Tower Issue #4 2016-2017

Tower The Masters School

VOLUME 73, NUMBER 4

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

Editorial Donald Trump’s executive order targeting immigrants and refugees from Muslim countries stigmatizes followers of a faith with over one billion adherents worldwide, thereby raising the risk of terrorism. In addition, Trump’s order is blatantly xenophobic, subverting the American ideals embodied in the Statue of Liberty and Emma Lazarus’s famous poem.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2017

tower.mastersny.org

Admin grapples with teacher pay By dAvid oks Copy Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAX AHISMA GETHEN

DURING HIS FIRST WEEK in office, President Trump approved the reopening of construction on the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. President Obama had halted the projects in response to numerous protests by Native American activists and environmentalists.

Trump resurrects controversial pipelines By Phil Minton Opinion Editor Within his first week in office, President Trump made full use of his executive power as president, stirring a lot of controversy. It is not uncommon, however, for presidents to sign many executive orders to distinguish themselves from former administrations. “Presidents are allowed to issue an executive order unilaterally, which means that neither Congress nor the courts have to approve it beforehand, and it’s essentially a law,” political science teacher Colleen Roche said, “Sometimes presidents issue executive orders because they can’t get Congress to act. “One such famous example happened when Harry Truman issued an executive order to desegregate the army, which was met with some opposition, but Truman could justify it

because it was the right thing to do. What Trump is doing fundamentally flies in the face of the essence of American values.” One of the orders that he signed revived construction of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines, the same pipelines former President Obama stopped construction on earlier in the year. Both pipelines have been met with fierce opposition, but for different reasons. Trump argues that the Keystone XL Pipeline, which will create a faster route for crude oil to travel from Canada to Nebraska, will create many long term jobs. Many argue that the pipeline is extremely vulnerable to spills and that this kind of oil sinks to the bed of lakes and rivers, making the cleanup incredibly hard and the environmental impact severe. The Dakota Access Pipeline is meant to provide a more “cost effective, efficient means of transporting crude [oil], rather than shipping barrels by train,” according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

With most of the pipeline built, it is the section closest to Standing Rock, North Dakota (ND) where the construction has stopped. Protestors argue that it would contaminate drinking water, but more importantly cross through sacred Sioux burial grounds. Some Native Americans have even expressed the same feeling of persecution that their ancestors might have felt at the discovery of the New World. Navajo Tribe Member and University of Southern California sophomore Karolyn King said, “At the beginning [1492], they took our land, then sent us to land that was undesirable to them, and now they are digging up our dead and replacing it with oil pipelines.” Masters Alum Anna Feldman was able to stay with the Sioux Tribe in North Dakota. “We were invited onto that sacred land not in protest but in prayer and ceremony, in solidarity, as protectors and we were there to protect the life force of Mother Earth,” said Feldman. She said that the “spirit of love, community, brother and sis-

terhood,” kept them all warm in the extreme temperatures. Many Native Americans look at Trump’s order to restart the pipeline as a huge defeat for Native American and environmental rights. King was noticeably upset when talking about the pipeline. “It’s really just frustrating but not surprising at the same time. The problem is that this has been going on for hundreds of years, and the only thing that has changed is that the internet gave us the platform to spread awareness,” King said. She went on to describe the executive order as a “blatant slap to Native American rights,” and that she believes that Native Americans are more excluded than any other minority in the United States. Overall, President Trump’s executive order to restart the pipeline has caused a lot of protest but continues to be swept under the rug as a result of new orders being issued daily. Only time will tell if protests or legal challenges will be successful in halting the construction on the pipeline.

The state of teacher compensation, which has contributed to a number of trends, including the departure of several teachers who felt pay was inadequate, has piqued the interest of faculty and the administration—leading Head of School Laura Danforth to take action. Masters’ “Strategic Plan 20152020,” released two years ago, states that “a highly competitive compensation structure” is essential to “maintaining a faculty of true distinction,” and thus promises to make teacher pay more competitive. Much of this issue is particularly difficult for faculty who live off-campus, who are more vulnerable to Westchester’s high cost of living and steep property taxes. “Due to the cost of living in Westchester, just in property taxes alone, teachers who live off-campus are especially feeling the pinch,” Skeff Young, chair of the History and Religion Department and leader of the Subcommittee To Review Employment Practices (STREP), said. According to USA Today, Westchester has the highest property taxes in the nation. These taxes add to already-exorbitant housing expenses: According to Zillow, the median house in Westchester costs $555,000 to buy and $2,690 per month to rent. Living in Westchester on a teacher’s salary can be financially daunting. This drives some teachers to live far away, into upper Westchester or low-cost areas of New York City with a long commute, and may encourage teachers to look elsewhere for employment. “We can’t offer housing to everyone,” Ed Biddle, Masters’ Chief Financial Officer, said. The limited resource of faculty housing means that those who can’t live on campus face paychecks stretched to uncomfortable limits and earnings that aren’t always rising in response.

Continued on page 10

Faced with disadvantages as a former all-girls institution, Masters’ Annual Fund fills budget needs By Allie Berdon Editor-in-Chief In the past 20 years, Masters has made great strides financially, increasing its endowment and enrollment dramatically. From 1877 until 1996, Masters was an all-girls school, and in its earlier years it was primarily a boarding school. “By 1995 it was hard for Masters to sustain a steady applicant pool, and enrollment was down to 180 students,” history teacher Colleen Roche said. The decision to integrate boys into the community saved Masters from economic failure. Historically, women’s schools tend to have lower endowments, and are at a financial disadvantage compared to all-boys schools, both boarding and day. Many women’s high schools and universities have been forced to either merge with larger, more established men’s schools, or go co-ed. Director of Annual Giving Mary Ryan said, “Historically, when women attended private high schools and colleges, they were less likely to donate to their alma

maters after they married because most of the money went to their husband’s respective alma maters.” Going forward, women’s schools have a harder time raising money due to the overall lack of alumni support, which then discourages other women to donate, perpetuating the cycle. In order to prevent this cycle, there has been a push to increase alumni giving in the Masters community. Masters’ total operating budget for 2016-2017 is about $37 million, which is equal to the total revenue for operating expenses, so the net gain of the school is zero. Factored into the total revenue is the Annual Fund, a yearlong fundraising campaign, which accounts for about an 8% gap in the school’s revenue. This gap shifts yearly, and this year’s Annual Fund goal is $2.2 million. “Tuition, renting out spaces in the Fonseca Center, endowment income and other revenue is always less than the total revenue of the school, and this year the gap is about 8 percent, which is normal for a school of our size,” Mary Ryan said. The Annual Fund is raised through

donations from alumni, parents, faculty and grandparents. About 16 percent of alumni donate to the fund, and its goal for the 2016-2017 school year is to raise participation. While 16 percent is normal for a day school, it is relatively low for a boarding school. Schools similar to Masters, such as Rye Country Day and Riverdale Country School, have higher alumni participation at 24 percent and 18.5 percent respectively. However, Masters does have strong donors, including the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, which donated a record $10 million to the school in 2015, as well as the record breaking 90 percent of faculty who donated to the Annual Fund in 2016. “When alumni give and show support for the school, it shows that Masters still holds an important place in their lives and it encourages other people to donate, as well as send their kids to Masters,” Ryan said. Ryan also noted that Masters has a hard time getting older alumni to give because it is difficult for them to understand that even though Masters is now co-ed, the same spirit still lives on in the community.

ALLIE BERDON/TOWER

THE ANNUAL FUND ALLOWS Masters to support projects such as the construction of the Fonseca Center, a facility for arts and athletics opened in Sep. 2015.

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NEWS

TOWER/FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Students propose “personal days” Michael Fitzgerald News Editor In an effort to help combat student stress and preserve their mental health, Executive Committee’s Boarder Representatives proposed the idea of “personal days” for students. This proposal was focused on helping boarding students specifically. The belief was that day students had the ability to stay home if they were too mentally fatigued or stressed, being that they could simply have their parents call the school. Boarding students did not have this same luxury. These personal days, also known as mental health days, would apply to both boarders and day students, allowing them to take a day off to mentally recover, or catch up on sleep or work. The current details to this proposal are still being ironed out, but it is expected that, if passed, the proposal would allow for one personal day per semester. The proposal is currently being reviewed by the academic committee. The mental health day proposal was originally brought up in Executive Committee’s discussions last year, but those ideas were preliminary, and not concrete enough to finalize the proposal. Junior Class President Stephen Boe explained, “In essence it is an attempt to allow both boarders and day students to have days off that are approved by the school. The goal is, when students come back to class, they

IlLLUSTRATION BY LIV JOHNKE

A NEW MENTAL HEALTH proposal would allow both boarding and day students to take one day off per semester. will return with the energy and state of mind to be productive students and function in the highest way possible.” Boe was also a member of Executive Committee when the proposal was initially discussed last year. “It’s really important that physical and mental health are equated equally,” Active Minds Vice President Liv

Johnke said. “There’s a misconception that the personal days will be abused, but when used effectively, it will give students the much needed time to recover.” Executive Committee hopes that this proposal will benefit both boarders and day students, and it reaffirms the committee’s focus on student wellness.

MICHAEL FITZGERALD/TOWER

Cuomo unveils free college plan for New York leo psaros Editor-in-Chief Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a comprehensive plan to give most New York students access to tuition-free public college in January. Cuomo’s plan would finance the tuition in public universities for New Yorkers in a household with an annual income of $125,000 or less. This would be the first initiative of its kind in New York, a state with the second-highest cost of living in the country. Cuomo announced this plan at an event with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a staunch advocate of free public colleges. Cuomo said, “A college education is not a luxury – it is an absolute necessity for any chance at economic mobility.” The six-year governor’s proposal is aimed to combat increasing tuition prices and an alarming growth of student debt in the country. According to the Office of the New

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO UNVEILED a proposal making state colleges tuition-free for most New Yorkers at an event with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Jan. 3. York State Comptroller, student loan debt in the state has doubled in the past decade, along with a

41% increase in the number of student loan borrowers. In addition, the collective student debt in New

York now exceeds the entire budget for the Department for Education, at $82 billion in 2016.

Senior James Van der Vord said, “It levels the playing field for people who aren’t given the same advantages as people with more money. Now someone whose parents make minimum wage can get the same education as someone that is well off.” By utilizing New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) budget of roughly $1 billion, the state hopes to cover the cost of Cuomo’s proposal, which his administration estimated to be $163 million. If successful, the initiative would cover the 80 percent of New Yorkers making less than $125,000 a year and cover over a million New Yorkers. Kathi Woods, Director of College Counseling, said, “I have some hesitation about the commitment some students may have if their education is totally free. That being said, there are working people that have families, and for them to have the option where they wouldn’t have to pay tuition and help them achieve a college education would be a life changer.”

Masters celebrates diversity in honor of MLK logan toporoFF Features Editor This year’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration was dedicated to promoting the ideals that sustain a healthy and functional community. Students and faculty spoke with passion about their experiences as feeling like an “other.” The Masters community was given a platform to express themselves through song, dance, poetry and speeches, allowing for open dialogue and introspective thought. The celebration included a variety of presentations and performances, including the perspectives of students with many different backgrounds, both racial, religious and psychological. The first day of the presentation was devoted to domestic issues, while the second was dedicated to the international ramifications and dimensions of justice that Dr. King’s message holds. English teacher Robert Cornigans, who organizes the annual celebration, said, “We wanted to focus in on the ideas that sustain a community to try and make everyone come together, while still recognizing the issues that may drive people apart. We did this in order to find a common ground to keep the community together and vibrant.” He added, “Dr. King’s message is one of hope and of a dream, so the celebration was a hopeful vision

going along with the school year’s theme.” The meaning of the day was heightened as both the community and the nation’s worries rose as a result of the recent presidential election. Cornigans added, “One reason why we started off with issues within America is because tensions are high. When I first got here it was pretty much a black day, but over the years we have tried to apply Dr. King’s message universally to the global ramifications of that message which is especially important in current times.” In the recent celebration, speeches from Muslim, Chinese and Korean members of the community exemplified their need for unity and equality. Throughout the presentations both the expressions of fear and anxiety about the future of Trump’s presidency were shown, but positive messages were also conveyed encompassing the idea of hope. Surrounding this idea was a speech by English teacher Shelly Kaye, speaking of empathy and positivity. Manager of Administration Andrea Minoff said, “There are many concerns about what will happen going forward in the world, which makes it even more important right now to celebrate the country’s progress and ensure equality of opportunity.” She added, “Hearing people speak from different points of view (teacher, student and ethnicity) and shar-

SOPHIE BUCHANAN/TOWER

THIS YEAR’S MLK CELEBRATION was filled with lively performances, speeches, and poems from the Masters community. Here, Positive Rhythm performs Living for the City by Stevie Wonder. ing themselves to bring the school nity through poetry. about and change the hearts and together is really what sustains The celebration also included minds of people across the country a community.” These ideas were keynote speaker Omar Qureshi, a any time you see injustice,” Qureshi shown through presentations from Muslim-American comedian from said. He added, “Part of what susvarious students who opened them- rural Missouri who is also a student tains a community is empathy; it is selves up to the community such at Stanford Law School. As he spoke important to try to understand the as junior Owen Gifford-Smith who of his life as a Muslim in a conserva- struggles of the people in your comspoke of anxiety, as well as senior tive community, his message of to- munity and foster each other.” Treasure Brooks, who portrayed her getherness, hope and perseverance fear and internal conflict as a black came through. woman in a primarily white commu“Fight for the things you care

OP-ED

TOWER/FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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OpiniOn

EDITORIAL

Immigration ban disgraces American foundations

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resident Trump has issued a whirlwind of Executive Orders since his inauguration less than three weeks ago. Executive Orders are rules issued by the president that have the force of a law, without having to go through Congress. Trump has issued orders aimed at scaling back Obamacare, relaxing government regulations, reviving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines and, most controversially, banning immigration from seven Muslim countries. These seven countries, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, were identified in 2015 by former president Obama as part of a law that placed travel restrictions on countries with the highest levels of terrorist training and activity. The law affected travelers who had visited these countries on or after March 1, 2011. According to CNN, “People who previously could have entered the United States without a visa were instead required to apply for one if they had traveled to one of the sev-

editors-iN-ChieF

en countries.” Trump’s order, however, places a sweeping ban on all immigrants, refugees, travelers and students coming to the United States. Originally it even barred green-card holding permanent residents but, after lawsuits and pushback, the Trump administration eased restrictions to a “caseby-case basis.” While terrorism is a very real threat in the United States, Trump’s ban goes against the fundamental values of the U.S., runs the risk of increasing terrorism and further ostracizes both Muslim-Americans and foreign Muslims. News analysts have said that the ban will be “used as a recruitment tool” by ISIS and other groups who use propaganda to spread the message that western nations are anti-Muslim and anti-Islam, resulting in higher rates of terror. America is a country built on immigrants from many places including Europe, slaves from Africa and trade from the Caribbean and Asia. Trump’s order undermines the importance of immigrants and the value that

they add to our country through culture, language, intellect and skill. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a president has barred people from the U.S. based on religion, race or refugee status. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, outlawing Chinese immigration for 10 years and denying naturalization rights to individuals living in the United States. This law openly discriminated against Chinese people and fostered the hatred that Americans felt towards immigrants at the time. Trump’s ban mimics the act and is indicative of his antiquated views. Similarly, in 1939 almost 1,000 Jews sailed from Germany to escape Nazi persecution and were turned away from the port of Miami to return to Germany to face imminent death. Again in 1942 hundreds of Jewish refugees sailed to New York City from Sweden only to be sent away, justified by FDR’s “protection of national security.” The United States prides itself on being the land of the free, yet has shut its doors

time and time again to those seeking freedom. The Statue of Liberty stands as an emblem of American ideals and has become a beacon of hope for people immigrating to the United States. Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus, is depicted on the statue and reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Donald Trump’s ban is a disgrace to the ideals that America was founded on and tarnishes the very message that Lazarus sends. Trump’s tyrannical start to his presidency is cause for alarm; however, lawyers around the country are banning together to challenge the order, courts have ruled against it and protests have erupted. It is an American civil duty to stand with those seeking refuge and a home in the United States, regardless of nationality or religion. Action must be taken to protect the innocent and persecuted. NOTE: While this editorial represents the majority of Tower staff, two members were in dissention.

Allie Berdon courtney delong leo PsAros News editors

Alex Bentzien MichAel FitzgerAld opiNioN editors

Phil Minton henry WilliAMs Features aNd arts editors

logAn toPoroFF george Weed sports editors

oWen lieBer MArk tseytin MaNagiNg editor

cedAr Berrol-young advertisiNg MaNager

JAck MurrAy desigN editor

JAke regele Copy editors

JAck MurrAy dAvid oks

Letter to the Editor: Speaking out for Muslims Dear Tower Editors, Imagine being told that you have green hair, but when you looked in the mirror you saw brown. This is what it feels like to be a Muslim in America today. I hear discriminatory comments about Muslims on televised news, read about it in the paper, and see it on the streets. I’m sure you do too, which is why when most Americans envision Islam they see images of a suicide bomber in a hijab and assume that must be what all Muslims look like. This represents a habit that America has been unable to kick since its founding. One of our more subtle traditions is the act of categorizing different groups of people. We fill in boxes indicating our ethnicity on taxes, school forms and pass-

ports. Perhaps, we do this in order to protect our country’s identity as a whole. The first settlers in America did not see this continent as a “great” place, or even a country. The land that is America was just a resource; a resource for crops, furs, and labor. Ever since the Declaration of Independence, we’ve been trying to establish America’s image as white, capitalist, and free. But, as someone who lives in New York, I’m well aware that this image doesn’t apply to the country I live in. The wall Trump plans to build and the Muslim ban he’s put in place is proof that America’s image must evolve. Just as there were women, Muslims, Asians, Irish and African citizens in America’s earliest years, our nation is still home to incredible diversity. Those that

fall into the category of being the majority in America have been led to believe that minorities are just add-ons to the American identity. The truth is, Muslims are just as much a part of this society as anyone else. Muslim African slaves came along with the earliest ships that included people of all backgrounds. These slaves helped build the White House and invented many of the devices we use today. Muslims are just as invested in this country as any other white, Christian person. By promoting Islamophobia, America is doing exactly what those terrorists, who claim to be Muslim, want. With more homegrown hatred against Muslims in America, extremists believe that it will make it easier for them to recruit vulnerable Muslim-Americans

to fight with them. But, when I hear positive discussions on campus, or see the Women’s March I know that America is too strong for self-destruction. It’s ironic that the very country born from immigration is now trying to ban it for certain people. Whether or not you agree with anything I’ve written I want you to realize that we define America. It starts with your effort to stop categorizing people. We’re all simply people with different life experiences. I just ask that we see people for who they are, and not who society says they should be. Best Fatou Konteh

Senior

Letter to the Editor: Paul West discusses headline bias Dear Tower Editors, In the most recent edition (Dec. 16) you ran a front page article with the headline “Trump endangers foreign policy.” It shared the above-the-fold space with another article:

“Sharing Community lacks funding.” The contrast between the two headlines struck me: the former makes an assertion t h a t many would d i s agree with,

while the latter makes a fairly straightforward factual statement. I looked to see if

the Trump article was marked as an editorial or as what some papers call “news analysis,” but saw nothing to distinguish it from other articles other than a slightly different typeface. The article itself delivers a more nuanced consideration of Trump’s policies, but the headline feels very slanted. I value the way that Tower takes on controversial topics around the school, raising uncomfortable questions about policy and practice, and I value that it gives a platform for writers to express opinions, political and otherwise. So please don’t take this letter as a call to not print an article looking at the potential effects of Trump’s actions. That said, though, I believe it is important to make as clear as possible the difference between straight news stories and opinion/analysis pieces—whether by adding some sort of heading or by locating the piece on the editorial/op-ed pages. Many citizens are

becoming increasingly dismissive of news outlets that aspire to objectivity, so it’s especially important to draw the distinction between news and opinion clearly. Sure, a case can be made that we’d be better off if all news writers were up front about their personal biases. (It’s an interesting debate, though not as simple as the strawman stereotype about the “left-wing media” would suggest.) Nevertheless, maintaining the line between objective reporting and more spin-prone analysis is a goal worth striving for—now more than ever. I look forward to each edition of Tower. You all work hard and thoughtfully, and it shows. Best, Paul West English Teacher

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Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our sCholastiC press aFFiliatioNs, letters aNd editorial poliCy Tower is an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). Tower has won the NSPA’s Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, and is a 2016 winner of the NSPA Story of the Year award in the OpEd Category, as well as the CSPA Gold Circle Award for Computer Generated Art/Illustration. We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to the following email address: TowerEditors@MastersNY.org. Published approximately six times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tower and its Editorial Board or its advisers. Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of The Masters School, faculty, or staff. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.

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OP-ED

TOWER/FEBRUARY 7, 2017

U.S. should have stood with Israel at UN vote Owen Lieber Sports Editor In the closing days of his eight year presidency, President Obama had a laundry list of global hotspots to focus on: the continuing bloodbath in Syria, the intractable battle against ISIS, the relentless Iranian sponsorship of terrorism and a resurgent Russian effort to expand its influence in the Middle East and other regions. Instead, the president went in another direction. With no backing from either party in Congress, he reversed decades of longstanding U.S. policy that had protected Israel in the U.N. Security Council. Rather than vetoing Resolution 2334, the United States abstained from voting,

essentially declaring Israel’s claim to any portion of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Old City and the Western Wall, illegitimate and illegal. It is important to review how Israel came to control the West Bank. Jordan previously occupied the West Bank. During the 1967 Six Day War, Jordan, along with other neighboring Arab countries, failed in an attempt to destroy the Jewish state, losing occupied land in the process. More recently, the Palestinians were offered almost all of that land back in 2000 and 2008 in exchange for peace and the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state with a legitimate right to exist. Apparently, that was too much to ask because the Palestinians rejected those permanent peace settlements. Not only did they walk away from

the peace offers, but they escalated the terror and violence against Israeli citizens. For those who refer to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, to label Israel as an illegal occupying force, this is not a settled matter. Israel is not forcibly moving its population to the West Bank, nor is it deporting Palestinians. This land has been in dispute since the Ottoman Empire. It has not been part of a country since the Six Day War. Even after all of that, it is generally recognized that Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remains open to the land for peace formula; Israel has always been open to returning land won in defensive wars in exchange for recognition of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. Most notably, it returned the entire

Sinai Peninsula to Egypt as a result of the Camp David Accords on September 17, 1978. To this day Israel and Egypt live in peace. The Israeli government is open to granting the Palestinians the large portion of the West Bank. Unfortunately, this U.N. resolution makes that more difficult. It interferes with any potential direct deal between the parties involved by undermining any Israeli claim to the land. With the world declaring Israel an illegal occupying force, even at Judaism’s holiest site, the Palestinians have little incentive to negotiate directly for a trade of land for peace. It is helpful to remember that Israel is no autocratic theocracy. This is an open, diverse, thriving democracy, whose Arab citizens are fully enfranchised with duly elected repre-

ARTWORK: ALLIE BERDON/PHIL MINTON

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Excerpt from

UN Resolution 181 1947

“1. The Mandate for Palestine shall terminate as soon as possible but in any case not later than 1 August 1948. 2. The armed forces of the mandatory Power [Great Britain] shall be progressively withdrawn from Palestine, the withdrawal to be completed as soon as possible but in any case not later than 1 August 1948. The mandatory Power shall advise the Commission, as far in advance as possible, of its intention to terminate the Mandate and to evacuate each area. The mandatory Power shall use its best endeavors to ensure than an area situated in the territory of the Jewish State, including a seaport and hinterland adequate to provide facilities for a substantial immigration, shall be evacuated at the earliest possible date and in any event not later than 1 February 1948. 3. Independent Arab and Jewish States and the Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem, set forth in part III of this plan, shall come into existence in Palestine two months after the evacuation of the armed forces of the mandatory Power has been completed but in any case not later than 1 October 1948. The boundaries of the Arab State, the Jewish State, and the City of Jerusalem shall be as described in parts II and III below. 4. The period between the adoption by the General Assembly of its recommendation on the question of Palestine and the establishment of the independence of the Arab and Jewish States shall be a transitional period.” SOURCE: UN.ORG

sentatives in the Knesset, the Israeli legislative branch of government. It is also, for example, by far the most LGBTQIA-friendly country in the region. Its leading city, Tel Aviv, hosts one of the largest gay pride events in the world each year. The same cannot be said for Israel’s regional neighbors, where homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. It is troubling and ironic that the outgoing Obama Administration looked to befriend such countries in this category while now betraying our long-term ally in the Middle East. Sadly, this might also damage the chances for a lasting peace between the parties. This will only lead to further hardships for the Palestinian people who certainly deserve peace and prosperity in a land of their own.

excerpt from

UN Resolution 2334 2017

“1.

Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace; 2. Reiterates its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard; 3. Underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations; 4. Stresses that the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities is essential for salvaging the two-State solution, and calls for affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are imperilling the two-State solution; 5. Calls upon all States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967;” SOURCE: UN.ORG

Abstention makes Israel-Palestine peace possible Henry wiLLiams Opinion Editor The United States did the right thing by abstaining from the vote on a United Nations Security Council Resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction, standing in defiance of extraordinary pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In Aug. 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry said that “The United States of America views all of the settlements as illegitimate,” and with this abstention the U.S. has finally taken that stance outside of speech-

es and statements and cemented it as a part of policy. Israeli civilian settlements are built primarily on lands within areas of what the U.N. General Assembly calls the Palestinian territories — mostly the West Bank — but all of them are built outside of the boundaries of Israel as established by peace agreements including the 1967 green-line, which set the original boundaries. The U.N. has considered these settlements illegal for many years as a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention which mandates that the sovereignty of those territories as established in previous treaties that Israel signed continue to be respected. Violation of this rule is a serious overreach

and demonstrates an unwillingness to abide by international law within the Israeli government. Though the United States did not vote for the resolution, the abstention signals an unwillingness to continue to stand in the way of the United Nation’s efforts to push Israel into ending its current practice. These settlements are a threat to the delicate ongoing peace process between Israel and Palestine — which reached an impasse in 2014 in part due to massive mistrust over whether both parties will abide by international law. They show bad faith on the Israeli side as they use the settlements to justify further encroachments and terri-

torial expansion without regard for the legal status of those areas. The United States’ primary goal in the area is to protect Israel and push towards a two-state solution to bring an end to the constant violence, both of which are put in jeopardy by Israeli expansionism. Though the U.S. sends more foreign aid to Israel than it does to any other nation — $85 million per day — the nation rarely heeds any of the United States’ concerns. The country is a democracy, but it still doesn’t have a ratified constitution binding it. Not using the veto was not an insult to the Israeli government or a show of disrespect; it was the first step of what should be a long process of pushing Israel much

harder to drop its underhanded tactics and work towards a real peace. As Secretary Kerry said in his speech on the matter, “Friends need to tell each other the hard truths, and friendships require mutual respect.” It is the United Nations’ purpose to bring these issues to the forefront of the international dialogue, and to condemn misdeeds without concern for politics or ideology. By abstaining and not vetoing the resolution, the U.S. has sent a powerful message of demanding that the United Nations’ concerns be heeded, one that will likely set their relationship with Israel in a new direction, depending, of course, on the aims of President Donald Trump.

TOWER/FEBRUARY 7, 2017

OP-ED

Elite colleges aren’t worth it

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COLUMN: WHAT’S ON MY MIND

We can all be agents of change

Considering the silver linings of lesser-known colleges cedar Berrol-young Managing Editor Students who attend a college prepatory school often intend on attending a highly-ranked college. With additional pressure from peers and parents, students strive to attend a school highly ranked on lists that show the best undergraduate programs in the country, whether it be U.S. News, Forbes or Princeton Review. But with all the focus and discussion that students have about finding the best college, how much does the college one attends really matter? College is obviously important for anyone who wishes to continue their academic studies past high school or for those who want to earn a decent salary. According to the PEW Research Center, millennials working full time with their bachelor’s degree in the United States earn on average, about $17,500 more than those with just a high school diploma. However, this does not mean that a top-tier school with a prestigious name is necessary in advancing one’s learning or income. In Malcolm Gladwell’s book David and Goliath, he makes refer-

ence in one of his chapters to the works of Herbert W. Marsh, an educational psychologist at Oxford University. Marsh pushed the envelope in his field, arguing that some students should not attend “more honorable” institutions. He thought that better students would outshine the inferior students causing them to possibly drop out or fail. In the highly competitive and increasingly difficult educational age that we live in, it is hard not to relate his theories to our lives as high school students applying to colleges that constantly seem unreachable, giving us what seems like at times insurmountable goals to achieve just to be admitted into their institutions. Students who do very well in high school and go onto very prestigious universities after graduation can have a very hard time not possessing the same intellectual dominance they had at their former school. Some of these students cannot deal with the relative mediocrity and end up thinking less of themselves in comparison to higher-performing peers. These same students may be able to thrive and learn under less competitive circumstances where they will not constantly question their intelligence in comparison

to those around them. In addition, high performing students at lower-tier schools are generally offered more opportunities and positions on campus than an average student at a top-tier school. This gives the high-performing students experiences and knowledge that the average students may not obtain. Many believe the name of an ivy league college itself on one’s resume might be able to get a student the job s/he desires. However, when a student with more experiences, more confidence and better grades walks into the same job interview as a student with the name of a good institution on their resume and nearly nothing else, employers will probably hire the former. Top-tier colleges are clearly very appealing to anyone who is even slightly interested in going to college, but sacrificing valuable learning and experiences for a well-known name is something no student should ever want to do. I urge all students interested in higher education to look more deeply into their options and assess colleges and universities on more than acceptance rate, prestige and prominent programs.

COLUMN: SCHOTT’S SPOT

Balancing privacy and security in the ISIS fight drew ScHott ECHELON, a global signals intelligence program responsible for intercepting the digital operations of terrorist groups, has struggled to track the communication methods of the Islamic State (ISIS). As a result, ISIS has applied these strategies to radicalize citizens in the Western world. Although nations may obtain intelligence of ISIS through its citizens, there is the question of whether it is legally acceptable to intercept personal data for national security reasons. Since 9/11, the United States has experimented with surveillance programs including ECHELON to track terrorists. However, certain programs, such as President George W. Bush’s tracking of U.S. citizens with alleged al-Qaeda ties, have been deemed unconstitutional due to their violations of citizens’ privacy rights. In response, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight

Board was created to monitor surveillance programs to ensure constitutional rights are preserved. To gain access to communications of ISIS members in America, it is necessary for the board continue to petition Congress into bypassing legislation that could delay an investigation of national security matters. After the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack, the board aided the Federal Bureau of Investigation in suing Apple for their unwillingness to grant access to the shooter’s cryptographically locked iPhone. Despite Apple’s argument that encrypted data is protected by privacy rights, the board ruled that if the iPhone was not given to law enforcement, it would prohibit a federal investigation into the attack. Furthermore, at the U.S. District Court of California, a board member said under oath that obtaining the iPhone would

reveal the advantages of bypassing legislation to aid in America’s national security. To aid the United States on the digital battlefield, intelligence agencies must collaborate to decipher ISIS’ communications. Although the Central Intelligence Agency has decoded certain apps utilized by ISIS, the group’s principal communication app, Telegram, has yet to be deciphered. Utilized by Salah Abdeslam, a leading ISIS organizer, Telegram was instrumental in coordinating the 2015 Paris attacks because it automatically erases messages between users, preventing surveillance. In order to combat ISIS’ digital advantages, the U.S. must balance national security and privacy rights to both protect Americans’ rights and halt the threat posed by ISIS.

nina Hylton After the MLK Day celebrations, I was overcome with happiness. I felt a deep sense of fulfillment; a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. At the same time, I was expecting to hear a mix of reactions from my peers, including comments of dissatisfaction. Any type of social justice work is challenging. I know I will never be able to please everyone. The difference between last year (when I finished my closing in tears stuck on the feeling that it was not received well) and this year, was that I matured in a way that allowed me to focus on myself. When you are an agent of change, people will always have something to say about you, but

you can never lose sight of your objective. We are afforded the platform to use our voices—the power rests in us. One of the top complaints that I hear and receive post-MLK Day is that nonblack people of color (specifically Hispanic and Asian students) feel under represented and that everything is “black and white.” If it were not for the few outspoken black students, perhaps we would share that same sentiment after MLK Day. If you are feeling left out or unrepresented, it is absolutely necessary to change that feeling into action! Stop waiting for other people to do something and step up and do the work instead of complaining.

COLUMN: ELI’S ELECTION

The gerrymander reemerges eliJaH eMery When the Founding Fathers created the American Constitution, they decided to create one with three branches: the legislative branch, to write the laws, the executive, to enforce the laws, and the judiciary, to ensure the constitutionality of those laws. The Senate, Supreme Court, and President were to be selected by elite individuals and groups, rather than voted into office by the people. The people were only to vote in House elections. That was an extremely democratic system for its time, and many of early Congresses enjoyed high approval ratings as they worked hard to represent their constituencies and advance the nation’s fortunes. The Congress of today falls into sharp contrast. 84 percent of Americans believe that Congress is doing a bad job. What happened? Why is it that this bastion of democracy has lost Americans’ support? The problem is gerrymandering, which allows the ruling party in state and federal legislative

PUBLIC DOMAIN

THIS MASSACHUSSETTS DISTRICT WAS nicknamed by newspapers the “gerrymander“ after the states’ governor, who originated the practice.

bodies to draw voting districts. This effectively lets politicians to choose their voters, rather than allowing the people to pick their representatives. They do this by packing voters of the losing party into as few districts as possible, while spreading out their own voters so that they can vote in more constituencies. This problem leads to skewed election results. Take the 2012 House elections in Pennsylvania. Democratic candidates won 51 percent of the popular vote, but only won five out of the state’s eighteen seats. That’s outrageous. There are three possible solutions to gerrymandering. First, establish a bipartisan commission of experts to make compact and representative districts, leading to a more equitable Congress. This isn’t a complete solution: these commissions often try to put similarly voting districts together, which will still lead to a lack of representation. Second, use math to decide districts’ boundaries, using something called the shortest splitline method, areas will be divided into half using the shortest line until no more districts are needed. Third, purposely create districts which have about equal numbers of left- and right-wing voters, creating competitive districts that do not promote one party over the other. The way we elect representatives to these new districts will be extremely important. The best way of electing representatives to Congress is by using mixed-member parliamentary and single transferable voting, both of which I will explain in my next column.

Questioning authority is essential Jack Murray Advertising Manager In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia exploded upon reentry to the atmosphere, killing all seven members on board. A debris assessment team noticed that a piece of insulating foam detached and blew a hole in the left wing during the launch. When the team requested that further imaging be taken of the damage shortly after the shuttle reached space, the shuttle management team brushed off the incident as normal and nothing to worry about. Had the engineering team been more persistent in their requests, or had the management team taken their concerns more seriously, mission control could have come up with a solution and the crew could have been saved. Just because somebody is in a position of authority does not mean they are right. The Columbia disaster is one example of why it is imperative to question authority when the action of authority gives cause for concern. At Masters, students do not have say over who is in authority positions, and while Exec-

utive Committee has some power in revising the rulebook, it still does not account for all the rules that are set for our community. If there is a policy or rule that you find yourself complaining about, question it. Use your voice; sign a petition, protest, contact officials who will be willing to hear your concerns. More importantly, especially in politics, individuals must vote to elect officials that represent their opinions so that questioning authority is unnecessary. While Masters’ response to the recent election has been almost totally negative, it is not enough to lie back, complain and just let it happen. We live in a democratic country, where everyone’s voice matters. Above all it is important to remember to vote every year, for any position that is up for election, whether it’s congressman, governor or state legislator. The step after that, however, is to speak up. Call your senator, call your state representative, call your congressman, get involved. Your voice is not taken for granted and you have the power to make a change. When the actions taken by authority figures are out of our control, we all have a voice, and if we have a problem with authority, it is our responsibility to get it heard.

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FEATURES AND ARTS

W men M rch For Equality Layout by Jacob Regele Photo by Allie Berdon

Masters Marches! By Logan Toporoff Features Editor

St ude nt s undre s s t o e xp re s s e qual i t y By Logan Toporoff and CarLy MaTsui Features Editor and Contributing Writer

First Person Narrative The morning of the Women’s March we woke up full of excitement for the day ahead. As we organized our belongings, we took a moment to think about the individual impacts we could have on the overall movement. We pondered over various ideas, slogans and chants, but as soon as our minds shifted to the idea of “freeing the nipple” we realized that it was the most effective. The Free the Nipple movement exposes the hypersexualization of the female body by removing the need to cover up our body parts for others to feel more comfortable. While it is legal in New York for women to go topless, it is extremely rare to see people do so because of societal norms. We decided to take advantage of our ability to provoke change and defy the norms which typically limit us. We taped up our nipples with black X’s, similar to those represented by the Free the Nipple campaign, and went to the protest. As we reached the train station we noticed it was more crowded than ever. People of all ages, decked out in pink hats, were surrounding the track ready to partake

in the influential movement. The community was brought together as we all shared stories and feelings about the current political landscape. Once we arrived at Grand Central we ran quickly out the doors and straight into the march. We hid our X’s with jackets at first because we felt afraid to expose our chests in such a public environment. This self-consciousness is what triggered the thought that that fear of exposure is exactly what women should never have to feel about their bodies. We quickly unzipped the jackets, ready to empower both ourselves as well as the others united for this cause. We marched confidently down Fifth Avenue with our signs reading “my body, my rights, my choice” and “the pussy grabs back,” raised high. Fellow protesters snapped pictures of us with every step, congratulating us for our bravery to simply expose our bodies; everyone involved in the march was extremely supportive of the cause we stood for. Overall, the experience was beneficial for both us and the people we encountered. We felt that many others were impacted by what we did and going forward, more people will understand the need to desexualize the female body, as we clearly raised awareness surrounding that issue. In general, we hope that women will come forward and continue to dress or undress as they please.

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/FEBUARY 7, 2017

The Women’s March was a worldwide protest to protect legislation and policies regarding human rights--espeically highlighting women’s rights, and the rights of marginalized people-- and other pressing social issues. The Masters community attended the Women’s March, putting our school in the important, diverse mix of 400,000 women, men and children marching in New York. These people marched not only for the rights of women, but also civil rights, climate change, health care and voting rights. The school supported the march by organizing a weekend event for both boarding and day students, providing chaperones and train tickets. Students and faculty, in addition to Head of School Laura Danforth, joined the march in support of social justice. One of the chaperones that attended was History and Religion Department Chair Skeff Young. Young said, “At first the school was not sure the degree to which we should sponsor the trip. We decided to organize it as an option for students, a low-key approach to participating.” The weekend event had about nine students and five faculty members officially signed up, showing interest from our

community about getting involved. He added, “It’s important to be able to say we, males and females, are concerned about women’s roles in society and want the progress that’s made to continue.” Senior Elena Salzman also attended the march in New York City and organized a Facebook group of 24 students interested in marching. Salzman said, “It showed how many people were willing to fight the good fight. A lot of students understood after the march that we all need to be there for each other, to fight each other’s fights.” It was clear that the communal atmosphere was collegial and supportive towards everyone involved. Coordinator of student activities Ed Gormley, who organized the student trip, said, “I was thinking that the march was about women’s rights and equality. Human rights and acceptance are what our school prioritizes, so I felt it was included in our school’s mission to attend.” Gormley added, “People are informed, interested and wanting to attend protests. I think that’s a good thing, because students who are coming of voting age, in 4 years, will vote.”

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Why a seventeen-year-old girl flew across America By aLex BenTzien News Editor Where are you from? I’m from Los Angeles. How old are you? I’m 17. Why are you so involved in activism? I would say that activism is my thing. I’m really passionate about fighting for the things I believe in, and I feel it is important to give back to my community and represent people who don’t have a such a strong voice. I would say women’s rights and climate change are the causes I’m most passionate about. Why do you think the Women’s March is so important? I am a big believer in entrepreneurship and leadership and being the change you wish to see in the world, which is a cheesy quote, but I definitely think that being young gives you a lot of power. I think today we become lazy activists and think linking things and clicking on links on social media is enough. It was really interesting to me to look at how people in the sixties would really put themselves out there by sitting at lunch counters where they weren’t supposed to and participating in other high-risk activism. I think it’s time we bring that

culture and that feeling of doing highrisk activism back, especially now.

represents the values of the march is really fulfilling to me.

How did you become a Youth Ambassador?

If you could name one event or moment that defined this movement for you, one moment where it all came together and you truly felt the importance of this work, what would it be?

I had a teacher who told me about the program so I wrote an essay and applied. What interested/inspired you about this role? To represent the values of the march reach out to young people and we have a big reach and are fluent I created a “Why I March” video to inspire other young people to participate in the march and to be someone who is representative of that is really fulfilling to me. What does your job as a Youth Ambassador entail? As a youth ambassador I was responsible for reaching out to young people to get them interested in the march. I posted on social media and created campaign videos for the march. All the youth ambassadors served as liaisons between young people and the organizers of the women’s march. What is the best part about being involved? The best part of being involved is the fact that I was able to leave my imprint on an international movement. Seeing the support of the march grow was absolutely incredible. To be someone who

It hit me when we were walking in this massive crowd of people during the Women’s March in LA; it was so huge I was unable to move. In that moment I was looking around and there was this band playing This Land is Your Land and I just felt so proud to be an American in a way I haven’t felt in a while. All these like-minded people were coming together and standing up for their rights and what they believed in. It was incredible to be unable to move and yet feel all this energy and power coming together in the same place. How do you hope this cause will affect people nationally and internationally? I really hope it will give people hope in America that people are fighting for ideals and human rights that should be universal. I think this will inspire other countries who are dealing with other corrupt politicians to fight for their civic rights. Where do you see this movement progressing to in the future? How can people like me get involved?

People can’t think it stopped at this because this is just the beginning. Taking action locally is really where the power is. Stay engaged, call your senators, call your congressmen, tell them exactly what you feel. There’s 100 Days of Action taking place right now for the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency, which has its own branch on the Women’s March website. It’ll give you ideas for how to participate and tell you about different activities going on, like writing postcards to your senators. I am working on my organization, Bridge the Divide. It’s is a nonpartisan political organization made up solely of high school and college students. I, along with my group of partners I met this summer at a program at Yale University, came together to create this organization focused on putting an end to the political intolerance and divisiveness of the United States and the world today. To date, we have hosted several live discussions, some of which have totaled thousands of comments from students in over twenty countries. We also have a rapidly expanding team of ambassadors that work to promote tolerance within their own communities. If anyone is interested in joining our team of change makers, they should reach out to me and visit our website, www.bridge-thedivide.com. We are organizing a conference this summer! If young people can do this all over the world I think we’ll definitely understand each other and where we’re coming from much better.

Women march on Washington By CourTney deLong Editor-In-Chief

First Person Narrative The night before the Women’s March on Washington, I walked around historic downtown D.C. next to the White House. I was catcalled twice, hit on by a 7/11 clerk and checked out by a homeless man. I walked by stalls selling merchandise for a famous misogynist—my new president. I woke up the next morning feeling fed up and angry. However, the sea of millions of pink hats, bright signs and more fed-up men and women was inspiring. Each hat takes 2-3 hours to knit. The intricate, hand-painted Rosie the Riveter signs take 5 hours to perfect. The bus, plane, subway, car or bike ride to Washington took anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 hours or more. Coordinating buses and applying for permits took hours of organizer’s lives. There are millions of hours of labor and dedication in this mass of people. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Jan. 21 I participated in a rally with inspirational speeches and music at 3rd Street and Independence Street. I stood with my mom on a public terrace near the Air and Space Museum so that we could listen to the speeches

but have more space than in the massive crowd below. It is estimated that at least 470,000 people attended the Women’s March in Washington, and women in all 50 states and every continent marched in solidarity. We heard many speeches including ones from Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation, Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcom X’s third daughter, author, former Masters student, activist and potential graduation speaker for the class of 2017, Reah Suh, the president of the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) and Roslyn Brock, the chair of the NAACP National Board of directors. People marched because they were upset about Trump’s election and wanted to do something. Men, women and children came together to support women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, health care, the environment and other important social issues. Many of the speakers recognized the fear that people hold, but encouraged action and courage rather than complacency or even violence. J. Bob Alotta, Executive Director of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, encouraged people to continue taking pride in their identities, saying “We do not and will not choose one neighbor over another. We will not choose to deny our queerness and do

not and will not deny the power and beauty in our blackness and brownness. We will not hide behind our whiteness because of vestiges of privileges. We choose to know better, to do better and to love better.” Similarly, Brock encouraged people to “fight to make sure that the rights gained by women, minorities, LGBTQIA+ people and immigrants are not destroyed by an administration that seems determined to take this nation back to a place where we are divided against ourselves,” Throughout the rally there were musical performances, inciting hope and unity. Alicia Keys performed “This Girl is on Fire,” and Janelle Monáe spoke, saying “I am so proud to stand here as a woman, an African-American woman. My grandmother was a sharecropper. She picked cotton in Aberday, Mississippi.” Monae also performed “Say Her Name,” a powerful song about police brutality that MUSE choreographed a dance to for the MLK Day assembly at Masters in 2016. Women also performed songs in Spanish and Swahili. Though the whole rally lasted a mere four hours in comparison to the hours spent organizing and planning, the amount of energy I felt with like-minded Americans gave me hope for the next years to come.