Carlmont Highlander September 2017 issue 1

The Highlander September 2017 Vol IX Issue I

Carlmont High School — Belmont, California

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@scotscoopnews

Protest

Party

The purpose of protesting is blurred by fads Sophie Penn Staff Writer Hundreds of protesters march through the city of San Francisco, holding signs that read “Black Lives Matter” and “Not My President.” They walk proudly, with their heads held high, as they chant in unison and… grab a Philz coffee as they walk past a food truck.

With all the chaos that has occured in the U.S. over the past eight months, protests have become almost an everyday occurrence, especially in the Bay Area.

While protesting has been crucial in past movements such as the Civil Rights march on Washington, the Women’s Liberation Movement, and various workers rights movements throughout history, protesting has begun to embody a new image.

Recent events such as the Charlottesville protest and the multiple events that have spiraled out of control at UC Berkeley raise a new question: could violent protests be counterproductive?

Rosie Asmar, a senior, said, “I think as soon as a protest becomes violent, it becomes inherently ineffective. You are giving those who oppose you an excuse to lump everyone together and say ‘all liberals are violent, none of them will listen to us, they only want to talk to people who share their opinions, etc.’ which is untrue, at least for me.”

Kaylie Moropoulos, a junior, flew to Washington D.C. last January to participate in the Women’s March on Washington.

“My experience at the Women’s March [following Trump’s inauguration] was simply incredible. I’d never been to any political event of that scale ever. It felt empowering to a whole new level and I’m so grateful for all the people I was able to talk to and meet there. I’ve never been affected by any other event like I was by the Women’s March,” said Moropoulos.

The Women’s March was one of the first major protests in Trump’s presidency, as well as one of the more peaceful ones.

Although protests like the Women’s March gained national attention and were positive experiences for the majority of those participating, more recent protests have CAMPUS 7been far from amicable.

In February, provocative conservative writer Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at UC Berkeley, but the event was cancelled when protesters took to the streets September 2016

throwing things, starting fires, and breaking windows, resulting in damages costing $100,000.

However, Yiannopoulos publicly announced that he would be returning to UC Berkeley for a “Free Speech Week” that is set to take place from Sept.

24 through Sept. 27.

Protesting, although a fundamental aspect of U.S. history, is beginning to be seen as counterproductive by some, due to the spike in violence.

On Aug. 12, hundreds of torch wielding white supremacists converged on a small group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, while chanting phrases such as “White lives matter” and “Jews will not replace us.” The protest resulted in the death of counter-protester Heather Heyes, and several injuries.

On Aug. 27, thousands of counter-protesters converged in Berkeley in response to Patriot Prayer’s planned protest in San Francisco the previous day, which had been cancelled at the last second. There were 13 arrests and multiple minor injuries.

Protests have historically been a powerful way for the people to express opinions and create change. With the rising trend in violence, there comes a risk of diminishing the effectiveness of protesting.

“Violent protests are ultimately useless or even damaging as they can tarnish the image of the idea they’re supposed to be representing,” said Moropoulos.

Photos by Connor Lin Illustrations by Jordan Hanlon

English teacher Erik Migdail has attended five protests in the past year.

“As the stakes have gotten higher in many people’s minds, the character of protests have changed radically, and not necessarily for the better. They definitely feels more contentious, and it feels like there is heightened emotion relative to other protests I’ve been to in my life,” said Migdail.

Despite the growing tensions between political groups at recent protests, many still believe them to be crucial to the democracy of America.

Asmar said, “I think protesting is one of the great things about free speech in this country. It not only puts pressure on the government to act, but also puts issues in a public scope so that American citizens won’t be able to ignore the repercussions of those issues anymore. It forces people to talk about things they don’t want to in order to further the public good and protection of basic freedoms.”

The threat of violence still remains a concern in modern protests however, and although there doesn’t appear to be a ‘correct answer’ as to how to change the culture of protesting, it continues to provide a voice for American citizens.

Sports

In This Issue

News Campus

Professor Ban List Conservative stuudents avoid liberal influence p. 8

End of the world How humans are killing the earth p. 10

The second civil war Political differences divide our nation p. 15

Environmental issues Lifestyle Features Opinion Why you will die

2-3 4-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-16 17-19 20

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SPORTS

September 2017

The physical fitness test fails to evaluate

Athletic capability or effort does not ensure a pass Maya Benjamin Staff Writer fit.

Almost one hundred freshman a year are not physically

According to the California Department of Education, during the 2015-2016 school year, 511 freshmen at Carlmont took the California Physical Fitness Test (PFT).

“The PFT is a comprehensive, health-related physical fitness battery developed by The Cooper Institute. The primary goal of the PFT is to assist students in establishing lifetime habits of regular physical activity,” according to the California Department of Education website.

The PFT tests students aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength, and flexibility.

But the PFT fails to establish their goal of creating a lifetime of habits of regular physical activity or shame and punish students for their lack of athletic ability without taking into account their effort.

Akiko Balitactac, a junior, has been practicing judo for nine years. Balitactac trains during competition season up to eight times per week. Her training includes running, squats, and deadlifts. Despite her active lifestyle, Balitactac failed the body mass index test (BMI) on the PFT. Which is measured by a students BMI. The BMI is a measure of body fat determined by one’s height and weight.

Because of an injury, Balitactac was able to do a walking test instead of running the mile.

Balitactac claims that if she had to run the mile, she would have failed.

“I would have been in P.E. 2 my sophomore year if I had to run the mile. My mile time was supposed to be around five minutes and even if I put in effort, I still wouldn’t have passed,” said Balitactac.

According to Balitactac, if you have a higher BMI, you have to run a faster mile. Eleventhgrader Tyler Rachal, who had a low BMI, had to run under a 12-minute mile according to state standards, but junior LiIsabel Mitchell

ane Brown, who failed the BMI on the PFT, had to run under a seven-minute mile.

Physical education teacher David Low confirmed Balitactac’s claims.

“It’s true that if you’re shorter and [heavier], your mile time is faster than a person who tall and skinny,” said Low. The unbalanced mile times for students is not the only problem students have with the PFT. Daria Avida, a junior, a member of the girls swimming team, failed the BMI on the PFT. Similar to Balitactac, Avida has training that includes conditioning and running.

Avida is also apart of the 11 percent of students who didn’t pass the mile test during the PFT during 2015-2016 school year. Avida was able to take to the walking test to retry the aerobic capacity portion of the test and she passed.

“The BMI test is not fair for those with abnormal weight.

Some people who are very fit have less body fat and lots of muscle, but are still considered overweight,” Avida said.

Avida might be correct. According to Men’s Health Magazine, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a former wrestler turned actor and producer has a BMI of 34.3. According to the BMI scale, Johnson is considered obese despite his body fat percentage being only seven percent.

If ninth graders fail more than one test out of the six, they’re automatically placed in P.E. 2 for their sophomore year. Many students feel this takes away from taking another class they deem is more beneficial to their learning.

Sandra Strongin, a senior, failed the PFT and was one of the 96 students placed in P.E. 2 two years ago.

“Because I was in P.E. 2, I was forced to not take a class I really wanted to take my sophomore year,” Strongin said.

Similarly, Liane Brown, a junior, failed failed the PFT and was placed in P.E. 2.

“I would’ve really liked to have taken dance my sophomore year. Unfortunately, since I failed the PFT, I was forced to take P.E. 2,” Brown said, “I don’t think it’s fair that I couldn’t take another class I wanted to especially since dance is an athletic class.”

The BMI and PFT has limited opprotunities for Carlmont students. However, the topic of whether the BMI or PFT is actually beneficial is not up for debate.

Despite all of the issues students have with BMI, the California Department of Education continues to test students in fifth, seventh, and ninth grade every year, leading some to wonder if the state will ever listen to their concerns.

“I really think it’s important that the Department of Education listens to students. This test has more negative effects than positive,” Brown said.

JV players search for equal treatment on and off the field Junior varsity and varsity are more similar than how people perceive them.

Both JV and varsity athletes had to work hard to make their respective teams.

They both have the same love for the game. They are both difficult to make.

However, one of these two teams gets priority.

“Investing more into varsity isn’t a problem. They deserve it. They work hard, and they are the greatest athletes on campus.

They have better uniforms than the JV hand-me-downs, but they earn it,’’ said Marcus Beltramo, former varsity soccer coach at Carlmont.

Even though varsity deserves everything that comes their way, there are still other teams that need attention. JV and freshman teams receive outdated and older gear.

This can be found evident through multiple sports at Carlmont, especially football.

Just this year, varsity football received new uniforms and pants, while JV got the old jerseys.

“Varsity [football] always gets better things compared to JV. Varsity gets better uniforms. They have better equipment like the flex helmets. They get more attention than us,” said Matt Vo, a JV football player.

Other JV sports have shared the same sity teams are seen as being prioritized over JV teams, while only 61.9 percent thought experience.

“Varsity [baseball] got the field more that varsity was more important.

Although the competition is stiffer on than we did. It’s frustrating because it’s tough to get better on defense when they varsity and the players are better, the JV are using the field most of the time” said players still put in lots of effort to make the team, and it may not seem like it, but they Ryan Busser, a JV baseball player.

“Girls varsity [soccer] has better equip- have put in the same long hours and gone ment. It’s just better quality than JV’s, it’s through the same grind as varsity athletes.

“Freshman year, more appealing, it took tons of hard and they get more work to make JV. of it than JV does,” If we want to be treated I was consistently said Kaylee Leong, working on my deas the same, we need to a former JV soccer fense as much as I player. gain respect. could, and I hit for However, this exhours every day to be tends farther than Jake Robinsom successful and make just laundry and Junior the team,” said Jake field time. AccordRobinson, a JV baseing to the Los Anball player. geles Times, Varsity Since most JV athletes are freshman and teams get playoffs at the end of the year, while JV playoffs are a “waste of resources.” sophomores, they are fresh faces at school, The Los Angeles Times also said that and they feel like they have something to JV playoffs would cost individual schools prove when they play to gain respect.

“When I was a freshman, the coaches almost $30,000. Schools are willing to pay fees for varsity playoffs, but when it comes didn’t know me. I felt like I had to give 110 percent so that they will remember me. It’s to JV, they aren’t willing to pay the price.

The Patriot, an online newspaper based a lot of hard work trying to be the best over in Maryland, surveyed student athletes at everyone else” said Leong.

Not only do JV athletes still put in lots of John Carroll School. The results showed that 85 percent of students agreed that var- work, but they may have the same passion

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Daniel Friis Staff Writer

for the game and the desire to get better as the varsity athletes do.

“I feel like I have the same love for the game as the varsity athletes do, and I want to get better just like they do, so why do they get the better uniforms?” said Nick Knobel, a JV basketball player.

As Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry once said, “Success is born out of faith, an undying passion, and a relentless drive.”

JV athletes play with the same “undying passion” as varsity does when they are on the playing field, and they also practice with the same “relentless drive” to prove themselves worthy, they could be successful just like the varsity kids. However this isn’t shown through the different treatment of the two sides.

For now, JV will have to wait, and live with the way they are treated.

They will continue to show that they should be treated the same way as varsity does, by gaining the recognition of their peers.

“We have to prove we can compete if we want to be looked at as more than just a JV team. If we want to be treated as the same, we need to gain respect and hopefully, we can show everyone that we can do the same things as varsity,” said Robinson.

SPORTS

September 2017

3

Behind the scenes of Friday football

Isabel Mitchell

Sophomore Hannah Camenzind prepares for football practice by filling up water bottles in the athletic trainer’s room. Camenzino then waits in the room for injured players.

Briana McDonald Staff Writer

ball. We go to as many practices as we can.

We are there before kickoff, throughout the game, and for the clean up after the games” said Edwards.

She is out on the football field running The managers are not the only ones around for the next five hours. No, she is working behind the scenes. not a player on the team. This is the life of a Ann Sbardellati has been working at football manager.

Carlmont as a certified athletic trainer for “We do a lot of the behind the scenes two years. She works in prevention, evaluaset up for football games, as well as keeption, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. ing our players safe and healthy so that they Before Sbardellati was at Carlmont, she recan perform well on game day,” said Eve ceived her undergrad in psychology, and Garcia-Torbensen, a senior, one of Carllater did a 2-year masters in athletic trainmont’s football managers. ing. Anytime an athlete gets hurt, SbardelFootball managers Eve Garcia Torlati examines the injury and evaluates how bensen, Gianna Westmoreland, Alexa Goshe can fix it. mez, Garcia-Torbensen, Noelani Edwards, “No one wants to clean bottles, set up and Hannah Camenzind spend most of waters, and look at sweaty feet a lot, but their time outside of school dedicated to that’s just part of the job,” said Sbardellati.

Carlmont’s football program.

Dedicated to Carlmont’s athletic de“As a football manager, we show up alpartment, Sbardellati most every day and spends most of her help out at practices time on campus asafter school until 6 We are not just water sisting student-athp.m. On Fridays we letes of all sports. As girls.

If players ever get stay until around 11 well as traveling with injured they know they p.m cleaning up after football, Sbardellati the game. We spend can come to us to take works from 2:30 p.m. our entire day after until 8 p.m., covering care of them. school dedicated to practices everyday. helping the football Noelani Edwards “I definitely like games run smoothSenior the games, building ly,” said Westmorerelationships with the land. kids, and seeing them Their jobs include compete, especially when they come back helping the football players with wrapping from an injury - that is probably the most their joints with tape, treating cuts, and icexciting part,” said Sbardellati. ing sore body parts. They also constantly Having managers help out durkeep players hydrated by having water and ing games and practices benGatorade ready to go at all times. efits Sbardellati greatly Managers attend every football practice because of her very and game, assisting with both the JV and demanding and sigvarsity teams. nificant role on the “Being a manager is almost the same team. commitment the players make to play foot-

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“If we were not there, [Sbardellati] would have a much more stressful job because no one would be there to help her, and during games, many players have problems with cramps or needing ice so we are there to help her and make the games run more smoothly,” said Westmoreland.

Patrick Smith, Carlmont’s athletic director, coached the Scot’s football team from 2006-2008.

“The managers have always been around to help out the football team. Now, it has become less of just a game day job and more of an everyday job,” said Smith.

Managers assist Sbardellati from Monday through Friday after school with water and injury prevention.

“When the football managers are around to help, the guys don’t have to worry about the water, and [Sbardellati] has more time to focus on the injuries and injury prevention,” said Smith.

One of the manager’s most important jobs is to keep the sidelines of football games well organized.

“If there were not managers like us at the football games, the waters would always be empty, the trainer would have to run around and treat all of the injuries, and she wouldn’t have time to help everyone.

Since she does have us,

players can come to us first and if we are able to help them we will, and if not we can direct them to [Sbardellati],” said Edwards.

Having the managers on the sideline assisting the team, players are able to keep their focus on the game.

“The managers are pretty much the backbone of our team,” said Simon Tara, a varsity football player. “Without them, things would totally be different. They help us stay hydrated and with our injuries.

They are there whenever we need them, which helps the team a lot.”

The football managing staff aids football games to run smoothly, and works with athletes to keep them safe.

“We are not just water girls. If players ever get injured they know they can come to us to take care of them,” said Edwards.

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NEWS

4

September 2017

The danger of assuming safety at home Many of Belmont’s smaller scale crimes can be avoided Cath Lei Staff Writer

In a well-lit bedroom of a two-story Belmont home sits a laptop worth $900. Outside, a dozen cars are parked neatly next to sidewalks and on driveways.

Not a single soul expects their home to be the setting of a crime scene. Doors are left unlocked, windows are left open, and laptops and phones are left sitting in plain sight— no one bothered to take the right safety precautions.

According to neighborhood crime analytic website “Neighborhood Scout,” on average, there are 481 total crimes in Belmont annually. Out of those 481, 95 percent consist of property crimes, meaning that there’s an average count of 455 theft related crimes per year. In contrast to the national average, this number is small.

Dan DeSchmidt has been Chief of the Belmont Police Department for the last five years. During his time as chief, crime rates have been stagnant. He has, however, found that there are occasional spikes in larceny.

The cause of these thefts is not of some grand scheme; the cause is due to unlocked doors. The Belmont Police Department estimates that a majority of items are stolen from unlocked cars.

Despite the high number of small crimes, occasional high profile crimes do occur in Belmont. Many, however, are overlooked.

“In comparison to the national average, we have a very small number of high profile crimes in Belmont,” said Mayor Charles Stone. “But these crimes still happen.”

On Aug. 5, Dejohn Jones died in a shooting at an apartment building in the 500th block of Ralston Avenue around 5 a.m. According to ABC7 news, the victim was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.

Similarly, at 641 Ralston Ave., a robbery took place on Sept. 18. According to the Belmont Public Safety YouTube channel, a male suspect wearing a white Star Wars mask robbed Chuck’s Donuts at gunpoint at 4:40 a.m.

Although these crimes are rare, many residents are often too casual when regarding safety.

“A lot of residents assume they won’t be victims of a crime, because statistics show that only a small number of people will be,” said DeSchmidt. “But when they take that assumption to the extent where they don’t lock their

Cath Lei

doors or don’t remove a valuable object from sight, we have problems.”

According to the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report in 2010, 32.2 percent of all thefts were unlawful entries without force. In 2011, 33.1 percent were entries without force.

Belmont, like any suburban city or town, fosters an environment where residents often mimic each other. This “echo chamber” convinces residents that their homes will not be a target.

“I think that people are likely to leave their doors un-

locked because they trust their neighbors,” said Crystal Li, a junior. “Maybe they feel like they don’t need to.”

That’s not to say Belmont isn’t safe. Statistically, it is.

Neighborhood Scout estimates that the probability that someone in Belmont will be a victim of a property crime is 50 percent less than the whole of California. For violent crimes, residents are 80 percent less likely to be a victim.

According to Stone and DeSchmidt, many criminal groups will target the same neighborhoods because of their reputation. When one group knows that a neighborhood keeps its doors unlocked, it’s likely that more will come.

“There have been days where we get multiple calls from the same street, because sometimes groups will target specific neighborhoods for a night,” said DeSchmidt.

He finds that such easy access to entryways is the reason why a single thief can victimize an entire street without causing much alarm. False assumption of safety is not just an issue within Belmont, but an issue nationwide.

Unlocked entrances aren’t the only reason that thieves slip away so easily. Additionally, residents wait until the morning afterwards to report a suspicious sighting or crime. According to a study from security company Safeguard the World, police usually only clear 13 percent of all reported burglaries, due to lack of witnesses or physical evidence.

“There’s always a lot of doubt on the other end of the phone call,” said DeSchmidt. “People are afraid to call us because they’re not sure if something qualifies as a crime, or that they’re annoying us, but it’s our job.”

This, however, is a nationwide problem. According to a study from the U.S. Department of Justice, 42 percent of people do not report crimes to the police. DeSchmidt and Stone believe a lack of awareness is one of the reasons why.

To combat that, DeSchmidt has pushed forward more accessible resources and ways to get updates from the police department.

He has recently pushed forward activity on Twitter and other platforms, encouraging residents to be aware of their environment. Videos of burglaries, thefts, and suspicious people and vehicles are posted on the Belmont Public Safety YouTube.

“I hope that Belmont residents know it’s safe here, but it would be a great help if people took the necessary steps to prevent theft themselves,” said Stone.

Cath Lei

5

NEWS

September 2017

New schools open to stem Carlmont’s overpopulation Ben Balster Staff Writer With 2,183 students, Carlmont faces an overflowing population that parallels district-wide population growth.

With increased pressure from growing enrollments, the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) has taken action to counteract the overcrowding across the district.

Alan Sarver is a trustee for the SUHSD and has been on the school board for eight years. With this long tenure, Sarver has seen the efforts the school board has made in this area.

“The Peninsula has seen a strong population growth in recent years; in particular, the school districts that feed into Carlmont—the Belmont Redwood Shores School District and the San Carlos School District —have seen some of the most growth within the boundaries of the SUHSD with the biggest pressure on Carlmont High School and Menlo-Atherton High School (MA),” said Sarver.

Statistics from the National Center for Education show that the average student-teacher ratio in the nation is 16.1 students per teacher. However, the student-teacher ratio at Carlmont is 20.2, and the average class size is upwards of 27 students.

Despite widespread acknowledgement of Carlmont’s swelling student body, some maintain that Carlmont’s growth is not a pressing issue when it comes to education.

“A lower student-teacher ratio could be better, since each student would get more individual attention,” said Kyle Nip, a junior, “but I prefer a bigger class because the teachers are perfectly capable of teaching a 30 person class every topic we need to know.”

Aside from education, larger high schools also tend to have more developed extracurricular opportunities for students.

Lily Gittoes, a sophomore, said, “I would prefer going to Carlmont because, even though there are a lot more people, there are also many more clubs and activities that I can get involved in.”

Despite an overall contentment at Carlmont, growing enrollment is occurring across the district, and the SUHSD is aiming to reduce the influx of enrollment in the district’s high schools while maintaining balanced funding.

The SUHSD took action on the population growth with

Measure 1, a collection of bonds to finance construction in the district and ebbing the enrollment growth at the district’s schools.

“When the district looked at the enrollment projection [across the district], we knew we were going to need more teachers and classroom, and we put Measure 1 on the ballot,” said Sarver, “Voters approved, and we began major construction projects at all the campuses in the district, the S-wing at Carlmont being a leading example.”

MA’s student enrollment for the 2017-2018 year was around 2,600 kids, so the district has placed extra focus on building a new high school in East Menlo Park: Tide Academy.

Sarver said, “Tide Academy, which will open in the fall of 2019, will eventually enroll 400 students, most of whom would have otherwise gone to Menlo Atherton.”

The District also purchased land in San Carlos for another small high school to supplement Carlmont, but shortly after Measure 1 went into effect, Oracle announced its plan for a permanent location for Design Tech (DTech): a school chartered by the San Mateo School District, at its campus in Redwood Shores.

With D-Tech’s new location within the SUHSD boundaries, it has attracted a number of students and reduced the growing enrollment at Carlmont. However, the district has yet to sell the San Carlos land and waits to see if another small high school will be needed in the area.

Sarver said, “The board is focusing first on Tide Academy. Afterwards we’ll turn our attention to see if it makes sense to build a second small high school in San Carlos or if Carlmont is okay with the construction of the classrooms and the opening of D-tech.”

At this stage, the district-wide construction and D-Tech are almost all complete and the rate of enrollment at Carlmont appears to be abating.

Sarver said, “The enrollment on the peninsula is still growing and we will make sure we have enough resources to ensure everyone gets the expected quality from the schools.”

Tide Academy will open at 150 Jefferson Drive in Menlo Park in the fall of 2019.

Design Tech’s new location will open at 355 Oracle Parkway in Redwood City in January 2018.

The land purchased by the district in San Carlos is at 535 Old Country Road in San Carlos.

Ben Balster

Carlmont’s reaction to a tribalistic political climate Joseph Gomez Staff Writer In the wake of the recent terrorist at Charlottesville, Joey Gibson of right-wing political group Patriot Prayer organized a “Free Speech Rally” in San Francisco on Aug. 28.

The rally was cancelled, however, due to safety concerns regarding violence of counter-protesters. Gibson blamed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for labeling the group as white supremacists, which took mainstream media by storm, garnering negative attention.

It seems that every rally can become a hotspot for extremists on both sides on the political spectrum. Tribalism and identity politics, the tendency to define oneself based solely on ethnic, racial, gender, cultural or religious interests that are characteristic to a group’s identity, have left many moderates to believe that politics is “us versus them.”

One can quickly spread incendiary ideas online, including racist or inciteful calls to violence, which can help fuel tensions.

History teacher Jarrod Harrison said, “If [political activists] say incendiary things, they get more counter-protesters. If there’s violence: ‘Look at me! I’m a target of their violence, they’re oppressing me! Buy my book!’”

Zaina Abdelrahman, a junior and President of the Muslim Fellowship Club, believes that today’s political climate is exaggerated by the media’s frequent unfair grouping of people. “[Tribalism] is not really credible...

you’re not exchanging points and giving evidence, and seeing the other person’s point of view,” said Abdelrahman.

Initially, tribalism and identity politics are what attract many people to the political system. They offer a feeling of belonging and understanding, leading to a practice that Psychology Today described as “groupthink,” a practice that, “occurs when a group values harmony and coherence over accurate analysis and critical evaluation.”

“The only benefit I can think of is that you might understand that person’s ideas and how they think and then try to find some counterarguments to that,” said Abelrahman.

Earl Kwofie, a senior and President of the Black Student Union, believed there is a new uproar of white supremacist movements. However, he believes this type of protest behavior is far from unusual.

“It’s definitely not something new,” said Kwofie, “They’re trying to do what Martin Luther King Jr., did, but for their cause.”

Kwofie advocated that the causes of white supremacists rallies and the Civil Rights protests of MLK were only different due to their ethical beliefs. Time shifts political views.

Referencing the canceled Crissy Field rally, Kwofie said, “We’re talking about San

Francisco here, there have been plenty of protests for the opposite reason that have turned out bad.”

Since the rally was labeled as pro-white supremacist, safety threats were taken extremely seriously.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said, “We are an inclusive city that celebrates diversity, unity, and hope. Hate has no place here.”

“They shouldn’t have any of their rights denied to have the protest,” said Kwofie.

Overall, few seem surprised by today’s polarizing politics.

Harrison believes politics has always been messy in the United States due to political and cultural diversity.

According to the Cath Lei United States Census Bureau, 13.3 percent of the United States populace are African American, 17.8 percent are Hispanic or Latino, and 5.7 percent are Asian.

“Of course it’s divided,” said Kwofie, “When Obama was first elected, people were calling him a socialist.”

Society has just gotten used to a Democratically-led government, so a Republican turn-around popped the political bubble.

“For politics, you need to know what you’re doing,” said Abdelrahman, “It’s a very smart-guy type of game.”

Abdelrahman believes that there can’t

be a one-sided perspective to politics.

In addition, according to Abdelrahman, the solution to the current political climate is through communication, such as talking to one’s peers.

“Talking to each other gives you sense of where people are coming from, their life experiences, and how that affects who they are,” said Abdelrahman, “Don’t go one way because you feel like they’re stronger, or because they’ll prevail in the end. Go your own way.”

Identifying with a group is normal, but many believe keeping a sense of individuality is significant.

“Understanding what you believe in is very important, but people are too reliant on the fact that they can just go to one group and just be like, ‘I believe in all they say,” said Kwofie.

Harrison believes the consequences of falsely labeling political opponents to their extremist counterparts is harmful. Not all Trump supporters are Nazis.

“People don’t try to look out for everybody,” said Harrison, “How can we compromise and split the difference?”

It’s significant to not undermine that everyone has their own story and that inequality does still exist.

“There are actual victims, and actual violence, and actual, real problems,” said Harrison.

Harrison found out the results of the election last November. In order to feel more comfortable, he decided to get to know his neighbors to help find a sense of unity. He was relieved to find people conversing, accepting their differences.

“Just tone down the rhetoric and talk to each other,” said Harrison.

CAMPUS

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September 2017

ASB responds to students’ involvement concerns Mackenzie O’Connell Staff Writer

The culture and spirit at Carlmont are chosen by just a handful of students.

Out of approximately 2,200 students at Carlmont, 82 are part of the Associated Student Body (ASB). This group of students has been responsible for making certain decisions for the students such as important assembly dates, spirit week ideas, and games for students to participate in during lunch and after school.

ASB attempts to create a welcoming environment for students to share their opinions.

Some students feel that ASB ignores their thoughts and sticks to their plans for the school year, as they only listen to thoughts from the people who hold a position in or are apart of the ASB “clique.”

ASB Service Council Vice President Cate Armstrong, a senior, said, “I understand that it can sometimes be intimidating to voice your opinion to such a big group, but we are always open and welcome for new input if anyone feels uncomfortable with anything or if they have any new ideas. Through school activities, we hope to gain trust for students to voice any opinion they may have.”

Though ASB and many students find these activities festive and enjoyable, many students feel they have no input on the activities planned.

This could affect the success of certain activities that take place throughout the school year.

Senior cheer captain, Nicole Eftimiou, said, “I do feel like ASB ignores the cheer team and the student body. They do try in some situations to communicate, but it always somehow comes out to whatever they want.”

In spite of these efforts, not all students are convinced.

Liane Brown, a junior, said, “Over the past few years I felt from time to time that my opinion wasn’t always important. This year and the end of last year I’ve felt that my opinion has been valued a lot more, but you will always have to be pretty well-known or involved in ASB to have an actual impact on events.”

Tyrese Lopez, ASB vice president and senior, responded to the opinions of students and their input on ASB. “Everyone has the right to express how they feel. In ASB, we know that we can’t please everyone. We’re aware of the different opinions there are about the program. We focus more on the constructive

criticism, and always keep what they say in mind to make our activities better,” said Lopez.

ASB is also in charge of the budget of the school, which decides how much money goes to certain programs and clubs around the school. The beginning balance of the 2017-2018 school year was $173,733.49, according to the budget spread that is accessible to the public on Carlmont’s website.

Each year certain clubs, sports teams, and programs get a portion of this money, but many students do not know who decides where this money goes.

Dance commission supervisor, Michelle Tenin, a senior, said, “Within ASB there is a separate voting body called the Executive Council that meets Wednesday mornings and discusses budget proposals brought on by the clubs and organizations around campus. We spend at least an hour going through the proposals and discussing the pros and cons of giving the money that is requested by the organization.”

Jordan Hanlon

According to the budget spread, last year, two-thirds of Carlmont’s money was directed toward the athletics programs.

“I think that students should have some say in the budget and what it goes into. For example, I think that we should have more funding go into community service clubs like the Key Club and also the culture clubs around school,” said Brown.

ASB Activities Director Jim Kelly suggests the best way to get involved in school activities is through clubs and other extracurriculars.

“Any clubs, performing arts, or sports are awesome ways to stay involved. There is also Carlmont Cup during lunch where teams can sign up. If you are interested in the budget, [ASB President] Tiffany Chung knows a lot about it and there are public meetings where anyone who wants to come is welcome to join and share their input.

They’re always open to listen,” said Kelly.

Although some students may continue to have an opinion on ASB’s control on many of the activities and decisions for the student body, ASB welcomes students to share opinions and listen to their perspectives to try to reach a compromise for dates, types of spirit days, and other conflicts for students.

Carlmont is a community, and ASB wants it to feel that way.

“Everyone has a place at Carlmont and they should always feel like their opinions matter and can be heard by ASB. We are always here and willing to cater to our peers’ needs and wants to represent the community,” said Armstrong.

Language classes hold various forms of usefulness Sarah Cheung Staff Writer

The gateway to earning a diploma is one that all prospective Carlmont graduates must pass through. This includes a list of required classes that are not embraced by everyone.

Determining whether students choose their classes based on genuine interest or to satisfy the requirement produces mixed results.

This is shown in students’ decisions to solely meet or go beyond the requirement of taking foreign language classes.

Some students believe they are a great way to develop their skills for the future.

Being that they are considered electives, others find it valid to question how practical the classes really are.

The California Education Code states that two years of a foreign language class is necessary to graduate high school.

California State Universities and Universities of California recommend at least a third year for a higher chance of acceptance as a freshman.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 83 percent of public high schoolers in America graduate. Because the majority of students aspire to receive their diplomas, meeting the requirement is treated as a big deal.

A french program student Jason Tsui said, “Language classes show that you have the commitment to learning something challenging. It looks good for college.”

At Carlmont, students are offered Spanish, French, and Mandarin courses. Each subject includes levels one through four, with options for honors and Advanced Placement courses.

Some students believe that the greatest advantage of taking an additional third or fourth year is how they can

SCOTLIGHT magazine

Vo l u m e I I C o m i n g N ov e m b e r 2 0 1 7

apply it to their potential career.

Alice Snelling, a senior and former AP Mandarin student, said, “I definitely think everyone should exceed the requirement because the world is becoming increasingly international within all fields. Speaking the language of someone you are doing business with is impressive and shows respect.”

California issues a Seal of Biliteracy to high school students who demonstrate proficiency in learning a second language. The state government believes that biliteracy is an important skill for motivating academic achievement and giving students an advantage in future careers.

Professions in customer service, marketing, and human resources seek workers who can speak more than one language. According to the California Department of Rehabilitation, employees who utilize their bilingual skills an average of 10 percent or more of their total work time are eligible for bilingual pay raises.

California’s diverse demographics influence students’ decisions on which language to take and how much to invest in it. A U.S. census done in 2000 shows that 25.8 percent of California residents speak Spanish at home, with 2.6 percent speaking Chinese, and 0.4 percent speaking French.

Christopher Alvarez, a current AP Mandarin student, stated that his family was one of many who immigrated here and retained their native tongue.

He said, “I am half Chinese, and growing up, I couldn’t talk to my older relatives who speak little English, so I couldn’t form relationships with them. I think it’s important to know the language that connects you to your family culture and identity.”

Carlmont language teachers have been able to detect that students with a sincere interest in a language tend to

be more actively curious.

Mandarin teacher Mindy Chiang said, “They put forth a considerable amount of effort and time compared to students who are doing it for the college application. They ask more questions; they maximize all their opportunities to apply what they learned both in and outside the classroom.”

However, there are students who are less convinced of the value in taking high school-level language classes. Ashley Huang, a junior, has decided to discontinue her French courses after finishing level two this year.

Huang said, “I personally don’t think the classes have benefitted me much other than making me flexible when it comes to encountering new things, so I’m not going to do more than what’s necessary.”

Although missing the extra boost that levels three and four of a language provide, students like Huang still have the opportunity to be equally competitive college applicants. They may find more usefulness in alternative classes that appeal to their interests.

“I think the students who are passionate about learning a language and enjoy challenging themselves should opt for three or more years of the class. Language classes require a different type of thinking compared to math or science, so it’s not for everybody,” said Huang.

While the pressure of college applications and job competition may be motivation for students to exceed the twoyear requirement, the State of California believes that high school courses should be designed to expand students’ skill sets, broaden their perspectives, and fuel their passions for potential careers.

Huang said, “Ultimately, it is up to the individual student to determine what foreign languages mean to their education, whether it be significant in the long run or not.”

CAMPUS

September 2017

7

Social media puts a filter on death Talia Fine Staff Writer

This is not just another story about suicide.

A phone sat ringing on the Golden Gate Bridge Nov. 29, 2005. A woman picked it up. A group of students were looking for the owner of the phone, their classmate named John William Skinner who hadn’t come to school that day.

Concerned, they tried to call him, but it was too late.

Skinner had jumped.

“He had been with me just the day before and said ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Other students were out with him the evening before. They had been talking about college applications and where they were going to school. Nothing indicated he had any intention of doing this,” said Gail Langkusch, his AP Language and Composition teacher and a current substitute teacher.

This was over a decade ago, but this experience is in a similar vein for many suicides today. Skinner had said his last goodbyes and left his possessions to his closest friends in a series of text messages.

There have been three high school student suicides within a 20-mile radius of Carlmont in the last six months, and in all cases, Carlmont students have witnessed social media desensitization of the nature of suicide.

Priscilla Chiu was a sophomore at Aragon High School when she hanged herself on April 22, 2017.

“When [Priscilla and I] were friends it was before social media. Our bond was out of this world,” said Briana McDonald, a junior at Carlmont.

When Chiu and McDonald went to different high schools, they didn’t have as much contact.

“I still kept in touch with her but we didn’t have as close a bond. When I [saw] her on Instagram or Snapchat I would think she’s having an amazing life,” said McDonald.

“I figured that she had recovered, but only being connected through social media I’d see all the good things and only that she was good and ok, so hearing that she had passed away after seeing all the good in her life was a shock.”

Social media had veiled the true experiences of a suicidal teen, so it limited the ability of others to reach out.

“Social media has a way of showing only the positives without showing the negatives. People observe that and think they’re the only ones struggling. It’s not an accurate reflection of other people’s lives,” said Kristin Vernon, a Carlmont guidance counselor.

According to CNN, teens spend, on average, seven to nine hours a day on social media, creating a clear pathway for any information delivered through a screen.

Social media can spread many things, like positivity, but it also can fog reality. It hides signs of suicide and endangers personal connections that could recognize those signs.

“Social media is like this giant filter on everyone’s lives. I feel like it’s fake and not genuine, so super disturbing news didn’t feel real to me because I found out through social media,” said McDonald.

One follower could see the death of distant friend on Instagram and get over it in two days while another follower who was practically family to the victim can take months to get over the trauma. When it’s through a screen people don’t really see who is on the other side.

Alec Turner, a senior at Gunn High School, committed suicide on Aug. 15, 2017, the second day of school.

“It was absolutely shocking,” said Avery Lythcott-Haims, a junior at Gunn. “The day after was somber and quieter, but this isn’t the first time a suicide has happened at Gunn.”

She posted a message of love on her Snapchat to support fellow students as an outside observer. Many others posted, too.

However, social media interactions sometimes have consequences, including the inability to fully understand the intentions of others, which can cause conflict and confusion when it comes to sensitivity.

Deandre Minor, a Carlmont senior and Chiu’s ex-boyfriend, said, “People were proclaiming they knew [Priscil-

la] when they were never there for her. I respected everyone that showed their love for her but I also saw it as only missing her now that she’s gone forever.”

That sentiment carried through to other recent suicides.

Madyson Weiss was a sophomore at Hillsdale High School who hanged herself in August of 2017.

“We were best friends,” said Mahara Kashanian, a sophomore at Carlmont who also observed positive thoughts being sent Weiss’s way through social media.

“I think the comments [posted on social media about Weiss] were really thoughtful. She would’ve appreciated and loved the things people were saying about her. I also know there’s a lot of people who wouldn’t have posted stuff about her when she was alive. Now that she’s passed away everybody suddenly cares,” said Kashanian.

Many agree that the internet isn’t a necessarily a place to go looking for reality.

According to CNN, one in four people lie on Facebook, which is about 320 million people who lie to their friends and families about some aspect of their lives through social media. “[With social media] you’re living two different lives and you cannot make those two lives anything that’s meaningful for you,” said Langkusch.

People often scroll fast, regardless of the content. It all comes through the same screen and, as a potentially result, hurtful, disturbing, and personal news belongs to hundreds of Instagram followers, Snapchat users, and Facebook friends. This sometimes impersonal interaction and overall detachment leads to a lack of the full appreciation it takes to mourn the loss of another person’s life and have real relationships at all.

According to researchers at University of CaliforniaSan Diego, humans receive about 34 gigabytes of information through media per day. This is equal to over 100,000 words, plus images and videos. Just as this amount of information could overload a laptop, it floods the brain. This can hinder a person’s ability to feel.

“I first found out [about Chiu’s passing] through social media. It almost felt like a sick joke,” said McDonald. “She was my first best friend. We did everything together. Having to find out about her passing through [social media] was very hard.”

When harsh realities of life pop up on Instagram feeds, it’s a reminder for some that tragedy doesn’t always happen on the other side of the country or across the world. It happens in other friend groups, neighboring school districts, and down the street.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the CDC, suicide remains the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, is the second leading cause of death among people 15-34 years old, and the rates for people under the age of 20 are slowly rising.

Carlmont is trying to help limit suicides. Almost every type of health hotline a student could potentially need is on the back of student IDs. The SOS program is open to all students every day. An entire council of ASB has the sole goal to make students feel included. There’s a nurse, six counselors, and over 100 teachers.

Instagram is unusable on district wifi, there have been emails sent out about the dangers of “13 Reasons Why,” and for the past three years the welcome back assembly speakers have preached positivity and love.

Carlmont is trying. But students are still dying and their friends still get the news delivered six

inches from their faces, along with suggestions that they are not good or pretty enough, smart or involved enough, outgoing or intriguing enough.

“If [students’ coping] was dependent on social media then it would be just horrible that they can’t talk to each other and be there for each other,” said Langkusch.

A 2017 Carlmont graduate, who asked to have her identity withheld, tried to kill herself during her sophomore year.

“I thought, ‘No one noticed me before, so why would anyone notice me now? [My parents] won’t understand that I’m not good enough and I’ll never be good enough,” she said.

But in the action, she messaged a friend to say goodbye and realized that killing herself wasn’t what she actually wanted to do. She called him for help and survived.

“If somebody is feeling alone or having feelings of hopelessness or depression they should reach out to an actual person: a parent, teacher, close friend,” said Vernon.

She has dealt with student suicides before and observed social media’s effects.

“It can be traumatizing for a lot of people. It’s important if you find out about something that’s happened, something tragic such as suicide, to try to refrain from posting about it on social media. Talk to a person instead,” said Vernon.

According to the American Public Health Association, Signs of Suicide (SOS) suicide prevention programs in high school significantly lower rates of suicide attempts and increase knowledge about coping with depression because there is intervention and communication from a group.

Talking helps. Foundations, researchers, SOS programs, guidance counselors, teachers, friends, and mourners have concluded that personal interaction and real-life relationships help people cope, whether they’re victims of mental illness or dealing with trauma.

Talking can stop a suicide and give one the respect they deserve. Rather than posting it on social media and inading the privacy of others.

Social media will continue to possibly pose the danger that viewers only see filtered lives, and people will still participate in significant events through the internet’s false reality, but it can all be combated when people live in real life try to make a difference and reach out to others..

One must remember that there are many options, and hiding behind a screen isn’t one of them.

“We can all put on a good show: the masks that we will wear and the tone we will take. We can hide so many things,” said Langkusch.

national

Suicidice Prevention Lifeline

1-(800)-273-8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Kathryn Stratz

CAMPUS

8

September 2017

Is BTI beneficial for Carlmont?

Students question the effectiveness of science program

Recently, there has been a debate among students questioning if Bitechnology Institute (BTI) is helping students boost their future science careers or if it makes students’ classes easier.

BTI is a small learning community that delivers personalized education with a college and career focus, serving 50 scienctifically-motivated students per grade level, beginning of 10th grade and ending in the 12th grade. It has been offered to students at Carlmont overtime those passionate about science.

The BTI curriculum provides students with the opportunity for exclusive classes based on the Biotechnology field. According to Carlmont’s website, “BTI aims to create science-minded individuals that are prepared to succeed in college and get a boost in their science career by giving students unique opportunities to include science connections in English, and social studies classes.”

“The purpose of BTI is to give students who are interested in science the opportunity to include science-based curriculum in several of their courses. Students take science-themed courses in English and social studies, as well as their lab based science courses in Biotechnology and

Chemistry for Biotechnology,” said BTI skillset because of Biotech the year before,” coordinator, Kim Miller. “They also take a said Joshua Engberg, a BTI teacher. “The college level class in Biomanufacturing in class is organized differently in the setheir senior year, a class which is co-taught quence of topics. We are able to skip some chemistry topics and get more involved lab with a professor from Skyline College.”

Each year, BTI students are offered two experiments.”

According Carlmont’s website, BTI also field trips, one college tour, and one crosscurricular project, which they work on in aims to help students to make their high school experience “relevant, meaningful, their classes. and inspiring.”

“Students gain “The curriculum unique cutting edge advanced my scilaboratory experiences Students gain unique, ence knowledge and to help them succeed cutting edge labratory has made me more in fields of science and experiences to help them interested in my technology,” said Millsucceed in the fields of history and English er. “Students also have science and technology. classes, helping me smaller classes, collaborate in cross-curricular overall in school,” Kim Miller Hunter Crawfordprojects to investigate Guidance Counselor Shelmadine, a Carlreal-world problems, mont senior and take field trips to local Biotech companies such as Gilead and Ge- participant in the BTI progam.

However, there are some tradeoffs to nentech, and work closely with a mentor.”

One example of a class in the curricu- BTI as it limits students to specific classes, lum is Chemistry for Biotech, an alterna- classmates, and teachers.

“Students’ schedules are harder to set up tive to regular chemistry. The class is available to juniors and seniors who have taken because classes aren’t offered all the time,” Biotech in their freshman, sophomore, or said Engberg. “You aren’t able to take adjunior year. The class is more lab-based and vanced level history and English classes.” hands-on, corresponding with the skills Due to this, some students claim that that Biotech classes teach. people use BTI to get through school with “Chemistry for Biotech is different be- easy classes that can be passed without cause students come in with a different much effort.

“

“

Katrina Wiebenson Staff Writer

“Well, it’s not easier, it’s different. It may be perceived as easier to because some students are more interested and motivated in the classes, making their classes more enjoyable and less of a burden,” said Engberg.

To some BTI students, this perception of BTI being an easy alternative to regular classes can sometimes to be frustrating or confusing.

“Yes, we can’t take AP history or English, but we are learning a curriculum that is more advanced and fast-paced from a science perspective,” said Crawford-Shelmadine.

However, this opinion that BTI is “easy” might only be an opinion, as the curriculum has helped many students so far by giving students a more focused field of study.

“I feel that I am prepared because I have learned the basic lab skills required to be a successful scientist,” said 11th-grader Natalie Saadeh. “I also believe I am ready for college from the classes I have had in BTI.” Many students learn differently, so having classes that fit to a student’s interest may be more beneficial and helpful to them.

If a student is interested in the BTI curriculum or has anymore questions about BTI, 9th graders and their parents or guardians can fill out an online application found on the Carlmont website.

CAMPUS

September 2017

9

Students avoid dissenting views

Professor Watchlist highlights liberal college instructors Brooke Chang Staff Writer

Professor Erickson: an extreme liberal and feminist ethnographer at Grinnell College in Iowa— AVOID AT ALL COSTS. This is how some conservative students react to professors who have a political opinion that differs from their own.

A group of these students created a watchlist so other students like themselves can be aware of professors at their universities who have a strong liberal bias.

The watchlist is on a website called Professor Watchlist and was created by Turning Point News and Turning Point USA. On their official website, Turning Point News claims to be “exposing liberal bias and providing a creative platform for young conservatives.”

Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization that aims to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government,” according to their official website.

Although Professor Watchlist claims that students, family, and alumni deserve to know about the radical agenda that certain professors present in their classroom, many students find it alarming that such a list exists.

Kendall Butler, a senior, said, “I don’t think it’s right that a list like this was made. Our country exists on the idea of political freedom, so nobody should be discriminated against or attacked for their views. This list is making these professors a target for discrimination.”

However, on Professor Watchlist, it is stated that Casey Felton, a senior, said, “I won’t personally Turning Point USA “will continue to fight for free use this watchlist when selecting college courses speech and the right for professors to say whatev- next year because I like arguing with my teachers. er they wish,” indicating that their actions are not However, I feel that it could be beneficial for stuaimed to restrict the professors on the list due to dents who are less assertive. I’m glad the list is there their political opinions. as a resource for other students.”

Despite this claim, many proWhile this watchlist may affect some fessors named on the watchlist students’ decisions on taking courses have seen its effects in their lives. with these professors, others are not Karla Erickson is a profesbothered by the list and aim to presor at Grinnell College who vent changes in their education that are was put on the watchlist for solely due to the political opinions of being a feminist ethnographer professors. and teaching a course on Ameri“If I end up going to a college or unican Whiteness, which examines versity where a professor on the watchwhiteness as a specific racial forlist teaches, I won’t avoid their classes mation with a distinct history, because of it,” said Butler. “Avoiding a proactive and defensive politics, class and an opportunity to learn just and institutional and personal because the professor has a different investments, according to the view than you is probably hurting you Turning Point USA Grinnell College website. more than if you just took the class and “In the Grinnell context, stulistened to their point of view.” dents get to pick all their courses, and they choose Similarly, some professors who found themfor a wide variety of reasons: content, timing, rigor, selves on the watchlist have decided not to change pedagogical style, and so on. I’m sure [that] per- their curriculum because of it. ceived politics of the professor is a factor in this “I will not be changing my teaching style due to decision too,” said Erickson. this list. If they really want to, students can avoid While students have control over what profes- my classes,” said Erickson. sors they have in college, avoiding classes due to the Many believe that because young adults will not teacher’s political opinion is not possible at Carl- be able to avoid a difference of opinion in their lives mont. after college, they should disregard the list, as some Carlmont Instructional Vice Principal Jen Cho professors have, and take this opportunity to learn said, “Allowing students to change classes due to how to coexist with people of other viewpoints. the political beliefs of a teacher is absolutely against “As long as the beliefs of the professor aren’t every policy at Carlmont. Students can change directly influencing the curriculum in a way that class levels or programs, but we can’t fulfill requests takes away from your learning the subject correctly, based on teacher preferences.” dealing with teachers that have different political Although they do not get to choose their teach- beliefs than you is just a part of life,” said Cho. “Stuers at Carlmont, some students understand how dents should treat the professors on the watchlist Professor Watchlist could affect future decisions how they would treat any other professor: profesabout college courses. sionally and with respect.”

Overcrowded classrooms create inconvenience Zana Lunsford Staff Writer AP and AS classes have been offered at Carlmont for a long time, but this year, more students are enrolled in advanced classes and have not dropped the courses, causing more overcrowded classrooms.

“The overcrowding doesn’t have to do so much with the number of students enrolled at Carlmont but with the number of kids enrolled in advanced classes,” said Jen Cho, the instructional vice principal at Carlmont.

The overcrowding of classrooms has caused an array of challenges for the staff and students. However, it has also presented some new perspectives and learning experiences.

Sofia Tam, a senior, is currently enrolled in an AP Biology class at Carlmont, which has 38 students per class, according to Cho. According to Tam, her classes with more students in them create distractions and confusions which can prevent her from learning

at her full potential.

“I think it creates more stress for me since the class is so large; everyone is just very confused and caught up in the situation,” said Tam. Students face the challenge of distraction everyday in overpopulated classrooms.

According to AP Biology teacher Julie Paoli, this class is one of the most rigorous courses offered at Carlmont, and having distractions can pull students away from learning.

According to ThoughtCo., a website committed to educating a variety of different subjects and delivering new resources, students have worse discipline issues when participating in a class with more children.

During the high school years, many students don’t have the maturity to avoid conflict, instead they want to to prove the other wrong and themselves right.

“More students provide more opportunities for per-

sonality conflicts, tension, and general disruptive behavior,” said Derrick Meador from ThoughtCo. With more opportunity for general disagreement, students could suffer if they don’t focus on their learning and focus on their arguments or annoyances with other peers.

While students are facing larger classes that could present some distractions, most of the students will only experience this in their advanced courses.

In the beginning of the school year, many kids drop and enroll in new classes depending on whether or not they can succeed at the initial chosen academic level, but this year fewer students are dropping the advanced classes than expected.

“When I am scheduling classes I create a limit of how many kids can be in the class.

Usually, I load my advanced classes pretty heavily, because about five to 10 kids will drop the course that year. What happened this year? Kids didn’t drop,” said Cho. The advantage to students not dropping their advanced classes can be seen as perseverance.

More kids are wanting to stay in the cours-

es and try their best to succeed in an advanced, overcrowded class creates an environment similar to college classes.

“In some ways, it makes the class like a college course because you have to be able to do stuff on your own, spend more time on the subject outside of the classroom, and gather the questions that you can’t answer yourself,” said Paoli.

With the new school year ahead of us, more students are pushing themselves to the limit than they did last year.

“Last year we had a total of 432 requests for schedule changes, mostly simple things like dropping classes and requests to clerk for a teacher. This year we had a total of 677 requests, and 300 of them were to change a class, mostly to advance a level,” said Cho. Now that the deadline to change classes has passed, students will have to adapt to bigger classes than they’re used to.

“Much of the overcrowding is impacted in the advanced classes. This makes the administration and department chairs wonder if we are informing the students about which level they will perform best at,” said Cho.

10CAMPUS

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans generated over 250 million tons of trash in 2014. In fact, American communities spend more money on waste management than on fire protection, parks and recreation, libraries, or schoolbooks, according to Forbes.

In developing countries, waste that has not been properly handled threatens the well-being of people, posing a serious health and safety hazard. Trash dumps and uncollected waste are breeding grounds for infectious agents that cause diarrhea and respiratory infection, according to the World Bank Group, a source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. In addition, this massive amount of waste harms the environment as it pollutes the air and water and contributes to methane generation.

According to the website “NASA Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet,� most climate scientists agree that the human emission of greenhouse gasses is one of the primary causes of global warming. In fact, John Cook, a research assistant professor at the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University, equates the amount of heat building up on earth to the amount of heat produced by detonating four Hiroshima nuclear bombs every second.

According to the Third National Climate Assessment Report from the U.S. Global Change Research Program, long term effects of global climate change include rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, longer and more frequent periods of drought, an increase in the intensity and frequency of hurricanes, the melting of polar ice caps, and rising sea levelsIf human emissions are left unchecked, a report by the EPA estimates that the U.S. may face up to $180 billion in economic losses.

September 2016

September 2016

CAMPUS

Less than 1 percent of the planet’s water is easily available for human use, according to National Geographic. More than 40 percent of people in the world are affected by water scarcity with more than 780 million people lacking access to clean water, according to the United Nations.

Factory farms, fertilizers and pesticides, industrial wastes, and water treatment chemicals are all sources of contamination, according to the EPA. Contaminated water is estimated to cause approximately a quarter million diarrhoeal deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. Pollutants in the water can cause reproductive problems and neurological disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For example, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha from Flint’s Hurley Medical Center said to CNN that she fears that the children suffering from lead poisoning because of Flint, Michigan’s contaminated water may face lifelong health consequences because lead is a potent neurotoxin.

Air pollution has many adverse health effects. It can make it difficult for people to breathe, make their eyes burn, and can also increase a person’s risk of lung cancer, according to National Geographic.

Smog is just one of the products of air pollution. In some parts of China, the smog due to air pollution gets so thick that it obscures the sun.

Another consequence of air pollution is the destruction of the ozone layer in Earth’s upper atmosphere. According to National Geographic, ozone-depleting substances, such as certain chemicals found in refrigerators and foam insulation, damage the ozone layer, allowing more ultraviolet (UV) B radiation to reach Earth’s surface. According to the EPA, this increased level of UVB contributes to the development of the skin cancer melanoma and eye conditions such as cataract formation, which is the clouding of the eye’s lens.

WRITTEN BY HANALEI PHAM PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LIN

LIFESTYLE

12

September 2017

Love influences brain chemistry Romance results in significant addictive effects

Skylar Weiss

When it comes to brain chemistry, love has similar addictive qualities as drugs.

Lily Bakour Staff Writer Love is one of the most common but least known drugs.

Although it is shocking and unnatural to most to use a word such as “drugs” in referral to love, that is how it is addressed in many scientific studies.

Ever since the beginning of humankind, studies have been conducted to find the psychological, philosophical, and biological effects of this intangible concept: love.

Sophomore Joe Sison said, “Love is a unifying force. In this day and age, we get distracted by what’s different between ourselves, but what saves us all is the human trait to love. It doesn’t matter who you love, when you fall in love, or what you love, it is the ability to express that that makes us human.”

It is common knowledge that romantic love can play a

major role in the emotional aspect of one’s life.

However, many don’t realize the biological effects it can have.

According to the Love and Brain Study conducted at Harvard University, those who are involved in romantic love have higher levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter in charge of releasing pleasure and reward-related feelings.

These are the same feelings found in certain alcohols, as well as drugs such as cocaine.

Sophia Adams, a senior, said, “I am always in the mood to see my boyfriend because he gives me an emotional high. I’ve never depended on drugs to achieve that, but I can see how there are similarities between relying on a boyfriend for happiness and relying on a substance.”

In a study done at University of Rhode Island, it was concluded that the feeling that is known as being “in love” is actually a response to a “fight or flight” reaction that the body has when seeing or hearing someone they desire.

Sweaty palms, increased heart rate, dilated pupils, and dry mouths are all common symptoms that are shared in situations where fight or flight responses are triggered.

This is commonly activated by threatening or dangerous activity, but, can also be brought out when surrounded by a loved one.

Cassidy O’Connell, a senior who has been in a relationship for six years, said, “When I see my boyfriend, I instantaneously smile and become happier. He has become my best friend that makes me feel comfortable and relaxed.”

In these studies, increased dopamine can lead to a more focused individual, heightening their levels of motivation.

The URI study included that intense relationships can even lead to a stronger immune system.

For example, another Harvard study added that men who are married live longer than men whose marriages end in divorce or widowhood. In fact, the longer and healthier the relationship, the longer the life expectancy is for that individual.

Just like other drugs, the addiction that comes along with feeling and giving love can fog the vision of someone who is in a relationship.

According to Harvard, love can cause extremely negative emotions, eliciting bodily responses that begin with brain chemistry.

Reef Karim, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist, said, “When you do research on behavioral addictions, you find they message the same neurochemistry as substance-related addictions.”

When someone goes through a traumatic emotional event, the physical effects in the heart can cause what is called broken heart syndrome. According to the studies at URI, symptoms can include chest pain and fatigue, and is often caused by a loss in an important relationship.

Michael Williams, a junior, said, “I’ve been through a breakup that proved that physically, there definitely is an impact. When the feelings are really in my head, I experience a shortness of breath -- a feeling like no matter how much you breathe, you can’t get enough. Mentally, it’s a fogginess.”

It can be attributed to neurotransmitters that people feel the need to stay with a partner, even though they are not compatible.

Although there are dozens of studies conducted on love and scientists have tried to explain the chemical reasoning behind the emotion, it remains one of the inexplicable wonders of humanity.

September 2017

LIFESTYLE

13

Under pressure Acupressure points connect to other parts of the body Nicole del Cardayre Staff Writer

are used by practitioners of acupressure represent a mini body that forms throughout the face, ears, feet, and hands.

Why is my liver connected to my According to Mao, pressing the face? thumb into the corresponding part The answer to this question is of the hand for five seconds, releassimple. However, the human body ing for three seconds, pressing again, itself is not. and repeating this cycle throughout For centuries, scientists and the day will release the tension of a medical practitioners have been exheadache. ploring how the different aspects of Similar to acupressure, acupuncthe human body interact with one ture is a traditional Chinese medicianother. nal practice that stimulates specific Acupressure is the ancient art points on the body by inserting thin of healing the body by gradually needles through the skin. pressing on crucial healing points Carlmont parent Nellie Ancel throughout the body, stimulating was diagnosed with chronic arthrinatural self-curative abilities. tis and did not want to resort to Pain reduction, release of tenwestern medical approaches. She sion, and increasement circulation has been seeing an acupuncturist for are all benefits of acupressure. three years now.

Dr. Mao Shing Ni is a licensed “Originally, I found out about acupuncturist who specializes in acupuncture through an online general practice, hormonal and agsearch to help my chronic arthritis. ing related conditions, as well as I began to go see a specialist once a an elevated interest in the immune week and it had a very positive influsystem. ence on my health; it relieved a lot “Recently, the 8-year-old daughof the pain I had building up in my ter of one of my patients was sufknees and hips,” said Ancel. fering from a headache. I simply According to the Center of Intepressed the ‘Valley of Harmony’ grative Medicine at UC San Diego, acupoint between her thumb and acupuncture has become an inindex finger, and the headache vancreasingly popular medical pracished within five minutes. Acuprestice. sure is that simple and accessible,” “I think it is going to become said Mao. very popular in According to the near future, expert face mapAcupressure is the ancient as there is a lot per Shrankhla more interart of healing the body Holecek, if one is est in alternaexperiencing seby using one’s fingers to tive methods vere acne issues of dealing with gradually press on crucial on the forehead, pain. Persona light pressure healing points throughout ally, I did not applied to the the body, which stimulate want to take a sinuses located lot of drugs in natural self-curative underneath the order to cure eyebrows for abilities. myself,” said five seconds at Ancel. a time will help Acupuncture is known to help restore health to the liver and gallimprove the conditions of depresbladder and attempt to cure one’s sion, strokes, Epigastralgia, and acne. many other common diseases, “It’s interesting to see how the symptoms, and conditions. body is all connected to itself. I my“I would recommend acupuncself have never had severe acne but ture to almost anybody because of new methods such as acupressure the huge impact it has had in my should be more publicized instead life. It is a great alternative for womof drugstore medication,” said Keven that are not able to get pregnant, in Mcgee, a senior. and it also deals very effectively The art of acupressure not only with musculoskeletal issues,” said includes specialized facial techAncel. niques, but also different points Acupuncture and acupressure throughout the body, including the are both very similar in their prachand. tices. Both ancient Chinese arts aim Reflexology hypothesizes that by to improve health by connecting finding key pressure points within points throughout the human body. the palm of one’s hand, correspond And that is why your liver is coto various parts of the body. nected to your face.

Chinese reflexology charts that

Skylar Weiss

Jordan Hanlon

14

FEATURES

September 2017

Trans community fights to stay accepted The transgender community has always had a hard fight set out for them.

But with the new presidency, they have taken a big step back, and are being forced to use their voice now more than ever.

Last January, Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States.

Trump has made many statements since the election, some of which have suggested that he no longer supports the transgender community.

Through Twitter, he has made it clear that he thinks it is a waste of money to provide for the transgender community’s medical expenses, and has recently suggested a change of policy.

“Please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military,” Trump tweeted.

Transgender people have always had to put up a fight for their rights and for their lives. Spencer Stancil, a transgender senior discussed his struggle with being accepted and how much he worried for his rights after the president was elected.

“I felt scared for my life and my rights,” Spencer Stancil, a senior, said.

Izzy Lunderman, a junior who identifies as an ally, said, “Many felt worried that their lives would be in danger, now unsure as to where they stand.”

Last year, students at Carlmont put together rallies and protests to help students feel welcomed and comforted. These rallies

were a place where students could speak ing fear in the LGBT community.

These actions came as a shock to the their opinions and were given the chance community because when Trump was to spread love and acceptance by the stucampaigning, he had talked about how dent body. much he supports the LGBT Community.

“I definitely looked to friends for guidLast October, Trump was handed an ance, and I even had friends come to me,” LGBT flag during his rally.

He held it up said Stancil. proudly, and waved it around for everyone Carlmont has an accepting and warm to see.

“I pledge to every citizen of our land hearted community, and has taken every that I will be president of all Americans, ” chance possible to make it so the students Trump said. have a caring founAfter he was elected, dation. he seemed to take back Stancil said, For Trump to personally everything he had said “Carlmont is diverse isolate a certain group of before. enough to have individuals to serve their own Trump made a ban given me both posion transgender people country is disrespectful and tive and negative in the army, and made disappointing. experiences; whichit so that they were no have only helped me longer allowed to take I zzy Lunderman grow stronger and Junior part in applying to the become more confiMilitary.

Now they are dent with myself.” unable to even join the ROTC (Reserve OfLunderman said, “For Trump to personally isolate a certain group of individuals to ficer’s Training Corps) programs the some prevent them from serving their own coun- colleges offer.

ABC News wrote about Trump’s statetry is disrespectful and disappointing.” ment in a previous interview with The AdTrump making such a move gave many vocate (an LGBT magazine) where he said, Americans the idea that this is how trans “While he was not specifically asked about people are supposed to be treated. transgender Americans’ serving in the milTrump has also stated he does not feel itary, he said he would be supportive of gay that Transgender people shouldn’t use the people serving in the military.” bathroom of the gender they identify with.

Once again, Trump changed the rules This idea is not enforced, but was brought which caused more anxiety for the Transto attention by the President. Transgender gender community. people had the right given to them where The transgender community must conthey were given the choice to use the bathtinue to fight inorder to stay accepted and room with which they identify with. keep their basic human rights.

Now, Trump has taken that away, caus-

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September 2017

FEATURES

15

America risks breaking in an un-civil war Right and left wing groups force an already fractured society into conflict Celine Yang Staff writer What happened in Charlottesville was not the end.

New York City. Washington, D.C. Philadelphia, Nashville, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, a city over 2,500 miles away from Charlottesville.

In all of these cities, as well as countless others, antifa and white supremacists have clashed over the issues of race and identity.

According to Keith Mines, a global national-security expert, the modern definition of a civil war is not like the American Civil War from the 1800s, but rather “large scale violence that includes a Mona Murhamer rejection of traditional political authority and requires the National Guard to deal Republicans and democrats butt heads often, creating tensions The two with it.”

Furthermore, Mines concluded that parties disagree on issues that many people base their morals on. there is a 60 percent chance that the U.S. will Additionally, some feel that the way large to be able to disrupt the institutions. be in a civil war in the next decade. Other America’s political system is set up -- the While there are there extremely violent miexperts’ opinions vary from five percent to executive, legislative, and judiciary -- is norities present, I don’t see a modern civil 95 percent with the overall consensus be- formatted to be able to sustain inevitable war happening,” said Weisman.

However, despite the government’s curing 35 percent. All of these conflict. predictions were made “People are not rent system, some feel that it can’t handle five months before the Who would a civil war be between? questioning the institu- the conflict.

The potential civil war would be tions themselves. [Con“I don’t think anyone is ever going to violence brought on in between Antifa: “anti-fascists” Charlottesville. flicts] happen in waves, agree on this issue. As long as there isn’t Despite this so(extreme left) vs racist/white and the current wave a strong national figure who can unite the bering statistic, howis more divisive and sides, there will be a modern civil war. If nationalists (extreme right). ever, people’s opinions centered around both the groups can’t work out their differences range from doubt to social and economic within the institution, then one group will certainty. Many feel a civil war, especially issues,” said Kristine Weisman, a govern- end up rejecting authority,” said Haley Masters, a senior. in a dominantly left-leaning California, is ment and economics teacher.

Back in August, demonstrators took to highly unlikely.

Weisman, like many others, sees the “While this might be an overgeneraliza- current conflict as part of a historical cycle the streets of San Francisco, as well as many tion, I feel like there’s not a lot of friction and an issue that people will continue to other cities, to protest against the alt-right.

However, many question the purpose and around here. In this area I don’t see an rac- debate over. ist group or even an extreme alt-left here.

“We’re not democratically set up for effectiveness of these demonstrations.

“I think people need to try to underI know a civil war, so it becomes a question of there’s rallies, but I don’t think there will whether the institutions are strong enough stand the long-term consequences of these be political violence to the scale of Charlot- to allow us to work out our differences rallies. I think having conflict in such pubtesville around here,” said Jenna William- within it, and currently, the institutions lic spaces after a horrible incident was the son, a senior. work. Our differences would have to be so wrong move. While there are exceptions to

the rule, having a united group of people doing nothing is not helpful for political action and change,” said Williamson.

It’s undeniable that the nation is embroiled in a conflict over ideology. While the question of how that conflict will be resolved has yet to be decided, many feel that no real action is taking place to address the conflict.

“I think we need to start actually listening to each other. We can talk about social justice all we want and pride ourselves in being ‘activists,’ but how many of us actually stand up to injustice when we see it? A lot of people at Carlmont just pat themselves on the back for being ‘liberal’ without actually doing anything to further justice and progress, said Asmar.

Asmar is referring to “bandwagon activists,” or people who jump on board with social justice based causes beacause others around them are doing the same.

“There are opportunities to better our community all around us, and if you want to call yourself an activist, you have to take these opportunities instead of waiting for someone else to do it,” said Rosie Asmar, a senior.

Whether there will be a civil war or not, America is on shaky ground. The conflicts may just be a part of an ongoing conflict that’s been happening since the start of the civil rights movement, or it could grow to be the beginning of a new war over identity.

Even if the conflict isn’t as obvious in California due to a large left-leaning population, tension over race and identity still runs in the state, with pockets of right and middle leaning people “None of what happened in Charlottesville even remotely surprised me, which is probably the saddest part. Up until 50 years ago people of African, Asian, Mexican, or Jewish descent couldn’t own a house here.

Some people think that because they don’t see oppression it isn’t there, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Asmar.

Teens find a voice through activism Kaylee George Staff Writer

The current political climate is unsteady.

Everyone needs to use their voice. Men and women of all races, genders, and ages.

In today’s society, more and more diverse people are standing up for what they believe in, trying to ensure that their voices are heard amongst the many controversies that occur throughout politics, the environmental world, human rights, and more. For many, activism is used for exposing people to contrasting perspectives and inspiring change.

However, creating impact as a youth can be challenging, as they are often not expected to have a strong voice or are not taken as seriously. Despite these perceptions, many students have taken it upon themselves to partake in activism efforts and create opportunities for themselves, as these barriers prove to be no challenge for the passion student activists surge with.

English teacher Erik Migdail said, “The sooner the better; expression of a citizenry that is engaged with the political process, a citizenry that wants to make their voice known. It can be really scary to protest sometimes, so I think the earlier you develop a comfort level with making your voice known in that way, the better off you are.”

One student who has overcome obstacles and has encouraged activism at Carlmont is Rosie Asmar, a junior.

Asmar led the during-school walkout that occurred following the 2016 presidential election, as well as being the Vice President of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and the President of Sojourn to the Past Club.

Asmar said, “It’s tough being super young because peo-

ple assume things about you, just like everyone assumes I’m just passionate and not willing to talk about anything and come to an understanding with people.”

Student activism has been prevalent since the 1960s when a group of black youth began to protest for black rights. According to The Atlantic, this Civil Rights Movement was fueled by youth leaders and student activists.

Throughout this era, youth leaders led immense activist efforts, which have also translated into the Black Lives Matter movements today.

“I come from a background and tradition of protest from the community I grew up in and the family I grew up in. My parents, who were both educators, have a picture of me when the New York City teachers went on strike, must have been in the late 60s, as a three or four year old with a big sandwich board protesting in a crowd,” said Migdail.

When picturing activism, one often imagines a scene of screaming protesters flooding the streets and holding signs to advocate their beliefs. However, activism takes shape many forms and is not merely limited to this notion.

At Carlmont, many students have voiced their opinions and demonstrated their activism efforts through social justice clubs, such as Black Student Union and Feminist Club, as well as events like Fortifying Bridges.

Jay Clark, a senior who is involved in GSA and participated in the walkout, said, “During the election, a lot of minorities felt silenced and they couldn’t safely voice their opinions and needs and their experiences, so I think it’s really important to say we are still here and we are still fighting, and we aren’t going to give up, we still exist, and we still have a long way to go.”

Divya Menon, a junior, takes a unique approach on activism through a blog she created to spread awareness

and share her perspective on gender equality. Menon created the blog after being inspired to do so after observing how students were uneducated or responded negatively towards feminism.

“We are in a time where all different minorities are watching their rights fade away. Racism, misogyny, and homophobia in social media is getting so strong and with the current political climate and government, it’s a norm to be hateful to people. My goal for right now is to change someone’s life and teach them to be kind to one another,” said Menon.

Clark also tries to advocate her beliefs throughout her daily life, carrying out seemingly small, but meaningful actions. For example, she has collected a numerous amount of buttons that each have a different meaning and purpose that she often wears.

Clark said, “One of my favorite buttons says ‘I don’t mind straight people as long as they act gay in public’ and that’s a rhetoric to when people say ‘I’m not homophobic, but I just don’t want to see gay people in public’ because that is homophobic. When you flip it, people see how absurd it sounds.”

In today’s unsteady society, students must put themselves out there as they are the next generation who will invoke change. Fortunately, the Carlmont community, students and faculty alike, have encouraged one another to exercise their voice and participate in activist efforts.

“The stakes seem much, much higher. It’s more important than ever for people to get involved as citizens to safeguard this democracy, to return this great nation to the values that have made us the great envy of the world, and to return us to being leaders in compassion and justice,” said Migdail.

FEATURES

16

September 2017

Clearing the smoke of pot benefits Sean Vanderaa Staff Writer

One in four high school students has used marijuana in the past month according to a 2013 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I’ve used marijuana recreationally for about a year, mainly as a way to relax and hangout, and sometimes to help me sleep.

I don’t do it excessively, but sometimes it’s nice to just have some fun,” said Alex Johnson, a junior.

Although marijuana is often used as a recreational drug among high school students, it is also used as a way for some to treat their health problems or relieve stress.

“I have chronic pain in all of my joints, my back’s in bad shape, and I have a lot of friends who smoke. I had wanted to try it because I heard a lot about the medical benefits of marijuana. Since then I haven’t found anything that eases the pain as well as it does,” said Kara Lipton, a junior.

According to the Harvard Health Publications, marijuana relieves arthritis discomfort in users, and in many cases, is the better alternative to more addictive substances such as opioids, which are used primarily for pain relief.

“I’ve been on opioids twice and both times they have had no effect on my pain,” said Lipton.

At Carlmont, a large factor of whether or not one smokes marijuana is their social

group.

“If it hadn’t been for my peers using marijuana, I probably wouldn’t have begun smoking because they introduced me to it and often are the ones that supply it,” said sophomore Mary Austin.

But among all smokers and nonsmokers, one concern regarding the use of marijuana is consistent.

“For minors I don’t think it is a good idea to use it heavily because it can stunt your brain development,” said Lipton.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, using marijuana as a teen can impair brain development and lead to memory, thinking, and learning functions.

“I think that there probably is a correlation between extended use of marijuana as a minor, and a decreasing set of skills that one needs for academic success,” said

Carlmont history teacher Jayson Waller.

These health risks are one of the main factors that deter people from smoking marijuana as a student or teen.

“I understand that using marijuana as a minor can stunt the development of my brain and that is the main reason why I try not to do it a lot,” said Lipton.

The fact that smoking can hurt the development of one’s brain is also one of the reasons why people are opposed to others smoking.

“When I see my peers smoking marijuana it makes me think that their priorities aren’t right,” said Seema Wadhwa, a junior.

Marijuana use Sophie Lynd among teens causes other health and mental problems as well. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, while under the influence of mari-

juana the user will experience slower reaction times and worse coordination. This combined with driving creates a dangerous situation, being a large factor in the 2,000 plus deaths of teens each year in car accidents according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“With regards to any drug whether it be alcohol, marijuana, or pain killers, my primary concern is safety, especially the safety of my 2 year old son who might be hurt by someone that is being careless. I do not want to see an increase in injuries caused by impaired drivers,” said Waller.

Additional complications associated with smoking marijuana before the age of 21 include breathing problems, becoming addicted to marijuana, and a general decrease in learning ability according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Despite all of this, some still think that smoking is fine for them.

“There definitely is a great health risk when smoking, especially for minors, but to get any hugely negative side effects one would need to use it more frequently than I do, so I don’t think it personally affects me,” said Mason Harvey, a junior.

The main problem concerning the legal sale of marijuana is the cost, as black market prices would be lower than the cost from a dispensary, creating another problem for pro-marijuana arguments. *Due to the delicacy of this topic, the students names have been changed.

Vaccines bring health benefits but still cause debate Samantha Dahlberg Staff Writer Going to the doctor or local pharmacy for a vaccination seems effortless, yet the vaccine debate remains controversial. That needle carries antibodies to protect the immune system from infectious diseases.

Vaccines can either be considered as an essential way to prevent disease or a dangerous substance that interferes with children’s lives by making them sick. Opposing viewpoints on this topic go head-to-head, and both sides have adamant arguments.

Although no mandatory federal vaccination laws exist, all 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public schools according to Procon, a controversial debating website.

Pediatric doctor Avram Greenspan works at Redwood City Pediatrics with his wife Sheryl Greenspan, a registered nurse, and they both believe that every child should be up to date on vaccines. “[Vaccines] prevent illness in yourself and exposing those who can not be vaccinated to disease,” said Greenspan.

With two kids, he made sure everyone in his family got vaccinated.

“In California, you can no longer go to school without vaccines,” said Greenspan.

Getting vaccinated helps strengthen the immune system against disease through microbial DNA. The U.S. Government website on vaccines states that “vaccines consist of killed or modified microbes, parts of microbes, or microbial DNA that trick the body into thinking an infection has occurred. A vaccinated person’s immune system attacks the harmless vaccine and prepares for invasions against the kind of microbe the vaccine contained.”

Many scientists want to find the best, most effective treatments to prevent disease. They review past research to understand how to make the vaccines benefit patients in the future.

The New York Times discusses that “Researchers looked at how many children died of varicella before and after the introduction of the vaccine in 1995. Between 1990 and 1994, more than 45 children died. From 2003 to 2007, only 10 did.”

Many vaccines have positively impacted society by decreasing the number of patients affected by medical out-

breaks.

Vaccines can have side effects, but some argue that these side effects are not minor and should be a cause for great concern.

One mother of a 2-year-old son argues that everyone should be aware about the negative impacts of vaccines.

She asked to have her name withheld due to the stigma of her opinion.

She said she has a common vaccine injury which resulted in an autoimmune disease.

In addition, she has premature ovarian failure which she said results of the Gardasil vaccine.

From WebMD, they state that the Gardasil vaccine is a HPV vaccine for females ranging from age nine to 26 and it is required to prevent cancer.

“The risks outweigh the benefits, and treating a child naturally for the diseases they [vaccines] supposedly protect against is far easier than managing a lifelong vaccine injury,” she said.

Her claim has not been backed by science, but from having firsthand experience her opinion is supported.

David H. Gorski, a surgical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, wrote a science blog WebMD explaining that “the linking of a vaccine viewed as promoting promiscuity to a punishment of losing fertility is simply too natural and irresistible to cranks, regardless of how wrong it is.”

Some medical studies assert that every vaccine injected into the body is beneficial to the patient. Other studies show different results.

According to Shane Ellison from the thepeopleschemist.com, “In 1957, the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shot became widely used in an effort to eradicate measles, mumps, and rubella. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) insisted that it would eliminate mumps in the U.S.

by the year 2010 the vaccine has actually caused widespread epidemics. Outbreaks have become the norm. And those who have suffered the most were ‘vaccinated’.”

From The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, “Paul Offit, paediatrician and prominent advocate of vaccination, sets the ‘Cutter incident’ in the context of the struggle of medical science against polio and other infectious diseases over the course of the 20th century.”

Despite these epidemics, there is a wide majority of nurses who strongly approve of children getting a vaccine at a young age.

Pediatric nurse Ryan Sweeney has been working at Stanford Children’s Health Peninsula Pediatrics for three years. She earned her degree in vocational nursing from Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts in San Mateo, California.

“If [they aren’t] vaccinated, they catch the diseases, even though they do not think they can, they spread them.

Then, they get spread to kids who are too young to be vaccinated [which is] extremely harmful and deadly,” said Sweeney.

Generations of docSophie Lynd tors have had different opinions on whether or not patients should get vaccines, yet most answers have never changed.

“There is just only a short term of risks such as an allergy from an infection in the injection site, but they are very minor,” said Sweeney.

Doctors believe they know what they are doing and have information on how vaccines are beneficial.

According to the CDC, “Vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths. Sick children can also cause parents to lose time from work.”

OPINION

September 2017

17

Having fear is necessary and normal

The changes in the world are real and you should be afraid Amy Fullerton Staff Writer Hurricane Irma recently made landfall in Florida on Sept. 10, destroying everything in its path as one of the largest hurricanes to hit the mainland U.S. in a long time.

With the landfall of Irma, many citizens in the direct path of the storm were concerned for their lives and feared the implications a hurricane the size of Irma may have on the well-being of Florida.

According to Katharine Hayhoe, a researcher at Texas Tech University, global warming is a much-ignored issue that needs more attention to prevent large storms, such as Irma, from causing too much devastation.

“We know that as humans, we are all too good at pretending like a risk, even one we know is real, doesn’t matter to us,” said Hayhoe.

A report in Vox News suggested that fear of Irma is one of the many reasons why people chose to leave their homes riding out the storm.

The biological fight or flight response is sometimes triggered in an effort to protect the person in fear of impending danger.

In this case, Irma has scared many away from their homes and to the north, a safe haven from Irma’s destruction.

According to Harvard Health Publications, this response is necessary for the survival of humans, “The carefully orchestrated yet near-instantaneous sequence of hormonal changes and physiological responses helps someone to fight the threat off or flee to safety.”

People who are concerned about the storm are forced to

flee in fear for their life, as they have no other option than to leave everything they know behind to save themselves.

Millions of people live in the path of Irma and will be affected by the impending storm to some extent or another.

Zachary Fagenson, a resident of the mandatory evacuation zone in Miami, saw the fear in fellow Floridians’ eyes as the storm grew closer.

“As the weekend neared, friends and family began calling and asking my wife and me to leave the city. We live on the 23rd floor of a 38-story high-rise that is in a mandatory evacuation zone — about 75 percent of the tenants in the 500-unit building had already fled,” said Fagenson.

The rise in superstorms such as Irma raises questions in the Bay Area as well. A recent storm that occurred on the peninsula shocked many with its constant lightning and thunder that rattled the area.

Kimberley Eng, a junior, experienced the recent Bay Area storm first hand and was fearful when it brought lightning to the sky.

“The lightning was something new for the Bay Area. I thought it was the end of the world, with all the loud bangs from the thunder every 30 seconds,” said Eng. With these “end of the world” type scenarios with Irma, the recent Bay Area storm, and other hurricanes currently raging in the Atlantic, people seem to have a lot to fear.

In the Bay Area, many fear Donald Trump and his run as president.

Molly Ball, a writer for The Atlantic, said that America is in a much different place than it has been the past when it comes to fear.

“Americans are more afraid today than they have been in a long time.... mass shootings form a constant drumbeat.

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This test is none other than the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

The SAT has been around since 1926 and is taken by teenagers across the country.

It consists of four basic categories: English, reading, and two different sections of math. Some versions are then followed by a timed essay.

On the College Board website, it costs $60 to take the SAT with the essay. Now, multiply that by 1.6 million students.

Around $96 million is spent on taking the SAT each year.

Gaston Caperton, the president of College Board since 1999, has stated that College Board is a non-profit organization and all income goes back into their programs and services.

What programs do the $96 million go to?

The price of taking multiple standardized tests is added to the other expenses of college applications, registration fees, college tuition, and SAT tutors.

My parents wanted me to do well on the SAT, but they also didn’t have thousands of dollars to drop on a tutor.

According to The New York Times, SAT tutors can charge up to $1000 an hour and they usually aren’t worth it.

Everyone I have spoken to about tutors always talks about learning strategies and how to finish quickly.

How does learning strategies about how to select the correct answers and get

through each section with time to spare actually show what you know?

It doesn’t.

The SAT is necessary for any student looking to attend UC schools, Ivy Leagues, private colleges, and even public state schools.

Not only does this standardized test measure your college “readiness,” but it also times how quickly you can prove your readiness.

The SAT also tests students on almost irrelevant topics. Reading articles about the extinction of dinosaurs and answering questions about it will not help students in the future, and it does not test students on anything relevant to what they are actually learning in school.

Not to mention that everyone takes the same test, even though students are in different level math and English classes. The test is not in the student’s favor.

For example, as a senior, I am taking statistics, meaning I have completed pre-calculus and algerbra II. However, friends of mine may not even make it to pre-calculus, while others are already in multi-variable calculus.

Somewhere in the mix though, both students, and myself, are all taking the same test while having different levels of experience.

Between the unrelated topics and the confusing wording of questions, it seems as if College Board wants students to fail.

Even on the essay, you don’t even get to express your opinion or argumentative skills, they just want you to sound intellectual and see how you write, not what you write.

Every human’s brain is different. We all process information differently. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses.

How can one test determine your intelligence by having you work at an unrealistic pace on topics that are not relevant to what you are learning in school and what you are actually interested in for your future?

Protests have shut down large cities repeatedly, and some have turned violent,” said Ball.

According to PBS, using fear to gain advantage over other candidates is nothing new. Both Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy used fear to manipulate their voters, leading to their victory. In more recent times, Trump swayed voters with a picture painted in fear while running for president in November of 2016.

“When back-to-back terror attacks hit Paris in November and San Bernardino in December, he pointed to them as proof that his warnings about Muslims were justified, and voters flocked to him, boosting and solidifying his polling lead in the final stretch before primary voting began,” said Ball.

On its most basic level, fear is necessary to be able to understand one’s happiness, said AP psychology teacher Julie Manuel.

“Fear is similar to sadness in that it’s a protective instinct that helps you recognize dangers. One can’t recognize happiness without being able to feel fear,” said Manuel.

This fear of the unknown with the storms and the politics scares people. Once people realize their internal fear, changes can be made to how people live.

Since the earliest days, fear has played a crucial part in shaping the society that people live in today.

Although underappreciated, using fear to one’s advantage will not only help oneself be happy but also make a change in a world that desperately needs it.

Fear, like stated above, is a natural human response. It’s necessary for self preservation. As a human fear is crucial to learn how to respond to certain situations.

The Highlander Editor-in-Chief Jordan Hanlon

Editors Rachel Borshchenko Nina Heller

Managing Editor Connor Lin

Kylie Lin Sophie Lynd

ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Sophie Penn

Isabel Mitchell

Scotlight Editor-in-Chief Mona Murhamer

Skylar Weiss

Kathryn Stratz

Faculty Adviser Justin Raisner

Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief Brooke Chang

Staff Writers Lily Bakour

Samantha Dahlberg

Joseph Gomez

Hanalei Pham

Ben Balster

Nicole del Cardyre

Cath Lei

Justin Som

Maya Benjamin

Talia Fine

Zana Lunsford

Sean Vanderaa

Sarah Cheung

Daniel Friis

Briana McDonald

Katrina Wiebenson

Kaylee George

Mackenzie O’Connell

Celine Yang

Riley Collins

The Highlander is a newspaper dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and the community with high-quality news, features, and opinion articles. We want to keep our readers informed on important issues ranging from events at Carlmont to international news, and want to engage them with unique stories and images. The Highlander is a publication completely run by the students of the journalism classes at Carlmont High School. Story ideas are generated by the students and the published content is up to the discretion of the editorial staff.

This month’s editorial was written by Isabel Mitchell and the editorial cartoon was drawn by Mona Murhamer.

OPINION

18

September 2017

Conversation vs confrontation

Struggling to see different viewpoints in a liberal bubble Mona Murhamer Staff Writer

Liberals are not as liberal as they say they are.

Confused?

Shocked?

Offended?

Of course they’re liberal. They accept everyone. Blacks, whites, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, straight, gay– they accept everyone.

And that’s what being a liberal is, right? Accepting everyone and loving everyone and being a caring bubble of love and unity.

Well, partially.

According to Libertarianism.org, liberals believe in individual rights and the importance of fulfilling natural talents. In more modern terms, liberals believe in social equality in order to ensure equal opportunities for everyone.

For many living in the “Bay Area Bubble,” being liberal means accepting people because the opposite means rejecting people from receiving certain opportunities.

And that’s where the stigmatization begins.

Under political leadership this past year, the word “Republican” has come to be associated with extremely conservative promises– halting Muslim immigration, building a border wall, and defunding Planned Parenthood, to name a few.

In addition, these promises have come to be associated with President Trump himself, an issue for those who voted on him based off of his more accepting ideologies, such as increasing funding for veterans experiencing PTSD and working with Congress to lower the cost of education for college students, programs which many people are unaware of or ignore.

As a result of hasty association, many who oppose the policies are beginning to view conservative mindsets as

close-minded or exclusionary.

In fact, in a Pew Research Center study, 68 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents found it “stressful and frustrating” to talk to people with positive opinions of President Trump. In the same study, 35 percent even said a friend’s support for Trump would strain their ability to be friends with that person.

So, how can a liberal– one who claims to be open-minded and accepting of individual freedoms– truly call him or herself a liberal if they are excluding an entire group from the acceptance? Political preference is an individual freedom, yet conservatives and Trump supporters are becoming ostracized based on generalizations being made by the media.

The 68 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents who are too stressed by the idea of talking to a Trump supporter to ever approach one are the same people who have created a divide in the American population that has grown to the point of complete polarization in some aspects.

In September, San Francisco witnessed this polarization in full effect.

Far-right groups, more commonly known as the altright, planned to protest the lack of freedom of speech they were experiencing as a result of far-left groups, such as Antifa, denouncing their ideals and beliefs. Democrats planned a counter-protest by coming to speak out against the alt-right.

But Democrats aren’t the only ones to blame.

According to the same Pew Research Center study, 52 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners said talking to someone who opposed their political views would stress them out.

Clearly, nobody wants to hear their side be rebutted.

Nobody wants to hear that their favorite candidate is problematic, either.

Democrats don’t want to hear that former president Barack Obama was actually the one who got the ball roll-

ing on banning immigration, and Republicans must be tired of hearing how Trump is a misogynistic, anti-gay, racist.

In parallel, nobody wants to admit their ideas may not be the only correct ones.

There are many ways to approach foreign affairs– Democrats tend to lean toward being involved in global politics, while Republicans lean in the other direction, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

However, chances are that if you believe one side, you probably won’t see the point in listening to why the other side believes the opposite.

As a result, the two sides have stopped communicating, and nobody is talking.

But everyone is yelling.

Instead of fighting protest with protest, as Charlottesville, Boston, San Francisco, and Berkeley have seen, there should be more room for free speech and for acceptance.

As a nation, we are extremely polarized, and fighting fire with fire only adds to the flame.

Granted, there will always be radicals who want to exterminate whole demographics and other radicals who want to exterminate the exterminators, but those who hold an educated opinion are entitled to having it heard, in one form or another.

All too frequently, these people’s ideas are drowned out by extrimists, so their ideas are overlooked.

Maybe you have a valid reason as to why you believe immigration should be more restricted, but your seat partner in math may have just as valid a reason to believe it shouldn’t.

So, next time someone posts on Facebook about their support for an issue you don’t believe in, instead of immediately unfriending them and texting your group chat about how awful that person is, try to start a conversation instead.

Chances are, that person may have something to educate you on.

In response to: Carlmont’s reaction to a tribalistic political climate

Limiting third parties ensures safety Justin Som Staff Writer

Chaos.

Violence.

Extremism.

This is what happens when radicals separate themselves from the political parties that sprouted them.

Extremists need to be monitored, their numbers need to be known, their leaders need to be accounted for.

A major problem in the United States is that extremist groups like antifa, Black Bloc, and the “self described alt-right” exist with zero supervision by the proper authorities.

For those who are unfamiliar with these radical coalitions, these groups are comprised of the people who claim that America “must be purified” by direct action. But in reality, the members of these groups are nothing more than anarchists who crave media attention.

The behavior patterns of the groups are all the same, despite their claims. Antifa preaches punching Nazis and rebellion towards “fascist regimes.” Black Bloc likes to set trees on fire and fight with Berkeley protesters. The “self-dubbed alt-right” are the white supremacists who purchase Tiki Torches at the local Orchard Supply Hardware s and shout, “White Power!”

The controversy created by the large and eventually violent protests in Berkeley and Charlottesville can be seen as a symbol of the power that these groups wield.

Make no mistake, these radicals are far beyond the ideologies of the Democrats

and Republicans.

For instance, take Bernie Sanders who is regarded as a Democrat with very farleft ideology. Clearly, no one expects to see him go chase after Nazis with the American flag. That’s the main difference between politicians and radicals. Unlike Sanders, extremists don’t care for their public image; they only care about making sure their message it heard.

This type of mindset is a tremendous problem with today’s protesters. These people are often more preoccupied with the creation of the group’s identity instead of the ideals that they pledge themselves to.

Protesters will commonly mistake the size of their group as a sign of acceptance by the general public.

On Twitter, New York City’s branch of antifa has 21,000 followers. The white supremacist and alt-right figurehead, Richard Spencer, has 71,700. If these numbers alone aren’t worrisome, then America needs to remember that these groups are much larger than these numbers portray because extremists prefer to remain anonymous. At this point, there is no accurate estimate of how many members these groups actually have.

Unsupervised extremist activity was a huge problem in the protests of August.

One group would rally in a public place to promote their agenda, and another would come as an instinctive reaction, bringing forth conflict.

In truth, it isn’t hard to see why these “battles,” as the media calls them, occur.

The mere existence of these extremist groups are viewed as challenges to oth-

ers with differing opinions. One group’s “peaceful protest” can be wrongly interpreted as provocative “hate speech” by another.

But what these extremists forget is that their little skirmishes hurt both spectators and regular citizens alike.

In Charlottesville, the actions of a rogue white supremacist caused one death and 19 severe injuries after he ran over a group of people with his car, according to Fox News.

In Berkeley, anarchists caused $100,000 in damages during a protest that was aimed at preventing right-wing blogger and political commnetator Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking, according to CNN. These events could have easily been avoided if the local authorities knew just a few more details about what these extremists had planned for their supposedly “peaceful protest.”

The only solution is that the government must limit the sizes of these radical groups.

Or at the very least, they should notify the local authorities about extremist plans or gatherings.

The government needs to be capable of holding these extremists responsible for damages caused by their followers.

They can enact this by forcing radical groups to register with the government and to make their numbers known.

To address the fears of many Americans in response to what I just said: no, this measure would not infringe on First Amendment rights.

The registration of groups whom the government deems as radical would not

prevent them from accessing their beloved “freedom of speech.” Instead, it would call for a new recording system, one that would indicate how large an extremist group is, who its leaders are, and where public gatherings are planned to be. These numbers could give an indication and warning about size.

In an ideal scenario, the local law enforcement and authorities would be notified ahead of time of where the protest would occur, when it would happen, and would also receive an estimate for the amount of people that would assemble.

But until some form of regulation is created by the government, extremists like antifa, Black Bloc, and white supremacists will continue to battle unchecked within American cities.

New York City “antifa” has 21,000 followers on Twitter. Richard Spencer, a white supremacist and alt-right figurehead, has 71,000 Twitter followers.

September 2017

The Penn Perspective

19

OPINION

Sophie Penn Staff Writer

“I became a journalist to come as close the heart of the world as possible” -Henry Luce I don’t like going places alone. Let me rephrase that.

I hate it.

Being home alone? That’s fine. Not preferable, but fine.

But making a grocery run? Going to the gym? Studying at the library? I almost always end up dragging a friend with me. If no one agrees to accompany me, chances are I won’t end up going.

I’m going to college in the fall, and I was determined to overcome my strange aversion. To challenge myself, I decided to go to the movies alone.

I chose a Wednesday night, which in hindsight probably wasn’t the most effective. It was a school night, so I expected the theater to be pretty empty.

For the whole day, all I could think about was this movie. I spent about 10 minutes just deciding what to watch.

“Baby Driver” was out of question because it’s rated R, and showing my ID could lead to a conversation, which could lead to questions about why I was there by myself, and that was too big of a risk. Horror movies weren’t an option either; what sane person watches a horror movie alone?

I finally decided on “Spiderman: Homecoming,” which seemed like the safest option.

At exactly 6:25 p.m. I climbed into my car and turned on the engine. According to Google Maps, I would get to the theater right as the previews ended.

I anxiously walked up to the counter, trying to avoid making eye contact with the cashier as I requested my single, lonesome ticket.

As I passed the popcorn line, I slowed my walk as I weighed the pros and cons of buying popcorn.

Nope, not worth it. Just keep walking. Okay, theater 11.

Where is theater 11? Okay, I see the sign for Spider-Man, it must be this way.

Wait. I really need to pee. Where’s the bathroom? Maybe it’s down this hallway. No, that wasn’t right, this is a dead end. It’s fine, I can hold it. Just three more hours, right?

Okay, here’s theater 11. Where’s seat number 10, that’s where I’m supposed to be.

Wow, there’s exactly five people in this room. Of course my seat is right behind a couple -- I’m just going to walk down a little further.

I took a deep breath. I made it. Now I just have to get through the movie. That’s the easy part, right?

Except I still needed to pee.

The couple in front of me turned back and glanced at me, and my face immediately turned bright red as I frantically slouched down and stared straight ahead, trying to look cool and unbothered.

I shoved my hands into my jacket pocket, and waited for the lights to dim.

I regretted not buying popcorn -- isn’t that supposed to be the best part of going to a movie alone? Too late now. If I got up to leave the theater, I would have to walk past the couple, and then they would see I was alone. Which meant I couldn’t get up to use the bathroom either.

The couple in front of me was whispering to each other, and I immediately came to the conclusion that they must be talking about me. I heard a soft giggle, and cringed.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the lights dimmed, and the movie started. At least now nobody would notice me.

The movie itself was actually quite enjoyable, and the lack of people in the audience made it feel as though I was merely watching a movie in my living room at home. At the very least, I was getting to see Spider-Man instead of doing my homework.

When the movie ended and the credits began to play, I jumped out of my seat and quickly walked out the exit, with my head pointed at the ground.

I was more comfortable now, though I still felt like I was being silently judged by the moviegoers that passed me.

Stepping out of the building, I started to feel pretty good about myself. That wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. No one even noticed me for the most part.

My euphoria almost came to an end when I temporarily forgot where the entrance was to the parking garage, but I quickly found it.

Sliding into my car, I turned on the engine with a smile on my face.

I never did get around to finding the bathroom though.

I can’t say I’ve completely overcome my aversion to going places alone, but at least I know I can do it, if I have to.

I guess I’m ready to live on my own now, right?

Editorial

Mona Murharmer

Less knowledge is more We are living in a sea of information, but we are drowning in it.

Every day, we hear news of a tragedy in some part of the world. Regardless of the locality of the event, tragedy affects our stress level.

According to Hosting Facts, 172 million different people visit Facebook daily and 4.7 billion minutes are spent on Facebook.

There is no lack of information on social media or the web. But sometimes the information can be false or sensationalized. What many people don’t realize is that all of this can affect the way you live your life.

After a terrorist attack, people fear to go to populated areas. After Columbine and Sandy Hook, school communities held more lockdown drills and tightened security.

With tragedy being the main type of stories that are presented in the media, this does not help the separate the difference between rational and irrational fear.

Fake news or not, people react to the stories and it affects how they live their lives.

Recently, the Facebook page titled “Fox News Chicago” held a live stream of the White House with the title, “Nuclear war might start today.” This post included the estimated time of arrival of a arrived in major cities.

Just because it’s being reported in real-time doesn’t make it real.

We feel stories similar to this Fox News page can potentially cause anxiety in the reader. Coupled with technology and the internet flooded with stories, people’s emotions are toyed with.

This is bad.

Although it seems we’re gaining knowledge around us, we are actually becoming more stressed out.

With the recent natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey and Irma, updates about the status of the hurricanes were available around the clock. But the reports always changed.

At one hour, Irma was headed toward Miami. The next hour, Irma was headed toward all the evacuation spots.

Even worse, people living in California theorized that the overdue earthquake along the San Andreas Faultline is to occur soon due to all of the natural disasters in the world.

This “theory” and discussion is completely unnecessary and unfounded. Nothing that can potentially cause chaos

should be reported on until proven by science or facts.

Stop creating a frenzy over something that is unlikely to happen. Stop creating links between tragedies and your personal life.

Information is everywhere and stalks us. We breathe it, we drink it, and we eat it. We are over-saturated with unnecessary noise in our life.

Take a sponge for example. A sponge, even the best sponge, can only soak up so much of the liquid until it beings to spread the dirty water all over the place, the same way we are not taking in the information and analyzing it all. It goes in one ear and out the other, then we pick and choose what is “relevant” without asking ourselves “Is this reality or a reporter trying to make a name for himself?”

We are just spreading all this nonsense.

And all this gibberish that we are more aware of, you can become frozen because you don’t know what to do with the information. Or just too much of a news junkie to be happy because you are depressed with the knowledge of the negatives in life.

Take the 2016 presidential election for instance. You couldn’t go a day without hearing something about the election. News outlets assured that one candidate was going to win, when in reality, Trump won.

News outlets were competing to see who could predict the winner correctly and first. This is called horse-race journalism.

Especially in our community, people were in shock after the results came. We had walk out because this was the only way for people to express their grievances due to their false expectation.

This shock was a response of being too reliant on the media. You chose to listen to people who supported your views instead of the bigger picture.

But there are choices we all have to make.

You can choose to live a sheltered life, but is that really the best choice?

Opportunities are sacrificed because of fear, and eventually, there will be regret on your part.

No, we are not saying to use the term “yolo”- you only live once- as an excuse when consequences follow a risky or bad action.

When will we reach the point of simply having too much information at our disposal when we should be paying attention to the present?

20

The 5 ways we are all going to die According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, between the 1970s and today, CLIMATE CHANGE has caused the ocean temperature to increase by 1.5 percent. These significant increases have played a large role in the recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Harvey has a death toll of 80 people and Irma has a death toll of 50 people.

In an article from the Chicago Tribune, the Trump Administartion is instructed to follow the traditional diplomatic policy of past presidencies in order to avoid

NUCLEAR WARFARE. Since 2014,

North Korea has doubled the size of its

nuclear facility reporting that they are not afraid to aim weapons at the

U.S.

In 2013, 1.6 million people in China died prematurely from inhaling particulate emissions from excessive coal burning and

POLLUTION. Inhailing these particles

can induce heart disease, strokes, respiratory

complaints, and cancer, according to a

2016 article published by BBC.

Research provided by the centers for disease control and protection

40 percent of adults ages 40-57 are obese. According to a 2013 article published on NBC, states that

OBESITY-induced heart diseases 600 thousand Americans per year. This number is more than kill nearly

the annual death rate of cancer cases, which is

575 thousand.

OVER POPULATION in developing countries can place strain on limited resources that these countries should be using for development.

Not only does this provoke conflict and war between neighboring environments, but also the increase in child mortality rates due to starvation.

PHOTOS IN ORDER: Hurricane Fran NOAA Wikimedia Commons CC, Nuclear Bomb Alex Antropov Pixabay CC, Air pollution from a cooking oven Alfred T. Palmer Wikimedia Commons CC, Obesity Burger hellosoyeon Pixabay CC, Mass groups of people Ben Kerckx Pixabay CC

PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIE LYND