PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
The Campanile
Vol. XCIX, No. 6
Palo Alto High School • 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • www.thecampanile.org
Friday, February 3, 2017
Bowers to retire from District SAM YUN
NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR
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A student’s take on the Women’s March
JESSICA WONG/THE CAMPANILE
Fearing an imminent infringement on their liberties under President Donald Trump, protesters take to the streets of San Francisco to advocate for women’s rights. Continued on B3
fter 24 years in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) and 12 years of working as the PAUSD assistant superintendent, Scott Bowers will retire at the end of the school year. Prior to working in the District office, Bowers spent nearly four years as Assistant Principal at Palo Alto High School. He later transitioned into the role of Principal at Fairmeadow Elementary School for eight years. Bowers does not plan to stay in Palo Alto after retiring, but may seek out a part-time teaching position elsewhere. “I’m retiring from the State Teacher Retirement System and I will start looking around and see what opportunities are there,” Bowers said. “One thing that seems attractive would be to maybe go back into the classroom and teach part-time. I was a math teacher before I became an administrator so it’d be kind of fun to maybe go back and teach math.” Of all his experiences in PAUSD, hosting his first Chow Down Day event was his most memorable. “The first time I stood in front of the entire teacher group on Chow BOWERS
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Budget cuts force exit of Living Wisdom alternative learning Associate Superintendent high school to open at Cubberley McGee expects additional cuts to be made in New school values social-emotional learning and smaller classes future due to monetary constraints in District
NOAH BAUM
STAFF WRITER
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fter 18 months, Associate Superintendent Markus Autrey parted ways with the Palo Alto Unified School (PAUSD) in late December. Autrey’s position, second highest in the District, included supervising and maintaining the education and services of students pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. PAUSD Superintendent Max McGee, along with Director of Elementary Education Barbara Harris, Director of Secondary Education Sharon Ofek and Chief Student Services Officer Holly Wade, will divide up Autrey’s responsibilities at the District, according to McGee.
“Our budget shortfall is like gravity, it eventually asserts itself.”’
Todd Collins PAUSD Board of Education Member Autrey’s departure was initially kept quiet because it is not a practice of the District to announce employee exits to the public, according to PAUSD Communications and Community Engagement Officer Jorge Quintana. McGee initially discussed options with Autrey soon after discovering a District budget deficit in June 2016. According to Palo Alto Online, the deficit was a result of an approximate three percent drop in projected property-tax revenue. The drop resulted in a total of a $5.2 million budget deficit, which was adjusted to $3.7 million due to a condition of the teacher’s contract
that takes one percent of teacher bonuses when the property-tax revenue is at least 1.5 percent less than the District’s budget was planned on. “It was a budgetary decision,” McGee said. “[PAUSD] had this budget shortfall, so we had to make some immediate cuts.” McGee said he expects several more of these types of decisions to be made in the District moving forward. “We are going to reorganize the District office, so we are going to have to eliminate more than one position here,” McGee said. In the case of any cuts, McGee said that the District tries to reassign staff to another position to the extent that is possible. This could include reassignment to teaching positions if the person has the qualifications. Autrey’s departure was an administrative decision, and the Board of Education was not involved, according to McGee. New Board member Todd Collins said cuts to positions like Autrey’s are inevitable for the District. “Our budget shortfall is like gravity,” Collins said. “It eventually asserts itself.” According to McGee, some projects will take longer for the district without Autrey. This includes aligning class syllabuses and final assessments for all classes and working with the teachers’ union on a new evaluation system. McGee said he expects to announce further plans for restructuring and any elimination of other positions in April or May. “It’s difficult because it involves people,” McGee said. “People who have done a good job.” Autrey did not respond to The Campanile’s request for an interview.
COURTESY OF LIVING WISDOM
Students at Living Wisdom enjoy painting in art class, one of many extracurricular activities offered by the alternative school.
CHARLOTTE CHENG
STAFF WRITER
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tudents interested in alternative learning will now have the opportunity to apply to the new, private Living Wisdom High School located at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto. In their applications, prospective students will answer questions focused on extracurricular interests and personal qualities. They will be evaluated on these questions in lieu of grades and test scores. Until its first semester in fall, Living Wisdom will accept applications from students interested in alternative learning. Classes will incorporate activities such as daily mindfulness meditation, yoga and camping trips into their curricular while also providing core academic courses. Living Wisdom, which already operates a kindergarten-through-
eighth grade school in Palo Alto, seeks to “find a way of working with children that would be balanced and really achieve high results mentally, emotionally, socially, academically, and spiritually,” according to Living Wisdom Principal Kabir MacDow. The new high school will fulfill the University of California and California State University A-G requirements, and will abide by the Common Core curriculum. According to the Living Wisdom website, the school functions as an “alternative learning” school through the personalized learning that “provides real-world experience through volunteering, internships, in-depth study… resulting in a meaningful, adventurefilled, journey of self-discovery.” Living Wisdom schools were first created in the early seventies in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. The program was originally established by Ananda, a spiritual community. However,
in the 1990s, the schools adopted a different philosophy and became less affiliated with the organization. MacDow came to Living Wisdom in 1977, and was a teacher at the Sierra Nevada site for eight years. Since then, Living Wisdom has expanded into multiple sites, including Seattle, Portland and Nevada City. MacDow explained that personalized learning can only be accomplished with small class sizes. As a result, Living Wisdom will only accept 15 to 20 students in the fall. In an earlier interview with Palo Alto Online, MacDow stated that he hopes for 80 to 100 students to participate in the fourth year of the school’s existence, as well as a more permanent location. Living Wisdom will not only focus on the core subjects of math, science, language arts and social studies,
LIVING WISDOM
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ZIPPYLIPS/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
OPINION
GAGE SKIDMORE/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
LIFESTYLE
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Immigrant Outreach
Millennial Work Ethic
Trump’s Cabinet Picks
History of Title IX
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Santa Clara and San Mateo County officials hold forum for immigrants.
School values often do not translate to work experience.
The Campanile reviews Trump’s closest advisors.
Celebrating the legacy of the groundbreaking gender equality law.
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
A2 NEWS TO KNOW
NEWS Palo Altans protest Trump Presidency
Peaceful demonstrations held on Donald Trump’s inauguration sent dissenting message AVI TACHNA-FRAM
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
ROLAND GARROS/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
@rolandgarros @RogerFederer won his 18th Grand Slam at the #AusOpen, coming from a break down in the fifth to defeat. @RafaelNadal
@ABCPolitics @NancyPelosi and Democratic lawmakers sing “This Land Is Your Land” at DC rally against Pres. Trump’s immigration order.
@CNNPolitics First on CNN: The DOJ will not defend Trump’s executive order on travel restrictions, sources tell CNN.
@NYTScience A fossil unearthed in China of a tiny sea creature is one of our earliest ancestors. http://nyti.ms/2kLMxdO
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ielding signs bearing bold declarations such as, “Not Our President,” “Love Trumps Hate” and “Hands off Medicare, Medicaid,” protesters lined the intersection of Embarcadero Road and El Camino Real, across the street from Palo Alto High School in a full-scale demonstration against newly-inaugurated president Donald Trump. Arriving around 5 p.m. on Friday, protesters braved the rain to chant, yell and express their outrage over the results of the recent election. “People needed to get out and release the frustrations and [anger] they’ve been feeling since Nov. 8,” said Paul George, one of the protest’s organizers. “People just need that coming together now.” Many in Friday’s crowd of approximately 100 protesters were either too angry or disappointed to watch President Trump’s inauguration. “It would have made me too frustrated,” said protester Laura Wong. “I can’t put [up with] the kind of words that he uses and the way he talks. I won’t be listening to anything he says, I’ll read the transcripts, but I won’t hear him talk.” Other demonstrators wanted to
AVI TACHNA-FRAM/THE CAMPANILE
Activists hold up signs on Embarcadero Road protesting the inauguration of Trump.
send Trump a direct message. “The best I think we can do right now is let him know we’re not going to take his BS,” said protester Devon Ogas. “We’re not going to just lie down and let him do whatever he wants. We won’t let that happen. We don’t want someone like him stripping away our freedoms and going after minorities. We don’t want him in our White House and if [he] tries something funny, he’s gonna get hell for it.” While the crowd embodied a variety of viewpoints, a decidedly liberal umbrella encompassed the gathering. Demonstrators assailed Trump, from
his potential connections in Russia to his proposed policies on health care and the environment. “This protest is cathartic,” Brand Strategist Consultant Shafi Sexena said. “I feel a deep sense of grief and surrealism about what has happened with this election, about the fact that [Russia] intervened. If they had come in with tanks we would have had a reaction, but we have let Putin come in and hack our election and put a president who won three million fewer votes than Hillary in office.” Other protesters expressed their support for policies that former President Barack Obama enacted.
“I got healthcare for the first time [under Obamacare] because I work for myself,” said Kent Schneeveis, the owner of KJS Painting and Renovations. “I don’t have [employer provided health care] and I probably won’t have it soon, so I’m here for purely greedy reasons.” The demonstration, which lasted around two hours, went smoothly: there was no violence and the demonstrators were well received. Sticking to the sidewalk to avoid disrupting traffic, the protesters received an urban sonata of supportive honks from passing cars. This protest was one of many taking place around the Bay Area and across the nation after Trump’s election. Anti-Trump protests also occurred in Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco and at Stanford University. Women’s marches also took place in Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco. As protests die down, George and other protesters are committed to making an impact on the government through persistent democratic action. “In the future we will be going to our local congressional representatives about particular bills that are in congress, but right now it’s about coming together and setting our determination for the next four years,” George said.
Robot Spartans on road to future success Team advances to First Lego League regionals, wins Judges’ Award for sportsmanship TRISTAN WANG
STAFF WRITER
NEW YORK TIMES/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
@nytimesworld Leaders of three close U.S. allies have felt sting of humiliation soon after what seemed friendly encounters with Trump: http://nyti.ms/2kNATPA
@MayoClinic Mayo Clinic researchers identify new potential treatment for #cancer metastasis http://mayocl.in/2jKlGRV
@ESPNStatsInfo The Falcons have never won a Super Bowl in their 51 seasons, but this has been the year of broken droughts.
@ScienceNews Climate change may be mucking with coastal ecosystems, increasing mercury concentrations.
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eamwork and sportsmanship led to success for the “Robot Spartans,” a youth Lego robotics team based in East Palo Alto whose recent performance exceeded the expectations of coaches and volunteers alike. After facing off against 13 other Bay Area teams in the qualifier round at Google’s Mountain View headquarters last November, the Spartans not only managed to land themselves solidly in the top four, but also won the Judges’ Award during the qualifications. “It’s surprising,” said Greg Corsetto, volunteer coordinator for Bayshore Christian Ministries (BCM), the local non-profit organization responsible for coaching the team since 2014. “The first competition we had [did not go] so well but we’ve been improving every year. This year they did better than we expected.” The team of nine, consisting of members aged nine to 14, will be competing against roughly 40 other teams in the Silicon Valley regionals held in Morgan Hill on Feb. 4. The winners there will have the privilege
of competing in the World Championships. An impressive 32,000 teams from 88 countries are currently enrolled in this year’s First Lego League (FLL) competitions, according to the competition’s official website. Though more challenging than the Google qualifier, the regional competition’s format will be similar. This year’s competition in particular carries the theme of human-animal interactions. It is subdivided into four sections: a score-based robot challenge with 11 missions and a 2.5-minute time limit, robot design, a related research project and teamwork. The Spartans are the first BCM team to ever make it to the FLL regionals — their recent achievement is not so much a reflection of the children’s technical prowess as it is of their sportsmanship and collaborative effort, according to Corsetto. The latter quality was exhibited by the Spartans especially through the research project. In this year’s case, the children had to perform a collective skit demonstrating a specific human impact on animals, all presented before the judges and without any instruction from the coaches and volunteers.
“The kids had to [act] collectively and independently,” Corsetto said. “The coaches don’t have any influence in that part of it at that point.” The Spartans’ uniquely conceived demonstration, which illustrated the negative impact of helium balloon materials on marine life, was received well by the judges. “Score-wise, our robot was fifth place out of 14 teams,” Corsetto said. “But [the] way the team conducted itself was very good and [we were] scored higher for that.” Exemplary conduct was demonstrated when certain team members autonomously informed a referee that a penalty against them had not been recorded. The simple act of honesty in practice, according to Corsetto, caught the judges’ attention. For this reason, among others, the Judges’ Award, which is bestowed upon “teams whose unique efforts, performance, or dynamics [merit] special recognition,” was awarded to the Spartans. “Honesty in competition [is] a value that the FLL really encourages and emphasizes … our team had the opportunity to exhibit that, and they did,” Corsetto said. Approached personally by the
OCR sexual misconduct inquiry District and OCR agree on procedure for upcoming investigation GRACIE KITAYAMA
STAFF WRITER
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n an effort to resolve the issues raised in the past few years pertaining to multiple occurrences of sexual misconduct throughout the district, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) agreed to make a few changes to a resolution agreement proposed by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Some members of the board are concerned about how far back to go when investigating past students and resources that may have been involved. The District has agreed to work with the OCR by assisting them in their requests on the investigation and is fully willing to work with them. “We intend to fully comply and fully collaborate and cooperate with the Office for Civil Rights,” said Superintendent Max McGee. “Our initial conversations [with the OCR] have been cordial. We have found the OCR has been very helpful [and] have been very supportive, and we all want to do what’s best to protect the
safety and security for our students. So this is not an us versus them — this is [us] working together.” One of the issues highlighted in the plan drafted by the District and the OCR involves reaching out to alumni for information about sexual misconduct in the District. Though the school board supports this idea, some members of the board are concerned about how far back to go when investigating past students and resources that may have been involved, as well as how information on delicate sources will be collected whilst keeping the best interests of the students in mind. “I don’t have any issue with an independent investigator talking to current employees [and] talking to current students who had any involvement with the two former employees or with the off campus issues of sexual violence,” McGee said. [It is] just a question of how far back that investigation goes and maybe what that investigation entails.” For example, there are a few cases where the District would like to limit behavioral incident reports about past cases from the high schools as well as certain cases involving students who are currently enrolled at either Dis-
trict high school. Another concern that board member Jennifer DiBrienza brought up was the duration of the OCR’s investigation and its effectiveness. “It seems reasonable to ask [how long the investigation will take,]” DiBrienza said. “I don’t know why it’s taken so long, but I certainly think it’s reasonable to request a timely response or for us to understand if there is a certain time frame we can expect.”
“We intend to fully comply and fully collaborate and cooperate with the Office for Civil Rights.”
head judge after the match, Corsetto was glad to hear that he was supervising, in the judge’s opinion, a “champion-caliber team.” BCM partners with tech firms like Google and Facebook to educate youths through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) programs. The Spartans are personally led by head coach Mike Pizzimenti, who trains the team twice a week. The fact that the Spartans were limited in resources compared to other well-funded Bay Area teams made the team’s success even more profound, said Corsetto, who considers empowering and bonding with the underprivileged youths through the robotics program a “positive experience.” “We try to help them learn to deal with technology, to work together on projects,” Corsetto said. “It’s gratifying to see the kids actually do that to the degree where they can actually accomplish something.” Corsetto’s personal stake in the experience solidly reiterates BCM’s mission of “[equipping] East-ofBayshore youth to grow spiritually, gain life skills and develop as leaders so they have hope and a future.”
UPCOMING EVENTS FEB
GROUNDHOG DAY
FEB
SUPER BOWL LI
FEB
VALENTINE’S DAY
FEB
PRESIDENT’S DAY
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WINTER DANCE
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5
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Dad, clean off the grill.
Have a deflated Sunday!
Kai Oda is free from 2-5 p.m. ;)
Max McGee PAUSD Superintendent Therefore, the District will alter the resolution slightly — a proposal will ask the OCR for a report if monitoring has not ended after three years and the District will have a meeting on next steps the District will take at that time. Ideally, the plan made by the OCR is set to be approved by the district no later than June 30, so the OCR can commence its investigation into the District.
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Everyday is a good day to protest.
Wear boots with the fur.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
NEWS
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Local community reaches out to immigrants affected by the Trump regime’s Muslim ban
KAITLYN LANDGRAF/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
People gather to show support for the multitudes of immigrants left in a state of fear following the election of business guru Donald Trump to President of the United States.
ANNA MORAGNE
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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he recent inauguration of businessman-turned-politician Donald Trump has sparked concerns about deportation, retracement of some government funding programs and uncertain futures in many marginalized groups of Americans. One of the most vocal groups is the immigrant community, which has decried Trump’s controversial remarks about immigrants within the
Alternative High School CONTINUED FROM A1
—sions. Living Wisdom offers a Personal Certification Program, which encourages students to research a subject of their liking, put together presentations and teach his or her peers about the subject. “[The Personal Certification Program] would be individually inspired and driven, with the support of our team,” MacDow said. “In an aspect of this, some service comes out of it.” MacDow expressed that the core tenet of the Living Wisdom philosophy is to put the individual student first. Other factors that help achieve this balance is the student’s happiness, importance of academics, self-discovery and a common Living Wisdom motto, “Education For Life.” “[Education for Life] is another important aspect of what we offer,” MacDow said. “It is about developing that awareness about other people and engaging with life.” “When you put those four elements together, you have a program that addresses not just students, but real people.” MacDow said. “You’re addressing the need that all of us have to grow.” Tuition is $29,850 per year with a $1,500 enrollment fee. Living Wisdom also provides financial aid for those who qualify for it. For those who want to learn more about Living Wisdom High School, there will be an open house and informational session on February 11 at 8 a.m. in rooms B4 and B5 of the Cubberley Community Center.
U.S. as well as immigration to the United States. On Jan. 19, eleven organizations within Palo Alto and the surrounding community convened to hold an ‘Immigrants and Allies’ forum in order to answer questions about how immigrants may be affected by Trump’s policies in the near future and what they can do to prepare. “Both [San Mateo County and Santa Clara County] governments are standing with the immigrants of our counties,” San Mateo County Supervisor Warren Solcum said. “We
are committed to stand with those folks, should the new President try to cut funding or deport thousands of people, that’s just not going to stand in San Mateo county. No one is alone, we are all in this together.” Along with Solcum, there was a panel of four other leaders from the community. The panel was composed of Diana Morales, director of Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN), Andres Connell, executive director of Nuestra Casa, Dr. Becki Cohn-Vargas, director of Not in Our Schools and Dr. Elisabeth
Revilla, director of Latino Specialty Clinic at the Gronowski Center’s La Clinica at Palo Alto University. The forum was lead by Manny Santamaria, vice president of strategic initiatives. It included both an open discussion amongst the panelists as well as a Q&A. The main focus of the forum revolved around what immigrants can do to protect themselves — namely by staying calm and knowing their rights. “We must maintain calm and remain hopeful when a storm is coming,” Connell said. “What do we
CLAY WATSON
tems of block grants and per capita allotments are likely, both of which would mean less direct funding and coverage for people in Santa Clara County. Reconciliation is the process that will likely be employed by the Republican majorities in the Senate, a strategy that would allow ACA opposition to only need a simple majority in order to repeal critical parts of the program.
County want in the way of health care,” Simitian said in a press release. “We’re going to have to make our case with others to have any hope or expectation of having any impact at all.” Major national political players like Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell have demonstrated support of a quick repeal of the ACA. However Santa Clara County Executive Jeffrey Smith is sceptical. In a recent meeting he told committee members that he wasn’t overly concerned with the future of healthcare in our county and throughout the country. Smith addressed the concerns of allocating an excessive amount of money for health care, predicting that the Republican opposition will see the negative effect that any repeal would have on insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and major health care providers a sector of the economy already on the brink of a recession. “I don’t think an administration focused on business and stimulation of the economy is going to be all that anxious to destroy the economy,” Smith said. As local politicians continue to make various speculations about the coming actions of the Trump administration and act conventionally through congressional influence and less conventionally through coalitional approaches, it still remains unclear what the future will be for Santa Clara County residents currently benefiting from the Affordable Care Act.
do? We buy a rain jacket and boots, and we are ready to face the storm. We must always remain hopeful and know that there is work to be done.” Morales offered significant legal advice to immigrants at the forum about how to proceed if their immigration status is contested by a government official. Every person in the U.S. has the right to due process and the right to remain silent. The audience was advised to not open doors or answer questions to anyone from the department of Immigration Services unless they had a warrant to search one’s house or person. Attendees were also advised to apply for citizenship if they had not previously. “Everybody’s vote counts, [so] become a citizen and register to vote,” Solcum said. “I can’t think of anything more important than that four years from now. Each of you has a voice, and elected officials and representatives will listen … you have every right to voice your opinion.” Those present were also instructed to remain calm in the face of children, but to be clear with children as to what is going on. “[Parents] are scared to tell [children] or may feel like [they] are doing good protecting them, but that actually might be more harmful to many children who are wondering what will happen,” Revilla said. The 100 immigrants and allies at the forum were well informed and advised about the possible changes in the future and how they can best prepare themselves on how to deal with coming challenges. We shouldn’t lose hope, it’s a difficult moment and easy to get desperate and think we can’t do anything, but we must defend our companions,” Cohn-Vargas said. “If your neighbors are suffering then help them, be an ally by listening and showing your support. There are many people who are willing to help.”
Local hospitals to be impacted Bowers to bow out SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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ithin the first few weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, a number of executive actions ranging from foreign policy to domestic workforce policy have been introduced. Among the numerous executive orders was an attempt to provide relief from former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). While this executive order only allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other department and agency heads to waive and delay the implementation of Affordable Care Act provisions, Trump’s end goal of repealing the entire program has been made clear throughout his campaign.
“Neither the president [nor] the Congress of the United States is waiting with bated breath to hear what the good people of Santa Clara County want in the way of health care.”
Joe Simitian Santa Clara County Supervisor As the millions of Americans who are currently receiving aid from the Affordable Care Act brace for the seemingly inevitable repeal, so have local hospitals and politicians. Immediately following the presidential election, Santa Clara County officials addressed the potential impacts of the new administration. The direct approach to alternative health care is unknown, however sys-
While this executive order only allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other department and agency heads to waive and delay the implementation of ACA provisions, Trump’s end goal of repealing the entire program has been made clear throughout his campaign. This strategy of tearing major aspects of the program down without immediate replacements would leave many Santa Clara County residents vulnerable. Local County Supervisor Joe Simitian has proposed a different approach to preserving his constituent’s coverage rather than a congressional action approach. Proposing a state and nation-wide coalition, Simitian and other like-minded politicians hope to bolster support and preserve the more critical parts of the program. “Neither the president [nor] the Congress of the United States is waiting with bated breath to hear what the good people of Santa Clara
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Down Day, which is the first teacher work day of the year in August, and had to address the whole group [was my most memorable moment],” Bowers said. “The assistant superintendent is kind of the MC for the staff gathering. So that was a memorable first opportunity.”
“I’ve got all of the payroll people, the hiring staff, they’re just a great bunch and that’s a group that I’m going to miss a lot. Obviously getting out to all the different schools and when I have the opportunity to go into the different classrooms, those kinds of things.”
Scott Bowers Assistant Superintedent Bowers will greatly miss his team in the District office the most after leaving. “My staff, the HR staff here at the district office is really a great team of people to work with,” Bowers said. “I’ve got all of the payroll people, the hiring staff, they’re just a great bunch and that’s a group that I’m going to miss a lot. Obviously getting out to all the different schools and when I have the opportunity to go into the different classrooms, those kinds of things.” According to Superintendent Max McGee, the district is planning to look at all possible options to fill this vacancy as soon as possible.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
A4 NEWS Family sells Midtown Center Evergreen parking New owner Telly Chang has no plans for developing prime property program instated RIYA KUMAR
Pilot initiative will increase parking slots
STAFF WRITER
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he new owner of Midtown Shopping Center, Telly Chang, has no short-term plans to develop the 18, 555-square -foot property, after acquiring it from the Haley Family Owners last October, but will face opposition from Midtown residents and business owners if he resolves to. This highly sought-after property, bookended by Walgreens and CVS, was sold for $15.27 million according to Associate David Cutler of Marcus & Milichap, who represented the Haley family during the sale. Chang, the new owner, is the Chief Executive Officer of E&R Investment Properties. According to Cutler, when the Haley Family controlled the Midtown Shopping Center, the ownership was split between five families. In order to avoid additional people adding to the complexities of ownership as generations continue, the family decided to sell the property. “They just decided that it would be better to sell it now than have the next generation take it when there is going to be, you know eighteen families,” said Cutler. “Not everybody gets along.” Chang has not yet expressed any plans for the property, but many believe that no major changes will be implemented. “It doesn’t sound like [Chang is] going to do anything to the short term,” said Annette Glanckopf, ViceChair of the Midtown Residents Association. “We’ve been told that this company buys properties and [keeps] them.” Yet, if Chang does decide to develop this property, he can add residential spaces to the lot. According to Glanckopf, there is no zoning law that prevents the addition of stories. “[The law] does allow for adding some housing as long as you replace
BETHANY SHIANG
BUSINESS MANAGER
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PETER GOLD/THE CAMPANILE
My Gym, a children’s play space in Midtown, would suffer from site development.
the square footage that is currently on the site,” Cutler said. With the City’s strict rules for development, and the Midtown Residents Associations’ support of the local businesses and residents of Midtown, not much can be done, especially if residents and businesses are not in agreements with the new plans. This has been seen with Elizabeth Wong’s struggle to build a four-story building on University Ave. after extensive pushback from the community. “Even if an owner has the right to do something, the court of public opinion could change the project dramatically,” Glanckopf said. Bob Yanofsky, My Gym's Owner, whose children’s play area is located in the section of Midtown that Chang has acquired, was very pleased with the Haley family. He called them “excellent owners”
and appreciated their thoughtfulness towards the businesses leasing space on their property. However, Yanofsky does not condone any additional development to the shopping center. “It would seriously affect the small business owners like myself, in that it would disrupt our business operations,” Yanofsky said. Peter Lonsky, a resident of Midtown, noted that the garden in the center, which has been turned into a parking lot by Chang, is concerning. “That seemed to be a battle wound of what’s to come,” said Lonsky. “They are going to maximize their investment… we’re losing some of that sleepy Midtown feel.” The only thing residents can do is wait and see what Chang has in store for the Midtown Shopping Center. “If they do something [that we don't agree with], we will definitely be very active,” Glanckopf said.
alo Alto City Council recently voted to establish a new permit program that cuts down the number of employees parking around California Avenue. This new program, which will take effect in April, is designed to free up parking spaces for residents of Evergreen Park and Mayfield. It will make the permits available to every household in the neighborhood. The new permit program is largely modeled after the one launched in downtown Palo Alto in 2015 in answer to complaints from Professorville, Downtown North and other contiguous neighborhoods affected by the lack of parking space guaranteed to them. Similarly, the California Avenue initiative began when residents of Evergreen Park became concerned about the effects of commercial growth.
“The neighborhood really has been impacted and it has taken too long. I think it’s really important that we focus on quality of life in the neighborhood.”
Patrick Burt
Palo Alto Mayor The difference between the downtown and California Avenue programs lies in the number of permits given out. Downtown’s program began with 2,000 employee units with a 10 percent decrease of permits sold to workers every year. Meanwhile, the pilot system at Evergreen Park will give out 250 employee permits with priority going to employees who are on the waiting list for a garage permit.
Each household in the Evergreen Park area will receive one permit, with the option to buy up to four more for $50 each. The employee annual permit is set to cost $149, though lowincome workers would get a discount of $50. Residents who lobbied for a permit program argued that California Avenue’s increased the parking density on nearby streets, while diminishing the residents’ sense of community. Initially, residents petitioned last year for a program similar to the one in College Terrace, which gives permits only to residents. Dozens of residents attended the council meeting and they remained there until nearly midnight for the vote. Although the Council approved the motion with a vote of 8-0, and it is not exactly certain what the residents asked for, they were able to come to a compromise. Among the crowd of people at the City Council meeting were several dentists, including Reza Riahi, a Palo Alto endodontist. Many of these dentists have offices in the California Avenue area. They argued that imposing permits would make it difficult for them to hire staff and accommodate customers. There was further discussion and other offered proposals, including to offer special permits for health care providers. Nonetheless, the ultimate decision was to offer priority parking permits to residents living in the surrounding area. “The neighborhood really has been impacted and it has taken too long,” said former mayor Greg Scharff. “I think it’s really important that we focus on quality of life in the neighborhood.”
MAC hosts new Challenge Success teacher fishbowl High school climate committee aims to build empathy among both teachers and students through discussions RAJ LELE
STAFF WRITER
T
eachers recently had an opportunity to voice opinions on their jobs and how to relieve student stress in a fishbowl discussion that followed a similar meeting last November in which students explained causes of their anxiety and how to cope. Challenge Success, a Palo Alto High School Climate Committee, held the event in the Media Arts Center (MAC) to help students understand what might stress their teachers and build empathy for them. According to Paly Assistant Principal and Challenge Success member Kathie Laurence, the objective of these two meetings was to spread awareness on how teachers can aid students in minimizing stress. “The goal was to increase empathy
around the life of a student and the life of a teacher,” Laurence said. To facilitate these discussions, senior and Lead Student Representative for Challenge Success, Candace Wang, and the Challenge Success committee decided to go with the “fishbowl” format after hearing the positive effects it had for those who speak and those who listen. The fishbowl format functions so that the speakers are arranged in a circle with listeners surrounding them. “Every person has a story to share, and fishbowls are surprisingly effective for letting students’ or teachers’ voices be heard,” Wang said. “I think the fishbowl is the best way to get messages across because it’s direct, personal and emotionally very impactful.” Nine teachers from several departments spoke about their daily rou-
tines, the challenges they face, how they solve problems, and the new teaching styles they try. “I thought that [if students wanted to hear me] that would be valuable, and it would help students understand where we are coming from,” said Steve Sabbag, a World History teacher.
“Every person has a story to share, and fishbowls are surprisingly effective for letting students’ or teachers’ voices be heard.”
Candace Wang
Challenge Success Lead Student Representative Although the focus of the discussion was about student stress, teachers described their own stressful challenges — getting to school early,
being fully prepared for every class, helping students individually — and after a long day, going home to grade papers and take care of themselves. Teachers also talked about ways to reduce stress for students. Caitlin Evans, a U.S. History teacher, said she wishes she knew more about students’ individual situations so that she could know exactly how to help each student. Science teacher Josh Bloom thinks teachers agree that they are trying to do what is best for students, but there is disagreement on how. Science teacher Alicia Szebert said students’ grades need to reflect their knowledge, so she will not give everyone an “A.” She agrees that teachers should be flexible, but she feels like teachers need to hold students up to a high standard, and students need to realize that they have done well even if they get a “B.” After the session, both Challenge
Success and the teachers were inspired to do more to alleviate stress among teachers and students. Although Sabbag was glad that there was a sufficient teacher turnout, he hopes that teachers with broader perspectives can join future fishbowls. “I’m not sure that we had a diverse group,” Sabbag said. “For example, [teachers] who are too busy or have a minority view on how to help kids.” For the future, Wang detailed how Challenge Success would take the information from both fishbowls. “Challenge Success is planning on working with both parties to create next steps that will stem from the empathy created during these last two fishbowls,” Wang said. “It’s important that we move forward carefully and thoughtfully, because at the end of the day, we’re trying to make a better culture for all stakeholders, not just for one particular group.”
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
OPINION A5 Searching for one's identity popularizes horoscopes
MAYA BAILEY
A
STAFF WRITER
strology: seemingly the most complex, inexplicable topic out there. For those who don't know what it is, astrology is based on the positioning of the sun, moon and other celestial objects at the time of their birth. People either believe it or they do not. Astrology remains among the many myths that countless people continue to hold some sort of knowledge or belief in. In time, this belief in astrology has morphed into a trend called horoscopes, the prediction of one’s future based on celestial events. This trend has spread to social media in the form of apps and online predictions, which have received millions of views.
“I sometimes believe horoscopes depending where they come from, I think someone who’s specialized like a psychic or from a main horoscope website that is pretty trusted among the astrology community.” However, this harmless trend indicates that our society favors sugges-
tions that show a “greater power” is validating our actions and reassuring us that everything is okay. Horoscopes, while entertaining, hold no provable scientific value but make people curious as to the existence of a higher power. Why people believe, or at least entertain the trend, can be attributed to the complex search for one’s self. This may seem like a trivial problem, but a major part of growing up is discovering who you are and what you believe in. Reasonable people believe in all sorts of unreasonable things. People search for basic needs — they want to feel safe, loved and accepted. In the complexities of modern society, these things can be difficult to achieve. Moreover, uncertain principles such as the afterlife, karma and souls generate either anxiety or a sense of purpose depending on one’s belief. Horoscopes reassure people with their simple, yet decisive verdicts. This makes them attractive to those dealing with existential insecurities. However, some people might consider taking horoscopes as simply a hobby and fun respite. Paly sophomore Gigi Tierney, among many other students, enjoys
reading horoscopes for their entertainment value. “I like reading horoscope predictions. They’re really fun,” Tierney said. “It makes me curious and makes you feel like there’s something else other than just us humans; there’s some greater power.” Horoscopes use the confirmation bias, where information is reinterpreted to reaffirm one’s pre-existing beliefs or self image. Horoscopes are usually vague predictions that are often positive. Hearing a positive prediction at the beginning of the week can easily provide momentary joy and security. Although one might not believe the horoscope’s statements, it does provide a sort of subconscious satisfaction. Moreover, when a positive event happens similar to the prediction it reaffirms one’s belief in horoscopes, and therefore their personal self image. When an event does not happen, it is easily forgotten because no excitement or emotion is evoked to cement its significance. Many believe what the horoscope has to offer is based on the reliability of the source and if it’s content seems authentic. Where do you draw the line?
Paly junior Graham Peeps believes that horoscope predictions that come from trained sources that dedicate their lives to the practice give advice that reflect the truth. “I sometimes believe horoscopes depending where they come from," Peeps said. "I think someone who’s specialized like a psychic or from a main horoscope website that is pretty trusted among the astrology community."
“I like reading horoscope predictions. They're really fun. It makes me curious and makes you feel like there’s something else other than just us humans; there’s some greater power.” Though horoscope predictions may not be true, it help society more than it hurts it. While it may predict false or untrue events, it reassures people in an uplifting manner. There are few, if any, downsides to believing in horoscope predictions. In short, there is no reason to criticize those that enjoy taking horoscopes as it is a harmless trend that only reaffirms a positive self-image and does no harm to the people around them.
Americans losing trust in media in 'fake news' era
DAVID TAYERI
ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I
n 1999, 55 percent of Americans had a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mass media. A September 2016 poll revealed that figure has plummeted to 32 percent. This recent trend of distrusting mass media has coincided with the rise of a phenomenon called “fake news,” which is defined by The Guardian as news that is “completely made up and designed to deceive readers to maximise traffic and profit."
51 percent of Democrats indicated that they trusted mass media in September 2016, as opposed to 14 percent of Republicans. Recent fake news sites are closely associated with the vitriolic 2016
United States presidential election, when fake news sites were seemingly popping up everywhere. It seemed as though anyone could find a source for just about anything, be it a far-fetched conspiracy theory or an off color accusation about a candidate’s personal life. It is not hard to come to the conclusion that the ascent of fake news and American’s rapidly declining trust in mass media are likely related. In fact, it would be easy for the news media to entirely blame fake news outlets for the American people’s growing lack of faith in the press. Although it may be true that the rampant expansion of fake news has contributed to a lessening feeling of trust in mass media, the news media must recognize that they themselves are also culpable. The words “liberal media” may conjure up the image of a paranoid redneck who is convinced that the Democrats are plotting to take away his guns
and put human immunodeficiency virus in vaccines. However, it is no coincidence that while 51 percent of Democrats indicated that they trusted mass media in September 2016, as opposed to 14 percent of Republicans trusting the media. Since people tend to trust what they already agree with, these numbers do seem to suggest a liberal bias in news media. Research supports the notion that our media tends to lean left. A 2004 study devised a way to attribute a number from 0 to 100 to a news outlet, with a 0 being extremely conservative and a 100 being extremely liberal. In a list of 20 of the most read, watched and listened to news outlets, only two of them, Fox News and The Washington Times, registered below a 50. If there is a liberal bias in our media, it appears that many people al-
ready suspect it. An October 2016 poll asked “Do you think [the news media] has been biased in favor of Hillary Clinton, not biased in favor of either candidate or biased in favor of Donald Trump?” 52 percent of registered voters that responded believed that the news media had been favorable to Clinton, while only 8 percent believed that the media was biased towards Trump.
"Fake news” is defined by The Guardian as news that is “completely made up and designed to deceive readers to maximise traffic and profit." With evidence overwhelmingly suggesting their robust liberal bias, it is little wonder that the news media has lost the trust of 68 percent of Americans. Gaining that trust back will be a long and difficult journey.
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
A6
OPINION
Students responsible for managing finals stress MARY FETTER STAFF WRITER
I
t is early in the semester and finals are the last thing on most students’ minds. The stress from finals will not truly set in on campus until the last few days before exams. This year, the addition of the Wellness Center and the implementation of extended library hours on campus are part of an effort to relieve some of this academic stress. However, these new school initiatives and programs to reduce stress for students around finals are only part of the solution. Students also have the responsibility to make finals less stressful for themselves by staying on top of their grades during the semester and not relying entirely on finals to make or break a borderline grade. Those who are attentive to their grades all semester long by doing their homework, turning in their assignments, showing up for class and studying for tests and quizzes have established a strong foundation, and will be more prepared for exams at the end of the semester. “I like to stay on top of my work throughout the semester so that during finals I don’t have to worry too much about how the final exam affects my grade,” junior Tanli Su said.
Nevertheless, if students put in the work now, then at the end of May, their stress stemming from finals will be greatly reduced.
Students who are diligent about their studies all semester long are more likely to understand the material better, which in turn lessens academic stress. The students who learn the material over the semester will not only understand the material better, but will also remember it for longer. A study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Health proved that “learning over time enhances memory and information that is spaced over time is better remembered than the
same amount of information massed together.” In contrast, students who slack off on assignments, skip class and do not study for small quizzes are often far more stressed about final exams because they do not understand the material on the test. This leads to cramming the night before a test, leading to heightened levels of stress. “At the end of finals, I usually work a lot harder than I do at the beginning of the semester, because I can usually get my grades up at the end,” sophomore Henry Saul said. “It was my fault and I could have worked harder earlier and I was stressed because my grades were borderline.” Additionally, students who depend on a good grade on the final exam to bring up their overall average from the rest of the semester are likely to experience more anxiety and pressure to do well. Studies show that these factors can lead to lower scores.
According to Nicky Hayes, editor of Foundations of Psychology, high stress levels trigger the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous and endocrine systems. This response to stress leads to symptoms including anxiety, fatigue, an inability to concentrate, a lack of sleep, a shift in eating habits and a weakened immune system. These factors can affect a students’ ability to perform well when their grade most depends on it. Some students choose to set aside studying in favor of using Rogerhub, a website dedicated to calculating what a student needs to get on a final exam to earn a specific overall grade in a class. Students exert more mental energy on figuring out the minimum grade they need on an exam rather than just studying for the exam. Staying on top of your work throughout the semester significantly reduces stress but does not eliminate it completely. Even students who work
hard during the semester sometimes struggle with grades and still end up in the situation where they are depending on the final to bring up their grade, causing them stress. There are also students who have high grades in their classes and are not worried about their final exam scores, but still feel pressure and stress around exam time, because that is just the nature and atmosphere of finals week. Nevertheless, if students put in the work now, their stress stemming from finals will be greatly reduced at the end of May. The responsibility of managing this stress lies within students. Working hard throughout the academic year builds a strong foundation of knowledge, and reduces the need for the final exam to determine the overall grade. At the end of the year, when finals come around, students tend to regret not putting in the work, but never regret the work they have done.
you sick,” holds true. If modernism is the result of scientific skepticism, postmodernism is the result of skepticism of science. Rather than questioning what there is to be known, postmodernism questions whether knowing is worthwhile in the first place. Rationality argues that a postmodernist is limited by its obsession with the objective. In a vein that borders solipsism, many postmodernist thinkers apparently believe that reality is determined by the observer. Each individual has her own reality, and none exist independent of the observer. Laughably, advocates of this delusion pedal their misunderstanding of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, undiscouraged by their invariable lack of scientific distinguishment. Before you grow exasperated by my esoteric ranting, allow me to explain the relevance of my provocative introduction. Most dangerous amongst the manifestations of postmodernist delusionism is the philosophy of moral relativism. A dedicated moral relativist would argue that while it may be wrong for you to beat your wife for wearing clothing which you did not approve of, given the proper cultural conditions, it is perfectly appropriate
for a man in Saudi Arabia to do the same. As you move further along the scale of dedication to the ideology, you may find it necessary to admit moral equivalence between Mahatma Gandhi and Adolf Hitler. Those readers entirely unfamiliar with the theory of moral relativism may be wondering how anyone possessing even a paucity of intelligence could believe something so unintuitive. Yet as exemplified by the paroxysm of fear we feel when a monster pops up on our television screen, our intuitions are often unreliable as a means of achieving accurate understanding. And so, despite its unintuitive nature, the theory of moral relativism warrants our interest and intellectual engagement, for as pernicious and inconvenient as the idea is, these qualities do nothing to disqualify its veracity. What renders moral relativism invalid is it’s erroneous presupposition that morality is merely the values we choose to adopt. While it is true that people tend to value their perceived distinction between right and wrong, this distinction is the basis of morality, not the value of it. In other words, morality is a question of what is right and what is wrong, and a sufficient objective criteria for this does
exist. That which is moral is that which brings about positive experiences in conscious beings, while that which is wrong is that which brings about negative experiences in conscious beings.
Understanding moral relativism’s flaws of subjectivity
BEN BEISHEIM
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
R
ape is wrong in India and in Iceland, in Syria and in Spain, in Mali and on the moon, and in England and everywhere else. Mahatma Gandhi was a better man than Adolf Hitler. If you can accept these two claims, you are well on your way to immunity from one of the most delusional and pernicious ideologies currently burdening liberal thinking circles. Skepticism is great. Serving as the basis of the Scientific Revolution, the practice of tenaciously questioning everything has allowed for all of the luxuries which we have become so enthralled with as to take them for granted. You are able to read these words only because Johannes Gutenberg wondered whether scribing was really the best way to disseminate information. If you are reading this on a computer, you have Alan Turing and his countless successors to thank. Practically every piece of modern technology follows a developmental regression line that leads directly to the Scientific Revolution. Utilitous as skepticism may be, the old proverb: “too much of a good thing can make
Morality is a question of what is right and what is wrong, and a sufficient objective criteria for this does exist. It may seem that the experience of conscious beings is a matter of subjectivity, and that’s because it is — exactly what subjectivity. However, we also know from neuroscience and a host of other disciplines, that subjective changes correspond to objective ones. There are parts of our brain which activate under certain pleasant and unpleasant conditions. When you are happy, a different set of neurons fires off than when you are sad. The neurological difference between winning the lottery and losing a loved one is as real as the physical difference between water and air. Thus, there are facts to be known about the realities of human and animal happiness, and these facts must be the basis of morality, if morality is to mean anything.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
OPINION
A7
Students must understand school values do not reflect work
ALLISON WU
F
STAFF WRITER
acebook, a social media platform that supports human connections between more than a billion active users, is as renowned as its founder, 32-year-old Mark Zuckerberg. 19-year-old Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, is immediately associated with her advocation for female education. Actress and philanthropist Emma Watson, age 26, is well-known for her humanitarian endeavors as a United Nations Women’s goodwill ambassador. Within the past few decades, these influential young thinkers have changed the perspectives and lives of millions around the world by encouraging people to actively support technological and social progress. Visionaries like Zuckerberg, Yousafzai and Watson have also come to represent a prominent generation: the millennials. Today, millennials—people born during or after the 1980s—make up a significant portion of the workforce. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 34 percent of employed Americans are millen-
nials, who outnumber the working populations of any other generation. However, as millennials’ presence is becoming increasingly defined, more and more employers are accusing them of being lazy and self-centered. Growing up with major technological advancements, millennials exhibit starkly different mannerisms when compared to other generation. They are known for their quick minds and impressive intelligence, much of which can be attributed to easy access to knowledge and heightened emphasis on education. Even so, older generations have labeled millennials as the “apathetic generation” they accuse them of being indifferent to the world around them, taking things for granted and acting self-centered in the work environment. As high schoolers about to enter the workforce, we must understand the mindset of millennials. Additionally, we must acknowledge their faults and accomplishments alike in order to learn from their mistakes and avoid them. Recently, a new light has been shed on the personalities of millennials in the workforce. In a viral interview on a YouTube talk show called Inside
Quest, motivational speaker Simon Sinek discussed millennials’ roles in the workforce and delved into their more controversial characteristics. Sinek suggested that social media has played a huge role in emphasizing the importance of outward appearances, and has lead to millennials convincing themselves that their peers live the perfect lives they portray online. Therefore, when millennials enter the workforce, they often look for ways to recreate this unrealistic persona, always trying to “make an impact” in the work environment. While this outlook is positive, it results in an unwillingness to perform minor tasks. Additionally, this mindset leads to millennials fearing that they are not significantly impacting their communities in progressive ways. Generation Z—the new, independent generation of young people who are just now entering the workforce— needs to look beyond education as a means of success, and understand that the world of learning differs greatly from the world of working. Although education is important, it ultimately plays a small role in the grand scheme of things. In institutional education, we are
used to choosing what we want to learn and at what pace we want to learn it. We are accustomed to receiving praise for completing even the most insignificant of activities. We are familiar with making a big impact in a small community, and often look down on the idea of “busy work.” Although these traits are beneficial for our academic journey, the challenges that we will face in the workforce will be drastically different. School may seem mundane now, but the workforce is even more so. Holistically, we need to understand that working revolves around performing menial tasks, at least in entry-level stages of employment. For example, a newly-hired graduate from a prestigious school may be asked to fix a broken printer, crawl around in a dark crawl space to find a lost file or run two blocks to get coffee. These are dull tasks that college graduates would not have dreamed of performing postgraduation. Compared to this tediousness, the world of academia seems extraordinarily interesting. Generation Z’s need to recognize the distinction between education and labor in order to ensure future success as a generation and change our mindsets toward what it means to be truly successful in the workforce.
Older generations have labeled millennials as the “apathetic generation.” They accuse them of being indifferent to the world around them and always taking things for granted. In order to ultimately prosper, we also have to realize that we will need to start at the bottom of the totem pole of employment seniority and gradually claw our way up, all the while performing minor tasks for superiors. We have to understand that it is okay to start small while keeping big ideas in the backs of our minds. With the right mindset and innovative goals that we seem to innately possess, we can pave our way to success as the newest generation of brilliant workers.
Government should reconsider repeal of Obamacare
ASHLEY ZHANG
NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR
I
never truly understood how much healthcare in the U.S. cost until I got appendicitis in October,” wrote Reddit user ‘zcypher’ in a post detailing the price of his appendectomy and one-night stay. Attached to his statement was a picture of his hospital bill—$16,277 for the standard appendix operation, $7,501 for a recovery room he claimed to have stayed in for two hours, $4,878 for room and board and tens of thousands of dollars more for scans, anaesthesia and supplies—which came to a grand total of $55,029.31.
It will be much easier to alter parts of the Act instead of creating another system from scratch; repealing Obamacare alone will cost the government an estimated $350 billion over the next decade When an unavoidable illness cripples one’s wallet to an enormous extent, it becomes painfully clear that our system is flawed. Healthcare is a necessity, yet its affordability is restricted to only those whose employers offer packages, or who can afford insurance on their own. Those without insurance must play a game of luck—one
accident could plummet them into major bankruptcy with tens of thousands of dollars worth of emergency room expenses. Even for people with insurance, like zcypher, a hefty price is typical: zcypher’s balance was still $11,119.53 post-insurance. It is appalling that America is the only one of the 35 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development without a system of universal healthcare. For decades, Americans who were unemployed, had pre-existing medical conditions or were independent business owners—to name a few—often did not have healthcare insurance, or were denied because covering chronic illnesses would put private insurance companies at a disadvantage. In 2010, the first step towards universal healthcare came in the form of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. Established by former President Barack Obama, its goals were threefold: make affordable healthcare accessible to more people by providing additional subsidies, expand the Medicaid program for citizens with limited resources and sponsor innovative healthcare methods to lower costs in the long run. And that’s what it did. Prior to the instatement of the ACA, approximately 50 million Americans were
uninsured, nearly 18 percent of the U.S. population according to Gallup. In 2016, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report estimated that the percentage of all uninsured Americans was at 8.6 percent, an alltime low. Those with chronic illnesses are also protected by a provision within the Act, which requires insurance companies to cover everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions. This is not to say that the ACA is the perfect cure for America’s healthcare headache. Admittedly, there are many issues with the Obamacare system—costs are high, millions remain uninsured, and some insurance companies are backing out due to lower participation in the program than previously anticipated. While there is much to be done to truly achieve a practical healthcare system, we cannot act rashly. It will be much easier to alter parts of the Act instead of creating another system from scratch; despite its flaws, Obamacare is the closest America has ever gotten to universal healthcare. Repealment would be costly —Commonwealth Fund-Rand study found that out-ofpocket costs would rise from $3,200 under Obamacare to $4,700 if it was repealed. Even when disregarding the financial factor, the 20 million people insured under Obamacare would lose their healthcare plans.
Losing medical coverage is not just a matter of surging costs. A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the expansion of Medicaid saved one life per 455 people who gained healthcare insurance. Using that data, it was concluded that if Obamacare is repealed and 20 million people lose their insurance, an estimated 43,956 additional deaths would occur annually. The GOP, which has championed the fight for an ACA repeal, overlook the hypocrisy in their opposition. Obamacare was modeled after Romneycare, a Massachusetts healthcare plan created by Republican Mitt Romney. While the plans are largely the same—both use state-based exchanges, subsidize coverage for lowincome families and have individual and business mandates—Romneycare attracted far less criticism than Obamacare did. If one deserved praise for healthcare reform, the other should too, regardless of party affiliation. Before we shoot down the ACA, we must acknowledge the ramifications of doing so. Our government must work together to improve our existing systems, not fight for a repeal that would ultimately destabilize our nation. The debate over Obamacare has very real consequences; healthcare is not just a matter of policy or cost— for some, it is a matter of life or death.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
A8
EDITORIALS
Invasive Chromebook policy infringes on student privacy
T
he growth of educational technology has been an integral aspect of modernizing classroom instruction, and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) has set its sights on utilizing these technologies to their fullest extents. With the newly initiated 1:1 Future Ready program, PAUSD has provided seventh graders at Jordan Middle School along with sophomores and juniors at Palo Alto High School and Gunn High School with the opportunity to borrow a takehome Chromebook for the year. While the program has been wellintentioned in providing students access to technology regardless of socioeconomic background, there have been a plethora of student privacy concerns arising from the Chromebook use policies. Initially devoid of privacy regulations with the exception of those required by law, the 1:1 program is devolving into one with disturbingly paternalistic restrictions — reminiscent of government surveillance in George Orwell’s dystopian novel, “1984” — that strip students of the academic independence that PAUSD has aimed to promote in a variety of ways. The program is set to expand its reach to all grade levels next school year, but it is important that the District takes into consideration several major concerns with the Chrome-
book program’s privacy guidelines before it proceeds any further. At the start of January, the District made an effort to enforce enhanced District monitoring of Chromebook activity due to concerns parents voiced at multiple “Parent Night” information sessions held at the three PAUSD schools. While this system failed for logistical reasons — webfiltering software Securly, which the District would like to see installed on all Chromebooks, prohibits students from using non-school email accounts, and PAUSD underestimated the number of students who relied on personal emails for school work — the District is still making a concerted effort to reinvigorate these harsher restrictions. “The message we heard loud and clear from all three Parent Nights is that parents were asking for a tool to understand and know what their kids are doing at home,” said Derek Moore, Chief Technology Officer of PAUSD. “It was very concerning to the parents that we were sending devices home and not giving them tools to understand what’s actually happening on the device.” One particularly troubling facet of the newly-proposed restrictions, however, is the use of the “Parent Report,” a service provided by Securly. This opt-in feature allows parents to receive weekly reports of their
child’s Chromebook use, detailing the amount of time spent on various websites and programs by the student. Even more concerning is parents have the unilateral right, whether they know it or not, to request as much information as they would like from the District regarding their child’s Chromebook use, regardless of whether their child wants that information disclosed. “A parent can request further information, or District records, from us as a school and a District,” Moore said. “They can request that, and we have no ability to say no. I mean, it’s your child, right?” This means that students’ browsing history can be viewed without their consultation, blurring the lines between student privacy at school and at home. Although providing parents the ability to view students’ online activity on a school-sanctioned device may not seem unreasonable, The Campanile believes such access is a matter best left for parents to discuss with their children. By granting parents unrestricted access to browsing histories through the Parent Report, student voice in the matter is eliminated, with the service effectively acting as the sole liaison between parents and their child’s activity. The way PAUSD has gone about implementing and revising the Chromebook program reinforces
this seemingly perpetual issue of student voice, or more precisely, the lack thereof. Multiple Parent Nights have been held to gauge parental response and advice, but according to Moore, PAUSD has yet to receive any student feedback on the program. Essentially, there has not been a single formal opportunity for students to express any of their concerns about parent or district monitoring of their Chromebook activity. “I sent out a Google [survey to] ask [parents] what their concerns are,” said Adam Paulson, who oversees Paly’s technology programs as Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning. “So I got a lot of concerns from parents who didn’t even come to the [Parent Night] meetings. There were probably around 100 responses total.” One may argue students who feel strongly about the matter can contact those in charge to provide feedback, but it is clear students are at a structural disadvantage in terms of voicing their opinion. The District, time and time again, whether it be with Gunn’s zero period removal or the issue of Chromebook privacy guidelines, has failed to uphold its commitment to empowering students and has instead clearly demonstrated that it values parent opinions over student perspectives. The final concern with the pro-
gram is with the “No Expectation of Privacy” clause in the technology use policies. While it is true administrators don’t keep their eyes on Chromebook activity at all times, there seems to be a lack of a clear threshold for triggering an investigation of a student’s files and browsing history. Presumably, it would only seem necessary and reasonable for administrators to dig into a student’s Chromebook information under the circumstances of disciplinary or illegal activity, but no such policy has been publicly released. Consequently, students and parents are not informed of the circumstances in which they may not have their right to privacy protected; in fact, not even administrators such as Moore and Paulson, who are directly involved in the Chromebook program, were able to provide specific examples of actions that might prompt an investigation. Before PAUSD decides to expand the 1:1 program, it is vital for them to reevaluate privacy regulations and take into consideration student feedback when shaping the program’s guidelines. Technology use may indeed be the future of education, but at what point will policies unreasonably infringe on a student’s right to privacy? It’s our job as a community — administration, parents and students alike — to figure this out together.
Board deserves praise for addition of new courses
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Our journalism program will also burgeon thanks to the additions of Photojournalism, Intro to Broadcasting, Client Based Production and Radio Broadcast (I and II), crafting muckrakers to guide us all through the Trumponion fray. Even the course, yoga, admittedly an unconventional addition, will spice up the banal physical education curriculum. Obsequiousness aside, we urge the Board of Education to continue listening to student input. With a rising student population and the increasing need to stand out in a world full of high school geniuses, unique and creative courses are a great way for prestigious schools to stay ahead. Now is not the time to rest on our Our journalism program will laurels and praise Paly for all of its also burgeon with thanks to the accomplishments. Rather, it is a good additions of Photojournalism, moment to pat ourselves on the back and keep the curriculum fresh. Intro to Broadcasting, Client Paly is an exceptional place of Based Production and Radio learning, and only by pushing the Broadcast. limits of classroom instruction can students and teachers benefit. In As an institution, Paly will reap more simple terms for our friends at benefits from these additions, not just the Board: you did well. At times like these, we at The immediately but also for many years to come. Campanile find ourselves somewhat Our school, already a breeding tongue tied. We believe that our purground for the “Next Big Thing”, will pose is to serve as a vital check and begin churning out scholars at an as- balance in the Paly community, and tonishing pace. we will not hesitate to make a big AP Capstone will inject a dose of stink when we smell injustice. innovation into the Advanced AuJustice, however, has been served thentic Research (AAR) classes by — and with satisfaction across the giving students the opportunity to board at that. change the world without the hassle We’d like to thank all of our readof enrolling in an 8th period class. ers, especially those on the Board, for Web Development will produce hun- working together as a community dreds of budding programmers, hell- to make these new classes possible. bent on shaking up the global tech There are few feelings finer than sucbehemoth and acquiring wealth in cess, and fewer still more satisfying the process. than success through compromise. ometimes, prayers do get answered. In our December 2015 edition, The Campanile printed an editorial imploring the administrators of Palo Alto High School to add a non-AP level calculus course, a request that was recently honored, much to our delight. We would like to take this opportunity to commend the Board of Education and the Math Department for coming to the aid of many of our readers who are struggling to succeed in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB, and also for adding several new courses for Paly’s future generations to enjoy.
FEBRUARY’S TOP TEN LIST Top Ten Ways to Get a Valentine 10) Brag about your Instagram followers 9) Bend, and snap! 8) Don’t shower to attract them with your natural musk 7) Casually mention your eye-popping SAT scores 6) Confess your love over Schoology 5) Send yourself Valgrams 4) Bribery 3) Streak 2) Tell them you write for The Campanile 1) Give up -Vivian Feng and Mackenzie Glassford
“Why can’t you liberals just give Trump a chance?”
The Campanile Editors-in-Chief Peter Maroulis • Jacky Moore • Kai Oda Ethan Teo • Jessica Wong Online Editor-in-Chief David Tayeri
Managing Editor Alice Zhao
News and Opinion Editors Sam Yun Ashley Zhang
Lifestyle Editors Eli Gwin-Kerr Annalise Wang
Sports Editors Cole Hechtman Kiran Misner
Multimedia Editor Mads McCluskey
Social Media Manager Kate DeAndre
Business Manager Bethany Shiang
Staff Writers
Noah Baum Ben Beisheim Yael Ben-Shachar Josh Brigel Ethan Bundy Charlotte Cheng Uma Choudhury Kate DeAndre Philip Ericsson Joanna Falla
Vivian Feng Mary Fetter Mackenzie Glassford Renee Hoh Maya Homan Edward Kim Grace Kitayama Riya Kumar Raj Lele Eric Li
Photographers
Peter Gold Maya Homan
Jordan Schilling
Advisors Esther Wojcicki
Rodney Satterthwaite
Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to theeds17@googlegroups.com The Campanile prints letters on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit submissions. The Campanile only prints signed letters. Advertisements: Advertisements with The Campanile are printed with signed contracts. For more information regarding advertisements or sponsors in
Will Leighton Jacques Manjarrez Nicholas Melvin Anna Moragne Jordan Quigley Maya Ravel-Bailey Niklas Risano Ehecatl Rivera-Pinedo Gillian Robins Paarth Sharma
Edan Sneh Kesi Sound Jared Stanley Avi Tachna-Fram Peyton Wang Clay Watson Allison Wu Byron Zhang Shannon Zhao
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Writing Coaches Evelyn Richards
Elisabeth Rubinfien
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L FESTYLE The Campanile
design by allison wu & alice on
Friday, February 3, 2017 Best and worst films of 2016 A wide variety of both failures and successes in film was introduced in 2016. PAGE B3
trump’s Cabinet
Text & design by yael ben-shachar
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n Nov. 8, history was made when Donald Trump, a former reality star, was elected to be President of the United States. Trump is the first president in American history to be elected without any formal political or military experience, but also the president with the lowest approval rating of any president in modern history at the time of the inauguration. Consequently, it is crucial for Trump to have a solid and highly qualified cabinet. One of Trump’s main campaign slogans was “drain the swamp,” a pledge to stray from the status quo of Washington D.C. in an attempt to lessen governmental corruption. However, his predominantly white male cabinet appointments have not shown any attempts at diversity, which could lead to backlash from citizens in the future. Here’s a look at some of Trump’s most controversial picks.
Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus
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s Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus is the highest-ranking employee at the White House. The job of Chief of Staff is different under each administration depending on the needs of the president, but generally, the position is to assist the president. Chief of Staff controls access to the Oval office, manages communication with the president, oversees the White House staff and negotiates with Congress and other governmental agencies to enact the president’s agenda. Previously, Priebus served as chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC). He subsequently received some backlash when appointed to Chief of Staff, because as RNC chairman, Priebus mostly dealt with procuring donations and lacks governing experience. Priebus notably criticized Trump in 2015 for proposing to temporarily discontinue the immigration of Muslims to the U.S. and for his comments about Mexican immigrants. Thus, many are hoping Priebus will provide Trump some much needed stability and balance.
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Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon
tephen Bannon is arguably Trump’s most controversial pick, as until August 2016, he was the executive chairman of Breitbart News, an alt-right media outlet. Breitbart News was a large contributor to fabricated news during the election cycle, particularly contributing to spreading conspiracy theories. One such story that Hillary Clinton was unable to run for president due to her alleged “poor health.” Bannon’s appointment to Chief Strategist has fueled opposition from many organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Anti-Defamation League due to Bannon’s outspoken nationalist, misogynistic, racist, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic ideology. As a result, many fear that Bannon’s appointment may lead to an increased acceptance of white supremacist ideas across the nation.
Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson
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hough Rex Tillerson donated in support of Trump’s opponent, Jeb Bush, during the election, Tillerson has been appointed as Secretary of State. The job of Secretary of State will require Tillerson to deal with foreign affairs, a task Trump believes Tillerson is qualified for due to his experience as CEO for oil company ExxonMobil over the past decade. Through his work as CEO, Tillerson has gained close ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin, sparking bipartisan controversy, which only escalated after reports were released that Russia had influenced the election. Human rights groups and environmentalists have also voiced their concerns of Tillerson due to his career pursuits at an oil and gas company.
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Secretary of Defense: James Mattis
s Secretary of Defense, James Mattis will wield immense power over the U.S.’s military, second only to President Trump. Mattis has been part of the military since 1969, when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Since then, Mattis has risen up the ranks to the title of general in the Iraq War, and later as head of Central Command, which is a portion of the U.S. Department of Defense. During his Senate hearing, Mattis disagreed with Trump on a few issues; being a proponent of the Iran Nuclear Agreement, he is more supportive of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and cautious of Russia. Mattis’ differing viewpoints from Trump’s apparent pro-Putin and anti-NATO views could prove to be beneficial in offsetting Trump’s widely unpopular ideology.
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions
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eff Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump’s presidential campaign. As Attorney General, Sessions’ job is to act as chief law enforcer and lawyer of the U.S. However, many people have voiced their concerns that Sessions may be too conservative for the job of Attorney General, causing possible setbacks in many social issues such as civil rights, LGBT rights and women’s rights. To date, over 1,400 law school professors have sent letters to the Senate, advising to reject Sessions’ nomination. Sessions has also been accused of making many xenophobic, homophobic and racist comments that worry many of his critics, as they could affect his decision-making as Attorney General.
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Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos
n her role as Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos has said she will move money away from public schools, claiming that public schools no longer meet the learning needs of many children. Even though she has strong opinions regarding public schools, DeVos has no prior experience with the public school system, as neither her, nor any of her children ever attended public schools. She is an advocate for private and charter schools, and has even helped to create some charter schools in her home state of Michigan, asserting that private and charter schools cater to a wider variety of students’ needs. However, these charter schools are the lowest-performing schools in the state. She has also caused quite a bit of controversy over the fact that her family has donated an estimated $200 million to the GOP, causing people to question the role of her wealth in the nomination. DeVos also does not support the Common Core, similar to many of Trump’s supporters.
What job should you get?
ALICE ZHAO
MANAGING EDITOR
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f you’re 14 years old or older, you’re of legal working age! Take this quiz to find out what you can do to be a productive member of society! (No prior experience required). 1. What do you like to do on a Saturday night? A. Make hot chocolate for you and your friends as you sit by the fire with soft pop music playing the in the background B. Do homework with friends C. Tear up the town D. Ask people what they like to do on Saturday nights E. Work on your latest Artificial Intelligence coding project while simultaneously developing a new iOS App and building a computer 2. It’s your friend’s birthday so you gift them… A. A cute coffee mug and a gift card to their favorite coffee shop B. Your old TI-89, they’re gonna need it for indefinite integrals in AP Calculus BC, which you took sophomore year C. Something you know that they won’t use. For example, did they just upgrade to the iPhone 7? Get them an iPhone 4 case! D. A gift (gottem!) E. Something you made with either a 3D printer or laser cutter 3. The teacher assigns you a group lab write-up. You’re the person who… A. Does your share and offers to help others B. Finishes the whole lab perfectly C. Says you’ll do the purpose and materials, (which are already the easiest portion of the write-up) but then flake and go offline until the project is turned in D. This quiz sucks E. Does the Data and Error Analysis because you like to analyze data and debug in your free time anyways Mostly A’s: Barista! You are a very kind soul that would fit in perfectly at a coffee shop! Your hard work and great attitude will land you lots of tips and promotions. With so many cafes around, you’ll be sure to find one that’ll hire as warm a person as yourself. Mostly B’s: Tutor! Your academic excellence in high school alone can land you a well-paying job with flexible hours. You probably have already noticed that you’re smarter than all of your lesser peers and now you can monetize that advantage! Mostly C’s: Hair stylist! You seem like a sadist — you get so much pleasure out of ruining someone else’s day. As a hair stylist, you can get paid to do that! You know that feeling you get after a bad haircut and you’re forced to tell your stylist that you love it? Now you can give that same gutwrenching feeling to others. Don’t worry, your patrons will tip, even if they’re silently holding back tears. Mostly D’s: Columnist! Think you’re slick, eh? Fine then, take my job! See if I care! Just so you know, the pay isn’t even remotely decent. Mostly E’s: BitCoin Miner! This is a sure fire way to earn some moolah. Plus it is a self-made job and you are your own boss. With your computer skills, I’m sure you’ll have virtual fat stacks of cryptocurrency in no time! Or you could try to find a paid programming internship…if you’re a big nerd!
LIFESTYLE
The role of brands as social indicators
JORDAN SCHILLING/THE CAMPANILE
Name-brand clothing has created different social perspectives with the onset of social media, especially among teenagers. Read about Paly studentsí views concerning this division.
Barack Obama’s legacy
Cantor Arts review
Valentine’s Day ideas
PAGE B8
PAGES B4-B5
PAGE B6
PAGE B7
PIXABAY/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
SPOTLIGHT
Although Obamaís eight-year term is over, his legacy will remain.
OLEG ALEXANDROV/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
LIFESTYLE
Stanfordís famous art museum is free to visit.
ONLINE DESIGN/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
COLUMN
How to celebrate with friends, that special someone or alone.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
B2 LIFESTYLE Second Club Day introduces new clubs Paly extracurricular offerings to include Anthro Magazine, Finance and Green Club MAYA HOMAN
STAFF WRITER
ALLISON WU
STAFF WRITER
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t’s a new year, and for Palo Alto High School students, that means new classes along with a whole host of new clubs. While older clubs like Science Olympiad and TEDx will still be around to collect new members, others will be making their debuts. And even if you’re not a science geek or a French fanatic, Club Day on Feb. 3 will have something for you. Paly Marketing and Finance Club When & Where: Thursdays lunch in room 852 Teacher Advisor: Mr. Rowe Paly Marketing and Finance Club is Paly’s newest business club, joining others like Entrepreneur Club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). Yet unlike FBLA and DECA, Marketing and Finance Club focuses on educating students about how to invest their money wisely. “We’ll do virtual stock trading simulations [and] future financing planning,” President Jeremy Dou said. “We believe that by doing this, we can have a better idea about how we should plan our future wisely and financially.” Paly Marketing and Finance Club teaches students the practical skills needed to properly understand the stock market and economy. The club also aims to prepare students who plan to study finance in college, as money management is a topic few high school classes even mention. “We will be teaching you how to stock trade, which is a skill that can be easily utilized right now instead of a skill that might or might not come in handy in your future careers,” Vice
President Brian Xu said. However, learning about the stock exchange is only one of many useful skills that Paly Marketing and Finance Club teaches. “Engaging with peers [makes] this experience limitless and extremely beneficial for everyone,” Dou said. “As we strengthen our knowledge about financing and marketing, we are also improving our mathematical thinking abilities, our social connections and our future-planning abilities.” Anthro Magazine When & Where: Fridays in MAC 103 Teacher Advisor: Mr. Satterthwaite Anthro Magazine is the newest addition to Paly’s extensive journalism program. As a club, Anthro allows students to share their voices with the community without formally enrolling in the beginning journalism class. Members will be able to express their political and social perspectives through their writing. “Anyone, with any level of writing abilities, is encouraged to join because we want to include all student perspectives,” junior and Anthro Editor-in-Chief Chloe Iglehart said. “Because we are nonpartisan, we want a wide range of opinions and political views represented.” Anthro is different from other Paly publications in that its primary goal is to enrich the sociopolitical and cultural values of the Palo Alto community through diverse student points of view. “With the many options of publications on campus, Anthro is unique in its mission to share the views of not only Paly students, but also others throughout the community,” said Amira Garewal, junior and managing editor. Anthro aspires to raise awareness on social issues and current events in our community through activism and open discussions.
“I’d say this club is necessary because it’s an open forum for students from Paly and throughout the Palo Alto community to express their opinions and ideas,” said junior Louisa Keyani, section editor of Anthro. “It also will hopefully keep students aware of the issues experienced by different students in our community, especially those that may not be talked about regularly.” Recently, in an effort to expand its spectrum of diverse perspectives and get Paly students more involved with activism in the area, Anthro has been collaborating with #AgainstHate, a student-led organization at Stanford University that coordinates activism events among other activities. It hopes to expand its range of voices to Gunn High School in the near future. Paly Green Club When & Where: Thursday lunchesweewee in room 218 Teacher Advisor: Ms. Angell With the disbandment of the Wilderness Club and the Environmental Club, Green Club is Paly’s only environmental club left. The organization meets twice each month, and it offers students the opportunity to enjoy nature and become involved in environmental activism.
With the many options of publications on campus, Anthro is unique in its mission to share the views of not only Paly students, but also others throughout the community
Amira Garewa Junior “The point of the club is to give people the opportunity to both enjoy and help preserve nature, and to help create a more environmentally conscious climate at Paly,” said junior Julie Cornfield, the club’s founder and
co-president. “Now more than ever it’s really important that we work towards combating climate change. Even the little things we do in the club will make an impact, whether that means making Paly a more environmentally-conscious place or just teaching people to love and become advocates of the environment.”
Yet unlike FBLA and DECA, Marketing and Finance Club focuses on educating students about how to invest their money wisely. The club divides its time between appreciating nature and advocating for local and national environmental causes. Meetings will have activity components such as making your own granola and hiking, while the meetings centered around environmental activism will focus on volunteer opportunities and promoting environmental awareness around Paly. “All of Paly’s environmentallyfocused clubs that had existed in the past weren’t started up again this year,” Cornfield said. “I think that really says something about the regard that a lot of people have for the environment, even now when we should be worrying about it more than ever.” Green Club is also unique compared to other environmentally-focused organizations at Paly. It provides a space for different kinds of nature-lovers: those who enjoy connecting with nature and those fighting to save it. “My understanding is that [other] clubs were limited to either environmental awareness activities or fun nature activities,” Cornfield said. “Paly Green Club is kind of a blend of those two things. It caters to people with different types of preferences and interest, while providing a variety of options.”
ANNALISE WANG
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
DEAR ANNALISE, I don’t have many friends and though people laugh at my jokes and seem like they enjoy me, none turn into genuine relationships. I feel like oftentimes my humor is taken as mean, but it’s how I show I like you! How do I make more friends and form meaningful relationships? — ANONYMOUS DEAR ANONYMOUS, Oh man, you’re definitely not alone on this one — to be honest, I wish I myself knew a surefire way to have genuine relationships with people. The fact of the matter is that in high school, it’s really difficult to be genuine and vulnerable, sometimes even with your closest peers. It can be an exquisitely arduous learning process, and a lengthy one at that. The first step is to learn how to be genuine with yourself and with other people. Perhaps a first step to take is to be aware of yourself. Be honest with yourself first — don’t say something simply in the hopes of others liking you. It can seem like the most important thing in the world sometimes, but a little social validation can come at the cost of becoming disassociated with who you know yourself to be. I speak from experience when I say that it’s never been worth it.
Continued on thecampanile.org
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
LIFESTYLE B3 The meaning of the Women’s March to students Paly students explain the significance that marching with thousands of other protesters had on them GILLIAN ROBINS
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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s I neared the gold dome of San Francisco City Hall, the crowd flooding United Nations Plaza erupted into cheers. Walking down the wide red-brick road towards Civic Center Plaza, a woman in a pink-knit hat banged a staccato beat on a pair of hollow aluminum cylinders, providing fitting background music that matched the thrum of excitement in the air. The colorful signs and posters multiplied, each bearing strong messages and eye-catching visuals.
I attended the march to stand in solidarity with women, people of color, LGBT people and every other group that still faces inequality in the modern world.
Andrea O’Riordan Senior As different speakers took the stage to excite and empower the crowd, I observed the sea of pink: pink hats and balloons, signs emblazoned with bold pink letters. “We shall overcome,” “Bring back hope, impeach this dope” and “Tweet women with respect,” were just a few of the creative messages held over the crowd. According to a Facebook post by the main organizer of the San Francisco event, Renee Lavallee Mckenna, an estimated 100,000 marchers gathered in Civic Center Plaza, before making their way down Market Street. There, trolley cars shuttled enthusiastic participants waving signs across the city. Jan. 21 marked a day of resistance to hate and an uptick in the fight for diversity, resilience and unity. These peace marches catapulted to a global magnitude, popping up on
every continent, with around 700 sister marches worldwide. The Women’s March organization made it clear that its goals were not domestic, but international, as it looked to defend women’s rights worldwide. The goal was to empower women and show how their voices will not be silenced. The movement was founded by Teresa Shook, a Hawaii-based retiree and grandmother who created a Facebook page the day after Trump won the presidential election. Shook first proposed the idea of a March on Washington. She teamed up with fashion designer Bob Bland along with several other activists, and decided on the Women’s March as the official name, an homage to Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington in 1963 during the Civil Rights movement. Countless A-listers performed for and stood amongst the crowds at the marches, most congregating in D.C., New York City and Los Angeles. Emma Watson, a UN Women’s ambassador, who spoke at the HeForShe event at U.N. headquarters in 2014 on gender equality, was in attendance at the D.C. March. TV producer, writer and actress, Lena Dunham and actress Amy Poehler attended the New York City March. Others in attendance include James Franco and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The march triggered a series of frenzied responses from President Trump, who initially tweeted in dismay, calling out celebrities for their negative influence on the “cause” and criticizing those who did not vote. A few hours later he tweeted promoting the March, claiming peaceful protesting to be a fundamental right. Yet the march earned significant backlash by those who interpreted it as another example of white privilege, according to the Washington Post. The majority of those who attended
JESSICA WONG/THE CAMPANILE
Protesters gather in front of San Francisco City Hall on Jan. 21 as part of the Women’s March in response to Trump’s inauguration.
were white women, and there were no arrests and no encounter with police brutality. Nigerian-American blogger and author Luvvie Ajayi posted on Facebook, saying “white women and white bodies can hold space on streets and shut down cities ‘peacefully’ because they are allowed to. Black and brown people who march are assaulted by cops.” In The New Yorker, Jia Tolentino wrote in her piece “The Radial Possibility of the Women’s March” that “if we had, on Friday, inaugurated President Hillary Clinton — how many of the white women who protested on Saturday would feel as if there weren’t much about America that needed protesting at all?” Many Paly students attended marches across the Bay, some making the trek to Washington.
Senior Andrea O’Riordan was in attendance at the San Francisco March. “I attended the march to stand in solidarity with women, people of color, LGBT people and every other group that still faces inequality in the modern world,” O’Riordan said. “It was really important to me to participate in the democratic process in ways I could.” Trump has bragged about sexual assault and has made countless comments objectifying women. However, the March gave senior Zoe Sego a sense of hope. “I am hopeful for the future of women’s rights/LGBTQ rights purely based on the amount of resistance that I know the world is willing to provide,” Sego said. “If we all maintain the same level of passion we did
yesterday, then there is no way that Trump can overlook our demands.” Many are asking what the next steps are. The Women’s March initiated a campaign called 10 Actions for the First 100 Days. Every 10 days, a new action will be placed on the website for people to take part in. These actions are in the hopes of guaranteeing that women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and others are not being oppressed by the government. The first action is to write a postcard to a Senator about an issue you are passionate about and what you will do to protect it. The Women’s March is a catalyzing symbol, and an action that echoes the proactive, “take initiative” sentiment former President Barack Obama emphasized in his farewell address: “if something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing.”
Rounding up the highs and lows of the cinematic year These popular films from 2016 merit either tremendous praise or deserve to never be watched again sword and some armor. 4. La La Land Singing in the Rain < La La Land < Holy Musical Batman Music is alright, but I did not go the movies to listen to music. Formerly the director of one of my favorite films “Whiplash,” Damien Chazelle comes back to the big screen in his musical debut “La La Land.” The film itself is trite as all hell and cliche as a quiche. Because of this, I was ready to throw this film to the lions of lackluster, when a change in perspective made me reconsider. Seeing this film as an homage to the musicals of the mid-20th century translated to modern times really provides you with a great witty retort when countering the opinion that the film might be just a little more than ‘good.’ INDIEWIRE AND ROGER EBERT/FAIR USE
Moonlight was one of the highest rated films of the year, while Suicide Squad left some feeling disappointed and underwhelmed.
JACQUES MANJARREZ
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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hat a terrible year we have had in film. There were bad films, okay films and severely mediocre films from a plethora of genres. Contrary to what some might believe, the oversaturation of terribleness in our modern media this year actually excites me, as it further supports my theory of the downward trend in quality of the medium of film since 2008. I have seen all of the selections and they have all had some measurable impact on me, regardless of whether they were good or bad by my standards. Since this is completely built on my personal opinion, you are free to disagree with whatever is listed, though you would be wrong. 4 Best Films of 2016: 1. Moonlight Broke-black mountain. “Boyhood” was, I believe, the worst film of 2014. It wasted 10 years with a story that was completely reliant on the nostalgic appeal of youth rather than the thrill of watching a real coming-of-age story. Following a character’s journey from an unremarkable youth to an edgy teen to
finally realizing his true calling as a pretentious young adult, the film does not waste effort in investigating the evolution of a genuine character. Rather, it follows the life of the most punchable face in film history.
The beauty of this film is that the evolution of the protagonist is much more evident. Now “Moonlight,” directed by new-face Barry Jenkins, was not “Boyhood.” Its main protagonist, quiet and reserved like that sorry-excuse-for-a-human-being Mason, has a character that you watch develop through a journey of self-discovery from pre-adolescence to adulthood in a low-income neighborhood. The beauty of this film is that the evolution of the protagonist is much more evident. If you ever have a choice between these two films, pick up the “Boyhood” DVD box set and paint over it so that it may be used as a stand to glorify the superior film. 2. Hell or High Water The dude and his brother do not abide. To those who say that the contemporary Western died with “No
Country for Old Men,” I present to you David Mackenzie’s “Hell or High Water.” It is the kind of name you can only say with a raspy, country accent that gives you a peculiar Clint Eastwood sensation. Indeed, after seeing the movie I found myself shouting at empty chairs for hours on end with no particular objective in mind. Jeff Bridges from “The Big Lebowski” returns to the big screen along with Chris Pine as two brothers that together rob branch after branch of a local bank. The story is a kind of “Bonnie and Clyde” tale if Bonnie and Clyde were both brothers and neither was Bonnie nor Clyde. Good movie. 3. Kubo and the Tale of Two Strings Losing an eye is apparently a valid excuse for an edgy haircut. “Kubo and the Tale of Two Strings” is, without a doubt, the greatest stop motion film I have seen since “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.” The film brings the medium of stop-motion to new heights. Through the implementation of innovative stop motion methods and George Takei, Kubo and the Tale of Two Strings tells the fantastically adventurous story of a kid finding a
4 Worst Films of 2016: 1. Suicide Squad Witness Ozymandias And with this, dies my last hope for the superhero genre in contemporary film. When the low-budget, 20-minute long episode on the Justice League animated television show has had a lot more thought put into its story and characters than the fullbudget blockbuster using the same subject matter, it is not a good find for the future of the genre. It is not the fact that this movie was even greenlighted that bothers me. It is the fact that, despite its pathetic story and equally pathetic characters, “Suicide Squad” managed to wring a dedicated fan following. I could not help but think of Jim Jones and his organization while reading the audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. If you have any consideration for the future of the media, don’t waste your time with this abominable trash. 2. Nine Lives Remember when we were in two wars and this stuff was considered good? Hypothetical scenario: Your budget has granted you the opportunity to produce a full-scale film with an original script and expensive filming equipment and also have the cash left over to hire acclaimed actors such as
Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner and Christopher Walken. What would you do with that kind of opportunity? According to producer and director Barry Sonenfeld, the only logical option is to make a blatant ripoff of 2013’s “A Talking Cat!?!” — a film hailed as a masterful failure in the cinematic enterprise. “So bad it’s good” is no longer a valid excuse when you are given the kind of opportunities that the producers were given in making this film. The film’s running time is conveniently divisible by nine, so you can lose a life for every 15 minutes your eyes remain fixated on the screen. 3. Don’t Think Twice This American Obnoxiousness. This piece of work will always have a special place in my heart as the first film I reviewed critically for The Campanile. Ira Glass from acclaimed podcast “This American Life” decided to write and produce a film with questionable results. In short, the sad excuse for a comedy and laughable excuse for a drama reeked pretentiousness. With amateurish cinematography and log-line characters, this film is what happens when you combine a couple of wealthy individuals with minimal experience in the medium of cinema and Prop 64 together. Do think twice before seeing. 4. Sausage Party James Franco continues to deliver as Paly’s role model for dignity and success. Curtains open, the crowd gasps in horror. Children cry and their mothers faint at the ghastly sight before them. Chained to the stage with the apathetic tendrils of human insecurities, is bounded good quality comedy. Satire and lampoon, irony and wordplay. Have we as a people become so self-conscious about our ability to grasp intelligent comedy that our standard has deflated to the universal language of innuendo? When did we, as a society, go so far as to call this stain on the media political commentary. Anybody who says that this movie is funny is entitled to their opinion, be it the wrong one.
Friday, February 3, 2017
B4
The Campanile
SPOTLIGHT
The Legacy of B
Analyzing the significance of the foreign, economic, socia
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or 228 years, our nation has seen many men take on what is arguably, the most difficult job in America: the presidency. While executives have had varied impacts on America, the 44th President of the United States will leave office indubitably having changed the game. Barack Obama’s eight years in the Oval Office aided the progress of the country in the eyes of many of his constituents, as popularity ratings show. His legacy will leave a lasting impact on Americans for generations to come in a variety of areas, ranging from healthcare to the withdrawal of American troops from Afghan soil. Yet Obama’s journey and the actions that his administration took along the way did not satisfy all of America. In this article, The Campanile explores the nuances of Mr. Obama’s contributions to the United States, and the consequences of his actions for our readers and the nation itself.
be crossing a “red line” which would result in a panding the role of the government, addressstrike. Despite this threat, Assad proceeded to ing the federal budget deficit, raising the inalso kill approximately 1,400 people with Sarin come tax and lowering unemployment. gas. Yet, the president did not take action with a Obama entered the presidency at a time strike against Syria when the message was clear: when the economy was in distress, and among Assad needed not violate the international his first actions were to try and improve the norms that prohibit the use of chemical weapsituation of the country after the recession. ons. This decision greatly put US credibility at The American Recovery and Reinvestment risk, and made the country seem less powerful Act was the response to the recession that in foreign eyes. focused on creating new jobs, investing in in“The ‘Red Line’ was a huge mistake,” said frastructure, education, health and energy. The History and U.S. Foreign Policy teacher Adam estimated cost of this stimulus package was Yonkers. “He bluffed and weakened his position $787 billion at the time of its passage, but that greatly.” cost is expected to rise to a staggering $831 In another instance, billion between 2009 the U.S. once again and 2019. opted for softer forms The impact of the of intervention when stimulus agreement dealing with the 2014 has been largely conRussian military intertroversial as the effect vention in the Ukraine. of the agreement is As a result, many couna topic of disagreetries (primarily the U.S) ment. The studies that placed sanctions on have been conducted It might be best summed up that Obama was businesses, individuals regarding its effectivemore of a singles hitter than a home run slug- and officials of Russia. ness have produced a ger when it came to foreign policy. He charged The sanctions contribwide variety of results. into office with unimaginable optimism and uted to the currently History and U.S. Foreign Policy Teacher However, a study conheightened expectations, both of which soon ongoing Russian finanducted by the Univerdeflated. When dealing with foreign nations, cial crisis. Ukrainian sity of Chicago conObama seemed to favor intervention but not officials later stated that Russia was forced to cluded that 80 percent of economists believe to its fullest extent. The President appeared to change its approach towards Ukraine due to the that the unemployment rate in the United take a lighter approach: Instead of deploying sanctions. States was lower by the end of 2010 than it troops on foreign land, he would use sanctions “For a while now we’ve been trying to get my would have been without the stimulus. Despite or threats, which many have criticized as “soft.” grandmother a green card,” said senior, Bianca this fact, the opinions of whether the improveDespite this departure from America’s previous Alshamary. “We’ve noticed that depending on ments outweigh the costs of the stimulus are gung-ho intervention, his methods have proved U.S. and Russian relations, its been more difmuch more varied. 46 percent of economists successful. ficult to get a Visa.” “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the stimulus The agreement that America and Iran setWhile many may denounce that Obama’s as a whole, 27 percent were “uncertain,” and tled upon is an admirable one. Obama had tactics as “soft” they have generally proved ef12 percent “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed.” underscored that the negotiations were about fective. However, this data changed when economists Iran’s nuclear program and its dismantling. To I would say that [Obama] wanted to make were asked again about their opinions in 2014 achieve this negotiation, sanctions were placed more of an effort to repair some of the ways when 56 percent “agreed” or “strongly agreed,” upon Iran which prevented the flow of roughly people thought of the U.S. under Bush,” Yon23 percent were “uncertain,” and only 5 per$100 billion in Iranian assets. Iran subsequently, kers said. “He was very willing to negotiate and cent “disagreed.” agreed to get rid of a large majority of its nu- compromise.” Throughout his presidency, Obama made clear program due to the sanctions. The agreeseveral reforms which primarily involved levyment showed the U.S.’s exemplary capability to ing taxes on the wealthy. The top 1 percent of broker a settlement without the use of violence. The economic reforms under Obama’s earners in the U.S. are now paying an average One of his most highly criticized decisions presidency heavily favored pouring montax rate that is 6 percentage points higher than was his “Red Line Policy.” Obama made a ey into the country as a whole. Fiscally the statement claiming that any of use of chemi- Obama administration focused on excal weaponry used by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would
“The ‘Red Line’ was a huge mistake. He bluffed and weakened his position
Foreign Policy
greatly.” Adam Yonkers
Economic Policy
when Obama first took office. The increased taxes were aimed at helping middle and low income families at a hefty cost to millionaires. The so-called “Buffett Rule” which was proposed by Obama but denied before implementation would have imposed a minimum 30 percent effective federal tax rate on the wealthy. Despite many of Obama’s tax reforms not being imposed, the legislation still helped the overall push of tax increases. “I don’t think it impacts people too much around here besides taxing them more,” said junior James Roake. “People here understand the benefits of taxing and it all helps with his other policies like the Affordable Care Act.” The presidency had a large affect on many living in Palo Alto as it is generally regarded as a high-income area. The tax reforms therefore were targeted at areas like Palo Alto, and increased taxes for many in the area. “Considering that Palo Alto is in one of the highest tax brackets, I understand that by raising the taxes our parents are dealing with having to pay even higher taxes,” said junior Johnny Loftus. “In the long term this could affect the possibility for some [local] parents being able to put multiple children through college.”
Social Policy
Obama has time after time been praised for his fight for social equality, especially in the arenas of race and gender. Throughout his presidency, Obama appealed to the people directly and championed legal action for social change. The last eight years have seen an enormous increase in LGBTQ movements. Obama worked tirelessly on eliminating discrimination and hate crimes towards LGBTQ Americans, such as when he worked together with Congress to pass the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The law protected people from being bullied or harassed based upon their sexual orientation and was a landmark achievement for the safety and protection of the LGBTQ community. “I think [Obama] has made a tremendous effort in instigating the conversation around LGBTQ rights,“ said senior Ibby Day. “I am
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
SPOTLIGHT
Barack Obama
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al and partisan policies of America’s first black president immensely pleased that it is now a constitutional law that same-sex marriage is legal.” Obama also worked with legislators to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This allowed for gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans to serve in the armed forces without the fear of being dismissed because of their sexual orientation. In 2015, the Supreme Court decided to hear a case involving same-sex marriage, Obergefell v. Hodges. The court’s ruling stated same sex couples would have constitutional rights to marry and have their marriages recognized. The legal actions taken by Obama have been his attempt to lead by example. He stated that protecting LGBT rights worldwide is still a long time goal. Although this goal may require a lot more time and effort, Obama has taken the U.S. a big step forward. “Advancing this goal has long been a cornerstone of American diplomacy, and I am proud that my administration has made advancing the human rights of LGBT individuals a specific focus of our engagement around the world,” stated Obama in an interview with The Atlantic. In the vein of Civil Rights, significant action has also been taken towards battling sexual assault on college campuses. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have launched a campaign called “It’s On Us” with the intent to put an end to sexual assault at colleges and bring awareness to the issue. “An estimated one in five women has been sexually assaulted during her college years — one in five,” said Obama “Of those assaults, only 12 percent are reported, and of those reported assaults, only a fraction of the offenders are punished.” The effort has helped combat sexual assault by sending aid for every federally funded college. Many laws have been reviewed to make sure that students are adequately protected. “It is on all of us to reject the quiet tolerance of sexual assault and to refuse to accept what’s unacceptable,” stated Obama.
Partisan Policy
Perhaps the most controversial portions of Obama’s presidency involved his partisanship. Obama was in charge during the government shutdown in 2013 and later, in 2016, was over a conflict with the Republican-
controlled Congress in the nomination of a new when the Republican-controlled Senate refused Supreme Court Justice. to accept the nomination to the Supreme Court The United States government entered a of Merrick Garland, a conservative justice. They shutdown from October 1-16, 2013. This re- not only blocked the appointment of Garland sulted in the curtailing of most routine op- but also vowed to dismiss any other nominaerations because neither new legislation nor tions made by President Obama. a continuing resolution for the fiscal year of The actions of the Senate were unprecedent2014 was put in place in time. The government ed as a presidential right like appointing a Sushutdown impacted a large part of the popula- preme Court justice had never been denied in tion, as roughly 800,000 federal employees were full whilst the president was still in office. The furloughed, and 1.3 million other people were refusal also broke a 100-year long record for left not knowing when they would receive their the longest time between the nomination and next paycheck. confirmation of a U.S. Supreme Court nomiThe budget breakdown was largely a result nee. The Supreme Court nomination is now up of the battle between to the new president, Obama and the GOP. and considering that The two parties made government is now several accusations and largely Republican Obama made additional controlled, the nomianti-GOP speeches, nation process will further damaging the involve much differrelationship between the ent candidates which two parties. They refused could alter court decito compromise on the sions in future cases. issues. From the perspecThe shutdown had tive of a Palo Alto major effects on many High School teacher, Paly Junior parts of America. Many the time Obama spent departments and emin office could have ployees were furloughed, been much more efas national parks, the National Zoo and NASA fective had it not been for constant gridlock. He were all closed. The Veterans Affairs secretary showed promise in warned that they would be unable to send his first few out compensation checks to 5.1 million years of veterans if the shutdown continued. ofThe governmental shutdown was one of the lowlights of Obama’s presidency as it cost the country an estimated total of $24 billion in lost economic output, and it could have been prevented with a compromise. Obama’s actions were also controversial
“People here understand the benefits of taxing and it all helps with his other policies like the Affordable Care Act.” James Roake
fice when he had the backing of a Democratcontrolled Congress. “I think on a very simple level, if the two parties are deadlocked and are unable to compromise, and choose not to compromise to work together to create policy, then nothing is going to happen,” said U.S. History, and Economics teacher Grant Blackburn. “I think it was the problem of Congress. Obama didn’t create that separation. For example, in Obama’s first years, he had a democratic Congress, and got a lot done. Eventually the Democrats got voted out and as a result you saw that deadlock occur. I thought that it was going to be a huge mistake by the Republicans, but it ended out turning out for them.” However, the gridlock did definitely hinder the effectiveness of the government as a whole. This ineffectiveness at times might be the reason a large portion of the population wanted a shift in power come the 2016 election. “It certainly wasn’t helpful in passing laws,” Roake said, “I think that certain Americans were tired of denial so I think that led to a Republican President eventually taking over. They wanted more change to happen.” Regarding his partisan policy, Obama’s presidency could be viewed in the future as a gridlock between Republicans and Democrats. The refusal to compromise between both parties halted the process of reform, and will likely be seen as a low point of the last eight years. In Unites States history, presidents of the past have been able to successfully compromise with the other which led to great reform.
Lasting Impact
Overall, Obama’s eight years in the Oval Office proved predictably substantial to the progression of the country. His legacy will leave a long-lasting impact on Americans for generations to come. While he impacted the political world, he also set an example as a family man and a good-hearted individual. His poise and elegance are characteristics which are hard to come by in today’s political environment. While many of the issues he faced still need fighting for, he broke the barriers previously set and was able to point the country in the right direction.
Text and Design by
Philip Ericsson &
Ehecatl Rivera
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
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Input Club compiles course data for students
LIFESTYLE
Local restaurants adopt Farm-to-Table trend Downtown Palo Alto restaurants exclusively organic eating from sustainable products
PAARTH SHARMA
STAFF WRITER
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ave you ever wondered how hard a class is? Have you ever wished you could find your chances of getting an A? What if there was a website that allowed you to see statistics about nearly every academic class offered at Paly? There is. That’s right, there’s a club that provides the school with a way to find out information about courses here at Paly. As the next president of Input Club, I’m here to explain the benefits and accomplishments of a club close to my heart. Our main accomplishment, a website that showcases data about various academic courses at Paly, features a multitude of statistics about almost every class offered at the school. It acts as a database of the average grade, average homework time, and the average Advanced Placement (AP) score and the percentage of students taking the AP exams for any given Paly course. Along with these measurements, a bar graph showing the distribution of grades is provided on the Input Club website. On this graph, students can see how many students received A’s, B’s, C’s and so on from official data provided by the Palo Alto Unified School District. For AP classes, another bar graph showing the distribution of AP scores is also provided. This component of the website has made Input Club’s database about specific courses a valuable asset for many students struggling to choose which courses to enroll in for the upcoming year. Additionally, students can see qualitative data about specific courses, such as how much homework each class assigns as well as a general description of the course and sections of the gradebook. For example, one could conclude that AP Environmental Science does a poor job of preparing students for the AP exam because over the last five years, a third of Paly APES students taking the class opt not to take the test. Of those who do, nearly 40 percent receive under a three on the test. On the other hand, AP Calculus BC does a phenomenal job of preparing students for standardized calculus tests — only two students received under a five on the AP test last year. However, when the grade distribution of APES is compared to that of BC Calculus, it is apparent that BC Calculus is the more difficult of the two. This shows that student grades are not always a predictable indicator of success on the AP exam. Presenting statistical analysis of course data is only one aspect of our club. In upcoming weeks and months, the club hopes to unroll a variety of other projects outside of its flagship project. These projects include comparing student attendance on test days with attendance on normal days, finding out how Paly students get to school and understanding out how these factors affect students’ performance in their morning classes. To me, Input Club is about doing a service to the community. We at Paly Input look at ourselves as servants of the Paly community, and strive to provide other students with organized, easy-to-understand statistics so that they can make informed decisions about what classes to take and homework load for the classes. Where else can students find out how well a class prepares its students for AP exams, or how difficult it is to get an A in a class? Sure, the student can talk to his or her peers, but these are not always accurate and represent only one of many students who enroll in any particular class. Often the school’s information in the course catalog can also be a lessthan-perfect resource for students to find about AP classes because it is not written from a student perspective. Our club provides a place for students to find out more about which courses to take as well as which to abstain from. I can only hope that I will be able to fulfill the legacy of those before me. If you’d like to visit the Input Club website, visit paly-input.wixsite.com.
GOOGLE MAPS/FAIR USE
Located on 535 Ramona St., Nola is known for its New Orleans cuisine prepared from sustainable produce, which manager Shiraz Qadri purchases from the farmers market.
VIVIAN FENG
STAFF WRITER
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he quality of the flavor is just incomparably better,” said Nola restaurant general manager Shiraz Qadri when comparing organic produce to conventionally farmed produce. This practice of buying exclusively local, organic foods is a rising trend known as the Farm-toTable movement. For the 15 years that Qadri has worked at Nola, the downtown Palo Alto restaurant has always abided by the Farm-to-Table movement as if it were an official restaurant policy. Despite its diverse cuisine, the New Orleans-style eatery has been able to find and buy all its produce from local vendors and farms. Nola is one of many restaurants in Palo Alto that considers the Farm-to-Table movement to be more of a standard to be met rather than a trend to casually be followed. This movement supports local producers who practice organic farming, sustainable agriculture, free range animal husbandry and fair trade, all of which boost the Bay Area economy. Not only does Farmto-Table encourage the growth of smaller-scale farms, it is also envi-
ronmentally friendly—in that restaurants’ menus change based on what produce is peaking in its local harvest. This guarantees that the restaurant’s food is fresh, promoting the “green movement” and clean eating. Along with attracting customers drawn by the chic connotation that is associated with the Farm-to-Table movement, participating restaurants can better accommodate the culinary wants of customers with dietary restrictions and health-conscious consumers alike.
Nola is one of many restaurants in Palo Alto that considers the Farm-to-Table movement to be more of an expectation to be met than a trend to casually be followed. This socio-culinary movement has benefitted many restaurants economically because of the surprisingly low costs of using organic produce. “[Organic produce] is not necessarily more expensive,” said Andrea Hyde, co-owner of Bistro Elan — another local participant in the Farm-to-Table movement. “I think
most people make that assumption.” Hyde explains that Bistro Elan’s chef visits the California Avenue Farmers Market every Sunday in order to personally select and purchase the freshest produce to cook for the restaurant’s patrons. Originally, Bistro Elan wanted to partake in the movement mostly due to convenience of the nearby farmer market, but now realizes that joining in the sustainable produce movement may have also heightened their business. Both Hyde and Qadri agree that one of the primary goals of the Farm-to-Table movement is to create relationships between local vendors and farms. In the starting period of a business, or during a product’s off-season, buying organic produce can be expensive. Most suppliers are willing to give good deals, particularly in peak season of a produce, in turn for the restaurants’ steadily large purchases. “That is why you try and form relationships with the vendors, and I think they’ll do the best they can to keep their pricing as approachable as possible,” Qadri said. Besides the financial boost, restaurants that participate in this movement indirectly support the economy and general welfare of the
surrounding community. By purchasing from local producers, less fuel is used to transport products from farm to market, which benefits the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. Additionally, smaller-scale local farmers will have a better chance of being able to afford and keep their business, and keeping their customers healthy and happy.
“That is why you try and form relationships with the vendors, and I think they’ll do the best they can to keep their pricing as approachable as possible.”
Shiraz Qadri Nola General Manager Patrons of restaurants that follow the Farm-to-Table movement support the economic and environmental stability and growth of the surrounding community through their culinary choices. Due to the increasingly similar pricing of restaurants that follow the Farm-toTable movement and restaurants that don’t, the eco-friendly and the uniquely local restaurant is bound to become more successful.
Nearby Cantor Center provides exposure to artists Unexplored exhibits provide a fresh look into many periods and styles of sculpture NIKLAS RISANO
STAFF WRITER
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or many people, art is something which has had a decreasingly prominent role in their lives. Without the various field trips to art exhibits or built in art lessons which many kids grew up with, art is something which is regressing in influence on students. For the many people who fall into this category there are easily accessible resources which enable one to engage with thought provoking professional art without taking a year long course or traveling far distances. In fact, just minutes away from Paly is the Cantor Arts Center, an often overlooked museum hidden just off of Stanford University’s iconic Palm Drive. In addition to being in an easily accessible location for Paly students, it’s also completely free to the public.
While it may seem like a tall task to reintegrate a smattering of art into your life, in reality it’s extremely simple. The museum’s pillared entrance foreshadows the richness of the content hidden within. The museum, mostly remembered for its possession of artifacts pertaining to the late Stanford family, has a wide range of pieces organized into a myriad of exhibits spread throughout the 2-story building. Upon entrance into the building, two grand staircases dominate the room on either side. Nestled in between the two is the dossants table, where two or three volunteers stand ready to answer questions or distribute pamphlets containing information about some of the current
PETER GOLD/THE CAMPANILE
Cantor Arts Center at Stanford offers free art exhibits to the community, featuring works by Frank Stella and Auguste Rodin.
exhibits and other interesting information regarding museum policy. It is indisputable that the centerpiece of the museum is the exhibit of the Stanford’s lives, and for good reason. The collection is extremely impressive, and even includes a golden railroad spike which was ceremonially hammered in when the great American railway — which was funded in large part by Stanford — was completed. In addition to the golden railroad spike are several massive paintings depicting the Stanfords’ house. Exhibits such as “The Conjured Life: The Legacy of Surrealism” display a specific form of art, in this case surrealism, and show its progression over the span of nearly a century. This enables the viewer to gain a more holistic perspective on the pieces in front of them, as opposed to only seeing artists from a single time period within a vast genre. Conversely, the museum houses an exhibit called “Object Lessons: Art and its Histories” which depicts
modern Chinese scroll paintings, prints and albums. While the main intention of this exhibit is to serve as part of an art course for Stanford students, it provides an interesting glimpse into Chinese art. Modern and minimalist paintings can be found in the leftmost corner of the second floor. Through the use of extravagant patterns, some pieces create a shifting illusion as you move toward or away from them. Other paintings possess extremely unique textures, with ridges nearly an inch thick creating intricate patterns. This part of the museum possesses an uncharacteristically vibrant and modern feel, which greatly contrasts with the many older and more uniform pieces in separate sections of the building. A prominent artist featured in this exhibit is Frank Stella, who employed a picture as object approach to painting virtually since his genesis as an artist at Philips Academy. This approach, which emphasized that the painting was simply a canvas with
patterns, and nothing more, goes against many common art practices, which channel emotion onto the canvas. In addition to the diverse collection of art and sculpture inside the museum, Cantor also boasts a collection of sculptures outside the museum in what they call the sculpture garden. Perhaps the most famous piece in this section is the “Gates to Hell,” which are a set of metal doors covered in all sorts of demonic beings. The majority of the sculptures are from sculptor Auguste Rodin, who is most famous for “The Thinker.” In fact, outside of France, Stanford possesses the largest collection of Rodin sculptures. While it may seem like a tall task to reintegrate a smattering of art into your life, in reality it’s extremely simple. With a easily accessible location, free admission and often changing exhibits, the Cantor Center can serve as your weekly, monthly or yearly serving of art.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
LIFESTYLE
Social media cleanse improves wellbeing Logging off of social media and experiencing authentic reality can enhance social skills SHANNON ZHAO
STAFF WRITER
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oday, #DoItforTheGram has become more of a lifestyle than just a hashtag. More than 78 percent of Americans are on social media, and an estimated 1.96 billion people worldwide are social media users. In the modern digital era, we are constantly trying to mold our lives to appear perfect and desirable to everyone watching — it can become exhausting to keep up with. Many users have taken the initiative to temporarily or permanently log off of social media, tired of “seeing the world through a screen.” Even big-name celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato and Ed Sheeran have announced their breaks from social media. This trend has emerged as an online movement dubbed “social media cleansing,” which naturally is tailored to fit the needs of each person. Though most reported positive and eye-opening results after quitting social media, scientifically speaking, will logging off of social media actually improve your psychological health? Psychologists say excessive use of social media can lead to more serious problems than one might predict. A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, explained how Facebook use can lead to symptoms such as insomnia, low self esteem, social anxiety, isolation and depression. Sophomore Sydney Schwan backed up the statement with her personal 2-week social media cleansing experience. “I got a lot more sleep, slept earlier and the next morning I felt a lot more refreshed,” Schwan said. “You just felt healthier as a person.” The Social Comparison Theory, proposed by social psychologist Leon Festinger, says that as humans, we evaluate our own personal worth based on how we measure up to other people. The Guilford Journal’s study of this phenomenon oversaw college students’ social comparison tendencies and determined that “people feel depressed after spending a great deal of time on Facebook.” This is due to the fact that they feel insecure when
PETER GOLD/THE CAMPANILE
Social media is taking over society, where people spend more time invested in their phones than face-to-face communication.
comparing themselves to others on social media, as sophomore Sam Cook confirms. “You go on your feed [on Instagram] and you see everyone else’s lives seem dope and it kind of makes you feel bad,” Cook said. Much of the media on Instagram, Facebook and similar applications are highly idealized representations the average person. This can cause intense feelings of jealousy and the false belief that other people lead better and more successful lives. Many social media apps have become platforms where people can flex their achievements, travels and lives. We beautifully stage our images online to hide the dullness of our reality. The constant social comparisons cast a hyper-focus on self-image and what other people are doing rather than what you want to do. “I started doing a lot more things for myself rather than for social media,” Schwan said. “I think it is important for everyone to at least try it.” Still not convinced? Here are eight reasons why doing a social media cleanse improves your lifestyle. 1. Sleep. The five minutes you allow yourself to use for signing off on Snapchat and Instagram turns into 50 minutes. The next thing you know, you are replaying the same Tasty
video that you have already watched 20 times that day. Without a doubt, you will be getting more quality hours of sleep per night. Plus, lack of sleep makes you fat! 2. School. This is probably the most obvious result you will notice from the cleanse. Without social distractions, you are less likely to procrastinate, have more time to study, be more focused and therefore, perform better in school. 3. Lead a meaningful life. When you are not constantly looking at pictures of clothes, nails and bikini bodies on Instagram, you begin to notice and care about interactions in the real world. Sometimes, it is nice to have shoes not be the first thing on your mind. 4. FOMO. The Fear of Missing Out is very real for some of us. Logging off of social media may help you get over this fear and realize that there is always going to be another party and it is not life or death if you miss one. 5. Stress relief. If you are off social media, you have no more “obligations” to respond to. “Can you believe what Casandra posted? I am so annoyed with her, there is just so much drama right now!” “Sorry, complain to someone else about it. I’m not on Insta anymore.”
6. Social. How ironic is it that you are actually being more social by not going on social media? You know that thing you do when you walk pass someone you know, but not close enough to say hi, and you think “I feel awkward so I’m going to look down at my phone?” Well, now you have to exercise your social skills and make eye contact with them, maybe even add in a little grin. Oh, and no more Snapchatting at dinner and more actual chatting. This may all seem scary at first, but unsurprisingly, you will find conversations to be much more fulfilling without interruptions from your phone. 7. Compare you to YOU. No more validation of your self worth based on measuring your body to an Instagram model or comparing your life to Alexis Ren’s. 8. Experience life. How many times have you gone to a concert or hiked to the top of a mountain and posted about it? But, instead of living in the moment to enjoy the music or taking in the view at the top, you were busy recording it on Snapchat so everyone could know that you went to a concert or made it to the top of the mountain. If you live life trying to prove yourself to others, you will never experience your life to the fullest.
Notable albums, hits and amazing artists of 2016 Many notable artists produced albums that topped the charts and impacted the world ELI GWIN-KERR
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
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ngel Olsen- My Woman After 2012’s “Half Way Home” and 2014’s “Burn Your Fire for No Witness,” Angel Olsen has settled upon a level of intensity that seemed to be building up over her entire indie-folk career. “My Woman” is the record where the spare, empathetic sounds of her previous projects congeal with her constant stream of epiphanies to result in a daring and dreamy sound. With a voice that lies somewhere on a spectrum between Courtney Barnett and Hope Sandoval, Olsen carries a conviction with her music that places her among so many female pop and rock greats — a self-reliant attitude marked by introspection. Olsen questions the notional theory of love on “Pops,” asking “What is it a heart’s made of?” as if she’s not as confident in herself as her voice might suggest. Tracks like “Heart Shaped Face,” “Sister” and the aforementioned “Pops” see her vibrato navigating the puzzles of love and womanhood through her own self-realization: “I want to follow my heart down that wild road — All my life I thought I’d change”, she sings on “Sister.” Selfdetermination shines through across the entire record, and Olsen makes it clear on the impassioned “Shut Up Kiss Me,” where “stop pretending I’m not there, when it’s clear I’m not going anywhere” sounds less like a threat and more like an assertion of independence. Kanye West- The Life of Pablo Six years ago, Kanye West sealed his own fate with the release of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” His 2010 release solidified his place in hip-hop and pop culture as an im-
PITCHFORK/COMPLEX MEDIA/FAIR USE
Left: Angel Olsen’s album, My Woman, features strong vocals and raw emotion. Right: Young Thug’s album, Jeffery, is Atlanta rap at its best.
perfect genius. In 2016, after spending years as one of the most public figures of the 21st century, the toll of fame bleeds into his music more than ever. “The Life of Pablo” offered treats beyond the release — Kanye tweaked and added to many of the songs in the following weeks. His musical process is just another factor that weighs on him, and he addresses these pressures throughout “Pablo.” Even though the musical themes are typical Kanye, the variety is as well, and it results in a sonically chaotic project. “Real Friends” displays the egotistic Kanye in an all too familiar place of vulnerability, but the standout song is “Ultralight Beam”. With a feature from Chance the Rapper, the gospel ballad is a place of hope from everyone’s favorite paragon of exuberance — the ever-troubled Kanye West. Young Thug- Jeffery In a year where every other chart-
topping rapper polarized the hip-hop community in unprecedented ways, Jeffery Lamar Williams found himself consistently at the center of attention. A stream of mixtapes kept Young Thug at the front of everyone’s trap playlists, with “I’m Up” and “Slime Season 3” boasting some of the most infectious hooks and melodies (see “With Them” and “Hercules”). But his best project came later in the year. “Jeffery” proved wrong all the talk of Thug being sub-linguistic and showboaty (the latter is more arguable than the former) from the start the opener “Wyclef Jean” sets the bar high, with a hook that you can’t miss singing along to — “Boolin’, rockin’ all the Frank Muller” — and a poppy rhythm. “Floyd Mayweather” and “Guwop” hold down some of the best features on the album and continue the undeniable swagger that has come
to be expected of Thug. But what sets “Jeffery” apart from his other recent projects is the way Thug balances himself on the median, in between gangster and playful, loving and cold, even between genders. “I feel like there’s no such thing as gender,” he remarked in a Calvin Klein campaign video. Young Thug is everywhere at once, and people notice. Other notable albums: - Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade - Vince Staples - Prima Donna - Frank Ocean - Blonde - Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition - Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing - Blood Orange - Freetown Sound - Wilco - Shmilco - Mitski - Puberty 2 - Pinegrove - Cardinal - A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service -Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
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What to do this Valentine’s day
JORDAN QUIGLEY
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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alentine’s Day is right around the corner, and many people are scrambling to figure out their plans. Whether or not you have a Significant Other, these are some foolproof ways to have an enjoyable Valentine’s Day. Celebrating with Friends: There is nothing wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day with friends - it can even be the most fun! Head to the movie theater and treat yourself to popcorn and candy. If going to the movie theater is too much effort, there is always the option of inviting friends over for a movie marathon or binge-watching your favorite TV show. Either way, you cannot go wrong with eating tons of chocolate with your best friends. Another great idea is to go to a teen karaoke bar and sing any type of song with your best friends. This activity is not an exclusive Valentine’s day event, but it can be a great way to spend the evening. You can even sing a romantic song just for fun! Going to a fair or an amusement park can be another way to have fun with your friends! Both Great America and Raging Waters are within driving distance and can be tons of fun and are easily affordable. Although this not an activity that is exclusive to Valentine’s Day, it can still me an enjoyable way to spend your entire day. Celebrating with your Significant Other: You cannot go wrong with a romantic dinner or a fun date. Mini golfing or bowling can be an awesome way to celebrate Valentine’s Day without spending too much money. There is also nothing wrong with staying home and enjoying a movie and take-out food together. Another fun idea would be to go to San Francisco and go to a romantic dinner and maybe attend an interesting event. San Francisco hosts a plethora of events, such as concerts, art galleries, festivals and more. This would definitely be a fun place to spend time with your significant other, while also getting the chance to visit San Francisco. If you are looking for something fun to do during the day, going on a hike and looking at a pretty view is also a great option. Foothills park is beautiful right now and offers scenic views and a great workout! Planetariums are also romantic because you can watch star and light shows. The Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco is an impressive planetarium that offers fascinating shows about stars and galaxies that are mirror images of the “real-world counterpart.” Finally, going to the beach and watching the sunset or walking along the water is fun and romantic, especially if the weather is nice and warm. Celebrating by yourself: Whether you are too lazy to make Valentine’s Day plans, or you simply do not care about the holiday, staying home and eating chocolate with your pet is an awesome way to celebrate Valentine’s Day as well! No matter what you end up doing Valentine’s Day, hopefully it will be filled with lots of chocolate!
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
LIFESTYLE
B8 Text & Design by Kesi Soundararajan
BRANDWASHED
Design by Ashley Zhang & Jordan Schilling
Name-brand clothing divides Paly students into fashion-oriented cliques
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ou see it all the time — your peers walking from class to class, rocking the most fashionable brands, iPhones clutched tightly against North Face vests or Longchamp bags. For many students at Palo Alto High School and across the country, touting designer brands or having the latest luxury products is rapidly becoming the norm. These brands often have a few common elements. They are expensive, wellknown and in some cases, hard to come by. One such example is the New York skateboarding brand, Supreme. Every Thursday morning, Supreme drops its latest clothing online. In turn, every Thursday morning during their second period classes, a few Paly students refresh the brand’s homepage in hopes of obtaining the company’s highly sought-after merchandise. Supreme is just one of the many exclusive brands Paly students often flaunt. Navigating through the websites of these designers proves to be such a challenge that only the most dedicated of fans are able to buy their products. One such example is designer Comme-des-Garcon. When clicking through the brand’s homepage you are greeted with a series of artsy photographs, with no actual products in sight. Students wear brands for different reasons. Paly junior Brian Xu explains his peers’ motivations for wearing brands. “We wear clothes for other humans to see our clothes, and to think of our prestige and our social status,” Xu said. These cues gleaned through observing people’s clothing can influence social interactions and define one’s circle of friends. Another perspective on wearing brands comes from self-proclaimed fashion guru Andrew Park, a junior who says that identifying with certain clothing companies allows him to have a common interest
with others. He contrasted wearing flashy brands to more modest unbranded clothes, and how people reacted to him. “People catch on right away,” Park said. “They notice that you’re that kind of person. They like to interact with you more. They ask you questions about how you got [the clothes].” There are those who live, breathe and judge based on fashion. And there are those who find that lifestyle groundless. On the other side of the spectrum from Park is junior Rachel Hu, who is not impressed by people wearing flashy brands.
pattern, even amongst seventh graders like her sister and her sister’s friends. “My sister is in seventh grade and she’s much trendier than me,” Hmelar said. “She wears more Hypebeast brand names than me and her friends are all into all of that.” “Hypebeasts,” as Hmelar refers to them, are people who collect clothes, shoes or other merchandise from expensive brands usually with the intention of flaunting them or showing off. But even back at Paly amidst the clusters of high-end designer wears are a few easily identifiable groups brimming with diversity in clothing. One such example of a member of these diverse groups is the fashion-savvy Park. “For me, I have lots of friends who don’t care about fashion and it’s not that big of a deal,” Park said. An underlying reason for this growing phenomenon could be the validation teens gain through wearing these designer labels. As Xu says, you “get some acknowledgement from some people” when wearing designer clothes. This sentiment was echoed by many of the Paly students interviewed. The validation that comes with these expensive clothes can be important, especially as insecure teenagers navigate through the challenges of high school and transitioning to adulthood. Additionally, there has been a growing trend of Instagram-famous celebrities endorsing branded clothing. When these endorsements come from celebrities rather than companies, they feel more authentic and are able to inspire teenagers to go out and buy these brands to mimic the style of their favorite celebrities, whether it be Taylor Swift, Kanye West or Beyonce. Perhaps because of this, the taste of some Paly students may not be self-created, but rather dictated by consumerist forces interested only in the bottom line.
The validation that comes with expensive clothes can become quite important, especially as insecure teenagers navigate through the challenges of high school and transitioning to adulthood. “When I see someone wearing a brand like Supreme or something I think they spend a lot of time trying to impress people and spend too much money,” Hu said. For Hu, brands represent people who have different values from her. The presence of brands influences who she interacts with. Groups that form at lunchtime provide clear examples of the role of brands in social interactions. Brand aggregation is prominent largely amongst the most fashion-conscious people. Students with A Bathing Ape camo hoodies, Supreme shirts and squeaky-clean Adidas NMD sneakers often gather together in clusters across the green lawn of the quad like globules of unified fashion enthusiasts. Junior Amanda Hmelar recognizes this
1
in
2000
This edition featuring:
David Wu with The Campanile’s own
Peter Maroulis
The Campanile: Great to have you with us, Dave. David Wu: Great to be here. TC: You’re a new student, how has the transition been? DW: It’s been really tough, actually. TC: Sorry to hear that. Care to elaborate? DW: I’ve been adding people on Facebook, but a rumor has been going around that I’m not real. It’s like I’m not even on campus. TC: How have you dealt with this adversity? DW: I’ve tried joining more clubs to meet new people, and it’s been working out great. TC: Nice to hear! Tell us about what clubs you’ve joined. DW: Well, I’m kind of a jack of all trades. TC: In what sense? DW: My main commitment is being a varsity player on the badminton court. I’ve met some great people and I think I’m making a tangible impact on the Paly community. TC: That’s great, Dave. What else are you up to? DW: I enjoy splitting time between my other passions [SciOly, Robotics, Debate, Math Olympiad, Key Club, UNICEF Club, Input Club and Proof]. TC: Wow, sounds like a handful. DW: Well, you know me. I’m always zipping around campus. TC: How do you juggle all those commitments? DW: Oh juggling, that reminds me. You can also catch me at Wednesdays’ juggling club in the SAO. TC: So David, word on the street is you were planning on graduating a year early. Can you confirm? DW: Well, despite being currently attending four science classes, I forgot to take Living Skills. Turns out I couldn’t test out of that class, and boy is it doing a number on my weighted GPA. TC: You mentioned the weighted GPA conflict. What are your thoughts on the matter? DW: Well I’ve been to every town hall meeting so far, but I feel like my voice just isn’t being heard. I almost feel invisible. TC: I hear you. DW: It’s tough being in a big school. I’ve got over 600 Facebook friends but no teachers know my name. TC: Speaking of which, what are your favorite classes? DW: Well right now, in addition to the four science classes, I would say my favorite classes would be Gender Studies, Shakespeare and Chaucer and Early Childhood Development. I’ve also considered dabbling in the fine arts, so Theatre and Glassblowing might very well be on the horizon for me. However, Living Skills is going to have to take the back burner for now. TC: Well, the arts could really use a strong presence like you. DW: I feel like glass is the perfect medium for me. TC: Is it? DW: Yeah. Nothing in my life is secret, full transparency. Nothing to hide. TC: We’re running out of time here. Anything else you’d like to say? Anything to the community? DW: I do clubs because I enjoy making an impact on the Paly community. Nothing irks me more than a faker.
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017 Hazing: When bonding goes too far
SPOR S
Disguised as ìfriendlyî team bonding, leaders often use hazing as a cover to abuse and humiliate the newest members of whatever team they currently captain. PAGE C6
INTO THIN AIR
JUNIOR SINCLAIR MYRICK IS THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO SUMMIT ACONCAGUA ON THE POLISH GLACIER
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inds over 75 miles an hour. Temperatures not just below freezing, but in the negatives. Altitude over 20,000 feet. Recordlow levels of oxygen. On his climb up Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, junior Sinclair Myrick endured all of this and more. Myrick, who is the youngest person ever to climb Aconcagua up the Polish Glacier route, drew his inspiration from a novel in his sophomore-year English class. “When our class began to read the book ‘Into Thin Air’ in Mr. Cohen’s class, I was immediately intrigued,” Myrick said. “I went online to delve deeper into climbing, then realized it was something that I could potentially do to expand my horizons.” After the class finished the book, Myrick decided to make his dream a reality by taking the initiative to start mountaineering. “The first climb I signed up for was ice climbing in the Sierra Nevadas in eastern California over a year ago,” Myrick said. “It was a little scary yet pretty fun. I didn’t really get a good impression.” Although ice climbing did introduce him to the equipment that he would later use to scale Aconcagua, Myrick only reflects on ice climbing as an introduction. “With ice climbing, most of the time you’re not camping,” Myrick said. “Your objective isn’t necessarily to summit, it’s just to have fun climbing.” Mountaineering, on the other hand, focuses on achieving a sense of accomplishment rather than having fun. “After ice climbing, I took a few alpine courses in the Sierra Nevadas, where I summited my first mountain, Matterhorn Peak,” Myrick said. Matterhorn, standing at over 12,000 feet, was no simple iceclimb. However, Myrick managed to overcome aching limbs, strained muscles from the climb and a pounding headache from the lack of oxygen. “When I first summited, I felt accomplished that I had achieved a long-term goal I had set out to achieve a while ago,” Myrick said. Myrick climbed another peak in the Sierra Nevadas after Matterhorn, but found it monotonous to climb on the same terrain. To reinvigorate his mountaineering passion, Myrick decided to travel north to Mount Shasta. Shasta, standing at nearly 15,000 feet, represented an obstacle Myrick had never dealt with before. “Compared to my previous mountaineering experiences, Shasta was something that left both my mind and body exhausted,” Myrick said. Nevertheless, Myrick powered through to complete his summer goal. Having conquered what California had to offer, Myrick set his sights on larger goals: the Seven Summits. “Climbing the Seven Summits is probably a goal that all mountaineers have,” Myrick said. “With that being said, I signed up for Aconcagua after I got back
from Shasta. I decided to set another goal, and set my eyes on Aconcagua as another challenge.” However, traveling to Argentina to scale the largest mountain outside of Asia is no easy feat. In September 2016, a quarter of a year before his actual climb, Myrick had to schedule and arrange the logistics of such an endeavor. Through a website online, Myrick met his guide, Juan, a bilingual climber who spoke both Spanish and English and thus could easily translate for Myrick in Argentina. Once Myrick had scheduled his climb, he then had to buy the necessary equipment. “I had to buy high-altitude boots specifically for this climb, [and] an extremely warm jacket,” Myrick said. “On the trip itself, I brought along ice tools, crampons, harness and a helmet. My pack weighed 60 pounds.” The normal route on Aconcagua did not offer the technical experience that Myrick was hoping for, so he decided to take a different course. The option was the Polish Glacier route, which in comparison to the normal route requires mountaineering equipment, tents and other heavy-duty climbing gear.
Every step was a pain, every breath was a labored effort.
Just days after the first semester of his junior year ended, Myrick left for Argentina on Dec. 20 and arrived Dec. 21 with his mother. While in Argentina, he walked around the sweltering city of Mendoza. It may have been hot at sea-level, but Myrick soon learned that the conditions would deteriorate rapidly with every step he took towards Aconcagua. After departing from the last city he would see for two weeks, Myrick trekked through the desert at the base of Aconcagua. For three days, Myrick lugged his 60-pound pack through the rugged Argentinian terrain. “The hike to base camp was bad, but the feeling that I still had to climb the huge mountain in front o f
me was even worse,” Myrick said. Once arriving at base camp on Dec. 26, Myrick set up while waiting for the day of his summit. “Base camp was like a miniature city,” Myrick said. “There were hundreds of tents spread out, with even more people. We had a mess tent and a general main tent.”
I had thought other mountains were hard, but when compared to Aconcagua, I could do them in my sleep.
gy, he hobbled down to base camp, weary and exhausted from the ordeal that his body had endured. “I went back to my tent, and slept for nearly an entire day,” Myrick said. “After that climb, I was mentally and physically spent.” Following his recovery, Myrick departed base camp, his home for the past two weeks, and traveled back to Mendoza, where the oxygen levels felt almost heavy compared to the lack of air at the top of Aconcagua. Just two days later, Myrick was back at school, in sealevel Palo Alto. Myrick next aims to climb Gasherbaum III, the 13th highest mountain in the world.
When summit day came, Myrick experienced nerves that he had never dealt with before. “I was climbing Aconcagua, the largest mountain in the Western Hemisphere,” Myrick said. Pushing his fears to the side, Myrick took the plunge, leaving camp at 4 a.m. All in all, the climb took Myrick nearly 20 hours between his summit and the trek way back to base camp. “It was definitely the hardest experience of my life,” Myrick said. “I had thought other mountains were hard, but when compared to Aconcagua, I could do them in my sleep. Every step was a pain, every breath was a labored effort, and I almost passed out several times.” O n c e Myrick had expended his physi c a l ener-
20,000 FT •SEVERE MENTAL INCAPACITATION •LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS •DEATH
15,000 FT •NAUSEA •MUSCLE TRAUMA •CHRONIC FATIGUE
TEXT AND DESIGN BY EDWARD KIM
10,000 FT •DIZZINESS •SHORTNESS OF BREATH
DESIGN BY ALICE ON & PEYTON WANG
•LOW BLOOD OXYGEN LEVELS
SPORTS
45th anniversary of Title IX legislation
Ever since Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law in 1972 outlawing discrimination towards both sexes, the gender gap has steadily decreased in both the fields of education and athletics.
FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
PAGES C4-C5
FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
The evolution of forwards
Tall and skilled forwards are changing how basketball is played. PAGE C6
FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSED
Saving Major League Soccer Skipping bowl games
The MLS needs to increase its revenue if it wants to compete. PAGE C7
The pros and cons of college athletes sitting out bowl games. PAGE C8
Friday, February 3, 2017
C2 VIKING RECAP BOYS BASKETBALL RECENT SCORES
Paly vs. Los Gatos 1/24, W, 66-57 Paly vs. Gunn 1/27, W, 79-36 UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Menlo-Atherton 2/04, 6:00 PM Paly vs. Cupertino 2/10, 7:45 PM
GIRLS BASKETBALL RECENT SCORES
Paly vs. Los Gatos 1/25, W, 44-36 Paly vs. Gunn 1/27, W, 61-45 UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Wilcox 2/03, 6 PM Paly vs. Homestead 2/10, 6:15 PM
GIRLS SOCCER RECENT SCORES
Paly vs. Fremont 1/24, W, 3-0 Paly vs. Saratoga 1/26, W, 4-0
The Campanile
SPORTS Boys soccer regains former momentum Vikings not deterred by injuries, hopeful that return of star players will yield playoff wins PHILIP ERICSSON
STAFF WRITER
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he outstanding beginning to the boys soccer season sadly came to an end as the ball entered in the net for the fourth time away at Los Altos High School. The goalkeeper, hanging his head, kicked the ball towards the midfield, where the referee teed up the ball for the eighth time that game. Starting the season off with eight wins in preseason generated excitement and optimism among players and fans alike as they looked ahead to the rest of the season. The strong start was slightly halted as the new year’s results have fallen below the caliber of their dominating performance in earlier preseason games. The first game of the regular season took place Jan. 5 against Los Altos, ending 2-4 in Los Altos’ favor. Los Altos came out strong in the first half scoring once, the second half saw another three goals in a very entertaining game for the home crowd, but unfortunately with a subpar result for the Vikings. The following games were at home against Mountain View High School and away against Homestead High School on Jan. 10 and 12 respectively. The first game at home ended in a 0-0 draw, and saw the Vikes pick up one point, but the game at leagueleaders Homestead ended in a heartbreaking 0-1 defeat. The game on Jan. 17 saw the tide
KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE
Senior Brian Tracy dribbles the ball down an open field during an intense home match. The Vikings prevailed 6-0 against Monte Vista.
turn in Paly’s favor as they picked up a 3-0 win at home against Santa Clara in a superb performance by the whole team. The game at Los Gatos ended in a 0-1 loss for the Vikes. The lackluster start to the new year was in part due to the absence of midfield playmakers senior Jack Stoksik and junior Xander Sherer. As they return from injury, star player Neil Verwillow, a senior, believes that the team will get an additional push and be able to succeed in matches. “We had trouble offensively holding onto the ball, maintaining possession and overall lacked a lot of the offensive thrust needed to win games,” Vervillow said. “On defense we needed to work on playing smart as well as ensuring that we stay fo-
cused throughout the entirety of the match, making sure we continue to communicate.” The team is currently ranked fourth out of seven teams in the league. The Vikes are eight points down from the top of the league, which is currently led by Homestead. It will be an uphill battle the rest of the season for the boys to get within reach of Homestead (4-02), but there are seven games left in league play, and with a shift in form the Vikings could also have a chance at qualifying for CCS. The next game was played at home against Monta Vista, which the Vikings won 6-0. The following game against Los Altos High School ended in a 3-0 win as the Vikings claimed yet an-
other victory in the season series. Verwillow scored twice, with assists coming from Sherer and sophomore Isaiah Schoenberger. However, on Jan. 31 the team had a real tough game away at Mountain View, losing 0-1. As the Vikings enter the second half of the season, they will look to continue the form that they have exhibited recently. Hopefully, the slow start due to injuries of key players will be overshadowed by their current form. “We need to focus on communicating clearly during the game, as well as work on our ability to finish and score goals, as we won’t always have a lot of chances, so we have to put away the ones that we get,” Verwillow said.
Girls basketball extending league lead
UPCOMING GAMES
Fresh off win against rival Gunn, girls are fifth place in the nation in three-pointers made
Paly vs. Santa Clara 2/07, 3:30 PM Paly vs. Los Gatos 2/09, 3:30 PM
STAFF WRITER
BOYS SOCCER RECENT SCORES
Paly vs. Monta Vista 1/24, W, 6-0 Paly vs. Los Altos 1/26, L, 0-3 UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Santa Clara 2/07, 6:00 PM Paly vs. Los Gatos 2/09, 3:30 PM
WRESTLING
GRACE KITAYAMA
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he girls basketball team has kicked off a promising semester by continuing its strong season, winning 12 of their first 15 games thus far. The Vikes triumphed over crosstown rival Henry M. Gunn High School with a 72-63 victory on Jan. 6. The team has only lost one game since smashing Gunn a few weeks ago, which has been a highlight of the season for many players like junior Carly Leong. “We need to work on defense, boxing out and offensive rebounds because we have our offense down pretty well and if we have good defense our offense will [do well].’’
Lauren Daniel Junior
RECENT SCORES
Paly vs. Gunn 1/07, W Paly vs. Cupertino 1/07, W UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Homestead 2/9 5:30 PM SCVALs 2/10-11
BOYS LAX UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Mitty 2/24, 7:00 PM Paly vs. Menlo-Atherton 3/02, 7:00 PM
GIRLS LAX UPCOMING GAMES
Paly vs. Monta Vista 3/01, 7:00 PM Paly vs. Los Altos 3/03, 7:00 PM
TRACK AND FIELD UPCOMING MEETS
Paly vs. Los Altos 3/09, 3:15 PM Paly vs. Lynbrook 3/14, 3:15 PM
“The best part of the season was the Gunn game,” Leong said. “Everyone came and supported us it was great! I’m looking forward to playoffs and CCS [Central Coast Section]. It’s a very exciting time.” However, to prepare for CCS, the team believes it must address their defensive weaknesses, which will be done through consistent practice and team cohesion. “I think the team has been playing really well together so far,” said sophomore Lauren Daniel. “We need
KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE
Carly Leong and her teammates set up an impenetrable defense against the Homestead Mustangs during an inter-league game.
to work on defense, boxing out and offensive rebounds because we have our offense down pretty well and if we have good defense our offense will [do well].” The team’s forte so far has been in its shooting abilities. The squad ranks fifth in the nation for three-point shots made per game. This is a skill which Daniel believes will help the team’s success for the season. “One of our greatest strengths is definitely shooting, especially threes and just offense in general in terms of getting a good shot off,” Daniel said.
“I think our team will go pretty far this season in playoffs. We hope to win CCS again and win some games in NorCal playoffs as well.”
“I think we are playing the best basketball from the past years and we are continuing to work harder and improve.’’
Carly Leong Junior In addition to the team’s success as a whole, this year’s season is momen-
tous for senior players on the team. Senior Lauren Koyama recently scored her 1000th point. Additionally, senior Skylar Burris recently achieved the 500th rebound of her high school basketball career. The Vikings have been playing well in the season thus far, and if they continue, they will likely advance far in the playoffs. Students are eager to see their hard work pay off. “I think we are playing the better basketball compared to past years and we are continuing to work harder and improve,” Leong said.
Wrestling optimistic for strong season Vikes set sights high, looking to send several top competitors to CCS and State tournaments PAARTH SHARMA
STAFF WRITER
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n Dec. 10, the athletes of Paly’s wrestling team imbibed in the sweet taste of victory, charging up the tournament rankings at the annual Webber Lawson tournament to finish tenth out of 48 local teams. The team of 35 students participates in both league matches as well as tournaments like Webber Lawson. The team performed well last season, and this season, the team has ambitious goals. However, many Paly students are unfamiliar with specifics of high school wrestling. A wrestling match is won by the first wrestler to pin his or her opponent’s shoulders or upper back to the ground for two seconds.
If neither combatant manages to hold his opponent down, the win is given to the athlete who has the most points. Points are awarded when a wrestler takes his opponent down, escapes from the clutches of his challenger or comes close to pinning his opponent to the ground. The team practices extensively to improve their skills and aims to perform well at competitions late in the season. One key component to their success this year will be the presence of more seniors, as last year there were none on the team. This year, the team will look to seniors Seth Goyal and Sara Aguilar to wreak havoc on any opponent foolish enough to challenge them. Overall, the team is optimistic about the season, and believes
that this year will kick off an extensive run of dominance for the wrestling program. The team recently flexed its muscles at the prestigious Mid California Invitational tournament in Gilroy on Jan. 28, with Goyal going an impressive 5-2 and winning his first three matches. Goyal also came back to win fifth place at the tournament by the way of a thrilling 10-2 win over Del Oro High School’s James Winston. “Our ultimate goal is to win leagues, move up a division and send as many wrestlers as possible to the CCS and State tournament,” said junior Elliot Clark. The goals for the team have been simple, but they have set a high bar for themselves. They expect to send
many representatives to tournaments and win many dual meets. Nevertheless, they remain confident about their chances to achieve them as the season progresses.
“Our ultimate goal is to win leagues, move up a division, and send as many wrestlers as possible to the CCS and State tournament’’
Elliot Clark Junior “We have a lot of really good freshmen who came out this year and almost everyone from the team last year returned this year,” Clark said. “We’ve been placing pretty high at most of the tournaments we go to.”
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
Girls continue win streak with victory over Mountain View
SPORTS C3 Vikings dominate crosstown rivals in double digit victory Boys remain undefeated in league play and look ahead to playoffs
Undefeated girls soccer team ranks second in their division and hopes to win leagues EDWARD KIM
STAFF WRITER
I
n the words of legendary Football coach Henry Russell Sanders: “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” The Palo Alto High School girls varsity soccer team have exhibited this attitude as they continue the season undefeated. As the girls soccer team finishes up their season and segue into the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, they have maintained an outstanding record of 11 wins, zero losses and three ties. The team has developed a lot of chemistry over the season, have dominated the pitch and are well on their way to winning the league. The team is ranked second in their division and is still pursuing their season objective of winning the league. Currently, the girls are competing for first place against Mountain View High School. As predicted at the beginning of the season by junior Emily Tomz, the team that the girls would struggle with the most would be Mountain View High School. For the past two years, the team has been unable to triumph over Mountain View. The girls recognize that before they win the league, they must prevail over Mountain View. “Of course, before we can [win the league] we have to focus on beating Mountain View, which is always a really intense and competitive game,” Tomz said at the beginning of the season. The girls played Saratoga High School last Thursday and were able to
beat them 4-0. Goals were scored by senior Natalie Maloney, junior Ally Scheve, sophomore Claire Moley and freshman Chloe Japic. The game also exhibited spectacular goalkeeping from junior Clara Luehrs. Most recently, the girls played their most difficult competitor, Mountain View. The most anticipated game of the season resulted in a 2-0 win for Palo Alto. Goals were scored by senior Lauola Amanoni and freshman Chloe Japic. The game was a historical moment for the team as they beat their main competitor for the first time in a while. “We have a history of not always beating Mountain View, but this season we have tied them and tonight we just beat them 2-0, which is a huge win for us,” said junior Darrow Hornik. The girls have shown teamwork and chemistry allowing them to beat many teams. “We’ve had some difficulty with working together and not communicating while on the field, but we have definitely grown from there and now know each other and each other’s styles of play, making our team play much better and play as a whole,” Hornik said. The girls are on their way to winning the league and possibly getting a CCS title. “I think that if we continue to play well, as a unit and as a cohesive team, we will win the league this year,” Hornik said. “If we play the way we did against Mountain View today, we should be able to beat any team in the league.”
KAI ODA/THE CAMPANILE
Senior Jack Simison fakes out the competition in the middle of the key on the way to the Vikings’ easy 48-39 win over Cupertino.
NIKLAS RISANO
STAFF WRITER
W
hatever uncertainty surrounding whether or not the Vikes offensive and defensive changes were going to be effective has all but evaporated in the wake of the squad’s undefeated league record and 16-2 overall record. The combined margin of the team’s two losses against Saint Francis and Bellarmine College Preparatory was a mere six points. Paly has been competitive in every single game this year, and there are no signs of that changing in the near future. “The season is going great. We have a lot of chemistry and whole bunch of players are stepping up,” junior Bryant Jefferson said. The Vikes have had few close games this season, even beating a historically strong Los Altos High School team by nine points on Jan. 29. Despite this fairly comfortable victory, Los Gatos is still seen as a
threat. “Right now I think our biggest competition is Los Gatos because they have a very good forward and match up well with us,” junior William Schlemmer said. Despite sitting at the bottom of the league, Los Gatos High School has a stellar overall record of 12-6. In their first meeting against cross town rival Gunn High School on Jan. 6, Paly utilized the crowd’s energy to bury the Titans by a score of 8050. At several points throughout the game, Paly could be seen doubling Gunn’s comparatively meager score. The disparity in score was in large part due to a lack of size and athleticism on Gunn’s part. The second meeting on Jan. 27 was even uglier, with Paly dismantling Gunn 79-36. Paly’s strengths have become clear throughout their first dozen or so games. “On offense we are trying to get a lot of points in transition because few teams can hang with us when we
get running up and down,” Schlemmer said. The strategy has proven effective, and has become an unstoppable stable of the game for the Vikes. As for defense, Palo Alto continues its aggressive style. “We always come out pressing because we want the other team to take quick shots so we get the ball back in our hands because possession for possession, it’s hard to beat us,” Schlemmer said. The Vikings do have some areas of improvement, such as maintaining a high level of energy throughout the game. “We lack energy at times which then causes us to lack defensively,” said senior guard Miles Tention. The future looks bright for the Vikes, whose talent and team chemistry are combining to form an extremely exciting season. If the team can continue to get score discipline on defense it will surely shape up to be an impressive season.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
WOMEN IN SPORTS
C4
45 Anniv th
Title O
n June 23, 1972, the Educational Amend former President Richard Nixon. Under T women in any federally-funded educatio Prior to this enactment, women who participated clubs were faced with firm resistance and non-acc ment has created a wide variety of opportunities accomplishments for female athletes and organiza
1900
1931
1960
Women are allowed to compete in the Paris Olympic games in two categories: lawn tennis and golf.
Virne Mitchell is the first woman to play professional baseball, striking Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig out.
Wilma Rudolph wins three Olympic gold medals and becomes known as the fastest woman in history.
Social Changes
W
ith the passing of Title IX came the integration of American children into previously segregated activities, especially in the world of sports. Instead of solely offering athletic opportunities to young boys, sports programs began to expand to encompass all genders. Previously, girls had been nudged away from higher education and sports, and instead put into traditionally more feminine activities like home economics and dance. After Title IX passed, the narrative for women in posthigh school education has been irreversibly revolutionized. In 1968, half a decade before Title IX was enacted, the number of adult men with a bachelor’s degree or higher doubled that of females. After 1972, however, the number of women with that same qualification steadily climbed upwards
while the number of males dents has significantly affected stayed relatively the same. In the culture of high school 2012, 40 years after Title IX, sports. Just 40 years after Title the U.S. Department of Justice IX’s enactment, the number of reported that females now had females participating in high 10 percent more degrees from school varsity athletics has higher education than males. skyrocketed up to nearly three In high school, however, the million. The rise of girls in percentage of sports can be women gradseen in the 40 years after Title IX’s uating from number of secondary female athenactment, the number of education letes at high females participating in leapt from schools and high school varsity athletics universities 59 percent to 87 percent. across the has skyrocketed up to In a 2011 country. nearly 3 million. report by the As of U.S. Departnow, Paly ment of Commerce, statistics has 13 sports for both males showed that on average more and females. Volleyball is the women take Advanced Place- only athletic program with ment (AP) exams than males, solely a girls team, and is one score higher in reading assess- of the most popular sports for ments and earn more graduate Paly students to watch. The degrees than their male coun- team peaked in popularity terparts. during the 2011 season, when This new, exponential aca- the Lady Vikes took home demic growth by female stu- the California Interscholastic
Federation (CIF) state championship and finished their season with a 44-1 record in an unprecedented success for the team and school. At the collegiate level, the disparities between women and men’s athletic programs has greatly diminished. Before Title IX passed in 1972, athletic scholarships for women were virtually nonexistent, as most universities decided to channel funds away from women’s sports. However, after the bill passed, universities slowly began to assimilate women’s sports into their athletic programs. Starting with the first women’s varsity soccer team at Brown University in 1977 and culminating with the University of Connecticut’s historic women’s basketball 92-game win streak that is still alive today, women have become a central part of collegiate athletics.
Number of Men and Women Competing in the Olympics Number of athletes
Men Women
197
Title IX is enact giving girls and the U.S. equal in federally fun programs lik
45
annive
A
lthough there remains and male athletics, the and still continues to gender equality thanks to the nation bill Title IX into law. E pen to paper and signed equa States law, the trajectory of th and girls has taken a drastical
Tex
Cole H & Edwa
Desig
Maya H Cole He & Niklas Year of Olympics
The Campanile
Friday, February 3, 2017
versary of
WOMEN IN SPORTS
e IX
dments were enacted by Congress and signed by Title IX of the amendment, discrimination against onal program, including athletics, was prohibited. in recreational sports or were involved in informal ceptance. Now, after nearly 45 years, the amends for women in sports and led to a multitude of ations.
72
ted on June 23, d women across opportunities nded education ke athletics.
th
ersary
a discrepancy between female e gap has drastically improved take steps towards complete e enactment of anti-discrimiEver since Richard Nixon put ality policies into the United he development of young boys lly different course.
Hechtman ard Kim
gn by
Homan, echtman s Risano
1987
2015
Lucy Harris becomes the first (and only) woman to be drafted by a NBA team, the New Orleans Jazz.
Track and Field athlete Jackie JoynerKersee is the first woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
The U.S. Women’s National Team competes in the World Cup and wins for the third time.
Global Changes
5
xt by
1977
T
he creation of different women’s leagues following Title IX has also resulted in talented female athletes gaining worldwide recognition. One of the most popular leagues for women in sports is the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), which was created in 1996. Beginning with a mere 16 former Olympians, the league has expanded into 12 competitive teams with many of the world’s best players. This year, the WNBA is home to household names such as Maya Moore and Skylar Diggins. The league has already created millions of dollars in revenue from broadcasting and the thousands of fans attending games. However, the WNBA is only one of many leagues and organizations that have been created since Title IX. The amendment has also significantly changed the presence of women participating in the
Olympic games. In fact, women Allyson Felix, the most decomade history during the Rio de rated women in U.S. Track and Janeiro Olympics in 2016 af- Field history with nine medals ter making up 52.7 percent of and countless others. the U.S. Olympic Team in the More recently, sisters and first year that female American tennis players Serena and Venus Olympians outnumbered their Williams have taken the sports male counterparts. Before Title world by storm. Combining for IX, anywhere from zero to 80 120 different singles titles and women had 22 doubles represented titles, the pair Title IX has significantly the U.S. in have brought changed the presence of the Olymwomen’s tenpics. Howwomen participating in the nis to the ever, that forefront of Olympic games. number has American continued to sports culture. increase exponentially up to Women’s tennis became poputhis point. lar in the 1970s after Title IX In the past 45 years, the with the rivalry of Chris Evert world has witnessed different and Martina Navratilova. After American women make history these two retired, Steffi Graf for their country. These women and Monica Seles stepped into include Margaret Abbott, an the women’s tennis spotlight Olympic golfer who became before giving the stage to the the first female Olympian, Williams sisters. Wilma Rudolph, the first black Title IX was also responsible woman to win three gold med- for the increasing popularity of als in a single Olympics and women’s soccer in the 1970s.
Although the first women’s league was created in 1951, the league had severe restrictions, and women’s soccer was not recognized as a college sport. More organized forms of soccer arrived in the 1970s, and by the 1980s there were several college varsity teams competing. All of these events led to the creation of the USL W-League, the first national women’s soccer league, in 1995. Around the same time, the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) was established. The team’s most influential and momentous victory came in the 1999 World Cup. Led by Julie Foudy and Kristine Lilly, the USWNT defeated China’s national team with a score of 5-4 in penalty shootouts. The impressive victory brought the women’s team onto the world stage and additionally brought a mass of media attention to women’s soccer and athletics in general.
Athletic Budget by Gender 1972
2010
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Friday, February 3, 2017
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The Campanile
SPORTS OPINION
Annual varsity boys soccer tradition spurs debate Hazing, common in high school and collegiate athletic teams, toes the fine line between harmless and harmful RENEE HOH
STAFF WRITER
A
decade or so ago, hazing was not uncommon at Palo Alto High School. At times, players were plastic-wrapped to benches, sucker-punched in the groin and subjected to feelings of humiliation and vulnerability. Yet now, unlike the scene depicted in an award-winning 2007 Viking Magazine article, there has not been any hazing complaints in the past two years, according to Athletic Director Kathi Bowers. However, an ongoing debate around what exactly constitutes hazing still remains, particularly regarding the boys varsity soccer team and its annual haircuts.
Aside from the often unsafe nature of hazing, a lack of recognition and reports of these rituals can be just as dangerous. Hazing, a “rite of passage” that is forced onto new players on high school and collegiate sports teams, involves participants performing degrading tasks at the command of players with more seniority, and is carried out under the guise of friendly team bonding. Aside from the often unsafe nature of hazing, a lack of recognizing and reporting these rituals can be just as dangerous. A national study on student hazing presented by Elizabeth J. Allan and Mary Madden, two associate professors at the University of Maine, revealed that out of the 47 percent of students who experienced hazing, nine out of 10 students who experienced hazing behavior in college did not consider themselves to have been hazed. “If you are in a group and you are going to do something that could be construed as hazing, your best bet is to ask questions to teachers or administration just to make sure because you might not intend to haze someone but it might still be hazing,” said Paly Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson. In the same study, a survey concluded that 31 percent of the time, hazing activities made students “feel like part of the group.” Furthermore, more college students perceived hazing as having more positive benefits than negative, with only 11 percent feeling “stressed out” by the activities. However, there exists an extremely fine line between hazing and positive team bonding. The sentiment that hazing is a form of team bonding likely stems from the fact that it is deeply rooted within sports culture. This means that even with rules and regulations it is not always enough to change any se-
cretive, long-standing traditions. “In order to begin to eliminate hazing, a culture shift is required and needs to be embraced,” said Alex B. Diamond, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, in an interview with Reuters Health. Paly administrators believe that in order to combat the toxic hazing cultures present in high school and college locker rooms, athletes have to understand that hazing affects an athlete’s mental health and even their performance on the field. Furthermore, coaches must take strict action if they believe senior players are hazing newcomers –– acknowledging hazing and its effects is key to its prevention. “Last year we did a Positive Coaching Alliance Event and this came up at the end of that conversation it was decided if people had the option to do it or not do it, it’s not hazing and it’s only if it makes somebody uncomfortable," said Bowers. "Our coaches are our first line of defense; they are the ones we expect to uphold our values, which includes no hazing." The focus at Paly these last few years has been primarily on the boys varsity soccer team. Every winter, varsity players can be seen on campus flaunting their new haircuts, all of them intentionally awful. Ranging from random designs to mustacheand-sunglasses duos to pop culture references, these haircuts embody one of Paly’s longest-lasting traditions. According to co-captain and senior Derek Schoenberger, what separates this tradition from hazing is that players have the right to opt out of the haircut if they feel uncomfortable with it.
The focus these last few years has been primarily on the boys varsity soccer team. Varsity players can be seen on campus flaunting their new haircuts every winter, all of them intentionally awful. The Paly Athletics Handbook, revised in May of 2016, states if a student-athlete violates the code of conduct, which includes “any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization that willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student...playing time may be reduced, and the student may be removed from the team.” Paly's no-tolerance policy toward hazing is designed to encourage victims and witnesses of hazing to report dangerous team initiation activities to administrators. Additionally, it promotes awareness of what hazing may look like, and puts the responsibility on coaches to report hazing if their players do not.
PETER GOLD/THE CAMPANILE
While hazing is often seen as a fun tradition by many athletes, it can affect an athlete's mental health, self image and performance.
“It is important for my players to understand that picking on a teammate is not tolerated within our program," said football coach Danny Sullivan. "In my recent coaching life, I have dealt with hazing with team punishments to discontinue those acts as quickly as possible.” On the other hand, from a student-athlete’s point of view, the administration can impose on teams’ abilities to foster their own, personal culture regardless of involvement in hazing practices. “Athletes have been very flexible in adapting their traditions to conform to the administration’s rising demands over the years, but as the administration asks more and more of the athletes to change, it seems that some of the values and traditions that teams hold onto are beginning to be lost,” Schoenberger said. Now, the soccer team may face losing their beloved tradition of haircuts. “Our coach has never really liked the tradition; he has said that this year was the final year the haircuts
will happen,” Schoenberger said. “He thought it was edging on being considered hazing. And I think administration has the ability to disband the team or punish the team somehow if the team participates in hazing. He most likely just wanted to eliminate any possibility of that happening.”
"The kids should really talk to their parents about what they should do. If the parents are really against it, we’re not going to force them to do it… [any conflicts] should be resolved before it comes to [the team]. "
Michel-Ange Siaba Senior Varsity soccer coach Don Briggs believes changes will further this tradition from being considered hazing. "In the future, we could modify [the tradition] or eliminate the haircuts and replace it with a new team building activity," said Briggs. Co-captain Michel-Ange Siaba said his coach likely wanted to avoid
parent complaints as well. “[Coach] received emails from concerned parents about haircuts," Siaba said. "What we told those parents is that if [your child doesn’t] want a haircut they don’t have to." Siaba said most parents were concerned with how the haircuts looked rather than if they were hazing. “The kids should talk to their parents about what they should do," Siaba said. "If the parents are against it, we’re not going to force them to do it… [any conflicts] should be resolved before it comes to [the team]." Schoenberger agrees with Briggs that despite the coach’s warning, it is up to the judgement of future players if this tradition will continue or not. Although coaches, players and administration alike can agree, in theory, on when team bonding activities cross into the realm of hazing — if students ever become unwilling participant –– specific cases of hazing do remain in a gray area. “People are more aware [of hazing practices]," Berkson said.-“It’s no longer just kids being kids."
Point forward position gains traction in NBA matchups James, Butler, Antetokounmop, Green serve as examples of a novel position in pro play: the point forward ERIC LI
STAFF WRITER
P
rofessional basketball has always been dominated by tall players, largely because they’re closer to the net. They make both rebounds and shots with more ease than their colleagues who are a bit lower to the ground. A player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) has an average height of 6-foot-7, a large leap over the average height of a healthy male, which is 5-foot-9. In theory, the taller you are, the better you should be at basketball.
As basketball evolved into a faster-paced game more reliant on athleticism, point forwards become more and more common. However, being taller does not come without drawbacks. Shorter players often have greater balance, agility and dexterity due to their proximity to the ground. The height difference between these two archetypes results in a split between the roles these players are expected to
execute. Shorter players typically play the guard position, while taller players are put at either the forward or center positions. Yet during the 1984 NBA playoffs, Don Nelson, coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, broke the mold, playing small forward Paul Pressey at the point despite Pressey’s below-average height and strength. Nelson’s gamble was ultimately a success: his outsized, makeshift point guard averaged 7.6 assists and 2.3 steals during the playoffs and the Bucks eventually progressed to the third round. The success of this playoff run engendered the idea of the “point forward,” a shuffled set up where offenses are run by a forward rather than a traditional guard. As basketball evolved into a faster-paced game more reliant on athleticism, point forwards become more and more common. Here is a glimpse of some of the best guards today. Lebron James: Perhaps the most famous point forward of all time, James is regarded as one of the best players of this generation. The Cleveland-born behemoth's strength rivals that of even his most formidable counterparts; his
agility and dexterity are more often found in a guard than a forward. Due to this unique combination of skills, James stomps on his competition. Over the course of his 13-year career, he has reached the NBA Finals seven times and earned the title of Most Valuable Player four times. He is also what Don Nelson would consider the perfect point forward due to his pure athleticism with a hint of finesse. Over his career, James has amassed a stat line of 27.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks. Jimmy Butler: Over the past five years, Butler, a small forward for the Chicago Bulls, has transformed himself from a lukewarm draft pick to a household name. Like James, Butler uses his unique athleticism to make waves on both ends of the court, with a deadly cocktail of strength, height and speed guaranteed to crush the opposition. Butler has begun to handle the point guard position in crunch-time situations, utilizing his ability to attack the rim in tandem with his aboveaverage play making capabilities. He could see a more permanent expansion to the point position due to lack
of viable point guards for the Bulls, although there are concerns over his health and longevity — he plays 37 minutes per game, the fifth most in the NBA. Despite this, Butler has notified his coach that he would be eager to play the point guard position, as he would feel more comfortable running the offense for his team. Giannis Antetokounmpo: Almost from nowhere, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo has quickly ascended to the league's best, earning an All-Star starting berth and a reputation as an unstoppable force of nature. Nicknamed the “Greek Freak,” Antetokounmpo, standing at 6-foot-11, has been the Bucks’ primary play maker for much of this year. While other players who are as tall as Antetokounmpo use their height to snag rebounds or get easy layups, Antetokounmpo uses his height to make accurate passes and survey the court. Currently, the young player not only leads his team in assists and steals —categories typically attributed to the “point” position, but also leads the Bucks in every major cat-
egory, wielding a stat line of 23.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals. Draymond Green: Although playing with one of the league’s best backcourt, the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green is able to distinguish himself as one of the best playmakers in the entire league. In spite of the fact that he rarely carries the ball up the court, Green is a key facilitator of the Golden State Warriors offense — he is currently the second best passing forward in the league and averaging a team leading 7.6 assists per game. Furthermore, Draymond Green is no slouch at generating turnovers for the opposing team due to his agility and dexterity, both of which are talents normally found in a guard, frequently guarding quick guards like James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Due to his heavy rebounding load on the relatively small Warriors team, Green is often tasked with pushing the ball into transition, especially with famed shooters Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant setting up on the wing.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
SPORTS
C7
MLS needs to make vital changes before it is forgotten
Without enough amendments, the pro soccer league will not achieve the popularity of European counterparts KIRAN MISNER
SPORTS EDITOR
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avid Beckham knew that his career was plummeting downhill. His age was catching up to him and the amount of injuries that he had picked up over his career was slowing him down. So, like many other players, he decided that a change of scenery was necessary and moved to play in the Major League Soccer (MLS). In its 16 seasons, the MLS has had problems getting rid of the common perception that it is a retirement league in which players can end their careers living a luxurious life in the United States. Due to this reputation, fans often choose to watch the British, Spanish or German Leagues instead of the MLS. In order to achieve the standard of these high-quality European leagues, the MLS must make critical changes to the way its league works.
Without world-class talent in the United States or Canada, the MLS has to play more international games to improve the quality of their league and gain fans worldwide. To gain recognition from soccer fans, the MLS needs to play more international games against high quality teams from Europe and South America. By playing matches with other teams, the league would be able to increase their fan base and also expand their presence worldwide.
Currently, the league only participates in two international events: the league’s all-star game against a European team and The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League. However, neither of these events significantly aid the MLS’ popularity.
Getting investors to provide funding isn’t easy, but proposing well-defined ideas that will ensure more success in the league is a place to start. The all-star game has been a loselose situation for the MLS, as it puts the MLS’s best players from the season against a European team, who often plays their stars for a small portion of the game. If the MLS all-stars lose, the league will be condemned for losing to a team consisting of mostly backups and bench players. On the other hand, if the MLS allstars win, fans will disregard the fact that they beat a European team because they did not put a full-strength team on the pitch. Furthermore, the Champions League causes another conundrum for the MLS. The Champions League takes the best teams from North and Central America to form a super league. Five teams from the MLS compete in this championship, yet no American or Canadian teams have qualified for the semi-finals in its eight year history. Given that the CONCACAF Champions league doesn’t receive publicity from soc-
cer fans or analysts, the fact that the MLS cannot even reach the top four is terrible for the league. Without world-class talent in the United States or Canada, the MLS has to play more international games to improve the quality of their league and gain fans worldwide. MLS teams usually do not have an abundance of wealth to spend on players, coaching staff and the many materials required to run a team; the average player only earns $110,000 per year, which seems small compared to the $3.25 million a top flight player in England may earn in that same year. New York City F.C. and Manchester City F.C. have formed a partnership and while it is still in its early stages, the relationship appears beneficial to both teams. Partnerships like the ones Manchester City and New York City have built would allow for MLS players to earn more money. Additionally, New York City has gained much needed publicity for the team and the league in general. Over in England, Manchester City also benefits from this partnership.
The MLS is clearly underappreciated and overlooked, but the league has the unique opportunity to promote their exciting and fastpaced game. New York provides a place to send young talent who aren’t quite ready for the pace and strength of the Barclays Premier League. The players can develop their skills in the United
States and when they are physically mature enough to play in England, Manchester City can sign them back. Furthermore, the MLS faces a problem with the absence of soccerspecific stadium. A stadium is more than just a place to play for the team; it is a place for the fans to escape from their daily lives and a second home for every player and coach. Yet, six teams still do not have a place to call home because the stadiums they use are often shared with professional football or baseball teams. During the few weeks where the MLS mix with football and baseball seasons, football takes priority of the field. The result is a confusing soccer game to follow with teams playing on a football-lined field with painted end zones and hash marks. The unmaintained artificial AstroTurf on the football fields makes the ball skid all over the field rather than smoothly sliding across a grass pitch. Building a stadium is not cheap, but it is well worth the cost. Its importance in European soccer has been immense, where teams regularly fill up the stadium to 80,000 passionate soccer fans. Soccer-specific stadiums would show Americans that the MLS is striving to make soccer a fan-favorite sport, and would also improve the quality of play in the MLS. Due to the lack of money, many of these changes cannot be made immediately. The MLS does not have as many investors to help them pay for reform and cannot increase prices of tickets or else fans will not show up. To make more money, the league should try to attract big investors
to show their interest in the league. Paris Saint Germain, the top team in France, is funded by the Qatari Investment Authority. The French club now has no problem buying players or hiring new coaching staff. Getting investors to provide funding is not easy, but proposing well-defined ideas that will ensure more success in the league is a place to start.
Players and coaches will resort to the MLS as a place to settle down before retiring or as a league where they can revive a failed career if the leagues refuses to change. The MLS is clearly an underappreciated and overlooked organization, but the league has the unique opportunity to promote their exciting and fast-paced game not only in the U.S. and Canada, but also internationally. Soccer fans will no longer have to wake up at 4 a.m. to watch high quality soccer, but instead, can watch it by turning on the television at prime time or going to see a game live. However, if changes are not made in the next few years, the league will deteriorate while American and Canadian fans will continue to favor the currently superior European leagues over the teams from their own country. Players and coaches will resort to the MLS as a place to settle down before retiring or as a league where they can revive a failed career if the leagues refuses to change. It is your choice, MLS.
Female athletes rise in pop culture New football league created Women in sports beginning to focus on cultivating their personal brands
League aims to ease transition between college play and the professional league for athletes BYRON ZHANG
STAFF WRITER
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COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
Tennis player Maria Sharapova has expanded her brand away from tennis where she presently owns candy company “Sugarpova.”
JOANNA FALLA
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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esigners Vera Wang, Calvin Klein and Tom Ford and tennis champion Serena Williams are all people with different talents, but they have one thing in common: their interests in the fashion world. However, Williams is not the only sports icon to enter the beauty world. Athletes like Ronda Rousey, Maria Sharapova and Brian Anderson have also started fashion lines, perfumes and even their own gourmet candy lines. Likewise, American soccer player Lindsay Tarpley and four other professional soccer players have worked together to target women who want to wear makeup while working out.
Female and male athletes alike are starting to branch out from their profession into retailrelated projects that have proven lucrative for other athletic celebrities. Maria Sharapova made her debut in the Women’s Tennis Association in 2001 and has broken records and top charts ever since then, leading to her current world ranking of sixth. While she is well known and respected for her many career titles, she has also spent a lot of time making a name for herself in the fashion industry.
She is best known for her Nike athletic clothing line, but has also released a line of perfumes dating back to 2005. Still more intriguing, she began an online candy store called “Sugarpova” that features gummies and premium chocolate. “I’ve been an athlete pretty much my entire life, where the intersection of work, play and training has often found a little something sweet mixed in,” Sharapova said on her website. “[I started Sugarpova] to celebrate the fun and passion of candy by creating high quality treats you can feel good about indulging in.” Sharapova has recently not done as well in womens’ tennis and has generated controversy about rumors of her involvement with performance enhancing drugs, so she has branched out to her other extracurriculars. Serena Williams, however, has managed to dominate both the athletic and fashion fields. Williams is currently the second best tennis player in the world. She has always been vocal about expressing her femininity and her athleticism without showing regard for societal judgement. Williams has designed several athletic fashion lines for Nike and Berlei Australia as well as a casual line for the online store Home Shopping Network. With 42 size-inclusive clothing options for all body types, the fashion line was a huge hit in multiple countries and Williams has hinted at making future fall fashion lines. Other up-and-coming female
athletes have started to break into the retail world. 29-year-old UFC fighter Ronda Rousey has quickly become a household name in the Octagon and has inspired many girls to embrace their strength in tandem with their femininity. She recently become a brand ambassador for Pantene, and she created her own Nike leisure line.
Rousey is well-known for her strong opinions for embracing her feminine side along with athleticism. “I’m fully aware that I might not be the first person people think of to collaborate with a beauty brand,” Rousey said. “I’ve been called ‘Miss Man’ and ‘savage’ because of my physique, but to me, strength isn’t only about having muscles. It’s about having heart and finding inner confidence, so I’m honored that Pantene asked me to be part of their new campaign that encourages women to break gender barriers, break the glass ceiling and never settle.” Lindsay Tarpley teamed up with four other professional soccer players to create Sweat Cosmetics. Sweat Cosmetics is a sunscreen designed with a minimum of 30 SPF and beneficial minerals to increase effectivity when the wearer works out. “We’re not only providing products for the active woman, but wanting to really empower women to be who they want to be,” Tarpley said. “Giving people options to have it fit their personality is important to us.”
FL coaches and officials had been brainstorming a developmental league (D-league) for a long time. Don Yee, Tom Brady’s agent, announced that he intends to introduce a new professional National Football League (NFL) styled D-league for football, which will have the chance to begin play in 2018. The D-league, officially to be called the Pacific Pro League (PPL) is a way for college players who lack the skills to play professionally to make a living in football after their NCAA careers are over. The salary for Yee’s D-league players will range from $50,000 to $100,000 a year, depending on their performances. “Yee’s league seems like a promising concept,” said a high-ranking executive in an NFL front office. “It addresses a few areas of concern we’ve been regarding the gap between college and our game.” Palo Alto High School football coach and former Division I football player Daniel Sullivan thinks that the NFL D-league is a necessity. “[The league] will help with the transition of knowledge faster for guys who get brought up to play because of changes that occur on the NFL squad,” Sullivan said. According to Sullivan, he is unsure about whether the NFL D-league will be as much of a boon as the NBA D-league. The NBA D-league is the official NBA minor league which consists of teams directly affiliated with professional NBA teams, and the professional teams call up players to play on their actual team, although the chances of making the team is small. Over the past three seasons, an average of 39 players have received a callup. “I know that it has taken some time for the NBA D-League to even gain some sort of relevance within the sporting world,” Sullivan said. “The NBA D-League is interesting because there are so few spots to be had on an actual NBA roster.” Because of the similarity in roster size between football and baseball, Sullivan believes that the NFL Dleague should mimic the MLB minor system, with the minor league teams feeding into partner major league clubs. Players develop through minor league baseball before being put into
bigger leagues. However, Yee’s league is not affiliated with NFL teams, which brings a problem about selecting players, because the NFL’s position on the league is stlll unclear. “NFL top picks will be put into key roles right away,” Sullivan said. “But late round or even Free Agent pick-ups from the Draft can use the D-League to learn the system that the NFL team is going to run and will help with the development in that regard.” Although the league provides opportunity for student-athletes to transition, the PPL may not get the best players, because most elite players go straight to the NFL. Some NFL executives have said that they would support with drafting players from this league if they are talented, but with this unlikely to happen, the PPL would just be a waste of money, according to MMQB, a football analysis website. However, the PPL’s aim is to train college players without the greatest skills to be good enough to play in the NFL, so benefits to the public will not be visible until a couple of years after the league starts. “Elite recruits are always, in my opinion, going to want to go to the elite programs and compete against the best competition, and for championships,” A NFL scout said in an interview. “This league will not pit the best against the best; this will be middle-of-the-road recruits or student-athletes that got buried on the depth chart [and] bail on college early and seek the money of that league.” Another reason is that students might treat this league as another option if they cannot make it onto their college team because of academics. College athletics requires some amount of academic achievements and borderlines, ultimately leading to kids dropping out of school, without the consideration of a second career if they are unable to play football. Although Yee’s league has enough money to initialize the league, whether it is able to feed lots of players into NFL is unknown, because Yee has not disclosed much information. The main issue for profit and stainability is how the D-league will gain popularity among Americans like the NBA D-league. However, if the PPL can feed super stars into the NFL, it will gain popularity, so carefully training players should be the PPL’s main task when it starts.
Friday, February 3, 2017
The Campanile
SPORTS
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To play or not to play?
College Football’s Dilemma over bowl games
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croll through Stanford football star Christian McCaffrey’s Instagram, and you might notice that the comments below his photos are rather aggressive for those directed at a college football player leaving his school for the NFL. “You’re a sellout,” says one. “I guess the name on the back is more important than the one on the front for you.” “Can’t believe you would pick money over your team,” says another. “Used to be a fan, but I can’t support your decision. Sad that you lost half your fan base.” Others are more explicit in their animosity toward McCaffrey.
PRO T
he day is January 1, 2016. The annual Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, is taking place. Thousands of fans decked in school colors have gathered to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. For Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, this is his final college football game before leaving for the NFL Draft, which is only a few months away. Smith had emerged as one of the best players in college football, with the vast majority of experts projecting him as a top-five pick. But on this day, none of that matters. Smith is focused on the game; it is the first quarter, and the Irish need a stop. The ball is snapped. Smith hesitates, then bursts to the left in pursuit of Buckeyes quarterback JT Barrett. Suddenly, he is hit — no problem, he has been knocked down countless times in his career. He gets up, but is hit again. He catches himself on one leg, resets, and tries to run, but instead of moving forward, he feels a snap in the front of his left kneecap, and then...numbness. He tries to stand back up, but crumples to the ground and remains there motionless. He tries to call a teammate, a ref, an opposing player or someone, but cannot enunciate his words. The coaches attempt to help him up, but he cannot move. Instead, he leaves the field on a cart, the crowd applauding for him on his way out.
When thinking objectively, there is no real argument for why star players should play in bowl games. A few hours later, Smith will be diagnosed with a torn ACL, LCL and significant nerve damage throughout his left leg. Six days later, Smith has surgery on the knee to fix both tears. Come time for the NFL Draft, Smith would not go in the top five, top 10 or even top 25. Instead, he will fall all the way to the 34th overall pick, where he will be selected by the Dallas Cowboys. Because the NFL determines pay based on which draft pick a player was chosen with, it is estimated that Smith missed out on nearly $20 million over four years. Had he been drafted in the top five as previously expected, he would have signed a contract for $23 million over four years. Instead, in the same time frame, he will make $4.4 million, a mere frac-
“Kill yourself,” reads one of the more violent remarks. “I hope you break your neck and die on your first carry in the NFL you overrated b*tch.” Mixed in with these comments are those that have a starkly opposite tone and message. “I respect your choice Christian. Good job not taking an unnecessary risk.” “It’s nice to see a college athlete make a smart decision about his future,” compliments another. “No reason to play in a meaningless game.” Other commenters channel their [animosity] toward Stanford and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). “Good job standing up the NCAA. F*ck these colleges making money off your hard work,” said tion of what could have been. But this multi-million dollar loss represents only the first of many obstacles. Since then, Smith has yet to play in his first NFL game and it remains unclear if he will ever be the defensive powerhouse he was at Notre Dame. Smith has become the poster child for those who point in favor of skipping bowl games. It is easy to see what would have happened had he not played — a boatload of cash, a starting spot on the Cowboys team and a shot at the Defensive Rookie of the Year award are foreseeable for a player of his caliber.
One wrong landing, hit or tackle could lead to a crippling injury that would not only cause the loss of millions but also a shot at every player’s dream of one day playing in the NFL. Part of the blame goes to the expansion of the current bowl system: this season, 40 bowl games were played. The explosion in the number of bowl games played drastically changed the nature of the bowl game itself. Making a bowl was once a badge of honor. Winning resulted in national recognition and success. Now, with the current system, nearly two-thirds of Division 1 College Football teams play in a bowl game, turning the game into nothing more than a glorified exhibition for the vast majority of teams and players involved. When thinking objectively, there is no real argument for why star players should play in bowl games. Too many players have shredded ligaments and broken bones playing in useless games, and there is no real upside. Players like Fournette and McCaffrey have already proven their worth to the NFL — they do not need to play one more game and risk getting injured. Playing in the bowl game does not have any rewards, as their draft stock would not rise, and a win in a bowl does not lead to a shot at winning the National Championship. There is, however, a very real reason not to play. One wrong landing, hit, or tackle could lead to a crippling injury that would not only cause the loss of millions, but also a shot at every player’s dream of one day playing in the NFL. To those who say college players should never skip bowl games, enough is enough. These players have put in countless hours of hard work and dedication to get to the level they are at. There is no reason for us to command them to play for our entertainment one last time–especially if it could result in losing all that they have worked so hard to achieve.
“Grab that NFL money while you still can play.”
“Great job standing up to the NCAA.” TEXT AND PAARTH SHARMA DESIGN BY:
one comment. “If I were you I would give them the middle finger too. F*ck Stanford man using you like that.” Without any context, one might never understand what McCaffrey has done to become such a controversial figure. When McCaffrey, as well as LSU running back Leonard Fournette, decided to not play in their team’s respective bowl games in order to prevent injury before the upcoming NFL Draft, they opened a Pandora’s box of opinions and viewpoints. Many were quick to weigh in, with NFL and college players and coaches adding their opinions over social media and during media
CON F
or college football players, December marks the start of bowl season. Through the fall, teams battle week in and week out to earn the privilege of playing in a bowl game. All the hits, runs and tackles of October come to an end for a few short weeks before the next season begins. For many, a bowl game is more than just another game. It represents the struggles of the season, and provides one final obstacle for the team to overcome. It represents the pinnacle of the team’s success and the result of all the blood, sweat and tears the team has put in over the course of the season. To skip a bowl game is to skip out on the team. There is something self-centered and egotistical about a player telling his team and coaches that they are nothing more than a stepping stone to get to the NFL. So many players do not have the chance to decide whether or not they want to skip a bowl game because their team was not invited to one. Many more do not get the chance to even play football.
There is something self-centered and egotistical about a player telling his team and coaches that they are nothing more than a stepping stone to get to the NFL.
Many claim that the bowl game is a “meaningless game” or that it “serves no purpose.” After all, as the logic goes, there is no shot at winning a national championship, nothing extra to show the NFL scouts, so why play? For many players however, the privilege of being in a bowl game is something they strive to achieve at the beginning of every season. University of Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson perfectly summed up what the opportunity to play in the Gator Bowl meant to his team. “Is this game special? Absolutely,” Johnson said, who led his team to a 5-2 finish that culminated in beating heavily favored rival Louisville with a trip to bowl season on the line. “For this team and our fans, it really means a lot. We want to play as long as we can. Just to have a game in December and have those extra practices means a lot to us.”
interviews. The decisions resulted in two viewpoints with very different, sometimes radical takes on the issue. One side saw the decision as a safe way to prevent injury and a way to ensure that players would make it to the NFL. The other side saw the decision as a selfish move aimed at protecting the individual with little to no regard for the team and the organization who helped them get to where they are. They see it as a betrayal of the college system. In this article, we take a deeper look at the arguments for and against skipping a bowl game. Johnson’s attitude will no doubt only become less and less common as time goes by. A football player who wants to play football? As strange as it may seem, in the current system of college football, the goal is not to play football, but rather to use football as a means of achieving financial success. College players used to dream of playing under the Sunday night lights. Now, players dream of spending their salaries on a new house.
What happened to staying in school and not chasing dollar signs? When Leonard Fournette watched his teammates battle it out against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl, whether he knew it or not, he was sending a message, loud and clear. He was telling every little boy in the stands that football was not about the friendships or those 53 guys working towards one goal. It was about making sure he got paid. Slowly, college is turning into the NFL’s developmental league. Nowadays, collegebound recruits say they are excited to spend the next three years at their college of choice, not four. Why three years and not the normal four? Because once they become eligible for the NFL Draft, they will undeniably bolt to the flow of cash the NFL offers. College is the best place to spend two years waiting around until they reach the drafteligible age. Skipping bowl games is simply an extension of this same principle. It seems today, many football players do not want to actually play football. Now, college players reason that if they have already proven their worth to the NFL scout, they should not play another down. They could get injured, after all. But what happened to playing the game for the game? What happened to not giving up on your teammates? What happened to staying in school and not chasing dollar signs? And when does this stop? What if the team loses too many games at the beginning of the season and clearly won’t be successful? Does the player simply walk away? After all, there is no point playing from here on out, if the team is already eliminated from championship contention. So to the bowl-skipper who posts photos about the team or the status thanking the coaches, I will say this: talk is cheap. If you really care about your teammates, show it. Go on the field, play alongside your team and win that game before you depart for the NFL. Until that happens, just realize the message that you send, the message that football is not a sport, but rather a vehicle, built for only one unforgiving, materialistic path: the road to millions.
“You’re a sellout.” “I hope you break your neck and die when you get the ball.”
“If you cared for your team, you’d play.” DESIGN BY:
GRACIE KITAYAMA