of the RoboGryphs.

“What’s really neat is this crew is [made up of] ninth and 10th graders,” Ms. Smothers said. “We still have two years, and they’ve already learned so much. I’ve seen huge improvements from last year, so I have really high hopes for us to continue getting bigger and better. We’ve been growing the program in leaps and bounds. I’m

excited that we’ve got the opportunity for the students to do it.”

Seventh-grader Madline Clark and Enginerring Teacher Ms. Christa Smothers work on a robot for an upcoming competition.

Ms. Smothers was named the VEX Robotics TN High School Teacher of the Year. Photograph

by Omar Yunus.

Sophomore Thandie Boudreaux experiments with a robot. the robotics program at St. George’s, of which Boudreaux is a member, has grown significantly over the last two years. Photograph by Laura Beard.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Boys Soccer: Senior Carlos Rivera-Peraza passes the ball to a teammate. The soccer team has high hopes for advancing to the state tournament and winning it all. Despite losing last year’s seniors, senior Lathan Spadafora is not worried. “I expect us to compete just as well as last year,” Spadafora said. “We lost a few quality seniors but also picked up multiple first-timers and freshmen.”

Photograph by Sidney Marr.

Track: Freshman Khalil Moore runs on the track during practice. The track team is continuing to prepare for the beginning of the season. Junior Will Johns is excited about the team’s growing numbers. “This year, we’ll have a lot more runners,” Johns said. “I think a lot of us have a good chance of competing or being close to winning state this year in individual or relay events,” Johns said. Photograph by Cary Robbins.

Water Polo: Sophomore Sam Tremaine reaches to block the ball from entering the goal during practice. With many of the team’s veterans having graduated last year, there is a lack of experience on the water polo team, but they are confident they can overcome the challenge. Senior Ben Sawyers is optimistic about the season. “All of us new players are focused on getting better,” Sawyers said, “Once we do and our team communicates more in the water, we will get better and get some wins.” Photograph

by Sidney Marr.

Girls Lacrosse: Junior Blair Smithwick and an opposing player run for the ball.

The girls lacrosse team is starting the season with a revamped coaching staff, which includes Mr. Jeff Ross, Dr. Jimmy Murphy and Ms. Rachael Smith. Junior Paulina Hutchison has high expectations for the team this year. “This year is going to be different because everyone has the same goal in mind: state,” Hutchison said. “Hopefully we will end the season with a state championship,” Hutchison said. Photograph by Omar Yunus.

Softball: Sophomore Malaisyah Vann remains alert in the outfield. The softball team opened the season with a pair of scrimmages and is hoping to improve after the conclusion of their first official season games. Junior Lindsey Pepper is looking forward to seeing what the team can accomplish. “This is probably going to be our best season,” Pepper said. “This is one of the final years that we’re going to have everybody together.” Photograph by Mrs. Lane Franklin.

Baseball: Senior Dalton Reese throws a baseball during practice. With baseball season having just started, team members are anticipating a new group dynamic. Senior and captain Dalton Reese knows that being a leader means he has to hold the team accountable for hard work and effort. “I’m proud of the work effort that has been shown by this team,” Reese said. “We have a long season ahead of us, but this team is ready for the challenge.” Photograph by Omar Yunus.

Trap Shooting: Sophomore Maggie Fyfe aims her gun at the target. The trap team is welcoming new members as they start this season. Freshman Isabella Lee has enjoyed the benefits of learning from the more experienced members of the team, remarking that the team is supportive as she attempts to improve her skills. “What’s been good about this season is that I’ve improved my shooting average and I’m looking forward to further improving it,” Lee said. Photograph by Mrs. Lauri Jensen.

Boys Lacrosse: Junior Cameron Head protects the ball from fellow junior Steven White as he takes it across the field during practice. The boys lacrosse team is ready to compete this season and recover from their loses against Collierville High School and Christian Brothers High School. “I’m really excited for my senior season,” senior Henry Christopher said. “I’ve been playing lacrosse all throughout high school, and it’s cool watching our program evolve.” Photograph by Andrew McDowell.

Tennis: Sophomore Shaun Burgess follows through on his backhand during practice. The tennis team hopes that getting to the state championship is an attainable goal, and junior Jack Graddy is excited about the team’s potential to go all the way. “I think we’ve got a talented enough group to get it done,” Graddy said. Fellow junior Hannah Grace Howell hopes that there will be plenty of excitement surrounding the team this season. Photograph by Evan Dorian.

ATHLETES IN ACTION

By Rainey Zaugg, Evan Dorian, Cary Robbins, Sidney Marr, Omar Yunus and Spence Burford Design by Andrew McDowell

Filling the Bench St. George’s takes steps to ensure that sports programs are here to stay

By Caroline Zummach

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n 2015 the football photo in the yearbook showed 49 players, yet this year it will show just 36. Similarly, the varsity girls basketball program’s numbers fell from 16 players to eight players from 2016 to 2017.

While the varsity softball team increased from nine to 14 players from 2015 to 2017, there is no longer a middle school program to feed into the upper school. As the size of individual sports programs fluctuate, some have raised concerns that they may not be sustainable.

“We are a smaller school, so it’s hard sometimes to get the numbers,” senior Prefect of Athletics Nick Bourdeau said. “It’s really important to field teams that are high caliber, and that’s hard because from time to time we have small dips in participation.”

St. George’s is not the only institution facing a decline in the number of students playing certain sports, which is likely a result of overall school enrollment. This decline is cyclical and an issue that other schools are also facing.

“We are all noticing a decline across the board in independent school enrollment, so everybody’s down with maybe one or two exceptions,” Upper School Director Tom Morris said. “Naturally fewer kids coming to independent schools means fewer available kids for programs inside those schools whether those programs are artistic, athletic, co-curricular or service.”

While some individual team numbers seem to be declining, others are growing, and overall numbers of upper school students playing sports have actually remained consistent. This year, there are 205 students playing a spring sport in the upper school, and last year there were 206.

In the meantime, the athletic teams have continued to win state and regional championships. This year the girls varsity soccer team won the state championship, the boys and girls cross country teams won regionals and the cheer team finished seventh in the nation.

“Look carefully at the record of our teams.

We have hugely successful teams,” Middle School Director Mrs. Traci Osterhagen said.

“Our coaches are knowledgeable. They are helping develop kids really well.”

Even individual teams that have faced smaller numbers are succeeding. While it seemed like the varsity girls basketball team would struggle this year with only eight play-

ers, they placed fourth in the region and continued even further in regional play than the varsity boys basketball team with 13 players.

Nevertheless, the school is working to bridge the gap between middle-school and upper- school athletes to ensure that programs are sustainable for the long term.

“We’ve been talking about program thinking,” Head of School Mr. Ross Peters said, “which is that all athletes in a program from the lowest grade to highest grade feel that they are part of the same program.”

As a member of the varsity football and baseball teams, Bourdeau is leading the way for advocating for younger athletes. In the fall, he created the Captains’ Council in order to call senior leaders to discuss how to improve their programs and integrate younger athletes.

The Captains’ Council recently made a visit to the Memphis Campus where the captain of each varsity team was able to talk about their sport and encourage younger students to play.

“I think sometimes the younger Gryphons don’t really know what’s going on or they’re intimidated by us,” Bourdeau said. “We just have to work on getting closer to them, getting people to their events, making sure they know that we are watching them and they’re coming to support us.”

Bourdeau recognizes the importance of communicating with younger athletes and the encouragement that older students can provide.

“One day they might even play with us depending on what grade you’re in,” Bourdeau said. “It’s not that intimidating. It’s just getting them comfortable around us in an encouraging atmosphere.”

Alongside the Captains’ Council, the school also recently hosted a gryphon expo for eighth grade students where they participated in high school classes and were able to speak with junior and senior leaders of clubs and sports teams.

Senior Kirby Betchick represented both the girls soccer team and the St. Jude club and thought the event was impactful.

“It was fun to see all the opportunities the school offers in one place,” Betchick said. “I hope the rising freshman will take advantage of all those opportunities.”

Individual teams are also putting in effort to bridge the gap. The varsity volleyball team created a “big sister-little sister” program

where members of the upper school teams were paired with members of the middle school teams to take part in joint practices and dinners.

Senior Miaya Smith took part in the big-sister program with the varsity volleyball team.

“I feel like cheering them on at their volleyball games, playing games with them and having a connection with them went a long way in encouraging them throughout the season and further into volleyball,” Smith said.

Coach Haley Gilmore, varsity girls basketball and softball coach, remembers what it was like to form closer relationships with older teammates.

“I remember being in the seventh grade and our varsity girls basketball team went to state,” Coach Gilmore said. “When they would see me in the gym they would say, ‘Hey you want to shoot? You want to go through

“It doesn’t matter what sport it is, it doesn’t matter if you’re winning or losing. our student athletes play for each other because they love each other.” some drills?’”

The time and attention that older athletes put on younger athletes makes a difference as those younger kids often look up to students that are older than them.

“All of those little touches encourage people to participate in them and also create really positive experiences and relationships between older and younger students,” Mrs. Osterhagen

said, “and that will help build the program.”

Relationships like these can help younger athletes adapt to the more intense varsity schedules.

“The demand is more. You go from averaging three to four practices a week to five upwards of six sometimes. The competition level obviously increases,” Coach Gilmore said. “You are thrown in the mix and have to play against bigger, older, faster competition.”

But Coach Gilmore, who played sports up to the collegiate level, encourages students to continue with their sport as they will learn in a unique way.

“That perseverance that you had to have that commitment, that you forced yourself to continue through to the end, that’s going to make you a better person,” Coach Gilmore said. “There’s so much about team sports that emulates life that I don’t think you can find anywhere else.”

Mrs. Osterhagen echoes this encouragement, advocating for students to try something new.

“I would encourage them to try something new,” Mrs. Osterhagen said. “One of the things that I really appreciate about St. George’s is there is an opportunity for students to try new things.”

Even if students do not make a team or choose to stop playing, there are ample opportunities for students to be involved in a particular program.

“We’ve had kids that try out as a ninth grader and were managers but still practiced with the team,” Athletic Director Tom Densford said, “and they ended up playing on the varsity team as seniors.”

Athletics serve as a common ground for a community to come together and support the school regardless of the number of jerseys being used. Mr. Densford’s favorite part of the athletic program at St. George’s is the way that the student athletes love each other.

“It doesn’t matter what sport it is, it doesn’t matter if you’re winning or losing,” Mr. Densford said. “Our student athletes play for each other because they love each other.”

The appreciation that athletes have for each other contributes to the success of teams and provides a greater meaning than simply winning or losing.

“When the big moment comes, when you have that opportunity to go play in a semifinal

or state championship, the moment is not too big because it’s not about the moment,” Mr. Densford said. “It’s about how we’ve worked hard together, and we played for each other.”

Mr. Peters addresses the criteria for teams at St. George’s and the priorities within the athletic program.

“What we look for is, ‘Are kids learning?

Are they cared for and supported? Are we growing on our end as a school?’” Mr. Peters said. “We see schools losing perspective on what’s important in athletics and compromising who they are as a school in order to win state championships, and that is not us.”

The school is working to have athletics help accomplish the school’s overall goal of helping students grow and flourish in their years after high school.

“The mission of the school isn’t to have successful athletics,” Mr. Peters said. “It’s only important in as much as being on a team helps us accomplish those things that are in the mission.”

Illustrations by Alice Crenshaw.

Design By Will Brown.

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Pretty Privilege Why we need to talk about colorism today

By Lauren Purdy

10 the Lodge

S

ince she was a little girl, junior Alexis Turner has always been reminded that she had darker skin than those around her.

“It’s always been kind of iffy stuff people have said. Moms would be like, ‘Hey, chocolate baby.’ Why do I have to be a chocolate baby? Just let me be a baby,” Turner said. “It never really hurt my feelings, but at school if the power went out or if the lights were out, people would say, ‘We can’t see you.’

When your white friends come up to you after tanning, and say ‘I’m almost as dark as you.’ As I got older, guys have told me, ‘You’d be cuter if you were light skinned.’ That just always happened, but it doesn’t bother me at this point. Sadly, you get used to it.”

Along with the comments that she has heard from others, Turner has been reminded about her skin complexion nonverbally.

“Actually, in fourth grade, we were doing these things where everyone was given this oval piece of paper to draw ourselves.

Everyone else got a tan, cream, colored piece of paper, but [the teacher, who no longer works at St. George’s] went out of her way to cut out a darker skin tone for me and my friend,” Turner said. “And I’m like, ‘You didn’t have to do that.’ There were people that weren’t that same exact skin tone as the color, but she went out of her way to cut out another piece of paper for us.”

What Turner experienced is known as colorism.

Colorism is a system of discrimination in which the degree of lightness in the color of one’s skin is compared to other members within the same racial group. It is a subcategory of racism that is especially prevalent in the lives of women of color, as it plays a significant role in how they present themselves to others.

It is at the root of why many cultures with people of darkskin complexions, including African-Americans, attempt to lighten their skin as a means of

“fitting in” and being accepted by society.

In other words, light skin is seen as better than dark skin.

Colorism dates back hundreds of years to slavery when the genes of black slaves and their white slave masters mixed to create the many shades of African-American skin color.

Despite bearing the biracial children of slave masters, black women’s children were still slaves based on the “one-drop rule.”

This rule was essentially used to answer the question “Who is black?” in a nation of mixed heritages. If someone had a single “drop” of black blood, they were considered black.

While those with fairer skin were treated as slaves, they were often granted more privileges than their darker-skinned counterparts. Slaves with a light-

a foundational ideology and structure that is built into the process of enslavement. Non-African or non-black people may have internalized anti-black racism for their own purposes to justify enslavement of people of African descent,” Dr. Kwoba said. “Black people, as well, can come to internalize anti-blackness because it’s so pervasive and because the society we live in – whether it is the media or school system – is all controlled, generally, by very rich white men. Those images and those messages filter down, and they filter down into black communities.”

Colorism also plays a key role in attractiveness, as some people are attracted to certain skin complexions. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, some tend to diminish the beauty of those with darker skin.

Colorism: noun:

“a system of discrimination in which the degree of lightness in the color of one’s skin is compared to other members within the same racial group.” er-skin complexion might have worked in the house as a servant or house maid, while those with darker skin toiled in the hot sun for hours.

This color bias remained relevant into the 20th century.

In the 1920s, when jazz culture dominated New York City nightclubs, the Cotton Club only allowed dancers whose skin was lighter than a brown paper bag to perform. This process was coined the “Brown Paper Bag Test” and also gained prominence in African-American Greek fraternities and sororities as a means of acceptance.

According to University of Memphis History Professor Dr. Brian Kwoba, much of colorism is based on the psychological ideology of anti-blackness.

“Anti-blackness becomes

“I think it is a product of the two-sided or what you might call the racial polarity of whiteness and blackness, in which blackness is considered inferior and whiteness is superior. When someone sees a light-skinned person as more attractive, it is because of their proximity to whiteness, that they are closer to being white and farther from being black and vice-versa,” Dr. Kwoba said. “Someone who is darker skinned is seen as less attractive, less desirable, and that’s because they seem to be closer to blackness, further from whiteness. So all of that is socially constructed and fundamentally oppressive and fundamentally built on a foundation of the dispossession of African people historically and now.”

Colorism is especially prev-

alent in the workplace today.

A University of Virginia study found that African-Americans of a lighter-skin complexion receive preferential treatment in employment and were paid more to do the same job as one of a darker skin complexion.

The average pay for those with darker skin was $11.72 per hour, or $468.80 for a week, and those with a medium skin tone made an average of $13.23 an hour, or $529.90 per week. Black people with a lighter skin complexion made an hourly wage of $14.72 an hour, or $588.80 a week.

White people averaged $15.94 per hour, or $637.60 a week.

According to a study conducted by Vanderbilt University Law and Economics professor Dr. Joni Hersch, being one shade lighter, on average, has about the same effect as having an additional year of education.

Dr. Kwoba, who is biracial, believes that there is privilege with having fairer skin.

“It’s all relative, so I’m not sure if I would be considered ‘light skinned’ in a general sense.

But certainly, I am lighter than some folks, and I would not doubt that would have helped me out or made me seem less threatening or more appealing to potential employers or other people,” Dr. Kwoba said. “The way that we walk through the world is very much impacted by the way others perceive us, darker skinned or lighter skinned. I would never deny that those are real dynamics that have a real effect that limit opportunities or provide them in very concrete ways.”

The media’s portrayal of darker skin complexions affects society’s perception of what is considered beautiful or even normal.

Actresses like Lupita Nyong’o and Viola Davis have both stated in speeches that they have struggled to accept the beauty behind their darker skin color in the past, but they have used their platforms in films such as “Black Panther” and “The Help” to portray that women of darker

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color are no less than those of fairer skin. Nyong’o also plans to publish a children’s book about colorism later this year.

Music artists, especially within the hip-hop world of the African-American community, have been criticized for the lack of women of darker skin in their music videos, which has further impacted a generation of young women.

St. George’s alumna Faith Huff is African-American and has been affected by colorism in the past.Huff has witnessed this portrayal in the media and believes that there has been some progress, but not enough.

“There is this one video of T-Pain, and he is watching these girls audition. There is this light-skinned one who is not good at all, then there is this dark-skinned one, and she was incredible. But, he was saying how the light-skinned girl looked amazing and how he liked her style, while the other girl, who had everything going on, he was like, ‘I don’t see it. I don’t think you fit our vision,’” Huff said.

“I’ve seen it in magazines. If there is a black girl, she is going to be light skinned. They’ve been trying to change it up, but not really.”

This form of discrimination has also been apparent in the beauty industry, specifically in the lack of representation of those with a darker-skin complexion. When looking at a drugstore makeup aisle, it is still common to see that there

12 The Lodge 12 The Lodge

are many fair shades with only two or three darker shades. In response to this, some companies, such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, have established a wide range of shades. Fenty Beauty has 40 shades.

Although senior Miaya Smith does not usually wear makeup, she thinks that Fenty Beauty is the beginning of progress within

intentions, have sought out ways to protect their children from having darker skin. Huff has had first-hand experience with her own family.

“When I was little, my mom would tell the teachers that I couldn’t go outside or that I was allergic to grass or the sun, so I wouldn’t tan. She did not want me to tan for the longest time

“

The light skin dark skin divide has become such a thing that is built into our lives. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s there.

”

the beauty industry.

“Anybody can use that specific brand of makeup,” Smith said. “I guess Fenty Beauty is a way of breaking that gap between those different darker complexions and those lighter-skin complexions, and bringing them all together.

So with makeup, that’s a big thing for everyone.”

Often times in school, young children with darker skin struggle to accept their complexions, and sometimes they are teased for simply being the way that they are, much like Turner.

Children with darker skin can also be impacted by colorism at home. Some families, with good

when I was little, and I didn’t understand,” Huff said. “I was little, and as I got older, I was like, ‘Wow, she didn’t want me to be darker.’”

Biraciality is another issue within the African-American community, as some believe that those who are biracial are more accepted by society because of their usually fair-skin complexion.

Junior Jaylen Spears, who is biracial, is often mistaken for Caucasian because his skin tone is fairer than most.

“I mean, personally, I will al-

ways identify myself as biracial even if don’t necessarily look it.

Home life is kind of interesting being between two households because one of them is just me and my mom, and my mom is white. And then I go to my dad, and my dad is black. I have seven younger siblings who are much darker than I am,” Spears said. “A lot of the time I feel like I have a harder time connecting with black people because of my color, and I feel like I have a much different friend group. That would have definitely changed my personality in a way if I would have grown up with more black people. Especially when I was younger, it was harder for me to connect. It’s not so much of an issue now, but I feel like it would have been a lot more important when I was younger.”

Spears sometimes feels like being biracial hinders him from different experiences within the African-American community.

“I feel like I miss out on a lot being biracial. Like a lot of people immediately assume that I am white, or even if they know, I feel like I would be treated differently if I was darker, and I’m not sure if that’s something I’m grateful for,” Spears said. “I feel like I wish I was darker. I’m fine with what I got, but it definitely means something to me because I feel like it is something I should experience.”

Social media also drives the debate between #TeamLightskin and #TeamDarkskin. According to senior Nicholys Taylor, people

“whYeonu can’t be mad a

t ra with cism i n r u

yo own co mm bet

un wee

ity nb lac or skin ra k and ce s. , It w jus you p hite peop le, t d refer li oes n’t a ghter dd up.

”

often attribute specific traits to the different skin complexions, which he believes causes more of a racial divide within the African-American community.

“I think of it as a race thing versus colorism. Between a lighter African-American or a darker African-American, I think we all go through the same issues,” Taylor said. “Social media tries to portray that certain skin tones have certain personality traits, or certain skin tones have different characteristics than other skin tones. But I think it’s more of a cultural thing or a racial thing more than to do with color.”

Huff agrees that the divide within the African-American community is no different from the one between the African-American community and other races, which is hypocritical.

“It’s ridiculous that people within [the African-American] race are discriminating against

others because they’re darker. It doesn’t make any sense at all,” Huff said. “You can’t be mad at racism between black and white people, when within your own community or race, you prefer lighter skins. It just doesn’t add up.”

Turner believes that the divide between the skin complexions is ingrained in society, and although one might not say that skin color is a factor in forming new relationships, it is.

“The light skin dark skin divide has become such a thing that is built into our lives. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s there. People make it obvious, but no one wants to say that there is a reason behind what they are doing,” Turner said. “I’ve had that experience before being with my light-skinned friend. If we see people in the mall, they’re

going to come up to her first, obviously for that exact reason, but no one will ever admit that that’s the reason.”

So when considering how colorism affects our culture, where does it end?

“I think my hope would be that people come to acknowledge the ways in which colorism is a reflection of real damage done to our psychology and our emotional and mental and self esteem, in terms of accepting this oppressive racial hierarchy that whiter is better and blacker is worse,” Dr. Kwoba said. “Once we acknowledge the damage that is done, then we can move into a discussion about repairing that damage and healing from the

wounds that that kind of damage has inflicted,” Dr. Kwoba said.

Huff has hope that we can get past this divide and learn that no skin color is more beautiful than another.

“I just hope people grow out of it. It doesn’t make sense,” Huff said. “If you are a lighter skin color, then you are lighter, and if you are a darker skin color, then you are darker. It shouldn’t matter.”

Design by Katelyn Grisham.

The Lodge 13

Real.

Fake.

Exploited.

Underdiagnosed.

Overmedicated.

Undertreated.

Controversial.

Nearly everyone has an opinion about ADHD, but few people truly understand it.

By Emma Bennett

14

I

“

thought it was early Alzheimer’s,” upper school history teacher Dr. Marianne Leung said.

“I could not remember.

People were saying ‘We talked about that yesterday’ and I had no memory of that. I wasn’t paying attention, so I never heard it. I had not forgotten. It is just my mind was not there.”

After going to the doctor, Dr. Leung was diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2011. Most people are diagnosed in elementary school, but Dr. Leung was not diagnosed until after graduating from college, obtaining her Ph.D. in history and teaching for over 30 years. Because she was diagnosed much later than normal, Dr. Leung did not realize that people without ADHD do not struggle with memory like she does, such as keeping track of their stuff or remembering small tasks they have to do.

“I have lived much of my life like that, but I thought it was normal,” Dr. Leung said.

As a child, Dr. Leung said that teachers noticed her extra energy, but no one connected it to ADHD. “Teachers were always asking me ‘why are you in such a hurry’ and I would always say ‘I was 5 weeks early in birth’ because I didn’t understand why,” Dr. Leung said.

Unlike Dr. Leung, junior Austin Wall was diagnosed with ADHD when he was a toddler.

“I was diagnosed early on, but I didn’t question it. I didn’t know what I had until I was about 9 years old,” Wall said.

Wall believes his early diagnosis was helpful because he was able to realize that he had to work harder to focus than others without ADHD.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity and impulsivity, according to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust.

“ADHD is an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that makes it difficult to not only control your impulses, but also makes it very difficult for you to concentrate and remember tasks on a more short-term,” pediatric resident Dr. Tina Abrams said.

Attention deficit disorder, or ADD, has the same symptoms as ADHD without the hyperactivity, or “H,” of ADHD. Many recognize inattentiveness and hyperactivity as symptoms of ADHD, and while those are some common signs, more difficult conditions can also occur with ADHD. According to the National Resource Center on ADHD, more than two-thirds of individuals with ADHD have at least one coexisting condition. There are more well-known conditions, like learning disorders, but then there is also a series of less known conditions, including Tourette’s syndrome, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder and substance abuse. These coexisting disorders can contribute to a higher number of students with ADHD getting into trouble.

Upper school learning specialist Dr. Brenda Monk believes that it is possible that ADHD can contribute to students getting

in trouble with the school more often.

A reason behind this is one of the main symptoms of ADHD: lack of impulse control. On top of that, kids with ADHD can also have conduct disorder, one of the many possible coexisting conditions. People diagnosed with conduct disorder are more likely to lie, steal, skip school and fight.

Recent studies conducted

like a 14 year old, and it is not acting as an 18 year old.”

That being said, not everyone who has ADHD always gets in trouble, and Dr. Leung believes it should not be used as an excuse, but seen as an explanation of behavior.

“ADHD is a combination of disorders. It affects a lot of different ways in learning, and it’s different for every child. There’s never going to be two students

“ADHD is a combination of disorders. It affects a lot of different ways in learning, and it’s different for every child.”

by Harvard University found that children with ADHD have under-developed frontal lobes, the part of the brain that controls impulse control and judgement, which can lead to poorer decision making.

“If you got an ADHD student, especially boys, and they go to college at 18 and they drink too much, or they party too much and they don’t go to class,” Dr. Monk said, “part of that is due to the fact that the frontal lobe is acting

that are going to be exactly alike with their needs and being identified as ADHD,” Dr. Monk said. “Some of the students that are identified as ADHD students are “A” students with accommodations. They’ve been valedictorian, salutatorian. They’ve gone on to be doctors and lawyers and all sorts of things.”

For most kids with ADHD, the condition just makes it harder to learn, a reason students with ADHD are provided with accommodations like extended time on exams and tests. Usually, the main symptoms of ADHD, inattentiveness and hyperactivity, can be controlled by taking prescribed medicine.

“I can’t really focus on a certain thing necessarily, especially in the

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classroom, but when I take my medicine, it’s completely different,” junior Sidney Marr said.

“I can listen more, and I tend to focus a lot more.”

Some of the most common prescription medicine for ADHD is Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse.

There are few differences between the drugs, all of which are stimulants used to help alleviate the symptoms of ADHD. For most kids with ADHD, medication is extremely helpful.

Without it, some students could be unable to succeed in school.

“I would rather procrastinate until the day I die because I hate, I hate doing homework when I’m off my medicine,” Marr said. “I can do work for hours when I’m on it, but when I’m off a bit, I don’t want to do it at all. It’s so hard for me to focus.”

Medications can pose challenges as well. Some of the side effects of Vyvanse, for instance, are difficulty eating, irritability and loss of personality. Other drugs have been known to cause difficulty sleeping and headaches.

Junior Sara Matheson used to take Vyvanse but her mom forced her to stop because of the toll it was taking on her health.

“My medicine, it’s appetite-suppressant, which means your body rejects food. I would have to force myself to eat because when you eat it makes you feel sick,” Matheson said.

“I dropped tremendous weight, and my doctor said this is very unhealthy and so I just finally came off medicine.”

16 The Lodge

Marr has experienced similar side effects.

“I take Vyvanse too, and it cuts my appetite and I don’t eat lunch sometimes,” Marr said, “but I’ll have to force myself to eat or else I’ll lose a lot of weight.”

On top of not wanting to eat, ADHD medication can also alter people’s personalities.

“I was usually going around, talking to the teacher, talking to my friends,” Matheson said, “and whenever I take my medicine, it’s like my personality is wiped off.

I don’t speak, I sit and I do my work and that’s all I do. ” Despite these negative side effects, Marr still believes taking medication is worth it.

“If I don’t take my medicine, I make very stupid mistakes on school work,” Marr said. “I think that the medicine benefits that because it helps me focus on little things that are also very important.”

While medicine is the normal course of treatment for children with ADHD in the U.S., some countries do not agree with the practice. In fact, some countries do not believe in ADHD. According to Psychology Today, less than 0.5 percent of children in France are diagnosed with ADHD, compared to America’s 11 percent of children ages 4-17 diagnosed. It is not that France has fewer children with ADHD, but it is seen as a medical condition that has psycho-social and situational causes instead of a biological-neurological disorder like in the U.S.

Instead of prescribing medicine, French doctors look for underlying causes in the child’s environment, such as fighting parents or bullying, that could cause the child stress. According to Psychology Today in France, ADHD is thought of as temporary acting-out in response to a stressful situation occurring in a child’s life, not a real disorder.

Marr, who spent half of her junior year in Romania, can testify to the lack of acknowledgement of ADHD there.

“It’s just so different. [St. George’s] knows that people have it. They know that people struggle with this, so they can address it immediately,” Marr said, “but in Europe, they don’t think it’s that big of a deal. They think that it wears off, that it’s just a childhood thing. They think you just grow out of it.”

in the UK are, according to the Guardian. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 7.5 percent of American children between ages 6 and 17 were medicated for “emotional or behavior difficulties” in 2011-2013.

Some worry that medication can be a dangerous, short-term solution, leaving children without the real skills to handle situations.

“Europe believes that kids are overmedicated here, and I think some of that is true,” Dr. Leung said. “If you want medication to help you with organizational skills and so on, you actually don’t know how to organize on your own because when you take it [the medicine] away, you still don’t have the skills.”

Research shows that the increasing prevalence of prescription drugs is causing a rise in

“You see the person that’s blind. It’s a visible disability, but these are invisible disabilities.”

While the study at Harvard University found that individuals with ADHD have parts of the brain that are five to ten percent smaller compared to kids without ADHD, people can have a harder time believing mental conditions exist since they cannot be seen physically.

“You see the person that’s blind. It’s a visible disability, but these are invisible disabilities,” Dr. Monk said. “I think because a lot of people cannot see the face of the disability, that they have a hard time identifying it as being real.”

In areas that do recognize the disease, medication is often the prescribed treatment.

Over six percent of American children diagnosed with ADHD are taking medication while only one percent of those diagnosed

abuse. National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that one in every 12 teens ages 12 to 17 suffered from a substance use disorder in 2014. While these statistics include alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drugs, they also include the use of unprescribed ADHD medication.

Some high school and college students illegally take ADHD medication believing that it will help them do better in school.

According to CNN, as many as 30 percent of students in college use stimulants non-medically.

Matheson’s older brother attended Mississippi State and saw other students abusing ADHD medicine while in college.

“My brother has friends that somehow got their hands on Vyvanse, and they said ‘It doesn’t work, it just kept me

up.’ So the people who do not have ADD or ADHD do not feel its side effects, except for the eating and the keeping you up,” Matheson said. “But otherwise, it doesn’t really help you, so the fact that you’re going to spend all your money on stuff like that, it doesn’t really help you.”

On top of it being illegal, taking ADHD medicine without a prescription can be extremely dangerous. Most ADHD medications are stimulants, which is why one of the side effects of taking it is staying awake. Stimulants work similarly to caffeine, raising levels of physiological or nervous activity in the body, including one’s heartbeat.

“Some people can have different reactions to the stimulant.

If you have an underlying heart problem, your heart could stop,” Dr. Abrams said. “You can pass out, you can throw up, you can feel terrible, you can have it almost feel like you’re having a panic attack if you take it and you don’t need it, so you can have pretty significant emotional reactions to it as well.”

Despite these side effects, CNN found that 81 percent of 1,800 college students interviewed thought taking ADHD medication without a prescription was “not dangerous at all” or “slightly dangerous.” Unknown to many, ADHD medications are classified as Schedule II substances, which the Drug Enforcement Administration defines as “drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.” Other Schedule II substances include cocaine and methamphetamine.

This status is why there are strict rules in place for who is eligible for ADHD medicine, how often they can get medication and from where they can receive it. Because of abusers, it is much harder for diagnosed people to pick up their prescribed

medicine. Dr. Leung knows firsthand the difficulties of picking up medication.

“If I request my medication to be filled, I cannot go two days early before my pills are out, not one day early, on the day, which makes it pretty tight sometimes,” Dr. Leung said. “If I have to travel, they make me feel like I’m a criminal or something to ask for five extra pills ahead of schedule.”

This stringency over picking up prescriptions can make people who take the medicine feel uncomfortable, especially when it can put patients at odds with their physicians.

“I went to the doctor one time and in front of everybody, the nurse was accusing me of using too many pills. She had counted wrong and I had not, so I said ‘How dare you talk to me like

disorder.

“Back twenty, thirty years ago, no one wanted to say that they might be different and that they might need accommodations, so it was a hidden disability,” Dr. Monk said. “I think as we have opened it up with the media and with just bombarding the world with all of the information that

that? I’m not an abuser,’” Dr. Leung said. “But apparently a lot of people are, so they are very strict.”

Despite the availability of medicine to treat ADHD and its acceptance in American society, there are still people who are afraid of being diagnosed.

Some people may realize they have ADHD, but choose not to get tested because they do not want to accept that they have a

we can about [ADHD], it has become less of a stigma.”

Dr. Monk has learned that ADHD does not limit a student’s ability to succeed. In fact, ADHD even can help students succeed in life; research shows that people with ADHD are more creative and artistic than people without it because kids with ADHD have a hard time shutting down their “imagination network,” leading them to constantly develop new

“It’s kind of a curse and a blessing. The brain is firing a hundred different ways at the exact same time.” ideas or thoughts.

“Once I sit down, the ideas just come to me real fast, and I’m not afraid to act on them,” Dr. Leung said.

Sometimes having such an active brain can cause problems.

“It’s kind of a curse and a blessing. The brain is firing a hundred different ways at the exact same time,” Matheson said. “So your mind is constantly thinking, but it’s kind of annoying because you can’t get your mind shut up.”

Dr. Monk believes kids who are diagnosed with ADHD should not think of it as a disorder, but a gift. When talking with students who are diagnosed with ADHD, Dr. Monk likes to tell them about Steve Jobs, a man with ADHD whose many ideas were able to change the world forever.

“It’s a positive part when I talk about being ADHD and gifted, because it is saying that you have such a strength in how you think and how you react that is beyond someone that maybe doesn’t have the disability,” Dr. Monk said. “That it is truly a gift.” *Full disclaimer: Sidney Marr is a member of The Lodge staff.

Illustrations by Alice Crenshaw.

Design by Katelyn Bowman.

The Lodge 17

Emma Pounders is a lifelong vegetarian and veggie burger enthusiast.

Emily O’Connell is a converted vegetarian and picky eater.

Babalu Tapas & Tacos

2

Huey’s

4

The Babalu black bean burger was a hit. With its unique Latin-inspired menu, Babalu Tacos & Tapas has been a Memphis favorite since its Overton Square opening in late 2013. This burger is served with a toothpick through the top on a simple white plate. The patty has a nice crunch on the outside. Instead of crisp lettuce, Babalu opts for a soft avocado topping, which balances the patty’s texture nicely. Our only gripes with this burger were that the patty was a bit too big for the bun, and the avocado was not spread out evenly across the patty. This left us with some avocado-laden middle bites and some sadder, drier outside ones. All in all, the Babalu burger is a strong contender, earning it spot number two.

Huey’s is a Memphis classic, and its comfortable atmosphere and distinct decor make both local and visiting customers alike feel at home. The Huey’s black bean burger is quite the monster. It is served in a wooden basket with a piece of checkered parchment paper, giving it that “all American” vibe. The patty itself could be a whole meal, but don’t let that dissuade you. The melted cheddar and mayonnaise complement the soft veggie patty well, and the tenderness balances nicely with the crunchiness of the lettuce, onions and pickles. Overall, this dish is pretty basic, fulfilling its claim of being a black bean burger. This is the choice that won’t leave you feeling hungry, and an order of Huey’s loaded cheese fries is sure to fill you up if the colossal burger isn’t enough.

18 the Lodge

1

Belly Acres

Since 2014, Belly Acres in Overton Square has marketed itself as a unique and “citified farm fresh” dining experience, and it definitely lives up to this description. This establishment offers two vegetarian burgers, and we opted for the lentil and onion. This burger is served open faced with spicy seasoned fries on the side.

The patty itself was delicious, and the melted cheese made it all the better. The lentil and avocado pairs well, and the sweet bun was the perfect topper. As for toppings, the onion and pickles added a nice kick. Overall, this was our favorite burger of the five we reviewed.

We were very impressed, and we’re sure you will be too. Try this burger with one of their smooth, homemade milkshakes.

3

Farm Burger

The Farm Burger veggie quinoa burger is fantastic. Ever since the opening of Crosstown Concourse in Midtown, Farm Burger has graced the Memphis area with both its deliciousness and ethical sourcing. This burger is served in a metal basket lined with a sheet of parchment paper. As strange as it may sound, the patty is a bit gooey on the inside, with a delightful crispness on the outside.

Considering it is composed mostly of quinoa, the patty is far from chunky. It’s smooth texture pairs well with the slice of gouda and sesame bun. Our one complaint would be that the patty is a bit too thick for its circumference, resulting in fatter, more challenging bites. To complete your meal, try a side of their signature garlic parmesan Farm Burger Fries.

The Trolley Stop Market

5

The Trolley Stop Market is a downtown staple, with its diverse menu ranging from pizza to vegan wraps, as well as their housemade shakes. The Trolley Stop’s “build your own” black bean garden burger is served on a metal plate with a side of hand cut fries and actually tastes pretty similar to the Babalu burger. It is heavily black bean based and is served on a sweet bun with the choice of regular and premium toppings. The patty is soft with a hint of spice, and both the beans and other veggies inside are easily identifiable.

Something we noticed about this patty was its chunkiness compared to the other contenders, which we didn’t love. Ultimately, due to the texture and simplicity, this was our least favorite of the five, but still a solid choice. Try this sandwich with a slice of one of their homemade cakes for dessert.

Illustrations by Emily O’Connell Design by Will Brown

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20 the Lodge

OPINION

People hold up signs at the March for Our Lives event on March 24, 2018 in Downtown Memphis. This march was organized as part of a nationwide, student movement to protest inaction on gun violence and safety within schools. Photograph by William Wilson.

Editorial:

We must join the conversation

M

ost people remember the three words they learned as children when taught how to react to a fire: stop, drop roll. Nearly as many know where to go when a tornado siren blares in their city: a hallway, bathroom or stairwell. When an earthquake alarm goes off, millions of students dive under desks and cover their necks. Although all of these disasters are unpreventable, can the same be said for other dangerous situations that could unfold within a school?

In February, the most recent school shooting struck the United States, leaving 17 individuals dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Flor.

This tragedy is only the most recent mass shooting. According to the Washington Post, since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, “at least 193 primary and secondary schools have expe-

rienced a shooting on campus during school hours,” affecting “nearly 200,000 students.”

These tragedies have caused a reevaluation of school security as individuals across the country demand solutions for this ever-growing issue. Politicians, administrators and school-shooting victims have brought many possible solutions to the forefront of the national conversation, including arming school teachers, enhancing security on school campuses and banning assault rifles.

While these events can seem far removed from our lives in Collierville, Tenn., we must ensure that this national discussion does not remain detached from our community. Since Parkland, three schools have been the targets of threats in the Memphis community, including Christian Brothers High School, Center Hill High School and DeSoto Central Middle School. Although the police

arrested those making threats against Center Hill, and the CBHS administration initiated safety procedures including the use of metal detectors to protect their students, these threats only prove the increasing prevalence of this issue in our community.

It is for this reason that we as students and as citizens must not be afraid to speak our minds and push for reform politically and within our school system.

Many are already joining the conversation. At the Memphis March For Our Lives event on March 24, senior Bryan Payne spoke to the march’s estimated 1,500 attendees about the violence that led to his brother’s death at Tennessee State University. During his speech, Payne vocalized his hope that reform would stop anyone else from experiencing the pain his family endured. Similarly, the victims of the Parkland shooting have been

speaking out. The same day as Payne’s speech, Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez took to the stage at the estimated 215,000 attendee march in Washington D.C. to remind those marching for who they are marching and the need for change.

In order to prevent the next school shooting, politicians and administrators must listen to the voices of the survivors of Parkland, Sandy Hook and Columbine about the need for action to protect students. Arguably more than anyone else, they have a right to be involved in this conversation, especially when a system they once trusted for protection failed them.

One more life is not acceptable.

One more life is not okay. Today, we have to draw a line – no matter what form that will take – because a parent’s morning goodbye should never be the last they get to say.

Staff editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board. The following count represents our editorial board’s stance on this editorial. As always, letters to the editor in response to the editorial are encouraged.

The Editorial Board: Carolyn Lane, Annie Murff, Annika Conlee, Lauren Purdy, Merryn Ruthling, Caroline Zummach, Emma Bennett, Katelyn Grisham, Kaitlyn Bowman and Will Brown

Agree: 10/10 Abstain: 0/10 Disagree: 0/10 The Lodge 21

OPINION

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was an executive order signed into law by President Barack Obama. DACA protected children of undocumented immigrants from being deported as long as certain criteria was met like one has to be under 16 when one came to the US, have a high school diploma or GED and have no felony or serious misdemeanor convictions. DACA remained in place until President Donald Trump rescinded the program citing it as an act of overreach by the executive branch. He told Congress they had until March 5 to come up with new legislation to replace DACA. However as the deadline passed at the beginning of this month, Congress still has not taken action, and instead, courts have ruled that renewals of DACA protection can continue. Nevertheless, some believe that America should provide...

Justice for all

D

By Hudson Beaudry

ACA is something that should be eliminated from our political system. It is a dangerous, irresponsible program that gives undocumented immigrants the status of pseudo-citizens, which benefits no one except the United States government and the companies who hire them.

DACA recipients have temporary resident status in the United States, yet they do not have the benefit of being true American citizens. They do, however, still have one of the guarantees all Americans are granted: paying taxes. Every year, according to the American Immigration Council, DACA recipients pay over 2 billion dollars in taxes.

Currently, since there is no pathway to citizenship, this tax money is essentially useless to the people who pay it. They

22 The Lodge

cannot withdraw from their Social Security, nor can they benefit from the Affordable Care Act. Their purpose in the country is simply to work, and as a result, American businesses can undercut and take advantage of these immigrants. While it can be argued that DACA recipients take lower skilled jobs, opening up more higher skilled jobs for citizens, the fact that businesses can take advantage of them due to their pseudo-legal status is unethical and unfair.

A solution to the DACA program needs to be found, but until we can put that solution into place, the issue of illegal immigration needs to be fixed.

Border security ought to be tightened and a wall should be built in order to prevent any illegal entries from occurring again, especially to the extent

that they have the past three decades. The DACA program benefits those who entered the United States illegally, and while they might themselves be paying taxes and contributing to society, a blanket pathway to citizenship would be highly inconsistent with our laws and would encourage further illegal entries. This should never happen again. If the laws of our country had simply been enforced correctly in the first place, this debate would not even be taking place.

Currently, there are 800,000 DACA recipients in the United States. To deport every single

one would not only be impossible but would be unjust to those positive “citizens� who pay taxes and try to live out the American dream. A possible pathway to citizenship should involve more extensive background checks, including their time spent in America, in order to fill our country with the most productive citizens, who love this country and want it to succeed.

The United States of America is a country of laws, and without upholding and enforcing these laws, it will fall apart. The borders must be made secure, and America must move forward from this and never allow our laws to be broken on such a massive scale ever again.

OPINION

A beacon of hope

I

By Connor Lambert

mmigration is the cornerstone of the American experience. Our entire country was built by immigrants, and our first seven presidents were born British subjects before they assumed the highest office in the land.

However, America is now faced with an immigration crisis. Dreamers, children who are protected under DACA, were brought into America by their parents as children with no say in the matter. Why should they be deported to a country they have not lived in since they were toddlers? Besides their nation of birth, they are Americans, attending the same schools, eating the same food and making the same friends as any other American, yet they constantly live in fear of deportation. A simple speeding ticket could result in their deportation.

This worry is one that Dreamers should not have to have, especially when they have spent most of their life in America.

The supposed controversy of DACA has been blown out of proportion in the media. A recent CBS News Poll indicates that 87 percent of Americans support the continuation of the DACA program. That support is for a good reason.

These children are not criminals, despite the stereotype some people associate with undocumented immigrants. DACA has a strict list of provisions for eligibility for the program, including that one must have been under 16 when they came to the U.S., have a

high school diploma or GED and have no felony or serious misdemeanor convictions.

While some worry about the constitutionality of DACA, given its creation through President Obama’s executive order, no court has ruled DACA unconstitutional. Further cementing its legality, Congress has given the executive branch, under Title 8 Chapter 21 Section 1103 of the U.S code, discretion over “administration and enforcement of immigration laws.” Since DACA falls under this clause, it is unquestionably legal.

While DACA provides some protection to its participants, more should be done to safeguard these immigrants’ futures. As it stands, there is no pathway towards citizenship for Dreamers, stranding them in a legal limbo. The next incarnation of DACA should provide amnesty for its recipients, granted that they maintain a good standing in the

community and are contributing members to society.

To keep these Dreamers in this immigration purgatory is not fair to them or the country since it prevents them from achieving their full potential.

Amnesty granting is not something foreign to immigration policy. In fact, it was Ronald Reagan who signed into law amnesty protection for 8 million undocumented immigrants in 1987. If the father of modern conservatism can understand the benefits of protecting these people, surely Congress can see the same future of the Dreamers.

Dreamers are supported by the majority of the country and their protection under DACA is completely legal. We as Americans have to set aside our fears and prejudices to welcome the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free and, as one nation, lift the lamp to our golden door.

OPINION POLICY: The Lodge opinion section is a venue for the free expression of the student views at St. George’s Independent School. The opinions represented in this section are those of the authors alone and do not necesarily reflect those of the Lodge staff or of the St. George’s community at large. The Lodge strives to be an open forum for the thoughtful and deliberate exchange of comment and criticism and therefore welcomes letters to the editor. Letters to the editor will be printed in the opinion section of the newspaper, should not exceed 300 words and must be signed and accompanied by a verifiable email address. These letters will not be printed if the content is judged obscene, violates the privacy of others or encourages physical disruption of school activities.

CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS: The Lodge strives for accuracy in all articles. However, mistakes are sometimes made. When this happens, you will see corrections here.

Issue 3, page 9: We misidentified Sarah McDonald as a freshman. McDonald is a sophomore.

Issue 3, page 18: We neglected to credit Emily O’Connell for her illustration for “Last Jedi or last straw.”

The Lodge 23