Review the horace mann
Domestic - International - Features - Economics - Science & Technology - Viewpoints
A Year In Numbers
The Horace Mann Review: Issue 9
A Year In Numbers Domestic:
4
Immigration National Security Gay Rights Barack Obama
International:
6
Iraq and Afghanistan Chinese Influence Nuclear NonProliferation
Economics
8
Debt and Bail Out Greece College and Finances
Science and Technology
10 2
NASA Stem Cell Research Ipad Genetic Engineering HM Review Vol. XIX
Introduction The Horace Mann Review Volume XIX , Polls Issue A Journal of Opinion on Current Events, Politics, Public Policy, and Culture
An Introduction to Our First Horace Mann Review Polls Issue
Kevin Lin Editor-in-Chief
Nicholas Herzeca
Jason Sunshine Executive Editor
Henry Hoglund Nancy DaSilva Spencer Penn Dan Shapiro Features Editor James Yaro Dan Temel Aradhna Agarwal Starlyte Harris Will Dubbs Editorial Director Production Manager
Alex Falk
Managing Editor
Jordan Federer Freddie Adler Antonia Woodford Ben Marks Mario Alvarez Eric Schwartz Business Manager Hill Wyrough Senior Columnists
Camille Knop Aylin Gucalp Photo Editor
Board of Trustees Maximilian D.C. Thompson, Zachary Freyer-Biggs, Charles Stam, Kunal Malkani, Venkat Kausik, Zachary Malter Associate Editors Aaron Goldman, Andrew Demas, Daniel Grafstein, Danielle Ellison, Deependra Mookim, Justin Katiraei, Victor Ladd Production Assistants Seth Arar, Elisabeth Stam Staff Writers Adela Kim, Alexander Familant, Alex Ma, Andre Manuel, Avital Morris, Christine Kim, Dorin Azerad, Emily Feldstein, Jacob Moscona-Skolnik, Jessica Chi, Justin Burris, Katie Cacouris, Matt Fox, Rebecca Segall, Wallace Cotton, Zander Daniel, Zoe Rubin Contributing Writers Hannah Jun, Nathan Raab, Stephen Paduano, Alex Posner, Greg Barancik, Jessica Bernheim Faculty Advisors Mr. Gregory Donadio The Horace Mann Review is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the American Scholastic Press Association, and the National Scholastic Press Association. Opinions expressed in articles or illustrations are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board or of the Horace Mann School. Please contact The Review for information on advertisements at thereview@horacemann.org. Visit The Review website at: web.horacemann.org/review/
March 2010 HM Review
Dear Reader, Polls and numbers are ubiquitous. We see them displayed all over campaign flyers, quoted in sound-bite political advertisements, praised by census advocates, and utilized in every possible way imaginable, for positive and negative purposes alike. Yet, numbers and statistics can be misleading and malleable. The same numbers can be used to support both sides of an argument: augmented and manipulated to overstate the severity of some problems, or to undermine the seriousness of others. Thus, all a reader can do to stay afloat the ceaseless flow of information is to be skeptical and to consult as many sources as possible. However, we at the Review have sought to take a snapshot of the school’s leanings. We have interviewed freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to cover a wide
list of questions. How did they feel about immigration? How about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan? And did they follow the economic situation in Greece? The polled material was collected from four integral sections of the Review, amassed by our team of editors to view as wide and as comprehensive a snapshot as possible. After a week and a half of questioning (as some of you may have recalled if you were involved in this process at all), we bring to you this ninth issue of the Horace Mann Review. It has been a rewarding, and at times, tough process. But with all the work the staff put in, I wish you all a happy reading for the last time and hope you find this material relevant and fascinating.
Kevin Lin, Editor-in-Chief, Volume XIX 3
Domestic
Domestic
Other
“T o is w h m re p A le fr
Do you think that Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform?
H
Which one of these domestic issues do you feel is the most pressing?
Economy
Education
National Security
Poverty
Yes
Abortion
No
78
22 0
20
40 60
80 100
92 Students
Yes
Have recent domestic terrorist attacks changed how secure you feel?
Health Care
winterface.com
No
42 Students
4
HM Review Vol. XIX
Domestic
Do you support gay marriage? “The fact that America considers itself a land of equal opportunity while denying gay rights is an abomination. Gay couples with or without children deserve the same rights as heterosexual couples. What gives the government the right to determine the validity of a relationship? This country is founded on the principle of separation of church and state. Allowing religious beliefs to interfere with legislation goes against the intentions of the framers of our Constitution..” -Justin Gilston
YES - 89%
118 students
NO - 8%
11 students
SOMEWHAT- 3%
4 students
Has Barack Obama been successful thus far in fulfilling his campaign promises? wikimedia.com
Yes
13%
No
47%
Somewhat
40%
June 2010 HM Review
“In our country, we strongly disapprove of racial profiling, but it is racial profiling that can save lives. Racial profiling isn’t the problem, it’s the answer.” -Anonymous armybase.com
“We have to recognize that terrorism, while certainly a threat, is not the only threat America faces, nor is it the most significant one: of the 13,000 murders committed in the United States this year, less than 20 of them were caused by terrorism. What are we willing to give up to solve such a marginal issue?” -Nathan Raab
5
International International
International The Future Focus:
Where should the United States direct it’s international attention?
17% 44% 1% 31% 5% 2%
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Iraq and Afghanistan Wars International Elections Israel-Palestine Conflict Aiding Developing Countries Other
“The Iraq War isn’t a real war - it’s a political battle in which the government is deceiving the public.”
“Our debt to China makes it clear that China has or will shortly take our place as the economic superpower of the world.”
Iraq and Afghanistan The United States is currently embroiled in two wars in the Middle East: one in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan. Originally, both wars were launched with the goal of protecting U.S. national secutiry: the Iraq War in order to remove threatening weapons of mass destruction, and the Afganistan War in order to combat terrorist organizations in the wake of the September 11 attacks. However, many Americans have differing opinions regarding each of the two wars. According to one student, “The Iraq War isn’t a real war - it’s a political battle in which the government is deceiving the public. On the other hand, I’m satisfied that we are handling the Afghanistan situation, and we need more troops in order to eradicate the terrorists there.”
Do you think the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are going well?
msnbcmedia
6
HM Review Vol. XIX
International
Chinese Influence In recent years, the surge of the Chinese economy coupled with an increasingly staggering United States debt has made many feel that China may be threatening U.S. economic dominance. One student noted that “Our debt to China makes it clear that China has or will shortly take our place as the economic superpower of the world.” However, since the Chinese economy largely depends on exports to the U.S. and the two economies are profoundly intertwined, others feel that Chinese economic growth will produce U.S. economic growth as well. In light of this strong connection between the two nations, recently there has been an enormous increase in Chinese language and culture programing in U.S. schools.“I think China does pose an economic threat to the U.S. and I think it would be very beneficial if I learned Chinese,” remarked a student.
dreamofsiam
Do you think that China is threatening the U.S.’s dominance in the world economy? Are you planning to learn Chinese and/or about the Chinese culture?
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Since the Cold War, the possibility of nuclear warfare has been a menacing threat for the entire world. Moreover, as an increasing number of countries, many of which possessing volatile governments, have developed either open or concealed nuclear weapons programs, the prospect of nuclear attacks has become even more foreboding. Nevertheless, strategies such as international treaties and economic sanctions are producing some progress. As one student explained, “The new START threaty is a step in the right direction. Obviously there is a long way to go but Obama’s nuclear policy is the right one and he seems deeply committed. In addition, the new sanctions proposed [on Iran] is one of the most important initiatives to maintain stability in the Middle East.” However, as another student said “In our current world some countries need nuclear weapons, but in a perfect world there should be no nuclear weapons.”
Do you feel safe from nuclear threats?
Should have nuclear weapons?
wikimedia
June 2010 HM Review
7
DC Pages
Economics
wordpress
wordpress
As we finally seem to emerge from the 2008-2009 recession, President Barack Obama’s fiscal policy has forced Americans, conservative and liberal alike, to reconsider their economic views. The old strife between the Reaganomics and Keynesian Economics has been renewed and revamped with the introduction of an even more liberal third topic for contention: nationalization. Some people contend that Obama’s bailouts are temporarily suspensions, which are merely prolonging an exacerbation of the economic downpour. Others, however, believe that Obama’s policies have substantiated the validity of big government spending. Even proponents of socialization of industry have recently manifested themselves proclaiming that recent success of big spending result from limited nationalization. Here is what Horace Mann said about government industrial policies:
Should we bail out banks again if need be?
“Are programs that have increased spending on worth the risks of a larger national debt?
yes
no
yes
no
84%
16%
70%
30%
usu
wordpress
Who Is At Fault For The Economic Crisis?
“The government is at fault for encouraging subprime lending through initiatives such as the housing programs implemented during the Clinton administration.”
8
“The financial crisis was primarily caused by lax lending standards by banks which were lending to lower income and lesser-qualified borrowers.”
“The Securities and Exchange Committee galvanized the economic meltdown via extensive deregulation over the course of the past 20 years.”
HM Review Vol. XIX
Economics Do you think that the riots are justified?
Greece Immersed in economic turmoil, Greece has found itself in a state of ultimate rebellion, as citizens refuse to pay taxes and the government fails to evade economic disaster. Greece was recently bailed out the IMF, which is largely supported by the United States, as well as the EU’s powerhouse nations: France and Germany. The euro has plummeted in value, and the home of democracy has now become the Achilles heel of the EU.
NO 20 % YES 80 %
Should the United States pay to help bail out Greece? NO 66 %
YES 34 %
wordpress
Do you think the econo-
College, Finances, and The economy my will be in better shape In wake of the recent economic crisis it is inevitable that the welfare, state of mind, and general morale of United States citizens will be diminished; however, the question that is on the mind most college graduates, high school students, and especially Horace Mann High School students is whether the current crisis will affect college admissions and job prospects. One would think that the general lack of money would create less competition in the admissions process. Contrarily, others believe that financial aid policies based on a need blind basis will allow admissions to remain unaffected. But how will the recession affect and continue to affect employment and unemployment rates. These are the issues Horace Mann students tried to consider when answering the following questions:
in ten years?
NO 24 %
YES 95%
Do you think that the financial crisis has made college decisions more competitive? NO 24 % YES 76 %
nyt wordpress
nyt
nyt
June 2010 HM Review
9
nasa
Horace Mann students are quite vocal in their opinions, whether about politics, or about something that intrigues them. To get a snapshot of how Horace Mann as a community stands on some science and technology issues, the Science and Technology section polled the student body on four issues: NASA, the iPad, stem-cell research and genetic engineering. Here are our results:
73 36
6
After NASA received a slash in its funding, yet managed to send a shuttle into space, the Horace Mann Review asked Horace Mann School what it thought of the program and what should be done next.
Science and Technology
10
complab
HM Review Vol. XIX
Science and Technology about
The iPad was released last month amid much fanfare. But exactly how do Horace Mann students view this new device?
63 59
101 21
1 cornerstone
Do Horace Mann students support genetically modifying food and animals? The Review takes a look:
All for it
53
59
Not at all
complab025
June 2010 HM Review
11
12
HM Review Vol. XIX
The Horace Mann Review Horace Mann School 231 West 246th Street Riverdale, New York 10471