THE
VIEWPOINT
Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556
STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS
VOLUME 15 ISSUE 2 November 2020 | January 2021 Take a peek at pages 10 & 11 for articles concerning healthcare.
Index
01 Cover 02 Index 03 Briefs 04 Abortion in time 05 Abortion in time 06 Arctic Zodiacs 07 Psychology of Dahmer 08 Tongue Twisters 09 Study Apps
10 Comparing coverages 11 Comparing coverages 12 Censored learning 13 Censored learning 14 What’s going on in your head 15 What’s going on in your head 16 Insulin on the rise
The Viewpoint November | January 2020-2021 Volume 15, Issue 2 Managing Editors Lexi Jackson Sean Jones Blog Editor Ceci Alvarez Social Media Editor Jules Torrice Photography Editor Jules Torrice Briefs Editor CateLynn Aiman Adviser Trisha Strahl Staff Writers CateLynn Aiman, Ceci Alvarez, Destiny Fitzgerald, Jules Torrice, Lexi Jackson, Na’Syr Jackson, Sean Jones, and Taylor Cooper Front Cover Sean Jones
Editorial
Healthcare is one of those topics that seem to always be in the middle of U.S. politics. Differing opinions on how the country should handle it have been brought up time and time again. So we thought it would be fun to hear what our staff members have to say on the topic: -Junior Taylor Cooper said, “Having an autoimmune disease has really shown me how hard it is to access doctors and medicines. I would definitely change how hard it is to receive help. Making it more affordable or even having pop up shops. People who are less fortunate are more likely to be taken advantage of and not get the best treatment that they could. I would keep the technology that is involved. It makes locating the source much easier and more efficient. The technology involved has made it much safer.” - “Everybody should have access to a doctor and medicine. Medicine is way too pricey,” said Catelynn Aiman, junior. - Lexi Jackson, senior, said, “I think that everyone should receive free healthcare.” - “I would make healthcare and insurance more affordable. However, I would keep the quality,” said Senior Na’Syr Jackson. - Senior Jules Torrice said, “ I think everyone should have access to healthcare affordable or not. By this I mean the price of some healthcare places are too high for certain minorities and it isn’t fair to them. Everyone should be able to have access to the medicine/care they need so hopefully one day that’ll be made possible.” - “I would change the difficulty in getting healthcare and health insurance. It’s systemically more difficult for the middle-lower class to get good health insurance and to get covered, so most end up having to pay out of pocket and fall into debt. I would keep the quality and education of medical professionals in the U.S because I do believe the doctors here in the U.S are capable and talented, they also understand the struggles with healthcare for everyone and all have the goal of keeping people alive and healthy,” said CeCi Alvarez, senior.
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2014-2019 International Quill and Scroll First Place Articles 2014-2016 VHSL Championship First Place Award 2013, 2014, 2015 Free LanceStar Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold-Medalist Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556 The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by Staples. Letters and art to the editorial board are welcomed and should be submitted to room 503.
What’s new at the View Outdoor Activities by Lexi Jackson
As a result of virtual learning, students have not had a lot of opportunities to go outdoors. Being cooped up in your house on your computer is tiring and boring. A solution to those days being stuck inside is to go out on the weekends and explore the outdoors. One place close by that you could go to is Government Island. It’s a great place to hike for beginners. The trail is less than a mile long and half of it is covered by trees. There is also a beautiful creek with a very long bridge. However, I would bring a jacket and wear pants because it could get very cold in these winter months. Senior Lisa-Marie Bastian said, “I like that [Government Island] is close, so I can take my dog on a nice walk without having to drive too far.” Another hiking spot is Old Rag Mountain in Madison County. This is a very difficult place to hike and more time-consuming than Government Island. The trail is over nine miles. You should definitely bring a bag with water and food and wear hiking boots. But once you get to the top, you can see the wonderful scenery around you. It will be very rewarding once you finish your hike and the walking provides good exercise. Don’t forget about COVID guidelines while you hike. Wear a mask and stay at least six feet away from other hikers.
Illuminate Light Show by Jules Torrice
For the past two years, my family and I have gone to the Illuminate Light Show. For those who don’t know what the show is, it is Virginia’s biggest drive-thru light show that is synced to music. What you would see as you drive-thru includes singing snowmen, 50 foot trees made out of multiple different colors of lights, stars, different shapes and sizes of light figures, nutcrackers, singing Christmas trees, and Santa visuals. They open on November 13 and stay open until January 3, so it gives families plenty of time to sign up and buy their tickets which only cost $25 per car and more for larger vehicles. Each show tends to last 30 minutes, so bring snacks, your family, your car, your ticket, and enjoy the show.
Covid and Standardized Testing Changes by Sean Jones
Senior, Samantha Greer, eats a donut to numb the pain that is studying for the SAT.
The SAT for this school year looked quite different from any other year. With pandemic looming over the world right now, many businesses and places have had to adapt to meet the criteria that the states and federal government are setting out, and the SAT was no different. Mandatory masks, a 6-feet apart rule, and temperature checks were implemented to try and minimize the chance of anyone getting Covid. Studying for the SAT also looked a bit different this year. Mountain View still did a few study sessions for a limited amount of people, but for most people, their studying was done online. “The SAT itself wasn’t that bad,” said senior, Xavier Robinson. “People were spacing each other out due to the fear that Covid brought with it. We don’t want our families and friends catching it, let alone ourselves. Overall, the SAT isn’t something to fear.” The SATs weren’t the only major test that was affected; the ACTs changed how they were given. “I took one ACT before Covid and one ACT after Covid,” said senior, Victoria Simone. “When I took the ACT with the Covid restriction, it was a very different environment. I had to take the test in an auditorium rather than a classroom and it was much harder to find an available test.” And while some people thought the different procedures made the tests feel different, others saw it as business as usual. “I didn’t think the SAT changes were very different,” said senior, Christian Taylor. “It felt like a normal SAT for me.” While taking the SATs have changed, even colleges are changing the requirements for standardized testing. More and more colleges are allowing students to apply without standardized tests. “ I love the changes that were surrounding college and the SAT,” said senior, Tyler Shotwell. “It allowed me to get into [University of Mary Washington] without even taking an SAT.” briefsu november 2020 | january 2021u the viewpoint u 03
Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice: Pro Choice is the side that believes that everyone has the basic human right and ability to decide whether to go through with a pregnancy or choose to have an abortion. Pro Life is the side that opposes the termination of a pregnancy and believes the embryo/fetus should go full term. “ In my eyes, being pro-choice means that I believe women should rightfully be able to choose whether or not they are ready and/or able to become a mother for the first time, third time, or even seventh time; whether to become a mother not now but later, or never to become a mother at all,� Katarina Holmes, senior.
Changes to Abortion Over time Take a look into the history of abortion in various countries by Jules Torrice
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South Africa: On December 11, 1996, South Africa enacted the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act. This allowed women of any age or marital status access to abortion services only during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In some rare cases, access to abortion services were also done at the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The 1996 act was then replaced with a 1975 law that allowed access to abortion services by requiring a doctor’s approval for a abortion procedure which advanced the reproductive rights by South Africa’s first democratically elected parliament. The law is still in place today. Other parts of Africa do not offer abortion access, but others such as Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Tunisia do.
South Korea: In 1953, there was a blanket ban on abortions for women in Korea. Since then abortions have remained banned; however, illegal abortions take place in secret in clinics and hospitals. According to CNN Health, women who proceeded with abortions in South Korea could possibly face up to a year in prison and could possibly be fined up to two million won or $1,780 U.S. dollars. As for the doctors who helped terminate the pregnancies, they could possibly be jailed for up to two years. Because of this, almost 75 percent of women aged 15 to 40 considered the law as unfair, according to a survey released in 2020 by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Around 20 percent of these correspondents said they had an illegal abortions. However, on April 11, 2019, the South Korean Constitutional Court ruled that the abortion ban was unconstitutional. At the end of 2020 the South Korea’s 66-year abortion ban was lifted which was a major win for prochoice advocates.
Poland: From 1956 until 1993, abortion in Poland was widely accessible. The terminations were performed free of charge in public hospitals or could be obtained in private clinics with a relatively low fee. However, as of October 30, 2020, abortions are only legal in cases of rape and incest. This means that when a woman’s life is at risk, then can an abortion be performed . According to the Guardian, currently “Poland right wing government has the lead implications of a controversial court ruling to overthrow almost all abortions after it prompted the largest protest and stuff out of communism.” This is referring to the women’s protest or the legalization of abortions that have been happening in Poland since the beginning of November 2020.
Iceland: Abortion in Iceland has been legal for more medical than social reasons since May 22, 1975. However, the 1975 law did not allow abortions to be performed on request; they were only allowed in certain circumstances such as rape and it also depended on how far along the pregnancy way in trimesters. Iceland has even been considered the first country to legalize abortion which Mexico and parts of Russia have also been considered. According to Time News, “80 years ago, on Jan. 28 of 1935, Iceland’s ‘Law No. 38’ declared that the mother’s health and ‘domestic conditions’ may be taken into consideration when considering whether to permit doctors to perform an abortion.”
Virginia Abortion Law: There are various abortion laws and restrictions put into order in Virginia. According to Guttmacher Institute, as of September 1, 2020, in Virginia, the following restrictions were created: health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act can only cover abortion in cases of life endangerment such as rape or incest. For public employees, abortion is covered in cases of rape, incest, or fetal impairment. The parent of a minor, under the age of 18, must consent and be notified before an abortion is provided. And an abortion during the third trimester may be performed only if the patient’s life is at risk.
United States: In 1973, the case of Roe vs Wade had made its mark on women’s history. This is where the Supreme Court ruled in favor for many women to have access to safe and legal abortion as a constitutional right. Today, abortion is legal throughout the United States; however, there are restrictions and different accessibility that vary from state to state because of it still being a controversial issue. Some states in the U.S. that are trying to restrict abortion access include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Utah. States trying to protect abortion access in their state laws include Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. According to Guttmatcher Institute, between 2011 and 2017, abortions in the U.S. have changed drastically. The number of abortions fell by 19 percent over the one million abortions in 2011 to just over 800,000 abortions in 2017. In 2020, there are about 12 abortions per 1,000 women. feature u november 2020 | january 2021 u the viewpoint u
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What is your Winter Fur-sona Arctic animals have characteristics just like the zodiacs by CateLynn Aiman
All animals have an unique personality. These characteristics can correspond to the trait of the zodiac signs. Find out which one corresponds to yours.
Aries = Wolverine Strength, fearless
Taurus = Polar bear Quiet, hard working
Gemini = Lemming
Individualistic, defensive
Cancer = Ermine Aggressive, agile
Leo = Arctic Fox
Sly, cunning “I would be happy [being a fox] and I’m frankly upset that I am not a fox [in real life],” said Brandon Spaudling, freshman.
Virgo = Arctic Hare Shy, quick
Libra = Snow owl Smart, disciplined
Scorpio =
Arctic Wolf Loyalty, teamwork
Sagittarius = Reindeer
Stability, faithful “Stability and Faithfulness is something that requires work from a person, especially for me. It’s also something that I strive for in my life. But if you don’t work to keep both of those, then stability won’t exist and faithfulness is just gone because you don’t know if something is going to work out for you,” said Cassie Sturgill, senior.
Capricorn = Dall Sheep Charming, territorial
Aquarius = Sea otter Social, feisty
Pisces = Narwhal Unique, resilient
Google Creative Common
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DAHMER
Google Creative Common
Psychology of What makes a man kill or what leads an everyday child to grow up into a serial killer by CateLynn Aiman
After the incident, Dahmer started to drink to suppress his urges. He turned to alcohol to help him, but that would only get him so far. Dahmer grew into a young, strong, charismatic young man. He was able to bring many men back to his apartment where he raped and killed them. Only after one of his victims escaped alive was he caught. He stated that he had no remorse for what he did. Dahmer was later diagnosed with psychopathy and borderline personality disorder. Sarah Demmy, sociology teacher, said, “Dahmer did not have a conscience and was not able to regulate his emotions or decisions.” With these diagnoses, Dahmer was able to begin to get the help that he needed. Ultimately, however, Dahmer was murdered in prison. He was beaten to death. Dahmer left a big footprint that copycat killers tried to fill. His story has been shared so people can spot red flags and possible prevent tragedy from striking. Lenny Klepic, junior, said, “‘My Friend Dahmer’ was a very interesting movie. I really liked it.”
Google Creative Common
Jeffery Dahmer had psychological problems, starting in his childhood and advancing to adulthood. He did not have an easy childhood. His mother, Joyce Dahmer, suffered from severe depression and his father, Lionel Dahmer, was busy with his work as a doctor. The Dahmers moved a lot because of Lionel’s job. Dahmer had to compete with his brother, David Dahmer, for attention from his parents. According to A and E’s website, Dahmer has stated that his parents did love him and wants no blame on them for his issues. During school Dahmer admitted to always having his head in the clouds. According to Biographics, Dahmer spent about two thirds of his day fantasizing about hurting other people. Dahmer liked his animals, but in an unconventional way: he would abuse and kill them. His favorite toy was animal bones, because he liked the way they fit together. At age 16 Dahmer attempted his first murder. He saw a male jogger that he felt lust for, so he hid behind a bush to attack the jogger with a baseball bat. Dahmer was out strengthened by the jogger and was caught.
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Tongue twisters
Tricky tongue twisters to do with your friends by Taylor Cooper
Betty Botter bought some butter. But she said the butter’s bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will make batter better. So it was Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches, (3x)
Through three cheese trees, three free fleas flew. While these fleas flew, a freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze. That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze.
Nine nice nurses nursing nicely
Terry Teeter, a teeter-totter, taught her daughter Tara to teeter-totter, but Tara Tetter didn’t as Terry Tetter taught her to.
Luis Pagoada, junior student, knows tongue twisters in spanish and his favorite one is “Panca, plancho, con cuatro planchas con cuantas planchas, plancho, pancha.”
Junior student, Molly Shay, says her favorite tongue twister is “Red Leather, Yellow Leather.”
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Jordan Jackson, junior, thinks the easiest tongue twister is “I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice cream.”
N O
Stress-less studying
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Studying for your classes no longer has to be stressful by Taylor Cooper
Students are constantly staying up all night studying for quizzes and tests. According to Psychology Today, “Teens who are short on sleep are more likely to feel depressed and anxious.” These are some studying apps that will present an opportunity to learn more about a topic. They will make learning so much easier and less stressful for students. Students will no longer need to stay up late to study.
Quizlet Quizlet has many different types of studying methods. You can make flashcards and study like that but they also provide other options such as a matching one. They even give mini tests that you can take with the material you have learned. It is a great way to review when you are not home or just like to mix things up. Madison Rocca, junior, said “Quizlet helps me study by using the flashcard option to go over certain subjects” Senior student Reagan Smith says, “I like Quizlet because it helps me study for quizzes and tests.”
Evernote Evernote is an app that you can use as a digital file cabinet, as a note taking tool, and even as a task/project management tool. The app has a notebook feature that you can use to take your notes, you can even divide it up by subject. It also has a checklist, you can create a checklist of things you need to go over and cross them off as you go. These few features will keep you organized while studying.
Photomath Photomath is a great app to use when trying to solve math equations that you do not understand. You snap a picture of it, and it will explain each step of the problem and why you do it that way. It also has a calculator installed in the app in case you do not have one around. Photomath can also graph equations that show where the intercepts are and tell you what kind of graph it is: linear, quadratic or exponential. Junior student, Robert Jackson, says “It helps me understand the concept step by step.”
Students no longer need to stress as much when it comes to studying for their classes. There are many apps to help the workload that they are given. Each app has their own set up that works differently for every subject. Photomath, Evernote and Quizlet are just a few that are super beneficial, but there are many more if these few do not work for you. If you have any suggestions feel free to contact The Viewpoints social media, @mvtheviewpoint, for ideas. feature u november 2020 | january 2021 u the viewpoint u 09
Comparing Coverages Introduction
With the pandemic changing how people live this year, the U.S. healthcare system has been a big topic of discussion for politicians and citizens alike. Does it work? Should we change our system? If we were to change it, what country would we model it after? These are all questions that have been on the American people’s minds. But that brings up the question, how different is the American healthcare system compared to other’s found around the world. This article will point out some of the differences in some of the
We compare some of the different healthcare systems from around the globe by Sean Jones
U.S.
World Health Organization healthcare efficiency rating: 0.838 (37th worldwide) Compared to other countries we will discuss, the U.S. is very different in how it operates. Unlike other countries, the U.S. does not guarantee healthcare coverage for all its citizens. In fact, countries found around the globe. healthcare is usually given to people through the companies they work for and is handled through private insurances. This puts the U.S. in a unique position because it allows for people to be uninsured, in fact 8.5 percent of all Americans are uninsured, which roughly equates to around 28 million people. However the U.S, does have a public option for people, but unlike other countries, you aren’t immediately enrolled. This all sounds very complicated, but it’s easy to boil down; you either have private insurance, medicare, medicaid, or nothing. Some of the things covered by insurances in the U.S. are: ambulatory patient services (doctor visits) emergency services hospitalization maternity and newborn care mental health services and substance use disorder treatment prescription drugs rehabilitative services and devices laboratory services preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management pediatric services, including dental and vision care While definitely not the worst healthcare system in the world, it definitely holds its fair share of problems like surprise billing, it being tied to your company, and a relatively new and underdeveloped public option for people. However, it makes up for it by having flexible insurance for different people, promotes more competition and lower drug prices (for people insured, prices are still very high for World Health Organization healthcare people who can’t afford insurance). efficiency rating: 0.994 (1st worldwide) According to a study done by the World Health Organization, France has the most efficient healthcare system on the planet. Why is that? It has to do with how their country structured their healthcare system. Every citizen is enrolled in the public option automatically. This means that 100 percent of the population has health insurance and have these expenses covered: hospital care treatment in public or private rehabilitation or physiotherapy institutions outpatient care provided by general practitioners, specialists, dentists, physical therapists, and midwives all maternity care services, from the 12th week of pregnancy through six months after delivery newborn care and children’s preventive health care up to age 4 diagnostic services prescribed by doctors and carried out by laboratories and paramedical professionals prescription drugs medical appliances, including durable equipment such as wheelchairs and prostheses, that have been approved for reimbursement prescribed health care–related transportation and home care. immunizations, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screenings, as well as for preventive care for children and low-income populations. On top of that, 95 percent of people in France also can afford supplementary insurance or insurance for things not covered by the country. The public insurance isn’t free of course and you still have to pay $45 a month for it, but you can get financial aid for that if you qualify for it. Overall, it’s a simple system to follow and has a streamlined way of working. And while it isn’t perfect, it’s the country closest to being perfect according to the WHO. It’s cheap, fast, and covers a wide variety of common problems.
France
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Brazil
World Health Organization healthcare efficiency rating: 0.573 (125th worldwide) Brazil is the start of decline in the healthcare system for the countries we are talking about. While it covers a lot of services and has some of the most extensive coverages out of all the countries, Brazil doesn’t exactly have the resources to handle it’s healthcare system. But, we’ll get to that soon, right now, let’s look at what Brazil’s healthcare system covers: preventive services, including immunizations primary health care outpatient specialty care hospital care maternity care mental health services pharmaceuticals physical therapy dental care optometry and other vision care durable medical equipment, including wheelchairs hearing aids home care organ transplant oncology services renal dialysis blood therapy. These are all covered free of charge for citizens. This sounds great on paper and in fact, Brazil is a pioneer for pharmaceutical coverage as the first middle-income country to offer free HIV/AIDS treatment. But in that last sentence lies the problem with it’s healthcare: Brazil is a middle-income country. In truth, the country cannot afford the revolutionary healthcare system it is offering, especially since it is free of charge. But they also can’t change how it works because only 23 percent of the population can afford private healthcare. This means that 77 percent of the country relies on this free of charge health insurance that the country offers. It is an unfortunate situation to be in, but it is a noble cause they are fighting for.
China
World Health Organization healthcare efficiency rating: 0.485 (144th worldwide) China has the lowest efficiency rating out of all the countries in this article. This due to what China actually covers. Just like Australia, France, and Brazil, every citizen is able to get some form of healthcare; however, the coverage China does offer is very minimal at best. Here is what China covers: inpatient hospital care (selected provinces and cities) primary and specialist care prescription drugs mental health care physical therapy emergency care traditional Chinese medicine. There are some dental plans offered, but those are usually paid out of pocket, and immunizations are covered by a central government based healthcare. The biggest problem with China’s healthcare system is that cities and provinces choose what things they cover. So while large and rich provinces and cities can afford to cover more, the poorer provinces are hit very hard and can cover very little things. This puts low income families at a disadvantage and makes them pay out of pocket for things way more often the low income families in a big city or providence. China is one of the richest countries in the world, but because of how they formatted their healthcare system, they put their citizens in even more medical debt than they could possibly pay for.
Australia
World Health Organization healthcare efficiency rating: 0.876 (32nd worldwide) While similar to France’s system, Australia’s is actually the most similar to the U.S.’s medicare system. Everyone is eligible to medicare and can claim medicare, but can choose to use private insurance if they so choose. The benefits of having private insurance in Australia is that it will cover expenses in private and public hospitals, unlike medicare which only covers expenses spent in a public hospital. Some of the things covered under medicare are: consultation fees for doctors, including specialists; tests and examinations by doctors needed to treat illnesses, such as x-rays and pathology tests; eye tests performed by optometrists; most surgical and other therapeutic procedures performed by doctors; some surgical procedures performed by approved dentists; specific items under the Cleft Lip and Palate Scheme; specific items under the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) program; and specific items for allied health services as part of the Chronic Disease Management Plan. However, as stated before, you must go to a public place to have these procedures covered. That issue is the main thing holding back the efficiency of the program. But the beauty of Australia’s program is that it allows for everyone to get coverage for basic necessities. Not as efficient as France’s, but still a very solid healthcare system. feature ture u november 2020 | january 2021u 2021u the viewpoint u 11
J o n a t h a n K ro b , s e n io r, s a y s , ”S e x e d u c a t io n s h o u ld n ’t b e fro w n e d u p o n in t h e s c h o o l, a lo n g w it h t e llin g s t u d e n t s n o t t o h a v e s e x . T h e s c h o o l s h o u ld b e
e n c o u ra g in g s tu d e n ts to b e s a fe a n d to p ro te c t th e m s e lv e s a n d o th e r p e o p le . T h e s c h o o l s y s t e m a s a w h o le n e e d s t o d o a b e t t e r jo b a t t e a c h in g s e x e d u c a t io n t o d iff e re n t g e n d e r s a lo n g w it h s e x u a l o r ie n t a t io n s . N o t o n c e d id th e y ta lk a b o u t h o w
c o n d o m s a re h e lp fu l o r g iv e s tu d e n ts c o n d o m s fo r th e m s e lv e s . S c h o o ls s h o u ld b e e d u c a t qz.com
in g a n d h e lp in g s t u d e n t s in s t e a d o f s h a m in g t h e m .”
C *n s o re d E d u c a t io n What our schools don’t want you to hear by C*ci Alv*erz
M
any reasons exist for why the things we learn in school may be censored or fabricated. Most of the pressures for censorship come from parents who disapprove of ideas that differ from their personal views or values. Censorship does not just happen in the United States, either. In many other countries, censorship is most commonly directed at political ideas and criticism of the government. In the US, most of our censorship often includes social issues or what is commonly called “controversial” issues. Not only is sex education not taught in many schools around the US, LGBTQ+ sex eduction is even more unheard of Children who grow up without sex education won’t have knowledge or access to things such as contraceptives and lack education about sexually transmitted diseases. Helping children understand their bodies and understand themselves growing promotes health and keeps children safeThis can have a direct affect on young boys and men as well, lack of education of the risks such as getting HIV contributes to many young boys contracting HIV History being taught through a solely cisgender and heterosexual lens creates a stigma around homosexuality that affects cishet student’s perception and understanding of their LGBTQ+ peers. For students who grow up in homophobic and transphobic households, the only image they’re likely to have of the LGBTQ+ community is that they are “weird” or “gross,” and this is harmful to both their queer peers
and themselves. Only 15 percent of queer Virginia students who were surveyed by GLSEN in 2017 said that they were taught about the queer community in a positive light, and 3 percent said that the sex education they had received was LGBTQ+ inclusive. Normalizing and educating about LGBTQ+ sex education not only would help queer students feel included and comfortable, but it also keeps them safe physically and mentally According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70 percent of new HIV cases were made up of gay and bisexual men in 2017. Sixty-four percent of those new cases were men between the ages of 13-34. A 2003 study by the University of Washington found that almost half of women who had intercourse with women in the past year tested positive for herpes simplex virus type one.
C o n n o r C h r is t ia n , s e n io r, s a y s , ”I d o n ’t t h in k a n y t h in g t o d a y is c o m p le t e ly w it h o u t b ia s a n d t h a t g o e s fo r e v e r y w h e re in t h e w o r ld . S o I d e fi n ite ly
th in k th a t th e id e a s s h a re d in h is to r y a re s lig h tly s k e w e d in o rd e r to m a k e s tu d e n ts fa v o r A m e ric a m o re , t h o u g h , I d o n ’t fe e l it p o r t r a y s A m e r ic a t o b e p e r fe c t .”
12u the viewpoint u november 2020 | january 2021uopinion
N ia S t . C y r, s e n io r, s a y s , ” I d o n ’t fe e l a s t h o u g h w e a re t a u g h t a c u lt u r a lly d iv e r s e c u r r ic u lu m . G ro w in g u p , p e r s o n a lly g o in g fro m p r iv a t e s c h o o l (k -8 ) t h e n p u b lic s c h o o l, I h a v e m a in ly le a rn e d a b o u t a W h ite A m e ric a n H is to r y. T h e o n ly t im e w e a re “t a u g h t ” B la c k h is t o r y is s la v e r y t h e n t h e C iv il R ig h t s M o v e m e n t a s if t h a t is t h e o n ly h is t o r y b la c k p e o p le h a v e . W h e n le a r n in g h is t o r y I d o t h in k it is h e a v ily b ia s e d b e c a u s e it p ro m o t e d t h e id e a t h a t A m e r ic a w a s t h is a ll p o w e r fu l n a t io n t h a t d id n o w ro n g . I t h in k a ll h is t o r y c la s s e s a re m is s in g m u lt ip le p e r s p e c t iv e s . W h e n w e le a r n a b o u t a w a r o r e v e n t in h is t o r y , I t h in k w e s h o u ld lo o k a t it fro m a ll p e r s p e c t iv e s . U ltim a te ly, I th in k th e s e
Single-sex schools promote gender stereotypes and homophobia - One of the most important battles in our nations war of equality is the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and affirming the civil liberties of LGBTQ+ individuals. However, if we are ever to truly absolve the rampant ignorance, bias and hostility against LGBTQ+ individuals in this country, we have to seize this weed at its roots. And the root of much homophobia, and a hot spot of verbal and physical violence against LGBTQ+ Americans is the school. In order to lower these numbers and give queer students comparable health benefits from their health classes, students need to be educated about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), dental dams, and STDs that disproportionately affect those who engage in same-sex intercourse. As it is today, the majority of sex education curriculums include no mention of sexual orientation or gender identity. When these things are brought up, they’re often portrayed in a negative way. This contributes to the frequent bullying and discrimination that queer students face due to the LGBTQ+ exclusive climate cishet-only sex education generates. The Center for American Progress reported that almost one-third of LGBTQ+ students have skipped class because they felt unsafe at school. The negative bias around being LGBTQ+ that is caused by only portraying queerness in a negative light makes queer students miss out on academic opportunities and fall behind in their education. Censorship in history classes leads to a narrow worldview with holes in the cultural and international education of children. If children are not taught the truth about the history of African
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s u b je c ts a re n o t ta lk e d a b o u t b e c a u s e o f h o w th e s y s te m is s e t u p . It ’s n o t s e t u p a t a ll to b e in c lu s iv e o r c u ltu ra lly d iv e rs e . I th in k th e e d u c a tio n s y s te m w a s m a d e w ith o n ly o n e d e m o g ra p h ic in m in d .”
Americans and oppression, those children who are now adults won’t be able to understand the importance of marches and the Black Lives Matter movement, or understand the struggles African Americans go through today. For schools in Jefferson County, Colorado—the state’s second largest school district—Banned Books Week holds particular relevance. Hundreds of teachers and students are engaged in protests against the new school board’s proposal to form a review committee, tasked with ensuring curricula focus on topics that promote patriotism, respect for authority and free enterprise. More specifically, the committee will identify and weed out materials that “encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.” The proposal identifies Advanced Placement U.S. history as one of the first curricula to be reviewed. One student was quoted saying, “You can’t erase our history. It’s not patriotic.” Some see banning topics that “encourage or condone civil disorder” as akin to relegating iconic figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and César Chávez—as well as less well-known crusaders for justice—to the margins of our national memory. Others are asking how any U.S. history class cannot involve nuanced engagement with the Civil Rights Movement, labor movements and other pivotal events in the long march for justice. The message for the Jefferson County School Board is clear: Whitewashing U.S. history and masking important realities will simply not do and cannot be tolerated. Perhaps more school districts should take note and re-evaluate their curriculum to be more inclusive. opinionu november 2020 | january2021u the viewpoint u 13
What’s going on in your head Dreams are defined as a series of images, thoughts, emotions, ideas, and sensations by Na’Syr Jackson
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ccording to Sleep Foundation’s website, “Since Sigmund Freud helped draw attention to the potential importance of dreams in the late 19th century, considerable research has worked to unravel both the neuroscience and psychology of dreams. Despite this advancing scientific knowledge, there is much that remains unknown about both sleep and dreams. Even the most fundamental question — why do we dream at all? — is still subject to significant debate.” Experts in the field have many theories about the why, including dreams being necessary for humans to review and analyze specific events and process emotions, or building up memory and clearing away unnecessary information in our heads. Incidentally, dreams could be nothing more than a random event that occurs during our sleep and serves no greater purpose. Additionally, we only dream anywhere between just a few seconds versus minutes at a time, but this happens multiple times a night being anywhere between four to six dreams, on average, at a time. Most dreams are also quickly forgotten upon waking up, with any meaningful recollection usually
14 u the viewpoint u november 2020
happening after waking up during the REM phase, the time when most dreams happen and the deepest stage of sleep.
Senior Katie Hasenecz said, “I don’t normally dream, but for the past few months I’ve been having a lot of really vivid dreams. Almost every night I’ve been having super weird dreams that feel unusually real.” Other types of dreams include lucid dreaming, a specific instance of dreaming where the dreamer is aware of their ‘awareness’ and that they are in a dream. Like regular dreams, lucid dreams also occur more often than not during the REM cycle, however more interestingly, aside from being aware of the dream state lucid dreams usually allow the dreamer some form of control over the dream itself.
| january 2021ufeature
The Healthline website lists several techniques capable of inducing lucid dreams. This includes the reality testing technique, which requires the participant to differentiate between reality and dreams through a series of tests throughout the day in hopes that with enough repetition it will become a habit and allow for awareness within a dream. The wake to bed technique requires the participant to wake up in the middle of the night and then go back to sleep after a certain period of time. Another is the Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams technique, which involves training oneself to differentiate reality and dreams during sleep, and creating a mantra such as,
dreamer, usually with the chilling recollection of the dream and an anxious queasy feeling. Similarly, there is no one consensus on why we have nightmares, though some believe that it is a part of the emotional processing function behind dreams. Sometimes, however, nightmares don’t go away as one ages or become just plain frequent, according to Mayo Clinic’s websites. They state, “Nightmare disorder is when nightmares happen often, cause distress, disrupt sleep, cause problems with daytime functioning or create fear of going to sleep.” As a whole dreams, and their variants, though researched and looked into, remain largely unknown.
“when I fall asleep, I’ll remember I’m dreaming” in order to prompt a lucid dream.
Nightmares, similarly, are another type of unique dream that are normally frequent as children and peter off as one ages. Nightmares are specifically vivid dreams that often occur during the REM cycle and are unsettling and bizarre in content and are known to specifically wake the
feature u november 2020 | january 2021 u the viewpoint u 15
Insulin on the rise
Insulin prices have been rapidly rising for the past decade, negatively effecting those with Type 1 Diabetes and their families
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by Lexi Jackson
ffordability is a great concern of those with diabetes and their families due to the increasing price of insulin. There are 30 million Americans with diabetes and 7.4 million of those people use insulin. The most common forms of insulin cost 10 times more in the U.S. than in other developed countries. According to the Healthline website, insulin prices in Canada have remained relatively the same price; whereas, prices in the U.S. are ever rising. People who use insulin are often forced to choose between purchasing insulin, which is a matter of life and death, or paying for other necessities. Nurse Paula Horton said, “There are many people in the United States that don’t have health insurance and having to pay for insulin can be a very hard battle with finances. Type 1 diabetes is a disease that can affect anyone and is not secondary to poor decision making like many other diseases.” According to the Diabetes website, in 1921, Frederick Banting, Henry Best, J.B. Collip, and John Macleod developed a form of insulin from the pancreas of cattle to treat diabetes. Two years later, Banting and Macleod received the Nobel Peace Prize in medicine and sold their discovery to the University of Toronto for $1 each, which is $14 today. In 1922, Leonard Thompson, age 14, became the first person to receive an insulin injection. His high glucose levels dropped to normal levels. Over the next few decades, there was a large-scale production of insulin from cattle and pigs to treat diabetes. However, it caused many allergic reactions. The first genetically engineered biosynthetic insulin was developed in 1978 to combat the negative reactions. Over the course of about 20 years, the cost of Humalog skyrocketed from $21 to $331 per vial, an increase of more than 1,000 percent, according to the Healthline website. Prices initially rose because more people began using human insulin instead of animal insulin. However, in 2000, cost became an even larger issue when insurance companies began using co-pays for prescriptions, and when newer insulins such as Humalog, Novolog, and Lantus became available. From 2012 to 2016, the average price of short-acting insulin vials, rapid-acting insulin vials, rapid-acting insulin pens, and long-acting insulin vials/pens increased from 15 percent to 17 percent. Similarly, the prices pharmacies paid to purchase these insulins increased at the same rate. Kylie Holt, senior, said, “ I think [insulin prices] have risen due to more people getting it, so [pharmaceutical companies] know that they can make more money. I don’t think it’s right because people need to live and thrive.” Pharmaceutical companies argue that the high cost of insulin is because of the high cost of development, even though the most commonly used insulins are over 20 years old. Insulin is not a luxury item, people will pay whatever they need in order to survive. Another reason for high prices is the virtual monopoly pharmaceutical companies hold over the production of insulin. Both pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers benefit from a high list price. Junior Claire Cebula said, “ I would think that the growing demand would cause [pharmaceutical companies] to have lower and more competitive pricing. The companies have a right to increase their pricing, but they will have to face the consequences of losing customers or having regulations put on their pricing by the government if they get out of hand.” There are many solutions to fight the increasing insulin prices in order to relieve financial stress off of families who need it. A viable solution to this issue is governmental or nongovernmental organizations to oversee the pricing. Aiding those organizations would be laws and regulations covering the price increases. The biggest thing for everyday people to do is to advocate for new policies that could help those who need insulin without being burdened by finances.
16u the viewpoint u november 2020 | janaury 2021 u feature
“Mountain View has less than 10 students with Type 1 Diabetes this year.” “People with Type 1 diabetes have no other recourse than to take insulin for the rest of their life (or until an artificial pancreas is approved). This gives pharmaceutical companies the ability to raise prices as they would like since those that suffer cannot choose an alternative therapy,” said Nurse
Paula Horton.”
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