Tower Issue #6 2017-2018

Tower The Masters School

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

VOLUME 74, NUMBER 6

Editorial Masters prides itself on its progressive developments, from celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day to designating gender-neutral bathrooms. While this liberal thinking is something we may pride ourselves on, we must consider how we may be ostracizing others. When we shun those who are less “woke,” we are failing in our duty to engage in authentic dialogue.

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

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JUNIORS RACHEL AIDEYAN AND ELIJAH EMERY were recently elected as co-chairs for the 2018-2019 school year. This year’s election was the first gender-neutral election, due to a proposal passed earlier this year in Executive Committee. The change called for one election instead of two seperate ones. Aideyan and Emery, the new co-chairs, have high hopes for next year, looking to make positive changes at Masters.

New co-chairs elected in first gender-neutral election Michael Fitzgerald Editor-in-Chief henry WilliaMs Editor-in-Chief

This year’s co-chair election was the first of its kind, as candidates were not separated by gender due to a recently-passed proposal in Executive Committee. Each candidate gave their speech during the same Morning Meeting, and voters selected their top two candidates on the ballot.

Despite the change, the final outcome still resulted in one male and one female winner: juniors Rachel Aideyan and Elijah Emery.

Though they don’t know each other well, the two participate in some of the same activities, with both having been heavily involved in foil fencing and are participat-

ing in the TEDx program.

To Aideyan, Masters has been a place of self-discovery and confidence-building. “I love how Masters really brought out things in me I never really knew,” Aideyan said.

“At my old school, there weren’t as many opportunities to succeed.

Before Masters, I never would’ve imagined being brave enough to go up there and run for co-chair.”

Aideyan points to one experience in particular in defining her experience. “Last year I was a new sophomore, and the proctors around me noticed that I felt lonely at the start of the year,” Aideyan said.

“They told me, ‘There is something in you that is very special. This is a sisterhood where we will always be there for you. You’re here for a reason, Masters saw something in you and they value you as a person,’ and that really made me feel like my voice is valued and worthy of being heard.”

The new co-chair is deeply in-

volved in activities. She is co-president of Onyx, a diversity ambassador, and has attended both the Student Diversity Leadership Conference and the yearly Jonestown trip. Next year, she will also serve as a Ford Dorm proctor.

Most of all, Aideyan wants to effect positive change at Masters.

“I’ve been a boarder for two years now, and I do feel like a lot of boarders feel the school’s care and money isn’t coming to them,” Aideyan said. She wants to bring more transparency to the school’s longterm planning, especially with respect to the residential community. “They should at least let us know what’s going on,” she said.

Another area where Aideyan wants to make a difference is the freshman and sophomore world history curriculum. At a meeting with diversity ambassadors and faculty, she saw that a concern of many students was the lack of geographic and cultural diversity in

Upper School welcomes Willis cedar Berrol-young Opinion Editor Fifty years after Masters admitted the first female black student, the school has now hired the first black woman Head of The Upper School.

Matthew Ives, current head of The Upper School announced his return to the History and Religion Department, sparking the Masters administration to begin a nationwide search for his replacement. After campus visits from three candidates, Head of School Laura Danforth announced Dr. Nikki Willis as Ives’ replacement. Willis currently serves as the Dean of Grades 11 and 12 at the Nightingale-Bamford School, an all-female independent school in New York City, with a current enrollment of 213 girls in the Upper School.

Raised in the New York area, Willis attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Arts (M.A.) in English from Tufts University, an M.A. in cinema studies at New York University, and later, a Ph.D. in media studies at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin.

At UT, her thesis was “Constructions of race, national identity and

gender in contemporary baseball films,” which focused on the impact of baseball and its marketing of the sport around the world, which spread the American dream. A self-described baseball junkie, she said her current office is

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKKI WILLIS

DR. NIKKI WILLIS WILL be the Head of Upper School next year. She will replace Matthew Ives, who will return to teaching. littered with baseball memorabilia and trinkets, the majority of them from her favorite team, the New York Yankees.

After gaining her doctorate, Willis began her teaching career at schools such as The Taft School, Hackley, and Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.

In addition to teaching English, Willis has held other positions, including ac-

ademic counselor at UT and class dean at schools such as Taft.

Willis, throughout her years as an educator, has found that the best way to foster student discovery is to utilize questions to find answers.

“It is important in educating students that they think of themselves as humans on a journey to find out who they are and what their values are. If you start by thinking of questions such as who you are and what are your values, it allows their curiosity to spark, which will cause the learning to be lasting. This generates an insatiable desire for more learning,” she said.

Willis describes herself as a proponent of the Harkness method, but she has also noted issues with the teaching style.

“Sometimes I feel like it can be forced, but I love the idea of it and I love exploring different ways to break up traditional education,” she said.

Willis looks forward to learning more about Masters in her first year. Among her ideas is adding new programs for students to expand their learning and explore new passions.

“I want Masters to think about travel initiatives and the way that we can use the larger world to enhance the way that students can learn and understand themselves,” Willis said.

the history courses.

“So far, I’ve met with Mr. Young about how to make sure different perspectives make it into the classroom,” Aideyan said. She also said she hopes to see progress on that front next year.

Emery has high hopes for his year as co-chair, with his primary goal being on pushing back the start time of school.

Emery cites studies that show a correlation between later school starting times with GPA increases, as well as a decrease in driving accidents, sports injuries and depression rates, as well as a decrease in cigarette, drug and alcohol usage.

On campus, Emery is known for his contributions in various student groups such as the spoken word poetry group Outspoken, the Debate Team, Model United Nations, History Bowl, Tower and ultimate frisbee.

“I want people to know that I don’t take myself too seriously,

and I’m approachable. My speech had a few jokes in it, but hopefully people found it serious and policyfocused. I want people to know I’m approachable, and that anyone can come to me to talk things out,” Emery noted.

Emery added that as of the middle of his sophomore year he knew he would be running for co-chair, and was additionally inspired by former co-chair Timothy Kaplowitz.

Emery said, “He was such a cool guy, and being a small freshman who watched him stutter on stage, make up fake ‘this day in histories’ and bring a friendly face to the start of every week made me want to do the same thing.”

Elijah Emery, News Editor for Tower, recused himself from editorial involvement on the news section for this issue.

Students walkout At 10 a.m. on Friday, April 20th—the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre—Masters students and faculty held a walkout to protest gun violence.

It began with readings of the names of people killed by guns;

students then registered to vote.

Nationally, thousands of students walked out of their classes, and the national walkout featured 17 minutes of silence to honor the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting.

Pride week Last week, Masters held its first ever Pride Week. To celebrate gay pride, rainbow stickers were passed out at morning meeting on Monday, and a Unicorn was hidden every day somewhere on campus —who-

ever found the unicorn received a free cafe item. Yet, the week has also prompted critisism from students who felt that the festive activities distracted from the serious conversations that need to happen about LGBTQ+ issues.

Scorsese to speak After another round of voting from the senior class, film director Martin Scorsese has been announced as the graduation speaker for June 9. Scorsese’s daughter, Francesca, is a member of the Class of 2018. Scors-

ese’s films have won 20 Academy Awards throughout his illustrious career, and he has directed such prominent films as Taxi Driver, GoodFellas, Gangs of New York, The Departed, Kundun and The Wolf of Wall Street.

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OP-ED

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

OpiniOn

EDITORIAL

Living in a microcosm: the Masters bubble It’s no secret that Masters is a liberal

place, constantly pushing progressive changes and ideas: it extensively celebrates identity during Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it seeks to spark discussion by staging a production of Spring Awakening, the community has been incredibly active in supporting gun control and protesting the gun lobby. It also has made significant developments like the gender neutral bathrooms, the dress philosophy, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The list goes on and on. But where do we let our fellow Masters community members slide when they shame someone for having a dissenting opinion, when they put down others’ ideas for being too conservative, when we attack instead of listen to others’ statements?

Wake up, Masters. Being “woke,” alert to our society and its issues, is a privilege, as visiting NYU professor Simran Jeet Singh said during his Matters of Spirit talk on March 6 . Be cognizant that really being “woke” means acknowledging the privilege we have of being socially conscience in the first place.

With this privilege comes responsibility.

While it is important to further one’s own knowledge and widen the borders of the

world, what good is keeping all this know ledge to oneself?

We go to school in a bubble, and it is a privilege to be surrounded by so many people who strive to change the world in positive ways that further an agenda of inclusion and equality for everyone. But, acting like being “woke” is a trophy or a prize to be won, a secret code you need access to, will help no one in the end if it cannot be shared.

How can we lift others up if we put them down? How can we help others be as alert and as understanding as we, who have the privilege to be “woke”, if we don’t share knowledge with those who don’t have the same opportunities? By immediately pouncing on someone for their ignorant comments, that are often not ill-intentioned, rather than filling them in where there may be a gap in their knowledge indicates a lack of “wokeness” on our part. One must recognize that not everyone has been raised in an environment as forward-thinking as Masters, just fifteen miles from one of the most liberal metropolises in the world. In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby, “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in

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miChaEl fitzgErald gEorgE wEEd hEnry williams

this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

To truly be a power for good in the world, we need to stop acting like being “woke” is a sign of superiority. We should be proud to be “woke”, but not at the cost of letting others slip through the cracks. Let’s lift other people up as we learn, let’s help other people join in instead of isolating them.

The topic of empathy is constantly recurring in senior speeches, Harkness discussions, and Morning Meeting presentations: in order to truly embody this sentiment as a community, let us take an extra moment to examine an alternate viewpoint, and let us remain “woke” to the fact that outside of our campus, we will encounter these varying perspectives throughout our lives in the real world. Let’s remember that maybe, we are in the minority, but, we can share our “wokeness” with others. The danger of not addressing misguided comments or behaviors with genuine dialogue can lead to the development of real prejudice, injustice or bigotry. Consider and reflect in a thoughtful manner with the respect each of our community members’ valuable voices deserve.

America must confront its child-bride problem Copy Editor The idea of a 13-year-old girl marrying a 40-year-old man might seem to be a distant reality in the eyes of the Westerner; something that only occurs in developing nations. However, in New Hampshire today, this is completely legal. In fact, in 23 states, if certain conditions (e.g. judicial consent, parental consent, cases of child pregnancy) are met, there are no age restrictions whatsoever.

Kentucky is one of these states.

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THE INTERNATIONALIST

Pipelines pose perils in Canada Casey Li

On Nov. 26, 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada would approve two major pipeline projects, Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline and Enbridge’s Line 3 Pipeline. Trudeau claimed the projects are in the nation’s interest of balancing environmental protection and the economy.

Supporters claim the pipelines will expand Canada’s energy markets and create more jobs; however, the projects are met with staunch opposition from the British Columbia (BC) government, environmentalists and several First Nations.

The Canadian government’s support for the projects, opponents claim, violates the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which declares that countries must obtain “free, prior and informed consent” before taking actions that may affect native peoples.

The Tsleil Waututh, who have lived near the Burrard Inlet of southern BC for tens of thousands of years, are especially devoted to opposing the decision.

Ta’ah Amy George, an elder of the Nation, said, “Our ancestors protected this…little piece of land that we got left with. They protected it for us…We’re thinking of our [next] generations.”

Environmentalists are also concerned about the impact of extract-

ing more fossil fuels from Alberta’s oil sands and the possibility of an oil spill in the Pacific. Most oil produced and transported in Canada is diluted bitumen, which is difficult to clean due to a tendency to sink in water.

In January, BC passed new regulations that would make cross-province oil transport more difficult in order to “improve preparedness, response and recovery from potential spills.” They will be in place “until the behavior of spilled bitumen can be better understood.”

In April 2018, Kinder Morgan suspended non-essential spending on the project. Under the Canadian Constitution, the federal government has control over cross-province projects. Ottawa said it will seek to reassure the company of the economic viability of the projects.

Kinder Morgan will announce its decision on the project on May 31, 2018. For the natives, the Trans Mountain pipeline is yet another instance of Canada demolishing their rights that have been denied and exploited since the founding of the country.

The BC government must continue to resist the federal government’s effort in order to protect the rights of indigenous people and the environment. Only then can it fulfill its duty to the environment and to its long-abused First Nations.

Child marriage, however, does far more harm than good. According to The Economist, around 70-80 percent of child marriages end in divorce; Married children are twice as likely to live in poverty and three times more likely to be abused by spouses than married adults. There is also an incredibly high mortality rate amongst teenage girls attributed to complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

Though child marriage may not be commonplace in the United States, the fact that 23 states have no laws prohibiting it sets a dangerous precedent for other nations.

Strengthening school safety These problems could be catastrophic: I have had teachers leave class unattended for extended periods of time.

Other teachers rarely bring their keys to class, endangering students in the event of an emergency.

Unexpected lockdown drills will ensure Masters is ready at any point for an emergency, while allowing the unprepared to learn from their mistakes.

That’s not all. School doors, the majority of which must be locked from the outside, put teachers at risk by forcing them to step into the hallway after the announcement of a lockdown.

Doors should be locked from the inside, which would allow teachers to remain within the classroom in an emergency. Additionally, it should be standard protocol to keep classroom doors locked during classes and throughout the school day to better protect those learning inside.

This is not an issue to be dismissed without significant consideration. Prevention must be proactive, not reactive.

JaCob strier Copy Editor This school needs a safety overhaul.

While mourners commemorate the victims of school shootings, it is increasingly critical that Masters take every measure possible to ensure the safety of its students.

On April 19, the school practiced a lockdown drill designed to help students and faculty protect themselves from a campus invader. Its effectiveness in preparing the Masters community, however, was diminished, as it was announced beforehand.

The danger of announcing planned lockdown drills is twofold. First, it allows teachers to prepare in advance, perhaps bringing their key to class when they might not otherwise. Secondly, it takes away the need for teachers, and students, to be prepared at any time in the school day for a lockdown.

An au revoir for Saint Luc SAINT LUC NOISETTE, A MASTERS CUSTODIAN, retired on April 26.

Noisette was beloved by Tower staff for his appearances on layout nights to clean the Lab. A Masters employee since 1993 (making him one of the longest-serving current Masters employees), Noisette (a father to 7 and grandfather to 14) will, in retirement, be shuttling between his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti and his current home of Yonkers. To celebrate his time at Masters and wish him a fond goodbye, Tower staff presented him with cupcakes on his second-to-last day as a Masters employee. He will be replaced by his cousin, Massenet Noisette. Au revoir, notre ami!

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However, a bill approved by the legisla- riage and in some states statutory rape ture and currently waiting on approv- can land you life in prison. So why do al from the governor, seeks to change so many states still allow marriage bethat. The bill would prohibit marriage tween a child, who cannot legally conif either party is under sent, and an adult? the age of 16. Just last Social conservatives Why do so many states still claim that an early year, a similar bill was toppled in New Hamp- allow marriage between a marriage will avoid shire’s Republican-led child, who cannot legally pregnancy out-ofHouse. If all goes well, consent, and an adult? wedlock. the Kentucky bill will Libertarians, not suffer similar fate, on the other hand, taking a great step forbelieve marriage ward in what needs to be a nation-wide should not involve governmental inmovement. tervention. Many parents justify it by The United States is quick to con- saying that it is in their child’s best indemn international cases of child mar- terest to marry if they are pregnant.

News editors

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For more information, follow Tower on the following platforms: Website: Tower.MastersNY.org Facebook: MastersTower Twitter: @MastersTower Instagram: @MastersTower

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scholastic press aFFiliatioNs, letters aNd editorial policy Tower is the winner of the Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence and a CSPA Gold Award, an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA) and Quill and Scroll.

We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to 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 opinions of the authors and not of Tower, 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.

OP-ED

TOWER/APRIL 27, 2018

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The ACR debate: to reform or not to reform?

Installed in the fall of 2013, the Athletic Credit Requirement (ACR) at Masters has required students to participate in team sports for at least three seasons by the end of their sophomore year. The initial goal of the requirement was to encourage students to join various teams that they normally may not have joined in order to go beyond their comfort zones.

But, some students argue that the ACR creates a culture of struggling teams as students begin to play only to fill this requirement. Almost six years after the ACR was put into place, the topic of changing the ACR’s policies began to resurface in conversations in Executive Committee after a proposal put forth by freshman Russell Wohl. The initial proposal suggested that the ACR should only be two seasons, however it has opened up a larger conversation. Members of Executive Committee, as well as people who are interested in reforming the ACR, formed a sub-committee to further discuss this issue. The sub-committee is set to meet once a week before proposing a final ACR modification to the Board of Trustees.

How to don’t change what works improve the ACR The ACR:

Sarah Faber

Social Media Manager

There’s a reason why students can be spotted in the hallway wieling lacrosse sticks in the hallways, why Masters is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the leagues we play in, and why one can find a sports game to watch almost any day of the week–the Athletic Credit Requirement.

Instituted just five years ago, the ACR has required students to participate in three team sports (the musical counts as a sport under the rules of ACR) before the end of their sophomore year.

Oftentimes, we paint Masters as a dichotomy: we’re a sports school, or we’re an arts school. However, many students have easily found time to participate in both the arts and sports teams.

“I’ve been on two varsity sports, and I’ve taken a full credit of arts every year,” junior Mollie Roth said. “I’ve never had a problem balancing both with academics.”

Because Masters has so many different time slots for students to get involved in activities they want to (class time, co-curriculars, clubs that meet in the evening), the time commitment warranted by the ACR only takes a limited

chunk of time out of a student’s schedule.

Because the musical counts under the ACR, and can be done twice, students interested solely in theater must only participate in one season of sports outside of the musical. While there is value in getting the opportunity to choose what you want to do, there is also value in trying something you never would have chosen on your own.

Performing in the musical is enriching to students in different ways than sports–someone who was never part of a sports team would miss out on the team bonding on the bus to away games, getting to know the outside coaches, and the experience of a hardcore workout five days a week. In fact, while many argue that Masters is an arts school, 70 percent of upperclassmen continue with a sport even after their ACR has been fulfilled.

Even for students who are more interested in sports, the ACR can be an opportunity to expand their horizons. “I originally came to Masters as a soccer player,” said sophomore Sabian Grier. “I planned to do two seasons of soccer and then finish my ACR with track, but I ended up loving track, and now I don’t even play soccer.”

alexandra bentzien Features Editor Academics, arts, and athletics: the promise of the combination of this “Triple A” is what should draw a student body of diverse interests to Masters. Yet in the past few years, the school’s emphasis on sports has noticeably altered what was once a primarily arts-geared institution. The construction of new athletic facilities set the Athletic Credit Requirement (ACR), now a graduation requirement, into motion.

While the ACR was created with good intentions, it should be changed to reflect students’ desire to participate in sports and other afterschool activities.

The ACR is a great way to diversify a student’s experience at Masters–by participating in a sport, you get out of your comfort zone; you learn

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

FRESHMAN RUSSELL WOHL PROPOSED the ACR reform.

Trump’s trade torpedoes will sink global economy elijah emery News Editor

S

ince the 2016 election, political pundits have argued endlessly about how Donald Trump, a man lacking military or government experience and tainted by scandal and impropriety, was elected to the same line as such paragons as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Trump’s economic policies were what many people proposed originally got him elected. The call for tariffs and protections from foreign competition was an attractive proposition for many blue collar

workers, especially people in the Rust Belt who have seen their incomes stagnate even as personal costs increase. These are real people, with real concerns, and while the calls for protectionism may have strong emotional appeal, they do little to help the people they are supposedly designed for, and instead worsen living standards overall. We must resist these calls for misplaced protectionism, and instead, support free trade.

Tariffs are one of the few Trump policies that have bipartisan appeal. Many Democrats in the Midwest, and some of the most progressive Democrats nationwide (including progressive icons Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren), are protectionists, and the Democratic Party has a history of being less pro-free trade than the Republicans.

Only after President Bill Clinton signed

the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) into existence did the Democrats go from supporters of tariffs to supporters of globalization. Now this history of free trade action is again under attack.

This political backlash comes at exactly the wrong time. Though globalization’s initial burdens did fall on blue collar workers in rich countries like the U.S., improvements in communications and shipping technology, as well as a reduction in tariffs, made outsourcing more feasible, integrating once-poor nations like China into the global economy. Thus industry and production became more and more concentrated in East Asian nations.

Now, the rise of a global middle class as a result of these new job opportunities, the second stage of this globalization, is reaping befits for American firms and consum-

ers. Americans are able to buy high-quality goods at ultra-cheap prices, while firms find ready markets for their products and services.

These tariffs mean that American workers will experience only the pain of globalization, and none of the benefits. Instead of mistakenly lashing out against globalization, the president would be wise to ensure that American firms have increased access to foreign markets, which would create jobs for American workers by providing American products to the global middle class.

Trump should stop threatening free trade agreements like NAFTA. If we’re to ensure that our future is one of economic prosperity, then free trade is the way to go. Hopefully Trump recognizes this.

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LISTENS AS the proposal to change the ACR is brought forth. The proposal has ignited debate around the long-existent policy. to be a member of a team as well as a leader; you meet new people.

It is no doubt that the idea behind the ACR represents good intentions about fostering students’ growth, but the constraints can be overwhelming.

Therefore, the ACR requirement should be lowered to two, instead of three, semesters of a sport in the first two years, with a third semester of an arts cocurricular.

In this way, students will be pushed out of their comfort zones, athletics programs will retain enough participants, and students will still contribute to Masters. In addition, arts and sports will be on a more balanced playing field.

While the development of an athletic program has risen in priority, no sight should be lost on arts programs.

To this end, an expanded program of co-curriculars focused on performing arts, fine arts, music and dance could

be developed; as of now, the only arts co-curricular held to the same esteem as a sport is the winter musical.

With more options available, students will feel more excited, inclined and willing to participate in sports after school. Participating in a sport requires a high level of commitment that can put a strain on personal schedules.

Masters should help foster students’ interests in subjects they are truly passionate about, and create more opportunities for students’ whose focus lies in the arts to participate in an intensive after school activity.

For this reason, the ACR should instead be changed to a Community Credit Requirement. The high focus on athletics will diminish with a name change, and the stress on community aspect which is so integral to the ACR will take the precedence instead.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER: THEN AND NOW Carolyn Alston recounts challenges as Masters’ first black student FEATURES AND ARTS

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

Equality is not easy: witnessing a BLM protest

“An all-white society”

AlexAndrA bentzien Features Editor dAVid Oks Opinion Editor

M

asters prides itself on fostering a inclusive environment, where diversity in opinions is encouraged and emphasis is placed on implementing progressive change. Administrators in particular have articulated a schoolwide vision reflecting core values; affinity groups have flowered into being, offering settings for students with similar identities to meet; and students from a variety of backgrounds from all around the globe are represented in the community.

Yet it was only 50 years ago that Masters’ first black student, Carolyn Alston, graduated from Masters in 1968. Upon first stepping foot on Masters campus in 1965, Alston was aware of how her very appearance made her an outsider, separate from her peers - the majority of whom were privileged - and her teachers, who were solely white. Alston opened up to Tower about how her three years at Masters impacted her life, reflecting on the opportunities presented to her and the growth that came from them, as well as the difficulties of learning to rely on herself for support and being a representative of an entire race.

“Distinct academic risks”

B

eginning in 1963, independent schools like Masters witnessed the birth of a novel experiment in secondary education. A Better Chance (ABC), a program inaugurated by Dartmouth University, aimed to “increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society” by providing them with a world-class high school education. At the time of the ABC’s founding, a majority of candidates identified as black. The program involved an eight-week crash course in English and mathematics for fifty minority students at Dartmouth (for boys) or Mount Holyoke College (for girls). Certain independent schools promised to reserve places for students who successfully completed the program, and in late 1964, former Headmaster Cameron Mann proposed Masters as a school to accept ABC students.

The Board of Trustees agreed to accept two girls from the program, and a majority of the student body assented to the decision during a Morning Meeting in the chapel, which now houses the Art Studio. The recommendation marked a historical moment in Masters history: the School had been nearly all-white since its founding, with Asian students sporadically joining.

Never before had a black person studied at Masters.

Despite the preparation ABC students were given at Mount Holyoke, concerns were still circulating as to whether or not the new students would be able to keep up with the rigorous academics of a private school curriculum.

In an article on the decision from the December 1964 issue of Tower (then called The Tower), senior Carol Kennedy suggested that, “though possessing the mental capacity and leadership potential,” the ABC students were “distinct academic risks to Dobbs and every other school taking part.” Kennedy also raised the possibility that the ABC students “will put an additional financial burden on the schools.

They will present problems which the schools cannot foresee.” However, the article ultimately recognized that the accepted ABC students would “make lasting contributions to the schools and eventually to society and that Masters “should be proud that it is willing to take one of the first steps, in spite of the risks, toward better education for all people.”

and not just for yourself. ABC sent me there, my family sent me there: you want to do this not only for yourself but for other people also. And that’s kind of heavy for someone in high school.”

In September 1965, Masters’ ABC students arrived. Though the records of their Administration did try to welcome Alston as best as it could, and she does not coming to Masters is unclear, it appears that not two, but three students arrived: remember “anybody intentionally doing anything overtly racist.”

Alston, an African-American from New Haven, Connecticut; Maria Viera, a Latina “I think everybody did what they thought was right. I always felt that the from New York City; and Josephine Youpee, a Sioux Indian girl from Poplar, Monadministration, at least the administration that I interacted with, were trying to tana. act honorably,” she said.

Alston had come to Masters from Basset Junior High School, a school in a workNevertheless, Alston felt like somewhat of an outsider. “Even though everying-class part of New Haven. “I came from an environment where things were segone did what they could to be inclusive, they didn’t really understand me and regated,” she said. “Going to Masters was totally different, as it was an all-white I didn’t really understand them, so I did feel kind of isolated,” she said. “In society, it was an allhousing, I think, I was treated girls school. So it was differently. As a new student, I a big cultural change.” was assigned to a single room The difficulty of and later years I roomed with coming to Masters another ABC student.” was compounded by leaving her family.

In September 1966, The TowIn New Haven, she er ran an article on the progress had been close to her of the ABC girls, titled “Carolyn, brothers, sisters and Maria, Josi: A Year Later.” The cousins. “My life bearticle found that Alston had acfore Masters totally climated well to Masters: “Happirevolved around my ly enough, they all enjoyed themfamily,” Alston said. selves for the most part, yet they “You were separated admitted a few things did take a from your family, as little getting-used-to,” the article I was a boarding stusaid. The ABC students “agreed dent.” that life at a boarding school was Though Masters enjoyable for them.” The article had tried its best to quoted Alston as calling other welcome her, as legacy Masters students “amazing” and students entered the saying she “likes them immenseschool, Alston still felt ly.” By then, two other ABC stualone, and noticed how dents had arrived on campus, much she stood out and she was no longer the only when she first walked black student. onto campus.

She The number of black stucould see how famildents had risen to five when iar everyone else was Alston was a senior in 1968, the with the school and CAROLYN ALSTON, ABOVE, WAS the first black student at Masters. Pictured left in her senior yearbook pho- year Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. its traditions, as moth- to, 50 years ago1968. Right, Alston now, as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the Coalition was assassinated. She recalled ers who attended the of Government Procurement. the event as one that struck school embraced each her immensely, as a frightening other, and daughters seemed to have groups of people to converse with. and awakening moment for Afircan-Americans across the nation, one that also “It was a totally happy occasion, and it was completely foreign to me in my own shocked everyone on campus. In mourning, the student body made the decision personal feeling,” Alston said. to remain at school together instead of going to a local church.

“Even though everyone did what they could to be inclusive, they didn’t really know me and I didn’t really know them, so I did feel kind of isolated,” she said.

As more minority students were accepted, Alston found their shared backgrounds became a great source of lston remembered graduation as her happiest memory of Masters, noting I DON’T THINK THEY WERE IN A POSITION support during her time her pride at having achieved such an accomplishment in seeing how far she TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING BEat Masters, though she had come. After leaving the school, she went to Cornell University and then to CAUSE IT WAS A NEW SITUATION FOR EVoften felt she needed to Georgetown Law School.

ERYBODY. “turn mostly intrinsical“I think that Masters actually put me on a path for my teacher education I - CAROLYN ALSTON ly” for a sense of assurwould not have done if I hadn’t gone to ABC or The Masters School,” Alston said. ance, noting that she felt She worked as a consultant to companies selling services and products to the like “they couldn’t really federal government, eventually rising to the position of Executive Vice Presiunderstand what it was dent and General Counsel for the Coalition for Government Procurement. like” in her shoes.

She retired in 2015 and now works part-time as consultant. Due to “I don’t think they were even in the position to understand what I was doing circumstance and a busy work schedule, she has not visited the because it was a new situation for everybody,” Alston said. school in years. However, she is still invested in diversity at However, Alston did not feel like she had to comform to a certain image while at Masters. “I hope Masters is reaching out to include stuMasters. “I think because I was so different, there was no need for me to conform. dents of different ethnic and racial backgrounds,” she I think maybe some of the other girls felt more peer-pressure to fit in than I did,” said. she said.

Alston hopes that Masters will continue Despite her initial discomfort, Alston worked hard and succeeded at her new to strive for inclusion. “Faculty and staff school. “I was very involved at Masters. I was always involved in clubs, I was in Gold need diversity, not only for minority Key,” Alston said. Alston was active in student government, and was eventually students, but also for students who elected to the position of treasurer. are not in the minority, so they She also excelled academically. After she had taken every science class Masters can see them as people who offered, she was expressed an interest in taking physics—so Masters hired a physare thoughtful and who ics teacher and incorporated the course into its curriculum. have power,” she “I always studied harder. I always felt like I had to make the extra effort to sucsaid. ceed to not blow an opportunity,” Alston said.

She was a strong student and found that being taught exclusively by white teachers did not have a “major impact on my learning,” though it did have a “a major impact in terms of adults that I could rely on.” She had studied under Miss Eidlitz, an English teacher, who also taught the ABC crash course at Mount Holyoke, and grew close to her, often turning to her as a source of reliance and support.

“

“A representative for my race and family” Her involvement in activities and academic success was not always an easy road to travel. Alston felt a lot of responsibility to perform to the best of her ability, which at times was challenging to cope with all on her own.

“I always felt like a representative for my race and family. You feel a lot of pressure when you’re in that situation because you want to succeed

A

Life after Masters

OPINION

ziA FOxHAll Contributing Writer Within the first thirty minutes of arriving at the Black Women’s March in Tarrytown, we were welcomed by the jeers of a woman yelling from her car, “Go home!”

Disheartening, as it was, it served as reminder of how necessary these marches are. Ten minutes later, a man driving into the CVS parking lot exclaimed “This is New York, there is no discrimination here!” a statement further perpetuating the point that there is not enough representation nor acknowledgement of the black struggle in New York, let alone America.

When it comes to being a black girl growing up in America, I have been fairly sheltered. The brunt of the racism I have faced has been through microaggressions, ignorant comments or I was just too naive to fully understand.

However, when looking around at the world, anyone who pays enough attention can clearly see systemic racism surrounds us. It wasn’t until the Black Women’s March, on April 7th, that I bore witness firsthand to members of society actively trying to thwart the success of black people.

Before the march even began, the rally itself was incredibly inspiring. Seeing strong black women, like the leaders of the march, standing firm in what they believe in, gave me the deep desire to one day stand in their shoes. Despite this feeling, even getting to this peaceful protest was a struggle. With the idea circulating of protesters crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge, the police made the decision to close off several roads entering into Tarrytown, making it hard to get to the march in the first place. As a result, the actual number of people in attendance was much lower than expected. Nevertheless, the leader of the protest, Vanessa Green from 100Sistas and Black Lives Matter Hudson Valley, led us up the hill towards the bridge, with the band blaring; our chants ringing through the air.

As we crested the slope leading to the bridge entrance, my heart rate rose with anticipation only to be stopped by the sight of a sea of police officers. Not only were there over 70 visible officers and state troopers on the street, there was the K-9 unit, the Westchester County Police Special Operation Division, Disorder Control, Tarrytown police and plow trucks parked to block the entrance of the bridge. It looked as though there were more officers than protesters.

Through the cries of the crowd chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets!” a megaphone answered: “NYS po-

THE BLACK LIVES MATTER protest organizers, Vanessa Green and Tania Conner speak with New York State Troopers and mutliple local news corporations before attempting to cross the bridge. Despite their efforts, state police threatened arrest to anyone who attempted to cross.

lice, I hereby declare this an unlawful assembly. I order all those assembled at the 9A northbound to immediately disperse. If you remain in this immediate vicinity, you may be arrested or subject to other police action.”

It was in this moment that I really had to pause and observe my surroundings. Out of all the officers present that day, only one was black. Not only was there almost no representation of the black community amongst the police officers, there was a clear disconnect between the people and those intended to protect them. The wall of state troopers blocking the ramp would not even look the protesters in the eyes; it was dehumanizing.

The leaders of the march and those involved with the protest were aware that the crossing of the bridge is an illegal action, but what is the most frustrating was the NYPD’s readiness to resort to violence and to hurt, not help. Even before Green had told the protesters to head back, an officer had begun unloading the disorder control truck with the weapons used to physically break up riots, the same weapons that have caused deaths and countless injuries while attempting to disperse protesters.

With the amount of manpower and officers working overtime on a Saturday morning, I believe they could have directed that energy into safely helping the protesters cross the bridge. Even if that was too much to ask, there was still no other solution proposed, only the exertion of power over the protesters. I strongly believe that if this had simply been a women’s march, the police would not have been so oppositional. For if they had been, they would have been under much more scrutiny from the public. Instead, in this case, the backlash was against the protesters. Following the march, the comments on several news outlets said hateful and bitter things about the protesters, stating that thousands of people were inconvenienced by this march.

Yes, it was inconvenient but I do not think achieving equality will be convenient.

It will not be clean, it will not be simple, it will not be pretty. It is not convenient when black women are not hired for jobs after wearing their hair naturally to the interview. It is not convenient when black people are pulled over for no reason while driving late at night. It is not convenient when an unarmed black man is shot and and killed because he reached for his phone. It is not convenient that black children must be born into a society that tells them they must live out a narrative that keeps them stuck at the bottom. We are not sorry for the inconvenience, but now that we have your attention, it’s time you listen, and it time you joined your black sisters and brothers: fellow members of the human family must join in the fight for the fundamental right to justice for all.

5

BLM protest attempts to cross Tappan Zee Bridge Vincent AlbAn Photo Editor emmA luis News Editor

Despite the risk of arrest, organizers of a #BlackLivesMatter protest, Tania Conner and Vanessa Green, pushed to have protesters cross the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge starting from the entrance ramp in Tarrytown, New York on Apr. 7. Inspired in the wake of the recent police shootings of Stephon Clark and Saheed Vassell, as well as the lack of representation of black women in the Women’s March national movement, Conner and Green gathered a group of over 100 protesters, beginning in the CVS parking lot.

The organizers received multiple warnings from the police leading up to the march, stating that protesters would be arrested for illegally trying to cross the bridge.

The pedestrian walkway remains under construction and until it is opened, pedestrians are not permitted to walk on the bridge. However, Conner and Green pushed forward, wanting the protesters to cross the bridge in order to make a statement of the power of the #BlackLivesMatter movement as well as to go against the authority of the police force.

At 11 a.m., a mass of protesters gathered in the CVS parking lot in Tarrytown, rallying with chants from “You killed our babies,” to “We come in peace,” and “We matter.” The march then slowly moved up Route 119 to the entrance ramp of the Tappan Zee Bridge, where protesters were met by Tarrytown police, New York state troopers, Westchester County police, special operation units, emergency service units in addition to disorder control response units. Over 77 state troopers lined the entrance of the bridge behind several plow trucks in preparation for confrontation with the protestors. There were more officers not blocking the bridge, on standby in case violence broke out.

Conner, a mother of

a 32-year-old son faced the police head-on. With tears in her eyes, she said, “I’m tired of [them] killing our babies. That’s why I’m here.

I’m tired of being a mom and I’m scared for my son every day. I call him every morning and at night. I’m tired; that’s why I’m not scared to cross this bridge. It’s scary to be a mom of a black man. He’s 32 years old and I call him every day like he’s 12. ‘Where are you? Are you safe?

Did you get home yet?’ Every day I call my son because I’m scared.

That’s why I’m here. That’s why we march.”

“This is such an important cause.

I’ll do anything for it, and I am not afraid to fight for it,” protester and Black Trans Women rights activist Phoenix Gehl said.

Green emphasized, however, that the protest was a peaceful one and not a rally with violent intentions.

“This is not that kind of rally. If you see someone try to start some stuff, get them off the line. I need to keep my people safe.” Green said.

Protesters then began to push further toward the bridge, demanding answers from the police and chanting “Black Lives Matter”.

At some points, state troopers physically pushed back on protesters as they attempted make their way onto the bridge, past the police line. On the bridge, there were two lanes of traffic closed down and lined with traffic cones in anticipation of the march. However, the police wouldn’t allow protesters to cross the bridge on foot. The police then issued final warnings to protesters on the ramp and threatened to call in riot gear to resist the march. Conner and Green had no choice but to compromise with the police.

“We will be driving across the bridge going 5 miles an hour with our hazards on. Not one colored person will be left behind,” Green said.

The protest ended peacefully with a rally after the caravan arrived in a park in Nyack that is dedicated to Cynthia Hesdra, a 19th century slavery abolitionist. Toni Morrison, writer, Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dedicated the landmark bench in the park to Hesdra.

4

BLACK LIVES MATTER: THEN AND NOW Carolyn Alston recounts challenges as Masters’ first black student FEATURES AND ARTS

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

Equality is not easy: witnessing a BLM protest

“An all-white society”

AlexAndrA bentzien Features Editor dAVid Oks Opinion Editor

M

asters prides itself on fostering a inclusive environment, where diversity in opinions is encouraged and emphasis is placed on implementing progressive change. Administrators in particular have articulated a schoolwide vision reflecting core values; affinity groups have flowered into being, offering settings for students with similar identities to meet; and students from a variety of backgrounds from all around the globe are represented in the community.

Yet it was only 50 years ago that Masters’ first black student, Carolyn Alston, graduated from Masters in 1968. Upon first stepping foot on Masters campus in 1965, Alston was aware of how her very appearance made her an outsider, separate from her peers - the majority of whom were privileged - and her teachers, who were solely white. Alston opened up to Tower about how her three years at Masters impacted her life, reflecting on the opportunities presented to her and the growth that came from them, as well as the difficulties of learning to rely on herself for support and being a representative of an entire race.

“Distinct academic risks”

B

eginning in 1963, independent schools like Masters witnessed the birth of a novel experiment in secondary education. A Better Chance (ABC), a program inaugurated by Dartmouth University, aimed to “increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society” by providing them with a world-class high school education. At the time of the ABC’s founding, a majority of candidates identified as black. The program involved an eight-week crash course in English and mathematics for fifty minority students at Dartmouth (for boys) or Mount Holyoke College (for girls). Certain independent schools promised to reserve places for students who successfully completed the program, and in late 1964, former Headmaster Cameron Mann proposed Masters as a school to accept ABC students.

The Board of Trustees agreed to accept two girls from the program, and a majority of the student body assented to the decision during a Morning Meeting in the chapel, which now houses the Art Studio. The recommendation marked a historical moment in Masters history: the School had been nearly all-white since its founding, with Asian students sporadically joining.

Never before had a black person studied at Masters.

Despite the preparation ABC students were given at Mount Holyoke, concerns were still circulating as to whether or not the new students would be able to keep up with the rigorous academics of a private school curriculum.

In an article on the decision from the December 1964 issue of Tower (then called The Tower), senior Carol Kennedy suggested that, “though possessing the mental capacity and leadership potential,” the ABC students were “distinct academic risks to Dobbs and every other school taking part.” Kennedy also raised the possibility that the ABC students “will put an additional financial burden on the schools.

They will present problems which the schools cannot foresee.” However, the article ultimately recognized that the accepted ABC students would “make lasting contributions to the schools and eventually to society and that Masters “should be proud that it is willing to take one of the first steps, in spite of the risks, toward better education for all people.”

and not just for yourself. ABC sent me there, my family sent me there: you want to do this not only for yourself but for other people also. And that’s kind of heavy for someone in high school.”

In September 1965, Masters’ ABC students arrived. Though the records of their Administration did try to welcome Alston as best as it could, and she does not coming to Masters is unclear, it appears that not two, but three students arrived: remember “anybody intentionally doing anything overtly racist.”

Alston, an African-American from New Haven, Connecticut; Maria Viera, a Latina “I think everybody did what they thought was right. I always felt that the from New York City; and Josephine Youpee, a Sioux Indian girl from Poplar, Monadministration, at least the administration that I interacted with, were trying to tana. act honorably,” she said.

Alston had come to Masters from Basset Junior High School, a school in a workNevertheless, Alston felt like somewhat of an outsider. “Even though everying-class part of New Haven. “I came from an environment where things were segone did what they could to be inclusive, they didn’t really understand me and regated,” she said. “Going to Masters was totally different, as it was an all-white I didn’t really understand them, so I did feel kind of isolated,” she said. “In society, it was an allhousing, I think, I was treated girls school. So it was differently. As a new student, I a big cultural change.” was assigned to a single room The difficulty of and later years I roomed with coming to Masters another ABC student.” was compounded by leaving her family.

In September 1966, The TowIn New Haven, she er ran an article on the progress had been close to her of the ABC girls, titled “Carolyn, brothers, sisters and Maria, Josi: A Year Later.” The cousins. “My life bearticle found that Alston had acfore Masters totally climated well to Masters: “Happirevolved around my ly enough, they all enjoyed themfamily,” Alston said. selves for the most part, yet they “You were separated admitted a few things did take a from your family, as little getting-used-to,” the article I was a boarding stusaid. The ABC students “agreed dent.” that life at a boarding school was Though Masters enjoyable for them.” The article had tried its best to quoted Alston as calling other welcome her, as legacy Masters students “amazing” and students entered the saying she “likes them immenseschool, Alston still felt ly.” By then, two other ABC stualone, and noticed how dents had arrived on campus, much she stood out and she was no longer the only when she first walked black student. onto campus.

She The number of black stucould see how famildents had risen to five when iar everyone else was Alston was a senior in 1968, the with the school and CAROLYN ALSTON, ABOVE, WAS the first black student at Masters. Pictured left in her senior yearbook pho- year Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. its traditions, as moth- to, 50 years ago1968. Right, Alston now, as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the Coalition was assassinated. She recalled ers who attended the of Government Procurement. the event as one that struck school embraced each her immensely, as a frightening other, and daughters seemed to have groups of people to converse with. and awakening moment for Afircan-Americans across the nation, one that also “It was a totally happy occasion, and it was completely foreign to me in my own shocked everyone on campus. In mourning, the student body made the decision personal feeling,” Alston said. to remain at school together instead of going to a local church.

“Even though everyone did what they could to be inclusive, they didn’t really know me and I didn’t really know them, so I did feel kind of isolated,” she said.

As more minority students were accepted, Alston found their shared backgrounds became a great source of lston remembered graduation as her happiest memory of Masters, noting I DON’T THINK THEY WERE IN A POSITION support during her time her pride at having achieved such an accomplishment in seeing how far she TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING BEat Masters, though she had come. After leaving the school, she went to Cornell University and then to CAUSE IT WAS A NEW SITUATION FOR EVoften felt she needed to Georgetown Law School.

ERYBODY. “turn mostly intrinsical“I think that Masters actually put me on a path for my teacher education I - CAROLYN ALSTON ly” for a sense of assurwould not have done if I hadn’t gone to ABC or The Masters School,” Alston said. ance, noting that she felt She worked as a consultant to companies selling services and products to the like “they couldn’t really federal government, eventually rising to the position of Executive Vice Presiunderstand what it was dent and General Counsel for the Coalition for Government Procurement. like” in her shoes.

She retired in 2015 and now works part-time as consultant. Due to “I don’t think they were even in the position to understand what I was doing circumstance and a busy work schedule, she has not visited the because it was a new situation for everybody,” Alston said. school in years. However, she is still invested in diversity at However, Alston did not feel like she had to comform to a certain image while at Masters. “I hope Masters is reaching out to include stuMasters. “I think because I was so different, there was no need for me to conform. dents of different ethnic and racial backgrounds,” she I think maybe some of the other girls felt more peer-pressure to fit in than I did,” said. she said.

Alston hopes that Masters will continue Despite her initial discomfort, Alston worked hard and succeeded at her new to strive for inclusion. “Faculty and staff school. “I was very involved at Masters. I was always involved in clubs, I was in Gold need diversity, not only for minority Key,” Alston said. Alston was active in student government, and was eventually students, but also for students who elected to the position of treasurer. are not in the minority, so they She also excelled academically. After she had taken every science class Masters can see them as people who offered, she was expressed an interest in taking physics—so Masters hired a physare thoughtful and who ics teacher and incorporated the course into its curriculum. have power,” she “I always studied harder. I always felt like I had to make the extra effort to sucsaid. ceed to not blow an opportunity,” Alston said.

She was a strong student and found that being taught exclusively by white teachers did not have a “major impact on my learning,” though it did have a “a major impact in terms of adults that I could rely on.” She had studied under Miss Eidlitz, an English teacher, who also taught the ABC crash course at Mount Holyoke, and grew close to her, often turning to her as a source of reliance and support.

“

“A representative for my race and family” Her involvement in activities and academic success was not always an easy road to travel. Alston felt a lot of responsibility to perform to the best of her ability, which at times was challenging to cope with all on her own.

“I always felt like a representative for my race and family. You feel a lot of pressure when you’re in that situation because you want to succeed

A

Life after Masters

OPINION

ziA FOxHAll Contributing Writer Within the first thirty minutes of arriving at the Black Women’s March in Tarrytown, we were welcomed by the jeers of a woman yelling from her car, “Go home!”

Disheartening, as it was, it served as reminder of how necessary these marches are. Ten minutes later, a man driving into the CVS parking lot exclaimed “This is New York, there is no discrimination here!” a statement further perpetuating the point that there is not enough representation nor acknowledgement of the black struggle in New York, let alone America.

When it comes to being a black girl growing up in America, I have been fairly sheltered. The brunt of the racism I have faced has been through microaggressions, ignorant comments or I was just too naive to fully understand.

However, when looking around at the world, anyone who pays enough attention can clearly see systemic racism surrounds us. It wasn’t until the Black Women’s March, on April 7th, that I bore witness firsthand to members of society actively trying to thwart the success of black people.

Before the march even began, the rally itself was incredibly inspiring. Seeing strong black women, like the leaders of the march, standing firm in what they believe in, gave me the deep desire to one day stand in their shoes. Despite this feeling, even getting to this peaceful protest was a struggle. With the idea circulating of protesters crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge, the police made the decision to close off several roads entering into Tarrytown, making it hard to get to the march in the first place. As a result, the actual number of people in attendance was much lower than expected. Nevertheless, the leader of the protest, Vanessa Green from 100Sistas and Black Lives Matter Hudson Valley, led us up the hill towards the bridge, with the band blaring; our chants ringing through the air.

As we crested the slope leading to the bridge entrance, my heart rate rose with anticipation only to be stopped by the sight of a sea of police officers. Not only were there over 70 visible officers and state troopers on the street, there was the K-9 unit, the Westchester County Police Special Operation Division, Disorder Control, Tarrytown police and plow trucks parked to block the entrance of the bridge. It looked as though there were more officers than protesters.

Through the cries of the crowd chanting, “Whose streets? Our streets!” a megaphone answered: “NYS po-

THE BLACK LIVES MATTER protest organizers, Vanessa Green and Tania Conner speak with New York State Troopers and mutliple local news corporations before attempting to cross the bridge. Despite their efforts, state police threatened arrest to anyone who attempted to cross.

lice, I hereby declare this an unlawful assembly. I order all those assembled at the 9A northbound to immediately disperse. If you remain in this immediate vicinity, you may be arrested or subject to other police action.”

It was in this moment that I really had to pause and observe my surroundings. Out of all the officers present that day, only one was black. Not only was there almost no representation of the black community amongst the police officers, there was a clear disconnect between the people and those intended to protect them. The wall of state troopers blocking the ramp would not even look the protesters in the eyes; it was dehumanizing.

The leaders of the march and those involved with the protest were aware that the crossing of the bridge is an illegal action, but what is the most frustrating was the NYPD’s readiness to resort to violence and to hurt, not help. Even before Green had told the protesters to head back, an officer had begun unloading the disorder control truck with the weapons used to physically break up riots, the same weapons that have caused deaths and countless injuries while attempting to disperse protesters.

With the amount of manpower and officers working overtime on a Saturday morning, I believe they could have directed that energy into safely helping the protesters cross the bridge. Even if that was too much to ask, there was still no other solution proposed, only the exertion of power over the protesters. I strongly believe that if this had simply been a women’s march, the police would not have been so oppositional. For if they had been, they would have been under much more scrutiny from the public. Instead, in this case, the backlash was against the protesters. Following the march, the comments on several news outlets said hateful and bitter things about the protesters, stating that thousands of people were inconvenienced by this march.

Yes, it was inconvenient but I do not think achieving equality will be convenient.

It will not be clean, it will not be simple, it will not be pretty. It is not convenient when black women are not hired for jobs after wearing their hair naturally to the interview. It is not convenient when black people are pulled over for no reason while driving late at night. It is not convenient when an unarmed black man is shot and and killed because he reached for his phone. It is not convenient that black children must be born into a society that tells them they must live out a narrative that keeps them stuck at the bottom. We are not sorry for the inconvenience, but now that we have your attention, it’s time you listen, and it time you joined your black sisters and brothers: fellow members of the human family must join in the fight for the fundamental right to justice for all.

5

BLM protest attempts to cross Tappan Zee Bridge Vincent AlbAn Photo Editor emmA luis News Editor

Despite the risk of arrest, organizers of a #BlackLivesMatter protest, Tania Conner and Vanessa Green, pushed to have protesters cross the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge starting from the entrance ramp in Tarrytown, New York on Apr. 7. Inspired in the wake of the recent police shootings of Stephon Clark and Saheed Vassell, as well as the lack of representation of black women in the Women’s March national movement, Conner and Green gathered a group of over 100 protesters, beginning in the CVS parking lot.

The organizers received multiple warnings from the police leading up to the march, stating that protesters would be arrested for illegally trying to cross the bridge.

The pedestrian walkway remains under construction and until it is opened, pedestrians are not permitted to walk on the bridge. However, Conner and Green pushed forward, wanting the protesters to cross the bridge in order to make a statement of the power of the #BlackLivesMatter movement as well as to go against the authority of the police force.

At 11 a.m., a mass of protesters gathered in the CVS parking lot in Tarrytown, rallying with chants from “You killed our babies,” to “We come in peace,” and “We matter.” The march then slowly moved up Route 119 to the entrance ramp of the Tappan Zee Bridge, where protesters were met by Tarrytown police, New York state troopers, Westchester County police, special operation units, emergency service units in addition to disorder control response units. Over 77 state troopers lined the entrance of the bridge behind several plow trucks in preparation for confrontation with the protestors. There were more officers not blocking the bridge, on standby in case violence broke out.

Conner, a mother of

a 32-year-old son faced the police head-on. With tears in her eyes, she said, “I’m tired of [them] killing our babies. That’s why I’m here.

I’m tired of being a mom and I’m scared for my son every day. I call him every morning and at night. I’m tired; that’s why I’m not scared to cross this bridge. It’s scary to be a mom of a black man. He’s 32 years old and I call him every day like he’s 12. ‘Where are you? Are you safe?

Did you get home yet?’ Every day I call my son because I’m scared.

That’s why I’m here. That’s why we march.”

“This is such an important cause.

I’ll do anything for it, and I am not afraid to fight for it,” protester and Black Trans Women rights activist Phoenix Gehl said.

Green emphasized, however, that the protest was a peaceful one and not a rally with violent intentions.

“This is not that kind of rally. If you see someone try to start some stuff, get them off the line. I need to keep my people safe.” Green said.

Protesters then began to push further toward the bridge, demanding answers from the police and chanting “Black Lives Matter”.

At some points, state troopers physically pushed back on protesters as they attempted make their way onto the bridge, past the police line. On the bridge, there were two lanes of traffic closed down and lined with traffic cones in anticipation of the march. However, the police wouldn’t allow protesters to cross the bridge on foot. The police then issued final warnings to protesters on the ramp and threatened to call in riot gear to resist the march. Conner and Green had no choice but to compromise with the police.

“We will be driving across the bridge going 5 miles an hour with our hazards on. Not one colored person will be left behind,” Green said.

The protest ended peacefully with a rally after the caravan arrived in a park in Nyack that is dedicated to Cynthia Hesdra, a 19th century slavery abolitionist. Toni Morrison, writer, Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dedicated the landmark bench in the park to Hesdra.

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

FEATURES

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Great Gig shines with social justice playlist Vincent alban Photo Editor On April 20 and 21, Masters’ music ensembles came together for their annual joint performance of Great Gig in the Sky. In years past, the performance has contained songs only from one album. However, this year’s Great Gig was a playlist of songs by different artists, which all followed the theme of social justice.

Some of those pieces performed included the“The Star Spangled Banner” by Jimi Hendrix, “Freedom” by Beyoncé, and “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Jeff Carnevale said, “I think what is realy exciting about the performance this year is that it is a collection of songs that deal with social justice.”

Originally, the album chosen was Beyonce’s Lemonade.

Junior Elliott Feder, who performed in the show, said the format change “was bad in the sense that it definitely removed a fundamental aspect and quality of Great Gig, which lessened the excitement of the show.

But considering the backlash that would have come from performing Lemonade, and the stress it caused for the administration and teachers, it was an easy switch and it had to be done to have any sort of Great Gig show.”

PHOTOS AND DESIGN BY VINCENT ALBAN AND GEORGE WEED

Affinity groups explore identity Jacob Strier Copy Editor Affinity groups provide a constructive space for students to meet with others who share similar identities, and spark discussions surrounding identity and exclusion. Affinity groups, defined as a group of people linked by a common interest or purpose, have become commonplace in academic and corporate settings for students or employees to find solidarity with similar individuals within a larger community.

At Masters, there are currently two affinity groups: the Students of Color group and one for LGBTQ+ students, which is called “Q+.” Director of Equity and Inclusion Karen Brown noted that affinity groups are particularly important for historically marginalized groups of people, as these meetings can provide a safe space for identity exploration.

Upper School Head Matthew Ives wrote in an email: “The goal of affinity groups is to aid in positive identity exploration and development towards the goal of creating an inclusive and thriving learning environment.” Affinity groups at Masters are not limited to these two initial groups, and other groups can be created.

“Students who identify as conservative, they should have a place to be together,” Ives said in an interview. “It’s hard to live a life here as a conservative student,” he added, pointing out that Masters was an “overwhelmingly liberal school.” A conservative affinity group would allow students who identify as conservatives to discuss their beliefs.

Brown also believes that conservative students are alienated within the Masters community. “Last year we did a survey of all of our community. One of the things that came out is the fact that many students who are on the center to the conservative side [politically] feel that they don’t have an opportunity or they do not feel comfortable sharing their views and beliefs,” she said.

Ives also mentioned that an affinity group could be started for white students. “There are all sorts of issues about being white that might be easier to share with people of a similar experience.” Ives pointed out than when he attended the Student Diversity Lead-

ership Conference, he participated in a white affinity group where attendees shared thoughts on what it is like to recognize and reconcile their varying degrees of white privilege. The faculty leader of an affinity group should identify as being within that group, Ives noted, qualifying himself as someone who could spearhead a white affinity group, while he would refrain from leading an affinity group for students of color.

Brown agreed that affinity groups should be led by a Masters adult who identifies within the group. “I am one who believes that if there is going to be an affinity group, there has to be a faculty advisor. I would imagine that if they could not find a faculty advisor, we would have to put that on hold until they found an adult to assist them.”

Brown said that a Masters faculty advisor has most likely been found for a conservative affinity group, which is being planned.

Kat Roberts, a member of the Q+ affinity group who identifies as lesbian, believes in the benefits of “having LGBT advisors and a space where I can talk openly.” She noted that the atmosphere of Q+ is different than GSA, the Gender Sexuality Alliance, which is a club on campus open to all students. “I felt that I would have to censor myself [in GSA] so as not to insult the straight people in the room,” Roberts said. She further argued for the importance of having a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. “Even when it is an environment that somebody would say feels safe, there’s always a bit of a guard up around people who don’t really understand,” she said.

“There really needs to be a space where we can just be,” she added.

Another student, who is bisexual and prefers to remain anonymous, believes that the Q+ affinity group provides a space for LGBTQ+ students to speak freely, without having to justify their beliefs or “educate” others, such as straight and cisgender students, on their experiences.

Brown noted that she was an advocate for any group of students coming together to discuss issues pertinent to their own identities. “One of the reasons that many students from historically marginalized groups, like black students or those of African descent, come together is because they don’t

have many students like themselves to talk to who understand what it’s like to be a student of color in a predominantly white institution,” she said.

Sophomore Madison Burton, who is a member of the Students of Color affinity group and identifies as mixed race, said members use the affinity group to discuss what makes them uncomfortable in the Masters community.

“We talk about how sometimes we don’t feel respected in certain aspects of the classroom. There are certain books that are read that single out students of color; we talk about certain times when we felt secluded because we are students of color,” she said. Burton also pointed out that affinity groups can reach out to the larger community to discuss certain issues. “It’s also important to come together with the community and talk with people from other groups,” she said.

Science teacher Elisabeth Merrill discussed the benefits and possible ramifications of affinity groups. “I think it is a positive thing as long as it is about personal growth, not exclusion.”

Merrill is the club advisor of GALS, a campus feminist group. “Being a feminist is not as narrowly restricted as affinity groups are. You can be a lot of things and be a feminist.”

Ives pointed out that though these groups may appear “exclusionary” or “divisive,” they are truly designed to stimulate personal growth within the sphere of greater community. When drawing guidelines for entrance into an affinity group, Ives noted that inclusion should be based on self-identification.

Brown agreed that affinity groups should be based on a member’s own identity. “It’s not anybody else’s truth but their own,” she said.

When it comes to the idea of affinity-based academic classes, however, Brown draws the line. “I would not see why something like that would be necessary,” she said. “Any type of history, any subject, should be open to everybody. I don’t know if there are students who want that. Whether it is black history, Jewish history, Asian history -- I would imagine that students who identify in that way would love [other] people to know about their heritage,” she added.

LILY WANG/TOWER

AFFINITY GROUPS PROVIDE A space for students to discuss and share their experiences with similar individuals. At Masters, there is currently an affinity group for LGBTQ+ students called “Q+,” as well as a Students of Color affinity group.

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

MitCheLL FiNK

SPORTS

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COLUMN: TEAMS OF RIVALS

COLUMN: ADEN’S ARCHIVE

The NHL combats current diversity issues throughout the league

Girls’ lacrosse team rises in numbers and spirit

Although racism and racial profiling is far from gone in the United States today, most professional sports leagues in the States have decent racial diversity. However, one professional league’s players are an alarmingly 98 percent white.

The National Hockey League, or NHL has franchises in American cities such as Dallas and in Canadian hubs like Winnipeg.

What the NHL does not have, however, is any kind of diversity whatsoever. This was made even more clear on Feb. 20, when the Washington Capitals visited the Chicago Blackhawks. Washington has one of the leagues few African-American players, in Devonte Smith-Pelly.

Smith-Pelly was taunted by mul-

tiple Blackhawks fans, who were clearly chanting “basketball, basketball”, implying that Smith-Pelly should be playing basketball instead of hockey. Smith-Pelly responded to the slur, and he made it clear in a press conference after the game that this wasn’t the first time. Smith-Pelly said, “This has happened [to me] in hockey before. It’s disgusting, that in 2018 were still talking about the same thing over and over. It’s sad that athletes like myself, 30 or 40 years ago were standing in the same place.”

The NHL has pro-diversity initiatives, such as its Hockey is for Everyone initiative, to try to grow hockey in other areas and foster diversity. Part of this has included the NHLs attempt to grow hockey

in China, but it seems clear that no immediate dividends of that will show anytime soon, although it is certainly a start.

Interestingly, hockey doesn’t have nearly as tumultuous a past as other sports, such as baseball in terms of racism. The first NHL player to break the color barrier was Boston Bruins winger Willie O’Ree in 1957, 10 years after Jackie Robinson did the same for baseball. Although 10 years is a long time, considering how much more popular baseball was at that time, and with hockey’s current race situation, 1957 isn’t bad.

Now, the NHL should continue to spread hockey throughout the world, and push down that 98 percent as quickly as possible.

aDeN KhuraNa

The 2016-2017 season was a stepping stone in the girls varsity lacrosse program. The season began with thirteen players but due to injuries they finished the season with ten players.

They were only able to play a mere five games with a record of 1-4 because of these unforeseen circumstances. “Last year was very tense and we were always struggling to get people to come to games and practice because we were relying on every person there,” senior Olivia Johnke said. Barely able to put together a starting lineup, the girls decided it was time for a change. With an already strong senior leadership, the team needed underclassmen to help the team develop and add depth for this season. Throughout the year, they were able to recruit and pull together a well built roster of twenty three players for the spring. “This year we got a lot of new players, a lot of new

sophomores and freshman. I am hopeful that there is a lot of potential in the team,” Johnke said. Confident and optimistic, the team went into the season with their heads held high.

The team opened their season against The Chapin School, an established team that finished their last season 8-1. Sophomore Izzy Godwin and senior Olivia Johnke both finished with hat tricks in a hardfought and tough game, in which the girls lost 7-14. Two days later, the girls played The Spence School in their home opener and lost the game, 4-9. After another tough loss, the girls have learned that their will be many obstacles that they will have to face. While many would view a loss as a negative, goalie Mollie Roth thinks otherwise. “This year is going to be a year for growth and improvement. It should be good, “ Roth said.

Boys’ baseball hits it out of the park this season Sophia BrouSSet Copy Editor The varsity baseball team is off to a strong start. Led by captains Stephen Boe, George Corrigan, Michael Fitzgerald and Michael Margolis, the team opened their season with a 13-0 win against The Dwight School during their first game on April 11. The scoring was led by Fitzgerald, Corrigan and junior Marcus Diaz, who all hit triples.

“The first game was incredibly easy,” Diaz said, “We’ve been putting in more work than usual and the team has great chemistry so we trust each other on the field and at the plate.”

After the coaching staff of the previous year left, the team was forced to begin their season with a

new leadership but it has seemingly had no negative impact on their performance. New head coach Dale Mueller comes with plenty of coaching experience, as he heads the baseball program at the House of Sports in Ardsley. Mueller is flanked by assistant coaches Mike Archer, Ken Ido and Matt Browne.

“The coaches have been really great at incorporating things from last year so it hasn’t been hard at all to transition,” Margolis said, “We have a lot of new kids who are good additions to our team, everybody gets along super well and the new coaches are really great.”

On April 23, the team gained another 13-0 victory of the Portledge School. Through four games, the team has outscored their opponents 43-0, and hopes to build off of their hot start.

VINCENT ALBAN/ TOWER

THE BOYS’ VARSITY BASEBALL team celebrates their current undefeated season. Through the first four games of the season, the boys varsity baseball team has secured four straight wins, while outscoring their opponents 43-0. Though the team has many new starters, as well as a new coaching staff, they are off to a strong start and hope to continue to extend their winning streak.

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SPORTS

TOWER/APRIL 30, 2018

SportS

Golf team tees off drew schott Features Editor

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER

SENIOR PITCHER EDEN WENBERG and junior Rebecca Wachen in action during a home game this season. With the loss of pitcher Nina Hylton after last year’s season, veteran players have been stepping up to take over her role. The team has been working hard to win games this season.

Softball steps up to the plate Morgan Brettschneider Sports Editor Despite the loss of pitcher and star player Nina Hylton ‘17, the girls’ varsity softball team has continued to remain positive about this upcoming season.

“Obviously there are spots that we need to fill, but a lot of people on the team have potential and with every practice they are getting better and understand that we really need a pitcher,” said Senior captain Ciera Escobar.

This year’s team consists of seven new freshmen and 23 girls in total.

“There are a handful of girls who have never played before, but they have been working really hard and I have been watching them improve everyday, and returning players have been very helpful to-

wards them,” Shannon Nicholson, coach of the team, added.

“Because of the weather we have been facing, We have been having to do a lot of indoor practices and splitting the gym up with the boys and have a lot of new players on the team so we kind of have to go back to basics,” junior Katherine Stacks said.

So, far the girls have really shown their drive and determination to work hard, both Stacks and Escobar noted.

“These girls have no problem filling in for these shoes and if they continue to do what they are doing, we are going to have a killer season,” Escobar added.

“I definitely hope to get our newer players more interested in playing and help them discover a passion that they might have,” Katherine Stacks said.

On Monday, April 9, the girls faced The Spence School. Despite a well-played game, the girls’ var-

sity softball team lost 7-20. “We lost, but I think we needed the game because it helped us how to iron out all these kinks in the game and the first game jitters,” Escobar said.

Yet, the rest of the season looks very hopeful. On April 11, the girls were able to clinch their first win of the season against Convent of The Sacred Heart 11-8.

“The girls now know they are capable of winning and I am very excited to see what the rest of the season brings,” added Coach Nicholson.

The team has continued on their upward climb and won their two most recent games. The girls won tied their game 20-20 on April 23 and 15-3 against the Calhoun School on April 24.

With a group of passionate and skillful athletes, the Masters golf team has started off strong in its seventh season.

Originally started by College Counselor Art McCann, the program is now led by sixth-year Head Coach Bhavin Patel and assistant coaches Brendon Barrios and Greg Schlapp, whose squad numbers nine golfers. These players, will either be selected as one of the six starters or one of the three alternates.

According to Patel, his goal as coach is to develop a golf program, which consists of players coming to fill the gaps left by graduating golfers each year. However, he mentioned that team membership changes from year to year due to the difficulty of golf itself, despite a core group of experienced players who have been on the team since their freshman or sophomore year.

Patel mentioned that each year, there are players who want to join the team, but they haven’t played the sport before. Due to the team’s lack of a practice facility on campus, it is difficult for these new players to learn the game adequately before the upcoming season.

Additionally, skills such as understanding United States Golf Association rules are needed for competitive play.

“Our team does not look to discourage anyone from joining it. You don’t need to shoot a great score to be a member of the golf team. However, you do need to know how to play the game.Understanding certain bases, such as correctly filling out a scorecard, is essential to successfully play competitively,” Patel said.

Patel also mentioned that for the first time, the program will have fall tryouts next year to solidify the group of golfers that will be on the team in the spring. The golf team

does not plan to add a junior varsity program as of now. However, he said that he and the other coaches would strongly consider adding a JV team if more golfers joined the program.

For the past five years, the coaches have attempted to start a girl’s golf team, but not enough of them have showed interest.

In order to practice and foster team connection, the golf team traveled to Orlando, Florida over Spring Break to attend the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

In Florida, the team played about four to five rounds of golf (72 to 90 holes) to practice for their upcoming season.

They also watched professional golfers such as Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods and analyzed their golfing techniques to help with their own game.

During the season, the team practices at both Ardsley Country Club and Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale, NY. For days not at one of the courses, the team uses a golf simulator located in Strayer Gym. This season, the team has gone 2-0 in matches played in cold, windy conditions.

At season’s end, they will participate in the championships for the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) and the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). Unlike other sports in the FAA or NYSAIS that qualify a select amount of teams for the tournament based on their record, all golf teams in the leagues automatically qualify for the championship because of their membership.

“The team has smart golfers, who, in their approaches and shots, make realistic decisions to get the best score they can.

Additionally, everyone brings a good attitude and puts in 100 percent. We are supportive of each other and have created a tight bond as a team,” sophomore August Peterson said.

The boys’ varsity lacrosse team has high hopes for the season Sports Editor The boys’ varsity lacrosse team has started off their season with a steady 2-3 record. Following backto-back victories over the Columbia Preparatory School and The Portledge School, the team struggled through a three-game losing streak riddled with injuries.

After last year’s 5-9 record, various senior players including Geoff Fox ‘17, along with co-captains Tyler Guy ‘17 and Octavian Frisenda ‘17 graduated. Underclassmen make up exactly 50 percent of the team this season, and are already stepping up to fill the gaps left by departing seniors.

Sophomore attacker William Stark said, “We’re missing Geoff and other good players from last year, so obviously there are holes that need to be filled, but our new players are really stepping up and learning a lot about lacrosse.”

Stark went on to have a hat trick in their 7-13 defeat against the Harvey school.

In the past years, the Masters’ boys lacrosse team struggled as they compiled a record total of 19-31 between the 2013 and 2017 seasons. Emerson Del Monte is confident that they have what it takes to clinch a playoff spot this season. Del Monte said, “We work hard. Some days kids like to mess around during practice but when

the team really concentrates, and when we all have the same goal we can get the task done.”

Boys’ lacrosse has underperformed in the last three games, with losses against The Harvey School, Long Island Lutheran and Horace Mann. After the Horace mann defeat, junior Midfielder Michael D’angelo said “The rain and wind from earlier in the day didn’t help, and we were not being as physical as we could have been, and we also were not letting plays develop. If we hadn’t lost certain key players to injuries, the game would have been much closer.

During games we need to increase our energy even more and we need to focus on protecting the crease like we do in practice.”

The boys’ plan to continue their journey to a possibly clinch a playoff spot this season.

JUNIOR DYLAN CANELL SHIELDS the ball from a defender during a game against the Columbia Prepatory School. The team ended up winning this game 14-4 and with a current record of 3-3, hopes to continue a successful season. Despite a handful of previously graduated senior players, many new players have stepped up.

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eric dowd

VINCENT ALBAN/TOWER