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WORTH THE WEIGHT
Sophomore a sailing sensation with U.S. team.
Taking to the streets isn't the only way student activists are making their voices heard. Pg. 12
Female weightlifters fight macho stereotype in their sport.
Pg. 8
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BEAR
WITNESS BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL
OCTOBER 2021
@bhsbearwitness BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
CALIFORNIA VACCINE MANDATE
SALARY DISPUTE
$5,o00
Teachers saw $5,000 less in their paycheck compared to last year due to a one-time bonus. They call it a pay cut. The district disputes the term.
Strict COVID-19 rules have helped California keep infection rates among the lowest in the country. The new vaccine mandate can help it stay that way.
A war of words over teacher pay
Teachers union, district at impasse in salary talks SAISAHASRA MAKEMCHENNA Staff Writer
I
number of staff in district who are vaccinated. The rest must undergo twice-weekly COVID-19 testing.
8.2
percentage of Santa Clara residents 12 and older who have completed their vaccination.
Santa Clara County daily COVID-19 cases out of 100,000 people as of Oct. 10.
Caitlyn Schlaman/Special to the Bear Witness
95% 84%
n recent weeks, teachers in the district have started a public campaign to bring awareness to their stalled contract negotiations with the district. They have placed posters inside their cars reading, “Ask me about my CUHSD teacher pay cut.” They’ve also worn pins with the same message. They’ve been wearing red on Thursdays, and INSIDE last week, began pickStudents attend eting outside the school board meeting board meetings. If state-mediated talks, in support of which started Wednedteachers in say, don’t settle the salary dispute impasse, teachers may adopt a “work-to-rule,” page 5. measure, which means they only work for the hours they teach. The pay cut they are referring to was a onetime bonus of $5,000 that was spread over the 2020-2021 school year. The extra $400-$500 a month went away this year until a contract is negotiated. The district disputes the union’s claims that it’s a pay cut, saying that they were part of a contract CHSTA had the district had agreed upon two years ago. “That’s not a pay cut; a pay cut is when your salary is reduced, which we don't do on our SEE SALARY • PAGE 5
DEVIOUS LICKS TREND
Bathroom vandalism costs soar
School pays thousands to fix, clean up damage TAE YUN ERICA KANG
REESE GARDNER
C
Staff Writer
alifornia has become the first state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for eligible students to remain in in-person learning. With the requirements, the state aims to stay ahead of the infection curve. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Oct. 1 that public schools in the state would have to require the vaccine for students to return to in-person learning comes after an increasing number of school districts, including those in the Bay Area such as Piedmont, Hayward and Oakland have announced their requirements for student and staff vaccinations. It adds to a list of vaccinations that students must also obtain to attend school. “The state already requires that students are vacci-
INSIDE
Campus briefs.................................2 News.............................................. 2
nated against viruses that cause measles, mumps and rubella,” Newsom said. “There’s no reason why we wouldn’t do the same for COVID-19.” For grades 7-12 in both public and private schools, the vaccine is to be mandated by Jan.1, but schools are encouraged to mandate it earlier for students to return to school. “Vaccines work,” Newsom said. “It’s why California leads the country in preventing school closures and has the lowest case rates.” Newsom’s measure sees popular support among students and the community. An Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found nearly 60% of adults support requiring adults and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. SEE MANDATE • PAGE 7
Editorial..........................................4 Bulletin Board.................................3
Inside
State-by-state comparison of infection rates and vaccination rates. Opinion We can't go back to distance learning. Page 4
Managing Editor
A
s new custodian Tyler Miller steps into the bathroom, he is greeted with the unwelcoming scene of the pink soap emptied onto the floors, wet paper towels plastered on the walls, and a concoction of absurd items clogging the toilet. With students back on campus and the Devious Licks TikTok trend encouraging students to vandalize school property, finding the culprit behind damage both in and out of the bathrooms has become a demanding job for Branham staff. “There’s no thrill in it. It’s just making a mess, it’s just making my life hard,” said Miller. “What did I do to them?” Coming to work as a custodian at Branham, Miller was not expecting to see such damage done to school property. The emptied and SEE VANDALISM • PAGE 2
Science and Health.........................6 Climate Watch.................................6
InDepth...........................................7 Student Life....................................8
MiniReviews.................................11 Sports.............................................9
Arts & Entertainment...................11 The Back Page...............................12
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BEAR WITNESS
| OCTOBER 2021 |
NEWS
BHSBEARWITNESS.COM “We can't control mother nature, but we can control our own behavior.” — Liann Walborsky, San Jose Water communications director
CALIFORNIA DROUGHT
QUICK HITS | News highlights
Courtesy of Hannah McCarthy Sophomore's winning poster debuts on recycling trucks Americans recycle about 32% of all recyclable items, according to the Environment Protection Agency. Maybe with sophomore Hannah McCarthy’s help, that number may go up. The sophomore’s winning poster on proper recycling can now be seen on recycling trucks throughout the city. She won in the high school division of the San Jose Environmental Services’ poster contest last year. The aim was to promote and educate people about recycling. In addition to receiving first place, McCarthy’s poster was displayed on the side of one of GreenTeam of San Jose’s garbage trucks. Her enlarged artwork was unveiled on Oct. 7. — Angela Choi
Makayla Wu/Bear Witness Groundskeeper Antonio Arroyo installs a drip-feed system in Dent Grove early September as part of the school's effort to conserve water. The system uses about two- to- three gallons of water an hour. The district says it has also watered fields less often.
Dry fields, less power washing part of district's drought plans MAKAYLA WU Staff Writer
ith California suffering its worst W drought in nearly half a century, water conservation has become more necessary. District officials say that they are doing their part, from changing their power washing protocols, to shortening time to water the fields. From July 2020 to June 2020, San Jose collected a total of 5.33 inches, only 40% of the normal 13.48 inches. Residents are being asked to conserve water by 15%, but as of July, the San Jose Water company said that they’ve cut back by 6%. Erik Wasinger, who is in charge of facilities for the district, has made sure schools water the sports fields less, to power wash schools less frequently, and update cleaning protocols to conserve water. “We try to think methodically through construction and maintenance,” said Wasinger, “to make sure that we're water conscious and make sure we don't waste anything.” For example he discouraged contractors working on the pool at Branham over the summer to avoid draining it completely, as they originally intended. “There’s no way I’m wasting 70,000 gallons of water,” he said.
Other changes include how long sinks stay for hand washing, and make sure urinals use less than a gallon per flush, instead of two or three, he said. CUHSD schools have low flush urinals and toilets, to make sure that they use less than a gallon per flush versus past years that used two or three gallons per flush. Additionally, Branham has installed drip irrigation, which uses two- to-three gallons per hour, instead of sprinklers that spray both plants and dirt. Wasinger credited school janitors and the community for being supportive of the district’s water conservation measures. Less frequent power washing saves some water, but exposes gum, spills and footprints on the concrete. In the community water conservation measures are also in place to ensure that residents are conserving water. Sophomore Tina Sinaki, whose dad works as the Santa Clara Valley Water District, it’s the small behaviors that her family’s changed little things. They have also installed an Amphiro B1, a smart device that measures water consumption during showers. They’ve been taking shorter showers and limiting faucet use when brushing their teeth and doing chores.
“We've been taking shorter showers,” said Sinaki, “Conserving water by not turning the faucet on for too long.” With Santa Clara County officially in an exceptional drought, resident customers in the San Jose Water service area, which includes San Jose, Los Gatos and Campbell, are being asked down their water use by 15%. Limits on watering lawns and washing cars are in place. If the 15% goal is not reached, there is a possibility of a drought surcharge program which San Jose waters is currently developing. San Jose Water communications director Liann Walborsky, stressed the importance of conservation year-round. “As a resident of California, you should always be concerned about water,” Walborsky said. “It's always important to realize that conservation is critical, whether we're in a good year or a bad year.” Though higher-than-average rain is expected this month, bringing some relief to the state, Walborsky said that climate change means that California’s drought might persist. We shouldn’t let our guard down, she said. “We can't control mother nature,” she said, “but we can control our own behavior.”
Teachers honor colleague on anniversary of his death Staff members paid their respects and shared memories of the late freshman English teacher Dietrich Lei during lunch near his memorial bench outside room 29, his former classroom. The beloved teacher passed away Oct. 7, 2020 at 47. To acknowledge the date, his widow Nadezhda Lei visited the school during lunch and laid flowers on his memorial bench, which was created last year as part of a Winter Wishes Dietrich Lei Taught at request from his English teacher colleagues. Known by teachers simply as “D,” Lei was remembered by Branham for 20 years. Branham staff for being a vital part of the community, his kindness and trademark sarcasm. He was one of the original teachers when Branham reopened in 1999 and was a strong advocate in the teachers union. — Nolan Zils Five students named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists Seniors Oleksandr Gorpynich, Adi Arora, Julie Kim, Tyler Groesbeck and Ashish Jayamohan were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, an annual contest that recognizes student achievement, especially on the PSAT that they took as juniors. They are among 50,000 semifinalists nationwide and if they win, will be among 8,000 finalists to do so. Groesbeck hopes that the recognition will help him apply for college and may help him “reduce student loan debt after I graduate." — Rei Kanda Girls feel left out after capture flag event fields mostly male athletes Homecoming switched things up this year with the goal of making its activities, especially its field games, more gender-inclusive. Capture the flag replaced the all-girls powderpuff game, and male cheer made room for the cheer section. The outcome played out differently and left the girls on the sidelines, according to several ASB students and female participants who wished to remain anonymous. With 15 students on each capture the flag team, more students were able to participate. However, JV and varsity football players saw the bulk of the gameplay. “I believe the idea looked good on paper, but the result is not what I believe they were going for,” said a female junior who participated in capture the flag who asked to remain anonymous. “The whole point of powderpuff was to promote girls equality in sports.” — Ziv Galpaz Hundreds rally in Downtown San Jose in support of abortion rights Hundreds marched in downtown San Jose on Oct. 3 in support of abortion rights following the passage of more restrictive laws in Texas, Mississippi and 11 other states.The rally was part of a coordinated movement involving more than 650 demonstrations nationwide. The protesters denounced the new Texas law that lets anyone file a lawsuit against those involved in any part of aiding or abetting an abortion as soon as six weeks. “We are here to stand in unity with the women in Texas, Mississippi, and all the women in states passing these horrific laws,” said Michele Dauber, a Stanford law professor. — Angela Choi
VANDALISM | Work or pay off damage, principal tells vandals From PAGE 1 ripped off soap dispensers take Miller an hour and a half to clean up, and his golf cart was damaged by a student stealing it and doing a couple laps before crashing it. Bathrooms fixes have cost more than $1,500 in damage, but this has not been the first year to see such destruction. “Two years ago, we had a few incidents where students would take the soap out of the soap dispensers and the boys bathroom and squirt it all over the place,” said principal Cheryl Lawton. “That's what was happening this year, too.”
Because the incidents this year have been so similar to the ones from previous years, Lawton believes that it is possible for the same students to be making the same mess, years apart. And catching these culprits has been a time consuming job for the staff. “We have cameras all over and it's just a matter of time before we catch the people,” said Lawton. “If we catch them, they're not just paying for what they damage, they're paying for everybody's time trying to track it down and to replace it.” The staff have been alert about closing bathrooms at specific times to see
Editors-in-Chief | Jazzy Nguyen and Nolan Zils Editors Art director: Audrey Nguyen News Editor: Jazzy Nguyen Opinion Editor: Abbey Rhodes Arts and Entertainment Editor: Nolan Zils Science and Health Editor: Jiyoon Choi Student Life Editor: Tae Yun Erica Kang Sports Editor: Alan Schaeffer Engagement Editor: Ziv Galpaz
when they would get vandalized, have kept an eye out for students who go to the bathrooms in the time frame that the vandalism takes place. Then, after hours, admin sit around the monitors and examine the rough images of the students who were caught on the security cameras. This process can take up to six hours in some cases. However, this hasn’t even been the worst outcome of the vandalism incidents. “For me, the most frustrating part is, it costs us money to fix things if people break it,” said Lawton. For administrators, at least one student was nearly caught in the act.
Lawton said the student seen on video leaving and entering the bathrooms in the S and J bathrooms on the mornings of Sept. 17 and Sept. 20. “He kept telling me it wasn’t him, and I showed him the video,” she said, matching the colored backpack and clothing to the student. Since the student is employed, Lawton said the family chose to have him pay for the damages. In a separate incident, a different student is performing custodial work to pay off more than $2,000 in damages after he drove a custodian’s golf cart around the quad and crashed into
Staff writers Juliette Bonacum, Angela Choi, Dominic Clima, Amanda Day, Sara Dediu, Izel Garcia, Reese Gardner, Santiago Hernandez, Maceo Inoue, Rei Kanda, Gyuri Kim, SaiSahasra Makamchenna, Rose McClure, Tyrone Rothman, Ava Stark, Vivian Trinh, Mila Windell, Makayla Wu, Emma Zhang. Guest artists Stella Wong and Caitlyn Schlaman Adviser: Fitzgerald Vo
a bench. The school sets aside $226,000 a year for all non-salaried expenses, and costs to repair damages are taken from that total. “That's a field trip somebody can't take, a set of materials for a class that the students can’t have,” Lawton said. Miller is unimpressed with the recent TikTok trend, and asks for students to come to their senses. “Why are they doing it and what do they achieve?” he asked. “It's just making my life hard — for what? I want to pick his brain and understand why."
Writing coach: Chandler Roberts Mission Statement The Bear Witness is committed to providing accurate, timely coverage of local and world news while connecting these events to the lives of our diverse student body. Website: www.bhsbearwitness.com Phone: (408) 626-3407 Email: bhsbearwitness@gmail.com Address: 1570 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA 95118
| OCTOBER 2021 |
BEAR WITNESS
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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
OPINION
The large majority of students did not do well online. BULLETIN BOARD
Accessing the code
QR codes that share links to Wellness Center and other resources are ubiquitous on campus, with the goal of making them easily accessible for students who need them. We asked students their thoughts about their use.
Amanda Andrews Sophomore
Maya Calvert Junior
Bill Tran Sophomore
Ava Kim Senior
With certain people, it can persuade them. Kids who really need those QR codes are not likely to use them because they are shy or embarrassed. The kids that are using them probably are not the ones that really need it. “They are a good source for students to have. I do not believe that students are comfortable sharing that type of information with the school. School life and personal life are separate. Students admitting they need professional help is really hard, and I commend people for using them.” “I am 50/50 on whether I think they are working. I think that some people actually are using them, but I have not heard of anyone benefiting from them. The wifi signal at the school would make them difficult to fill out.
“Students are not comfortable using them since it’s going to the school and they also think it won’t be helpful. I don’t understand what schools are able to do for students struggling with mental health and I feel like they are ineffective.”
MASKS, VACCINES AND SOCIAL DISTANCING HAVE BEEN CORNERSTONES IN HELPING THE STATE TURN THE TIDE ON COVID-19 INFECTION RATES
These small sacrifices will help us keep our schools open.
We can’t go back to distance learning ABBEY RHODES Opinion Editor
eaching and learning at Branham T look far different than it did two years ago. Set in place are rules and regu-
lations that students are required to follow in order to keep the school and community safe from COVID-19. However, with the Delta variant on the rise, there has been growing conversation about whether or not in-person school will be able to remain in session. Masks are mandated indoors and are strongly encouraged outdoors, and COVID testing is offered on school grounds, being greatly recommended to those that remain unvaccinated (though vaccination is preferred). Students are required to report positive COVID-19 cases and quarantine until a negative test is obtained. Since mandated safety measures are clear and prominent and universal vaccinations soon to come, Branham should not be sacrificing in-person learning for another shutdown. Virtual education created many difficulties for students, who had never learned this way before. Near the start of distance learning, a University of Colorado Boulder survey showed that 58.2% of these students strongly agree that distance learning neg-
atively impacted their learning experience while another 38.2% simply agreed. The district offers a virtual academy, and while very few students joined, it is an option for those who prefer it. The large majority of students, though, did not do as well online. Another shutdown would mean returning to an environment where most students feel as though they are not getting a sufficient education. The lack of supervision on the other side of the screen made it tempting to cheat on exams and disconnect. At Branham a recent informal survey found that student engagement was low during this time, too. Nearly 90% of 160 respondents reported having their cameras off during distance learning. Even so, some thrived in this environment. During the COVID-19 school shutdowns, another Bear Witness poll of 118 respondents found 57% of readers saying that they have seen or heard of others cheating during their online classes. Cheating became easier and more accessible with few consequences, as answers are looked up rather than learned. The shutdowns were set in place to keep students, staff and families safe, but this is no longer what is best for the Branham community. The negatives of distance
learning were just too prominent. According to Branham Principal Cheryl Lawton, the school shutdown was extremely inconvenient for students and their education, and Branham attendees have been responsible and safe ever since the campus reopening, with less than five reported cases in the last eight weeks we’ve been open. Because of this, there has been no talk of another shutdown. Students clearly would not benefit from it, nor would they be excited to go back to sitting in their rooms, staring at a screen all day. The CUHSD COVID-19 Tracking Dashboard and Lawton confirm that Branham has some of the lowest case numbers in the district; the highest number of confirmed positive tests in a week was two, however most weeks there are none. Safety protocols are working. The virus has spurred many educational changes for teenagers. Though students are now on campus, they still do not receive a completely normal school experience. There are inconveniences coming back this way, but the inconveniences of learning virtually were far more massive. Following safety protocols must be the school’s new normal for the foreseeable future, and for the good of education.
Elizabeth Posey/Bear Witness
BITE-SIZED OPINIONS | Minor problems, minor solutions
Problem: The workload. The combination of the new schedule and my increasing responsibilities as a junior makes me feel as if I have no time for myself. Solution: Find the god of time and convince him to make more than 24 hours in a day. — Nolan Zils
Problem: Three things you need to go to the bathroom: toilet, water and soap. So when I go to the bathroom in fifth period, why the heck is the soap on the floor and the carrots in the urinals? Solution: Weld the soap dispensers to the bathroom wall. — Alan Schaeffer
Problem: I don’t like waking up early for school. I am exhausted and it puts me in a bad mood. Solution: Sleepwalk to school and while you get ready, and wake up only when it’s time to go to class. — Abbey Rhodes
Problem: It’s difficult to get lunch and the backup meals also run out. Many people get seconds and thirds, too. Solution: With the state’s surplus, buy unlimited amounts of food and carts so it’s overflowing and no one ever runs out of food. Check IDs! — SaiSahasra Makamchenna
Problem: People leaving for half an hour to go to the bathroom really annoys me. I need to go real bad and you’re probably on your phone scrolling please I NEED TO GO. Solution: Be more mindful! If you need a brain break check if anyone else needs to go to the bathroom first. — Audrey Nguyen
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BEAR WITNESS
OPINION Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors
| OCTOBER 2021 |
BHSBEARWITNESS.COM Without the strong reactions, we wouldn’t have had these important conversations as a community.
TAKEDOWN OF ETHNIC LITERATURE POSTERS
An authentic dialogue over equity and race
ear white people, Start Listening, Stop “D Talking. You can’t get educated if you talk on issues that don’t affect you.” This poster, made by senior Jeremy Haven, a white student in Mike Espinoza’s Ethnic Literature class, appeared in the C building during the first week of September. Students may have seen it, and initial reactions were muted. Parents on Nextdoor who were outraged that the poster called out white people specifically missed the point. We agree with Espinoza’s defense of the poster: Rather than talk about their own feelings, they should instead
listen to the concerns from people of color who have long felt discriminated against. Principal Cheryl Lawton’s decision to remove the poster after a few emails from parents also shows the power of parents to silence student opinions. Though parents thought that they were speaking for their children, they should instead allow them to speak for themselves. The takedown was also ironic, especially in light of the school and district’s efforts to promote conversations about equity and inclusion. Though Lawton later apologized for the
decision, the damage was already done. Teachers held forums for students to express their opinions. The Outreach lesson a few days later showed how civil debate could be carried out. Some teachers used PearDeck to collect and share student opinions. Though many agreed with the poster’s sentiment, others said that targeting white people was “straight-up racist.” The Bear Witness social media pages also served as a lively forum for students and the community to share their opinions, garnering more than 100 comments. Lawton later apologized for taking down
the posters and vowed to continue a civil conversation about equity. There are plans to continue the conversation, according to Lawton, however it is currently unknown what those plans are. From transgender rights to the disproportionate incarceration of people of color, the posters highlighted uncomfortable truths that some in positions of comfort and power ignore or don’t acknowledge. We have to thank the parents who got upset over the posters, because without the strong reactions, we wouldn’t have had these important conversations as a community.
Conversation starter
Following the removal of posters created by students in Mike Espinoza’s Ethnic Literature class, teachers held forums for students to share their thoughts and concerns about the incident. Some were supportive of the message, others said it was racist. We share a sample of their responses.
“It requires people to think about their own reactions. People with a negative reaction probably should listen to people who face/deal with racism and need to get educated about its impacts. I believe this poster does require people to think critically.” Anonymous
“Why must any group stop talking for another group to speak? If roles were reversed on the sign, Branham would have been in hot water. The change I would make to the sign would be to emphasize listening, not shutting up.” Nicole Platko, senior
“It may seem aggressive and make white people feel uncomfortable, but it speaks facts. If you are not educated on something, you shouldn’t speak your opinion. And if you are not part of the minority group, your feelings on certain topics are secondary.” Anonymous
“White people often speak over POC’s (people of color) issues and don’t stop to actually listen. Although (the poster) was put bluntly, which sometimes is necessary to make a point, it is a completely valid and serious problem that needs to be addressed and paid attention to. Emily Guerrero, senior
“Stating that white people should completely stop talking and only listen might be a little too extreme because I feel like one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions about things you don’t understand. Of course, I also think that it is very necessary to ask questions respectfully and be mindful of the issues you want to discuss.” Anonymous
”I think that instead of empowering or bringing to light important issues it oppressed. I feel like nobody needed to see this because it was didn’t bring important issues to light.” Anonymous
“It’s kind of confusing because people tell me to partake in conversations, yet I am told by this to be quiet. I’m also confused to why I am told to stop talking on issues when I could be advocating for change.” Anonymous
“It definitely got a reaction, though maybe not the intended reaction.” Anonymous
“I get it, but not all white people are like that. It does get the point across, however.” Anonymous
“I agree with the poster, I also think that a big part of allyship is amplifying voices not talking over them. ... It (also) might have made some people more closed off/closed-minded.” Anonymous
BEAR WITNESS
| OCTOBER 2021 |
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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
FROM THE FRONT PAGE HOW TEACHERS FEEL ABOUT THE IMPASSE WITH DISTRICT
Tania Eaton Social science teacher
"I kind of let go of ever owning a home in this area ... (The decrease in pay) just means less of everything for my three kids, for my home, and for my family."
Donnetta Torrecillas Math teacher
"If we were $40 million in debt, then I wouldn't even consider asking for more money. But the opposite is true. It's a disgustingly high amount."
Juan Fernandez Science teacher
"I do believe that the ability to offer higher salaries will make CUHSD a more competitive option for newer teachers and staff."
Amanda Wilson Math teacher
"Branham has lost excellent teachers who moved away due to not making enough to live in the area."
Leanne Haghighi Special ed
"When there's so much teacher turnover, I think that's a real disservice to the students and the families of the community."
SALARY | Teachers say pay among lowest in county First-year high school teacher salaries Santa Clara County for 2021-2022 year Credentialed teacher pay ranges due to differences in property values, and whether neighborhoods agree to parcel taxes, which add to a district's ability to provide competitive salaries.
$88,066
Mountain View-Los Altos
$81,047
Santa Clara Unified
$79,092
Fremont Unified
$71,484
Palo Alto Unified
$65,521
Los Gatos-Saratoga
$64,537* CUHSD
$56,138
Gilroy Unified *Salary includes $5,000 off-schedule payment, but teachers did not receive funds at start of school year. Sources: Certificated pay salaries on district websites.
From PAGE 1 own since that is a negotiated process,” said Meredyth Hudson, the Chief of Strategy and Human Capital of the Campbell District. Another $4,000 salary increase this year has not been implemented because the district and the union have not reached an agreement. Fighting for cost of living increase The disagreement over the difference in pay between this year and last year is keenly felt by teachers. On their social media pages, the Campbell High School Teachers Association shared testimonials from teachers who were affected by the cut in pay, from teachers being able to afford daycare for their two children, to others trying to pay off their student loans without overdrawing their bank account. Special education teacher Nick Cortez, who leads the union in negotiations, wants to buy a home in the district, but is finding himself priced out. The median cost of a home in Branham’s ZIP code, 95118, is around $1.5 million. “That's hard to apply for loans, when you get a pay cut,” Cortez said, “It really looks bad to the loan officer.” CHSTA wants to make the increase permanent, along with a 4% increase for all teachers. The district has proposed to put back the $5,000 on the salary schedule, bringing teachers back to last year’s salary. They also plan to add a $500 payment with a one-time retention stipend. However, the two parties cannot agree on the rate increase. The union said that without a pay increase of 4% or more, teachers’ earning power will diminish against the cost of living increases, which have increased anywhere between 9% and 13% for those living in the Bay Area since the contract was approved in 2019. District reserves a source of contention To pay for this, the union has often referred to the district’s projected $31 million in reserves, which is money saved for large purchases and unexpected expenses that a district encounters. The reserves represent 25% of their general fund expenses, and is expected to grow to $48 million this year. In the Campbell Union High School District, the policy on reserves is 6%, double the legal requirement of 3%, though the Government Finance Of-
Izel Garcia/Bear Witness First-year teacher Stefanie Menera holds a banner in protest as teachers seek attention to the stalled negotiation process with the district Oct. 7. Teachers say they received $5,000 less this year, and are asking for a 4% raise. ficers Associations recommends 17% in reserves. For CHSTA, the large reserves is unacceptable, and should be used toward making teacher salaries more competitive with higher-paying surrounding districts. “I have to wonder how much money the district needs in its reserves before it is willing to fairly compensate educators?” asks CHSTA president Kim McCarthy, who teaches history at Prospect. “$75 million? $100 million?” District says pay increases too expensive The district has said that such an increase, about $8,750 per teacher, would mean it would spend $10 million more money than it takes in, which school board president Kalen Gallagher said in an open letter Wednesday would mean job losses and student service cuts. At the Sept. 16 school board meeting, John Gray of the School Services of California, an independent group the district brought on to analyze the district’s budget, noted that salaries and employee benefits made up more than
90% of the district’s expenses. Compared to districts based on average daily attendance of 3,000 to 22,000 students, the group said that the district ranks in the bottom half of general fund revenues, at $14,000, yet spends slightly more than average for its salary expenses. With health and welfare benefits factors into a teacher’s salary, the report says that teachers are compensated above average compared to districts within a 35 mile radius, and teacher compensation improves the longer they work in the district and earn educational units. The report cited that district teachers worked 182 days an academic year, which affects their per day rates, compared to nearby school districts. Gray also referred to the 2008 economic downturn, which forced teachers to take furlough days, which meant days off without pay. If negotiations fail, 'work to rule' planned McCarthy said that the Collective Bargaining Agreement has provisions in place in case of an economic down-
turn. “Should a financial downturn come, there are avenues to negotiate those impacts,” she said. The union once approved pay cuts across the board during the height of the recession. Math and engineering teacher Amanda Wilson, who has been part of CHSTA’s negotiations team for the past seven years, said that if state-mediated talks do not pan out, teachers will move to a “work to rule” system to put pressure on the district. “This means no lesson planning, grading, or letter of recommendation writing would be done after school or on weekends and no tutoring outside tutorial,” she said. Wilson said that paying teachers competitively will help keep quality teachers in the district. “The district should make paying teachers at a living wage a priority,” she said. “Branham has lost excellent teachers who moved away due to not making enough to live in the area. They either find a new job in a higher paying school, or move to a place that is cheaper to live.”
Students join teachers in protest at district office JAZZY NGUYEN
Co-Editor-in-Chief
enior Lily Mintz attended ThursS day night’s district board meeting for science teachers Alex Johnson,
Kevin Kalman, Juan Fernandez and social science teacher Kirk Selfridge. They helped Mintz decide to pursue a double major in STEM and the humanities in college. More importantly, the teachers were a sounding board. “I was able to go into their classrooms and talk about things that bothered me about life,” they said. Mintz was among a dozen students in a sea of teachers dressed red at the meeting who say they are frustrated with the direction of the impasse in the district’s ongoing negotiation with the teacher’s union. Teachers are fighting to retain a temporary $5,000 bonus given to them last year that expired this school year, and have asked for a 4% salary increase to offset cost of living expenses. Though health benefits from the district are generous, teachers make around $20,000 less than neighboring districts for a variety of reasons,
including property taxes. The loss of that $5,000 was a pay cut they said they could not afford. The district has offered to put back the $5,000, plus other one-time bonuses, but has not agreed to any bump in pay rates, citing millions in losses over the next few years. The district is projected to have $48 million in reserves this year, which is about 30% of general funds that go toward paying for student services and teacher salaries. The surplus has increased each year since the last contract was approved in 2019. It has also disputed the semantics behind the word “pay cut.” Board President Kalen Gallagher in an open letter to the community on the CUHSD website publicly called the term pay cut “simply not true” and said the teachers union is “misinforming the public.” “A pay cut is when your salary is reduced, which we don't do on our own since that is a negotiated process,” said Meredyth Hudson, who is on the district’s negotiations committee. She told the Bear Witness that it is
unfortunate that the two parties are at an impasse. At the meeting, many Branham teachers shared stories of their struggles in affording to live in one of the most expensive areas in the country. The median home price is $1.6 million in Branham’s ZIP code. “The failure to come to agreement, the willingness to allow teachers' pay to be reduced, shows that the District does not care about teachers,” said Jen Ozdinski, social science and psychology teacher. During the public hearing, teacher after teacher said they were upset with the district’s handling of the negotiations, and how their concerns are being dismissed. “I love the student population and I like my colleagues and I live and work here so I want to stay where I live in the community that I'm a part of,” said Leanne Haghighi, Branham’s 2020 teacher of the year. “ When I started here ... I felt a sense of community and so that kind of kept me here. I'm not willing to let all of that go yet.”
Izel Garcia/Bear Witness Senior Jeremy Haven waves signs outside the district office in support of increased teacher pay on Oct. 7.
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SCIENCE&HEALTH CLIMATE BRIEFS Despite COVID shutdowns, emissions were up in 2020 Although COVID-19 shutdown briefly led to the decline in greenhouse gas emissions in early 2020, the overall emissions in 2020 were still higher than those of 2019. Carbon emissions this year are expected to be increased by 5%, the second largest increase in history. 2 nations at no emissions goal (hint: it’s not U.S.) The Paris Agreement, a global treaty aiming to keep global warming preferably under 1.5 to 2°C, was proposed and adopted by 197 countries in 2015. The COP26 was supposed to be a 5 year progress check, but it was delayed until November 2021. Instead, there was a smaller, online Climate Ambition Summit on December 2020. Although many countries proposed net-zero laws and plans, many details are missing in the specifics of the plan. Only two countries of Suriname and Bhutan achieved net zero emissions because of their small population and thick forests. 2021 setting record for more extreme weather The change in climate and weather patterns over the world created unusual, unprecedented extreme weather events globally. Few examples are heatwaves in Southeast Asia, floods in Europe, hurricanes in East America, and snow in Africa in August. California is still facing drought after the emergency announcement on May 10 this year. When greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun inside the Earth’s atmosphere, it raises the average temperature. The higher temperature directly causes drought and heatwaves. Also, the higher temperatures enhance evaporation, adding more water vapor in the atmosphere. The additional water vapor in the atmosphere strengthens rainfalls and hurricanes. Fires fuel new risks to California farmworkers As climate change amplifies the health risks of extreme heat and pollution from wildfires, the farmers are especially impacted with dealing with the stress of working near a raging fire, and possible lost workdays. The fires have also burned their way through over 430 square miles and have caused over $200 million in losses of damaged crops and buildings from fires. As climate change becomes an increasing problem, wildfires everywhere have grown exponentially more frequent and serious. Researchers are rushing to tally the chemicals in smoke and the threats they cause. Climate change puts more stress on coral reefs Due to climate change, ocean temperatures have increased around the world. The changes in ocean temperatures has affected marine ecosystems, stressing corals and causing them to lose the algae that normally resides in their tissues. The resulting white coral is part of a phenomenon known as “coral bleaching.” While a bleached coral is not dead, it has lost it’s algae, which is an important source of food. Coral bleaching events end up leaving coral reefs less resistant to changes in environment. — Compiled by Angela Choi and Jiyoon Choi
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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
“We’re so used to doing them like what we did 10 years ago, but our weather conditions aren’t like what they used to be.”— Debra Phalen, school nurse
School leans in on QR codes
Goal for admin is to provide easy access to school resources
Mental health resources
JIYOON CHOI
W
Section Editor
ith the return to in-person learning this year, Branham administration is trying to make mental resources more visibly available for students. Put up by the Wellness Advisory Committee, QR codes with links to daily check-ins and mental health resources are found across campus. The QR codes lead to the new Wellness Center resources website that provides methods to calm down, Outreach lessons infographics and more. Principal Cheryl Lawton said that though resources such as counseling were readily available during distance learning, students said they were not aware of their existence. Making them ubiquitous — QR codes are found in every classroom — means students will hopefully take advantage of them. “We kept hearing last year that there’s nothing available and ‘we don’t know where to find it,’” Lawton said. “But yes, there is. You just have to know where to find it.” Opinion Now that students are back at school, they are What do social and acstudents think relearning ademic skills. about the QR “Now we’re back to the real world, and [students codes? don’t know] how to survive in the world, don’t Page 3 remember how to do it, especially with college coming up soon,” she said. “I just lost a year or two of high school and all of a sudden, boom, I have to figure out college applications.” Social worker Kevin Nguyen said that more students are utilizing the resources for stress management, even referring him to friends they’re concerned about. “It is amazing because this is exactly what we want to do, to promote these health-seeking behaviors, people looking out for each other and just knowing what to look for,” he said. In addition to the online resources, Nguyen and the academic counselors work together to choose a topic for the month during Outreach classes. September’s focus was Suicide Prevention Month. While they acknowledge the effort that goes into the Outreach lessons, some students see room for improvement. Junior Maggie Dong, who is a part of the Wellness Advisory Council and the co-president of the Mental Health Matters Club, said lessons could be more interactive, instead of information-filled slides. “It can occasionally become tiresome and hard to retain,” she said, suggesting lessons make time for “discussions, conversations, and games and activities.” Though the Wellness Center QR codes are in every classroom, Dong said they’re now considered part of the class’ furniture. “If I were not a part of this (Wellness) group, then I would not be as informed on these resources as I am now,” she said. Nguyen with the Wellness Advisory Committee, counselors, and the administration are trying to create an encouraging environment on campus. “We’re still working a lot together,” he said, “really trying to create that climate where students are coming back to (an environment that) ... helps students feel supported.”
Mental Health Matters Instagram: @bhs.menthealth Goal is to raise awareness about mental health, and to destigmatize the social perspective of mental health issues by examining school policies.
Stress Relief Club Instagram: @bhs.stress_relief Focuses on fun, de-stressing activities from making and delivering Orbeez balls to hosting video game sessions at lunch.
Wellness Center Instagram: @bhs.wellness Goal is to provide a safe and supporitive environment at school where students can discuss a variety of topics in a confidential, nonjudgmental space with a social worker.
Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness
Students suffer with longer wildfire seasons, bad air SARA DEDIU Staff Writer
rom health problems to having to F cancel events, the effects from the smoke have been impactful. Especially in
the past 3 to 4 years, San Jose has been dealing with the side effects of the California wildfires in neighboring areas. Air Quality Index (AQI) scores, an index for reporting daily air quality, are getting higher every summer and fall season, since the wildfires are getting worse due to climate change. According to Homeland Security Newswire, summer wildfire seasons are already 40 to 80 days longer on average than they were 30
years ago. This year, the AQI scores haven’t been as bad, but PE teachers have had to adjust the classes in previous years, whether it’s doing less vigorous activities or moving all the students inside. Students have also been calling in absent or choosing not to take part in P.E. during the wildfire season. Some even stay at home solely to prevent any side effects from the smoke. Aside from adjustments to P.E., several outside school events and activities, such as sports games and outdoor club meetings, have had to be postponed or canceled. P.E. teacher Laura Andersson
said the adjustments were intended to keep students safe from the smoke. According to HealthyChildren.org, the symptoms teenagers can have from the smoke include a sore throat, eye irritation, runny nose, coughing, trouble breathing, and headaches. For people with asthma or similar health conditions, the wildfire season has been particularly tough as their usual symptoms are worsened. Due to these symptoms, a lot of students have been calling in sick, not sure if they have a cold or if it really is just a side effect of the smoke. With COVID symptoms being very similar, school nurse Debra Phalen said
that she has had to dig deep to figure out the cause of students’ symptoms. The masks for COVID-19 serve as an extra layer of protection against the smoke; however, health concerns are raised as to what will happen postCOVID restrictions if the wildfire problem becomes worse, as the trends show. Health specialists at Branham say that the school will possibly have to take more serious measures. “We will have to restructure how we do our sports,” Phalen said. “We’re so used to doing them like what we did ten years ago, but our weather conditions aren’t like what they used to be.”
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“I've missed so many significant events. I don't want to miss a thing anymore because of people and a stupid shot.” — Senior Allison Eisenman on why she promotes COVID-19 vaccinations. FREE MEALS
COVER STORY
New fixes to help ease lunch issues
State progress in full vaccination of residents
No IDs, more staff aded
AVA STARK AND REI KANDA Staff Writers
ranham administrators B are working on solutions to hiccups in Branham’s free
48% vaccinated 55% vaccinated 65% vaccinated
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Bear Witness staff graphic; map template: Freepik
COVID NEWS Bay Area inequality
District infection numbers The district provides a weekly update of COVID-19 cases among its campuses since school . Here are the total rates as of Oct. 8.
increases during pandemic The Bay Area News Group reported that 51% of people making less than $50,000 a year said their financial situation has gotten worse during the pandemic, while 13% said it improved and 36% said it stayed the same. Just the opposite happened as people’s incomes increased: 51% of respondents making $250,000 or more reported their financial situation improved, while just 7% said it got worse. Safe to trick or treat this Halloween Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it's safe to go outside for Halloween, but said those who want to enjoy the holiday should consider getting the shots for that “extra degree of protection” if they are not yet vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines so far have been approved for people 12 years and older. The Food and Drug Administration plans a meeting late this month to consider Pfizer’s request for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. FDA considers J& J, Moderna boosters An FDA committee plans to discuss this week Moderna and J&J booster vaccines. If authorized, these vaccines may be offered to a smaller group of people than the Pfizer vaccine since overall immunity after the initial Moderna and J&J vaccines seems to hold up better over time than the Pfizer vaccine. — Compiled by staff
Boynton Branham CACE Camden Post-Secondary Del Mar Leigh Prospect Westmont
3 4 1 0 8 7 9 11
Source: CUHSD COVID-19 dashboard
Angela Choi/Bear Witness Sophomores Neida Nieto Sandoval and Thuan Do read "Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky in their English 2 Honors class. Masks have become the new normal for in-person classes.
Mandate | District credits low infections on masking, high rate of vaccination From PAGE 1 In a Bear Witness poll, 82% students voted they would want the schools to mandate the vaccine. Sophomore Luigi Renovato added in the poll that he would want the vaccine to be mandated “because it makes the school even safer, for not just the students, but the staff as well.” Senior Allison Eisenman has been promoting vaccination to her more than 21,000 TikTok followers. She and her brother earlier this year also participated in a clinical study to test the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine on students 12-16 years old. Vaccinations and safety measures are effective in preventing the loss of vital school experiences, she said. “It’s my senior year. I've missed a yearand-a-half of school,” she said. “I've missed so many significant events. I don't want to miss a thing anymore because of people and a stupid shot.” She’s disappointed that it took a mandate for hesitant students in the community to get the shot. “It’s dumb that the mandate would be why people would get it,” Eisenman said. “They
should have just got it because it's the right thing to do and it keeps people safe.” Newsom’s mandate might have less of an effect in Santa Clara, where 89% of residents ages 12 and older have at least one dose, and 84.2% have completed their vaccinations. Prior to the mandate, vaccinations in the district may have reached a saturation point, as more than 95% of staff have completed their vaccinations, according to Crystal Adams, the director of student services. The other 5% participate in required PCR screening testing twice a week. The district does not collect the vaccination rates of students, though Adams said that when cases do pop up “we find the majority of our students are vaccinated.” She cited a recent school-based exposure, and out of 106 of a student’s close contacts, 88% of those students were vaccinated.” With Santa Clara already seeing high vaccination rates, district Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo is not so sure how many more will compyl. “I don't know if the vaccine mandate would necessarily get too many more peo-
ple vaccinated,” said district Superintendent Dr. Bravo, who added that he hopes people do still get vaccinated to keep others safe. The district has been keeping track of COVID-19 cases among students and staff through its dashboard. Branham, the biggest school in the district with 1,949 students and 143 staff members, has reported five cases since school began. Current protocols at Branham and in the district said that students and staff must be masked at all times indoors, practice social distancing if not wearing masks, and to stay home if displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Branham’s procedures for when a positive case comes up include tracking close contacts, and asking those people if they have been vaccinated or are displaying symptoms, followed by requiring a negative test result. Lawton expressed her gratitude towards Branham students for their adherence to Covid policies. “I don’t know that we’re doing anything different (compared to other schools in the district),” she said. “I think we just have people being conscientious with it, and I appreciate it.”
lunch program, from 30-minute long lines to issues with cutting. Two additional carts have been placed around the campus in an effort to disperse the amount of students in each line and give students easier access to a cart. These carts are essential to keeping lunch lines short, particularly since Branham’s kitchen is currently being remodeled. “Because we're able to have those carts,” said Assistant Principal Nikita Shah, “we're diverting the traffic from this one area.” The school has become overall more efficient with providing every student a lunch. More students are willing to get lunch from the school now, since they don’t have to pay for their food or wait the full break to get one. This year’s new statewide lunch program was enabled through a budget surplus from the state and provides a meal free of charge for every student regardless of their financial background. The program is mandated for all public schools in the state of California, and is the first of its kind in America. In order to make the lunches free, each school is required to report the number of students who get a lunch each day, so they can get the correct amount of funding they need. At the start of the year, they tracked that number by scanning the students’ ID when they got their food, which caused delays in the line. On top of scanning IDs, students are cutting the line in order to get lunch more quickly Branham serves up to 700 students a day. When students cut the line, not only is it inequitable for those who waited patiently, but it clogs the line, making it disorderly. “The first two weeks were pretty bad, because there's a lot of kids just cutting and trying to get food as quickly as they can,” said senior Caio Valente, who typically gets a school lunch daily. Other ways ID card scanning has been removed, and now, the school simply counts the number of students who come through. This has allowed them to serve all students within 10 minutes. “I'm happy to see that we have a lot of students that are getting lunch,” principal Cheryl Lawton said. “I'm disappointed that some students still feel like they can't get it or for whatever reason or telling their parents that we're not giving it. They said they couldn't have it, because they'd need their ID card. You don't need it, they just have to get in line.” More staff have also been asked to monitor the line and to prevent people from cutting. Principal Lawton, in particular, has been keeping an eye on the line and sending back anyone who attempts to cut. “The problem is the cutting,” Lawton said, “Everyone wants to come to say ‘Oh, there's my friend, I'm gonna go stand in line with my friend. I don't want to wait in the line.’ So we're trying to monitor that.”
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“It might help people of that heritage to really appreciate themselves and their heritage and culture.” — Anjana Hariprasad, on the increase in ethnic clubs at Branham SCHOOLWIDE CAMPAIGN
Sawyer the sailor
Sophomore has eyes set on 2028 Olympics
MACEO INOUE AND SANTIAGO HERNANDEZ Staff Writer
ettling into the straps of his I420 class S boat, sophomore Sawyer Bastian looks out onto the waters in which he’s been exam-
Comfort wear Students have been more open and comfortable about wearing their pajama pants to school. The long hours in the same cold, hard chairs and sleepless nights of homework have led more and more students to stay in their warm and comfortable pajama pants for the time that they will be spending at school. This has created more of a homey and bearable environment at school.
Lost in translation The Korean Netflix series “Squid Game” has been the talk of the campus community. From deep analysis of the plot to the fixation on the characters, the series has been a main point on many social media platforms. The show is originally in Korean with dubs in English, Spanish, French, and German and subtitles in English, Spanish, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese. With the wide range of language options, there have been debates over which translation is most accurate to the original script. Still, the show is very well liked by viewers from all across the globe. Whether it was the plot that drew you in, or the cast of characters, the series is currently the no. 1 show in 90 countries and has potential to be the most watched show in Netflix history.
Not ‘licking’ it The “Devious Licks” TikTok trend has been the inspiration for the excessive vandalism in the bathrooms. From soap emptied onto the floors, to the flushing of obscure items down the toilet, the bathrooms have been damaged to the point where some of them have been locked to prevent further destruction. The culprits have been caught and the vandalism has gotten better in the past few days, but the cost of the damage will not go away and will be extracted from the yearly funds used for student trips and support. — Tae Yun Erica Kang
ining for the past hour, filled with high hopes of finding an advantage in the competition. Hooked from a summer camp, Bastian has been bringing his love of boating to the competitive scene since 2019, training to eventually compete in the Olympics. “I love the rush. I love the thrill of it,” Bastian said. “And even with big boats, it’s all about teamwork, you know, working as a crew collectively to get the bigger picture of winning a regatta.” Working with his partner, Jack Murphy, the pair has been training under Udi Gal, their coach and former Olympian for Israel, previous winner of the Junior European’s and two-time 4-70 World Champion. Udi’s been improving the pair for the past two years, with a straightforward attitude and a great emphasis on teamwork. “He’s good at finding your limit, sometimes he gets a little intense, but he knows when to stop and when to actually push you, which is nice to have in a coach,” Murphy said. Competing for the HPC (high performance center) in Tiburon, Calif., Bastian has entered into many different competitions. They have attended the North American Championship and the National Championships over the summer and also qualified for the Chubbs U.S. Junior Championship, win-
ning the qualifying regatta, a sailing race.” The U.S. National Youth Sailing Competition, where teams all across the country compete to show their skills, is where Bastian will try to win in order to represent the United States in the Youth World Sailing Competition. Compiled of how many regattas, and what competitors’ placements were. ”Even if I don’t get in, it’s still putting my name out there, and honestly, in this sport, having your name heard is terrific,” Bastian said. Getting to the Olympics in sailing may seem like a pretty far idea, but with constant training, and guest trainers in Bastian’s practices, it’s getting closer and closer. “If you really take it seriously, the 2028 Olympics are in L.A.,” said Murphy. They’re actually kind of there for us, and if we train really well and qualify, we’re gonna make it”. To be taken seriously in any sport, athletes have to practice and put in the hard work, and Bastian has continued to work hard for his goal both in and out of competitions. “He always puts forward his best effort, and that’s something I like about him because he’s always just training for a really big regatta,” Murphy said. Sailing has always meant a lot to Bastian, who loves the sport even if he can only practice 3 weekends in a month, and traveling down to San Francisco to put together a boat that could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. “At the end of the day, you’re just racing to have a good time,” Bastian said.
Sophomore Sawyer Bastian sails with partner Jack Murphy in San Francisco Bay. He has been sailing since 2019.
SAILING TERMINOLOGY Port: Facing forward, this is anything to the left of the boat. When you’re onboard, you can use this term pretty much any time you would normally say “left.”
Point of Sail: The boat’s direction relative to the wind. For example, if you’re going straight into the wind, your point of sail is called “in irons.”
Keel: A long, heavy fin on the bottom of the boat that sticks down into the water. It provides stability and is the reason why modern sailboats are nearly impossible to capsize.
Starboard: Facing forward, this is anything to the right of the boat. Same deal as “port”–only the opposite. Bow/Stern: The bow is the front of the boat, the stern is the back. Anything near the front of the boat is referred to as being “forward,” and anything toward the back is “aft” or “astern.”
Helm: Where you steer the boat. Usually this is a big wheel, but on smaller boats it can be a tiller, which is basically a long wooden stick. Either of these can be used to control the boat’s rudder.
Heeling: This is the term for when a sailboat leans over in the water, pushed by the wind. There’s nothing else like the thrill of heeling over as your sails fill and your speed picks up! Courtesy of Abner Kignman/Used with permission
Ethnic clubs help Asian students find community Growth in groups following hate crimes GYURI KIM AND ROSE MCCLURE
A
Staff Writer
fter the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans due to COVID-19 in 2020, Asian Americans have come together as a community to create more clubs representing their voices and cultures at Branham. The start of the pandemic caused an influx in hate crimes toward Asian Americans. Since COVID-19 was first found in China, U.S. citizens started to blame Asian Americans, which contributed to spreading animosity regarding the Asian community. Former President Donald Trump exacerbated the issue by making several statements villainizing Asian people by dubbing the virus the “China virus.” Since the start of the pandemic until August, there have been over 9,000 reported attacks in the U.S, 700 of them in the Bay
Area that were recorded in February. Many Asian American and Pacific Islander students experienced the effects of Asian hate crimes. These crimes instilled fear in Asian Americans worrying for their family, friends, and themselves. “I worried for my grandparents, parents, siblings, and other family and friends. The person who was brutally beaten on their TV screen could have very well been them,”senior Simone Fong said. “It is really disheartening to see your own community be targeted and attacked.” These hate crimes impacted people of all ages. Everyday tasks became dangerous, especially for elders. “My grandma is an immigrant from China,” said sophomore Lauren Garnale. “For a period of time, my mom had to get groceries for her, because she was too afraid to go outside.” One common theme among the clubs was their want to increase representation and help others find their identities as Asian Americans. “I noticed that we didn’t have much AAPI (Asian American Pacif-
was established. With other clubs such New ethnic clubs as the Latinx Student Union (LSU) and • Mandarin Club Black Student Union (BSU), students in • South Asian Student Union Club the South Asian Student Union (SASU) wanted to create a community for South • Vietnamese Student Association students. • Asian American Pacific Islander Student Asian “It would be so much fun to have a place Union for Indians to come together,” SASU co-president senior Meenakshi Iyer said. • Korean Club
ic Islander) representation in our school,” Crystal Cheng said. “I want to use this chance to start a club that is inclusive to more people and openly teaches everyone what Chinese culture is about.” Created this year, the AAPISU gives students of all Asian and Pacific Islander heritage a sense of community within the school. One of the members of the club, Garnale is half Filipino and half Chinese. “Having a community to me means having a place where I can express what I’m passionate about with other people who are passionate about the same things,” Garnale said. Over quarantine for COVID-19, SASU
Senior Anjana Hariprasad, SASU co-president, explains her own experience of disconnection to her own culture. “In middle school, I really didn’t have that many Indian friends,” she said. “We became friends in high school, and that was really impactful for me. Once you have people your age who are joining you, it really gives you that sort of appreciation for your culture.” As a cultural club, students have the ability to help others value their own heritage and strengthen their own communities. “It might help people of that heritage to really appreciate themselves and their heritage and culture,” Hariprasad said, “not just for SASU, but also for all the other clubs.”
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SPORTS
“ You get a sense of confidence from it, because you now you’re never gonna forget a workout.” - Rachel Langer, Branham student on how lifting has impacted her life
Sports Briefs Football The football team beat Willow Glen 15-12 on Sept. 30 to bring their overall record to 3-2. They face Prospect on Oct. 8.
LIFTING THE STEREOTYPE
Female weightlifters want to dispel misconceptions about bodybuilding
Girls Field Hockey Girls field hocjey has had a strong start to their season, with their recent 3-0 defeat to Leigh being the only loss in their 7-1-1 record. Girls Tennis Girls tennis is still adjusting to their first season in the A League. Their recent 5-2 loss to Westmontmakes their record 3-4 before they face match on Oct. 5 against Sobrato. Boys Water Polo They boys water polo team continues their dominant season with a 19-3, making their record a league-leading 7-0. Girls Water Polo In their inaugural season, the girls water polo team is starting to recover from their rough start with a 10-3 win on Sept. 30, improving their record to 3-3
Stella Wong/Special to Bear Witness
How do muscles grow? Skeletal muscle is the most adaptable tissue in your body. When you do extreme exercise, like weightlifting, your muscle fibers undergo trauma, or what’s called muscle injury. When your muscles are injured this way, nearby cells on the AMANDA DAY Staff Writer
enior Taylor Boehner has long been S surrounded by strong girls. She developed a desire to become a physically
stronger individual, and is now a competitive weightlifter. Today, women like Boehner are shattering the walls of stereotypical limitations and trading cardio machines for barbells. Lifting has long been seen as a male domain, while fad diets and hours of cardio were directed to women. A 2016 study from the science journal Population Health showed that most women studied avoid weightlifting out of fear of seeming masculine. This gender stereotype made many women hesitant to lift, as misconceptions of lifting making women look “manly” and “bulky” were common. They often refer to testosterone, a sex hormone developed in the ovaries and testes, that functions differently depending on one’s gender. For women, testosterone, along with
outside of the muscle fibers become activated. They attempt to repair the damage by joining together and, as a result, increase the muscle fiber. Certain hormones actually help your muscles grow, too. They control the satellite cells and are responsible for things like:
estrogen, helps keep bones healthy, promotes cognitive health and helps build one’s sex drive. However, women have small amounts of it, as it’s converted into estradiol, a form of the hormone estrogen. For men, testosterone is a sex hormone that regulates sexual development, muscle mass, and red blood cell production. “Women don’t build muscle the same way men do,” Boehner said. “(Men) have testosterone running through their body. So getting “bulky” would be extremely difficult (for women).” However, these ideas have started to change in recent years, as there are now over 2,000 female bodybuilding events per year with the bodybuilding community becoming more integrated by females. Junior Rachel Langer believes various women struggle to fit into unrealistic beauty standards, which she thinks can confine people from doing what they really want to do, like lifting. “I’ve heard stories of girls who wanted to lift bigger, but they didn’t want to look
•
sending the cells to your muscles after exercise
•
forming new blood capillaries
•
repairing muscle cells
•
managing muscle mass
For example, resistance moves help your body release growth
a certain way,” Langer said. “but then they did it, and they feel more comfortable in their skin than they ever have.” While women certainly are getting more and more involved in the sport, it remains dominated by men. According to a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 8.4% of Americans lift, and among those, 70.3% are men. Despite women only making up onethird of the lifting population, Langer is supportive of the newfound interest among them. “I think a lot of girls are trying to get into it but they might just be nervous,” she said. “But if you just do you and then build your way up that’s cool.” Although Boehner has been a part of the lifting community for over four years, some of her biggest challenges still come from being a woman in the weightroom. She cites being hit on and objectified as something that can get her down but she tries not to let it affect her workout too much. As she leaps further into her lifting
hormone from your pituitary gland. How much is released depends on the intensity of the exercise you’ve done. Growth hormone triggers your metabolism and helps turn amino acids into protein to bulk up your muscles. Source: Healthline
journey, Langer has seen major progress in herself physically and mentally. She points out that morning workouts have helped her set herself up for a good day and clear her head. Whenever she’s in a “slump,” she relies on activity to enhance her mood. “You get a sense of confidence from it, because you’re never gonna regret a workout,” Langer said. “Knowing that you did it and applied yourself to it is rewarding, and then afterwards you feel so good.” Langer has found empowerment through lifting, as she feels more confident in herself and her body. Her advice to new lifters is to express love to yourself even if you aren’t at a point where you want to be. Confidence comes with patience and consistency. “Be proud of yourself that you’re trying and that you want to do something about it,” Langer said. “And have the right reasons for working out. Work out because you love yourself don’t work out because you hate yourself.”
New girls water polo makes a splash With few having played before, inaugural season is a learning opportunity ALAN SCHAEFFER Sports Editor
he opposing player turned, raised her arm, and hurled T the large yellow ball towards the Branham goalkeeper. It slid past her outstretched arm and flew into the net before
From the archives of the Bear Witness
splashing down into the water. That makes it 0-3 against the Branham girls water polo team. While boys water polo has been a sport at Branham since last year, there was never enough interest to field a girls team. This year, after many requests by a number of female Bruin athletes, girls water polo is in the middle of its debut season in the Branham Aquatic Center. Sophomore Kira Weinger worked with a couple of other girls in her grade to convince the athletics department that the school needed a girls water polo team. She says that she and others contacted the coach of the boys team, Tim Dazko, nonstop to prove that there was enough interest for a water polo team to be formed. Another sophomore, Fiona McElroy, was also instrumental in generating interest. “I put up fliers, I talked to everyone. I got my friends on
the swim team to join. So we just got interest and showed that there were girls that wanted to play the sport and wanted this,” she said. Now the team has a coach, as well as a total of 13 players, and are well into their first season as a Branham team. However, inexperience was a big factor for the team — as only three of the 13 girls have ever played water polo before. “It really surprised me how many girls showed up and how many don’t know how to play,” Weinger said. “But I think it’s impressive that we’ve already got such a close game.” Although the team does not have a record as notable as the boys team, the girls are proud to have such a close record (33) anyway. The three experienced players say they’ve had to step up as leaders and help the other girls that haven’t played before. Admitting that the team has much to work on when it comes to teamwork and fluidity, they believe that the team is showing progress and is improving. “We’re already starting to play well together as a team,” McElroy said. “We need to come out stronger and learn from our first quarter.”
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BEAR WITNESS
| OCTOBER 2021 |
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT Mini Reviews Book Klara and the Sun Written by Kazuo Ishiguro What it is: The latest dystopian novel by Nobel Peace Prize winning British author Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” explores the relationship between Klara, an robot-like Faber and Faber artificial friend or “AF,” and Josie, a sickly young girl she has brought on to accompany. Liked: The book contains very human elements through the strange, robotic, yet warm perspective of Klara, an artificial friend. As she’s not human, she has a hard time grasping a lot of concepts and views them from a very narrow lens, which contrasts the intense emotions and complicated human relationships the human characters endure. Disliked: It was frustrating how hard it was for Klara to understand basic “common sense” stuff, and watching her form outlandish conclusions. For example, she doesn’t understand the concept of sleep, and instead thinks people die, and in the morning, the sun gives them life. — Emma Zhang Album Mercury: Act 1 Imagine Dragons What it is: “Mercury: Act 1” is the fifth studio album of the pop rock group Imagine Dragons. After the release of their previous album, Origins, in late 2018, the band took a hiatus. Drawing from the word “mercurial”, it focuses on mental health, and themes of grief, loss and loneliness.
Kidinakorner Liked: The and Interscope music has a Records perfect feel of
originality and the sound that makes Imagine Dragons distinctive. You can tell that they have really improved on their complexity and musicianship while still staying true to the formulas that made their songs successful. Disliked: The lyrics felt a bit shallow. For an album that dives deep into serious issues, I expected there to be more in-depth lines. Lead singer Dan Reynolds’ vocals are also repetitive at times. I felt like I was listening to very similar note progressions and melodies repeatedly. — Nolan Zils
BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
“I’m gonna appreciate it more now that I know what it’s like to have it taken away from me.” — Junior Carissa Freimarck, on returning to the stage FALL SHOW
Rehearsal Process Here’s what it takes for Backtsage Bruins to produce a show.
Table Read After getting cast, cast members get together and read through the entire script of their show.
Blocking The cast practices on the stage and are directed where to go and when. This also allows the tech crew to start practicing light and sound cues.
Off-book rehearsals As it gets closer to showtime, cast members progressively use their script less for line memorization and remembering blocking
Tech week The cast and crew spend long hours in the theater right before opening night running through the entire show as much as possible
Performances It’s showtime! The curtain opens, and the show is performed in its entirety in front of an audience.
The ‘Jurors’ are back in session Fall play ‘12 Angry Jurors’ will be the first in-person show for Backstage Bruins since 2019 NOLAN ZILS
Co-Editor In Chief
fter their last in-person show, the A Backstage Bruins are producing live theater again, and will kick off their
return to in-person performances with their fall show “12 Angry Jurors.” It will debut Oct. 21-23 in the Performing Arts Center. The show is based on the 1954 teleplay “12 Angry Men” and classic movie starring Henry Fonda. It follows 12 members of the jury who are wrapping up their decision on a seemingly openand-shut murder case. However, when one juror goes against the majority and plants seeds of doubt, everything goes haywire and the case is turned on its head. The courtroom drama is the first show to host a live audience since “She Kills Monsters’’ in October 2019, and the first time back in the PAC since the spring musical “Sideshow,” which was canceled days before opening night due to the start of the pandemic. Junior Carissa Freimarck, the Backstage Bruins vice president, is ecstatic to be back on the stage, where she will be portraying the Second Juror. “I’m gonna appreciate it more now that I know what it’s like to have it taken away from me,” she said. “It’s gonna be more exciting, and I’m going to put more passion into it, because over the past year, I haven’t been doing much.” Due to more people auditioning then expected, Backstage Bruins will be using understudies for certain roles. Sophomore Christian Winzenread, who is understudying for junior Elise Niva as the Foreman, also known as the First Juror, said that understudying one of the lead roles has given him a fresh view on theater. “It’s cool to get that kind of perspective of watching the show, because usually when I’m in the shows I never get to see it,” he said. Winzenread, who has done theater for seven years, mostly with San Jose Children’s Musical Theater, said that he’s
Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness The “12 Angry Jurors” cast members read through the script on their computers during the table read on Sept.12. already gained an appreciation for the community in just the few months he’s been with Backstage Bruins. “It’s a lot tighter knit (than CMT)” Winzenread said. “We all know each other extremely well and we can really form a lot of lasting bonds here, which is unlike the huge casts at CMT.” The cast is in the process of blocking
the show and memorizing lines and are getting used to performing on stage after a long absence. Senior Kavya Mittha, who is starting her fourth year as part of the Backstage Bruins tech crew and third year as Stage Manager, said the club is also finding ways to overcome the technical and audio difficulties that arise with
wearing masks. Despite the challenges, she is optimistic about the perseverance of the cast and that they’ll be ready come showtime in late October. “We work on it, we adapt,” she said. “And I think that is such a big, big, big part of the Backstage Bruins that I love.”
Downsized Royal Alliance finds its rhythm with ‘Ensnared’ The band earned second place in their first competition ALLI WANG AND VIVIAN TRINH
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Angela Choi/Bear Witness Senior alto saxophone player Daniel Almaraz performs a solo during the band’s performance of “Ensnared”.
Staff Writers
fter a nearly two-year hiatus, the Branham Royal Alliance roared back into action for its first competition of the year Oct. 2 at Del Mar, earning 2nd place overall and 1st place in percussion, third in color guard. The field show “Ensnared” follows the lead percussionist, junior Gabe Hui, as he finds magic drumsticks that help him realize his talent. However, it isn’t until he separates from the rest of the marching band that he finds the importance of playing with community and valuing the friendships that come with being a drummer. Senior drum major Kylie Ng said that
while she is proud of the band’s first show, she looks forward to seeing the marching band refine their show for their next competition at Dublin High School on Oct. 9. “We did really, really well, especially for our first competition,” Ng said. One of the biggest obstacles the band faced was only having six weeks to put on a show for the earlier competition. Even so, band director Chris Nalls said that he has been impressed with what the marching band has accomplished so far. As the band continues to function during the pandemic, precautions such as special band masks are worn by students. There are 70 students in the marching band this year, a decrease from the band’s record size in 2019 with 100 students. However, marching band is still the largest sport in Branham. Sophomore Abigail Sowers, a drum major, said she was disappointed in the drop in students.
“It’s sad to see fewer people joining the marching band,” she said. “And I feel like if people knew how rewarding marching band is, they would be more inclined to join.” Marching band practice during the pandemic is still a marathon — they practice 18 hours a week. Nalls said that it has massively improved from “Zoom band,” as students feel connected playing with one another. “We’re gonna make great music with whoever’s there,” Nalls said. “I want more marching band members for sure, but I’ll always want more students to be involved with band because music makes you smarter, and it’s just a great activity and community overall.” Despite the drop in students since 2019, many students are excited to perform “Ensnared” and participate competitively. Junior Sam Sharrard, a color guard
member, says that it’s fun to compete, as one can find many friends and feel the adrenaline of performing again. “I met a lot of people through multiple other guards like the Winter Guard,” Sharrard said. “I have certain friends from other guards that obviously I haven’t seen in the year because the only places we ever saw each other was competitions, so it’s fun to be able to see them again.” With the comeback of marching band, the band continues to be an outlet for student expression. Junior Bren Baker, percussion section leader, said that marching band has improved his mental health after being able to see everyone after the pandemic. “It was cool to see people that I hadn’t talked o in the past few years and start actually playing the instrument again, which I haven’t been able to do actively,” he said.
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| OCTOBER 2021 |
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BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
“ You can see how the banned books and how they’re linked with current events and racial justice and social justice.”— English teacher Heather Amanatullah BANNED BOOKS WEEK
Teachers celebrate works that explore social justice issues ANGELA CHOI AND ALLI WANG Staff Writers
rom “To Kill a Mockingbird” to “All F American Boys” and “Stamped,” Ethnic Studies teacher Stefanie Menera
and English 2 Honors teachers Kerry Murphy and Heather Amanatullah have organized projects in their classes for last week’s Banned Book Week, which took place Sept.26 - Oct. 2, under a theme of “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” In the past, books have been banned or challenged due to political tensions on the topic discussed, where some social issues discussed are deemed “inappropriate” for the general student population in their community. The top reasons that books have been challenged and deemed “unsuited to any age group” include sexually explicit material, offensive language and commentary on racial tension.
Each month, a student selected at random shares what’s on their playlist, and plays it on shuffle. What follows is a conversation about their song selection. Freshman Liliana Federico credits her parents, who grew up in the ’90s, for her musical tastes, which range from punk rockers The Offspring to the New York hiphop group the Beastie Boys. She says music gives her an outlet to express herself and connect with others. Federico added that she doesn’t necessarily like exploring new music, and mostly sticks to what she knows she likes.
The Offspring: “Self Esteem” LF: “When I’m listening to this song I can get a really clear picture of what the lyrics are talking about in my head. It’s very upbeat and it specifically reminds me of driving to Santa Cruz with my family.”
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now” Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author
Magination Press Grand Central Publishing Covici Friede
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds Banned and challenged because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
George, Alex Gino Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community”
Balzer + Bray
Atheneum
Little Brown and Company
Scholastic Gold
Alli Wang/Bear Witness Freshman Nate Hawkins prepares his presentation on banned books in Ethnic Studies in early September.
Farrar Straus Giroux
Give them something controversial In Ethnic Studies, a new social science class this year, students are also analyzing banned books, such as “The Hate U Give,” a book released in 2017 that has been recently challenged due to its alleged “anti-police” message. The story, which was adapted into a film in 2018, follows Starr Carter as she deals with the death of her best friend after he was racially profiled and shot by a police officer while driving down the street. Freshman Jade Rugnao said that by analyzing these books, she sees the underlying discrimination that has shaped the censorship of such books. “People don’t want to make people in power look bad,” Rugnao said. “So they’ll take knowledge away from the public just to keep people from power. It’s interesting, finding that ignorance serves as a large form of control in our society.” Ethnic Studies teacher Menera hopes to inspire her students to understand how these forms of censorship link to power structures in society. She says that although books may not seem to be as important now due to other more mainstream media such as social media and the Internet, the censorship of books reflects society’s views on power structures over time. “We’re talking a lot about identity mainly, (and) who we are as individuals and how the identity of others sort of places us in terms of our social structure,”Menera said. “I’m hoping that they’re able to see how books are a manifestation of society’s power structure and why people take information and withhold it from groups that have more or less power.”
LILIANA FEDERICO | Freshman
Incubus: “Pardon Me” LF: It’s my favorite song. It’s the type of song that makes you want to jump up and start dancing. Whenever I listen to this song it reminds me of my mom because she introduced me to it and we always listened to it together.
Little Brown and Company
Give them something controversial English Honors teacher Heather Amanatullah said she began bringing banned books into the curriculum in 2012 after finding that students were losing interest in books due to the rise of the Internet and previous book curriculum’s lack of connection to current issues. “I knew that there’s a banned books thing at the American Library Association, and I started looking into it,” she said. “I thought it was a really cool way to get kids engaged in reading because you give someone something that’s kind of controversial.” This year, Amanatullah and Murphy created an official unit on Banned Books for the English 2 Honors curriculum, where “lit circles” and group discussions are used to pique students’ interest in reading. Amanatullah said that the recently banned books are also important in bringing social justice issues into the classroom, as the books that are banned recently are directly reflective of current events. “I think a lot about our country based on every year, you can see it right in the top 10.” Amanatullah said. “You can tell what’s going on socially in our country so it’s really cool. You can see how the banned books and how they’re linked with current events and racial justice and social justice.”
Rules
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote anti-police views To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes, and their negative effect on students. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Challenged for profanity, and the book was thought to promote an anti-police message. Source: American Library Association
311: “Amber” LF: “It’s a love song. It’s romantic but in a calm way. It makes me feel at peace and content. My mom introduced me to most of the songs on my playlist, including this one; she plays a big role in my music taste.” Red Hot Chili Peppers: “Otherside” LF: “This is one of my favorite songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Someone who is just listening to a RHCP song for the first time probably isn’t paying attention to the meaning. But the song becomes a lot more meaningful once you focus on the lyrics. With ‘Otherside’ it’s actually about one of the guitarists losing his battle to his drug addiction.” Jimmy Eat World: “The Middle” LF: “It’s a really upbeat yet inspirational song because it deals with bullying and feeling out of place. The artist wrote this song for one of their fans who was getting bullied.” Sublime: “Wrong Way” LF: “I really like this song specifically because of the artist. I really like their music and voice. This song sounds upbeat and fun, but it has a deeper meaning if you really listen to the lyrics.” M83: “Midnight City” LF: “When I listen to this song, I can imagine myself driving in a car at night with this song in the background on full blast. I feel energetic. It’s definitely an upbeat song.” Beastie Boys: “Brass Monkey” LF: “Even though I personally don’t think the singers individually have the best voice, when they sing together it creates a really enjoyable sound. It sounds kind of silly but it’s very catchy and fun.” George Michael: “Careless Whisper” LF: “Whenever I listen to George Michael’s songs, I’m always impressed that he can sing so well. The song itself is kinda romantic so when I listen to it I think about dancing with someone. The lyrics are very slow-paced so I can really paint a picture in my head.” Sublime: “Santeria” LF: “This song is unique to the rest of my playlist because it is the only song that has some Spanish influence. It’s the type of song that makes you want to sing along with it and get up and dance.” — Sara Dediu and Mila Windell
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BEAR WITNESS
| OCTOBER 2020 |
BHSBEARWITNESS.COM
THE BACK PAGE
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t the start of the pandemic, teens in isolation grew more aware of the inequalities of the world around them. The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, ignited a lasting push toward social justice. In addition to taking to the streets in protest, more are harnessing online platforms as a means to not only raise awareness, but to effect lasting change.
Students turn to online platforms to engage peers
“Bringing awareness of your world is just a huge effective change in the way young people think and make a change” said freshman Avishawd Yarisaied, who identifies as a self proclaimed poet who is advocating for a change. Many students have resorted to online activism, rather it be through online petitions for change on campus or being posters scattered throughout campus with messages for change.
POWER THROUGH POETRY he night before International Women’s Day this year, freshman Avishawd Yarisaied, inspired by Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, crafted a poem about International Women’s day and sent shared it, ending it with, “I hope this made your day, I hope that you can relate to this, and I hope my voice can inspire you to do the same: speak up.” And it did. Teachers and students alike came up to her, telling her it was brilliant. The vice principal asked to include it in their monthly newsletter. The poem was sent to The Library of American Poetry, where it will be published in a book titled “Expressions.” “It really made me feel a sense of purpose to spark so much discussion within my school,” Yarisaied recalls. “That meant everything to me because it allowed people to use their voice confidently, assuringly, and sparking discussion is the first way to spark change.” Since then, she’s written poems about Muslim Woman’s Day and Black History Month, which she shared on a
coming dance policy that restricted students outside of the district to attend the dance. “Whether it’s the bell schedule or Homecoming rules, all of our decisions are being made for us,” Boehner said. The new generation of activists isn’t afraid to use their platforms to highlight injustices. We highlight a few of many social reformers on campus. — Ziv Galpaz
Activism at Branham
AVISHAWD YARISAIED
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A study conducted by the EAB, an education technology organization, found that 55% percent of the students who participate in activism are advocating for racial and societal changes such as Black Lives matter, or Asian American rights. On campus, many students have used the power of their voice, such as Senior Tayler Boehner who created a petition that garnered nearly 600 votes against the home-
“healthier social media platform” she inspired with her teacher, creating a way for fellow classmates to share their thoughts and use their voices, as well as learn about the current issues and events. Her desire to educate and uplift originated from the pain she felt at the lack of representation of her ethnicity. “When I speak, I don’t think about activism, or being an activist,” she said. “I think about when I was a little girl, and there were books on all these types of cultures but my culture was never in it. When things happened in Iran with COVID, no one talked about it. So I’m going to talk about it.” In the future, she hopes to advocate for more in-class coverage of current events in order to spread awareness and help everyone feel valued. “If your school doesn’t talk about (what’s going on) too much, how would you feel comfortable in that environment 100% of the time?” she said. “It’s not just politics, it’s about interpersonal connection.” — Emma Zhang
Homecoming petition In September, senior Taylor Boehner launched a petition denouncing what she called contradictory COVID policies for large events. Her Change.org petition asking to bring significant others from outside the district garnered nearly 600 voices, but did not result in a policy change.
Ethnic Lit posters Students in English teacher Mike Espinoza’s class put up posters in support of local issues that mattered to do. Some shared messages about masking, others about disproportionate incarceration of people of color. Senior Jeremy Haven’s poster saying that white people should “stop talking and start listening” (see page 3) drew the attention of the community, and hundreds of comments on Nextdoor. It sparked a conversation like no other on campus.
Bell schedule Last month, four seniors upset about the new bell schedule took to the quad stage with cardboard signs reading “Why is Lunch Only 30 Minutes?” and “6 classes on Monday ain’t it.” Their tongue-in-cheek protest, organized by Aiden DeMarquez, Alaska Grant and Ian Hutt, highlighted the general dissatisfaction with the new schedule. An informal Bear Witness survey of 326 readers found that more than 84% dislike the new bell schedule.
TAYLOR HALL A NEW GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS
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rowing up in a liberal household, senior Taylor Hall found that both her parents and her own morals shaped her political ideology. She stands up for what she believes in, and puts those into actions: from leading Black Lives Matter protests to putting up posters speaking up about sexual assault. Hall calls herself an activist. “I think activism has positively affected life on campus- it not only has made campus more of a safe and accepting place, but it has also helped educate.” said Hall. With today’s growing awareness in the age of the internet,
Hall believes that this generation of students shares the same political impulse as her. “A lot of students at our school have a really strong political drive, no matter which side it’s on,” she said. I also think our generation overall has a very strong drive for politics and social issues and is really well educated”. Taylor Hall’s fight against social issues and injustices is something that she carries with her, from the streets, to campus, to her social media. Even with dissent from others with differing opinions, she continues to carry on speaking up for what she believes in. — Audrey Nguyen
NICOLE PLATKO
A CONSERVATIVE VOICE ON CAMPUS
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enior Nicole Platko is a prominent face at Branham — outgoing, strong-willed, and outspoken. As an active member of the LGBTQ+ community as well as Branham’s JROTC, her place in the community is a unique one. Platko identifies with the Republican party, coming into her views through her own research. She calls herself “economically-right, and socially-left” ideas, agreeing with stricter border laws as well as
stricter abortion laws, but says keeps herself open to ideas from both sides of the political spectrum. As a California native, she often found herself alone in her political views, especially in the liberal Bay Area, and says she’s lost long-time friends. Platko has discovered community in ROTC, meeting people who share similar political views as her. She’s received some pushback for wearing a MAGA hat in a support of former President Donald Trump. “(Responses were) very angry…. I was accused of anything and everything personally: racist, sexist, homophobic. I was fully faced with anger,”
she said. She said internet has been a much more friendly place for the conservative. “You can find more civil groups of people on the internet,” she said, Platko advocates openly for mutual respect in political discussions- an open mind and a “chill conversation” is what she always tries to encourage. “I try to express my views as respectfully as I can- It’s not just about your own side in a debate and I think people forget that nowadays.” — Ziv Galpaz Audrey Nguyen/Bear Witness
