The High 86 by International School of Lausanne

THE HIGH EDITION 86 | DECEMBER 6, 2019

THE BOOZE AND DRUGS CONVO

Illustration by Sophia Ahmed

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Suhasini Mehra DEPUTY EDITOR

Khwaish Vohra

SEASONAL

OUR VOICE

TIK TOK

An abundance of vaguely Christmassy articles

Why we do this, and why it matters

Make The High TikTok famous

ANTI ANTI MATTERS

f you have a point to make about the school, its staff, or its students, drop by SS114 and pitch us an article. As long as you can write within the word count, and with a fair amount of respect, we at The High will be more than happy to print what you have to say. This is the message we have repeated every year, for the full eleven years that The High has been in publication: if you want a platform for your informed opinions, come to The High. It’s what we’re here for. But I will tell you now what we are not here for. We are not here for gossip. We are not here for rumors. We are not here for the malicious spread of misinformation targeted at specific students. And we are not, have never been, and will never be here to do a stitch of what we do without attaching our names to our opinions. If you’ve spent more than five minutes in any MYP English class, you’ve learned that words have an incredible power to help or harm. That’s why, as student journalists, when we put our words out into the world, we make sure to put our names to them, too. This has not always been easy. I have seen members of The High reduced to tears after being confronted by students and even teachers who were unhappy with articles we have printed. I have been at the receiving

Suhasini Mehra

end of this type of conflict myself, and it isn’t a nice feeling. But it is an important feeling: it is a feeling that teaches us to do better next time, to be better journalists, or, in some cases, better people. To take greater care to ensure that our words are respectful and true. By putting our names to our words, we take responsibility for them. We take responsibility for the power they have: for the good they do as well as the bad. We take responsibility for every person who is hurt by our words, so that those people have the capacity, if they choose, to talk to us and make their feelings known. The anonymous writers at Anti-Matters do not take responsibility for their words. They do not seem to care that they get things wrong, or that their words, true or false, hurt students at our school, to the point that articles may be labelled as ‘‘including non-verified information’’ - which, to me, sounds like lying with extra steps. So let me say this again, for the 86th time: if you have opinions to share, send us an article and put your name on it. Otherwise, you’re nothing more than a discount Gossip Girl. Merry Christmas, everyone.

EDITORS Ellie Parsons - Opinion Elif Civelekoglu - School News Joseph Nobs - School News Jade Tan - Graphics; Arts & Culture Tanvi Anand - Arts & Culture Athan Massouras - World News Rohan Reagan - Layout Alyssa Wei - Pizza cutting

TABLE OF CONTENTS Drugs & Alcohol Labels Why we do this Christmas at ISL Diwali at ISL ISL Bubble The N Word Black Pete

03 04 05 06 06 07 08 09

Nazism Eco Christmas Internet Addiction TikTok Swiss Elections Winter Poem Puff the Porcupine Word Search

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16

DON’T DO DRUGS Tanvi Anand is doing lines

SL’s approach towards substance use education is not conventional by any means. The school has a system within homeroom to discuss such topics with teachers, as well as Year 13s answering questions, at the start of the year, regarding the substance use contract. By pairing up with organizations like FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) and The Learning Curve, we are given professional advice about substance use. From an outsider’s perspective, this would seem like a solid approach. The school is taking necessary steps by understanding that education about substances is something that should be taught in school, and the school administration is having constant discussions with parents and counselors. However, some students question the approaches the school takes. One remarked: “I think that it’s good that we talk about how addiction can ruin lives and the clinical health reasons as to why you shouldn’t consume alcohol as a teenager, but we haven’t really touched on the social side of things; we’ve only looked at dealing with peer pressure. I feel like there is a lot more to it apart from the fact that it’s addictive and you can be pressured into doing it. Drugs and alcohol can be so confusing as a young person.” Currently, year 10 and 11 are allocated homeroom time dedicated to Social and Emotional Learning. In addition to SEL, there are monthly well-being discussions, led by Ms Vivian, for one period. We have 45 minutes of “wellbeing time” a month where there is no certainty that we cover such topics. Although an organization comes in to speak to us for a double period once a year, this is the only time exclusively dedicated to substance use. Naturally, students feel like the amount of time we have to discuss substance use is insufficient. “I think the whole school is trying to squeeze their whole drugs and alcohol education in one double period,” said one student. Others feel that homeroom isn’t an appropriate time or place to discuss this. “I don’t really understand why homeroom is the time when we talk about this stuff. I’m not going to be comfortable to talk about drugs and alcohol in front of my homeroom teachers because they’re going to judge me.” Many feel they don’t have sufficient knowledge about what to do in a situation when somebody is in danger due to an alcohol or drug related incident, or how to drink responsibly. The school understands that parents are the biggest authority in a child’s life. In light of recent events, concerning Year 10 students, the administration felt a need to communicate with parents on the approaches they should take in ensuring students make responsible choices. Right from the start of the meeting, it was evident that the

school needed to make sure they had a mutual understanding with the parents when it comes to expectations involving substance use. Both agreed that high school is a time for exploration and experimentation - it is only natural for teenagers to rebel. General consensus among students is that speaking with their parents can be awkward. A school environment would allow students to be more open. “It’s just awkward to talk about this stuff with my parents,” said one frequent drinker. “I would much prefer the school told me the details.” During the meeting, school administrators reflected on the approaches to educate children and parents about responsible decisions. They understood that making parents exclusively watch out for parties, they move the problem to a potentially unsafe environment. They also highlighted the importance of discussion - students should be able to talk openly about it with both the school, their parents, and their peers. While the school understands the importance of discussion, there can be a lack of discourse with students. “I wish I could just have an open discussion with another student,” remarked one girl in year 11. “We’re just listening and nodding our heads. Like, I get why drugs are bad and why I shouldn’t do them, but I want a student to just tell me their experiences right there and then.” Many parents disagree with the way the school deals with incidents regarding irresponsible drug or alcohol usage on school campus. The school views suspension as a time of reflection, whereas some feel like students should be punished for their actions. Some parents feel that there is a lack of communication between the parents themselves. Many feel that the school should set up a support system, ensuring parents know what is happening between the students to give them some peace of mind. Parents also feel like there is a need to uncover the root cause as to why students are taking up such behaviours: is this part of teenage experimentation or is it something more serious? The school administration understands the severity of the issue: they are in the process of having discussions with the school counsellors. According to one of the school counselors, they understand the lack of time given to educate students about substances, but many teachers disagree with prioritizing wellbeing time over their lessons. ISL has made many advances when it comes to dealing with educating their students about the potential consequences of drug and alcohol usage. At the end of the day, it is up to the student to make informed choices, but we need to work together towards creating a culture where such choices are the right ones.

WHAT’S YOUR LABEL? Ayana Challagalla and Pavi Venkat Sridhar

re you a nerd? Maybe you’re an athlete or an extrovert. Or perhaps you’re an eboy. For each of these words, I am sure an image popped into your head. Our brains automatically create images to match words. In this case, maybe a certain person appeared. Google defines a label as, “a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.” But how do these labels affect people? Why are labels so dangerous? Something as simple as a label has a much bigger impact on human society than you may know. Have you ever heard the expression: “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Unfortunately, judging people is a primordial instinct. Years ago, it was a way to tell if someone was a threat or not. Nowadays, labeling has become the norm to determine where you rest on the social hierarchy. Labels are the classification of people depending on certain characteristics. But is it right to sort human beings into groups? In a way, dividing people based on how you perceive them can be considered ethically wrong. On the other hand, a label is just a name for someone to recognize a person and their beliefs. A label is so powerful it can change the person who bears it. The pressure to maintain or break free from the label is immense. For example, if someone is labeled as the ‘class clown’, their class will count on them to continue this role. The pressure to be another person, however, is not only faced at school. It is present in many situations: at home, a workplace, or even a gym.

scored the same as their peers, but after a year, Rosenthal and Jacobson came back to the school and conducted another academic test for the students. Now, the students who were said to be “bloomers” had scored 10-15 IQ points higher than the others. In this study, the teachers paid more attention to the students who would bloom and they were treated differently just because of this label. Positive labels do exist. According to studies, if you believe in yourself, you unconsciously take more risks which leads to self-development and growth. This self-encouragement helps you overcome life’s challenges, and minimizes the stress you feel when faced with the problems encountered on a daily basis. However, when using labels such as ugly, stupid, weak, fat, and a loser, the effects tend to be more negative. The impact of a negative label is extremely significant. It can restrict a person’s potential if they are confined to the label. You can feel frustrated and unhappy, and often you’re unaware that your thoughts are the cause. It can cause physical symptoms such as migraines, nausea, anxiety attacks, and stomach aches. It is also a major contributor to depression and anxiety. Labels in society are extremely dangerous and can lead to deep pain. As the price tags and labels on items in a department store, personal labels are sticky and hard to remove once firmly attached. Before sticking a label on someone’s forehead or your own, remember that a label is one word. One word that does not and cannot define who you are. Though we live in a society of labels, do not lose yourself to labels.

The thing is, these labels are never neutral. A lot of the time, they’re based around religion, ethnicity, nationality, age, and gender. A more extreme situation would be considering oneself superior because of gender or ethnicity, which is a root cause for bullying and even murder in some cases. This leads to the question ‘what if someone is labeled something they aren’t?’. The expectation to be someone that you are not is not an easy task. Yet, so many people are able to keep up the act. In the process, there is a danger of losing yourself. This idea of changing personality because of a label is so significant it even has a name - the Rosenthal effect. A study conducted in the 1960s by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson shows that people change depending on what they think about themselves. Students at an elementary school were all given the same test. Rosenthal and Jacobson then told the teachers that there were specific students in the top 20% who were “bloomers” and would show better results than their classmates in a year. In fact, these students had

Illustration by Ayana Challagalla

WHY STUDENT VOICE MATTERS

hese sixteen pages you have in your hands have taken four weeks of meetings, dozens of hours of individual work, and a late evening to put it all together. The students involved have conducted interviews, carried out research, and given each other feedback to try to make this issue as good as possible, always one step better than the previous one. They receive no grade or reward, other than the snacks that often arrive to the room on Thursdays. And they always, always put their names on their writings and illustrations - we do not run anonymous pieces. The High has been appearing in ISL for over eleven years. At a conservative estimate, we have published over a thousand articles and hundreds of illustrations. Inevitably, some of them will have ruffled some feathers or displeased members of our community. We never set out to purposely upset or annoy anyone, but we strongly believe that student voice, when expressed respectfully and based on information, deserves to be heard in its pure, unfiltered form without need for prior vetting or censorship. School is, among other things, the place where students are allowed to make mistakes without grave consequences. Losing a number of games in a row does not get the basketball coach fired. An error in the concentration of acid in a chemistry experiment does not pollute a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water supply. As educators, our role is to create safe spaces where our students can try things out, and to help them learn when things go wrong. Our newsroom is no different. Our student journalists are given the time and space to explore difficult topics and to venture unsavoury opinions, but they do it as part of a team: stories are pitched to the whole room and discussed with editors; opinions are widely debated in our Thursday meetings - not looking for consensus, but exploring alternative points of view that an author may not have considered. And any time an article creates controversy, or triggers a response (by the way, we are committed to publish any letters to the editor that we receive), we use the opportunity to reflect as a team, to question our biases, to check our processes. We have strengthened our editorial routine so that now every article gets read by at least two editors. We have increased our commitment to investigation, and a regular question when an article is pitched is â&#x20AC;&#x153;who are you going to talk to?â&#x20AC;? We require that the majority of articles are submitted well in advance, so that potentially risky stories can be read in advance by the school leadership team. We are, in one word, learning. We build our collective, institutional memory so that we make progress through the years; but also each new journalist has to learn, sometimes the hard way, how to navigate the public sphere and wield the influence that our newspaper has acquired.

Rafael Ribas gets on his High horse

It is, of course, rewarding to see that The High influences, and at times originates, some of the serious conversations that we are having as a school community. We would be disappointed if our issues were received with a collective shrug of indifference. We have worked hard through the years to be in this position, and we are aware that reputations are built over time and can be destroyed in an instant. We cherish the positive feedback that we receive from our readers - primarily the student body, to whom this paper is directly addressed, but also from teachers, parents and alumni who glance at our pages. It is often easy to dwell on negative responses, to only hear the voices that accuse us of being divisive or toxic; but the truth is that the newsroom has more people than it ever had, that our 150 monthly copies are snatched away, that the issues we cover are the ones that are talked about in corridors and staff rooms.

School is the place where students are allowed to make mistakes So this article is not at all an apology. We do not regret causing debate, presenting contrasting points of view, unearthing stories that may at times be unpalatable. We stand firm in our commitment to promote responsible student voice, and to provide a platform that is genuinely student-run and student-centred. We support the dedication and efforts of our young journalists, even if some would rather swat them away as if they were pesky buzzing insects. We reject the attempts of anonymous gossip bloggers who try to involve us in issues that do not matter. We will continue to work as a team and as part of a larger community, combining independence and empathy, proud of our product and aware of our impact. We will remain open to any high school students who want to speak about our school and the world at large, so long as they are willing to put in the work and expose themselves to spirited discussions, both inside and outside our newsroom. And as long as we have such students, and the support of the school, we will strive to bring you a new issue of The High every month, like we have done for the last eleven years. And now, if you excuse me, we have a dozen pages that need finishing, but pizza just arrived. We are The High and we are proud; but we are also hungry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

t’s that time of year again when the lights are strung, fireplaces are lit and trees are decorated. All around the world, many people are getting into the Christmas spirit and anxiously waiting for Santa to come deliver their gifts. Originally, Christmas was a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Nowadays, it is still celebrated religiously but many have adapted it to a general holiday for young children, celebrating the act of giving. The question is, should Christmas be celebrated in an International School? There are many different sides to the argument of whether Christmas should be celebrated, all taken from different points of view. For example, many would say ‘yes’ because they celebrate Christmas as it is part of being Christian. Others may say ‘yes’ because they simply like celebrating it or because Christianity is one of the main religions in the country they live in. The same could go for ‘no’; people can argue that it is too centered around the birth of Christ or because it might exclude other holidays.Because

there are so many possible views on this topic, I decided to survey the students in High School to see what the students being educated in an international school actually thought. After sending out the survey, I had received 138 responses. When responding to the question of Christmas being celebrated in an international school, 89.9% of the students responded with ‘yes’, 3.6% with ‘no’ and 9 responses from ‘other’ featuring their own responses. This shows that the vast majority of High School students believe that Christmas should be celebrated at a school like ISL. When going through the answers, I saw responses which said ‘yes’, but only as long as other traditions and holidays are celebrated as well. When looking at the responses from why people said ‘yes’, a recurring answer was because we celebrate other holidays, so Christmas should be included in that as well. Another main response that was pleasantly surprising to read was that it is a fun holiday that should be celebrated, not necessari-

AND HAPPY DIWALI

his past Thursday, the 14th of November, the North Campus was decorated with flower garlands and candles. As you entered the building, for a moment, you forgot you were still at school. Everywhere you looked in the lobby, there was a new exciting treat awaiting students, whether it was trying to color in a paper rangoli or an Indian sweet. There were primary students at various stalls throughout the lobby learning about the origins of Diwali and how it is celebrated. All of this was thanks to the CC (Culture and Community) Club, Ms. Morgan, and the Indian parents within our community had put together a celebration for Diwali - an Indian festival. Diwali is known as the festival of light, and rightly so, as during this 5- day celebration, entire cities in India are lit up with diyas and string lights. Diyas are oil lamps that are made out of clay, and they are typically decorated by hand for this festival.

Diwali is a celebration of good winning over evil. On this day, Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and luck roams around various Indian cities and is said to enter and bless the inhabitants of houses that are pure, clean, and bright. This is why people go out of their way to clean their houses and make them as vibrant as possible for this festival. While it was fun to enjoy the bright colors, take in the atmosphere and take part in the festivities, the main purpose of the event was to expose the ISL community to one of the festivals of a culture within our community. “There are 60 different nationalities in this school and it is really important that firstly, different cultures are represented, and that it is visible within the school as well, and that there is actually a positive representation of these cultures,” said Ms. Morgan who is the Internationalism coordinator at our school. “We are trying to have a carousel of events that take place at the school every year as it

Skye Erickson

ly religiously at school, but because it spreads the ambiance of giving, happiness and bringing people together. As for the responses on why people chose ‘no’, the principal answer was because people who do not celebrate Christmas will feel left out. This is extremely valid, and a response that should be considered when choosing which holidays are celebrated. However, as the responses from ‘yes’ concluded, if we celebrate holidays like Hanukkah, Diwali and Ramadan, shouldn’t we try to include as many different traditions as possible? All in all, it comes down to personal opinion, but I think that it is good to consider the overall joyous feeling that Christmas installs in many people, and how it shares the feeling of closeness and gratefulness throughout the staff and students alike. Whether you celebrate it or not shouldn’t stop you from feeling grateful for those around you and sharing the positivity of being kind to those around you.

Khwaish Vohra would be impossible to celebrate all of the festivals within all of the cultures, but this way we can celebrate the main events of various cultures.” The primary students really benefited from the celebrations as they learned about a culture different from their own. As young children, this is important because it shapes the way they approach other cultures. As we get older it can be easy to forget that there is a world beyond the bubble in which we exist, and it can make us insensitive to other cultures. It is through these festivals that we as students get a tiny glimpse into cultures beyond our ISL community. While your origins do not dictate who you are, it is a big part of your identity, and with these celebrations, we get to learn a little bit more about the identities of all of the members of that culture within our community.

SL is a culturally diverse school with students from all around the world; however, are ISL students stuck in the ISL bubble? Does the ISL student body know about the experiences of different children in international schools and how they are different to ours? Many people believe that all international schools are very similar, however, is this truly the case? In my whole life, I have moved 7 times and gone to 6 different schools. I have lived in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Russia, The Netherlands, and here, and from personal experience, I can say that every one of these places was different to ISL. I have experienced different international schools in different countries and experienced the extreme pressure international schools face to expand. Schools all over the world are finding new ways to expand and to try and become the most prestigious international school in their country. The competitiveness between international schools is huge, which we only partially experience during sport competitions. Different international schools have found different ways of becoming the best and the brightest school in their country. However, just like in anything else, becoming the best and brightest has its obstacles. Every school believes they have found a different way of becoming the best school which leads to differences between international schools around the world. One way that most international schools have decided to expand is simply by having a large campus. This is shown in Bangkok Patana School (BPS) in Thailand: “I found that the main difference is the size of the school and the facilities - my old school had the largest school science center in Asia- and was about 4 floors of classrooms and labs.” (Jade Gavin, Year 12). The same idea was present in Jakarta Intercultural school in Indonesia: “The biggest difference I have seen is the size of schools, in my school in Jakarta the campus was way bigger than the campus here.” (Carl Dahan, Year 11) Overall, ISL can be seen as being a culturally diverse school, maybe even more diverse than other International schools from around the world which we can see comparing it to BRENT International school in Manila, the Philippines: “ISL is the most culturally diverse school I’ve ever been too. I think many students take this for granted. This is different to one of my past schools, which was made up mostly of Filipinos and Koreans.” (David Curilla, Year 12). Even though the campus is still smaller compared to other schools it still manages to achieve one of the highest scores in the IB program in the world with an average of 36 while the global average is 30 points. This just suggests that ISL has a very high academic standard.

Carlijn van der Weijst peers through the glass One advantage of ISL being smaller than other schools is the sense of community that ISL gives off, which we can see comparing our school to GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis in Dubai: “It’s very difficult to compare both schools when my experiences in both of them were at different stages of my life, but I’d say that the inclusivity from the very first moment you step in ISL, truly is the highlight and success of this school.” (Beatriz Martins, Year 12). ISL is also a very safe school compared to The British School of Warsaw in Poland, as Elise Alsteens in Year 12 said: “I feel like here it is a safer place. There are no locks on lockers and people leave their bags in the corridor without being scared that people could take their stuff whereas in my old school people were scared to get their stuff stolen. We would put locks on our lockers and we would never leave our bags in the corridor”. ISL puts its trust in the students which is absurd when you think about it. In my old school, I remember there was a girl who pretended to be sick for a week while in reality she got suspended for stealing someone else’s wallet. Schools all over the world are changing rapidly mostly in size but in other ways as well. My old school in Hong Kong has been closed down for days because of the protests that have been going on. My old school in Indonesia has suffered from accusations that teachers have been raping students. International schools around the world are suffering from different disasters, so the question is, will ISL be next, or will the ‘ISL bubble’ be able to protect us?

Illustration by Jade Tan

WELCOME TO THE BUBBLE

THE N-WORD Mark Besson does not mince his words

n order to properly understand the impact of words, you have to know their history. There are many words where this is especially important - one of these being the n-word. The n-word is ‘a contemptuous term for a black or darkskinned person.’ This is a word that carries the history of the systematic enslavement, oppression and discrimination of an entire race behind it. The word has its origins in the Latin word for black, niger. However, over time, it began to change, coming in a variety of spellings and obtaining more derogatory meaning. One of these variants was recorded in John Rolfe’s - one of the early English settlers - journals, who used the word negar to describe the first shipment of African slaves to Virginia in 1619. It is unknown exactly when niger turned into the n-word and obtained its modern meaning; but, by the nineteenth century, it had already become an infamous insult and slur. During the era of slavery, slaves would be given Europeanised names to make them identifiable to the colonizers. However, the n-word or black was added in front of this to distinguish them from any white person owning the same name. For example, a slave by the name of ‘John’ would have been called ‘n****r John.’ Despite the abolition of slavery, the era of racism was continued by the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow was the name of the system put in place in the US during 1877 which continued until 1964 with its abolition through the Civil Rights Act. It introduced racial laws permitting segregation and discrimination. For example, intermarriage between the different races was illegal, and education was separated based on race. This was only supported by the ‘Separate but Equal’ doctrine introduced with Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision of 1896 which declared that segregation was unconstitutional as long as the facilities provided were equal. Unfortunately, this was not the case, with many of the facilities provided to coloured and black people being far worse than those provided to white people. In some cases, there were no black or coloured facilities. Racism on an individual scale was also rampant, some of which were seemingly based on Jim Crow etiquettes and rules introduced. For example, ‘A black male could not offer his hand (to shake hands) to a white male because it implied being socially equal. Obviously, a black male could not offer his hand or any other part of his body to a white woman, because he risked being accused of rape’ (Dr David Pilgrim, 2012). In Hosea Easton’s ‘A Treatise on the Intellectual Character and Civil and Political Condition of the Coloured People of the United States: and the Prejudice Exercised Towards Them’,

he made a point of noting that adults would scold children through the use of the slur. For instance, adults would reprimand them for being “worse than n****rs”, “ignorant as n****rs,” and would tell them that unless well behaved, they would be carried off by “the old n****r.” This, of course, instils an early feeling of fear and superiority within children. Given that these children had this ideology instilled in them from a young age, it is not surprising that their opinions were influenced greatly: views that they would continue to pass on to others.

Adults would scold children for being ‘‘worse than n****rs’’

The use of the n-word was never limited to only verbal abuse, the sentiments and ideology that it conveys have transferred over to physical harm. Slaves were whipped and beaten; and, after the abolition of slavery, black people -who still faced other forms of violence- were lynched. Even now, violence towards the black community is still prominent. For example, in 2018 there was a reported total of 5,155 hate crimes based on racial bias in America, 47.1% of which were due to anti-black or African American bias. This isn’t to solely point fingers at America; this is just an example. Many countries had the same problem, such as South Africa with Apartheid, France, England, numerous Caribbean countries, and many others. It is one thing to convince a race into thinking a certain thing about another; it is something else entirely to convince a race into thinking a certain thing about themselves. This is what has happened with the use of the n-word towards black people. It has shaped their own self-perception, managing to convince some that they were truly inferior - something that has been identified as internalized oppression. This has numerous consequences, including poorer mental health, lower well-being, and health-damaging behaviours. The n-word isn’t simply something that can be thrown around carelessly and, depending on the context and situation, its meaning can change. Understanding this word and what it truly means to those targeted by it will provide knowledge on whether using this word is appropriate - the answer to which is most likely no.

PETE IS THE NEW BLACK

very year, the Netherlands celebrate the arrival of Sinterklaas and his “Black Petes”. The holiday tradition has existed for over a century, but recently it has sparked controversy and many now label it as racist. In November, the “Black Petes” have not only thrown candy into their sacks, but also the subject of heated discussions about whether or not they are meant to be bringing children joy and sugary delights or if they are actually part of a much bigger and more controversial issue.

in their Sinterklaas stories, which developed into the Black Petes we know today.

A man from The Hague threatened to blow himself up for the tradition, while Anti-Black Pete protests turned violent after a group of people tried to intimidate them using fireworks and clubs. Similar incidents have been popping up around the country, some of them members of far-right groups, clashing with protesters appearing in multiple cities. But what’s causing the unrest?

Many believe it is a form of stereotyping black people. For some young kids, seeing so many Black Petes marching around during the holiday season leads to them associating all black people as being Black Pete. They may see a black person in public and immediately say to them “Hey, you’re black Pete!” Some can laugh along at their well-intended comment, but it is also understandable why others take it the wrong way.

Every November, Sinterklaas (who is similar to Santa Claus) hops on his boat along with his Zwarte Pieten (or Black Petes), bucket loads of sweets, and presents to sail off to a Dutch port in his steam boat. They arrive on the second weekend of November where they are greeted with a parade through town and crowds of people, which is broadcasted on TV. They deliver sacks of presents to Dutch homes on the evening of December 5th. During the parade, many children and adults dress up as Black Petes in order to welcome him. This is where the debate begins. Black Pete first appeared in a book written by Dutch teacher Jan Schenkman in 1850, titled Sinterklaas en Zijn Knecht (Sinterklaas and his Servant). In this popular book, Sinterklaas appears followed by a black servant, whose origins are not concrete, but many say he represented a Moor, a name for nomadic people from North Africa. Due to the success of the book, other writers began incorporating the black servant

In order to celebrate this tradition, both adults and children dress up as Black Petes, painting their faces entirely black, wearing large gold earrings, colorful costumes, frizzy wigs, and exaggerating their lips with red lipstick. Blackface is already a sensitive topic but it also bears connections to the use of slaves in households in the mid-19th century.

While Sinterklaas is viewed as more of the wise old man, the Black Petes are often seen as a bit clownish, jumping around doing cartwheels and acting more childishly, sometimes being considered dumb. Young kids process all of this information and copy these actions, and aren’t aware that they might be offending someone. To them, It’s just a black character in a costume that comes and gives them candy, who also happens to act a bit foolish. To others, it is an insulting way to “impersonate” black people. On the other hand, some are insistent that Black Pete is a deeply rooted part of their Dutch identity. Getting rid of it would mean removing an important part of their culture. For them, it’s an important tradition that can’t just be removed from one year to the next. Many don’t consider it offensive and believe the black faces are a result of

Sophie-Marie Pasewald and Olivia Kurali the Petes climbing soot chimneys. ProBlack Pete groups have been popping up around the country in support of keeping things the way they are, they’re not willing to change their mind.

A man from The Hague threatened to blow himself up for the tradition With all the controversy, Roetveeg Piet has come to save the day (kind of). Featuring black smudges on his face made to represent chimney soot instead of sporting a full blackface, many people are already adapting to this version and he’s already being seen wandering the streets. He seems to be a good compromise that has less of a connection with slavery and blackface while still preserving the tradition. Some people, however, are still not satisfied and still believe that it conveys racism. A Dutch year 10 student commented “I think Roetveeg Piet is a good solution because its a person with only some black paint signifying chimney dust. I think it’s ridiculous that people still call Roetveeg Piet racist. I mean, having an only white helper would also be labeled racist. Honestly, you just can’t please everyone!” The heat around this topic won’t be dying down anytime soon, and some members of both sides aren’t willing to compromise. A good solution has been offered, and it’s important to remember that you can’t keep everyone happy and in this case, Roetveeg Piet seems like the best answer.

EVERYONE’S A NAZI

azi: a member of the National Socialist German Worker’s Party, or a person with extreme racist or authoritarian views. The rise of the Nazis is remembered as a demonstration of how the human capability for hatred, coupled with clever words from a skilled orator, can lead to a society with a callous disregard for human life”: a society that took it upon themselves to cleanse Germany of “impure” races. The Holocaust shocked the world, to the point that several governments came together to form the United Nations. After drafting the Bill of Human Rights, it was vowed to never allow these atrocities to happen again. Even today, the Nazi Regime is still remembered as one of humanity’s darkest eras. So isn’t it sad that the word seems to be used every other day now? Recently there’s been an interesting trend to compare anyone on the political spectrum one doesn’t like to Hitler and the Nazis, which took a noticeable rise after Donald Trump took office in the USA. The term “Nazi” is used today

as a means of deterring someone away from a political figure, often before they even get a chance to hear any of this person’s talking points or ideas. Few want to listen to someone who was called a Nazi, after all. While it is more typically used against right-wing political figures, left-wingers are no exception: Greta Thunberg was mocked because of an old Nazi propaganda technique where they used young children to express their ideals. Irrespective of what you think of Thunberg, that’s really a rather idiotic comparison to make. Now, normally this trend would only be slightly depressing, but wouldn’t pose any real problem. Unfortunately, pose a problem it does.This trend is causing younger people to get a completely distorted idea of what Nazis are, to the point where they might think completely normal right-wing politicians are in fact Neo-Nazis. A study was done by the Washington Post in 2018, and surveyed 1,350 millennial adults on several things related to the Nazis. When asked, 51% of them said

EAT YOUR GREENS

aving the planet. A statement which many would like to support... but is it worth giving up bacon? Whilst on a trip to Turin, a city known for its incredible traditional Italian food, I discovered that the streets consist of mostly vegan restaurants, where the judgmental eyes of grass munchers stare you down as you devour your beef lasagna. Has veganism transformed from an environmental cause to a guilt trip for those who don’t comply? We joke about vegans and their personalities, but is there blame on both sides? With such a rapid increase in veganism over the last four years, it is questionable whether the decision by most individuals to turn vegan was led by true passion or by an impulsive need to feel like part of a trend and community. The trend of veganism was likely not started by a single cause, but rather a ‘plant based’ storm of factors. “I was always passionate about saving the environ-

ment and veganism allowed me to do so on a daily basis” or “being vegan allowed me to become a part of a community”, are the common responses given when vegan students were asked about their choice. Vegan food has become incredibly popular in restaurants, providing more meat free options, as well as cookbooks, YouTube channels, trendy events and polemic documentaries. It is a truly unique trend that drove the food industry in a direction that transformed the traditional view of veganism into its current perception as an exclusive community. Plant consumption has also shown to be an escape from mental illness… avocado brownies and quinoa salads can literally save lives. “Since I became vegan, I have felt almost part of a community and involved.” Although beneficial for some, veganism has created a social boundary between those who ‘care’ about the environment and those

Salim Markabi they felt there were “many” or “a great deal of” Neo Nazis in the USA today. However, nearly two-thirds of them couldn’t identify what Auschwitz was when asked, despite it being one of the most infamous death camps from the Holocaust, with over 1.1 million prisoners having died there. Although the survey didn’t ask, it’s easy enough to guess who exactly they would have defined. It’s gotten to the point where people like Candace Owens, Dave Rubin, and Ben Shapiro have been repeatedly called Neo-Nazis. Candace Owens is African American, Dave Rubin is gay, and Ben Shapiro is a literal Jew, so comparing any of them to white supremacist Neo-Nazis is ridiculous and horrifically insulting. This misuse of words and misrepresentation of people should be viewed as and is a dangerous thing. It is a device to ensure people’s views are not heard, allowing for a complete shutdown of their views. In order for proper political discourse to survive, I believe this trend needs to disappear, as soon as possible.

Anja Mervar and Holly Rees who supposedly do not. Therefore the feeling of associating yourself with a ‘community’ contributes to a stronger separation between these groups. Even though veganism communicates a beneficial message to our generation about how we, as individuals, can contribute to helping the environment, it creates potential separation between social groups. At the end of the day criticism, judgment and varied opinions will never cease to exist. Although questionable at times, veganism is a positive movement as long as it comes from good intentions and doesn’t create negative connotations. In the end, the final decision to turn vegan should not be manipulated by ‘guilt trips’ and judgment, but should be instead a selfmade decision based on personal morals. So choose for yourself! You don’t want to destroy the planet, do you?

REDUCE, REUSE, REINDEER

he countdown for Christmas is officially on, and we’re turning our attention to turkey orders, advent calenders and, most importantly, all of the amazing presents waiting to be opened. However, our much-loved celebrations are costing us more than we realize, with the experts linking festive mass consumption to long-term environmental damage. It’s estimated that an extra 30 percent of rubbish is produced and discarded during the festive period, which amounts to around three million tonnes of waste. When we see these results, we immediately feel guilty and feel like stopping Christmas. But there is an even better solution: an eco-friendly Christmas! Did you know seven million trees go into landfills each year? Already have a fake tree? Don’t panic. Keep using it and make it last as long as possible and when the time comes to eventually replace it you can look into more environmentally sound options. Real trees can be the more eco-friendly choice, as long as you consider where and how they have been grown. When buying your tree look for trees from sustainable forests to help reduce harm to the Earth. Want to take things one step further? Buy a potted tree with roots, meaning you can let it grow and use it again next year, reducing the cost to the environment – and you. And, unlike artificial versions, a real tree can also be easily recycled in an eco-friendly way. Either chip it and compost it or take it to your local Christmas tree recycling center – yes, that’s really a thing. Last Christmas, a study found that the British binned the equivalent of 108 million rolls of wrapping paper and got through more than 40 million rolls of sellotape, with the average household using four rolls of paper and a roll and a half of tape each. That’s a lot of waste and even the most well-intentioned may be unaware that the wrapping paper we use isn’t actually recyclable if it contains plastic, dye, foil, glitter or sellotape. So what are your options? Recycle that stash of gift bags you’ve been given throughout the year, or use brown recyclable paper and newspapers as wrapping paper alternatives. Avoid ribbons and tinsel on presents - they’re not recyclable and cause huge issues for recycling plants by getting stuck in machinery. Instead, try hemp cord or twine and decorate with foliage (a holly sprig or pine cone from the garden is as eco as it gets, right?). Did you know that we throw away 1.5 billion cards? So it’s worth asking - is anybody really going to notice if you don’t send them this year? And if you really need to send a card, why not use e-cards? There are many websites that might

Neha Chakraborty wants a better planet for Christmas

help with personalizing and sending e-cards to your family. According to databases in the UK, we waste five million Christmas puddings, two million turkeys and 74 million mince pies every year – pretty shameful, right? Plan meals ahead of time to avoid food waste and start making room in the freezer for storing leftovers now. Shopping locally is better for the environment, so take your own bags and buy fruit and vegetable loose when possible to minimize plastic. For those not willing to go cold turkey on the turkey, buy organic and free-range from local farmers and ask yourself if you really need the whole turkey, or whether just a crown will do. According to NASA, parts of the earth are up to 50% brighter in the period between Thanksgiving in the States and New Year’s Day, which as well as wasting huge amounts of energy, also disrupts the ecosystems of nocturnal wildlife. Do your bit by swapping to solar-powered lights or opt for energy-efficient LED bulbs instead – you’ll help decrease your carbon footprint and save money since they last up to 20 times longer than regular bulbs. Using natural foliage in place of tinsel is an easy, cost-effective swap, or you could DIY - homemade paper-chains, snowflakes, and wreaths for the door. And lastly, in ISL, we have our beautiful tradition of celebrating Christmas by doing Secret Santas. Even though this tradition is such fun, we tend to let our creativity die out, resulting in us buying presents. Why must we buy presents when it can be made at home? Anything simple like a handmade card could make someone’s day instead of just buying M&Ms. People would rather prefer a coupon to the movies or a shop gift card, than you buying them a jar of Nutella. Also, why buy food when you can make food as your present? Making food will show you have made an effort towards your gift, making the other person’s day. Usually, Secret Santa gifts don’t have to be big or expensive, it just has to be something that shows how much you care for them, something that will make them happy. Just remember don’t overbuy. Put your money towards one main present rather than lots of little ones, or consider an experience, membership or subscription. Don’t give them another unwanted gift they’ll simply throw away the next month. Now that you know many different ways of having an eco-friendly Christmas, why not go and give some of them a try? And don’t panic, your Christmas won’t get ruined, it will simply get better!

THE MISSING MILLION Elif Civelekoglu can quit whenever she wants

pending countless hours on our phones and scrolling through the endless feeds is an activity we all engage in. In our modern society, this is seen as nothing out of the norm, and not doing so is even seen as odd. For example, the average American stares at a screen for 11 hours a day. However, there are, as with anything else, rules that determine if this is okay or not. Those who spend more time with technology and do not have the social skills to make up for it are more often than not subject to ridicule. Yet, the statistics given above is for the average American, no matter how high it may be. Sure, it is concerning in regards to our ability to see properly, but it is not a problem that needs intervention.However, what defines a “phone addict”? Let’s get this out of the way: technology misuse is not technology addiction. Everyone has their hobbies and habits. If a non-addict had their phone taken away for a week, they would surely be annoyed by this, but still be able to enjoy their lives. Addiction is far different than just a hobby. The American Society of Addiction Medicine states that “Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with an addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.” In other words, an addict is someone that is psychologically or behaviorally dependent on something - in this case, technology. In their case, their addiction affects their personal lives to a disastrous degree. At the most extreme cases, technology addiction can play a significant part in causing total isolation. This was discovered first in Japan, but there is an increasing number of reports of similar behaviour worldwide. The affected are named “hikikomori”, also referred to as the “the missing million”. It is estimated that soon, the number of people that are affected by this will rise above a million. A hikikomori is defined by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry as “someone who has remained isolated at home for at least six consecutive months without going to school or work, and rarely interacts with people from outside their own immediate family”.

experiencing problems in real life, be it with relationships, physical, or mental, are reported to be more likely to suffer from internet addiction. Society is thought to play a major role in contributing to this problem. Especially in highly competitive societies, after perceived failure in an area, people turn to any sort of coping mechanism they can. There is a stigma around technology addiction and isolation, that makes it even harder for those suffering to seek help. Mocking comments and remarks are much too common, resulting in the problem worsening. Lack of emotional support leads to people finding different ways to cope, namely technology. Prolonged social isolation can easily affect the sufferer for the rest of their life. The longer someone is cut off from society without intervention or help, the lower the chances that they will ever come back. This is due to evolution: back when we were nomads, being expelled from a group directly translated to death. Humans are social animals, our bodies respond negatively to loneliness. People that are chronically lonely struggle with many daily functions, such as sleep patterns, attention, and logical and verbal reasoning. Overall, this is an actual problem that should not be made fun of. Those affected truly do suffer: relationships deteriorate, physical health worsens due to lack of exercise, and more. Due to how recent it is, there is not much research about technology addiction. Additionally, most people don’t see this type of addiction and social isolation as being an actual disorder, so misdiagnosis is common. There does seem to be some hope for the future. As more people become aware of this issue, there are an increasing number of facilities designed to support people affected. There are “siblings” for hire, who are meant to coax the isolated into engaging with the real world once again. This will most definitely not be an easy road: there are many barriers to be crossed. However, what we can all do in the meanwhile is to offer a helping hand.

However, this is not a Japan-only problem. In 2006, research showed that 7% of Europeans never meet friends. Today, 18% of Europeans are socially isolated. The Red Cross has even stated that this is a “hidden epidemic”. One in five Americans always or often feel lonely or socially isolated. Finally, a Chinese study showed that 6% of teenage phone users are addicted. This is a serious issue that can be caused by many factors, such as feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, etc. People

Illustration by Luke Besson

TIK TOK ’N’ ROLL Rohan Reagan is @roheroin

ou have probably realized at this point that TikTok finds the smallest, or even the biggest, ways into your life. Whether it is people talking about the app or even just a reference to the meme of VSCO girls. What you probably didn’t realize is that it affects the music you are listening to. For example, the song “Roxanne” by Arizona Zervas, which has been popularized by TikTok, has had a steady rise in the global charts of Spotify and currently occupies the number four spot. In the past four weeks it has amassed approximately 77.8 million streams which leads to a payout of around $339,000 USD from Spotify streams alone. This amount of money can be life changing, especially for a smaller artist like Arizona Zervas. Another example of how impactful TikTok can be for small artists is shown through the song “Yellow Hearts” by Ant Saunders. In the past three weeks it has accumulated over 10.5 million streams on the U.S. charts [It was not charting globally]. This amounts to a payout of over $45,000 USD off United States streams alone. These two examples, even though they are life changing for an artist, are not the most noteworthy. The artist, which you have definitely heard of by now, Lil Nas X, had a quick rise to fame. On December 3rd 2018,

Illustration by Zoé Poinssot

he released the song “Old Town Road”, but even with his efforts for the song to go viral, nothing was working. Over three months later, near the start of March, TikTok picked up the song and used it in a trend. It spread like wildfire being used across the app and being shared to other social media platforms. At the start of April, the song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is also the time the song reached a peak for search queries into Google. For those who aren’t familiar with Billboard Hot 100, it is the music industry standard record chart for the United States which is based on sales, radio play, and streams. This chart is updated weekly to compare how popular a song is. Most of what the general public hears on the radio comes from the Top 25 of this chart. Lil Nas X stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, breaking the record for the longest amount of time spent at the highest rank. Because of this hit song, he was able to collaborate with popular artists like Diplo, BTS, Young Thug, and Billy Ray Cyrus. The remix with Cyrus helped solidify his spot at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The release of the music video of the song “Old Town Road” featuring Cyrus caused the song “Old Town Road” to hit its second and final peak in google search queries. The song went on to be nominated for 6 Grammys, 8 MTV Video Music Awards, and 5 American Music Awards. It was able to win two MTV VMAs for Song of the Year and Best Directing, as well as the AMA for Rap/Hip-Hop Song of the Year. The song then received diamond certification in the United States, certifying that it had over 10 million sales. It is one of the most sought after certifications with “Old Town Road” being one of only 33 songs to have received the award. The only other artist coming close to reaching this level of fame because of TikTok is Lizzo. Lizzo has had a solo career since 2016

when she released her first single “Good as Hell”. She released her next single a year later titled “Truth Hurts” which became a sleeper hit staying off the charts for two full years. TikTok picked up the song and used a clip from the beginning as a part of a trend. It gave it enough momentum to debut at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. It eventually reached number one and remained for six weeks. This broke a record for the longest solo female rap at number 1. The song was then nominated for three Grammys, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Following the success of her number one hit, she was able to release a remix of her first single “Good as Hell” with Ariana Grande. She also performed the song at the MTV Video Music Awards, following this performance the song debuted at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. With the traction from “Truth Hurts” and the remix with Ariana Grande, “Good as Hell” has been slowly climbing the charts and is currently at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Tik Tok is a significant influencer of the music industry

At this point, it’s evident that TikTok is not only a significant influencer of the music industry but also the catalyst in jump-starting the careers of numerous artists. People have taken notice of this and have even begun posting videos on TikTok with their song, directly asking users to make it viral. So,whether you like it or not, TikTok is a huge force in the industry and will continue to be until it is shut down like Vine (rest in peace).

CHOOSE YOUR CHEESE

bout a month ago, Switzerland was graced with another round of federal elections, which became the basis of Swiss parliament. Unfortunately, few people at school really noticed, so it’s important to take a few hundred words to explain what happened, why it’s important, and whether we really should know a bit more about the country that we live in. The election in October was a federal election, meaning that the citizens of Switzerland voted for who would represent them in the Swiss parliament in Bern. This is important to specify, because the Swiss government is extremely complicated. Like the US, each individual canton and commune has its own set of laws that sometimes directly contradict the federal laws. In fact, each individual canton has way more independence than any state in the US, or indeed any other constituency in most other countries. However, since I’m only going to talk about the federal elections, it spares me from having to talk about the whole thing. So what were the elections in October? In short, they were a chance for the Swiss people to vote on who they wanted to represent them in Swiss parliament. But what is Swiss parliament? Swiss parliament is the part of the government that makes and passes laws (the legislative branch, if you want to be pretentious), and is made up of two parts: the National Council and the Council of States. The National Council is made up of 200 representatives from all over the country, that are chosen with a system of proportional representation. For those of you familiar with American government, this can be thought of as the House of Representatives. The Council of States is made up of two (or sometimes one) representatives from each canton, which creates a council of 46 members. This can be thought of as the US Senate. These two bodies work together to pass laws and to choose the Federal Council of Swit-

zerland, which is a group of 7 representatives from the major parties that act as the head of government and state of the country (like a president or a prime minister would). The recent elections were to completely re-elect both the National Council and the Council of States: there were a total of 246 seats to be filled which will make up the entire parliament of Switzerland for the next four years. So let’s look at who the newcomers are. The federal election this year showed a clear trend: the Swiss people are abandoning the biggest parties in favour of the Green and Liberal Green Party. Almost every single other party lost a lot of support, and the biggest (the Swiss People’s Party, or UDC in French) ended up with 11 fewer seats in the National Council than they had before the election. In the meantime, the Greens and Liberal Greens won a combined 30 seats, which would make them the second largest party in the Swiss government (behind the SPP). It’s no coincidence that this trend has matched a growing concern about climate change, and a general shift towards more left-leaning parties. So why is this important? The fact of the matter is that very few people in school know very much about what is going on in the country, and I think it’s a shame. In the more than five years I’ve been at ISL, we’ve had a total of one unit in any subject that was actually about the country that we live in. As students, we’ve learnt more about the culture and history of India and China than we have about Switzerland. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with learning about cultures we don’t really get to interact with, but, to be blunt, I think that Switzerland deserves a bit more attention. The lack of representation of Switzerland in our curriculum is definitely represented in the student body. Only half of the people (58 out of 114) who

Athan Massouras for Swiss President responded to a survey I sent out to all of High School even knew that there was an election. This may seem like a lot, but one must remember that there have been posters plastered all over the entire country for the past few weeks. Moreover, I would be willing to bet that a lot more people, especially from the younger years, knew about the 2016 American election. Interestingly, about two-thirds of students (who were pretty evenly spread across all four year groups) who responded to the survey agree that this school should do more to teach us about Switzerland.

Switzerland deserves a bit more attention So why do so few people know about the country that we live in? For one, it’s true that the Swiss have a much smaller engagement with politics than in practically any other country. Voter turnout was only 45% for this election, which is absolutely tiny compared to other European countries (about 70% in France and Germany, and an incredible 87% in Belgium). For another, ISL is somewhat isolated from the rest of Switzerland. We are an English speaking school that teach a (by design) international curriculum. None of this is inherently wrong, but it does mean that the school should, in my opinion, make a bit more of an effort to teach us about what is going on in the country that we live in, and unfortunately, I don’t think it is. In any case, the elections in Switzerland mark a noticeable shift towards a greener, more left-leaning parliament, and may hopefully mark a shift in this school’s policy towards teaching us about the country in which we live.

ON TREATING A WINTER’S NIGHT KINDLY

Ellie Parsons

You are nothing until you breathe in December’s treasures, For I have seen the distant whites of your eyes — They are nothing compared to the greater whiteness that lies beyond your vision (and mine). Let us begin the idyllic pursuit Of welcoming the lonely fig into your home, Distant towns will follow him in and together You may sit and recollect how the fig is happier than you are — And he does not have the fortune of breathing in December’s treasures.

COMING SOON...

PUFF’S AWAKENING

WORDSEARCH: TIS THE SEASON

Illustration: Zoé Poinssot Story: Sharmila Joy