Redefining Normalcy - The Eagle Eye - Volume 6, Number 1 - October 2020 by Eagle Eye News

Redefining Normalcy

Quarter One 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 6, Number 1

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 5901 Pine Island Road Parkland, FL 33076

The Eagle Eye Quarter One 2020 • Volume 6, Number 1

Front Cover: Photo by Brianna Jesionowksi

Contents Graphic by Madison Lenard

The opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School or Broward County Public Schools. The publication is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. If you would like to advertise please call (754) 322-2150 or email MSDEagleEyeNews@gmail.com

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03 Letters to the Editor 04 MSD in brief 07 Breaking Barriers On your ballot 08 MEET THE CANDIDATE 09 10 back in business

MSD student body shares their perspective on various issues

New developments occur at MSD

Senator Kamala Harris diversifies America’s political playing field

Parkland voters will select representation for Congress, Florida Legislature, county and city offices

Debbi Hixon campaigns for at-large school board seat in runoff

A guide to local entertainment in the age of COVID-19

Photo by Rayne Welser

Editorial Board Ava Steil Ashley Ferrer Mackenzie Quinn Brianna JESIONOWSKI Editors-in-Chief

Ivy lam Matthew Rosenthal Travis newbery Assistant Editors-in Chief

Ryan servaites noa livni Anisah steele lily singer isabel white Delaney Walker Copy Editors

Fenthon Aristhomene Bryan Nguyen Photo Editors

Julianne Lofurno Sophia squiccirini Sports Editors

Nadia Murillo Social Media Editor

Joyce Han

Business Manager

Kacie Shatzkamer Managing Editor

Staff

Ariella Bishari Julia Landy Destiny Cazeau Madison Lenard Brooke Harrison Logan Rubenstein Sophie Goodman Harrison Sparaco Makayla Jesionowski Melodie Vo Hannah Kang Rayne Welser

Melissa Falkowski Adviser

12 You’ve been canceled 16 learning in the cloud it’s not just a joke 20 22 another day, another trend 23 Ask and You Shall receive Ma(s)king a difference 25 26 Should i stay or should i go?

Cancel culture becomes society’s prominent form of online public shaming

School year online in eLearning Phase 1; transitions to on-campus eLearning in Phase 2

Microaggressions are unfortunate aspect of America’s diverse society

TikTok continues to set new trends as one of today’s most influential social media platforms

Manifestation trends on TikTok

Senior Gabriela Montes establishes new Florida chapter of Ma(s)king A Difference

Pro/Con: Students and teachers are safer learning at home Safety measures on campus make it suitable for learning

27 be the voice of change rules of the game 28

Celebrities must use their power to address issues that impact society

MSD fall sports seasons adjusted according to Phase 3 of BCAA’s plan

Design by Ava Steil and Ashley Ferrer

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Mental Health Matters Dear Editor, We all know that during the fall term there are the dreaded midterms. Not to mention the massive amount of assignments, tests/quizzes and big projects. It feels like many times these big things in school are all at once for us students. And the more stressed we are at school most definitely reflects on our grades and our lives outside of the school environment. To reduce this stress, I am proposing that MSD and Broward Schools have a fall break. For those of you who are not familiar with fall break, it is 3-5 school days off plus the weekend sometime during the fall. A lot of high schools, private schools and colleges have this reprieve from school. Now you might ask, how would that change our 180 day school schedule? I believe that we could shift around some school days so it’s something like we go back to school a couple days earlier and stay a few days later in the spring, all depending on how many days we would get off. In an anonymous survey for high school and college students, an astonishing 82.9% of students stated that this little break reduced their stress levels. I think this would give us time to decompress, reset to come back to school and make it to winter break the right way. For students with jobs, it could give them a little break of having to balance school and work. It also would give us students time to spend with our friends and family, catch up on sleep and to take part in fun fall activities. All in all, we students need a fall break to reduce stress and hopefully perform better in school after getting much needed rest. Blake Ogden, 10

An Altered Reality

Dear Editor, I think that now during this pandemic, students and faculty at MSD have realized how much we thrive off of face-to-face interaction. I remember walking to the guidance department if I had a question, getting a pass to go to practice in the band room and walking to the track after school. All these things were a result of interaction between students and faculty. They enhanced my high school experience greatly and gave each day a sense of order. Now that disorder and uncertainty has become a large part of our daily lives, the way we operate has been altered. I’ve come to appreciate those around me much more, and I hope that once everything settles down, we’ll head back to school with a different, more appreciative and grateful mindset. Alexander Miller, 12

Send us a letter Have something to say about school? Have something to say about a local, national or global issue? Have something to say about this issue of The Eagle Eye? We want to hear your opinions. Email submissions to: msdeagleeyenews@gmail.com

Submissions must be between 100-250 words

Pandemic Parties Dear Editor, The people going to parties during the pandemic have really revealed their true morality. Going to parties at a time like this, endangering other peoples lives for a good time and night they probably won’t even remember, shows how little empathy these people have for others. They justify it with “it won’t affect me” or “it makes me happy, and you only

live once,” but to the people with underlying conditions, it’s as if they said, “my life is more important than yours.” We are all in this together; this virus could’ve been ended four months ago if it weren’t for people thinking like this, but because they did and still do, more people are going to be affected and more people are going to die. Reese Garrity, 11

Senior Sadness

Dear Editor, When I first heard that part of my senior year will be online, I was heartbroken. I remembered back to my freshman year when I couldn’t wait to be a senior. I had always dreamed of what it would be like to be 18 years old, what it would be like to drive, but most importantly, what it would be like graduate alongside my best friends. Lucky, I have been able to live two out of those three experiences. I would have never thought that a worldwide pandemic would alter my senior year. I feel like an anomaly when I say I actually don’t mind online learning. I get to stay in my PJs most of the day, take lunch at pretty much any point during the day, and sleep in until 10 minutes before class starts. But none of these advantages is worth what I had to give up. I have been dreaming of going to prom since I was a little girl. I was always so excited to get dressed up and have a good time with my friends. Now, I don’t think I will ever get to have that experience. I have worked so hard the past three and a half years to be able to have a typical graduation and look forward into my future. Now, I don’t think I will have the graduation I have always fantasized about. I thought I never had a normal

high school experience because of the tragic events of Feb. 14 at MSD, but now, I am certain that my high school years have been some of the worst and most difficult years of my life. My heart feels broken that I will never be able to experience the typical events of high school. It makes me feel as if all the hard work I have put in for the past four years was for nothing, but I can’t say that this any one particular person or groups fault. It just was so unlucky and unfortunate not just for my class, but for education as a whole. So many grade levels are missing out on big milestones. I am starting to feel super unmotivated through out the day. Before online learning, I was super motivated, determined, and hardworking student. But now, teachers are assigning much more homework, and expecting much more because things are supposed to be “easy” online, but it is the exact opposite of that. Sometimes it is just challenging to get out of bed in the morning, because my days have become long and boring. Today feels the exact same as yesterday, and it will probably feel the exact same tomorrow. I get up and starting staring at a computer screen at 7:40 a.m., and then usually don’t leave my computer until late at night. My brain is exhausted. Lexie Sealy, 12

COVID Conundrum

Dear Editor, How can America be “the greatest country in the world” and yet, not be able to take care and protect its citizens? The global superpower of America, first to the moon, with the 3rd largest military and the best economy in the world, can’t even provide free health care for its citizens. Not to mention, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we can’t even get testing sites and quick results in some communities, and yet the NBA has same day result testing every day in the bubble. Other countries like New Zealand and Finland had already handled the virus so well that back in May they had schools, businesses and the entire country up and running, yet we can’t even vote after we had six months to get this under control. Our country’s priorities aren’t in the right place if working Americans are

worrying about how they’re going to afford to raise their children and pay for the next meal because the boss couldn’t afford to pay them in order to pay the bills and keep the company open. On top of that, because our “amazing” country couldn’t take decisive action, millions of kids are starting their first ever year of school staring at a screen not learning to interact and learn with other kids in a community. Think of the consequences and setbacks students’ education will go through; look back to your kindergarten years. How far do you think you could get in high school if you never fully learned how to spell and count? I think a lot needs to change in this country if we ever want it to truly be the best, and hopefully change can come soon. Patrick Collins, 10

Fumbling the Ball

Dear Editor, Starting high school online has been tough enough already, if I’m being completely honest. And being a part of MSD football team has been amazing so far. The only downside... the season is shorter than normal. So now, not only do I have to live with my entire life happening through a computer screen, but I don’t even get to experience a full season of football. I understand why it’s happening, don’t get me wrong. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t majorly suck. I was looking forward to playing for MSD for a long time, and now I won’t get the full experience. I know that there’s always next year, but is there really? I mean what happens if they don’t find a vaccine or it doesn’t get approved until after the next school year starts? I just really want to play a full season of games, but as of now, that doesn’t seems like it’ll ever happen. Jake Steil, 9

Teaching Tumbles

Dear Editor, From the beginning of the school year I have noticed a considerable difference among my classes. Teachers across my classes have vastly different approaches towards virtual learning. Most of my teachers spend the full hour and thirty minutes teaching, while there are a couple who give very limited class instruction, or they end class very early. One helpful thing that some of my teachers do is record their lessons. This is especially useful for math, so I can go back and review the steps needed to solve the problems. Other teachers present lessons using Nearpod or other similar ways, and you can tell they are very prepared and want to keep our attention. Also, working with a group and reviewing assignments are other useful practices that many teachers do. However, in a few classes it’s like we are there just to check a box. The students turned up, the teacher showed up, so check it off the list as complete. And sometimes the teacher doesn’t even show up. In two classes several times the directions have been to take an “attendance quiz” to show I was present and logged into the class, but the teacher was not there, no substitute was there to deliver any instructions, so students just logged out after submitting the quiz. This bothers me because it does not seem right that some work hard and some work hardly at all. My parents are teachers for elementary students and watching them work all day has given me a different perspective. They have to work all day long and don't get to call class 30 minutes early or just not show up if something unexpected happens. I feel like teachers should be available during their class time so students can get the help they need. Holden Worthington, 10

Letters to the Editors 03

New developments occur at MSD

MSD in brief

Expanding The Nest

n August, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened the newly constructed 1500 building, which costs $18 million and was funded by Florida legislature through the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The building holds 30 classrooms, making it the largest on campus. Its purpose is to replace the portables known as Eagle Manor. One of its signature features is a bridge which connects to the second floor of the 900 building. Each classroom in the building is equipped with a set of class laptops, automated lights and an interactive Promethean board; features that are not always readily available elsewhere on campus. Construction for this building started back in August 2019 and was planned to be completed by July 2020; however, the opening of the building was delayed due to pending inspections. “In order for the building to be finished, we have to have all inspections passed and the Certificate of Occupancy awarded,” Principal Michelle Kefford said. “Although the actual construction was done around July, it was not until August that all inspections were completed.” Administration assigned teachers to rooms in the new building, following a school-wide survey asking which teachers would prefer to move there. However, teachers who were directly affected by the shooting Feb. 14, 2018 and those displaced by the removal of Eagle Manor received first priority. Some of the selected teachers chose to teach from inside their brand new classrooms even while students were still learning from home in Phase 1 of eLearning. “I am more productive away from home,” English teacher Aaron Avis said.

“I get [to school] early to tackle all my grading.” A private tour of the building took place on Friday, Oct. 9, where three families of the victims from the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting spoke and were given time in Marjory’s Garden to remember their loved ones. MSD administration gave the private tour at the request of the Alhadeff, Schachter and Montalto families. Max Schachter, the father of the late Alex Schachter, brought a laminated picture of his son and the rest of the victims to the event and posted both videos and pictures on Twitter. Since the event, there has been an ongoing controversy regarding the placement of a district plaque, and the absence of a memorial to commemorate the 17 victims in the 1500 building. “In every BCPS school building, a plaque is mounted that identifies the School Board of Broward County and the project architect,” Kefford said. “This has always been a standard practice of the district. Every school and every new construction project has this plaque for informational purposes.” Additional plaques are located on the main office building and on the 1200 building, marking the original construction of the school in 1990, and the 1200 and 1300 building additions in 2009. Despite the purpose of the plaques, some of the 17 families feel it would be appropriate for their loved ones to be included in the new construction. “Although the 1500 building represents a way to move forward into the future, educating our students, there should be a way to memorialize all that we lost on that horrible Valentine’s Day nearly three years ago,” Schachter said in

1500 building opens to MSD teachers and students; generates controversy

A New Addition. The newly constructed 1500 building is located on the south side of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Teachers began utilizing the building in August while students learned from home during Broward County Public School’s Phase 1 of eLearning. Photo by Harrison Sparaco a video posted to Twitter and Facebook. On Monday, Oct. 12, MSD’s Faculty Council addressed the controversy with a public statement. The Faculty Council consists of 11 teachers that are elected to represent their fellow teachers and address and solve school-wide issues and problems with the MSD administration. “The MSD faculty, staff and students stand in solidarity with the families of the 17, the injured, and everyone impacted by Feb. 14. Until a permanent, on-campus, memorial replaces the 1200 building, we support the construction of an interim memorial that honors the victims, meets the needs of the school community, and can be integrated into an eventual 1200 building site memorial,” the statement explained. “However, the memorial must be in an appropriate location to

ensure proper balance of respecting the victims and the faculty, staff and students who call MSD home. We look forward to continued conversations within the school community related to this initiative.” The MSD Faculty Council is currently working on a plans for an interim oncampus memorial. The school district also received $1 million from the state, set aside solely for the purpose of developing a permanent memorial. However, for the community to have access to that memorial, it would have to be located off campus. Students who elected to return to campus for Phase 2 of eLearning began attending classes inside the new building on Oct. 13. Story by Brianna Jesionowski and Ashley Ferrer

An Inside Look

State-of-the-art. The 1500 building is two stories with 30 classrooms, which include upgraded safety features and new technology. Due to COVID-19, many classrooms are empty, as some teachers are still instructing from home. Aerial photo

by Harrison Sparaco; interior photos courtesy of Michelle Kefford and Melissa Falkowski

Aerial View

04 News • Briefs

Conference Room

Classroom

Inside Hallway

Student Restroom

Water Fountains

Informational Plaque

Design by Ava Steil

Governing Education

ince the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the closings of schools across Florida in March, the discussion regarding the reopening of schools has been debated by Floridians across the state. On July 6, Richard Corcoran, the Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education, issued an executive order to reopen “brick and mortar schools,” which are schools that have physical buildings where students regularly attend class. Under Corcoran’s order, school districts were at risk of losing state funding if they did not allow schools to reopen five days a week by Aug. 31. In response to the order, the Florida Education Association, along with various parents and teachers, filed a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis, Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida State Board of Education and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Monday, July 20. “Gov. DeSantis needs a reality check, and we are attempting to provide one,” former FEA President Fedrick Ingram said in a news conference via the organization’s Facebook page. “The governor needs to accept the reality of the situation here in Florida, where the virus is surging out of control. He needs to accept the evolving science. It now appears that kids 10 and older may pass along the coronavirus as easily as adults.” The FEA’s lawsuit “seeks to give local school districts the discretion to reopen physical school sites when it is safe to do so, and to ensure a safe reopening when the time is right.” The lawsuit states that school districts should determine when schools open, in accordance with the CDC guidelines and what they deem safe. It focuses on making sure reopenings will be “safe” and “secure.”

When the FEA lawsuit was heard by Florida's Second Circuit Court, Judge Charles Dodson ruled Corcoran’s executive order unconstitutional, finding it violated the Florida Constitution and the district school boards’ constitutional authority to operate, control and supervise their own school systems. In Article IX, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, “Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education.” According to the lawsuit, the state’s emergency order to reopen schools disregards the health and safety of millions of students and educators across the state, and encourages the spread of the virus in all communities. Although CDC guidelines such as social distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene will be implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it may not be enough to adequately keep everyone safe. “Everyone wants schools to reopen, but we don’t want to begin in-person teaching, face an explosion of cases and sickness, then be forced to return to distance learning,” Ingram said. “Florida's Constitution demands that public schools be safe. Teachers and parents want our schools to meet that basic standard.” On Friday, Oct. 9, a Florida appeals court overturned Dodson's ruling, lifting the automatic stay the decision was previously under. The court consisted of a three-judge panel of Judges Harvey Jay, Lori Rowe and Thomas Winokur. “Nothing in the emergency order disturbs a school district’s discretion to determine when to reopen schools and whether to offer in-person instruction,” Rowe wrote in the appeals decision. “In fact, the emergency order does not require school districts to do anything.

FEA files lawsuit over school reopening executive order

A Forced Hand. Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) and Commissioner Richard Corcoran stand together at a press conference. DeSantis and Corcoran pushed for the full reopening of public schools in August, which prompted a class action lawsuit. Photo courtesy of Getty Images/TNS Rather, school districts retain the discretion to continue to offer students the choice of in-person instruction, to require teachers to report for duty under their contracts and to determine teaching assignments.” Some Florida districts opened for face-to-face instruction in August, while Broward County Public Schools, Palm Beach County Public Schools and MiamiDade County Public Schools began the school year fully online. Under mounting pressure from the Florida Department of Education and Corcoran, all three districts have since opened. “This is my seventh year [at MSD], but my 34th year of teaching, and I feel [like] the superintendents [reopened schools because of] the pressure from the federal government and the state government in terms of funding purposes,” English teacher Debra Jacobson said. Corcoran sent a letter to the School Board of Broward County demanding

that schools reopen by Oct. 5, instead of the previously planned date of Oct. 15. The school board held an emergency meeting on Thursday, Oct. 1. During the meeting, district officials negotiated with state officials, leading to a decision to reopen Broward County Public Schools in a phased reopening beginning on Friday, Oct. 9. BCPS students have the choice to stay at home or attend physical school. According to state records, the dispute between the FEA and the state of Florida could result in a $1 million cost for taxpayers. The FEA plans to file for a rehearing of their case in front of the full appellate court. The central issue, despite the fact that all school districts in the state are now open for in person learning, is whether or not the Florida Department of Education exceeded its powers with the executive order and to what extent school districts maintain local control over their schools. Story by Ivy Lam

Behind-the-screen bonding Clubs and after-school activities meet virtually due to COVID-19

life for students. For example, during the week of Sept. 23-25, Assistant Activities Director Jeffrey Wasserman, along with Student Government Adviser Danielle Driscoll, ran SGA elections via Canvas. he universal appeal of clubs and “[SGA elections were] different, but after-school activities usually yes, [they were harder to conduct]. I consists of service hours, getting involved and socialization. Students tend am having to compile all the students’ campaign information and place it in one to load up on extracurriculars to bulk central location for the students through up their college resumes and help them stand out. The 2020-2021 school year is no Canvas,” Wasserman said. “In the past different; however, the manner in which years, students would hang up their flyers around the school.” these activities are currently conducted This is what many MSD students have remain unprecedented. As Broward come to consider the new normal. Due to County Public Schools begin to open up their campuses to the students opting to the fact that most of the students at MSD return physically, all extracurriculars are will be continuing with virtual learning, set to remain online until at least the end clubs and after school activities are remaining virtual as well. of the first quarter. “Meeting virtually is definitely “We have not received a date yet, so until further notice, all clubs are virtual,” something very new to all of us; however, I believe that it is the safest way to Athletic Director Albert Guzzo said. meet with everything going on,” Best Although this school year is like no Buddies President Nadia Murillo said. other, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas “For Best Buddies, we have been having High School staff is trying to do everything they can to normalize school meetings virtually on Microsoft Teams.

Additionally, all of the officer board, including myself, have learned to communicate via text message, and I believe that it has been working out very smoothly.” Even though the county has decided to hold all meetings virtually, the DECA program at MSD has found ways to get their members involved with events. In September, MSD’s DECA gave out free Italian ices from Cecile’s Gourmet Italian Ices in Coral Springs. If DECA members paid their dues on time, they were eligible for the free treat. Freshmen and sophomores were invited on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and juniors and seniors were invited on Wednesday, Sept. 16. “We have been using Teams to conduct officer meetings and Zoom for socials and guest speakers,” DECA co-President Alexis

Tracton said. “It has been a challenging year to keep up with our regular schedule while figuring out how to keep our members engaged.” As the school year progresses, Broward County Public Schools will continue to assess when it will be safe to return to having after-school activities and inperson club meetings. Story by Matthew

Rosenthal; graphic by Melodie Vo

News • Briefs 05

Going TOE-TO-TOE DONALD TRUMP (R)

years old

Background: Current president of the United States, and former businessman. Also appeared as a personality on a multitude of television programs.

Presidential Poll

*Results from a poll of 430 MSD students

Notable Legislation: Background: 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Former vice president under President Barack Enforcement Act, Violence Against Women Act Obama Served as a United States senator from the of 1994, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 2010 Tax Relief Act, Criminal state of Delaware from 1973 to 2009. History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008.

11%

58%

38%

Who do you want to become the next President of the United States?

Primary Progress

ordon Weekes won his race for Public Defender with about 48% of the vote, almost 16% more than his closest challenger Ruby positions against prominent local figures Lenora Green. Weekes despite slim margins in the vote totals. formerly served as This is an important moment in the Assistant Public Broward County’s history and the voter Defender of the Broward County Public Defender’s Office, turnout could indicate a high turnout among Broward voters in the 2020 General focusing much of his career on defending juveniles in the court system. As a Black man, his winning campaign has Election. Early voting started on Oct. 19 and ends on Oct. 31. Story by Anisah Steele contributed to an historic wave of Black officials winning and Ryan Servaites; additional reporting by their primary contest. Weekes faces a write in candidate on the ballot in the 2020 General Election. Logan Rubenstein

61+23+16

16%

of MSD students who of MSD students who are of MSD students who are of MSD students are eligible to vote in the 2020 are registered voters registered voters will vote registered voters will will vote to elect Joe to reelect Donald Trump vote to elect an alternate General Election Biden as president as president candidate as president

n Aug. 18, Broward County voters participated in the 2020 primary election. For the first time ever, a majority of the candidates to win their primary elections for county offices were Black. The Broward County Supervisor of Elections received 212,932 mail-in votes for this election. Candidates like Gregory Tony, along with various others, secured their

06 Politics • 2020 Election

Notable Legislation/Executive Orders: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Executive Order 13768: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, Executive Order 13769: Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.

11+S 58+S+ 38+S 4+S

Broward County primary election delivers historic wave of victories for Black candidates

JOE BIDEN (D)

years old

Majority of MSD students,support Joe Biden for president

Voters to cast their ballots in the 2020 Presidential election on Nov. 3

Other

23% Trump

61%

Biden

renda D. Forman won her reelection primary race for Broward County Clerk of the Court, receiving around 45% of the vote and beating out her nearest challenger by around 10% of the vote count. The incumbent in the race, Forman has conducted work against human trafficking and domestic violence and was another Black candidate elected in this historic election. Forman will not appear on the 2020 General Election ballot as she has no Republican or Non-Party Affiliated opponents.

Design by Madison Lenard

Breaking Barriers Senator Kamala Harris diversifies America’s political playing field

OCTOBER 20, 1964

Kamala Devi Harris was born in Oakland, California. She is the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants and grew up attending a Black Baptist church and a Hindu temple

1986

Graduated from Howard University, B.A. political science and economics

1998

1989

Graduated University of California, Hastings College of Law, J.D.

Named managing attorney of the Career Criminal Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office

Photo courtesy of Biden Campaign

2017-Present

2004-2011

Served as the district attorney of San Francisco

Aug. 11

Served as a U.S. senator. Harris is the first Black woman to represent California in the U.S. Senate. She is first Indian-American and the second Black woman to serve as a U.S. senator

2011-2016

Served as attorney general for California (2011-2016). First South Asian-American attorney general in the nation

Jan. 21, 2019

Announced she was running for president in a video posted on social media and appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America

Biden named her as his running mate, making her the first Black and South Asian-American woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket

What do you think of Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for vice president?

Frederique Faucher, 9

Zachary Beer, 12

“

I think the choice of Kamala Harris was a good one by the former Vice President. She is a sitting Senator from the most populated state in the nation... It also is a big step for America when we can nominate a woman of color to hold the second highest elected position in the land, and should pave the way for others to ascend to the highest office. Jeff Foster, AP government teacher

heriff Gregory Tony won his primary race with roughly 37% of the vote, closely followed by former Sheriff Scott Israel who received about 35% of the vote. This race gained a lot of notoriety, as Israel was previously suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis and replaced by Tony, with the governor citing incompetence with how Israel handled the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Shooting in 2017 and the MSD shooting in 2018. Tony faces both a Republican and a Non-Party Affiliated opponent in the 2020 General Election on Nov. 3.

arold Fernandez Pryor won his Democratic primary race for State Attorney in what amounted to a close competition with progressive candidate Joe Kimok, winning by roughly a point and receiving about 21% of the vote. Pryor, who formerly led the Broward County Black Bar Association, beat out a crowded field of eight candidates, and if elected in the 2020 General Election would become the first Black State Attorney of Broward County. Pryor is running against a Republican challenger in the 2020 General Election on Nov. 3

oe Scott won his Democratic primary race for Broward County Supervisor of Elections, beating his closest challenger, Chad Klitzman, by about .3% of the vote. An automatic machine recount of the votes solidified Scott’s victory. Scott, a Parkland resident and West Point graduate is committed to creating a functional and up-to-date voting system in a county with historic voting problems. Scott faces Republican challenger Catherine McBreenin the 2020 General Election on Nov. 3.

“

I’m confident that [Kamala Harris] will make a great [Vice President] if her and [Joe] Biden are elected because she is very strong willed and she cares so much about what she does.

“

Ella Singer, 12

“

I find it great that, in [a few weeks], our nation may elect a woman of color to hold the office of Vice President for the first time. It is essential that our public officials authentically represent all citizens, so having a Vice President whose gender is not male and whose race is not white is long overdue.

“

I think Kamala Harris was a strong choice for democratic Vice Presidential nominee because she is a qualified woman who also brings much needed representation to all people in our country.

arah Leonardi won her school board election for District 3 with 52% of the vote, unseating the incumbent school board member, Heather Brinkworth, by about 15% of the vote. A community activist, Leonardi ran on a platform of increasing teacher pay, improving teacher healthcare benefits and increasing mental health resources in schools. She was also endorsed by the Broward Teachers’ Union. When she is sworn in later this year, Leonardi will be the youngest member of the School Board of Broward County.

Politics • 2020 Election 07

On your ballot Parkland voters will select representation for Congress, Florida Legislature, county and city offices

Representative in Congress

James “Jim” Pruden (R)

Ted Deutch (D)

Public Defender 17th Circuit

Gordon Weekes (D)

Broward Soil & Water - Seat 5

Fred Segal

Beau Simon

State Senator

Brian Norton (R)

Tina Polsky (D)

State Representative

Supervisor of Elections

Christine Hunchofsky (D)

Catherine McBreen (R)

State Attorney 17th Circuit

Circuit Judge 17th Circuit

Gregg Rossman (R) Harold Fernandez Pryor (D)

Dennis Daniel Bailey

George Odom Jr.

Broward County Sheriff

H. Wayne Clark (R)

School Board at Large - Seat 9

Debra Hixon

Jeff Holness

Parkland Commission District 1

Gergory Tony (D) Charles Whatley (NPA)

Parkland Commission District 2 Parkland Commission District 4

Joe Scott (D)

Simeon Brier

Denise DellaPolla

Parkland Mayor

William Reicherter

Alex Zand

Up For Merit Retention Florida Supreme Court Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

4th District Court of Appeal Jordan Isrow

Derek Oliver

AMEND THAT

Florida voters will decide on six proposed amendments to Florida Constitution; Amendments must receive 60% of the vote to pass

Broward Ballot

Broward voters asked to decide on two ballot questions

Robert W. Brannen

Bob Mayersohn

Amendment 1: Citizenship Requirement to Vote in Florida

Stacy Kagan

Richard Walker

Amendment 2: Raising Florida’s Minimum Wage

This amendment provides that only United States citizens who are at least 18 years of age, a permanent resident of Florida and registered to vote, as provided by law, shall be qualified to vote in a Florida election.

Raises minimum wage to $10 per hour effective on Sept. 30, 2021. Each September after that, the minimum wage will increase by $1 until it reaches $15 per hour on Sept. 30, 2026.

Amendment 4: Voter Approval of Constitutional Amendments

Amendment 5: Limitations on Homestead Property Tax Assessments; increased portability period

Requires all amendments or revisions to be approved by voters in two elections, instead of one.

Effective Jan. 1, 2021, to increase from two years to three years, Save-Our-Homes benefits may be transferred to a new homestead.

Approves Special Law CS/HB 989 (2020) Relating to Broward County’s Governmental Functions

Enables county administrator to continue serving as ex official clerk to the county commission. Enables the county to continue serving as auditor and custodian of all funds. Power and funds would otherwise transfer to the control of the Broward County Clerk of the Courts in 2021.

08 Politics • Parkland 2020 General Election Ballot

Alan O. Forst Mark W. Klingensmith Martha C. Warner

Amendment 3: All Voters Vote in Primary Elections for State, Legislature, Governor and Cabinet

Allows all registered voters to vote in primaries for state legislature, governor and cabinet regardless of party affiliation.

Ad Valorem Tax Discount for Spouses of Certain Deceased Veterans

Provides homestead property tax discount for certain veterans with permanent combat-related disabilities carries over to their surviving spouse who title to, and permanently reside on, the homestead property, until he or she remarries or sells the property.

County Regulation of the Department of Surtax-Funded Transportation Improvements on County Property

To implement surtax-funded improvements to the county-wide transportation system approved by voters in 2018, shall the Broward County Charter be amended to provide that county ordinances regulating the development, operation or administration, of transportation improvement projects, prevail over conflicting municipal ordinances.

Design by Ava Steil Door-to-Door. School board candidate Debbi Hixon; her son, Corey Hixon; and Broward Teachers Union’s Director of Political Organizing Jennifer Gottlieb gather with BTU members to begin a Saturday canvassing event. Participants went door-to-door, leaving campaign door hangers at each residence. Photos by Destiny Cazeau

Meet the candidate

Debbi Hixon campaigns for at-large school board seat in runoff election

In a normal election cycle, candidates would hold many in-person events and try to make personal connections with voters. Campaigning during this election cycle has presented unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. s the calendar nears Nov. 3, For Hixon, raising funds for her Broward County residents will choose between two candidates– campaign during this time of financial Debbi Hixon and Jeff Holness–in hardship and uncertainty has been particularly difficult. a runoff election for School Board of “It’s much harder to ask people to Broward County District 9 seat. support you financially because people The winner will replace Robin have lost their jobs or their businesses are Bartleman in an at-large seat that so uncertain,” Hixon said. represents the entire county. Bartleman A staple in this election is the increased is running for Florida House of use of technology in campaigning. With Representatives District 104 seat, which virtual town halls, community members represents Weston, Florida. In the August primary, Hixon received are able to ask candidates, like Hixon, questions and connect with them 41.72% of the vote in a race against four other candidates. In order to win the seat remotely from the comfort of their home. “With the use of technology, I think outright, a candidate must receive 51% that voters in this election have a much of the vote. If no candidate achieves that greater chance of being educated about vote threshold, a runoff election is held the candidates than they would have between the two candidates with the greatest percentage of the votes. Holness normally,” Hixon said. Hixon has found socially distanced received 25.95% of the vote, which was ways to campaign across Broward County. the second highest total behind Hixon’s Each Saturday, Hixon and members of 41.72%. the Broward Teachers Union go doorBoth Hixon and Holness have similar to-door in different parts of the county, platforms. Both candidates want to leaving campaign door hangers on every prioritize school safety and security, residence. learning for special needs students and Hixon is the widow of Chris Hixon, mental health resources for students. the former athletic director that was Hixon is a 31-year veteran teacher murdered in the shooting at Marjory of Broward County Public Schools. Her Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, campaign has been officially endorsed 2018. Although her late husband has a role by the Broward Teachers Union, Congressman Ted Deutch, Congresswoman in empowering her to run for the school board, Hixon is not running solely because Debbie Wasserman, Broward County of her loss. School Board Member Lori Alhadeff “It’s important for people to and the current district 9 seat holder, understand that I didn’t just get into Bartleman.

this race because I was impacted by the MSD shooting,” Hixon said. “I got into it because I love the Broward County Schools System. I love the students; I love the teachers and the staff, and I just want the opportunity to make things better.” Hixon is opposed to arming teachers as a school safety solution. She does not believe that an educator’s job description should entail carrying a weapon. “Chris was a security person; he was a military police officer... and to be quite honest if he would’ve been armed that day, we would have a completely different conversation,” Hixon said. “But I’m a teacher, and I know that I would never want the responsibility… that’s not fair to students or to teachers. If you’re carrying a weapon, that should be what your focus is.” Hixon’s campaign is not exclusively focused on school safety. She is clear that she wants to focus on the everyday problems in education as well. As an educator herself, she has experience with the inner workings of schools and what it is like to deal with building problems like mold, fights between students, etc. “When we talk about safety... we have to look under that big umbrella,” Hixon said. “I think that’s what makes me unique to other candidates is that I am in the system. I’m invested. I’m dedicated.” Budgeting is a hot topic in this race, especially concerning the $800 million

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bond-funded renovations, which are way behind schedule and over budget. Hixon offers a different perspective than most on this issue. “A lot of the problems that are happening in the bond issue have to do with management,” Hixon said. “Those are things that are preventable. We tend to be reactive and not proactive. I hope I will bring a change of mindset in that area.” Hixon feels that winning this race would give her an opportunity to help a community that supported her through dealing with the loss of her husband, believing that it was a true example of “love trumps hate.”

I love the students; I love the teachers and staff, and I just want the opportunity to make things better. Debbi Hixon “It’s Chris and I doing this together; I feel him pushing me through,” Hixon said. “I’m just excited for the opportunity to be the voice for everyone in the county, to make a difference... and what’s more important than the education of our children? That’s how we make things better.” Hixon encourages everyone in Broward County who is eligible to vote to make their voices heard in this election. Early voting for Broward County began on Monday, Oct. 19. The last day to vote is Nov. 3. Story by Brooke Harrison

”

Politics • Debbi Hixon Campaign 09

Back In A guide to local entertainment in the age of COVID-19

business

Monster Mini Golf

Sawgrass Lanes

Red Button Escape

Butterfly World

9533 Westview Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33076

8501 N. University Drive Tamarac, Florida 33321

9705 W. Sample Road Coral Springs, Florida 33065

3600 W. Sample Road Coconut Creek, Florida 33073

onster Mini Golf is open for business. Though they do accept walk-ins, they recommend patrons call ahead of time. Masks are also required in the building. Arcade games, individuals clubs and balls and any other frequently touched surface are regularly sanitized. They try their best to keep visitors’ games separated to follow social distancing protocols. Photo by Ava Steil

awgrass Lanes has many regulations to keep their guests safe. Staff members have required temperature checks daily; they deeply sanitize the facilities and offer plenty of hand sanitizer. On top of that, guests’ only interactions with staff are through plexiglass at the counters, social distancing is required, and shoes and balls are deeply sanitized. Photo by

t Red Button Escape, all reservations must be made on their website at least one hour before players arrive. With no extra fees, all rooms are now private. Face masks are required the entirety of the visit and players must use the provided hand sanitizer before entering a room. Photo by Delaney Tarr

Ava Steil

utterfly World requires guests 3 years old and older to wear masks throughout the entire property. They also require social distancing and for quests to the staff and fellow visitors’ personal space. Certain exhibits will be working on a lower capacity, so there may be a wait to see certain animals. Photo by Ariella

Bishari

Around town City of Parkland activities open back up for residents

or months businesses around Parkland have been closed, but as the city goes into Phase 3 of reopening, they are offering many activities for families and kids to do. The Parkland Library is currently not open to the public; however, they have programs conducted through Zoom calls, like art classes and writing workshops for people with library cards. There are also special occasion activities hosted by the city, such as a Halloween drive-in

“All of our third-party contractors have been doing a really good job at enforcing movie and the Parkland Dash, a virtual all of the guidelines required,” 5-kilometer and a 5-mile run set for Parks and Recreation Manager Sunday, Oct. 18. With the Parkland Dash, Scott Harrison said. “They participants get to choose their own understand the seriousness of routes and track their times on an app. enforcing them for the safety of The City of Parkland’s first session our participants and employees. of fall activities, hosted by Parkland “We also have our city staff who Recreation, known by residents as P-REC, spot check and enforce these started on Aug. 24 and will end on Oct. guidelines throughout each 18 with a second session following from class.” Oct. 26 to Dec. 13. All activities, such as P-REC offers a variety of classes, are conducted by a third party programs, ranging from basketball and who specializes in the topic. P-REC and lightsaber fencing to engineering and Jiutheir contractors have to follow CDC Jitsu. Other activities can be found on the guidelines, including groups of 10 or City of Parkland website, by clicking on less, wearing proper facial coverings and Services and then scrolling down to Parks making hand sanitizer readily available. and Recreation.

What has your experience been dining out?

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I think socially distancing tables is what makes me feel the safest. Despite being allowed to open to full capacity, most restaurants are still taking precautions, and I think that’s appealing to everyone. Sara Lesmes, 12

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We wear our masks until our food comes, take them off, eat and then put them back on. We use digital menus and plastic silverware. As soon as we get home we shower just in case. Arlanni Velez, 9

10 Arts & Leisure • COVID Entertainment

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Prices for each of the classes range between $120 to $210. Non-resident prices are closer to the latter. They have activities for people of all ages. Story by

Mackenzie Quinn; photo by Mackenzie Quinn

I take my mask and hand sanitizer to be safe. The experience is good; it takes a while, but it is not bad for the time we are there.

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Viviana Fernandez, 9

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[I dine out] like once a month. Any other time is takeout. Waiters wear masks, and we are usually seated [apart by] every other table so that there is no cross contamination. It’s quite reassuring. Madison Mirsky, 12

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Design by Travis Newbery; photos by Makayla Jesionowski, Bryan Nguyen, Ava Steil, Ariella Bishari and Rayne Welser

Cecilie’s Gourmet Italian Ices

Guido’s Pizzeria and Restaurant

Pasquale & Sons’ Pizza Company

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza

Takeout 10726 Wiles Road Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Dine-in, Curbside Pickup, Delivery 10641 Wiles Road Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery 5609 Coral Ridge Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Dine-in, Curbside Pickup, Delivery 9521 Westview Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Déjà Blue

Bluefin Sushi

Blue Agave

Moon Thai & Japanese

Dine-in, Curbside Pickup, Delivery 7805 N. University Drive Parkland, Florida 33067

Curbside Pickup, Delivery 6694 Parkside Drive Parkland, Florida 33067

Dine-in, Curbside Pickup 7619 N. State Road 7 Parkland, Florida 33073

Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery 9637 Westview Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Cold Stone Creamery

BAMBOO/Healthy Foods

Jamba Juice

Juicery Rx

Takeout, Delivery 6230 Coral Ridge Drive Site 110 Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Takeout, Delivery 6240 Coral Ridge Drive # 110 Parkland, Florida 33076

Takeout, Delivery 2816 N. University Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33065

Dine-in, Curbside Pickup, Delivery 5910 Coral Ridge Drive Coral Springs, Florida 33076

Restaurant regulations

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Sometimes people will walk around without masks, which is annoying, but I just stay away from them. The waiters are always respectful and keep everything clean.

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When not seated at a table, patrons are required to wear masks. Restaurants can refuse to serve those who do not follow their mask guidelines. Workers wear masks and gloves.

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Honestly [going to a restaurant] was exactly the same as normal, just with masks and less people. There was never a wait because of lack of tables.

Reneta Silva, 10

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My overall experience has been really good. The restaurant owners are grateful that they are beginning to receive business again, and I’m glad I’m able to contribute. Talya Weinfeld, 11

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Restaurants provide hand sanitizer stations. Tables are sanitized often. Some restaurants provide wipes on their tables for patrons to wipe the tables to their liking.

Alexis Presno, 10

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I feel like I have been doing a fairly decent job at keeping myself and those around me safe, since so far COVID has not entered my life. It’s definitely been nice to go out and enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant from time to time. Trishana Mungal, 12

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Arts & Leisure • COVID Entertainment 11

You’ve been

canceled Cancel culture becomes society’s prominent form of online public shaming

12 Feature • Cancel Culture

ancellations are an aspect of daily life; television shows get canceled when they no longer bring in good ratings, plans get canceled when one or more of parties can no longer attend and concerts get canceled when singers are feeling under the weather or are injured. In the simplest sense, when something is canceled, it goes away. However, in recent years, the word “cancel” has had a serious rebranding. The term “cancel culture” has rapidly gained popularity amongst social media users and been accepted into the teen vernacular. The phrase, first coined by Twitter users in 2017, refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support from specific celebrities, brands, companies or concepts after they have said or done something that is considered offensive. The idea of “cancel culture” is claimed to have first originated on Tumblr blogs

Design by Ashley Ferrer

where fandoms would discuss their favorite stars’ imperfections. Over time, the term was passed on to Twitter, where it was used as a hashtag on a user’s post. The phrase became most well known during the height of the #MeToo movement, as actresses started to come out about the sexual harassment they endured from prominent male figures in Hollywood. The accused, such as disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein and comedian Louis C.K., were canceled as a result. People can be canceled for a wide range of actions that include committing a crime, exhibiting racism, transphobia, xenophobia and homophobia, as well as engaging in cultural appropriation, religious intolerance, sexual harassment and the list goes on. “There’s something that truly could be a mistake and others that have done things deliberately,” sophomore Alejandra Silva said. “When celebrities participate

in cultural appropriation or do things that are offensive to other cultures and races, I believe that they should be canceled.” Well-known singer R. Kelly is one celebrity that was canceled back in 2018 after his allegations of rape and sexual abuse toward minors were brought to light. Kelly, who is known for his R&B style, was accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting minors, with victims’ accounts going back to the 1990s. A six-hour docuseries consisting of the stories of Kelly’s victims named “Surviving R. Kelly” was watched by millions of people and resulted in the immediate fallout of his career. Now, Kelly faces multiple federal and state charges for his crimes, as well as the loss of a large chunk of his fan base who now refuse to listen to his music. In the age of social media, it has never been easier to get immediate access to just about anything with the touch of a button.

If you want to search up a new recipe, connect with old friends, watch a makeup tutorial or learn how to fix a leaky pipe, chances are you can find it online with a simple search. “I think that accessibility of social media makes it easier to cancel people because it aids in the diffusion of concepts, perceptions and stigmas,” sophomore Jason Choy said. The web has been transformed into a breeding ground for constant hate, outrage and backlash. One quick thoughtless tweet can land you in some serious hot water and at the receiving end of a barrage of negative responses. Social media platforms make it easy to scrutinize every aspect of someone’s public and private life. From behind a screen, we can only see one side of the story, and if we don’t like that side, someone can be canceled. “The internet has pros and cons. There can be a lot of unnecessary hate, but at

the same time I’ve seen so many people bringing each other up and spreading positivity,” senior Josie Sotter said. “I’ve definitely seen an increase in both throughout the [COVID-19] pandemic, probably because people have been online more.” Throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable surge in the number of cancellations occurring. With users spending more time online, many went sleuthing through celebrities’ pasts until they found offensive tweets from years ago, pictures with blackface or inappropriate interactions with other people. An example is talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who upset the general public after allegations of her treatment towards her staff surfaced. Following these allegations, the Ellen Show announced that it would no longer remain on air.

Story continued on page 15

Feature • Cancel Culture 13

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Design by Ashley Ferrer

Call-out culture can end up mirroring what the prison industrial complex teaches us about crime and punishment: to banish and dispose of individuals rather than to engage with them as people with complicated stories and histories. Asam Ahmad, author

Do you think these celebrities/brands should have been canceled? 25% No

75%

R. Kelly

Yes

44% No

56% Yes

Shein Clothing

45%

55+45M65+35M

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the Buddhist symbol for good fortune, not the Nazi symbol. Nonetheless, consumers have still banded together to boycott the brand. In some cases, actors and other television personalities have had their projects axed as a result of something they said or did that was deemed to be offensive. Roseanne Barr, an actress and comedian who starred on the sitcom Roseanne, posted a racist tweet to Twitter in 2018. In light of this, ABC dropped the newly rebooted season of her show, condemning her values and announcing that the sitcom would not be renewed. Most influencers make their money in a few main ways; the main one being that brands pay to be featured on their accounts based on how many followers a person has or the views they get, ensuring that their brand gets a lot of exposure. If an influencer’s fans were to boycott them, they would both lose followers and views, which hinders their ability to gain income. “It’s a cultural boycott,” University of Michigan professor Lisa Nakamura said in an August 2020 interview with Insider. “It’s an agreement not to amplify, signal boost, give money to. People talk about the attention economy—when you deprive someone of your attention, you’re depriving them of a livelihood.” Recently, TikTok has been a hot spot for cancel culture. Due to the short nature of TikTok videos, viewers only see a short snippet of what is taking place and may jump to a conclusion from it. Cancellation has only gotten worse throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; videos of influencers in public without a mask or not engaging in social distancing have automatically warranted a comment section filled with hate. “On TikTok it’s easier to assume something without knowing the entirety of the situation,” Silva said. “You can see one thing, but the truth turns out to be something totally different.” Famous TikTok personality Bryce Hall, who boasts over 13.6 million followers on the app, was rumored to be canceled after hosting a major house party in August during the global pandemic. COVID-19, which has already taken the lives of 1.08 million people globally, seemed to be of no issue to Hall, who continued with his 21st birthday party plans by inviting 100 plus friends to his mansion in Los Angeles, California. In multiple pictures and video clips posted to social media, viewers could see that there was no social distancing between the attendees, with much fewer people wearing face masks. Many of his fans did not react well to this news and have since declared him canceled for making bad choices and for being a poor role model to his young fan base.

75+25M56+44M

Cancel culture has proved itself to be a force to be reckoned with, as it has the power to decide the fate of someone’s career. In the past, people would gossip to their friends; however with the power of social media, there is now an entire platform for exposing people and gaining likes and reactions from it. “Public figures serve as an ideal common enemy and that the appeal of angry activities online is probably amplified by people’s frustration and misery in today’s environment,” Karen North, a Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California, said in a 2020 interview with Insider. Cancel culture is often very fleeting as society’s attention is drawn elsewhere. By the time a celebrity apologizes for their actions, society has already switched their focus to someone else, deeming the previous action to be irrelevant and free from accountability. This cycle is one of the main reasons why some users consider cancel culture to be toxic. “[It’s easier] to cancel people online because you have the safety of hiding behind a screen,” senior John Wilford said. However, many believe that it is not inherently bad to call out those that need to rethink their previous statements or public stances on moral issues. Supporters view it as an important tool that should be utilized to achieve social justice. As a society, it seems as if people have taken it upon themselves to hold people accountable for their actions instead of letting them fly under the radar. Popular online retailer Shein has recently come under fire after posting some questionable products to their site. The fast-fashion site based in China was called out for labeling Muslim prayer mats as home decor and describing them as “Flower Print Tassel Trim Carpets.” Only four days later, they began selling what was described on the site as a “Metal Swastika Pendant Necklace” for $2.50. Multiple fashion influencers and shoppers were quick to notice the newly added necklace and raised awareness across Twitter and Instagram, where thousands of users expressed extreme disgust toward the company. One Twitter user with the handle @ronitk_ commented, “This is actively threatening to the Jewish community. Do not let Shein get away with this.” Well-known lifestyle influencer Nabela Noor also posted on her Instagram with over 1.6 million followers that she was “... so disgusted by Shein’s sheer ignorance and blatant disrespect towards other cultures and religions.” Due to the backlash, Shein released an announcement explaining that the necklace was actually meant to serve as

55%

Yes

Ellen DeGeneres

35% No

65%

Yes

Bryce Hall

*Results from a poll of 361 MSD students

“It’s upsetting to see influencers think that they are above everyone else,” sophomore Olivia Alvarez said. “We are still in a pandemic and just because they may not get sick from it doesn’t mean that they can’t pass it to other people. The only way for this pandemic to end is if everyone takes it seriously.” At the same time online users need to consider how far cancellation should go? Should people be losing their jobs and homes because an internet mob deems something they’ve done to be controversial? Should those that are called-out contemplate suicide due to an insane level of cyberbullying and hate? The trend of canceling people leads to bullying that evolves into something that is worse than the original calling out. It is easy for one minor, single call-out to snowball into a full-blown attack from the depths of the internet. Online users feed off of others’ negativity creating an environment filled with hate that can result in the called out individual being the target of cyberbullying, hate mail and even death threats. Cancel culture falls into a gray area. When is society justified in the cancellation, and when do they take it too far? “At what point are you doing it to bring awareness [to bigotry] and try to bring some positive impact and try to prevent it from being done again and at what point is it just bullying?” Sean D. Young, the Executive Director of the University of California Institute for Prediction Technology said in a August 2020 interview with Insider. “If you’re making claims with no proven information, and you’re making it just to gain an audience, then that would be more likely malicious intent.” Cancel culture operates on a case by case basis in the sense that no cancellation is uniform. If some of the movies and artwork created in the past were produced today, there would definitely be controversy. It can be argued that old content should not be deleted, it is a part of history and should be understood within the context of time period. If people used their lens of modernity when looking at art throughout history and canceled the pieces they decided were controversial, there would be barely anything left. Yet, as the concept of cancellation continues to gain traction, the question has been raised: Is anyone ever really canceled? The answer isn’t a clear yes or no. From what has been seen, generally,

the idea of cancellation is more socially performative than actually canceling someone. One can look at YouTube star Logan Paul as an example. In December 2017 he received a lot of backlash after posting a video to the app that showed the remains of an apparent suicide victim in the Aokigahara forest in Japan. While Paul’s channel was taken off of YouTube’s Google Preferred Program, where brands sell ads on the platform’s top 5% of content creators, he was relatively untouched. As of early October 2020, his channel is still up and running; he creates videos, produces merchandise and has 22.4 million subscribers to his channel. The fact of the matter is that cancellations are relative, as it is extremely difficult for something or someone to be completely and universally boycotted. Certain influencers, celebrities and brands boast millions upon millions of fans who will stick with them no matter what. As humans, every person views things through a different lens, so something that upsets one person could have no effect or even a positive effect on someone else. “I’m on the fence when it comes to the idea of cancel culture,” Alvarez said. “I believe that it is necessary for society to hold people accountable for their actions because if we don’t no one will never feel like they need to do better.” If people judged the offending individual called out based on their actions after the initial cancellation, society would give them time to rethink and respond. If people want to create real justice, normalizing a person changing their mind after learning new information could be a good place to start. Withdrawing all support for someone as they are actively trying to better themselves will continue to reinforce a cycle of toxic cancellations. “Call-out culture can end up mirroring what the prison industrial complex teaches us about crime and punishment: to banish and dispose of individuals rather than to engage with them as people with complicated stories and histories,” author Asam Ahmad said in a 2020 interview with Forbes. Cancel culture is a controversial aspect of society, particularly on social media, that can achieve amazing feats, yet sometimes fail to stick. As celebrities and everyday people alike use social media more as a way to publicly express their opinions and views, they become more at risk for cancellation. Story by Lily Singer

Feature • Cancel Culture 15

Photo illustration by Bryan Nguyen

learning in the

cloud

16 Feature â&#x20AC;˘ eLearning

Design by Ava Steil and Travis Newbery

ue to the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued the world for the last seven months, society has had to adapt to an entirely new way of life, one drastically different from what we consider to be ‘normal.’ While the whole world has been finding new ways to navigate through this new life safely, students and teachers have been faced with the task of continuing education amidst this unprecedented time.

Empty Nest

MSD begins 2020-2021 school year online in eLearning Phase 1; At end of first quarter, MSD offers on campus option during eLearning Phase 2

On March 13, Broward County Public Schools made the decision to close all schools due to the growing threat of COVID-19. Initially, students believed they were only getting an extra week of their spring break vacation. However, this week-long vacation turned into a permanent change. “At first I thought we would be out for maybe a month, or maybe even the rest of the year, but I definitely didn’t think I would miss part of my senior year,” senior Lexie Sealy said. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students finished the third quarter of the 2019-2020 school year online, as well as the entirety of the fourth quarter. Now, as the 2020-2021 school year is well underway, MSD has continued with its virtual learning. Towards the end of May, BCPS released a survey with the intention of gathering the opinions of students and their families regarding their distance learning experiences. The purpose of the survey was to help the county and the school board get an idea of how to continue on for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. “I would love to go back to school on-campus because I would be able to see my friends every day instead of being stuck at home all year,” junior Gianna Sqcuirrini said. “However, going back to school on-campus would definitely lead to an increase in coronavirus cases, so it’s probably safer to stay home.” Before the school year began, the school board had to make the decision whether or not to keep schools online, as opposed to returning to in-person learning. In order to gauge the opinions and wishes of students and parents, BCPS released two separate surveys over the summer with three different school models: in-person, hybrid and online learning. In the end, BCPS recommended to the school board that it was in the best interests of the county to remain online. Two more surveys were released during the summer in order to help the BCPS make their decision. One survey targeted the opinions of students, while the other was directed at parents regarding the three back to school learning models. “I would like nothing more than to see the students go back to school in August, but only if it can be done safely. The health and well-being of the students and staff must be the number one priority,” MSD parent Lisa Cavaretta said. The results of the June 26 survey revealed that the county was almost evenly divided between the three models. Over 30% of respondents chose the hybrid model, with eLearning at 32% and faceto-face learning at 30%. Another factor that the School Board of Broward County had to take into consideration was the state of the county itself in regard to the COVID-19 infection rates. With the combined information of survey responses and COVID-19 case data, Superintendent Robert Runcie announced that the 2020-2021 school year would begin with eLearning. “When schools open on August 19, it will be 100 percent eLearning model,” Runcie said during the July 22 school board workshop. A week before Runcie made the decision official, he had said in another video that he would be recommending the eLearning model when schools opened in the fall. MSD principal Michelle Kefford then sent out a robocall on Friday, July 17 to the families of MSD. “As I am sure most of you have heard, our superintendent announced this week that we will start the 2020-2021 school year online,” Kefford said. “Please know that we have already hosted several trainings for teachers and have additional trainings planned and offered over the next few weeks.” MSD students had different reactions to the principal’s announcement. “I was really hoping that we would at least be able to do the hybrid model right away,” sophomore Lily Tomek said. “But this is the best way to make sure everyone continues to stay safe, so it is what it is. Hopefully, things will change for the second semester.” However, some upperclassmen were not as willing to accept the news. “I’m pretty upset, actually,” senior Madeline Dwyer said. “This is my senior year, and I was looking forward to being able to continue being involved in drama. I get that online learning is the safest option, but it just really blows. I wanted to have a normal senior year.”

Roaming the Halls

One Way Only

No More Balling

Distancing in the Classroom Roaming the Halls. Students at MSD switch classes while maintaining social distancing in the new 1500 building. Photo by Rayne Welser One Way Only. As students and staff walk around campus, each indoor hallway has a single way to enter. Photo by Rayne Welser No More Balling. In order to adhere to social distancing in classrooms, the mini-gym has been turned into an overflow room for students. Photo

by Rayne Welser

Distancing in the Classroom. Each classroom has been drastically modified in order to ensure social distancing procedures are followed. Photo

by Rayne Welser

Story continued on page 18

Feature • eLearning 17

new year, new system How do you like the formatting for the new 20202021 school year online?

How did you like the online formatting for the last quarter of the 2019-2020 school year?

I liked it.

15%

I loved it!

I didn’t really have an opinion.

17%

I didn’t really enjoy it.

13%

45%

23%

I don’t really enjoy it.

10% I love it!

I did not like it at all.

The formatting for the 2020-2021 school year has a few notable changes when compared to the version of online school completed from April to June. During the last school year, class meetings were being held on Zoom, a video chatting platform, and were considered optional for students. Attendance was taken based upon whether or not MSD students had signed into Clever each day. Now, it’s a bit more complicated. MSD, along with the rest of Broward County Public Schools, switched their online class meetings over to the program Microsoft Teams, and these meetings are no longer optional. If a high school student is not present for the entirety of the 90-minute class, then they are marked with an unexcused absence for that period. Canvas, a learning management system, has remained the focal point of the county’s online functions for both students and teachers. MSD teachers and administrators created Canvas pages for individual classes, as well as several other groups, such as MSD Guidance, MSD Wellness Center and after school clubs. Online classes also came with a new bell schedule for the beginning of the year. Instead of the original time of 7:40 a.m., MSD classes began at 8:30 a.m. A survey of 682 MSD students showed that 89% enjoyed starting classes later in the morning. These extra 50 minutes gave students the chance to gain more sleep and time to complete assignments. “I love the later start time; it gives me so much more enthusiasm and happiness to start my day,” junior Isabela Ford said. In addition to the later start time, MSD also ended classes at 3:10 p.m., 30 minutes

I do not like it all.

39% I like it.

10%

10+23+103918

18%

I don’t really have an opinion.

Which version of online school did you like better?

55+45

22+17+131533

33%

22%

More MSD students prefer new online learning format to last year’s

Last year (2019-2020)

55%

This year (2020-2021)

later than the normal schedule. That lost time was made up by the shorter breaks in between classes and a shorter lunch. While in the normal face-to-face, pre-COVID-19 world, MSD had two different lunchtimes, A and B. There was only one lunch for all students during the first phase of online learning. In the student survey, 49% of students reported that they prefer this year’s online formatting to the previous. “I like the version we have now. It’s somewhat organized and easy to understand,” senior Gabriel Montes said. “A lot of my teachers have a weekly schedule, and their Canvas pages aren’t enough for me to do my homework and get on with my day in a timely manner.”

to individual computer malfunctions to power outages due to inclement weather. At the beginning of the year, the school installed a hotline for students to contact MSD technology specialists in order to assist students however they can. Out of the 10% of students that have indeed utilized this resource, 8% say it was helpful in one way or another. Along with issues with devices, Teams has presented its own set of complications, with 69% of students experiencing problems with the platform. Students have had to endure difficulties such as getting kicked out from their classes, not being able to log-in, microphone and camera malfunctions and several other issues. “I have technical difficulties almost every day with Teams,” senior Marla Eveillard said. “There are days where my mic won’t work and other days where the There are a few differences between the newly implemented Microsoft Teams application starts to glitch out and kicks me out of the class. When I try to go back and the previously used platform Zoom. Teams is accessed through each student’s in, it just says try it again in a few minutes, BCPS identification number and therefore but it never works, so I miss out on class for the remainder of the time. Because is more in sync with Canvas. Teachers of Teams, I miss out on a good chunk of have the ability to connect each class’s information from class.” meeting link to the class Canvas page. During the first quarter, Microsoft With the new switch from Zoom to began to introduce a new feature to the Teams, 66% of students say they enjoy using the latter. Canvas, being a constant platform called Breakout Rooms. This new addition allows teachers to divide tool for learning at MSD, has continued the class into individual groups which can to be beneficial and simple for 97% of be utilized for group work. However, as students as well. helpful as this feature may seem, 32% of “I enjoy Teams better than Zoom students do not enjoy using it. because it’s way easier to get on, and it’s “I do not enjoy using breakout rooms also more handy,” senior Isabella Sirker because in the few times that I did, my said. classmates did not really engage, and my However, there has been an increase teacher did not know how to work it,” in technological issues experienced at Eveillard said. MSD, with 87% of students reporting Teams is not the only perpetrator of problems ranging from connectivity issues

The Age of Technology

*Results from a poll of 685 MSD students

troubles for both students and teachers. On Sept. 27, Canvas and the Pinnacle gradebook simultaneously crashed, leaving Broward students and teachers unable to access either system. The double-resource issues interfered with 46% of students’ grades and classwork. For more information about this incident, read BCPS high school students experience complications with Canvas and Pinnacle on the Eagle Eye’s website, eagleeye.news.

Casting a (Blue) Light

For as long as technology has been around, there has always been a concern about how much screen time is too much. Now, with schools across the country engaging in online classes, this issue is more relevant than ever. When it comes to MSD, 88% of students spend between seven and ten hours on the computer each day. Students have reported experiencing both physical and mental issues due to being on the computer for long hours, ranging from strained eyes to sleep deprivation and a lack of motivation. “At greatest risk for developing [computer vision syndrome] are those persons who spend two or more continuous hours at a computer or using a digital screen device every day,” the American Optometric Association said in an article detailing the symptoms and causes of computer vision syndrome. According to the American Optometric Association, computer vision syndrome is caused by extensive use of computers, tablets, e-readers and mobile phone use. Basically, using anything with a screen can cause these vision-related

MSD implements new safety measures

Precautions in place

Media Center. If a student’s teacher is absent or there are more than 12 students in the class, students will be sent to the Media Center, which is serving as an overflow room. Hallways. Orange cones and arrows have been placed in the hallways to ensure one way socially distanced travel. Benches .Blue X’s on benches indicate areas were students are allowed to sit. Cafeteria. Lunch tables have been replaced with individual desks spaced 6 feet apart. Water Fountains. Water fountains have been covered to prevent use. Only refillable bottle

are allowed to be used. Photos courtesy of Melissa Falkowski Feature • eLearning 18stations

Media Center

Hallways

Design by Ava Steil and Travis Newbery

class oN A screen MSD students primarily use laptops to attend their online classes *Results from a poll of 685 MSD students

problems to occur. “I’m usually on the computer for around 11 hours everyday because of school and homework,” freshman Brandon Rednour said. “By the end of the day, sometimes earlier, my eyes end up being strained and they hurt. I also get really bad headaches a lot.” Sleeplessness can be attributed to the light given off from digital screens, known as blue light. This type of light comes from blue wavelengths, which are not necessarily harmful within themselves. However, at night, blue light seems to have the most negative effects. “I’m on the computer until at least 12:30 every night,” freshman Zara Dautruche said. “I go to bed so late and never sleep good. The weekends are my time to catch up on sleep and not be online all hours of the night.” During the day, blue light induces faster reaction times, an increase in mood and a boost in attention. It awakens the brain for the day at hand, which can be troublesome when occurring at night. A person’s circadian rhythm, their internal clock, is thrown out of whack when blue light is introduced at night. There are also physical consequences to long hours on the computer, which about 65% of students have experienced. “I usually spend around eight to nine hours on the computer because of online school and also while I do my homework,” sophomore Paola Romero said. “And it does affect me because sometimes I get a headache for being so much on the computer.” Sitting at a desk all day can be just as harmful as a poor diet. Back and headaches, joint pain, poor posture and

Benches

16%

83%

of students use a desktop

of students use a laptop

of students use a handheld device

47+25+28 34+23+43 90+10

28% Other Windows

47% MacBook

10%

34%

43%

iPhone

Apple

Other Windows

90%

25%

iPad

23%

Lenovo

Dell

irritated eyes are just some of the effects students have been experiencing. “I experience many issues due to being on my computer for numerous hours. After a while my back starts to bother me, so I’ll have to move to a different chair in my house,” senior Chloe Rogers said. “My head starts pounding from staring at a screen for so long and my eyes begin to hurt real bad as well. My neck gets real stiff because I don’t have amazing posture and it’s not like I can go lay in bed because that just makes your back hurt 10 times worse.”

Mind Over Matter

Mental health is more prevalent than ever, and especially at MSD. Students and teachers have been encouraged to share how they are feeling via social media campaigns, regardless of mental health stigmas. Social media has also become a platform for people to express their emotions and share their stories. Over the course of the countrywide quarantine in the spring, mental health seemed to become a major part of conversation amongst the nation. Now that school has begun again, those conversations have not stopped. “I definitely did enjoy the more conservations happening about mental health because I feel like mental health is still something many people don’t, or are afraid to talk about, so seeing it be talked about more was comforting,” junior Sarah Kathuria said. After the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting, MSD opened the Wellness Center in the hopes of catering to students’ and teachers’ emotional needs. They have since taken that resource and made it available to

Cafeteria

students through Canvas. During online school, 45% of students have noticed a change in their mental health, with 40% saying it has gotten worse over the school year. The three most common mental health challenges that MSD students struggle with are depression, anxiety and nervousness. “Once school started, it gave me stuff to do and made me feel productive. I also started my extracurricular activity again, dance,” Dautruche said. “I know that school is important, and I take it seriously, but I find myself doing school from the early morning to the mid-afternoon taking a few hours of break to go to dance, then getting back to the computer till 12:30 a.m. It makes me feel like school is my life, and it shouldn’t feel like that.”

Back to Class

reopen by Oct. 5. The school board held an emergency meeting on Thursday, Oct. 1. The school board members were resistant to allowing the state to dictate their opening date. During the meeting, district officials negotiated with state officials, leading to a compromise decision to reopen Broward County Public Schools in a phased reopening beginning on Friday, Oct. 9. Initially, about 535 students opted to returned to MSD to participate in their classes from campus. Although the students are in-person, all classes are still be held through Teams, and each student is responsible for bringing their own device each day. In order to accommodate students who rely on county bus transportation, all Broward County Public Schools reverted to their regular school day times. At MSD classes once again begin at 7:40 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m. with 8 minutes between each period. The A and B lunch schedule has also been reinstated based upon each student’s 3rd and 7th period teachers. On Oct. 9 self-contained special needs students returned to campus. Freshman returned on Oct. 13, and sophomores, juniors and seniors returned on Oct. 15. By Friday, Oct. 23, the number of students eLearning on campus dwindled to 320. Not all teachers have returned to campus either. Teachers with priority medical conditions have been allowed to continue instructing from home. BCPS hopes that eventually all students will be able to safely return to school campuses and will reevaluate the situation at the end of the first semester. Story by

As the end of first quarter neared, BCPS began to reevaluate the state of the county in the hopes of returning to some kind of in-person learning for the second quarter, originally planned to begin a phased reopening on October. 15. BCPS released a student survey at the end of September in order to get an understanding of how many students would be returning to in-person learning on campus, entitled Phase 2 of eLearning. Under mounting pressure from the Florida Department of Education, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Gov. Ron DeSantis, the district ultimately moved up its reopening. Corcoran sent a letter addressed to the Donna Korn, the Chair of School Board of Broward County, and Superintendent Ava Steil Runcie demanding that BCPS schools

Water Fountains

Feature • eLearning 19

Insensitive comments and microaggressions are an unfortunate aspect of America’s diverse society

It’s Not

Just a joke

“

a microaggression with friends, because of the relationship I have with them, [although] I would see it as disrespectful for a stranger to say a back-handed compliment to me.” There are three subcategories of microaggressions: microassault, microinsult and microinvalidation. Microassaults are verbal or nonverbal attacks inflicted on another person for the sole reason of being discriminatory. These assaults are the most aggressive form of microaggressions and most commonly consist of slurs. Microinsults are subtle remarks or actions that are condescending to a racial group, sexuality, ethnicity or gender. These are not always intentional and can stem from one’s implicit bias. Microinvalidation describes the negligence of a minority’s thoughts, feelings and reality. Statements such as, “I know we are both ‘American’ but where are you really from?” or assuming that a Muslim woman must be oppressed because she wears a hijab are deemed microinvalidations. “Once I was kicked out of my friend’s house because her dad didn’t like who I was and said, ‘I know what you are.’ I was respectful, however, and just apologized because I didn’t know what else to do. This was before I even came out and only a few friends knew about my sexuality,” senior Brandon Dietrich Brandon Dietrich, 12 said. “I just don’t understand why people need to be Someone who lived a very sheltered involved in other people’s races, sexuality life in an area with a very homogeneous or religions if it doesn’t concern them. population would have a very different People should educate themselves and perspective on people of other races, understand other people’s cultures and ethnicities and sexual orientation their background and they shouldn’t talk than that of a person who lived in a for other people if they aren’t a part of diverse neighborhood with all kinds that subculture.” of people. This bias, along with the While microassaults occur when stereotypes society instills into our minds, are often the main contributors to someone is unapologetically being misunderstanding those who are different intolerant, microinvalidations tend to be more common as an underlying form of from us. “For me, I feel that being a black teen ignorance. “I don’t have a particular story with many white peers, I am always to tell, but I have faced situations [of questioned about my heritage. I have discrimination] in the past that were often heard comments such as ‘you act white’ turned into a joke, or [were] made out to or ‘you don’t sound Black,’ questioning be no big deal,” junior Molly Winkleman my culture that people who don’t know me will [expect,]” senior Jevaughn Morris said. “Growing up, I would get comments about my small eyes, asked if I eat dog said. “I feel that it is so normalized and hear people call out ‘ching chong’ because it allows minorities to fit in or something along those lines. At first, I their social groups by laughing at these would feel hurt and offended, but people types of jokes that are back-handed would make my feelings invalid, so after a compliments. I wouldn’t overreact over You’re the whitest Black person I know.” “You don’t like me though, right?” “But why can’t you show your hair?” These are some of many sayings that are normalized in society when in reality they are ignorant and hurtful; they are considered microaggressions. The Oxford definition of a microaggression is “a statement, action or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority.” The term microaggression was coined in 1970 by Chester M. Pierce, a Black psychiatrist and Harvard Medical School professor, after he endured years of segregation and later subtle racism. Over the following decades, psychologists have continued to expand on Pierce’s ideas and began exploring the reasons humans engage in these aggressions. Microaggressions result from both our natural-born implicit bias and generations of perpetuating inaccurate stereotypes. Implicit bias refers to the skewed perception of certain things, people or events due to our upbringing. As we grow up, everything that we see, hear or experience molds our view of the world and all it has to offer.

“

People should educate themselves and understand other people’s cultures and their background...

20 Feature • Microaggressions

”

while, I had to learn to ignore them.” Social settings are not the only places where microaggressions can ensue. Our implicit bias follows us everywhere, including professional and educational environments. In both the workplace and classroom, there are various laws and regulations in place to protect both employees and students from acts of discrimination, yet that does not mean that microaggressions still do not occur. “I have been put in the uncomfortable situation of having all heads turn towards me whenever there was the mention of terrorism or 9/11” senior Alishba Hashmi said. “No one would ever say anything, but [they] would assume I would know more on the topic because I am Muslim.” Particularly in school, the preconceived notions of teachers, administrators and other students have resulted in insensitive comments or actions. “I remember being in 5th grade when I had put on henna, which is a temporary tattoo significant to my culture, and being made fun of by the boys in my class. I ended up covering my hands with my sleeves because I was embarrassed,” senior Emaan Ali said. “I believe microaggressions are so normalized in such a diverse country because there are still stereotypes that are inflicted upon different racial groups that lead people to make assumptions about someone’s culture or make fun of it without considering its significance.” In 2017, New York University professor and sociologist Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng conducted a study measuring implicit bias in schools. Cherng observed classrooms and discovered that the math teachers at that school “perceive their classes to be too difficult for Latino and Black students, and [the] English teachers perceive their classes to be too difficult for all nonwhite students.” The study also reveals the direct correlation between teachers’ faith in their students and the students’ success. Assumptions based on race, sexuality or ethnicity do not only occur inside the classroom. The implicit bias of staff members outside of the hallways such as administrators and security guards can also take a toll on students. According to GLSEN, an organization formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Independent Teacher Network, 28.2% of LGBTQ+ students have been disciplined for brief public displays of affection that their straight counterparts often engage in. Situations similar to this have caused students to experience feelings of abnormality and inferiority, which can directly impact their mental health. Constant exposure to microaggressions is reported to have detrimental effects on the well-being and self-esteem of

minority students. These statements play a huge role in the operation of one’s psychological health and reasoning, impacting their behavior. Feelings of inferiority and the pressures of breaking stereotypes are common challenges that victims of microaggressions experience. “Being a person of color in a predominantly white school has always made me feel different,” junior Sophia Millet said. “I always felt like an outsider compared to my white friends, and I used to do everything I could to deny myself of my culture. I stopped speaking the language [and] started acting and dressing like my friends did because I felt that the way I am was not enough. Ever since I was a kid, people always made racist assumptions about me and it always made me so upset. A lot of people would use microaggressions and think that what they were saying was okay and not offensive, when in reality it’s not okay to say to someone.” Since America is made up of an extremely diverse population, our differences tend to be at the forefront of our lives and often can lead to insensitive inquiries or comments. “I think microaggressions are so prominent even in such a culturally diverse society because we still live in a world where certain attributes have a stigma around it,” Ali said. “People tend to depend on the stereotype that society has made of unfamiliar groups of people to make themselves feel a bit more familiar with the situation; even though that may not always be the case.” On the national level, campaigns such as “I too am Harvard” and films such as “Dear White People” have been developed in order to raise awareness regarding microaggressions and educate people about what might be considered a microaggression and how it impacts others. “I feel like microaggressions have become so normalized because they aren’t seen as direct attacks to a person, more as a ‘funny’ offensive joke,” senior Fabian Cazorla said. According to a survey of 412 MSD students, 74% of students who engaged in a microaggressions were not aware of the impact or consequences of their action or statement. “I think many times people don’t mean to be stereotypical, but the way a question is posed can alter the way it is interpreted,” Winkleman said. “It is important to think about what you are saying before you say it because it is so easy for a sentence to be misconstrued and taken the wrong way. Microaggressions have affected my life the most because well-intentioned people often make ignorant comments.” Story by

Ashley Ferrer

Design by Ashley Ferrer

56%

of MSD students have experienced at least one incident of microaggressions *Results from a poll of 412 MSD students

Stepping in Learn how to combat microaggressions Re-direct or Reframe

Preference Statements

Inquiring and Strategic Questioning

Redirecting shifts the Utilizing this strategy aids conversation to another in separating yourself as person or topic from the an individual when being inappropriate topic. “Speaking stereotyped with those in the of that...” Reframing improves the attitude of same demographic. “That’s not all we eat. I an encounter. “Yes I am bilingual, it is really actually prefer Italian food over tacos...” beneficial for jobs.”

Changing behaviors How to be an ally to marginalized groups

Inquiring about someone’s beliefs through strategic questioning and introducing them to different views, allows room for a discussion and an opportunity to educate them. “But think about it this way...”

Paraphrasing Also known as the restating method, this allows the speaker to hear what they said out loud and perhaps realize the issue within it. “So what you’re saying is that you think all Asians know each other?”

Listen to the stories and concerns of others

Familiarize yourself with the oppression and culture of other demographics.

Examine and reflect on your own unconscious and implicit biases.

Educate your friends and loved ones about microaggressions, how to recognize them and their impact on others.

Invalidate the feelings and thoughts of others.

Assume or engage in stereotypes of particular groups of people.

Mock accents or the culture of other races or ethnicities.

Ignore the struggles of other demographics or disregard actions/phrases that make them uncomfortable.

LEARN MORE Visit these resources for more information about microaggressions

Microaggressions.com American Psychological Association Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement

“Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender and Sexuality” By Derald Wing Sue

Feature • Microaggressions 21

TikTok continues to set new trends as one of today’s most influential social media platforms

ou’re at a social gathering with a group of people you know nothing about. Just when you thought it could not get worse; it does. Suddenly, someone walks up to you. You scramble to decide whether you want to prepare for this social interaction or pretend you did not see the other party and continue mindlessly scrolling through your cell phone. As they approach you, they ask for your name and introduce themselves. After the basic exchange of small talk, the room goes quiet and in fear of further awkwardness, you pop the question, “So, do you watch TikTok?” A statement that has proven itself as a successful ice breaker that could reveal one’s favorite pastime. Trending TikTok content includes made-up dances, innovative makeup looks and interactive singing and acting challenges. These new trends make the app more entertaining to the users. “My favorite TikTok trends are definitely POV TikToks,” sophomore Grace Cavaretta said. “They are so entertaining to watch, and I feel like I am watching a show on Netflix.” Some dance videos include dances to popular songs that are now deemed associated with TikTok. For example, songs like “Savage Love” by Jason Derulo, “Because of You” by Ne-Yo and “Like That” by Doja Cat have recently gained a lot of attention via TikTok dances. People discover these songs through dance challenges created or recreated by the top TikTok influencers, such as Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae and other popular creators.

#Trending

“I have a lot of respect for Charli D’Amelio and her dance skills. Not only is she a positive influencer, but she is definitely one of the best dancers on this app,” freshman Ashley LoFurno said. “Whenever I want to learn a dance, I always look at her account to learn them.” Famous TikTok stars inspire young viewers, especially those who are considered to have the “hype.” When a TikTok creator has the hype, they are continuously featured on the “For You Page,” which is where all the most popular videos appear. At first, D’Amelio had the hype, but now many people would consider Sienna Gomez to have the hype because her videos have recently blown up. Gomez advocates the importance of being authentic and having confidence in oneself. She reminds people that posing, angles and lighting affect the way people look, and is not afraid to show her true body. “I think Sienna has a great influence on people who are more insecure about their bodies,” junior Gianna Squiccirini said. “There are so many girls on TikTok who resemble the ideal body type. I’m so glad there is finally an influencer who likes to show off her real body that isn’t ‘posed,’ as people do on Instagram or any other social media platform.” New dances are always an up and coming trend and primarily gain attention once recreated by members of content houses. Content houses describe groups of young influencers who create content for TikTok while living in a mansion together. TikTok users tend

to discover new and rising influencers by exploring members within different content houses. The most popular ones include the “Hype House,” “Sway House” and “Clubhouse.” “Not A Content House,” includes influencers Madi Monroe, Lauren Kettering, Ava Tortorici, Cynthia Parker and Devyn Winkler. They entertain their viewers by constantly uploading dance content videos together. The eight influencers from “The House Nobody Asked For” post comedic content where they make light of the other content houses. Unlike many others, this house is diverse, with content creators of different genders, races and ethnicities. “I really like ‘The House Nobody Asked For.’ I am happy with the diversity, and I’m glad it’s not a problematic house,” junior Giselle Hansen said.“I think the purpose of it is a little dumb, but in all they’re a good house.” In addition to prominent new dances, there have also been a couple trending new makeup challenges, including the “10 Seconds vs. 2 Hours of Makeup” challenge. In this trend, a TikTok user quickly applies makeup to their face in about 10 seconds, but then the video transitions to the same look, but after spending hours on their makeup. This trend is recorded to a cover of the song “Girl Put Your Records On” by TikTok user Ritt Momney. One singing trend that has recently become popular is “Popcorn Duets,” which show two users singing every other lyric or syllable in a song. This is a

difficult challenge that allows people on TikTok to test their musical abilities. The first TikTok user to start Popcorn Duets was the TikTok user “stupidsri,” who sang “Halo” by Beyonce. An acting trend that has been popular for a while now on TikTok are Point Of View challenges. POVs allow people to play any role from any viewpoint, including dramatic and comedic roles, to entertain their viewers. Recently, TikTok users have been seeing a lot of these types of videos on “Draco TikTok.” Draco Malfoy is a character in the Harry Potter series played by actor Tom Felton, and is a fictional individual that users have recently become obsessed with. People create videos where they edit themselves talking to Draco, as if they were in the Harry Potter series themselves. “I remember taking the Pottermore quiz because my friends wanted to know my house, but I never really got into it so I didn’t really know what that meant. However, getting on Harry Potter TikTok changed that very fast,” junior Camila Fraser said. “I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but all I know is that one second I couldn’t care less about it, and now I’m in the middle of watching all the movies and surfing the web to see where I can find a Slytherin robe.” TikTok is a favored creative outlet that singlehandedly creates and houses trends that make their way across all social media platforms, allowing users to be more experimental with their content. Story by Isabel White; photo illustration by Hannah Kang

Infographic by Julia Landy

Manifestation Key Words

Create the mindset that you already have what you are aiming for, which is believed to allow manifestation to come at an easier rate, versus only wishful thinking. Begin using “I have” and “I am” in your manifestation process instead of “I want” or “I need.”

Patience

Patience is key. Look out for signs that your desires will eventually come into view. Signs may include: noticing more of what is wanted, a sense of ease, one’s dreams and many other things. Experts of manifestation reassure that it will not happen overnight, but over a period of time.

428 Hertz music 369 method

Listen to songs that have a 428 hertz frequency to help your wishes come true by filling your life with good vibes and preparing the universe to fufill your desires. There are several playlists across platforms like Spotify for this specific reason.

Methods quantum jumping & Tips Gather two cups,

Think of the desired subject and create an affirmation for it. Write the affirmation three times in the morning, six times at some point during the day and nine times right before going to sleep. Repeat for a total of 33 days.

for “angel numbers,” such as 1111, 333 and 777, which Angel Numbers Look are considered signs to keep an eye out for hinting that your

888

22 Feature • TikTok Trends

manifestation is coming.

two sticky notes and a pen. Write OLD your current situation on one sticky note and your desired outcome on the second. Stick each note to a cup, then fill the cup that has your current situation with water. Pour the water from the first cup into the one with your desired outcome. Drink the water from the second cup and wait for your manifestation.

369 Communication

If you want to get into communication with another person, write the person’s name three times, the intentions six times & what the desired person would say nine times.

Design by Ava Steil

Ask and you shall receive

magine directing all of your energy on a specific intent and bringing out your very own desired outcome. Whether it is a job, goal or person, engaging in simple activities for a few minutes a day can attract anything you wish. The act of manifestation redefines the phrase of “wishing things into existence.” Manifestation has recently become a popular trend used to claim a future reality, whether it is love, fortune, good grades or anything one desires. It is considered a spiritual practice and connected to the law of attraction, which is the belief that thoughts and energy have the power to shape reality. Manifestation has risen in popularity, often trending on social media platforms. “I see manifestation videos almost every day on TikTok,” freshman Katelyn Campanella said. “I see many manifestation videos of people wanting One Direction to get back together.” These trends have been swarming the TikTok platform under several hashtags, including #manifestation, #lawofattraction and #spiritually. These videos include tips and tricks for users to follow in an attempt to manifest their reality, along with hints to whether or not their desires are becoming a reality.

“Usually the videos consist of people doing tutorials on how they manifest or videos of them doing something like studying [with] the caption ‘manifesting an A,’” senior Natanya Resnikoff said. There are several manifestation techniques used throughout TikTok, many of which include affirmations, which are written or spoken statements that put desires into the universe. Creating these affirmations is typically just the beginning of the process. “I think when you are putting positive affirmations out you’re only gonna get positive affirmations back,” senior Hailey Jacobsen said. “I kind of believe in the rule of threes, which is whatever you put out into the universe will come back to you three-fold. So you think I am going to do this or I already have done this. I think this is a really good thing because it usually ends up happening; it’s great motivation and has pretty great effects.” Manifestation is all about the energy that is coming from the source; positive vibes and the belief that one deserves great things, as well as keeping up with the process through activities like yoga, podcasting, meditation or anything that creates a sense of happiness and relaxation. “I have tried manifesting before,

sometimes I try manifesting getting a good grade on a test,” freshman Samantha Citron said. “It has worked before, but I think it’s because of hard work.” People sometimes think that manifestation is a way of getting what they desire to easily appear “in front” of them, but science says otherwise. Some would classify the use of manifestation as pseudoscience. “It doesn’t make sense that just thinking something will happen, will just instantly occur,” junior Hayli Siegel said. However, there is some research about the way that one’s mindset can affect their ability to achieve their goals. According to a Dec. 27, 2018 article published by Psychology Today, “Believing you can do something makes it more likely that you’ll successfully do it. That means that our beliefs about our ability to learn, grow, and succeed— our growth mindset—can indeed affect whether we effectively manifest what we desire.”

Manifestation trends on TikTok

This research suggests that thinking about one’s goal can both consciously and unconsciously influence an individual’s actions. It’s the action part that psychologists would say ultimately determines whether or not a person’s desires are manifested. The research also shows that there is bias involved in manifestation. If someone is already feeling bad, they tend to interpret situations negatively; however, if someone has a positive outlook they will pay more attention to the steps in which they have succeeded. Story by Delaney Walker; photo illustration by Melodie Vo

Feature • TikTok Trends 23

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Ma(s)king a difference S Senior Gabriela Montes establishes new Florida chapter of Ma(s)king A Difference; donates masks to locals in need

tanding by while her local hospitals and community members experienced a scarcity of masks was not an option for one senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Eager to provide aid for her community, Gabriela Montes took the opportunity to open a Florida chapter of Ma(s)king a Difference, primarily based in Broward County. Ma(s)king a Difference is a studentrun organization with the purpose of continuously making masks and donating them to local areas in need, such as hospitals, homeless shelters and nursing homes. Montes was asked to start a chapter by Nitya Nevisetti, the founder of Ma(s)king a Difference. Nevisetti noticed Montes’ involvement in Cards 4 Kindness, a worldwide organization that sends encouraging cards to those people in need, and decided to offer her a position with Ma(s)king a Difference. When Montes learned of everything the organization does for communities across the United States, she was more than willing to participate and join the cause. “Once she started taking me through the resources we had available and the extent to which she had been able to impact her own community, I thought it would be a great idea, and it took off from there,” Montes said. Nevisetti is very appreciative of all the hard work Montes has done in regards to Ma(s)king a Difference in Broward County, collecting thousands of masks in a matter of months. “She’s been doing amazing things in Florida, and it truly warms my heart to see all her hard work paying off,” Nevisetti said. Nevisetti oversees all of the chapters within the organization, schedules meetings, plans events and researches locations to donate to, along with several other tasks. It is very important to her that she creates a positive atmosphere with her team, ensuring that they are all comfortable and capable of working together. “I try to maintain the idea of community within my team as we constantly communicate and solve issues together,” Nevisetti said. Montes prioritizes finding volunteers and organizations to help collect masks to donate. She also runs a social media page with the help of graphic creators and seniors Navia Nair, Sydney Melvin and Sarah Mohammed. To help Montes effectively run the chapter, Ma(s)king a Difference has provided her with numerous resources such as volunteer forms and fundraising ideas. A number of fundraisers have been arranged by the Florida chapter in order to raise money for the organization, putting it towards buying personal protective equipment for essential workers. Within the past few months, the fundraisers have been held at Pasquale

Community Collection. Senior Gabriela Montes displays the number of masks and cards donated by the South Florida chapter of Ma(s)king a Difference. Montes founded the chapter. Portrait by

Fenthon Aristhomene

and Son’s Pizza Company and Cecilie’s Italian Ices in Coral Springs. Senior Preethika Praveen attended the fundraiser at Pasquale’s in order to support the cause, as well as Montes, her close friend. “I wanted to do what I can to help out because I believe it important for us to come together and help out those who have been working tirelessly to help our community during these difficult times,” Praveen said. Montes does not have a set goal for her service, but she just simply wants to help support the community in any way possible. “I know so many people want to donate but feel held back because of safety reasons or simply not knowing how they would go about it,” Montes said. “Through Ma(s)king a Difference, I’m able to facilitate donations for so many people while also posting about it and giving them credit, so everyone is able to see who is pitching in and where those donations are going.” The MSD Interact Club also contributed to Ma(s)king a Difference’s cause, donating 345 masks in a week. Montes reached out to the club’s president, Esperanca Woei, informing her of the organization and its goal. “When [Montes] became the Broward founder for Ma(s)king a Difference, she personally informed and asked me about it,” Woei said. “Knowing that I was the Interact president for two years now, she thought it would be a benefit for both of our clubs and our local communities.” The Interact Club participated in

“

s g in h t g in z a m a She’s been doing heart y m s m r a w ly u r t in Florida, and it . f f o g in y a p k r o w a(s)king A to see all her hard

another project in September for Ma(s)king a Difference, raising 890 masks for people in need. In the Florida under of M fo chapter alone, i, tt e is v a total of 5,105 Nitya Ne Difference masks have been given to local organizations with another realize how much impact this would 500 masks collected and prepared to be have on the community,” Montes said. delivered. After being donated, they were “Seeing how happy people are when we handed out to the Coral Springs Police bring in the boxes of masks is absolutely Department, pediatrician offices, dentists incredible.” and the Broward Health Hospital in Coral Anyone is able to donate and any Springs. current students at MSD who do so Montes is very proud of the work she are able to receive service hours in has done so far through the organization. exchange for the masks given. If anybody She is so grateful to have been given would like to donate or help out in any the chance to positively impact her way, the organization can be reached community during a time of immense @MaskingaDifferenceFL on Instagram uncertainty. or by texting or calling (954)-391-3954. “I feel pretty amazing because I didn’t Story by Noa Livni

”

Making a Mark

a(s)king a Difference is an international nonprofit organization with chapters in: California, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Taiwan, India and Thailand. Nitya Nevisetti, the founder of the organization and a senior at Cupertino High School in Cupertino, California, officially began Ma(s)king a Difference on May 4. Nevisetti was inspired to start the organization when her mom told her about a cause she donated to in India, where they collect masks and donate to

hospitals and to those who are unable to afford it. She was disheartened by the lack of effort and opportunity within her hometown and therefore became eager to unite the people. Nevisetti became determined to start an organization with a similar concept that is primarily focused on her community. Gradually, Ma(s)king a Difference grew as people began to contact Nevisetti, yearning to partake in the cause within their own communities. As of now, the organization has donated over 7,000 masks and raised more than $4,000 in 5 months. Story by Noa Livni

Feature • Gabriela Montes 25

Design by Travis Newbery

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? Students and teachers are safer learning at home

teachers, but also any other school workers they have to interact with. This puts the families of students and every school employee at a higher risk of infection. Additionally, many MSD teachers are older, and therefore more likely to be immunocompromised, so having students back on campus puts them directly in a hazardous situation. Something I think people do not realize is that the social aspect of physical school right now cannot be anything like previous years. The requirements of social distancing at all times does not allow for a fun and real social experience. As clunky as online school and online communication as a whole are, they ultimately make a better social experience than being masked and physically apart from your friends all the time. Besides, with texting, FaceTiming and social media use being a staple in the teen lifestyle, it is a natural choice to stay online, rather than participate in this new normal of pseudo-physical socialization. Think of what a socially-distanced school means: no sitting with your friends at lunch, no group work, no class discussions or fun activities in class. Students are not even allowed to get out of their seats during class. All social interaction, whether it be with friends or even teachers, is not entirely out the

window, but it is going to be extremely fractured and incomplete. If you take a look at the numbers, it is hard to justify the existence of physical school right now. About 530 students initially signed up to go back to school, and that figure has been rapidly declining as many realized the experience they had been hoping for is simply not available right now. In every one of my classes, there have been no more than two or three students in-person, with a couple of classes being completely empty because the students that elected to go back changed their minds. The bottom line for me: why would I go back to school for it to be on the same

the staff and students by making sure that these guidelines are being strictly enforced and followed. I have felt comfortable being on campus this past week. There are arrows on the ground fter several months of school telling students which way to walk, as board meetings and surveys, well as directional stairs, and masks the Broward County Public are required at all times. Teachers are School Board has ultimately even leaving wipes at the front of their decided that they would be opening classrooms for students to grab when schools again for on-campus learning. they walk in, so we can wipe down our However, with COVID-19 still being a desks and chairs before we sit. Near the concern, Marjory Stoneman Douglas wipes, they have hand sanitizer available High School opened with the necessary precautions in place to ensure the safety for anyone to use when needed. The main reason why I went of both students and staff. back to school was for the classroom The school board decision to open environment. Personally, while at school campuses did not occur without careful planning and consideration. The home, I would tend to get distracted board waited until COVID-19 cases in the by my friends texting me, my family or even just little things around my room. county were below 5% for at least two Being in the classroom, I have fewer weeks and on a steady decline to make sure that the schools were ready and had distractions and a better sense of what everything that they needed to ensure a is going on during lessons. I also tend to safe return. As my parents and I listened feel more motivated to do work while at school because I do not have the option to the many school board meetings, I to just log off the meeting and not do was assured of my safety at school and the decision to go back to school became work. During my time doing online school more and more appealing. at home, I felt myself missing social The MSD administration is doing interaction and being able to talk about everything they can for the safety of

things going on at school. Mentally, I started feeling overwhelmed at times and other times I felt drained of motivation. According to edsource.org, school counselors and psychologists have been helping students virtually. They said that there were an additional 32% of students that said they have had more issues with mental health since school moved online. I also went back, not only for the social interactions, but because I wanted to be able to experience my first real day of high school. As a freshman at MSD, I wanted to embrace that excitement and experience, that jittery feeling of starting at a new school and trying to figure out my way around the huge campus. I did not want to miss out on what it would be like to be a freshman in high school. Yes, I still have to sit on my computer and do all of my work virtually, but I get to meet all my teachers faceto-face, get to know them in person and make friends. It was kind of hard at first trying to talk to new people, but I did end up meeting other students that I had multiple classes with. At lunch, we can either sit at a desk in the cafeteria (socially distanced of course) or in the courtyard at a picnic

fter nearly two months of online school, we finally have the option to return to inperson learning. That should be a good thing, right? Face-to-face instruction from teachers, hanging out with your friends and simply getting “back to normal.” What could be so bad about that? The short answer is that it is way too soon. The entire “back to real school” experience we have been craving since online school began is not lived up to, and it really cannot be entirely achieved until we can fully put COVID-19 behind us. For me, the biggest, most glaring issue regarding why I did not go back to campus is the fact that it is still eLearning. You are sitting on Microsoft Teams, watching the same class everyone else at home is watching, except you are in the room with your teacher. There are no papers passed out, there is no use of a projector or whiteboard, and there is definitely not any sort of teacherstudent interaction or assignments that resemble a real school year. It is quite literally online learning in a classroom setting, and I cannot fathom why any student would risk their life to do that. Students’ lives are not the only ones jeopardized here, though. With an “upand-running” school comes a higher amount of interaction that puts many more people at risk. Students are now in close proximity with not only their

Safety measures on campus make it suitable for learning

26 Editorials • Returning to School

Teams call everyone else is on while missing normal interaction with friends and classmates, and risking my life and the lives of those around me with a deadly virus in the process? It is not at all worth it to go back to school yet. Don’t get me wrong; I am not a fan of online school, and since March, I have come to do something I never thought I would do, which is to actually want a normal, whole school experience. But the fact of the matter is that the nature of high school cannot align with the version we have to have right now, and we should all just accept that until it is actually safe to get back to normal. Editorial by Travis

Newbery; illustration by Julia Landy

table. The picnic table benches have X’s on opposite ends, telling you where to sit. The benches around campus also have X’s and physical distancing signs on them telling you where you can and cannot sit. So it is not like you are eating lunch completely alone, you are still able to be socially distanced and sit with a friend. While at lunch, you are able to take off your mask, but only while actively eating or drinking something. If you are roaming around, buying lunch, throwing away trash or using the bathroom, it is required that you put your mask back on. In the past, lunch has been a time of social interaction and hanging out with friends; while this can still happen safely, administrators are taking their jobs seriously and making sure students are following all of CDC guidelines and school policies. I have seen first-hand just how active the school is in making sure we stay safe while learning. By following the rules and guidelines that the school board has put in place, and also taking some responsibility for our own safety, the risk of going to school is greatly minimized.

Editorial by Rayne Welser

Design by Madison Lenard

BE The Celebrities must use their power to address issues that impact society

Voice Of Change

the Black community, an event that served as the catalyst for the current conversation around celebrity influence. As a result of this silent protest, American citizens began to reevaluate the treatment n the age where social justice issues dominate global media, it is becoming of Black Americans in this country with many being inspired to follow in his increasingly difficult to evade footsteps. matters of contention, especially for In 2020, athletes and activists alike celebrities. From Black Lives Matter to continue to carry Kaepernick’s message the #MeToo movement, a wide variety despite his original protest taking place of celebrities have utilized their public four years ago. According to a 2019 poll platform to propagate a meaningful conducted by Cambridge University, message. These prominent figures undoubtedly Kaepernick is responsible for inspiring nearly one-third of Black Americans to have a strong influence on the general public’s opinion, and their voices heavily donate to a political cause, protest or impact younger generations. While some boycott the NFL. In the same study, it was made apparent that Kaepernick influenced celebrities remain apprehensive about sharing their opinions in fear of backlash, more than half of Black Americans to vote in a local or national election. many are beginning to realize that by These statistics make it abundantly expressing their beliefs and advocating for change, they could potentially change clear that celebrities have a power like no other. If one man can influence a large society for the better. portion of a community, imagine if every For example in 2016, San Francisco 49ers quarterback and civil rights activist celebrity voiced their opinions on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram. Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for However, Kaepernick is not the the national anthem in protest of the atrocities America has committed against only celebrity using their influence for

good. Socialite and businesswoman Kim Kardashian West has been advocating for prison reform over the past two years. During this time, Kardashian West, with the help of others, successfully lobbied President Donald Trump to pass the First Step Act, a bipartisan bill that attempts to reduce the probability of inmates repeating an offense through sentence reduction and other tactics. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the First Step Act has reduced the sentence of roughly 1,700 people convicted of cocaine offenses. Kardashian West’s persistence and success is a testament to the notion that celebrities are incredibly influential. Regardless of how the public views her, she was able to achieve one of her goals for prison reform and sway a major political figure into promoting change within our criminal justice system. While many believe that celebrities have no business in politics, given our nation’s current social climate, it is a near impossibility for these figures to separate themselves from the political landscape surrounding them. Regardless of your

status or political affiliation, these issues must be addressed and when celebrities acknowledge the world around them, it initiates conversation. As anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu once said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” The power of a celebrity holds a unique weight in modern society, and celebrities ought to use this power to advocate for social causes that are affecting the world around them. These individuals arguably have the same amount of, if not more, influence over the general public than politicians. Therefore, why should they remain silent on such important issues? This country must change, and celebrities have the power to help it do so. By confronting the problems at hand and informing their audience, celebrities are able to not just spark thoughts in the minds of everyday Americans, but they are also able to spark the beginnings of a cultural movement towards justice.

Editorial by the Eagle Eye Editorial Board; illustration by Brianna Jesionowski

Celebrities in Action Celebrities advocate for change in society Following the murder of George Floyd, actress and singer Selena Gomez allowed various Black activists to take over her Instagram account to educate the public on issues that affect the Black community. Photo

courtesy of Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp/TNS

Actor Chris Evans recently launched a website called “A Starting Point,” which serves as an educational platform that informs the public of the political climate of the country through unbiased media.

Photo courtesy of John Lamparski/Getty Images/TNS

Rapper and television personality Cardi B has been vocal about politics over the past four years. She has condemned the actions of the Trump Administration, and has collaborated with Sen. Bernie Sanders to educate the public about his policies. Photo courtesy of Steven

Ferdman/Getty Images/TNS

YouTube personality David Dobrik recently collaborated with Tesla and HeadCount. org to push his audience to register to vote. In doing so, Dobrik is now responsible for 120,000 of the newly registered voters. Photo courtesy of Rodin

Eckenroth/Getty Images/TNS

Editorials • Celebrity Influence 27

Rules Game Of The

MSD goes under phase 3 for fall sports

MSD fall sports seasons adjusted according to Phase 3 of BCAA’s plan

to identify abnormalities in their health, which mainly apply to symptoms of COVID-19. To kick off the football season, coaches nder normal circumstances, fall George LePorte, Quinton Short and Matthew Wargo have followed through sports at Marjory Stoneman with the BCAA’s Phase 1 and 2 procedures. Douglas High School run The MSD team began voluntary under set schedules from conditioning on Sept. 22 and separated the beginning of the school year until November. However, this year MSD sports their team into different pods depending have not been able to progress in the way on each student athlete’s circumstances and availability. that they are used to, due to COVID-19. “We always work out in some form of During this fall season, all staff pods–by position, offense, defense, etc.– members and student athletes are but it’s definitely harder with the smaller required to take extra precautions groups. The hardest part is just how long to prevent sports participants from it takes to get all 100 plus players through contracting COVID-19 at events. The the workouts at a decent time,” LePorte Broward County Athletic Association has said. “Most of the pods are separated by established guidelines to be followed by Broward County Public Schools including position group still, with the exception of a few sets of brothers and some players three sets of phases to maintain social who need to go earlier or later due to the distance protocols. fact that they work. I think this is the Phase 1 and 2 mainly consisted of best way to condition for now, because outdoor conditioning without the use of equipment provided by the school, as well we want to limit the amount of contact between players, coaches and managers. as the prohibition of sport-specific drills. Our coaching staff is very aware of the These two phases covered the dates of Sept. 21 to Oct. 9. The final phase, Phase 3, guidelines, and take them very seriously.” Before the start of in-person practices, began on Oct. 12 and consists of the start many coaches kept in touch with their of regular sports practice. players through the use of Zoom. During Throughout each phase, students’ these sessions LePorte went over the heartbeat, blood pressure, vision, etc. playbook to make sure his players are have been and continue to be monitored

28 Sports • State of School Sports

mentally prepared for the fall season. “It’s been hard this offseason. I’ve been coaching since 2006, and this is the longest I’ve gone without seeing my players. We met consistently at the beginning of the summer through Zoom,” LePorte said. “I hate that I can’t be with the whole team yet, but if we need to start this way to keep the players safe, then that’s what we’ll do.” COVID-19 has heavily impacted the football team and their ability to practice and train to their full potential. Usually, the team is able to train with weights between each season, but over the summer, the MSD athletes were unable to go attend sessions in the weight room. “There are a few differences between what we usually do and what we’re doing now,” LePorte said. “We usually work out in larger groups–offense and defense, or skill positions and linemen. The workouts we’re doing now usually start in June, and last until August. Now we will only condition for three weeks before practice starts. Not being able to be in the weight room all summer hurts us a lot. I think the possibility for success is still there, especially because most of the players were doing workouts at home throughout the season.” The varsity football team is set to have their first game against Coral Springs High School on Oct. 29. This game will help

determine the future of their season. In comparison to the steps the football team is taking, both the mens’ and womens’ golf season will proceed a little differently. “Golfers have their own equipment and most of the girls play in local events and practice on their own, so our conditioning has not been as affected as other sports. At the moment, we have not had any official practices,” Coach Devin Schaller said. However, the golf teams will now be playing during the spring rather than the fall season. The men’s and women’s cross country teams do not require any type of equipment for their practices, nor is it necessary for them to be on-campus either. Therefore, they are conditioning daily at Pine Trails Park to avoid any collision with other sports teams at dropoff, check-in or pick-up. Similarly to football, runners condition in pods of 10 or less where social-distancing is maintained. When these conditioning practices are held, it is mandated that coaches wear masks at all times. Meanwhile, the athletes are required to wear masks unless they are running or exercising. “We tend to split into training groups based on ability anyway, so spilling into

Design by Julia Landy What’s the Catch? Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School football team’s receiver group and quarterbacks run passing drills after school on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The team began voluntary conditioning on Sept. 21, and their first game is on Oct. 29 at Coral Springs High School. Photo by Ava Steil

Safety Requirements

For conducting fall Sports Practice Facial Coverings

Student athletes must wear face coverings whenever not actively participating in workout sessions/practices

Physical Distancing

6ft

Student athletes must follow the physical distancing guidelines when possible during practice

Record of Symptoms

Coaches must maintain a daily record of athletes that are participating and check for any potential COVID-19 symptoms

Pod Practice The use of pods (small groups) are recommended for both indoor and outdoor practice

BYO Equipment Student athletes must bring their own water, athletic shoes, towels and any other personal equipment to practice

Frequent disinfecting Coaches and athletic leaders must maintain frequent, effective cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces in accordance with CDC guidelines

pods has not affected our ability to train that much,” Coach Bob Oelschlager said. “The staggered pod times actually give the coaches the ability to pay more attention to each individual. And until in-person classes start, we get better workouts running in the evening because it’s cooler.” Throughout the conditioning process, the athletes emphasize the stretching process. A set of several running exercises are practiced as well. “We run various distances at various paces to improve cardiovascular fitness. One long run a week. One progressive run, starting easily and gradually picking up the pace,” Oelschlager said. “One temp repeat workout, 6 to 8 minutes ‘too fast to talk’ with 2 to 3 minutes recovery in between. Easy recovery runs with some 20 second speed bursts thrown.” In contrast to the cross country teams’ season remaining in the fall, the men’s and women’s swim teams will now have a winter season, set to start in January, instead of a fall season. Even though the MSD teams will begin at a later time, most other high school swim teams in Florida will be competing during the fall season. The swimmers’ times will be recorded and compared to one another after all the teams in Broward County have completed their season.

The women’s volleyball team began conditioning on Oct. 19, and will continue to do so up until their first game on Oct. 27, at home against Cooper City High School. The team is following Phase 3 regulations set by the BCAA. “For conditioning we will be practicing social distances, and possibly wearing masks as well,” left back Valentina Forbes (12) said. “We will start practicing at school sometime after next week when everyone is cleared. I think it will be more challenging than usual, but it would be worth it.” The only fall sports in session will be varsity and junior varsity football, women’s volleyball, bowling and men’s and women’s cross country. Other schools in the district have had COVID-19 cases linked to their student athletes. The district temporarily suspended Western High School’s JV football program and Cypress Bay High School cheerleading program after positive COVID-19 cases emerged. So far, the commencement of fall sports has not run into any issues at MSD. Continuing these trends will allow future MSD sports to occur during the 2020-2021 school year. For now, the school is taking baby steps into the world of sports during COVID-19. Story by Julianne

LoFurno and Sophia Squiccirini

Fall Sports Schedule Varsity Girls Volleyball Tuesday, Oct. 27 Thursday, Oct. 29 Monday, Nov. 2 Thursday, Nov. 5 Tuesday, Nov. 10 Monday, Nov. 16 Tuesday, Nov. 17 Thursday, Nov. 19 Tuesday, Dec. 1 Wednesday, Dec. 12

Cooper City C.S. Charter South Plantation Nova Flanagan Western Monarch Cypress Bay Pines Charter West Broward

Home Home Home Home Home Away Away Away Home Away

4:30 4:30 4:30 4:30 4:30 4:30 6:00 4:30 4:30 4:30

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

7:00 6:30 7:00 6:30

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

Varsity Football Thursday, Oct. 29 Facial Thursday, Nov. 5 Friday, Nov. 13 Friday, Nov. 20

Coral Springs Coverings Coral Glades Hallandale J.P. Taravella

Away Home Away Home

Junior Varsity Football Wednesday, Nov. 4 Tuesday, Nov. 10 Wednesday, Nov. 18

J.P. Taravella Coral Springs Deerfield

Home Away Home

6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

Cross Country & Bowling Schedules to be determined

Sports • State of School Sports 29