Issue 6

VOL . X L I IS S UE 6 APRIL 30, 2021

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com

One of the most difficult college application seasons in history brings admission inequity to light FOCUS, PAGE 6-7

HYBRID GETS HECTIC

THIS IS ACCOUNTABILITY

Back-to-school plans get complicated Derek Chauvin is convicted guilty for by the new hybrid system the murder of George Floyd OPINION PAGE 3

NEWS PAGE 4

CHEMOTHERAPY CARE Junior creates care package initiative to support cancer patients STUDENT LIFE PAGE 9

2 ATTEMPTING TO STAY AFLOAT Students address challenges regarding 2021’s AP testing TILLY SAFAVIAN Advanced Placement (AP) tests are cumulative exams that students take at the end of their AP courses, in which they receive a score of 1 to 5 based on how well they perform in comparison to their peers. This school year, students feel disadvantaged compared to students from previous years in terms of being ready for these exams. With students being offered the option to choose between in-person and online testing, the exam is more susceptible to unfair score disparities, as students at home may have more “resources” available to them during the online test. Furthermore, for many AP exams, the format has been modified to more complex and specific elements of the previous years’ tests. Most notably, wide-scale virtual learning throughout this school year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been incredibly difficult to navigate in terms of students’ ability to pay attention and retain the information taught, leaving them insecure in their ability to do well on the exams. According to Peninsula student store records, more AP students have chosen to opt out of their tests this year than ever before, despite the possibilities of receiving college credit and boosting their college applications through passing these AP exams. Given the unfair testing options, confusing format changes and overall lack of content retention, College Board must attempt to accommodate students through additional online study resources for each AP subject in the final weeks leading up to testing.

“Because of COVID-19, we have had more refunds for dropped exams than ever before,” Peninsula student store staff member Carolyn Lore said. “In the 2018-19 school year, there were only two refunds, whereas in the 202021 school year, there were 234 refunds. This is in part because College Board moved the payment date up to November from February, but is also because of COVID-19 and the virtual exam format.”

This drastic increase in AP refunds this year indicates how many students do not feel prepared for their tests. Retaining as much material during online schooling has proven to be difficult for students, and it also prevented many from properly reviewing content with classmates as they would have in a typical year. Seeing as approximately 1800 students are part of the Distance Learning Academy (DLA) program and only 900 students are a part of Peninsula’s in-person hybrid program, about 64 percent of students will not have the opportunity to participate in structured collaboration and review time that AP teachers typically allow while approaching exams— yet another disadvantage posed upon AP students in 2021.

“I dropped both of my AP exams because I felt like I would not have passed,” senior Tyler Guthrie said. “When I took the AP Psychology exam during my sophomore year, I had the chance to study with friends at the library and Starbucks after school every day, which helped me learn all the topics that I did not fully understand when we learned them in class. This year, we cannot do that because of the pandemic, so I could not get the help that I needed and just opted out.”

SAK Unlike many seniors who might not need to UR A SAS take their AP exams because of already AKI /T HE P EN

being committed to a college by May 1, underclassmen still feel pressured to perform well on their assessments in order to present impressive AP scores to college admission officers during the application process. Not only does a high AP score look attractive to colleges, but it also can count as college credit, which would allow some college students to graduate early. In fact, a high score in certain subjects is considered a prerequisite for admission to certain majors at various universities, according to the Consumer News and Business Channel. Since many colleges, in particular all of those within the University of California system, are no longer accepting Scholastic Aptitude Test or American College Test scores, the AP scores are now the only form of standardized testing that current underclassmen will be able to submit on their college applications. These new circumstances make a high score on AP exams all the more important for millions of student applicants across the globe, which has increased stress levels substantially in Peninsula students. Furthermore, students may also have a more difficult time obtaining these high scores when they are forced to self-study at home. Though College Board has provided various online resources for students to use, many are unable to utilize these online resources effectively considering busy home environments, difficult living conditions or lack of peer support, leaving them at a disadvantage when approaching the AP season.

“I do not feel very prepared for my AP exams this year because I was not able to retain the information as I normally would in an in-person classroom environment,” junior Riley Yang said. “The pressure of getting a good score also has taken a toll on my mental health, making it more difficult for me to learn or enjoy the material taught in class.”

Additionally, there is a lot of confusion among students regarding the logistics of taking their exams. In particular, there is an app that all AP students must download to their device beforehand, which adds yet another level of preparation and confusion to the process. Students also must keep track of exam format changes. For example, according to the College Board, this year’s AP Language and Composition exam essays will be graded based on a specific rubric, rather than a general holistic review as they had been graded by before. The AP Chemistry exam also changed to include more free-response questions and less multiple-choice questions. These dramatic shifts in exam formats forces both teachers and students to adapt to something they are unfamiliar with, leaving behind uncertainty in their tracks.

“It has been hard to keep track of all the different dates that my AP exams are on and which ones are online or in-person,” Yang said. “I wish there were some sort of continuity in the format of all the exams.”

There is not one easy solution to this problem. However, if College Board made the effort to take little steps toward a fairer testing situation, AP students at Peninsula would most certainly feel more prepared for their exams. These steps could include creating in-depth review and answer sheets for every unit in each subject, holding widespread video call review sessions and establishing some sort of website or media platform where AP students could collaborate with one another. There were various actions that College Board could have taken to help students succeed this year, yet they chose not to for the sake of themselves. For an organization that argues how “the road to college should come with directions,” it is ironic that they have failed to give students the map this year.

3 THE GLARING DANGERS OF IMPLICIT BIAS AND WHITE FRAGILITY EDITORIAL STAFF On April 20, the triumph in convicting George Floyd’s murderer Derek Chauvin was overshadowed by Ma’kiah Bryant’s death at the hands of Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon. Bryant was shot by Reardon four times after brandishing a knife in a physical altercation (New York Post). The public grew increasingly outraged when Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther further tweeted on Twitter that a “young woman” died in an officer-involved shooting, when Bryant was only 16 years old. Ginther’s statement is an example of a common phenomenon used in the media for people of color— adultification bias. A 2017 Georgetown University study proved that this bias leads to adults viewing children of color as “less innocent and more adult-like than their white peers.” The media and law enforcement often enable such partiality for criminals with fairer skin tones, so it is all the more imperative that an effective system is set up to address ambiguity and truthfully record violence against minorities as well as increase accountability for white privilege.

In a similar case, Adam Toledo was shot in a Chicago alley by a white police officer on March 29, despite putting his hands up to comply with the officer’s demands. Toledo was a child, yet certain news outlets described him as a “13-year-old man” (Independent).

Killing children is a taboo in almost any community, so an adult label serves to remove the innocence associated with a child and ease the blame on the perpetrator. Moreover, in both cases, the officers in question did not bother to confirm whether the children were true threats—instead, they acted on bias-fueled instincts to make a judgement that ultimately ended two innocent lives. Implicit bias association is not an individual occurrence; it is a mentality bred by the media, and it is built upon decades of overblown, colorist assumptions found in too many news outlets and authority figures.

In contrast, white criminals charged with similar crimes are treated as if no law was broken, as seen in the case of Kyle

Rittenhouse. On Aug. 25, 2020, the 17 year old shot and killed two people and injured one other after carrying an AR-15 gun to a protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kyle claimed to use self-defense against angered protestors, but he was ultimately charged with six criminal counts, including first-degree reckless homicide (The Wall Street Journal).

Despite his indisputable guilt, footage was captured at the protest of police officers offering water to men—one believed to be Rittenhouse—armed with militia-style artillery, and thanking them.

Moreover, in Fox News programming, Rittenhouse was described as a “little boy trying to help his community.” The disparity in treatment between white men like Rittenhouse and the brutal murders of Bryant and Toledo is absolutely unacceptable, proving how systematic racism pervades our justice system.

Since President Joseph Biden took office in January, the democratic congress has made moves to introduce new bills addressing nationwide police brutality, which is only the bare minimum amount of support that minority communities deserve. According to Time Magazine, the Justice Department reported that as many as 250,000 hate crimes are committed in the U.S. annually, but only 25 of those cases are prosecuted per year, on average. To instigate reforms at a national scale, bills must be passed through Congress with public support by contacting representatives and donating to grassroots activism.

As a publication, we hope to see the foundation of a national database for reporting these crimes and tips on officers behaving with bias. We also need to clearly establish the grounds of hate crimes, rather than leaving it up to interpretation and privy to manipulation from news outlets to decide whether a crime was racially motivated or not. With the progress being pushed forward by the Biden Administration’s criminal justice reform legislature, we can only hope that the details of minority victims’ deaths will not be manipulated and misconstrued by the media in order to further a political agenda.

PENINSULA’S NEW HYBRID SYSTEM SPARKS CONVERSATION MADDY CHRISTEN AND CLARA RECKHORN

partially open (The Washington Post). Furthermore, Peninsula also provided flexibility between each school model through their “Change of Program Request” form, where students could switch On Saturday, April 10, Peninsula’s principal Dr. Brent Kuykendall from the hybrid model to DLA or DLA to hybrid if needed. Moves sent a memorandum to all families and faculty notifying them that would be accommodated on a first-come-first-served basis if they recent lifts in coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions by the Centers were requested before April 26, giving families two weeks to come for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allowed all hybrid model to a final decision. This form was sent the same day Kuykendall students to return to campus on April 19 for four full days of the announced the new hybrid model. Although the change from all week. Other hybrid schedule modifications included decreased distance-learning to four days a week in-person may seem drastic, distance between desks from six feet to three feet, as well as Peninsula did do their best to accommodate everyone’s needs; as the implementation of Panther Time, a 20 minute break between advocated for by teachers, they pushed the new hybrid start date second and third period, and a lunch break. This was a large back a week from April 12 and gave families the ability to switch change from the previous hybrid model, which consisted of the programs if needed. students being split into two cohorts, each returning to campus “Initially, I was wary of being in the hybrid program with the for only two half-days per week. Though this news was exciting cohort system, so I decided to switch into DLA,” senior Cole to those who have been awaiting in-person schooling, others Bradley said. “When I heard that the hybrid model was going to believe this announcement was untimely, as it came just two be four days a week instead, I was glad to find out that I still could weeks before the determined start of school and caused much switch back into the hybrid program if I wanted.” confusion regarding scheduling. Nonetheless, Peninsula’s faculty Additionally, the timespan in which the district and Peninsula has exceeded expectations during this current changing climate to had to decide the hybrid model with the CDC’s updated COVID-19 ensure the satisfaction and safety of their students.

“I was disappointed about the hybrid cohort situation since most guidelines was limited. On April 5, the Department of Public Health released a revised version of the “Reopening Protocols of my friends were not in my cohort,” sophomore Roya Khaleeli from K-12 Schools,” just one week before Peninsula’s initial cohort said. “But since we are all in the new hybrid system, I get to see hybrid system would return to school. With such a short amount them every day. This new schedule is much less confusing than the of time, Kuykendall had to come to a decision with these new cohorts and a lot more enjoyable than I think the hybrid cohort guidelines quickly, thus transitioning to four days a week with full system would have been.” occupation of hybrid students. Peninsula students, parents and Some complain that this new hybrid model announcement was staff members need to be cognizant of our belated, allowing families and teachers little world’s current state and show sympathy and time to adjust to the new schedule. Problems compassion toward our administration. Though arise especially for students who cannot drive our Peninsula team could have handled the themselves to school, including the entire transition from all distance learning to the freshman class, most of the sophomore class new hybrid program differently, they have and some juniors and seniors. Adapting to demonstrated their utmost devotion to support the lifestyle changes of in-person instruction the Peninsula community with the work they will not be possible for all families, unfairly have done thus far. forcing students who were planning to choose “We all need to give a little and get a little the hybrid model to choose the DLA model grace from one another during this time,” instead and miss out on in-person instruction.

English 2 Honors, AP English Literature teacher However, with a high demand from parents and Link Crew director Rebecka Dibble said. to return back to school and only nine weeks “Peninsula is doing the best they can to get left in the school year to do so, Kuykendall kids on campus who want to be on campus wanted to start in-person schooling as quickly safely, and I am very supportive of that. I have as possible while still ensuring the safety of faith that what the school is doing is in the students. Already, nearly half of all schools in best interest of the students and faculty, and I the U.S. are open full-time, with states such HELEN HUANG / THE PEN know that we can get through this.” as California, Hawaii and New Mexico being

THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS IN CHIEF Fiona Andersons Fiona Yang MANAGING EDITOR Keila Bara HEADS OF DESIGN Helen Huang Maddie Yeh HEAD OF BUSINESS Lina Kugaya ADVISER Jaymee DeMeyer OPINION EDITOR: Maddy Christen WRITERS: Clara Reckhorn Tilly Safavian NEWS EDITOR: Caitlyn Lee WRITER: Jenna Long Nomi Tsogmagnai FOCUS EDITOR: Kaitlyn Ho WRITERS: Hannah Corr Riley McAlpine STUDENT LIFE EDITOR: Jeremy Kim WRITERS: Jacelyn Chen Jami Galdones Deborah Mok ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS EDITORS: Emma Mulligan WRITERS: Jillian Farley Imogene Tomicic GRAPHICS Shai Becker Hana Fujii Alicia Jeong Giulia Monti Sakura Sasaki Jihee Seo Lynn Takahashi Brian Wang ADS Leah Aoyagi Makayla Lui Victoria Rhodes

“The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced jounalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Head of Business Lina Kugaya at (424)404-0303.

The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication.

You may submit them digitally to thepennews@gmail.com in an email.

Copyright © 2021 COVER DESIGN BY MADDIE YEH

NOMI TSOGMAGNAI

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On May 25, 2020, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) was informed that George Floyd was using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a corner store (New York Times).

Four police officers, Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, arrived at the scene. When Floyd struggled and refused to go inside of a police car, Chauvin pinned Floyd down by placing his knee on Floyd’s neck. Despite visible attempts from Floyd to stop Chauvin, surveillance footage and videos from bystanders revealed that Chauvin did not move for nine minutes and 29 seconds. It was not until the medics arrived that Chauvin finally removed his knee (New York Times). Floyd was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead that night. As a result, all four officers involved in Floyd’s death were terminated from the MPD the next day.

Beginning March 29, Chauvin’s trial lasted until a verdict was reached on April 20. The trial revolved around two major points made by the prosecution and defense. The prosecution claimed that Chauvin took unnecessary precautions that caused Floyd’s death, in reference to the police officers outnumbering Floyd and pinning him down in a vulnerable position. However, the defense countered this claim by labeling methamphetamine, fentanyl and Floyd’s heart condition as the main causes of his death. In the end, the jury declared Chauvin guilty on all charges.

The verdict resembled most Americans’ views of the case—60 percent of the public sees Floyd’s death as murder instigated by police brutality and racism, according to a survey conducted by The Hill. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which has gained more recognition after Floyd’s death, correlated Floyd’s murder with racial prejudice toward the Black community. Columbia Broadcasting System reported that around 164 Black people were killed by police in the first eight months of 2020. Chauvin is the second white police officer to be convicted for murder in the history of Minnesota, despite the prolific number of cases that involve police brutality

POLICING THE POLICE: DEREK CHAUVIN’S TRIAL (Kare). Sophomore Taylor Cowling believes that police officers have to make difficult choices when it is necessary, but acknowledges that they must be held accountable for their wrongdoings.

“I feel that law enforcement is put on a higher pedestal,” Cowling said. “While I admit that law enforcement often [needs] to make tough decisions in the heat of the moment, that should not exempt them from criticism or conviction. I fear that many officers feel that just because they have a badge and weapon, they can do whatever they want.”

The prosecution consisted of attorneys Matthew Frank, Erin Eldridge, Jerry Blackwell and Steve Schleicher (Tampa Bay Times). Their points and evidence for their case lay in the videos captured by bystanders, as well as multiple witnesses that can attest to the use of excessive restraint; this includes Minneapolis police trainer Katie Blackwell and police chief Medaria Arradondo. After reviewing footage of the incident, both testified that Chauvin used excessive force to oppress Floyd when none was needed. Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Jody Stiger added that the dangers of positional asphyxiation have been taught in law enforcement for over 20 years, indicating that Chauvin was aware of the consequences, but chose to ignore them (Washington Post). During their closing statement, the prosecution revealed photos of Floyd’s injuries, which included various bruises and burns from moving against the asphalt. After summoning their last witness, the prosecution rested its case on April 13. Reflecting on the prosecution’s performance during the trial, Cowling hopes the guilty verdict of this case will serve to symbolize intolerance of police brutality.

“I think the prosecution is doing a very good job,” Cowling said. “[They are] humanizing Floyd to gain sympathy from the jurors, while also [bringing in] medical experts and other police officers to prove what Chauvin did was an unnecessary use of force. This case is bigger than itself. By convicting Chauvin, they would show that the deaths of Black people at the hands of police officers will no longer go without any sort of punishment.”

Challenging the prosecution’s arguments, defense attorney Eric Nelson, who represented Chauvin, claims that Chauvin’s chokehold was necessary as Floyd may have become violent due to drugs in his

system (Forbes). When asked to testify, Chauvin invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused. The trial later shifted to a forensic scientist, McKenzie Anderson, who testified that she found pills in Floyd’s car that contained methamphetamine and fentanyl (ABC News). Chauvin’s defense team attempted to prove that these drugs, combined with Floyd’s underlying heart disease, led to his death. However, this point was challenged by Floyd’s autopsy report that deemed homicide as the main cause of death. Dr. Martin Tobin, who was called in as an expert witness by the prosecution, testified that Floyd died from asphyxia. Junior Sasha Theder feels skeptical of the defense’s claims and believes that Chauvin’s actions killed Floyd.

“Despite what [the defense] claims in regard to his underlying health issues, [Floyd] would not have died if it were not for Chauvin [suffocating Floyd],” Theder said. “By showing that Floyd had drugs in his car, [the defense has] a way [to] put reasonable doubt in the jury’s minds. As long as Chauvin’s actions are found to be the direct cause of Floyd’s death, the drugs [should not] change the outcome of the trial.”

The defense called on seven total witnesses until it rested its case on April 15 (USA Today).

According to the New York Times, closing statements were made from both sides on April 19. After the statements were made, the jury took one day to come to a decision. On April 20, the jury declared Chauvin guilty for seconddegree unintentional felony murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter (ABC News). The court will decide the sentence for these charges in seven weeks. Senior Makua Nweke is satisfied that Chauvin will be held accountable and receive a sentence. “[If] his time matches the charges he was convicted with, then he deserved it,” Nweke said. “[A 40 year sentence] is better than him walking away scot-free, which would have been bad.”

ALICIA JEONG / THE PEN

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NEW BILL TARGETS TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY JENNA LONG As of April 6, Arkansas has become the first state in the U.S. to ban gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth with House Bill (HB) 1570, otherwise known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act (SAFE).

HB 1570 prohibits anyone under 18 years old from receiving any form of gender-affirming health care, which includes undergoing gender reassignment surgery, puberty blockers and hormone therapy. USA Today recently reported how the bill has garnered widespread criticism from medical professionals and establishments such as the American Medical Association and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Currently, the ASLU is gathering medical care advice and petitions that counteract the legislation.

Initially, SAFE was vetoed by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, but the Arkansas legislative branch quickly voted to override his veto with a majority of 72-25 votes in the Arkansas House of Representatives and 25-8 in the Arkansas Senate.

The Republican party has been vocal in their opposition toward Hutchinson’s decision to veto the bill, yet he continues to defend his choice, demonstrating a shift toward more acceptance of transgender youth.

Hutchinson has come out with numerous statements defending his choice in vetoing the HB 1570. He states that the bill would put a very vulnerable population in a more difficult position, and that the decision to transition should be a private conversation between patient and doctor rather than a decision dictated by the government. In contrast, fellow Republican Rep. Robin Lundstrum claims that this bill would serve to protect transgender youth from decisions that they would regret later in their lives. Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) adviser, Spanish 1, Spanish 2 and AVID 9 teacher Mariana Donahoe believes that antitransgender legislation such as SAFE will do the opposite of protecting transgender youth.

“There is a massive underrepresentation of the LGBTQ+ community in politics,” Donahoe said. “Until that is changed, anti-LGBTQ+

legislation will continue to be proposed and passed, and willful ignorance will continue in society. [HB 1570] is not what transgender youth need, [and] it is already [statistically] proven that [they] face [higher rates] of suicide and violence [compared to] their cisgender peers due to discrimination in society. This bill only perpetuates that problem.”

Although Hutchinson did make an effort to stop HB 1570 from getting passed, he has recently passed other Arkansas legislation targeting LGBTQ+ civil rights (Cable News Network). In the last two months, Hutchinson signed Senate Bill (SB) 89 that gives healthcare workers the power to refuse service to the LGBTQ+ community, as well as SB 354, which prevents transgender women from playing on any female school sports teams. While Hutchison contends his decision on vetoing the bill in the face of backlash from his own political party, the passing of SB 289 and 354 overshadow his recent efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Currently, 174 anti-LGBTQ+ bills are stalled in state legislatures where the respective governors have failed to provide sufficient reasoning for their approval (Human Resources Campaign). Although Hutchinson’s veto of SAFE showed progress in the acceptance of transgender people, his discrepant support for the community also demonstrates a lack of government understanding on what the LGBTQ+ community truly needs. As the National Broadcasting Company states, LGBTQ+ representation in government is under 1 percent, so it may be difficult for the government to fully understand how to best protect and support the LGBTQ+ community. Zaria Ackermann, one of the co-presidents of GSA, emphasizes the importance of providing the government an opportunity to justify their reasoning behind controversial legislation such as HB 1570.

“The contradiction [of the support for the LGBTQ+ community] that plays out in politics can be really harmful, but it is important that we understand where they are coming from,” Ackermann said. “Hutchinson vetoing the [HB 1570] was a noble thing to do and very unexpected, which shows that any group of people may actually surprise you and have better intentions than you would think.”

Arkansas is not the only state to have recently put anti-transgender legislation into motion.

American Broadcasting Company reports that

5 California legislation is currently stalling a proposed ban on surgeries for intersex children.

State Sen. Scott Weiner states that this bill restricts any individual under 12 years old from undergoing any form of sexual-reassignment surgery. Advocates of the bill claim this would give the child time to develop a gender identity before they undergo a life-altering surgery that they would later regret. However, a 2015 survey conducted by the U.S. National Center for Transgender Equality states that out of the 28,000 transgender people surveyed, only 8 percent detransitioned (reversed their transgender identification through medical, legal or social means). This indicates that the chances of a person regretting their decision of undergoing sexual reassignment surgery is rather rare. Supporting this conclusion, Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization for medical education research and expert care, released a study proving that infants start to recognize and associate with their gender identity around 18 to 24 months old. As the infant develops into an adolescent, their gender identity grows stronger as they gravitate toward certain clothes, toys and friendships that align with their respective gender. Often, children will not hide their true feelings of their gender identity and therefore clearly label themselves as either male or female, regardless of which gender they were born with.

GSA treasurer and junior Elena Fischer agrees with Ackermann that the government cannot pass helpful legislation for the LGBTQ+ community until they acknowledge and work towards understanding the LGBTQ+ community.

Fischer also hopes this trend of anti-transgender legislation will be discontinued to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

“The degree of separation that is currently underway [between the LGBTQ+ community and government] is too much for the [two] groups to see eye to eye,” Fischer said. “Setbacks [like HB 1570] still occur as people and governing bodies overpower [the voices of the LGBTQ+ community] with their respective ideals. Once safeguards are put in place to make these rights as inalienable as [that of] other Americans, life will be better for [the LGBTQ+ community] in both schools and society as a whole.”

JIHEE SEO / THE PEN

6 COLLEGE REJECTIONS HIT A RECORD HIGH RILEY MCALPINE This year, on average, students applied to 9 percent more colleges as of March 1 compared to last year, according to the Common Application.

This was because 72 percent of American universities made their applications “test-optional,” meaning that neither the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) nor the American College Test (ACT) scores were required; among these schools were New York University, Duke University and Vassar College. This, coupled with the overwhelming number of applicants, made the field more competitive.

Additionally, institutions such as University of California (UC) schools went “test-blind,” meaning that SAT and ACT scores were not accepted at all. According to Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), this testoptional system was a result of the cancelation of spring and summer testing days due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This made it difficult for most seniors to take exams in time for the fall admission cycle. As such, colleges took a closer look at student grade point averages (GPAs), extracurricular activities, recommendations and essays, according to The Washington Post.

Aptitude tests (SAT and ACT) have been criticized for favoring high-income families who can afford expensive preparation methods (The Calabasas Courier). As a result, SAT and ACT scores may not be the best to determine college admission. Now that schools have opted for either test-blind or test-optional policies, factors such as recommendation letters, demonstrated interest in learning and the pursuit of different educational fields are more important. They are also considered to be more effective in telling colleges about a student’s character, according to PrepScholar. While COVID-19 has made it more difficult for seniors to strengthen their applications due to limitations such as having lower grades as a result of online learning, admission committees have taken this past year’s hardships into account. The Los Angeles Times noted that UC admissions directors assessed how much students challenged themselves and took advantage of available opportunities under COVID-19 limitations.

Usually, high-profile schools such as Harvard University and Princeton University only accept applicants with SAT scores of 1400-1600, which typically discourages many seniors who did not receive these scores

from applying. However, this year’s test policies encouraged more students to apply to prestigious schools without being judged on test scores. According to Consumer News and Business Channel, Harvard University’s early action acceptance rate sank from 13.9 percent to 7.4 percent, as the number of applicants hit a record high. Senior Brian Hung correlates the lack of test scores to this year’s increased applications.

“The pandemic impacted how [students] performed, so [not having standardized tests is a reason for] the large number of applications,” Hung said. “[The removal is] beneficial to [most applicants].”

On the other hand, Inside Higher Ed reports that the shift to online learning has resulted in a 50 percent increase of failing grades, thus negatively impacting applications.

Studies conducted by Stanford University revealed that taking online courses instead of in-person reduces student success. With GPA remaining a major consideration in applications, many found it hard to be accepted due to the difficulty of retaining information from online courses.

Senior Teresa Luo is among those who agree that using GPA is more effective than using standardized test scores for reviewing applications. “[GPA is] more important as it is the main [statistic] to show [a senior’s academic abilities],” Luo said. “SAT and ACT scores can only be beneficial if other [requirements] are weaker.”

The significance of personal statements and supplemental essays was emphasized under this year’s test-optional and test-blind policies.

Application essays allow admissions committees to get to know applicants on more personal levels (The Washington Post). They are important in determining the character of a student outside of school. For example, in response to COVID-19, the Common Application has replaced one of its prompts with the following: “Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this

SHAI BECKER / THE PEN

gratitude affected or motivated you?” This introduces a new idea, as most Common Application prompts ask students do for others, not what others do for them. Additionally, some applications have introduced a smaller essay in which students may write how COVID-19 affected them.

Unless these individual circumstances are taken into account, admissions counselors may not be able to fairly judge applications. Peninsula guidance counselor Adam Wolven recommends that seniors take time on their essays, as they are increasingly important for college applications.

“My guess is that, for the next few years, the essay portion of the application [will be more important] in the application process since colleges are placing less [emphasis] on standardized test scores,” Wolven said. “[Seniors need] to find out about the specific criteria for different colleges [because] doing research is now more important than ever.”

While many did not get into their top schools, getting rejected from a college does not ultimately determine success or failure in future prospects.

According to HuffPost, a 2011 study by Alan Krueger of Princeton University and Stacy Dale of Mathematica Policy Research states that many students who were rejected by selective schools eventually raked in salaries that were almost identical to those earned by students from prestigious schools. Regardless of this college application season, a rejection or acceptance does not put a student on a definitive path to success or failure.

“Getting denied from a top college is hard, especially when someone has worked so hard for so long to be admitted—but it is definitely not the end of the world,” Wolven said.

“Sometimes, what feels like a detour in life either makes us stronger or ends up taking us to a better place in the long run.”

7 NETFLIX MOVIE EXPOSES COLLEGE SCANDAL HANNAH CORR In 2019, it was revealed that a number of students accepted into top-ranked colleges faked application information, such as SAT scores, used The Key, a college counseling company led by CEO William “Rick” Singer (Cable News Network). In light of this incident, a Netflix documentary entitled “Operation Varsity Blues” was released in March 2021, revealing the intricacies of how Singer faked information on the applications. The documentary included recorded phone calls between Singer and the parents of the students who hired him discussing the intimate details of the scandal. Among the clients of The Key, actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman used their wealth to pay Singer large sums of money, ranging from $200 thousand to $6.5 million, to enroll their children at elite colleges. After watching the documentary, viewers saw corruption throughout the college admission process and its favoritism toward the wealthy. Among the viewers is senior Kiana Rad who, after watching “Operation Varsity Blues,” realized how much wealth disparity can influence college admissions.

“The film exposes the casual cruelty and entitlement of wealth in America,” Rad said. “[Students hear that] if [they] work hard, [they will] reach [their] dreams. [This film shows] the exact opposite. Kids who had the work secretly done for them [were] admitted [to the prestigious universities], and kids who put in the work themselves [were] rejected.”

While filming the documentary, directors Chris Smith and Jon Karmen used a variety of filmmaking strategies to portray the scandal, including reenactments of interactions between

Singer and the parents. According to TIME magazine, Karmen found wiretap transcripts used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the institution that initially investigated the case. The FBI had promised Singer a lighter sentence in exchange for collecting evidence that proved that the offending parties were guilty. These transcripts were incorporated into the script for the documentary. Smith and Karmen wanted to expose the audience to the unseen parts of the scandal: how Singer ran his company, the parents’ reasoning behind hiring Singer and how the scandal was discovered. The film’s reenactments of the scandal were interesting to watchers like senior Jolie Witowski, who enjoyed the scene where Singer fabricated photos to put on college athletic recruitment applications.

“I liked the first five minutes [of the documentary],” Witowski said.

“It was intriguing [to see how Singer] [photoshopped] the kids’ faces onto professional water polo players’ [faces]. I knew then [that] I wanted to continue to watch [“Operation Varsity Blues”] because it was fascinating [to see the details of Singer’s operation and] how long [he] did it for.”

At the end of the documentary, the directors decided to include how the wealthy parents pleaded in court and how long their jail sentences were. According to the documentary, Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison because she used Singer’s services to paint her daughters, Olivia and Isabella Giannulli, as rowers to get them admitted to the University of Southern California (USC). Singer paid Dona Heinel, a member of the athletic admissions board, to convince the other members that the Loughlin daughters were a fit for the rowing team. This meant that both daughters were automatically admitted once they applied as college athletes. The other parents

who used Singer’s

services were also incarcerated for as short as two weeks to as long as nine months. Once they were convicted, the children were kicked out of the schools, which some felt was unfortunate, since most of the parents claimed to have kept their interactions with Singer a secret from their children. Peninsula guidance counselor Kelly Baranick felt disheartened by the actions these parents took in order to get their kids into their ideal schools and urges parents to allow their children to freely choose their own paths.

“It is sad that people go to these lengths,” Baranick said. “These are the lengths that [students and parents] will go to get into [name brand schools]. I wish we could just look at what [the student] really wants, and [ask if it] is worth [risking their] morals and ethics.”

“Operation Varsity Blues” exposed that college ranking and prestige in America is a façade to incentivize people to apply to competitive schools. Colleges profit off of application fees; although these fees are used to offset the cost of employed application readers, schools generate revenue by rejecting applicants. According to Ivy Coach, Ivy League universities such as Dartmouth College and Cornell University, receive about 30,000 applicants per year. These institutions make significant amounts of money off of applications, ranging from as low as $1.6 million (Dartmouth College) to as high as $3.7 million (Cornell University). Every year, schools purposely come out with even lower acceptance rates. More applicants are lured in, thinking they are applying to a better university.

Making more money, however, is not equated with better quality education. Colleges are businesses, and according to The Guardian, have shifted their focus from providing education to advertising the best college experience. After learning about this marketing system through the documentary, senior Lauren Donatoni has changed her outlook on the application process. She now prioritizes finding the right fit for her college experience rather than the ranking of the school.

“For a long time, I aimed for higher [-ranked] schools,” Donatoni said. “I thought that was where I had to go because it would show my academic success. I now [do not] think it is as important to go to a [prestigious] school. I can get a good education anywhere, and I [know] I will be [successful] wherever I go.”

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CAPTURING THE OCEAN’S CONTAMINATION DEBORAH MOK

BRIAN W A NG / T HE P EN

“Blue.” “Pretty.” “Awesome.” The documentary “We Can Be The Ocean,” by sophomore Drishana Thurairajah, opens with beach visitors giving one word descriptions of the ocean. Then, Thurairajah contrasts these pleasant, surface-level views by delving into its true state, revealing scenes of damaged marine ecosystems and heavy pollution. Through her documentary, Thurairajah hopes to raise awareness about the threat of human pollution to the environment. In April, she submitted “We Can Be The Ocean” to the High Tide Film Festival, a competition hosted by the Aquarium of the Pacific, where high school students in Southern California are invited to create a short film that relates to science and conservation.

While planning for the project, Thurairajah knew she wanted to focus on environmental issues right away. Ever since Thurairajah first learned about global warming in her eighth grade biology class, she has been passionate about raising awareness for the serious implications of human activity on the environment. Thurairajah was disturbed by human water contamination, so she came up with the idea to make a documentary that addresses it.

When her friend, sophomore Jennifer Espinoza, introduced her to the Aquarium of the Pacific’s film festival, Thurairajah saw it as an opportunity to raise publicity for the issue. “[Humans] take advantage of the ocean in so many ways and use it for personal use,” Thurairajah said. “Because of [these selfish actions], we made the ocean heavily polluted. So, in the film, I shot a lot of close ups to emphasize the ocean’s vulnerability, which makes people feel [empathy].”

Thurairajah has been invested in filmmaking since she was five years old.

She and her sibling would film skits where they enacted plots filled with princesses and mermaids as characters. Her attraction to it stemmed from excitement about the endless topics she could make films about, regardless of how mundane or unexciting an idea seemed at first glance. Although she was worried it would not be professional, she and her cousins produced and directed a short fantasy film entitled “Jungle Land” when she was 11. In 2017, Thurairajah decided to make more serious films focusing on societally significant topics, so she created “Apollo 13”, a documentary about the U.S.’s failed attempt to land on the moon in 1970, and “En Pointe”, which shares the ups and downs of a competitive ballet dancer’s life. Both of these documentaries were directed by Thurairajah and published on her YouTube account under the username Drishana Angeleena.

To produce her latest work, “We Can Be The Ocean,” Thurairajah recruited both Jennifer Espinoza and her twin sister, sophomore Jessica Espinoza. Jennifer Espinoza helped write the script with Thurairajah, and Jessica Espinoza was the camera operator and deadlines manager.

Thurairajah was the director and also oversaw the general production of the film. Reflecting back, Jessica Espinoza is grateful that she received the opportunity to work on this documentary with Thurairajah, as she gained valuable knowledge throughout the documentary’s shooting.

“Thurairajah is inspiring and so full of potential,” Jessica Espinoza said.

“She proudly shares her ideas with the world, and she taught me how to be as passionate [about my ideas] as she is with hers.”

Thurairajah’s documentary began shooting in late February and ended on March 29. For the first two weeks of production, the three focused on recruiting visitors at the beach to help them research specific dangers that humans have introduced to the ocean, such as pesticides and wastes. Next, after preparing the script and making shot lists--concepts of how the video is going to be shot--they spent two days interviewing people in Redondo Beach, El Segundo and Manhattan Beach to collect surveyed opinions on ocean pollution. The filming team also took b-rolls, or supplemental footage for the main shot, with the participants from the interviews. Finally, as the film was wrapping up and entering post-production, Thurairajah edited the film for a week to add the final touches.

Though Thurairajah had a solid and organized schedule for creating the documentary, the coronavirus pandemic restrictions created scheduling conflicts. Not being allowed to meet indoors made it difficult for Thurairajah and the Espinoza twins to discuss and prepare their scripts together. Despite the challenges, they were able to submit “We Can Be The Ocean” before the April 13 due date. Jennifer Espinoza believes that they were able to overcome the obstacles they encountered thanks to Thurairajah’s efforts and insight throughout the filmmaking process. “[Thurairajah] has dedication and perseverance [in filmmaking],” Jennifer Espinoza said. “For years she has studied and learned techniques about filming, such as transitions or layouts, and she helped guide us through the difficulties we faced.”

The trailer and full “We Can Be The Ocean” documentary are both now published for public viewing on her YouTube channel. In addition, if Thurairajah’s work is chosen as a finalist at the film festival, all three girls will attend a virtual award ceremony on June 2. If they place first, they will win $2,000 and be awarded the opportunity to have their documentary played for an audience at the aquarium. Regardless of the results of the competition, Thurairajah is proud of the effort she and her friends put into the documentary.

“After [finishing this film], I have seen the result and [have reflected on] it,” Thurairajah said. “I always find myself [amazed] at how far I have come, and I am really grateful that I was able to film [We Can Be The Ocean] with my best effort.”

9

JUNIOR CRAFTS CHEMOKITS FOR CANCER PATIENTS JAMI GALDONES

LYLNN TAKAHASHI / THE PEN

In an effort to create a more comfortable environment for cancer patients, junior Samantha Shao established her ChemoKits volunteer project in early February of this year. ChemoKits are compact, custom-made tote bags filled with items that most patients would normally bring to a chemotherapy treatment session, such as chapstick, fuzzy socks, blankets, snacks, water and more. Samantha Shao’s inspiration for the ChemoKits came from watching her mother, Tara Shao, go through chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer on Jan. 15, 2018. After witnessing her mother’s discomfort during treatment, Samantha Shao wanted to provide relief to other patients undergoing the same experience.

Samantha Shao began her project by digitally illustrating her own ChemoKits logo of a stick figure holding another stick figure’s back, with the caption “We’ve got your back.” The logo is placed on cotton tote bags that hold a variety of items meant to help cancer patients. Then, she asked her mother and her mother’s former nurse, Evelyn Calip, for suggestions on what to add to the kits. After ordering the customized tote bags, she started receiving items donated from her friends, family and members of the National Charity League, a volunteer group that helped launch and spread the word of Samantha Shao’s project. After collecting enough items to fill over 100 tote bags, Samantha Shao donated them to the Hunt Cancer Center at Torrance Memorial Medical Center (TMMC), which is the same facility that treated and cured Tara Shao of cancer.

“I am so thankful for the amount of support I have gotten,” Samantha Shao said. “I believe that receiving a ChemoKit will touch the hearts of the cancer patients at TMMC, much like [how] my mom’s heart was touched when she would receive happy little items from people throughout her treatment.”

During this entire process, Tara Shao has always been

right by her daughter’s side. She helped Samantha Shao get in contact with important people at TMMC and listened to her ideas during the brainstorming process. Going through chemotherapy and seeing her family in a state of fear was difficult for her, but she is now able to see her daughter grow and give back to others who are in the same position that she was in.

“I am so proud of [her] generosity and passion to make this project a success and everything she is doing to make that happen,” Tara Shao said. “I think this project has given us the ability to heal while also finding a purpose— to help make others going through treatment a bit more comfortable and to know they are not alone.”

Another person who has supported Samantha Shao throughout the project is sophomore Roya Khaleeli, who was the first person to donate items to Samantha Shao’s ChemoKits, such as tea and hot cocoa. When Samantha Shao told her about the project, Khaleeli immediately wanted to help.

“I knew this project was, and still is, so important and close to her heart, [so] donating to her cause was one way to show that I support her,” Khaleeli said. “Watching Sam create ChemoKits was [incredible] because I had been on the receiving end of some of her idea pitches, and I [got to see them be put together before my eyes].”

Samantha Shao is thankful for all the encouragement and support she has received for her project. Through this support, she was able to make about 100 ChemoKits, which is equivalent to helping 100 cancer patients.

Creating the ChemoKits has helped Samantha Shao realize the amount of people who have been truly impacted by cancer, and she hopes to keep spreading kindness to others around her.

“I have definitely gained a strong compassion for giving people a reason to smile,” Samantha Shao said. “If my project is a success, I hope to continue it and keep collecting items and making bags for TMMC, and maybe even broaden to other medical centers.”

10 GENDER EQUALITY STILL ON THE SIDELINE Women’s NCAA basketball teams highlight the need for inclusion in sports IMOGENE TOMICIC In a tight game, the women’s basketball teams from Stanford University and the University of Arizona competed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s championship on Sunday, April 4, ending with a score of 54-53. Having not won an NCAA women’s title since 1992, Stanford’s win made it a particularly momentous game.

However, the match garnered sparse media attention and was overshadowed by the NCAA men’s championship game, Baylor University vs. Gonzaga University.

In athletic environments, female athletes are often perceived as less competent, therefore they are shown less respect or even ignored by other athletes (Britannica). The bias was evident when the Baylor vs. Gonzaga game gained 17 million viewers while the Stanford vs. Arizona received 6 million views on the same day. Freshman and girls varsity basketball player Brindha Srivatsav expects that it will not be easy to overcome the sexist standards that are already established in professional sports. “[The stereotype that] women are not able to perform as well as male athletes because of physical and mental aspects is very untrue,” Srivatsav said. “It is disappointing [and discouraging] for female athletes to be underestimated—especially during such an impressive game like the Stanford vs. Arizona game. I wish there were equal expectations.”

Most women’s sports differ greatly in treatment compared to their male counterparts—this includes smaller budgets and limited accommodations. Even in regards

to basic issues such as transportation, hotels and quality of food, female athletes receive the diluted version of the luxuries male athletes are granted.

According to Inside Higher Ed Media, male athletes receive 42 percent of the NCAA’s athletic funding, while female athletes receive 21 percent, implying that a female athlete is monetarily worth about half of a male athlete to the NCAA. The NCAA’s perception of the worth of female athletes further manifests itself through the differences in athletic facility amenities for men and women.

After the NCAA renovated only their men’s tournament workout facilities in San Antonio during late March, female NCAA athletes protested against these issues on social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok. Through photos and videos posted online, athletes documented the disparity in treatment, with the women’s weight room consisting of only a dumbbell rack and yoga mats in the corner of another practice space. On the other hand, the men’s weight room was new, spacious and well-equipped.

Sedona Prince, a forward for the University of Oregon’s basketball team, was among the athletes that revealed how overlooked and undermined women’s sports are in the NCAA. After celebrities such as athlete Steph Curry, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and coach Kelly Graves supported Prince’s claims on Twitter, the NCAA issued a formal statement apologizing and offering to build a more official women’s weight room. Prince later thanked the NCAA for their response and told Good Morning America in an interview that female athletes put in a lot of work and deserve increased respect.

However, during Stanford and Arizona’s historic game, it was evident that the situation involving NCAA, specifically the lack of refurbishing in the women’s weight room, was just one of many sexist

HELEN HUANG / THE PEN

issues that female athletes continue to face.

“There were a lot of exciting games to watch in the NCAA this year, since there are so many talented female athletes who compete and [serve as] role models [for] younger generations,” girls basketball coach Natalie Kelly said. “By advocating for equality in women’s sports and for female athletes, people can bring attention to these important issues. Hopefully, people’s [advocacy] can help bring more equal opportunities for female athletes.”

The prevalence of sexism in professional sports is not a problem that female athletes alone can resolve—support from other sporting community members, such as fans and other athletes, is significant in truly reaching gender equality in this field. Junior and girls varsity basketball player Eliana Hall hopes that female student athletes will receive more support from their communities, especially regarding gender-based issues.

“We are at a turning point in the age of women’s sports, especially with amazing athletes like Aarion McDonald from Arizona proving [that women’s sports] are just as fun to watch,” Hall said. “The Stanford and Arizona teams [earned] fan bases [due to] the quality of those teams’ performance as female athletes, which is being [increasingly] publicized through issues such as the [NCAA] weight room incident. Last year, The Zoo and the boys basketball team supported the girls basketball team in crowds, [which made us] feel respected. From my experiences as a female student athlete, I understand that it is important for athletes and fans to support each other.”

11

HELEN HUANG / THE PEN

L L E H G N I S RAI Lil Nas X’s sneaker collaboration with MSCHF results in lawsuit

JILLIAN FARLEY AND EMMA MULLIGAN The “Satan Shoes’’ are known as a controversial shoe wear collaboration between the Mischief Product Studio (MSCHF) and rapper Montero Lamar Hills, also known as Lil Nas X. These sneakers first went on sale on March 28 in support of Lil Nas X’s new single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).”

Since then, the product has received intense backlash for the use of religious references to attribute to the seemingly inappropriate design. This product ultimately led to a lawsuit from Nike for trademark infringement and the damage their brand’s reputation suffered with this viral product. This resulted in the entire “Satan Shoes” campaign being shut down.

The release of Lil Nas X’s single received immense support from Generation Z (Gen Z) because of the reaction of Lil Nas X embracing his identity through an overall rebellion against religious standards. The song had quickly become relevant across multiple social media platforms, eventually reaching 168 million views on the music video alone. In contrast to the artist’s past viral hits that broke records including “Old Town Road” and “Rodeo,” “Call Me By Your Name” was shockingly a sentimental song for Lil Nas X to release due to the vulnerability of his sexuality being displayed to the public. What especially elevated the song and its music video to the top charts was its provocative features. By sexualizing heavy Satanic influences and focusing on a general theme of hell in the music video, the artist contradicts conservative Christian beliefs asociated with hypermasculinity and homophobia. Lil Nas X boldly challenges conventional Christian norms to reflect his acceptance of his sexuality within the culturally and historically relevant settings of his music video. This was a deliberate choice, as Lil Nas X hoped to advocate for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ members into current culture through an act of rebellion. To further fuel the uproar from this concept, Lil Nas X agreed to collaborate with MSCHF in selling 666, the devil’s number, limited-edition pairs of the “Satan Shoes,” ultimately boosting immense traction for the campaign of the shoe. This custom collaboration was an outlet for MSCHF in their own approach to contribute to the aesthetic Lil Nas X carries through his music.

The infamous “Satan Shoes” are sneakers from the Nike Air Max 97 model and are designed with a gold pendulum in the center of the shoe.

Despite it being sold out within the first minute of its release, the shoe’s design has led to various repercussions. “Satan Shoes” are advertised to contain a drop of human blood in the sole of the shoe, which has caused many to voice their disapproval on the production of this sneaker. Moreover, the biblical references incorporated into the shoe’s design along with its demonic themes inspired by the Lil Nas X music video were deemed offensive by many, such as the pendulum shaped as a pentagon and the inclusion of an inverted cross.

Most notably, the print of the iconic Nike

logo falsely insinuated a connection between Nike and the “Satan Shoes,” consequently confusing customers and the general public alike. As a result, Lil Nas X and MSCHF’s brand took a hit to their reputation, followed by a lawsuit from Nike. “[My first impression] on these shoes was that they were crazy,” junior Matt Yang said. “I originally was not surprised to [know that] MSCHF was behind these, knowing their [approach with] controversial works in the past. The drop of human blood in the shoe is [the most] disturbing factor of the design in my opinion.

Considering [this topic] is sensitive to conversations in general, it can easily be assumed that Nike [does not] want to have that kind of [satanic] image around their company.”

Many were surprised that MSCHF was the primary target of Nike’s lawsuits, while Lil Nas X suffered little to no legal consequences.

Though some feel Lil Nas X should also be charged, others disagree, arguing that the artist was only the face of the product, with MSCHF pulling the strings.

“Lil Nas X should not be [the one who is] held responsible for these damages, [since] he was not directly involved in the production of the shoes,” junior Candice Baik said. “The shoe company has the responsibility to ensure that their products and the designs it follows through with do not incur damages, therefore MSCHF [is the one] to blame here.”

Immediately after the lawsuit, MSCHF published a statement on their website and app claiming that the “Satan Shoes’’ were a product intended to solely provoke a conversation to observe and speculate on.

MSCHF strongly believes in the freedom of expression and taking pride in pushing the boundaries of fashion, as displayed through their past collaborations like Drake’s “Jesus shoes,” and their current projects.

Furthermore, Lil Nas X has voiced justification for his actions through his social media platforms and openly acknowledged the legal action in a comedic way, addressing his song being banned on streaming services as well. However, his statement had little to no effect in calming the heat that this product provoked. Sophomore Ethan Lee, who has experience in collecting and reselling highend shoes like Nikes, recognizes the “Satan Shoes’” commotion, believing it is just another selfpromoting product.

“MSCHF’s statement is an attempt to clear the air about this scandal,” Lee said. “The collaboration being with a known artist like [Lil Nas X] does not reverse the damage it has caused. Nike has the right to complain and a majority of [the shoe vendors] do not want to go near those shoes. With MSCHF [being] known for their viral projects, the [pairs of sneakers] are continuing to [resell] for outrageous numbers, almost tripling the retail value of [$1018]. The lasting impression the “Satan Shoes” has caused, considering the legal involvement and controversial opinions on the theme, is ultimately impressive to see.”