The Elliott Fall 2020

How Stacey Abrams Flipped Georgia Kailen Hicks

The Elliott

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What to Expect From Biden’s Presidency

Sophia Sanders

With a new administration waiting to take office, America will be seeing many changes in the next few months.

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take office in January, and has promised to enact an excess of new policies that will take the United States off of the path that Donald Trump has paved in the last four years.

One of the things that Biden will need to consider while he figures out which policies to put in place first, is the possibility of a divided Congress.

While Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives, control of the Senate has yet to be decided.

In January, there will be two runoff elections in Georgia that will essentially decide which party will have the senate majority. As of right now, the Republican party is projected to take control of the Senate, which may mean that Biden will have to reconsider enacting some of his policies regarding healthcare and the environment and Cont. on page 4

Confronting Holiday Political Talk

Instagram Activism

Jake Bogartz

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@theelliott_

Anna Little

The Galloway School

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Fall 2020

Our Semester of Uncertainty Annie Levy

Over the summer, the Galloway administration made the brave choice to return to campus at nearly full capacity, shocking much of the community. After spending my summer limiting my social interactions and questioning the ethics of every choice I made, the two ideas of returning to school like normal and the Coronavirus pandemic still existing didn’t even seem coplanar. Following the announcement, group chats and text threads across the community began to sincerely question how on earth this would happen. Families were given the choice of whether they would like their kids to attend in-person or virtually, of course, but the vast majority chose to return in-person. On the first day, students and teachers alike debated how long school would last, most assuming no longer than two weeks. Yet here we are, almost a semester later, and the school has only had three

positive cases on record.

You may be wondering how this is possible, and I wondered the exact same thing. The answer, I learned, is the strict, everyday safety measures put into place and the extensive contact tracing process that takes place behind closed doors.

Although back at 80% capacity, our warm campus appears strikingly different than the one we left in March. The iconic white cubbies that line the halls, usually doubling as sports bag-holders and seats during breaks throughout the day, are now disinfected regularly, and have blue stickers that mark the spots where students are permitted to sit. Our teachers, usually moving about the classroom, hunched over desks and engaging with students, are restricted to their desks and designated spaces. And, of course, half our faces are covered in fabric, and my desk, blanketed in my germs, is sterilized at the end of each class. While these changes and dozens more are socially unsettling, their efficiency and effectiveness are the very reason why we’ve been able to stay in school for so long.

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Shifting Gears: An Oncologist In the Time Ruby Kaufman of COVID The Coronavirus pandemic erupted in America around 8 months ago, and since then, doctors who are at the heart of finding a solution and treating those who are ill have lived in constant fear and stress.

Doctors were forced to abruptly enact changes to their work environments and more specifically their role in these facilities; helping with COVID cases while still keeping up with their speciality patients.

These scrub-covered heroes deserve to be applauded for their determination, dedication, and selflessness in helping Coronavirus patients despite possible personal repercussions and concerns.

Dr. Jonathan Kaufman, oncologist and director of hematology at Emory Hospital, was one of the many doctors given the responsibility to balance treating and researching for his hundreds of cancer patients with the adapting of Emory Hospital to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, Dr. Jonathan Kaufman focuses on an uncommon cancer called Multiple Myeloma, which is cancer of the Plasma cells, as well as running the stem cell bone marrow transplant facilities at Emory. Dr. Kaufman, along with some of his colleagues, was tasked with the role to “create and organize the entire shift in [their] practice”. This immense responsibility caused great stress due to his worry not only of contracting Coronavirus himself but also its possibly disastrous effects on his immunecompromised cancer patients. Still working long shifts each day and adapting the regimens of the hospital as the pandemic adapts in America, Dr. Kaufman opens up about his experience in the hospital during these unprecedented times, and the drastic impact on himself, his colleagues, and his patients.

The Legacy of Dr. Barksdale

Kathryn Pope

Twenty-three years ago, while in graduate school, Dr. Barksdale began working at Galloway. He quickly became a fixture in the Galloway community. He taught American Studies, ran Jug Band, and was always a positive presence in the West Wing hallway.

Although he did not initially plan on becoming a teacher, he found a passion for Galloway and his students, leading him into his new career path. Recently, due to COVID, he retired. However, just because he is not here in person does not mean his presence and influence on the community is gone. I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Barksdale as a teacher, and I, like many others, was upset to learn about his unexpected departure. I was fortunate enough to talk to him for this Elliott Exclusive to gain closure for myself and hopefully the rest of the community.

During his time teaching, Dr. Barksdale was known for taking his history classes beyond the classroom and providing experiential learning opportunities. One of Dr. Barksdale’s favorite memories from his years in the community was taking senior students on field trips and walking tours around downtown Atlanta to look

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Fall 2020

Chadwick Boseman: Inspiring a Generation

News

Kailen Hicks

I was so grateful that I was lucky enough to get tickets to see the Black Panther premiere over a whole week before the movie actually came out. I had known about the release of Black Panther for more than two years prior to it’s release, and if my obsession with rewatching trailers in my free time meant anything, it’s safe to say that I might’ve been pretty excited. I had every reason to be. In my five or so years of being so obsessed and engaged with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there had never been a movie released in which the lead superhero role was black. For the years prior, when I would dress up as the superhero from my favorite MCU movie of the year for Halloween, I always felt awkward and out of place compared to my other, white friends who would dress up. I was envious of the fact that their costumes made them look like the real heroes, while I felt so incredibly out of place standing next to them in mine. When Black Panther released, it felt like I finally had a superhero that I could relate to and feel comfortable dressing up as. To others, Black Panther may have been just another standard Marvel movie, but for us, it felt like a cultural celebration. Watching the movie at the premiere, which consisted of a majority black audience, was frankly one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. Everywhere you’d look, there would be entire families decked out in different kinds of African-inspired merchandise and Black Panther-themed apparel. Getting to hear guest speakers such as Samuel L Jackson and Congressman John Lewis speak before the showing was empowering in itself, but also hearing the vibrant crowd react to exhilarating moments in the movie was unforgettable in its own way as well.

Ultimately, the character who ended up leaving the longest-lasting impact on me, and countless other young black kids, was King T’Challa, the Black Panther himself.

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Chadwick Boseman, the man behind the superhero who inspired millions, died unexpectedly on August 28 from a private four-year fight with colon cancer. His death was announced via Twitter, which would quickly become the most-liked tweet of all time in just under 24 hours. Many of the people that starred alongside him in MCU, such as Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Holland all posted public tributes via social media as well. The outpouring of support and grief that he and his family received shows that despite his relatively short lifespan, he managed to leave an impact on the world that very few could.

In the year that Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther was released, it became somewhat of a phenomenon within the black community especially. To this day, it is still the highest-grossing non-Avengers Marvel movie, and it garnered tons of attention. From elementary school kids to your grown-up uncles, aunts, and at times even grandparents, it felt like everybody had something positive to say about Black Panther. Young, impressionable children had a superhero that they could look up to, while older adults got to finally experience something that they had never had the luxury of experiencing as kids themselves. To be quite honest, this movie alone created a sense of unity that I haven’t really felt since. This movie, despite being set in a completely different African-inspired world, still managed to conjure up themes and moments that black people worldwide could relate to. Through fictional characters alone, like Boseman’s Black Panther, an entire community was touched and uplifted.

We finally had the superhero that we had been deprived of for so many years, and he was one that we felt like we could truly embrace and be proud of. I can confidently say that Chadwick Boseman played an extremely significant role in giving black culture a place to stand within a genre that it had previously been denied any sort of true representation in.

Unfortunately, it seems that it would only be after his death that people would realize that Chadwick Boseman wasn’t just a strong-willed and determined superhero behind a black suit, but in real life as well. In the four years after his diagnosis, he would go onto Film Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, 21 Bridges, and Da 5 Bloods, all the while showing up everyday with the intention of continuing to work hard to create and inspire others while he was terminally ill. He performed in the two biggest action movies of our generation in the midst of chemotherapy without complaining or showing any signs of being sick. He would actively go out of his way to give speeches to inspire young students at colleges, and he would travel to comfort other cancer-stricken children despite knowing the inevitability of his own circumstances. While this is heartbreaking to know, it’s also incredibly motivating, as it shows that we have no excuses when it comes to doing what we can to make a positive impact on people in this world in one way, shape, or form. Even though it’s unfortunate that his legacy as the Black Panther seemed to overshadow his attempts to empower people using his voice as a person, it’s a good thing that people are starting to learn from and appreciate his actions, even if it came after his death.

Chadwick Boseman’s ability to continue to motivate and educate people despite his situation somehow denotes a stronger sign of heroism than any of the actions of the fictional character that he portrayed, and that to me is incredibly telling of the person he was. Chadwick Boseman’s character captivated an entire generation, but through the messages that he preached and his admirable actions, he downright changed the lives of some people, and that’s something that not many people can say. Chadwick Boseman lived his final days using his platform to fight against injustice, and using his voice to incite passion within the hearts of many young people today. Despite only living to be 43, he truly left his mark on the world in the best way, and in a way that only he could.

The Alarming Lack of Holocaust Awareness and Education Among Young People Recently, The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany conducted the first ever nationwide study on Holocaust knowlege among millennials and members of Generation Z, and the results were shocking and disturbing. The release of the “U.S. Millennial Holocaust Knowlege and Awareness Survey” highlighted a large deficit of basic Holocaust knowlege in the United States for Americans ages 18-39. The study showed that 63% of respondents lacked knowledge of the six million Jewish people who were murdered, 26% thought that “two million or fewer Jews” were killed, 48% of respondents could not name a single concentration camp or ghetto, and 10% believed that Jews were responsible for the Holocaust.

The president of the conference that conducted the servey, Gideon Taylor, stated that the results “underscore why we must act now while Holocaust survivors are still with us to voice their stories.”

Taylor’s statement calls attention to the most troubling aspect of these findings. the Holocaust took place in the 1940’s, the number of survivors who are still alive is decreasing daily, and their stories

are dying along with them. This pattern means that our generation must take action and become educated on the matter before it is too late, and there are no stories left to tell about the atrocious realities that the victims faced.

So, what is the next step in educating this generation and the generations to come? Holocaust education informs students about human rights and prevents history from repeating itself. The more informed and aware young people are about this issue, the easier it will be to combat anti-semitism.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, as of 2019, only 11 states had laws requiring Holocaust education in schools, whereas many states only “recommend” that Holocaust education be included in school curricula. In order to do provide Holocaust education, school systems need to verify that teachers have the proper knowledge and resources.

Additionally, Holocaust education programs should be incorporated into communities, so that people of all ages who lack the proper knowledge on this topic can become educated.

While requiring Holocaust education in all

Sophia Sanders

schools is an ambitious goal, the majority of the survey-takers were not opposed to becoming informed on the matter. In fact, 64% of respondents believed that Holocaust education should be mandatory in all schools. Additionally, 70% of respondents found neo-Nazi views intolerable. It is vital to have a nationwide conversation on how to better incorporate Holocaust education in our country today, so that change can begin, and younger generations can learn about where prejudice leads.

The best way to guarantee that Holocaust education is incorporated into schools is to pass more laws like the Never Again Act, a law passed in May of 2020 to provide federal funding for teachers across the United States to develop the resources necessary to teach students about this pressing issue.

While the results of this survey are ominous, there is still hope for our generation to become informed before it is too late. It is imperative that change is enacted quickly to ensure that an event like the Holocaust never happens again.

News

Fall 2020

As Politicians Overlook Hate Groups, Number of Anti-Semitic Incidents Rises Caroline Cranman

During the nationally televised presidential debate on September 29th, 2020, President Trump was asked numerous times to condemn white supremisist groups like the Proud Boys, who have been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Proud Boys symbolize an unconventional strain of American right-wing extremism. The group’s members represent a range of ethnic backgrounds and their founder, Gavin McInne, objects to any declaration of racism in the group. The group is known to be violent, antisemetic, Islamophobic, transphobic, and sexist.

Gavin McInnes has decried racism and anti-semitism, but past statements and actions disprove this claim. He was accused of being anti-semitic in 2017 during his trip to Israel when he released a video on Rebel Media called “10 Things I Hate about Jews,” which he retitled “10 Things I Hate about Israel”; possibly because he realized it was offensive, or just because he was tired of hate from outside respondents. In the video, he made statements like “[I’m] becoming anti-semitic,” and he alluded to being somewhat of a Holocaust denier when he defended

Who was Alex Trebek?

Kathryn Pope

In 1984, Alex Trebek made his appearance on the first-ever episode of Jeopardy!. From that day onward -- until his recent death on November 8th due to Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer -- he continued to host every episode for 37 seasons. He hosted more than 8,000 episodes of Jeopardy! earning him a Guinness World Record for “Most Game Show Episodes Hosted by the Same Presenter” and a spot in the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Along with these awards, he also won 7 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Jeopardy! was not his only achievement; in 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada which is the second-highest civilian honor someone can receive.

After earning his degree in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa, he began working for CBC reporting on television and the radio. As an alumnus of the University of Ottawa, he continued to give back to the university by creating scholarships, helping to build the Alumni Hall, and sponsoring Lecture Series. In 1973, he made his hosting debut on the NBC game show “Wizard of Odds”. After this show and a few other jobs, he became the host of Jeopardy! without knowing the impact this job would have on his life.

In March of 2019, Trebek let the public know that he was fighting pancreatic cancer. He had been receiving treatments for his cancer along with experimental immunotherapy while continuing to host episodes of Jeopardy!.

He released a memoir titled The Answer is… Reflections on My Life, which was released the day prior to his 80th birthday. All of the proceeds from his book are being donated to charity. In his memoir, he talks about the sideeffects of pancreatic cancer, such as depression, as well as how the diagnosis changed his life. Despite how he may have been feeling, Trebek continued to release videos updating the public on how he was doing.

- Kathryn Pope

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Although Trebek is no longer here, his episodes and persona on the show are still with us to help his legacy live on for decades to come.

On November 8, 2020, Trebek lost his batter to pancreatic cancer at the age of 80. He passed while surrounded by friends and family at his home in Los Angeles, California. Mike Richards, Jeopardy!’s executive producer, said this was an “enormous loss” for the crew and that it was an honor to work alongside him. The episodes he filmed before his passing will be aired through Christmas Day, but the show is not currently planning on announcing a new host. Although Trebek is no longer here, his episodes and persona on the show are still with us to help his legacy live on for decades to come.

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Neo-Nazis, saying that he believes that the Holocaust did happen, but that far fewer than six million Jews perished and only due to starvation.

The group was still created based on the belief that white Christians are superior, and because of their strong belief, they will continue to hold their ground on bigotted ideas. When joining the group, members must take an oath: “I am a proud western chauvinist, I refuse to apologize for creating a modern world.” Members believe that they are doing what’s right for the United States, and because of that determination and pride, they will not stop fighting.

When Donald Trump avoided condemning white supremisists, it allowed all hate groups and hateful individuals to feel more powerful and unstoppable. Not only did Trump’s refusal to denounce white supremacy encourage hate groups, but it was also inconsiderate of all the people who have experienced any sort of discrimination or hate. Despite President Trump allowing white supremacy groups to continue on with their hateful acts, many surveys calculated that 22% of Jews still favored Trump. Another survey found that 70% of Israeli Jews were in favor of Trump. Oftentimes, Israelis support Trump because he is a zionist, which means he supports Israel as a Jewish nation. The pro-Trump support coming from Israel will swing some U.S Jewish voters.

In 2019, the American Jewish community was subjected to the highest level of antisemetic incidents since it started being tracked in 1979. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recorded 2,107 incidents like harassment, vandalism, killings, and assault across the U.S, which was a 12% increase from 2018. Most reported incidents occurred during the high holidays, which inevitably struck fear in the communities. Last year during Hanukkah, there was not one day that an anti-semetic incident didn’t occur.

With Donald Trump allowing them to continue with their heinous crimes, there is no telling the extent at which anti semitism will arise in America.

Now, more than ever, the Jewish community must be vigilant at all times, especially during the Jewish holidays. Now that President elect Joe Biden is elected, it is up to him to put groups like the Proud Boys in their place, because unless he does, there is no doubt that white supremisist groups will continue to terrorize citizens and cause fear in Jewish communities.

SEC Coaches Will Do Anything But Wear a Mask Jake Bogartz

College football is finally back (at least most of it) after a long offseason that produced constant questions about if there would be any season at all due to the Coronavirus. After a lot of deliberation the NCAA, individual conferences, schools, and states created some regulations to curb the spread of Coronavirus. These regulations vary from sensible, like limiting stadium capacity, to bizarre, like banning live mascots from stadiums. Among the sensible regulations is a requirement for all coaches and nonplayer personnel to wear masks on the sideline. Wearing a mask is pretty simple, but for a high-energy SEC coach, it can present some problems.

As I watched SEC football this season, I noticed that coaches have developed sophisticated methods to not wear a mask yet avoid any fines or penalties. By far the most popular loophole was a mask worn by UGA’s Kirby Smart, Alabama’s Nick Saban, and most of Alabama’s team personnel. This mask for some inexplicable reason appears to be made entirely of mesh. Now up close these masks could have some type of barrier in them, but that does not appear to be the case. Mesh masks certainly allow for more ventilation and better acoustics for Nick Saban to scream at his team and officials, but I would venture to say the holes on the mesh are bigger than the 60-140 nm range of a coronavirus particle.

My personal favorite mask-dodging tactic was Tennessee’s Jeremy Pruitt and the cover-everything-except-the-face approach. With a checked orange and white neck gaiter wrapped around his entire head, but his full-face exposed, Pruitt drew some fantastic comparisons to E.T, Russian grandmothers, and a medieval soldier. However, despite the jokes, any COVID particles in him would be free to float along his team’s sideline. To be fair, he would occasionally pull the gaiter up so his nose and mouth were only slightly exposed, but he spent the majority of the game open to the elements.

Another great effort came from Ole Miss’s Lane Kiffin who did a better job with a bandana sporting the name of Ole Miss players now in the NFL around his face. Unfortunately, he spent most of the game with it rotated to the side so he could talk into his headset. This left most of his face exposed, but maybe the extra clarity in his communications is what almost brought Ole Miss to a huge upset over Bama.

Some coaches did a good job like Florida’s Dan Mullen who wore a fabric mask for most of his loss to Texas A&M. His attention to COVID safety is surprising because he also immediately began campaigning to open his home stadium to its full 88,548 fan capacity as Florida Governor Ron Desantis now allows.

There’s no doubt in my mind there were many more examples of coaches almost wearing masks, but I could only watch so many games on Saturday.

Overall, I found this phenomenon very entertaining, but I would guess the NCAA and the universities these coaches represent might be less amused.

Election 2020

Fall 2020

Stacey Abrams: How One Woman Flipped Georgia on Its Head

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Kailen Hicks

In 2018, Stacey Abrams ran as a Democratic Candidate for the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial race. She narrowly lost by a margin of about 55,000 votes, but in historically red Georgia, her near-success shocked voters and the nation. Despite facing voter suppression of her constituents, she attained a level of influence that other Southern Democrats haven’t reached in decades. She energized many demographics that previous Georgia Democratic candidates had failed to sway, and, to me, that not only denotes her work ethic as a politician but her influence as a person. Through her 2018 campaign, Stacey Abrams inspired hundreds of thousands of Georgia voters, and instead of sulking over an election that was debatably out of her control, she kept her head held high, opting to continue to believe in her state. Now, in 2020, she is being credited as the woman who led the movement to make Georgia the only southern state to flip from red to blue in this year’s presidential election.

The most important goal for Democrats in this election was to appeal to and register African-American voters in the state of Georgia, who historically have overwhelmingly voted Democrat. Stacey Abrams was conscious of this fact, and with the help of her campaign manager, she composed a 16page document that detailed evidence-based strategies to end up getting the state of Georgia to turn blue. Despite making up only 15% of the country’s population, African-Americans make up roughly 32% percent of the population within Georgia, and half of the population within the city of Atlanta alone. Thus, African American voter turnout, while important nationwide, was especially important in Georgia this year due to the power this population holds in our state. Stacey Abrams knew that in order for Democrats to win Georgia, they had to motivate the people of Atlanta to get out and make their voices heard, and make their votes count.

In the two years following her defeat, through the New Georgia Project, which was founded by Abrams in 2013, Abrams helped to register over 800,000 new voters. She influenced Georgia citizens to take their frustration and anger with this recent administration to the polls and stressed just how powerful individuals’ votes can be.

Instead of sulking over an election that was debatably out of her control, she kept her head held high, opting to continue to believe in her state.

- Kailen Hicks

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A major subject of controversy in the past had been the topic of potential voter suppression in the 2018 gubernatorial race, and Stacey Abrams actually ended up refusing to give a concession speech in 2018 because she thought that the race ended up being unfair. Clearly, Abrams believed that voter suppression was an issue within the state of Georgia, and she needed a plan of action to combat it in the 2020 upcoming election. In 2018, approximately 670,000 Georgia voters had their votes purged, and it is alleged that voters of color were disproportionately affected by these purges. The issue of insufficient polling stations in predominantly African-American areas was also an issue, and many citizens had to stand in absurdly long lines to get their vote counted. Many African-American voters were frustrated with how voter suppression from the Republican Party potentially impacted the 2018 elections, and it’s because of this that they felt much more motivated to vote now.

Stacey Abrams’ team found a way to combat these common challenges.

She took the necessary steps to ensure that every vote was counted in this election, and that there were minimal suspicious “purges” that could have an affect on the race. As for the long lines, many citizens tried to curb this issue by way of voting via a mail-in-ballot, and others, with a newfound resolve and determination, simply braced themselves for the worst and waited it out.

Much in part due to Abrams and her allies, voters were more educated in regards to the potential things that could go wrong when they appeared at the polls. Despite the various glitches and mishaps that were reported to have occurred during the early voting period, many citizens were firm in making sure their vote was counted regardless.

In a world where politics feels so abundantly corrupt among both sides of the political spectrum, it’s refreshing to have a trustworthy politician who you can look up to. Stacey Abrams took the emotions she felt from her defeat in a potentially unfair election and channelled them into something positive. Through her work and advocacy over the past few years, she has taken people who may not have been very involved in politics in the past and turned them into politically-educated citizens who are more eager to vote than ever before. Frankly, I’ve recently seen political discourse amongst some friends and family of mine who I never thought would’ve ever gotten involved politically, and to be honest, I’m proud of that. I’m very happy to see Georgia have gone blue, as to me, it sends a message that the City of Atlanta made a statement that was felt across the nation. We took the anger and frustration that we had been feeling for the past four years and used it to make an impact in the most democratic and civil way possible.Thanks to this movement that Stacey Abrams jump started, it feels like I finally know what it’s like to truly take pride in where I live.

What to Expect in the First Few Months of Biden’s Presidency Sophia Sanders Continued from front page on issues that could attract bipartisan support, such as COVID relief.

Biden’s immediate plan for Coronavirus containment is to assemble a task force to manage the outbreak of infections and ensure that safe and effective vaccines will be distributed for free so that everyone will have access to them. Additionally, he plans to push for immediate legislation regarding the virus. His COVID response plan involves expanding testing resources as well as providing access to more protective equipment such as masks. He has also called for at least 10,000 dollars in student loan debt to be cancelled as part of a COVID-19 relief program. Biden has also made a promise that on the first day of his official presidency, he will start working to install a 25 billion dollar vaccine production distribution plan.

While Coronavirus containment is currently a top priority for the Biden Administration, it is not the only thing that he will be working to change in his first few months as president. Biden also plans to work to combat environmental issues by re-entering the United States into the Paris Climate accord of

Fall 2020

Election 2020

Continued from previous page 2015, which Donald Trump pulled out of. In addition to environmental matters, Biden will also focus heavily on racial injustice issues. He vows to protect and strengthen the Voting Rights Act, and plans on extending the original legislation.

Another pressing issue that Biden has plans for is immigration. He intends to produce immigration legislation that will help 11 million migrants (who

are currently living in the US without legal citizenship) obtain legal status.

Additionally, he plans on permanently legalizing the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) that was put in place by the Obama administration. Families being separated at the border is another urgent issue surrounding immigration, and President- elect Biden has vowed to pass a law that will work to reunite children and parents who have been separated at the border.

Majority of US Senate to be Decided in Georgia

A little over a year ago, I was welcomed into the warm Decatur home of a young, humble Jon Ossoff for an interview for this very newspaper. At the time, he had just declared his run for Senator David Perdue’s long-held seat, and it would be the beginning of a very long journey. The Jon I met spoke dotingly about the people of Georgia and the power he predicted our state would hold in 2020. Although I did my best to remain impartial as a journalist, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful this man would be the future of Washington politics and would one day represent me. When I got in the car after my interview, beaming with inspiration, I knew I had just spoken to someone who had the potential to change this country.

Now, flash forward a year, the contentious Senate election ended with Georgia being all the talk. In the beginning of this nail-biter race, Perdue was ahead of Ossoff by a fairly decent margin, but as absentee ballots and mail-in votes began to roll in, Perdue’s lead fell just under the 50% threshold necessary to win, sending the candidates to a January runoff. At the time of publication, only 86,000 votes separated the two candidates as the votes continue to be tallyed weeks after November 3. In the other Senate race, between Reverend Raphael Warnock and Senator Kelly Loeffler, neither candidate came out with a strong majority, meaning Georgia will see not one, but two, runoffs in the new year.

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Annie Levy

Jon Ossoff is no stranger to the anxieties of a January runoff. In 2017, Ossoff ran for Georgia’s 6th district Congressional seat against Karen Handel, and their January runoff ended up being the most expensive Congressional race in history. As shown in Ossoff’s case, a Democratic win in a runoff race is rare, as Republicans are statistically more likely to have the motivation to get out and vote for a second time, but after Georgia flipped blue in the Presidential race, it may be possible for Ossoff to get the voter turnout he needs.

Although Georgia’s demographics are becoming more young and liberal every year, this state’s conservative roots make a win for Ossoff and Warnock unguaranteed. Arguably, for Ossoff to have come this close is enough of a historical feat. Senator David Perdue has dominated Georgia for the last six years and has done so by waiting on the President hand and foot. Statistically, Perdue votes in agreement with President Donald Trump 95% of the time, the most anyone in Congress does second only to Georgia’s own Kelly Loeffler.

With immense financial backing from the President and his gang of donors, Ossoff is certainly the underdog, especially when factoring in Georgia’s overwhelmingly conservative political history.

More important, though, is the national significance of this race. The Senate race was tight nationwide, and, when all was said and done, 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats won, with the last two seats of the Senate relying on Georgia’s runoff races. If both Ossoff and Warnock win, the Senate will be split 50-50, Republicans and Democrats, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would break any ties, making the Senate essentially blue. The legislative responsibility and impact Congress, and specifically the Senate, has on the American political landscape is so significant it’s hard to put into words. Ultimately, a blue Senate would mean a productive four years for President Joe Biden, as another term of a conservative, Mitch McConnell gridlock would likely pose challenges for Biden’s progressive agenda.

In between now and the January 5th runoff, all four candidates —Ossoff, Warnock, Perdue, and Loeffler —are hard at work, campaigning for the two Senate seats that hold unknowable amounts of power over the future of America. While the futures of each race is uncertain, one message is clear: Georgia has the power to change the trajectory of American politics, and for our Southern, conservative state, one can only imagine what the changing demographics in Georgia may bring in decades to come.

Galloway’s Own First-Time Voters

In an election with historic consequences, some of our own Galloway students had the privilege of voting for the very first time. Here are some anecdotes from their experiences.

“ I felt so fortunate to vote given the amount

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- Zoe Tilley

of suffrage it took to get to where are we are now. Voting in America is still not perfect, but I feel empowered to encourage voters to voice their opionions when and where they can and to do the same myself. It was also crazy to see Georgia and Fulton county all over the news. I could look at the votes and think ‘Hey, that’s me. That’s my vote!’”

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- Abigail Peacock

voting early and looking at sample ballots beforehand really made the whole experience feel a lot less stressful. It felt amazing to just know I had a voice in this election, especially because Georgia was such a tight race.

- Anna Little

was pretty nervous walking into the voting “ Iroom.

I wasn’t sure whether there were going

to be any problems with my registration or with my ID, but luckily everything worked out and I was fortunate enough to vote in the presidential election just a week after my 18th birthday.

- Serena Mammen

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a new experience, and I didn’t want to mess it up. It was surprisingly easy, though. That moment I submitted my first ballot was a moment I won’t forget! Every vote counts, and I’m glad mine helped make history!

had heard all of these horror stories about “ Ihours-long lines and confusing questions, but

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first time voting was so exciting. I was “ My a little frazzled at first because it was such

Scots Nation

Fall 2020

Page 6

Our Semester of Uncertainty: How Galloway Has Battled Off COVID So Far Cont. from front page

How does Galloway proceed, though, if there is a reported case or exposure? Because this information seems to be kept under wraps, but commonly wondered, I spoke directly with UL principal Mr. Foreman to better understand Galloway’s contact tracing process.

When the administration hears of a case, two major conversations take place. The positive student and their parents will have an initial private conversation with administrators where said student will be asked who exactly they came into close contact with that could pose a threat to the community. These contacts, referred to as “proximal” contacts by administration, may be students who’ve eaten lunch with or hung out on the weekend with the positive student. Once these conversations take place, Mr. Foreman himself then communicates with faculty who help determine how to proceed.

“All of our faculty members have submitted seating charts, for every single one of their classes and advisories,” Mr. Foreman explained. “When something happens and we’re made aware, we sit down with the seating charts and truly look at what the distancing measures are.”

Each case is handled differently depending on the dynamics of the classroom. For example, every classroom has a slightly different layout of furniture and the distance between said furniture depends on the size of the room. Furthermore, the administration must take into account the actual learning environment of each particular class.

“I have a class right now that I know off the top of my head where those kids sit in rows, they don’t do group work, they don’t move around too often,” Mr. Foreman explained. “But there are other places where this is not the case. ”

Once a potentially exposed student is sent home, they are asked to stay home for the incubation period -- the five to seven day period in which a person is most likely to develop symptoms -- then they are asked to take a COVID-19 test by schoolhired lab LifeHope Labs. If the test is negative, the student is permitted to return to campus.

Obviously, Galloway’s contact tracing process operates on a case-by-case basis where faculty have the resources to physically sit down, have these conversations, look over the seating charts, etc.

One can’t help but wonder, though, what happens if cases start to become more frequent than just a once-every-few weeks-basis? How do you contact trace at Galloway on a mass scale? When I asked Mr. Foreman what he would do if cases became unmanageable, he smiled and replied, “I’d shut it down.”

He explained that if there was a situation in which there were many students who came into close contact with a positive student, and he was unable to perform the accurate contact tracing, Mr. Foreman would sit down with Dr. Calleroz White and Nurse Rohm and acknowledge the possible need to switch to Continuous Learning.

Galloway has been able to thrive with few Coronavirus cases because of the safety measures on campus and adequate contact tracing. However, it would be foolish not to acknowledge that Galloway has been able to accomplish a semester of inperson learning because of our immense privilege as a private institution. Most schools in our state do not have the materials necessary to allow families to choose between learning virtually or in person and, furthermore, cannot ensure that students who choose to learn in person can do so safely. Only our house up on the hill could spend thousands on private testing, cleaning supplies, masks, and more essentials to make this happen while millions in our

Galloway’s Team Sports During the Pandemic

the Coronavirus. They define close contact as being within 6 feet of someone, having direct contact with them, sharing food or drinks, and getting someone else’s “respiratory droplets” on you. In the case that a player is diagnosed with the virus, the team, as well as the coaches, are required to quarantine. With that in mind, why are only players required to quarantine and not other students?

Students who attend in-person school and participate in school sports come into close contact with both their teammates and peers. This creates a chain of people who could have been exposed.

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Since schools have found their own ways of holding classes, now comes the question: will there be team sports?

- Caroline Cranman

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When the Coronavirus made its way to the United States in mid-March, it came abruptly without giving the country much time to plan. Schools switched to virtual learning within weeks and with that, spring sports were canceled to minimize the spread. Precautions such as social distancing and wearing masks were recommended in hopes that Covid-19 could be curbed. the coronavirus is as present as ever, but schools have managed to adjust with virtual or in-person classes.

Since schools have found their own ways of holding classes, now comes the question: will there be team sports? In the guidelines recently released by the NFHS, (The National Federation of State High School) they explain that it is important for the mental and physical well-being of students to return to physical activity and competition. The Federation continues to explain that there will always be a risk of spreading the virus, but there are many ways of decreasing it. They urge everyone to wear a mask, get their temperature checked before games or practices, remain 6 feet apart, and limit the amount of people in an area to 10. Even with these precautions, there is still a risk of a player or coach contracting the virus. If someone contracts the virus, the entire team must quarantine because they were all in close contact with the person.

When someone is asked to quarantine, the purpose is to help prevent the spread of viruses to anyone else. The CDC says that quarantining is only required for people who were in close contact with a person carrying

Caroline Cranman

Maintaining students and teachers health is the number one priority of schools this year. Although most schools want to stay open for in person classes as long as they can, they have to keep everyone’s best interests in mind. Athletes that travel and come back to attend in-person school create a huge risk for the school to remain open for as long as they can. Schools understand the risks, and most are willing to take a chance as long as it means that fall sports get to have a season.

Through sports, student athletes have a place to just forget their problems and enjoy doing something they love and during a Pandemic, this escape is needed more than ever even if it’s a little more challenging to coordinate.

Annie Levy

country -- and thousands in our state -- are unemployed and scrap for these very materials. This doesn’t discredit or stain Galloway’s efforts at all, but our Coronavirus victory can’t help but exist in this broader, complicated context.

Galloway’s had a successful semester, no doubt. The administration’s efforts in executing a safe environment in terms of protocols are both creative and effective, and this certainly deserves applause. The ability to physically sit down and carefully handle each individual case is a luxury not every institution has. While the rest of the year is certainly up in the air, perhaps our community will continue to prevail, and we’ll have the unusual privilege during this unprecedented time to continue attending school in-person.

How the Coronavirus Has Affected Theatre at Galloway Peyton Louie The Coronavirus has changed how we operate at The Galloway School, and we’ve all had to learn and adapt to this new environment. One major aspect that has had to change is the way our theater department operates.

Usually, the theater department has a traditional way of going about its productions. At the beginning of the school year, the students who participate in Galloway’s fantastic theater program find out what the play is and have casual auditions soon after. After receiving their roles, the actors will then diligently rehearse for three months and debut the show in late October.

This year, though, was different. The play, titled “I can, I will,” was completely virtual, to ensure safety of both the cast and the audience.

The cast was randomly split into four groups with 6-8 people in them, and they each collaborated to create a 10 minute play with the theme of determination and perseverance (hence, “I can, I will”). A student in the play that I interviewed for this article, The Elliott’s own Anna Little, shared with me that they decided on this theme because it gave them lots of freedom to interpret it differently and uniquely. Anna’s group based their skit on the concept of abuse of power. Impressively, they all wrote, produced, designed, and performed their own plays.

“It was interesting to see our show’s journey from the beginning to end, and I loved being able to work so closely with my group and see what other groups created,” Anna mentioned. Although she did wish circumstances were different, especially since it is her senior year, Anna said it was still a great opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible any other year.

Although theater was unable to meet in person this fall, the actors found a way to create something they would all be proud of, regardless of the challenges. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy the spring musical in person next semester, but this year’s fall play was a great success!

Fall 2020

Reviews

Page 7

A Narcoleptic’s Guide on How to Get Better Sleep

According to The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the average teen requires 8-10 hours of sleep at night, yet the majority of us only get about 7.

Balancing schoolwork and extracurriculars can be tough, and sleep is not usually a priority for students, including myself. However, I came to realize that I could not function properly when I did not get the recommended amount of sleep for people my age, which began affecting my attention span during class and my participation in extracurricular activities.

This past year, I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that affects the natural sleep cycle, and causes excessive daytime sleepiness. In the process of getting my diagnosis, I have tried every trick in the book to be able to get better sleep, and I am here to tell you the five most helpful sleeping tips that you can implement into your daily life. Whether you have too much schoolwork that is keeping you up late, you are stressed out from extracurricular activities, or you are simply laying awake at night, unable to fall asleep, these tips will help you sleep better at night and excel in your everyday life.

1. Adjust your sleep and wake times Your body has a natural clock, which is known as your circadian rhythm. It affects your brain and body, and it tells you when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake. Your body’s circadian rhythm aligns itself with sunrise and sunset, so being consistent with your sleep and wake times can improve the quality of your sleep. Try to set a specific time to go to sleep, so that your body becomes used to getting the same amount of sleep each night.

2. Take naps, but not long ones One of the first things my sleep doctor taught me was that taking short naps throughout the day helps your brain function better during the daytime. However, long naps are proven to harm your sleep pattern. Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your circadian rhythm, which can make you have a hard time falling and staying asleep at night. Taking 2 or 3 short naps a day (around 30 minutes each) is much better for a healthy sleep cycle than taking 1 long nap.

3. Unless it is morning time, stay away from caffeine!

This is a tough one, especially if you are a coffee addict like me, but drinking caffeine in the afternoon or evening stimulates your nervous system and can keep you awake at night. Because caffeine can stay in your blood for six to eight hours, it is important to try not to ingest caffeine after 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

4. Reduce blue light exposure before bed Many people will tell you to stay off electronic devices for at least 2 hours before bed, but I have never found this to be a helpful tip. As a student and an athlete, I often complete my homework at night, so staying off of electronics never seemed like a realistic goal. However, blue light exposure at night time negatively affects your circadian rhythm by tricking your body into thinking that it is daytime, which reduces the hormones in your brain that help you relax and fall asleep. The best way to fix this problem while still being able to use electronic devices is to purchase blue light glasses, which block out the blue light from devices such as smart phones and computers. This way, you can get work done before bed and not have to worry about the blue light messing with your internal clock. However, if you are not interested in investing in blue light glasses, there are many apps available for download that can block out blue light from your devices.

5. Develop a relaxing night routine Once you are done with your daily tasks and ready for bed, try to do something that relaxes you. Relaxation techniques such as listening to music, reading a book, taking a bath, and meditating have proven to improve your quality of sleep and help you fall asleep easier. My personal favorite way to relax at night is by listening to soft music or nature sounds on my phone.

Life can be stressful at times, but I have come to learn that the best way to cure stress is to get better sleep at night so that you will work better during the day. Even though the importance of sleep is often overlooked by teens, sleeping well directly correlates to your mood, your productivity, and your overall quality of life. Following these tips will show you that you do not have to choose between getting good sleep and completing your daily tasks to the best of your ability, and the seemingly impossible task of making sleep a priority will get a lot easier.

Death is Inevitable So Listen to Me Rate These Early 2000s Commercials A few weeks ago, I turned 18. That makes me an adult, at least in the eyes of the law, which means that I, too, am susceptible to this neverending carousel of powerlessness and pain that we call time.

My childhood is behind me and death is imminent.

But I do not want to sit here on what may become by deathbed at any moment and mope around.

Instead, I’d like to invite you along with me on a nostalgic journey, one filled with corny catch phrases and people who weren’t attractive enough to be on real television. Welcome to the world of early 2000s commercials.

1. Dream Lites: 1/10 Now, I’ll give credit where credit is due. The Dream Lite song will be inscribed in my brain until the end of time, but what keeps me from giving this commercial a higher score is the length. By about the 50 second mark, I was baffled that it was still going. What more is there to say about Dream Lites? It’s already a spinoff of the Pillow Pet. This seems unnecessary. Why do we need to see no less than 14 children - 15 if you count the twins as separate people, but why would you - to demonstrate the efficacy of the Dream Lite? Not to mention the name “Billy” being used, which shows a general lack of creativity. Better names could have included: Noah. Benjamin. Luke. Langston. Caz. Any of these names would have been more creative than “Billy”, which is the equivalent of naming him Namey McPersonboy. One star.

2. Orbeez Soothing Spa: 8/10 Now this is a commercial. Good for Orbeez for capitalizing on everyone already using their product for this exact purpose. While it may not be as

Sophia Sanders

quotable as others on this list, I feel that I must give it a high ranking for actually succeeding in selling this to me. Twice. Once, when I was about nine years old and I didn’t understand the concept of money or, more accurately, wasting it. The second time was just this week, when my mother, upon seeing it in my “recently viewed” on Amazon, assumed that I must be coveting this spa product for children and bought it for my birthday, complete with Orbeez brand glitter nail polish. Well played, Orbeez. Orbeez Soothing Spa: 2, Little family: 0.

3. Slushy Magic: 8/10 As any connoisseur of early 2000s infomercials would tell you, the Slushy Magic commercial is just too long. There is only so much to say about a slushy maker, even if it comes with a slushy fun drink guide packed with taste bud chillin’ recipes.

But even with this nearly two minute commercial, they failed to elaborate on the inner workings of the Slushy Magic, stating only that there was some sort of “snow flake science” involved. This is awfully suspicious and makes it seem as if Slushy Magic does not know how its own product works. However, the mariachi-esque music accompanying this commercial does add a fun ambience, as if I were walking through the streets of Guadalajara. Well done.

4. GirlTech Password Journal: 6/10 The GirlTech Password Journal is perfect for the tween with serious paranoia. I truly can think of no reason that a 12-year-old would need a diary with so much security unless it were a Memento type scenario where she has short term memory loss and is looking for the murderer John G. But I

Anna Little

digress. This commercial certainly has potential, from the 2010 headbands to the use of the pesky little brother as an antagonist a la every teen movie, but it does not hold the same star power as others on this list.

5. Danimals Sweepstakes: 10/10 This 2009 commercial is perfection from beginning to end. The legend of the Danimals Sweepstakes, the celebrity endorsement, the refreshing “slorp” sound of the dairy-packed yogurt travelling down Dylan Sprouse’s gullet. It all comes together.

The words “many will enter, few will win” will reverberate around my skull for the rest of time. It was a genius marketing technique; get your audience to do the advertising for you with the promise of a group hang with you and the Sprouse twins (plus ten thousand dollars, I guess). I don’t even mind that there are twins in this one. What I love about this commercial is that it doesn’t just advertise the Danimals product, it advertises the Danimals lifestyle. My hat goes off to the creators of this commercial. Just wonderful.

Well, our journey has come to an end. The good times and the bad (cough, Dream Lites, cough), we made it through it all. My hope is that these commercials have been able to bring you back to the joy of childhood, and that we can all try not to think about how many times I watched these commercials to find things to say about them. Yes, let’s forget all about that.

This article is abridged; read it in its entirety at elliottmag.com

COVID

Fall 2020

COVID-19: The Mental Menace of Health Care

COVID-19 continues to spread across the world with the U.S just now reaching an all-time high for cases. Healthcare workers around the world have been working tirelessly to stop this virus and care for infected patients. Nurses have cut off their hair to prevent spread, and doctors have been hastily trying to get patients in and out as quickly as possible. As the death rate continues to go up, especially amongst elderly people, it is no secret how hard the world is working to create a vaccine. Word is going around that a vaccine is in the process of being created, yet it is estimated that it will take around a year to get out to the world. This being said, the strenuous job of caring for COVID-19 patients is far from over. While many are focused on the health of the victims of this virus, the mental health of the nurses and doctors is equally important yet often overlooked.

The importance of mental health is often disregarded, but it is just as significant as physical health. Many pandemics that have gone through the world.

For example, SARS and MERS have had negative effects on HCW’s (Health Care Workers), such as sleep disturbance, stress, and anxiety. In Hong Kong, worldwide diseases had much more of an effect on HCW’s than people with other jobs. The psychological effects that the COVID-19 healthcare workers are faced with include depression, anxiety, and insomnia; however, this is nothing new. Since early times, mental instability has affected doctors greatly.

In the 14th century, when the Black Plague ran rampant, many doctors lost their lives to the plague, and many gave up when the job became too daunting.

The importance of mental health is often disregarded, but it is just as significant as physical health.

- Jackson Kraitzick

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So, what is causing depression, anxiety, and insomnia in doctors? First off, witnessing death can take a huge toll on HCWs. With a high death count in the U.S, many doctors are struggling with the guilt of having to break tragic news to families of loved ones over technology and not in person. This can

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Jackson Kraitzick

cause severe depression or anxiety, which greatly affects the doctor’s life aszwell as the patients and coworkers around them. Additionally , the HCWs have to witness death on a very lonely level. It is a horrible thing to watch a person die with no one around them. Then, they have to carry the weight of feeling that they could do more to possibly save their patients.

Of course, every HCW is different, and each responds differently mentally depending on certain factors. One of these factors observed in the field is age.

Younger workers are oftentimes more affected by the deaths and tragedies than those that are older and more experienced. There is a difference in response depending on whether someone is married. It was shown that married workers had lower stress levels than people who were living alone or without a romantic partner.

A major effect the pandemic has had on HCWs is a major increase in anxiety.

Anxiety is characterized by the feeling of intense stress. It can be as harmless as stressing over a late homework assignment or as serious as hyperventilating because of a traumatic experience. Many hospitals have been full since the COVID-19 breakout in the U.S, and medical staff have been anxiously running from patient to patient. It is often thought that doctors are immune to anxiety and stress because of how they work, but they are just as susceptible to this as anyone else.

There’s also been an increase in depression among HCWs. Depression is a fairly common disorder that affects how one may think, do daily activities, and act around others. Depression can be caused by many different events for examples: traumatizing experience, family history, or drug use. This has shown up more in doctors with the pandemic in play. This can make their work less thorough. Oftentimes, depression has caused doctors to drop out of their work during the pandemic.

These are just some ways how healthcare workers have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic; unfortunately, there are many more. Though these are horrible effects, psychologists are finding ways to help HCWs. Despite what workers have to go through, many still persist and continue to help everyone as best as they can during these terrible times, and for this they deserve our utmost respect.

Coronavirus Vaccine: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Jake Bogartz

For almost a year the world has lived in spite of the coronavirus pandemic.

Globally, over 1 million have died and 50 million have been infected. In the United States alone, 10 million people have been infected and 240,000 have died. It feels like so long since February of 2020; time before the coronavirus seems like a distant memory. Day in and day out, people have agonized about when life will go back to normal or or if it ever will, and day after day, there has been no answer. There have been plenty of predictions, many thought it would be over by now, I certainly did. Many think it won’t be behind us for another two years or five or even ten. Finally, on November 9th a pinprick of light appeared at the end of the tunnel.

American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and their German Partner BioNtech announced that the mRNA vaccine they have been developing and testing is 90% effective with minimal to no health risk, based on preliminary trials. For comparison, seasonal flu vaccines are normally around 30% to 60% effective, and the FDA has stated they will consider any vaccine that is at or above 50% effectiveness. This makes Pfizer’s findings stunning and very exciting, but we still have a long way to go. The vaccine must be approved by the FDA and then, finally, the daunting task of distributing a vaccine that requires refrigeration and two doses to around 350 million people will begin.

Fortunately a lot of the groundwork for this process has already been laid with the US government’s operation warp speed. This program has secured a significant amount of funding that will allow the government to assist in manufacturing and essentially guarantee vaccine makers money so doses can be delivered to 328 million citizens free of charge, or at low cost. The speed and precision at which this vaccine was developed is a testament to the extreme power of modern technology. In the past, developing a vaccine to a novel virus would have taken decades and many of the candidates would have proven ineffective or harmful to humans. Unlike others, Pfizer’s vaccine relies on a new technology using mRNA platforms, making it revolutionary in terms of vaccines.

Vaccines that are prevalent today mostly use a weakened version of said virus so the immune system can learn to recognize and compromise invading virus cells. The mRNA vaccine works somewhat differently. Instead of injecting weakened virus cells, the vaccine injects a strand of mRNA protein that then enters our cells and programs them to produce a protein that resembles the spikes found on the outside of the coronavirus. Then, similar to other vaccines, our body’s immune system responds to the imitation coronavirus proteins by producing antibodies that in turn work against the real virus.

These developments seem to give Pfizer a commanding lead in the ongoing vaccine race, but 11 other companies, domestic and international, also have viable inoculations in clinical trials. Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca are the other main competitors within the US. Among the competing companies, Moderna seems to be in second place, with another mRNA vaccine that could show similar efficacy to Pfizers. Abroad, vaccines from China and Russia are showing promise. Russia’s “Sputnik V” vaccine is claimed to have 92% efficacy, but the scientific community is skeptical of this vaccine because the study only examined 20 coronavirus cases compared to Pfizers 94. China’s Sinovac vaccine is in large scale testing in Brazil, and has been authorized for emergency use by the Chinese government with tens of thousands already inoculated.

Early projections suggest that the vaccine will be available to highrisk populations and healthcare personnel as early as quarter 1 of 2021, while distribution to and vaccination of the general population should be accomplished by quarter 2 (May-June) 2021. The Pfizer vaccine will inevitably face roadblocks ahead in the distribution process, and the results released in November are only preliminary,however, the end of the pandemic or at least a severe reduction of it appears to be just outside our grasp.

COVID

Fall 2020

OPED: Stop Posting Your Beach Pics and Putting Others at Risk Anna Little

Our world today looks vastly different than it did nine months ago. On what turned out to be the last day of my junior year, I thought nothing of squeezing into a car with five other people and going to Starbucks. Today, I sanitize my hands constantly and avoid even grocery stores. But when I open up my social media apps- Instagram, Snapchat - it feels like I’ve stepped into a wormhole and gone back to life before the pandemic. Every other post is a group of friends, faces pressed together with arms around each other, smiling wide. It’s almost comforting to see that one scrap of normalcy.

But not quite. Not quite because, well, these aren’t normal times. A picture of you and your friends posing together is no longer a fun way to document your time together, it is a political statement. Because regardless of however benign your intentions were, that beach pic has more significant ramifications than it did a year ago. It normalizes irresponsible, selfish behavior and puts it under a rose tinted filter, which may have an effect on your followers.

As of late spring, 82% of Americans were sheltering in place and 92% were social distancing. These percentages have been on the decline as people lose patience with the pandemic, even though the number of reported cases has nearly quintupled. Social media may be one of the reasons. You’re scrolling through your feed, and you see someone posting a picture with a friend or two, maybe a whole group. And it looks familiar. You remember what it was like to go out to dinner with friends, to go on vacation, to just spend time together. And if it was fine for these people, why not you?

The result of this is, of course, more posts of friends with faces pressed close together, often without masks, with captions like, “Corona can’t take my summer too!”, “Six feet who?”, or other half-hearted justifications for their behavior.

As we continue to share photos that don’t show social distanced behavior, it is normalizing reckless behavior and pressuring others to partake. Even for those who continue to social distance, seeing these posts every day can be taxing. It’s no secret that this pandemic is negatively impacting mental health nation (and world) wide, but being taunted daily by images of people seemingly living outside the pandemic’s grasp further exacerbates this issue.

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A picture of you and your friends posing together is no longer a fun way to document your time together; it is a political statement. - Anna Little

With such serious consequences, it baffles me that people continue to openly advertise that they choose not to social distance. For the price of negatively impacting mental health, pressuring others not to take the pandemic seriously, and altering the way others perceive your values, you gain very little. The greatest reward is validation through likes and comments, many from people who are already in the photo you’ve posted, which does not justify the costs of your post.

I would love to force everyone to take social distancing seriously. Really, I would.

I’d love to give everyone a government-mandated hamster ball to roll around in, but I’ve been told that that’s not realistic. I don’t have that power and ultimately, people will do what they want. But I would beg you to consider the message that you’re sending out to the world next time you post to social media. And if you are social distancing - yay! Don’t tell the others, but you’re my favorite.

Consider the posts (and people) that you support on social media. Maybe next time you see a non-social distancing post, don’t like or comment on it and instead just scroll by.

If we’re going to end this pandemic, we need to stop normalizing neglect for social distancing guidelines online and start supporting each other when we’re in person hopefully from a distance.

This article is also available on elliottmag.com

Page 9

How Trump’s Brush with COVID Obscured the State of American Healthcare Jackson Kraitzick

As the New York Times reported in October, President Trump tested positive for COVID-19. This is now old news, of course, yet it still created widespread shock when it occurred. When President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 in October, it shifted the discourse around the election at a pivotal moment. The news created extreme uncertainty and concern shortly before the election, and many Americans worried about the long-term effects of the President’s diagnosis.

President Trump appeared unconcerned about the virus before he tested positive, attending rallies in several states. Many of his associates received screening for COVID-19 as well, and several of them tested positive for the virus. Almost immediately after Trump tested positive, he checked into a top military-based hospital, and a team of experienced physicians began treating him. At a campaign event in Michigan, Trump’s rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, offered prayers and wished Trump a speedy recovery.

Then the unthinkable happened. Trump was released from the hospital and walked onto the White House balcony. He then took off his mask and told the American people the virus should not serve as a source of fear. That claim seemed bold in light of President Trump’s premier medical treatment.. And the remark shocked many Americans who were aware of COVID-19’s global death toll. But one of the most unsettling aspects of the President’s view was that it failed to reflect the reality of healthcare in America.

The case of a family in Chicago represents America’s troubled health care system. In the DiCarlo family, a father and three children contracted the coronavirus. But the family had no access to highquality medical treatment, and they rarely saw a doctor except over video calls. This family is just one of many suffering from the effects of COVID-19, without adequate healthcare.

Before leaving the hospital, Trump tweeted, “I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

Let’s analyze this Tweet. First of all, let’s consider the hospital. Walter Reed Medical Center is one of the most prominent U.S military-run hospitals in the D.C. area. It’s served many U.S. presidents. The hospital utilizes cutting-edge technology and employs a highly-experienced staff. In light of these factors, President Trump’s recovery appears predictable.

But clearly, this level of care does not mirror that of most Americans.

When President Trump tweeted that he was, “Feeling really good!” and told his followers, “Don’t be afraid of Covid! Don’t let it dominate your life!” he disregarded the medical experiences of millions of Americans.These sentiments may seem inspirational, but for many, they ring hollow. Since COVID-19 remains a worldwide, life-threatening, and mysterious virus, it will continue to dominate everyone’s life for the foreseeable future. The only way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to fear the virus. In his reaction to his recovery, President Trump appeared ignorant of this reality.

President Trump concluded his tweet by writing, “We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs and knowledge.” But he fails to specify these “great drugs and knowledge,” leaving his audience to speculate. What the president omitted was that the cost of his treatment amounted to over $100,000. Many Americans have underlying health conditions that could make comparable treatment even more expensive.

While the Presidential election has come to a close, and President Donald J. Trump will leave office in January, the question of affording adequate healthcare in the time of a pandemic still confronts millions of Americans. The U.S. has just reached an all-time high for COVID cases, and healthcare policy will continue to be a major point of contention as former Vice-President Joseph Biden prepares to enter the office.

Fall 2020

It’s Time to Tackle That Holiday Political Anna Little Talk Money, religion, and politics. These are the three notorious topics to never bring up at a dinner party because they create too much division. But what happens when we can no longer ignore the division that exists regarding politics in America today? And what if we don’t want to ignore it?

I believe that people can have different political views and remain civil; for example, one of my friends thinks that trickle-down economics could work, while I believe that that is a complete garbage fire of an idea that could not be worse in any way. Despite these differences, we can still be friends because we share the same core values; we want to help people, we just disagree on how to do that.

Over the past few years during President Trump’s time in office, these core values have differed more and more.

Trump’s followers are no longer pledging allegiance to the flag, they are pledging allegiance to him. This has never been more clear than when Trump was ambiguous about whether he would commit to a peaceful transition of power. This is a flagrant violation of American values, but Trump’s supporters, the ones who claim to be the most patriotic, did not bat an eye.

There are countless other examples of moments that should have turned Trump’s base: when he refused to condemn white supremacy, when he mocked Joe Biden for wearing a mask in the midst of a pandemic, when he insulted countless women by calling them “horse-faced”, “dogs”, or “miss piggy”, when he claimed that John McCain was not a war hero for refusing early release from a prison camp in Vietnam until the rest of his fellow soldiers were released. But still, over 70 million people voted for him and even when he leaves office, the cult-like following that he created is not going anywhere.

We need to start talking politics. Even when it feels uncomfortable. I’m not suggesting that you turn the conversation from your aunt’s new dog to economics, but when your grandmother or your cousin makes a comment that has bigoted undertones, don’t let it slide. If we continue to make excuses - like the ever-popular “it was a different time back then” - for the people around us, we won’t ever actually progress as a society. Humans learn how to interact through reactions; if they receive a negative response every time they make an off color comment, they will learn not to behave that way. I realize it sounds like I’m training a dog, but I truly believe that we can become a better society by holding each other accountable. Just wait until you hear my ideas about clickers and treats.

The hard part is how to handle these interactions. Some therapists have shared their opinions on what is and isn’t helpful. One major piece of advice they had was not to ostracize the other person. It’s not effective to dismiss each other’s perspectives entirely because that will just make the discussion more polarized. You should also try to manage your expectations about what you can achieve in this discussion. Don’t expect your 85 year old grandfather to say, “Wow, you’re right. I’ve been blind all this time but I now understand that I have inherent privilege as a cisgender man and I pledge to examine my own internalized biases more closely from here on out.” If the conversation is not productive, then it’s okay to take a step back and either try again next time or just avoid discussions that are too long. Above all, keep the conversation civil. Arguing will not get you anywhere and it might ruin whatever good there is in your relationship.

Also, remember that no one is perfect. Everyone will slip up at some point by using an outdated term or citing an unreliable source. When we inevitably make those mistakes, accept others’ corrections and move on.

2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year. With a pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests reaching their peak, and a presidential election, this year felt incredibly long.

The last thing that any of us want is to have to deal with bigotry from our relatives around the holidays. So this holiday season and beyond, let’s stop avoiding politics and start setting a precedent that we will not let prejudices go unchallenged.

Opinion

The Benefits of Greek Life in College

Page 10

Kathryn Pope

College is a huge chapter in many young adults’ journeys. Moving away from home to begin building the path to your professional life can be challenging and lonely at times. Many students join Greek life -- sororities, and fraternities -- all over the country as a way to help make the transition easier.

Although sometimes our culture sees Greek life through a negative lens, it has a multitude of benefits, from helping make friends in college to building a network of people who could help you in the future.

Many universities are huge, with tens of thousands of students enrolled, and finding friends can be overwhelming and stressful. With so many people, how are you possibly supposed to find people like you? Greek life is one of the ways to narrow down and become close to people who share similar interests. According to Auburn University, helping students with the initial transition to college is one of the main overarching pulls of joining a Greek affiliation. Going through sorority recruitment is a way to get a feel for all of the different kinds of girls you might fit with the best and who you want to have deeper relationships with.

Greek life is an amazing way to meet people you are going to be friends with for the rest of your life.

The chapters work diligently to make sure everyone gets to know each other well. Sororities host sisterhood events throughout the year to bring the girls closer together. The Phi Mu girls at the University of Georgia, for example, host many sisterhood events that vary from attending a UGA basketball game together to the Freshman-Senior progressive dinner. Sisterhood events are such a large part of sorority life that there are typically two whole days dedicated to learning about them during the recruitment process. Another way to become closer with your Greek life friends is to live in the sorority or fraternity house. Sororities and fraternities offer a certain number of spots to live in the house each year instead of off-campus or in a dorm. This allows for Greek Life members to go from friends to family.

Greek life members go on to do amazing things after they graduate. Each brother or sister helps others with many different connections in their specific career field. Due to their positive experience in the chapter, many alumni are happy to give back and help out active members in their Greek affiliation. Having this multitude of connections is helpful when trying to get opportunities and break into whatever field you are trying to pursue after college. It is not just a way to get opportunities but also a way to create personal connections with people in your field who could become a mentor and leader for you later.

In order to manage a large group of students and a house, some people must be put in charge. There are leadership positions in each affiliation such as President, Vice President of Finance, Administrative Vice President, and other positions that all teach valuable life skills. Each member is a strong leader constantly encouraged to utilize these skills in the chapters and around campus even if they may not have an official leadership title. These positions give members a hands-on experience to learn skills that are crucial to adult life. Also, to be involved, dues are paid per semester. At City College, the Tau Epsilon Phi brothers must collectively pay the national fraternity $1,575 rent a month, utility fees which can be up to $2,000 a month, and a down payment of $60,000 on the $190,000 mortgage. This allows members to learn financial responsibility when it comes to meeting the dues by the deadline.

Although stories of partying and exclusivity often overshadown the benefits of Greek life, students are ultimately attending to get an education. At the high academic level that college is, many students need assistance, and older members are always willing to assist younger members in classes previously taken. At MSU Texas, each Greek organization offers national and local scholarships and grants, incentives, and awards, as well as study skills workshops, tutoring programs, and established study sessions. Greek life also offers motivation for students to maintain good grades by requiring a minimum grade-point average (GPA).

Philanthropy is something that many Greek Life members learn the importance of, and each chapter chooses an organization or charity to focus on to get involved with. This is such a large part of sorority life that during recruitment there is a whole round where potential new members learn only about what organization each chapter supports. Gamma Phi Beta at the University of Alabama, for example, supports Girls on the Run, an organization that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running. Sororities and fraternities support charities to provide spiritual, mental, and social resilience in the members. Each chapter hosts fundraisers and events for the organization of their choice, and this can mean everything from selling t-shirts to a kickball tournament. The philanthropy aspect of Greek life teaches the members the importance of community service and giving back to the area around you.

Although it may seem like everyone is joining, typically only around 30% of students pledge. If you decide not to, you are not the only one. One of the other amazing things about it is that if you join and decide it is not for you, you can always drop out. The benefits are great for enhancing your college experience, but people do understand it is not for everyone. Greek life has many benefits although it typically can have a bad reputation for hazing and partying.

Fall 2020

Opinion

The Racist Roots of Police Brutality in America

America was founded on oppression and white supremacy. As Americans, our roots lie deep in the suppression of minorities and the tradition of forcing others to adapt to our benefit. Our first venture into the territory we now call the “United States” was successful due to the unlawful and cruel stripping of natives from their land. The colonizers ripped apart societies by exiling Native Americans, and then they abolished most traces of Native American history.

To this day, Native Americans are still without safe land for their people.

Our initial economic success stemmed from the labor of enslaved Africans.

In 1619, the first group of people captured by Europeans was taken from Africa, separating its captives from their homes and families and conscripting them into a life of slavery and unfathomable cruelty. Over one hundred years later, a group of white men drafted our Constitution, and most of them supported slavery. In fact, many of our Founding Fathers took people as property.

While Americans often consider the nation a melting pot, open to diverse people and ideas, our nation’s legacy of racism and white supremacy conflicts with this portrayal. The past several years have revealed how deeply these forces continue to shape our culture.

Today, while white people no longer own Black people and Black people have the right to vote, racism persists throughout many government organizations and programs, especially in law enforcement. The police are meant to be the protectors of the American people, working day and night to appprehend criminals and guard the innocent. Police are the heroes here to save the day, at least according to film, television, and popular culture. Many children dress up as police for Halloween, dreaming of the day they can fight crime. We have always looked up to the police for their bravery and dedication to America.

But throughout American history, and especially during the Trump Presidency, many police officers have mistaken innocent Black people for dangerous criminals.

According to “Mapping Police Violence,” an online database that tracks police killings in America, in the past 365 days, 978 people have been shot and killed by the police. Despite Black people representing 13% of the United States population, 28% of those killed by the police have been Black. There have only been 14 days thus far in 2020 where someone has not been brutally and unrightfully murdered by these so-called guards of society. Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police and 1.3 times more likely

Instagram Activism

Jake Bogartz

The death of George Floyd in late May was a watershed moment in American history. Although this was certainly not the first incident of police brutality towards a black man, it sparked a movement that will have significant lasting effects on America. Protesters flocked to the streets in almost every major city in the country, in some cases protesting gave way to looting and rioting, and a call to “defund the police” and reallocate its funding became popular. Another phenomenon George Floyd’s death spawned is the sharing of Instagram stories about various social justice and other issues by many young people.

These Instagram stories have some virtues. They are perhaps the best way to spread awareness for an issue very quickly. The very idea of defunding the police was spread far and wide through stories in a matter of hours. Memorials to George Floyd and resources on how to stay safe while protesting were shared by millions. As time passed and the chaos of May calmed, Instagram stories did not stop circulating. Instagram stories only grew in prevalence and variety.

However, these stories are never original. They are reposted from another Instagram page that specializes in some type of activism (e.g. chnge and shaunking) or screenshots of tweets.

While Instagram stories do have plus sides they also have some major pitfalls. The most concerning problem is that there is no accountability in telling the full or truest story. This is not necessarily intentional but often more a result of how fast the information circulates. Someone reads a headline tweets about it, and then that tweet is spread across countless stories, and before it is questioned, it is forgotten.

One of the most egregious examples is a story about a black 15-year-old girl from Michigan in jail for “not doing her homework”. I found this shocking and decided to figure out if there was more to the story. I immediately found a story from the local news station where the girl lived and learned that the information on Instagram was aggressively misleading. She was, in fact, arrested for not doing school work, but only because doing her homework and passing classes was a requirement for her probation from domestic violence and theft charges a year earlier. Another post I took issue with was a tweet alleging that

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Ruby Kaufman

to be unarmed when murdered. 98.3% of killings by police officers, of both unjustified and ruled justified shootings, from 2013-2020 have not resulted in officers being charged with a crime. We have criminals running down our street every day, disguised as heroes. From 2013-2020, 299 people have been murdered by police in Georgia alone. An 18-year-old black male, D’ettrick Griffin was shot and killed by a plainclothes Atlanta police officer on January 15, 2019, after Griffin allegedly broke into the officer’s unmarked car while the officer was pumping gas. After Griffin drove off, other police officers followed him and shot him as he drove. By the time officers reached him, he was dead.

Oscar Cain, a 31-year-old Black male was fatally shot on March 31, 2019,

by Georgia Police officers. Cain was an activist for racial justice in the Atlanta area; the world was stripped of his light in seconds because he did not comply with officers. A 60-year-old black male, Julian Edward Roosevelt, was shot

by Georgia State Patrol officers on August 7th, 2020. The list goes on and on.

These deaths and many others have led to broken families and unspeakable grief within the Black community. Each of these victims had a unique story, with different relationships, hopes, dreams, goals. And every one of them was murdered by our so-called protectors. And in Black communities, these deaths occur at incomprehensible and incomparable rates. These deaths reflect America’s bias against Black people and its systemic racism. Without addressing these forces, these needless killings will continue.

So what do we do? How can we confront a racist belief system that our nation has embraced for centuries? Even if our parents taught us all people are equal, we live in a society in a society in which the media and its stereotypes marginalize Black people. The first black princess we ever saw turned into a frog. None of the classic storybooks we read starred black characters.

Our favorite movies are filled with white actors, while most Black characters are defined by their Blackness. Even our beauty industry marginalizes Black women by failing to provide products that suit their skin and hair. We call the tan crayon “Skin colored”. These beliefs are rooted in every single one of us, and it is our job to reject these racist impulses. In addition to becoming more aware of our prejudiced thoughts, we must elect officials who recognize the prevalence of racism in a country so many of us deem to be “the greatest in the world,” leaders who are prepared to take action in ripping apart these systems which invite racism to thrive. For example, America might legalize marijuana, since the government originally criminalized it to incarcerate Black men. We must redistribute police funding so that rather than arresting large groups of people in low income, and oftentimes black communities, we can use that money to fund support programs in those communities.

We must shift our education system to more accurately convey the history of racism in America and to reflect that ongoing reality. Our current system paints Malcolm X as a villain and the war on drugs as a positive and productive movement. If Black kids are old enough to experience racism, white kids are old enough to learn about it. We must take steps to restructure the racist systems that our country operates on. Racism didn’t end when we elected a black president nor will it end when Joe Biden takes office. But as long as we continue fighting for change, we can one day live in a country that truly believes “ALL men (and women) are created equal.” “our slave labor is too sick from the plague to fight endless climate change induced forest fires” in reference to the lack of prison fire crew currently working in California. A second slide of the post suggests that the prisoners receive “next to zero pay” and when they are released they can’t become firefighters. This post is hugely misleading. To start, the prisoners are not only paid but also volunteer to do the work. In fact, in the California prison system working at a fire camp is a highly sought after job as the living conditions are better and the inmates get to work outside in the forests. The normal pay is around two dollars a day and three dollars a day when fighting a fire which is certainly not great, but the prisoners receive Cal Fire training for free. When they are released, prisoners absolutely can get jobs with Cal Fire. Almost the entirety of this post was misinformation that accomplished nothing but grabbing someone’s attention for a few seconds so they could scoff at how horrible our country is. I could continue to provide examples like the misleading picture of an Oakland A’s coach holding up a “nazi salute”, multiple claims that pictures of the civil rights movement are printed in black and white to make it appear farther in the past, or a tweet alleging more Muslims have been killed in China than Jews were killed in the holocaust (this is the only post I’ve seen corrected by those who shared it), but I think that would be redundant.

Instagram stories are a powerful tool to spread information and ideas, but they have zero accountability to actually provide you with accurate and unbiased information. These stories are certainly not a source of news and are hardly a place to find well-thought-out opinions. Next time you see something on an Instagram story and you can’t believe how horrible it is, do some research on your own because it might not be entirely true. If you are someone who shares Instagram stories, verify the information yourself before you post it. It is well worth a few seconds of your time to figure out the truth behind a story so you are not misinformed. In a society that is now dominated by sound bites, tweets, and social media, I fear that in the future most people will get their news from misleading sources like Instagram stories.

Fall 2020

Human Interest

Page 12

Shifting Gears: An Oncologist In the Time of COVID

Ruby Kaufman

Around late March when the severity of Coronavirus in America began to increase at exponential rates and cases began erupting in New York like wildfires, Dr. Kaufman and his team at Emory began reformulating their entire practice in preparation for the hit they expected Atlanta to experience along with New York and Northern Italy. Under the control of Dr. Kaufman and his colleagues, the Winship Cancer Center at Emory Hospital began establishing a new system of caretaking that would be best for their patients. To best prevent the essential doctors and caretakers from contracting Coronavirus, and therefore hopefully protecting their patients from the potentially life threatening disease, the doctors began a system where “doctors for two weeks would do all their work virtually and then for two weeks that would take care of patients at the hospital and clinics.” After around six weeks of the extremely taxing rotation, Dr. Kaufman and the rest of the team who manage Corona-related procedures at Winship decided this regime was far too strict and inflexible for the severity, or lack of, Coronavirus cases in Atlanta at the time. The practice shifted back into normal operation with a few alterations to incorporate parts of the previously strict system. Opposed to in person meetings for each patient, around ⅓ of patients visits turned virtual. This began Dr. Kaufman’s adventure into the world of telemedicine, which may be a game changer in the world of medicine. Telemedicine is the use of virtual visits and programs, meaning many consultations that are not needed in person are switched to an online meeting. This system shift has benefited many of the patients who may travel hours for a quick hospital visit and increased the efficiency of Winship. Additionally, in order to remain safe in the time of COVID-19, Emory Hospital has implemented social distancing guidelines. While this is necessary to keep the practice a safe environment, it has created a problem because “everything works less organically,” according to Dr. Kaufman. Despite the complexity of planning these systems, Dr. Kaufman remarks “that part was easy,”and the “hard part was the implementation of the system.”

Dr. Jonathan Kaufman is not the only doctor who has had to reformulate their entire practice and reevaluate how they view their job when the Coronavirus pandemic began. Doctors internationally have had to shift their roles in order to adapt and be as helpful as they could be during the pandemic. While many doctors first suspected the virus would act as a momentary disruption, this thought of temporary fear has been replaced with horror of the 233,000 deaths in America (at time of publication). Doctors no longer fear the lack of hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, or even ventilators, rather they fear this pandemic not quitting until we have lost over 3 million lives and every person in the country has gotten sick. Even eight months later, we have yet to see a game- changing vaccine receive approval. Based on the data, COVID-19 is still rampaging throughout the country, infecting exponentially more people each day.

The Controversy Surrounding Dress Codes

Peyton Louie

The Galloway School, unlike most schools, has neither a uniform, nor a dress code. We follow an honor system and trust that students will use common sense in their clothing choices. This policy allows students to express themselves through their clothing, shoes, and other accessories. In my seven years at Galloway, I’ve seen people wear a wide variety of clothing. Outfits vary from sweatpants, hoodies, onesies, and leggings to dresses, skirts, and jeans.

How can a feature as simple as clothing affect student life so deeply? Some schools try their best to make students feel accepted but don’t let them wear clothing that allows them to be comfortable.. One example of this pattern is APS (Atlanta Public Schools). Their website states that students cannot wear see-through clothing, inappropriate graphics, pajamas, or any sleeveless top without a shirt underneath. APS also prohibits students from wearing tight clothing, gym shorts, hats, flip flops and sandals, pants or shorts that hang below the behind, and earrings in the case of boys. Wearing these items will result in confiscation or punishment.

While I’m not a public school student, and I don’t have firsthand experience with these types of policies, some of them sound outrageous to me.

The common reasoning behind dress codes is that certain types of clothing and accessories can distract students and inhibit their learning. But how can sights as common as guys wearing earrings or people wearing hats be disruptive? Certain dress codes, such as those mandating that girls cannot wear tight clothing like leggings because it distracts male students, have sparked protests and arguments. One viral news story a few weeks back described how a freshman girl in Chicago received a dress code violation for her skirt being too short, even though it wasn’t short enough to reveal anything inappropriate. That day, she had to wear sweatpants over her clothes. But while the incident didn’t result in additional discipline, it caused profound

“

Despite living in the midst of a pandemic, we have to get up everyday, do our research, treat our patients and keep moving forward.

- Dr. Jonathan Kaufman

“

Cont. from front page

Doctors have always been highly susceptible to mental health issues due to their immense responsibility in the well being of others. Sadly, Coronavirus has only made the mental health of our front line doctors worse, and their stress levels are rocketing. Due to the increased pressure adding to the already high demand of the profession, levels of anxiety and PTSD have increased for the front-line health care workers. While in the past, anxiety of medical care workers has stemmed from worry about their patients, Professor Richard Meiser-Stedman, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, noted this increase in distress is a result of the added “threats to [doctors] own physical health through infection.” The predictions of elevated levels of mental health issues among doctors during pandemics can be proven by effects of past pandemics.

Based on data from the SARS outbreak in Asia back in 2003, studies noted “Post-traumatic Stress symptoms were elevated during the acute phase of a pandemic and at 12 months post-pandemic.” As the pandemic progresses, and as we have yet to see the United States specifically gain a hold on cases, we must continue to recognize the bravery of our health care workers and prioritize their mental health along with their physical health. embarrassment for the young woman. In that case, the school listened to the students’ organized protest and decided to amend its dress code to make it more inclusive and body-positive.

Many students have opined that, instead of dictating that female students cover up, schools should ask all students to be more respectful. Yet, many students agree that while typical articles of clothing don’t create issues, more extreme garments like booty-shorts, extra-short crop tops, etc. can be distracting. Still, schools should not punish girls for choosing tank tops or wearing dresses just an inch above their knees. I’ve heard from several friends that, at their schools, boys remove their shirts during gym class. This disparity in dress code oversight is egregious.

One of my friends shared insights on how her old school enlisted a guest speaker who mentioned how important it is for students to be comfortable and feel accepted. However, the school refused to let boys wear skirts or girls wear pants if they wanted to. The clothes you wear aren’t the only factor that can make you feel accepted and valued; another is the articles you’re prohibited from wearing.

Clothing allows students to express ourselves, and when schools try to control it, those restrictions affect our learning. An article I found sheds light on two studies about this issue. One of the studies examined school uniform policy in the U.S., while the other investigated its effects in 39 other countries.

The latter study found that uniforms helped students behave better, but the U.S.-specific study suggested that students work better in their own clothing.

No student is the same, and restricting our individuality and expression will eventually damage our self-esteem, confidence, and creativity.

I decided to find out how fellow students feel about our school’s lack of dress code and uniform, and how those policies functioned at their previous schools. Here’s what they said.

Eden (Previously attended a private school): “Since I first started going to [Trinity], until 6th grade, I always had a uniform, so I didn’t think it was a big deal. I knew that’s the way school [was].

I didn’t know that other schools didn’t do that, and I didn’t know any of the issues about it because I [began attendingTrinity] when I was little. I didn’t mind [uniforms] that much. Everyone got so excited when we had non-uniform days. It was a big deal. But also, you have to pay for the uniforms, so it was more expensive for your private school education because you [had] to pay for like five of each [uniform].

Addie (Previously attended a public school): “So yeah, [Sandy Springs Charter School] had uniforms. [The girls] were allowed to wear skirts or pants if we wanted to so. In that little way, you were able to express yourself. But at the same time, I didn’t always mind because [uniforms] put less stress on how you present yourself because you didn’t have that many options. I usually would wear long socks that were colored, to have something that was a little different. I would get in trouble for it so often. That was how I tried to have something fun in my outfit.I feel a lot more confident

Human Interest

Cont. from page 12 when I pick out my clothes. Now, not having a dress code, it is a lot more thought [about] how you present yourself. But I like that you can just wear what’s comfortable. At my old school, we couldn’t wear sweatpants or sweatshirts that were not the school’s merch.”

I then asked them about free dress days and their other experiences with uniforms and dress codes.

Addison explained, “[At Sandy Springs Charter School,] we had to pay $5 if you wanted one day of free dress, and $20 if you wanted 5 days of free dress. But it had to be offered to you, you couldn’t just show up one day and be like here’s $5.”

This concept of having to pay for a free dress day enrages me. The fact that schools exploit their students’ freedom to express themselves and use it to make money is unbelievable. No one should have to pay to wear their own clothes; I understand the need to still have a dress code in place, but the school should not be making money off of letting their students dress how they want on those specific free dress days.

Eden talked about how her school would send emails when students had to go out in public for field trips, stating that the students should be presented well with their collars tucked and skirts nice and neat.

Addie noted that, in winter, it was difficult to stay warm while following the dress code. She said, “There weren’t a lot of long sleeve shirts, you had to find everything on your own.” (She had to purchase these items from other uniform stores, since the school didn’t provide them.)

“We didn’t have a school store besides the school merch,” she added.

“People would be really cold in the winter because they wouldn’t have heavy duty pants, sweatpants, or anything like that. And [for] a lot of the

Page 13

girls, [it was] hard to find navy pants that look good. So, people didn’t wear those, not the girls at least. We would show up in skirts in 30-degree weather.”

Eden echoed this experience and added that her school allowed students to wear leggings under their skirts. However, students had to wear school logo jackets and were not allowed to wear their own without a logo.

“We could wear leggings but my sister still got sent to the principal’s office for doing that,” Addie said. “My mom called the school and said: ‘ It’s like 40 degrees outside. They should be allowed to wear leggings.’”

She also added that, in general, the rules differed for boys and girls. “The guys would sometimes take off their shirts during recess and usually be told to put them back on. It was really annoying because the girls always had to cover up.

Even on free dress days you had to be covered.”

After asking Addison about free dress days, I was informed that while they did have a free day, there were still many restrictions, such as a ban on short jean shorts, cropped tops, and ripped or black jeans. Because of said restrictions, many of the students opted out of paying for a free dress day.

It was interesting to hear from these friends about their experiences with uniforms and strict dress codes. Ultimately, I felt fortunate to attend a school without one. My friends at other schools often tell me they envy this level of freedom.

I learned that uniforms and strict dress codes offer both pros and cons. They represent both a social and mental factor that affects student life at all levels. We should pay more attention to the role of dress codes within school systems to ensure that all students remain comfortable and visible in their own ways.

The Legacy of Dr. Barksdale Continued from front page at the historical buildings. He said that when planning these tours, “[he] would just sorta wing it and see what would happen. Usually, [they] would have fun interesting experiences”. During one of these immersive lessons, “people led [he and his students] up onto the roof of a building and [they] were able to see this big panorama of the city.”

Another memorable moment for Dr. Barskdales was helping his students celebrate the high school chapter in their lives through graduation. He loved participating in graduation in any way that he could. He took on many roles in multiple graduations, from giving the commencement address, to calling out the students, to playing the guitar while students sang.

Dr. Barskdale’s musical talents were displayed both on the graduation stage and in the Jug Band club. Jug Band was a club where students would get together and play music on instruments such as the harmonica, the washboard, and the banjo, with Dr. Barksdale leading them and strumming along.. His wish for the club is that it will continue, even in his absence. He explained, “that would be something that would make [him] super happy” because “that is very much a thing for us, a Galloway thing, most schools certainty don’t have it.” Many of the students who were especially invested in it graduated, but he is still hopeful that the others in the club continue the legacy.

Music and his banjo are still a large part of his life. Now that he is faced with more time, he has continued perfecting his skills. According to Dr. Barskdale, he “used to be an okay banjo player, and [he] kinda let that slide, so [he’s] been working on that over the summer.” I think many people in the community can agree that he was more than just okay. You would often hear music coming from his room and filling the West Wing hallway.

Along with his music, he has also been “going back to older hobbies that he didn’t have time to work on” such as working in his backyard, reading books, and juggling. He has gotten “all [his] Indian clubs out and has been trying to get the hang of that” again. He says when elaborating on his juggling that as a kid he went from doing some “pretty simple stuff...to juggling flaming torches” and he’s trying to get to that level of jugging expertise again. While Dr. Barksdale has gone from juggling his many responsibilities at Galloway to actually perfecting his juggling skills, one thing is clear, he definitely misses seeing students every day. Over his career, he was able to get “to teach a couple of thousand kids”.

Due to COVID, he is kept out of the classroom and stuck at his home. He knows that there is a “huge amount of unrest, fear, and anger in the country right now.” Therefore, he also thinks that “Now would be an interesting time to teach an American studies class, but it would also be difficult because you know a lot of people are questioning what we can do with American history and what we should look at [and] how we should look at it.” Although sometimes feeling burnt out through the semi-quarantine lifestyle, he is hopeful that things will begin to look up, not only for himself but also for everyone.

Because Dr. Barksdale is no longer in his classroom, his many historical artifacts are also gone. If you have ever been in his classroom, you know that it was covered with historical artifacts from floor to ceiling—everything from posters to maps and even a cotton weigher. Many of the artifacts were gifts to him, so he only took what he believed was his when moving out. He said that it was “weird going in and getting all [his] stuff out. That was a bad day”. He was not ready to leave the community, so the realness of moving everything out was difficult for him. The cotton weigher was one of the things that he left. It was given to him

Kathryn Pope by a Galloway family who found it in a building they purchased down by the airport. One day they brought it in and assembled it in his room. The family’s children graduated, but the cotton weigher remained on campus. When arriving at school on the first day of the 2020-2021 school year, all of his artifacts were no longer there. When he found this out, he “guessed they just took all [his] stuff and threw it in the dumpster.” He should know that, after talking to a few people, I found out that all of the artifacts are just in storage.

“ While Dr. Barksdale has gone from

juggling his many responsibilities at Galloway to actually perfecting his juggling skills, one thing is clear: he definitely misses seeing students everyday.

- Kathryn Pope

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Fall 2020

During his extensive time at Galloway, Dr. Barksdale was able to see the scool grow in a number of ways. When he arrived, “it was a lot smaller, and there was less structure, and things were a lot more spontaneous.” He was also able to see a new viewpoint on education. When Dr. Barsdale was growing up, “you were just supposed to shut up and follow the rules and stay out of trouble.” In contrast, Mr. Galloway “[encouraged] people to want to learn instead of forcing them to.” These ideas helped Dr. Barksdale see what was important in education.

While “[he’s] afraid [he hasn’t] left much of a legacy on the school itself,” he knows “that a lot of the people [he has] taught have gone on to study history or some of the people in jug band are now professional musicians.”

Dr. Barksdale’s legacy on the Galloway School is being lived out through students all over the country in their daily lives because of what he has taught them.

Our Staff

Fall 2020

Co-editor in Chief

Annie Levy

Co-editor in Chief

Sophia Sanders

Kathryn Pope

Anna Little

Caroline Cranman

Kailen Hicks

Jackson Kraitzick

Jake Bogartz

Assistant Print Editor

Page 14

Ruby Kaufman

Assistant Print Editor

Peyton Louie

Special thanks to Ms. Benedict and Mr. Henry for their continued assistance and dedication to journalism as well as the publishers of Franklin Web Printing Co. Thank you for reading The Elliott!

Games

Fall 2020

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